[12,77] ὅσον δὲ ἦν ἐπιδεῖξαι ταῦτα μὴ φθεγγόμενον, ἆρα οὐχ ἱκανῶς ἔχει κατὰ τὴν τέχνην; τὴν μὲν γὰρ ἀρχὴν καὶ τὸν βασιλέα βούλεται δηλοῦν τὸ ἰσχυρὸν τοῦ εἴδους καὶ τὸ μεγαλοπρεπές· τὸν δὲ πατέρα καὶ τὴν κηδεμονίαν τὸ πρᾷον καὶ προσφιλές· τὸν δὲ Πολιέα καὶ νόμιμον ἥ τε σεμνότης καὶ τὸ αὐστηρόν· τὴν δὲ ἀνθρώπων καὶ θεῶν ξυγγένειαν αὐτό που τὸ τῆς μορφῆς ὅμοιον ἐν εἴδει συμβόλου· τὸν δὲ Φίλιον καὶ Ἱκέσιον καὶ Ξένιον καὶ Φύξιον καὶ πάντα τὰ τοιαῦτα ἁπλῶς ἡ φιλανθρωπία {καὶ τὸ πρᾷον} καὶ τὸ χρηστὸν ἐμφαινόμενα προσομοιοῖ· τὸν δὲ Κτήσιον καὶ τὸν Ἐπικάρπιον ἥ τε ἁπλότης καὶ ἡ μεγαλοφροσύνη, δηλουμένη διὰ τῆς μορφῆς· ἀτεχνῶς γὰρ διδόντι καὶ χαριζομένῳ μάλιστα προσέοικε τἀγαθά.

[12,77] And so far as it was possible to reveal these attributes without the help of words, is the god not adequately represented from the point of view of art ? For his sovereignty and kingship are intended to be shown by the strength in the image and its grandeur ; his fatherhood and his solicitude by its gentleness and kindliness ; the `Protector of Cities' and `Upholder of the Law' by its majesty and severity ; the kinship between gods and men, I presume, by the mere similarity in shape, being already in use as a symbol ; the `God of Friends, Suppliants, Strangers, Refugees,' and all such qualities in short, by the benevolence and gentleness and goodness appearing in his countenance. The God of Wealth' and the `Giver of Increase' are represented by the simplicity and grandeur shown by the figure, for the god does in very truth seem like one who is giving and bestowing blessings.

[12,78] ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ὡς οἷόν τε ἦν ἐμιμησάμην, ἅτε οὐκ ἔχων ὀνομάσαι. συνεχῶς δὲ ἀστράπτοντα ἐπὶ πολέμῳ καὶ φθορᾷ πλήθους ἢ ὄμβρων ὑπερβολὴν ἢ χαλάζης ἢ χιόνος, ἢ τανύοντα κυανῆν ἶριν, τοῦ πολέμου ξύμβολον, ἢ ἀστέρα πέμποντα ξυνεχεῖς σπινθῆρας ἀποβάλλοντα, δεινὸν τέρας ναύταις {ἢ στρατιώτῃ}, ἢ ἐπιπέμποντα ἔριν ἀργαλέαν Ἕλλησι καὶ βαρβάροις, ὥστε ἔρωτα ἐμβάλλειν πολέμου καὶ μάχης ἄπαυστον κάμνουσιν ἀνθρώποις καὶ ἀπειρηκόσιν· οὐδέ γε ἱστάντα ἐπὶ πλάστιγγος ἀνθρώπων ἡμιθέων κῆρας ἢ στρατοπέδων ὅλων, αὐτομάτῳ ῥοπῇ κρινομένας· οὐκ ἦν διὰ τῆς τέχνης μιμεῖσθαι· οὐ μὴ οὐδὲ παρὸν ἠθέλησά γ´ ἄν ποτε.

[12,78] As for these attributes, then, I have represented them in so far as it was possible to do so, since I was not able to name them. But the god who continually sends the lightning's flash, portending war and the destruction of many or a mighty downpour of rain, or of hall or of snow, or who stretches the dark blue rainbow across the sky, the symbol of war, or who sends a shooting star, which hurls forth a stream of sparks, a dread portent to sailors or soldiers, or who sends grievous strife upon Greeks and barbarians so as to inspire tired and despairing men with unceasing love for war and battle, and the god who weighed in the balance the fates of godlike men or of whole armies to be decided by its spontaneous inclination —that god, I say, it was not possible to represent by my art ; nor assuredly should I ever have desired to do so even had it been possible.