[12,79] βροντῆς γὰρ εἴδωλον ἄφθογγον {ἢ ἀστραπῆς} ἢ κεραυνοῦ εἴκασμα ἀλαμπὲς ἐκ τῶν τῇδε ἐπιγείων μεταλλευμάτων ποῖον ἄν τι καὶ γένοιτο; ἔτι δὲ γῆν σειομένην καὶ κινούμενον Ὄλυμπον ὑπὸ νεύματι βραχεῖ τῶν ὀφρύων ἤ τινα νέφους περὶ τῇ κεφαλῇ στέφανον Ὁμήρῳ μὲν εἰπεῖν εὐμαρὲς καὶ πολλὴ πρὸς τὰ τοιαῦτα ἅπαντα ἐλευθερία, τῇ δέ γε ἡμετέρᾳ τέχνῃ παντελῶς ἄπορον, ἐγγύθεν ἐχούσῃ καὶ σαφῆ τὸν ἔλεγχον τῆς ὄψεως.

[12,79] For of thunder what sort of soundless image, or of lightning and of the thunderbolt what kind of a likeness without the lightning's flash could by any possibility be made from the metals taken from the subterranean workings of this land at least? Then when the earth was shaken and Olympus was moved by a slight inclination of the eyebrows, or a crown of cloud was about his head, it was easy enough for Homer to describe them, and great was the freedom he enjoyed for all such things; but for our art it is absolutely impossible, for it permits the observer to test it with his eyes from close at hand and in full view.

[12,80] εἰ δ´ αὖ τὸ τῆς ὕλης ἀσημότερον ἡγεῖταί τις ἢ κατὰ τὴν ἀξίαν τοῦ θεοῦ, τοῦτο μὲν ἀληθές τε καὶ ὀρθόν· ἀλλ´ οὔτε τοὺς δόντας οὔτε τὸν ἑλόμενον καὶ δοκιμάσαντα ἐν δίκῃ μέμφοιτ´ ἄν. οὐ γὰρ ἦν ἑτέρα φύσις ἀμείνων οὐδὲ λαμπροτέρα πρὸς ὄψιν, ἣν δυνατὸν εἰς χεῖρας ἀνθρώπων ἀφικέσθαι καὶ μεταλαβεῖν δημιουργίας.

[12,80] "But if, again, anyone thinks that the material used is too lacking in distinction to be in keeping with the god, his belief is true and correct. But neither those who furnished it, nor the man who selected and approved it, has he any right to criticize. For there was no other substance better or more radiant to the sight that could have come into the hands of man and have received artistic treatment.