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beguile their listeners from the truth through

their fictions, and the boxers meet in single

combat for no reason whatsoever. Are such

exhibitions to your credit? He who is chief

among you collects a legend of blood-stained

murders” – He's talking about the gladiators –

“engaging to maintain them, and he who misses

the murder exhibition is grieved, for he was not

doomed to be a spectator of wicked, impious,

and abominable deeds.” This is, again, the

second and the third century. Another writer

says, "Neither may we watch the other spectacles”

– that is, the theater – “lest our eyes and ears be

defiled for participating in the utterances that are

sung there.” They talk about the music that's

there also. And he says, "And as for adultery,

both in the case of men and of gods whom they

celebrate in eloquent language for honor and

prizes, this is made the subject of their

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