Arnobius, Against the Pagans (Adversus Nationes)

or did they have secure fortunes from such accidents? When was the human race destroyed by deluges of water? Not before us? When was the world consumed and dissolved into ashes and cinders? Not before us? When were the most ample cities covered by marine waves? Not before us? When were wars waged with wild beasts and battles with lions? Not before us? When was destruction given to peoples by poisonous snakes? Not before us? For as to the causes of frequent wars, the devastation of cities, the incursions of the Germans and Scythians, which you are accustomed to object against us, with your peace and with good pardon I might say, you do not see what sort of thing that is which is called by the lust for calumny. That ten thousand years ago from the island which is called Atlantic by Neptune, as Plato demonstrates, a great force of men erupted and fundamentally destroyed and extinguished innumerable nations, were we the cause? That among the Assyrians and Bactrians, once under the leadership of Ninus and Zoroaster, there was fighting not only with iron f. 8ᵇ and with forces, but also from the recondite disciplines of the Chaldeans, was this our envy? That Helen, with the gods as leaders and inciters, was abducted and was a curse to her own and a fate for coming times, is it attributed to the crimes of our religion? That that immense Xerxes sent the sea onto the lands and crossed the seas with his strides, is it the effect of the injury of our name? That from the borders of Macedonia one youth arose and subjugated the kingdoms and peoples of the Orient to captivity and slavery, did we make and excite the causes? That recently the Romans, like some torrent river, submerged and overwhelmed all nations, did we evidently precipitate the deities into fury? But if there is no human who dares to [accuse] what was done long ago...