Cur ergo quibus comparamur de disciplina, non proinde illis adaequamur ad licentiam impunitatemque disciplinae? vel cur et illi, ut pares nostri, non urgentur ad officia quae nos non obeuntes periclitamur? Quis enim philosophum sacrificare aut deierare aut lucernas meridie vanas proferre conpellit? Quinimmo et deos vestros palam destruunt et superstitiones vestras commentariis quoque accusant laudantibus vobis.
Then why, if, so far as teaching goes, we are compared with them, why are we not put on an equality with them in freedom and impunity of teaching? Or why, since we are all on one level, why are not they compelled to discharge those duties, our refusal of which brings us into danger? For who compels a philosopher to sacrifice, or to take an oath, or to set out silly lamps at midday? Not a bit of it! They openly destroy your gods, they attack your superstitions in their treatises, and you applaud.
final_alignments\Tertullian_Apology.json