I maintain,
Some shrewd man first, a man in counsel wise,
Discovered unto men the fear of Gods,
Thereby to frighten sinners should they sin
E'en secretly in deed, or word, or thought.
τηνικαῦτά μοι δοκεῖ
⟨ ⟩ πυκνός τις καὶ σοφὸς γνώμην ἀνήρ
⟨θεῶν⟩ δέος θνητοῖσιν ἐξευρεῖν, ὅπως
εἴη τι δεῖμα τοῖς κακοῖσι, κἂν λάθρᾳ
πράσσωσιν ἢ λέγωσιν ἢ φρονῶσί ⟨τι⟩.
⟨ ⟩ πυκνός τις καὶ σοφὸς γνώμην ἀνήρ
⟨θεῶν⟩ δέος θνητοῖσιν ἐξευρεῖν, ὅπως
εἴη τι δεῖμα τοῖς κακοῖσι, κἂν λάθρᾳ
πράσσωσιν ἢ λέγωσιν ἢ φρονῶσί ⟨τι⟩.
Original text (Ancient Greek)
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Notes from Wikiquote
He was a wise man who originated the idea of God. (Cassell's, 1907)