themselves the Christian Church, have erected their fable, which for
absurdity and extravagance is not exceeded by anything that is to be
found in the mythology of the ancients.

The ancient mythologists tell us that the race of Giants made war
against Jupiter, and that one of them threw a hundred rocks against
him at one throw; that Jupiter defeated him with thunder, and
confined him afterwards under Mount Etna; and that every time the
Giant turns himself, Mount Etna belches fire. It is here easy to see
that the circumstance of the mountain, that of its being a volcano,
suggested the idea of the fable; and that the fable is made to fit
and wind itself up with that circumstance.

The Christian mythologists tell that their Satan made war against the
Almighty, who defeated him, and confined him afterwards, not under a
mountain, but in a pit. It is here easy to see that the first fable
suggested the idea of the second; for the fable of Jupiter and the
Giants was told many hundred years before that of Satan.

Thus far the ancient and the Christian mythologists differ very
little from each other. But the latter have contrived to carry the
matter much farther. They have contrived to connect the fabulous part
of the story of Jesus Christ with the fable originating from Mount
Etna; and, in order to make all the parts of the story tie together,
they have taken to their aid the traditions of the Jews; for the
Christian mythology is made up partly from the ancient mythology, and
partly from the Jewish traditions.

The Christian mythologists, after having confined Satan in a pit,
were obliged to let him out again to bring on the sequel of the