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In early times the Pelasgi, as I know by information which I got at
Dodona, offered sacrifices of all kinds, and prayed to the gods, but
had no distinct names or appellations for them, since they had never
heard of any. They called them gods (Theoi, disposers), because
they disposed and arranged all things in such a beautiful order. After
a long lapse of time the names of the gods came to Greece from Egypt,
and the Pelasgi learnt them, only as yet they knew nothing of
Bacchus, of whom they first heard at a much later date. Not long
after the arrival of the names they sent to consult the oracle at
Dodona about them. This is the most ancient oracle in Greece, and
at that time there was no other. To their question, "Whether they
should adopt the names that had been imported from the foreigners?"
the oracle replied by recommending their use. Thenceforth in their
sacrifices the Pelasgi made use of the names of the gods, and from
them the names passed afterwards to the Greeks.
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