[139] Philosophy, her most dangerous enemy, was now converted into her most useful ally.

The groves of the academy, the gardens of Epicurus, and even the portico of the Stoics, were almost deserted, as so many different schools of scepticism or impiety; [140] and many among the Romans were desirous that the writings of Cicero should be condemned and suppressed by the authority of the senate.

[141] The prevailing sect of the new Platonicians judged it prudent to connect themselves with the priests, whom perhaps they despised, against the Christians, whom they had reason to fear.

These fashionable Philosophers prosecuted the design of extracting allegorical wisdom from the fictions of the Greek poets; instituted mysterious rites of devotion for the use of their chosen disciples; recommended the worship of the ancient gods as the emblems or ministers of the Supreme Deity, and composed against the faith of the gospel many elaborate treatises, [142] which have since been committed to the flames by the prudence of orthodox emperors.

[143] [Footnote 136: We might quote, among a great number of instances, the mysterious worship of Mythras, and the Taurobolia; the latter of which became fashionable in the time of the Antonines, (see a Dissertation of M.de Boze, in the Memoires de l'Academie des Inscriptions, tom.