Page:Works of Voltaire Volume 02.djvu/153

Rh pliments by his dog to Simon Barjona, otherwise called St. Peter, as soon as he came to Rome; that St. Peter, who was scarcely less polite, sent also his dog to compliment Simon Grace-of-God, and then they diverted themselves by trying which could soonest raise from the dead a cousin german of Nero's; that Grace-of-God only succeeded in effecting a partial restoration, while Barjona won the game by wholly restoring the dead man to life; that Grace-of-God sought to have his revenge by flying through the air like St. Dædalus; and that Barjona broke his legs, by making him fall. On this account St. Peter received the martyr's crown, being crucified with his heels upward. Therefore we have proved that his holiness, the pope, ought to reign over all who wear crowns; that he is lord of the past, the present, and all the futures in the world.

.—It is clear these things happened in the days when Hercules separated at a stroke the two mountains, Calpe and Abyla, and crossed the straits of Gibraltar in his goblet. But it is not on such histories, however authentic they may be, that we base our religion. We found it on the gospel.

.—But, sir, on what passages of the gospel? I have read a portion of the gospel in our theological tracts. Do you base it on the descent of the angel to announce to the Virgin Mary that she had conceived by the Holy Ghost? On the journey of the three kings after the star? On