I have
not aimed at exhausting the literature on my subject. On the other hand I
have tried to make myself completely acquainted with the first-hand
material, wherever it gave a direct support for assuming Atheism, and to
take my own view of it. In many cases, however, the argumentation has had
to be indirect: it has been necessary to draw inferences from what an
author does not say in a certain connexion when he might be expected to
say it, or what he generally and throughout avoids mentioning, or from his
general manner and peculiarities in his way of speaking of the gods. In
such cases I have often had to be content with my previous knowledge and
my general impression of the facts; but then I have as a rule made use of
the important modern literature on the subject. In working out the sketch
of the ideas after the end of Antiquity, I have been almost without any
guidance in modern literature. I have accordingly had to try, on the basis
of a superficial acquaintance with some of the chief types, to form for
myself, as best I might, some idea of the course of the evolution; but I
have not been able to go systematically through the immense material,
however fruitful such a research appeared to be. In the meantime, between
the publication of my Danish essay and this translation, there has
appeared a work by Mr. Gruppe, _Geschichte der klassischen Mythologie und
Religionsgeschichte_ (Leipzig, 1921). My task in writing my last chapters
would have been much easier if I could have made use of Mr. Gruppe's
learned and comprehensive treatment of the subject; but it would not have
been superfluous, for Mr. Gruppe deals principally with the history of
classical mythology, not with the history of the belief in the gods of
antiquity. So I have ventured to let my sketch stand as it is, only
reducing some of the notes (which I had on purpose made rather full, to
aid others who might pursue the subject) by referring to Mr. Gruppe
instead of to the sources themselves.

For kindly helping me to find my bearings in out-of-the-way parts of my
subject, I am indebted to my colleagues F. Buhl, I.L. Heiberg, I.C.
Jacobsen and Kr. Nyrop, as well as to Prof. Martin P. Nilsson in Lund.

P. 1. Definition of Atheism: see the article in the _Catholic Encycl._
vol. ii.

P. 5. Atheism: see Murray, _New Engl. Dict._, under Atheism and -ism. The
word seems to have come up in the Renaissance.

P. 6. Criminal Law at Athens: see Lipsius, _Das attische