"It is convenient that there be gods, and, as it is convenient, let us believe there are"

Ovid’s statement, “It is convenient that there be gods, and, as it is convenient, let us believe there are,” suggests a pragmatic approach to religious belief rather than a strictly devout or metaphysical one. The emphasis here is on utility over truth; the existence of gods is accepted not because it is necessarily demonstrable or self-evident, but because it serves a social, moral, or psychological purpose.

Belief in gods under this outlook functions as a social glue and a mechanism for enforcing ethical norms. Divine oversight can deter wrongdoing where human judgment may fail; knowing or imagining that supernatural beings watch over humanity encourages better behavior. The concession of “convenience” acknowledges that faith offers order, comfort, and purpose, qualities crucial for personal conduct and societal cohesion. If the idea of gods enables a collective sense of justice or eases existential anxieties, then belief becomes advantageous for the community.

There’s an echo of philosophical skepticism embedded in Ovid’s words, which prefigures later thinkers like Pascal and Voltaire, who saw religious faith as rationally questionable but practically indispensable. For Ovid, belief isn't anchored solely in truth claims about divinity, but in the positive outcomes it can yield. Gods become instruments for stabilizing society, providing meaning, or pacifying individuals’ fears about mortality and chaos. This instrumental approach to religion recognizes the profound role belief plays in shaping human experience, even if the reality of the gods is never conclusively established.

Ovid’s pragmatic lens also hints at a veiled irony: should rational benefit outweigh the pursuit of truth? By encouraging belief for its convenience alone, he subtly challenges traditional faith, suggesting that sometimes humans choose comforting illusions over uncertain realities, an observation that remains relevant to discussions about the function and necessity of belief in any era.