Illustration of Plato's idea that only those that are good can be gods; poets having written fictions dishonourable to the goodness of gods have to be banished (poets reading and being banished); good and bad gods: Titus Latinius, a Roman peasant, lost his son and fell seriously ill as punishment for failing to inform the senate to restart the games ('Ludi Magni' in honour of Jupiter) as commanded in a dream (Titus Latinius or his son lying in bed; sacrifice of animals in honour of the gods)