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148 MONTAIGNE'S ESSAYES
above all other things, by reason of the infinite goodnes
and unspeakable beauty that is and shines in him : Had
he but the same place in our affections that riches,
pleasures, glory, and our friends have : The best of
us doth not so much feare to wrong him as he doth
to injure his neighbour, his kinsman, or his master.
Is there so simple a minde who, on the one side having
before him the object of one of our vicious pleasures,
and on the other to his full view perfect knowledge
and assured perswasion, the state of an immortall
glorie, that would enter into contention of one for
the other ? And so we often refuse it through meere
contempt: for what drawes us to blaspheming, unlesse
it be at all adventures, the desire it selfe of the offence?
The Philosopher Antisthenes, when he was initiated in
the mysteries of Orpheus, the priest saying unto him
that such as vowed themselves to that religion should
after death receive eternall and perfect felicities, replied,
' If thou beleeve it, why dost thou not die thy
selfe?' Diogenes more roughly (as his manner was)
and further from our purpose, answered the priest who
perswaded him to be one of his order, that so he might
come unto and attaine the happinesse of the other
world : ' Wilt thou have me beleeve that those famous
men, Agcsilaus and Epaminondas, shall be miserable,
and that thou, who art but an asse, and doth nothing
of any worth, shalt be happy, because thou art a
Priest?' Did we but receive these large promises of
everlasting blessednesse with like authoritie as we do
a philosophicall discourse, we should not then have
death in that horror as we have:
Non jam se moriens dissohi conquereretur,
Sed magis ire foras, vestemque relmquerc ut anguis
Gauderet, prcdonga senex aut cornua cervus, 1
He would not now complaine to be dissolved dying,
But rather more rejoice, that now he is forth-flying,
Or as a Snake his coat out-worne,
Or as old Harts, doth cast his borne.
1 LUCRET. 1. iii. 630