Between Heathenism and Christianity - College of Stoic Philosophers

"
De Providentia
follows them; He obeys always,
once.
He commanded but
7. But why was God so unjust in the destinies he
prescribed for mortals, as to send upon good men
poverty, wounds, and cruel deaths""? The artisan
cannot change matter; it is passive. There are some
things that cannot be separated from others; they
are bound together and indivisible. Sluggish na
tures and such as are prone
to sink into slumber or
into a state closely akin to slumber, are conjoined of
inert elements; to form a man who is really worthy
of the name a more heroic destiny
is needed. His
path will not be smooth; he must go up=hill and
down=hill, be tossed on the waves, and guide his
bark through turbid waters; in spite of changing for
tune, he must hold on his way.
8. He will meet many obstacles hard to remove or
surmount, but he will himself remove them and
smooth his path. Gold is tried by fire; brave men
by misfortune. Behold to what heights virtue may
climb; thou shouldst know that it cannot go by ways
that are free from dangers.
Hard is the way at first: though drawn by prancing steeds.
Slow, up the sky. the shining car proceeds;
On land and sea I gaze from heaven s high crest:
Fear and emotion till my heaving breast.
Steep is the downward way. and with tight rein
I must the ardor of my steeds restrain;
E en Tethys, wont to greet me neath the waves,
Fears lest we plunge headlong to wat vy graves.
9. When the high- spirited youth heard these words
he said,
"I
like the way; I shall ascend it even though
loo