Between Heathenism and Christianity - College of Stoic Philosophers
Between Heathenism and Christianity - College of Stoic Philosophers
Between Heathenism and Christianity - College of Stoic Philosophers
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
Plutarch <strong>and</strong> the Greece <strong>of</strong> His Age<br />
upon the best methods <strong>of</strong> controlling<br />
the different<br />
passions to which men are subject. Their purport<br />
at their titles.<br />
easily becomes evident from a glance<br />
They show that he has carefully observed <strong>and</strong> studied<br />
men, at least those that constitute the various higher<br />
classes <strong>and</strong> give the prevailing tone to society.<br />
Many<br />
<strong>of</strong> these essays are still <strong>of</strong> interest <strong>and</strong> well repay<br />
perusal. They contain many acute observations <strong>and</strong><br />
piquant remarks.<br />
For Plutarch the old mythology<br />
is sufficient as a<br />
basis for a religious belief. Like most <strong>of</strong> the Greek<br />
philosophers who incline toward theism, he main<br />
tains that myths are, to a greater or less extent, cor<br />
ruptions <strong>of</strong> primitive verities. These originated in<br />
the popular mind <strong>and</strong> received artistic form at the<br />
h<strong>and</strong>s <strong>of</strong> the poets. Underlying them all there is<br />
truth enough <strong>and</strong> beauty enough to show the aspira<br />
tion <strong>of</strong> the soul after higher things, <strong>and</strong> they form<br />
the basis <strong>of</strong> a purely theistic belief. Plutarch s un<br />
bounded faith in human reason leads him to believe<br />
that it alone is entirely sufficient to enable any <strong>and</strong><br />
every man to lead a virtuous life. His advice to<br />
every one is, in substance: get all the light you can;<br />
use the reason you are endowed with by the creator;<br />
acquire additional knowledge <strong>and</strong> wisdom every day;<br />
make your inward life an object <strong>of</strong> daily study <strong>and</strong><br />
reflection, if you do these things you will lead a vir<br />
tuous life. Those persons who have no love for the<br />
beautiful <strong>and</strong> the good, no desire to become virtuous,<br />
fail because they neglect to cultivate the reason<br />
183<br />
with