Between Heathenism and Christianity - College of Stoic Philosophers

The Delay of the Deity
they learn, for instance, that Plato, after raising his
staff to strike his slave, remained standing for a long
time, as he himself says, in this way chastening his
anger. And Archytas, on learning that his servants
were negligent and disorderly in his fields, but
noticing that he was greatly angered and incensed
at them, did nothing but remark as he walked away,
You are lucky that I am very wroth at you. If,
therefore, the reported sayings of men, treasured up
for us, deter us from harshness and the violence
resulting from passion; much more does it become us,
as we look upon God who lacks nothing and who
knows no repentance for any deed, yet postpones
punishment to the future and bides His time, to be
on our guard in such matters. We ought also to
look upon mildness and long=suffering as the divine
part of the virtue which God Himself exemplifies
(in His dealings with men), and to remember that
few are made better by swift chastisement, but that
many are profited and admonished by
punishing.
tardiness in
6. In the second place, let us remember that
punishments among men. having regard solely to
the
infliction of injuries to others, cease with the
malefactor and go no further; therefore, like a
barking dog they (the penalties) cling
to the heels
of the transgression and follow up actions closely.
But God, as seems reasonable, discerns the pas
sions of the diseased soul
upon which He wishes to
visit punishment, whether in any way, perchance, it
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