Between Heathenism and Christianity - College of Stoic Philosophers

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Even
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The Delay of the Deity
times repeated? And in truth, it is not long since
the Lacedaemonians ceased to send virgins to Troy
who without upper garments and with bare feet,
like slaves, at early dawn swept around the altar of
Athena, without the wimple, even though old age
bore heavy upon them, on account of the lasciviousness
of Ajax.
Where, pray, is the logic or justice
of these things? We do not approve
the custom of
the Thracians, who even at the present day tattoo
their wives for the purpose of avenging Orpheus,
nor that of the barbarians along the Po for wearing
black garments in token of mourning for Pentheus,
as they say. And it would have been still more ri
diculous, I think,
when Phaethon perished had not concerned them
if the men who lived at the time
selves about him. but those who were born five or ten
generations after his death had begun to change
their garments for
his sake and to put on mourning.
Nevertheless this is merely silly and has nothing
pernicious or irremediable about it. But with what
reason does the anger of the gods sometimes sud
denly disappear like certain rivers, only to break out
afterwards against others in order to plunge them
into the direst misfortunes?"
13. As soon as he ceased, I, fearing lest he might
again proceed anew to more and greater absurdities,
spoke up and asked him :
Very well, but do you accept
all these things as To which true?" he replied,
if not all, but only some of them are true, do
you not think the question presents the same diffi-
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