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