Between Heathenism and Christianity - College of Stoic Philosophers

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"
The Delay of the Deity
culty? Perhaps," said I. "and yet when persona
are suffering from a high fever, the same or nearly
the same heat remains whether they have on them
one or more garments; nevertheless it affords some
relief (to the patient) to remove what is superfluous.
Still, if you do not wish to go on, we will let this mat
ter pass; at any rate, these stories look like fables
and inventions; remember, however, the festival
of Theoxenia. recently celebrated, and the honorable
place the heralds assign to the descendants of Pindar;
how imposing and delightful the ceremony appeared
to you. Who would not, I said, be charmed with the
bestowal of this honor, so entirely in harmony with
the spirit of Greek antiquity, unless his black heart
had been forged with cold flame, to use one of Pin
dar s own expressions? Then I forbear to mention, I
said, a proclamation similar to this in Sparta called,
After the Lesbian Bard, in honor and memory of
Terpander the Ancient, for the argument is the
same. And you too, descendants of Opheltas, for
sooth, claim somewhat more consideration than
others among the Boeotians and at the hands of the
Phokiaiis because of Diophantus; besides, you were
present and were the first to support me when I up
held the traditional honor of Herakles and the right
to wear a crown which the Lycormae and the Satilaiae
laid claim to; for I said it was altogether proper
that the descendants of Herakles should enjoy unim
paired honors and benefits for services which he had
rendered to the Greeks, but for which he had not
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