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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The Delay <strong>of</strong> the Deity<br />
in like&gt;<br />
pater <strong>and</strong> <strong>of</strong> Philip <strong>and</strong> <strong>of</strong> all other persons<br />
manner who are the children <strong>of</strong> vicious parents,<br />
nature has implanted this predominant principle <strong>and</strong><br />
it is ever present with them;<br />
is not dormant or in<br />
operative, but they live in it <strong>and</strong> are nurtured by it;<br />
with them it abides <strong>and</strong> it directs their actions. It is<br />
not cruel or unreasonable if the children <strong>of</strong> these<br />
men share their destiny. All things considered, here,<br />
as in the healing art, what is advantageous is just,<br />
<strong>and</strong> he would make himself ridiculous who should<br />
affirm that in diseases <strong>of</strong> the hip=joirit it was wrong<br />
to cauterize the thumb, <strong>and</strong> in the case <strong>of</strong> an ulcer<br />
ated liver, to make an incision in the belly, <strong>and</strong> to<br />
anoint the tips <strong>of</strong> the horns <strong>of</strong> cattle if their ho<strong>of</strong>s<br />
are s<strong>of</strong>t. So in the matter <strong>of</strong> punishments; he who<br />
thinks anything else is just than what will<br />
cure vice,<br />
<strong>and</strong> is sc<strong>and</strong>alized if the healing is affected on one party<br />
for the sake <strong>of</strong> another, like the opening <strong>of</strong> a vein to<br />
relieve the eyes evidently sees no farther than what<br />
is plain to the senses. He does not take into ac<br />
count that even a schoolmaster, when he punishes<br />
one pupil also corrects others, <strong>and</strong> that a general<br />
who decimates his army punishes all his soldiers.<br />
Likewise, certain qualities, good as well as bad,<br />
are transmitted not only from one body to an<br />
other, but even more readily from one soul to an<br />
other. For in the one case it seems reasonable that<br />
the same conditions should also produce<br />
the same<br />
change, while in the other, the soul impelled by<br />
motives <strong>and</strong> impulses is naturally inclined by<br />
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