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 />
You<br />
"<br />
Do<br />
" "<br />
You<br />
The Delay <strong>of</strong> the Deity<br />
boldness or timidity<br />
to become worse or better."<br />
17. While I was yet speaking, Olympichus inter<br />
rupting me, said, seem, in your discourse, to<br />
proceed on a weighty assumption, namely, the con<br />
tinued existence <strong>of</strong> the soul.<br />
will surely<br />
grant this." I replied, "or rather, have granted it,<br />
for my argument has proceeded from the beginning<br />
on the hypothesis that God distributes to us all<br />
rewards <strong>and</strong> punishments according to our deserts."<br />
Hereupon he replied, you then think it follows<br />
<strong>of</strong> necessity, from the fact that because the gods<br />
observe all our actions, <strong>and</strong> apportion rewards <strong>and</strong><br />
punishments, that souls are either altogether incor<br />
ruptible, or that they continue to exist for some time<br />
after<br />
death?"<br />
"My good friends," said I, "God is<br />
not impatient, or so occupied with trifles, that if there<br />
were not something <strong>of</strong> the divinity in us, something<br />
at least in a measure similar to Himself, but if, like<br />
unto leaves, as Homer says, we are altogether transi<br />
tory, <strong>and</strong> doomed to perish in a little while, He would<br />
treat us with so much consideration like those<br />
women who plant the gardens <strong>of</strong> Adonis in frag<br />
ments <strong>of</strong> pottery <strong>and</strong> bestow pains on them cherish<br />
ing those ephemeral souls <strong>of</strong> ours, that dwell in a<br />
frail body, <strong>and</strong> when they are sprung up have no<br />
firm root in life, but are forever extinguished by any<br />
sudden calamity. But if<br />
you are agreed, let us pass<br />
over the other gods <strong>and</strong> let us consider ours here (in<br />
Delphi), whether you think, if he were aware that<br />
the souls <strong>of</strong> those who have passed from life, forth-<br />
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