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 />
"<br />
"<br />
The Delay <strong>of</strong> the Deity<br />
think it a fable, I will therefore keep to what is prob<br />
able. By no means," said Olympichus, but<br />
repeat When it entire." the others also joined in<br />
the request, I said, Permit me to repeat what is prob<br />
able in the story <strong>and</strong> afterward, if<br />
you like, we will<br />
take up the fable, granting, <strong>of</strong> course, that it is a<br />
fable."<br />
19. Now Bion says for a god to punish the children<br />
<strong>of</strong> bad men w T ould be more ridiculous than if a phy<br />
sician were to administer medicine to the son or<br />
gr<strong>and</strong>son, for the disease <strong>of</strong> the gr<strong>and</strong>father, or the<br />
father. In one respect the conditions are unlike, in<br />
another they are alike, or similar. Administering<br />
medicine to one man for the disease <strong>of</strong> another does<br />
not, it is true, cure the patient, <strong>and</strong> a person who is<br />
suffering from a disease <strong>of</strong> the eyes, or a fever, does<br />
not get better when he sees another annointed or hav<br />
ing a plaster put on him; but the punishments <strong>of</strong> the<br />
wicked make it evident to all men that it is the pur<br />
pose <strong>of</strong> wisely=directed justice to restrain some by<br />
the correction <strong>of</strong> others. In what respect the com<br />
parison made by Bion is pertinent to the inquiry, lie<br />
1<br />
himself failed to notice ;<br />
suppose, now. a man falls<br />
sick <strong>of</strong> a painful but by no means incurable disease,<br />
then gives himself up to intemperance <strong>and</strong> effeminate<br />
habits, <strong>and</strong> dies; <strong>and</strong> suppose, again, that his sou does<br />
not have the same disease but only a predisposition<br />
to it, would not a physician, or a trainer, or even a<br />
careful master, on learning this fact, put him on a<br />
frugal diet, <strong>and</strong> keep him from dainties <strong>and</strong> pastry,