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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Pindar says?<br />
197<br />
The Delay <strong>of</strong> the Deity<br />
from drink <strong>and</strong> women, <strong>and</strong> by enjoining<br />
the con<br />
tinuous use <strong>of</strong> remedies <strong>and</strong> the exercise <strong>of</strong> the body<br />
in gymnastics, scatter <strong>and</strong> eradicate the little germ<br />
<strong>of</strong> a big disorder, before it had reached the serious<br />
.stage? Forsooth, do not we admonish those who<br />
are born <strong>of</strong> diseased fathers or mothers, to take heed<br />
to themselves, <strong>and</strong> to be on their guard against<br />
neglecting themselves, <strong>and</strong> forthwith to expel the<br />
inbred evil while its germ is yet undeveloped, <strong>and</strong><br />
thus take the danger by<br />
the forelock? "Most<br />
assuredly," said they. "Then," replied I,<br />
"we are<br />
not doing an absurd but a necessary thing; not<br />
something ridiculous but something useful, when we<br />
recommend to the children <strong>of</strong> epileptics <strong>and</strong> hypo<br />
chondriacs <strong>and</strong> gouty persons, physical exercise <strong>and</strong><br />
wholesome diet <strong>and</strong> medicaments, not because they<br />
are sick, but to the end that they may not become<br />
sick. The body that is born <strong>of</strong> an unsound body<br />
does not need chastisement but medical treatment<br />
<strong>and</strong> good regimen.<br />
If anybody calls the interdiction<br />
<strong>of</strong> pleasures <strong>and</strong> the imposition <strong>of</strong> toil <strong>and</strong> labor,<br />
punishment, he does so because he is inept <strong>and</strong><br />
effeminate, <strong>and</strong> no attention need be paid to him.<br />
Shall we say, then, that a body born <strong>of</strong> an unsound<br />
body is worthy <strong>of</strong> care <strong>and</strong> attention, but the con<br />
genital seeds <strong>of</strong> vice that germinate <strong>and</strong> spring up<br />
in the young character, we are to let alone <strong>and</strong> wait<br />
<strong>and</strong> dally, until the evil passions break forth openly,<br />
show forth the malignant fruit <strong>of</strong> the heart, as