下载辰思小说免费APP
Ath。And，Omostexcellentandbestofmen，doIunderstandyoutomeanthattheyarecarelessbecausetheyareignorant，anddonotknowthattheyoughttotakecare，orthattheyknow，andyetlikethemeanestsortofmen，knowingthebetter，choosetheworsebecausetheyareovercomebypleasuresandpains？
Cle。Impossible。
Ath。Donotallhumanthingspartakeofthenatureofsoul？Andisnotmanthemostreligiousofallanimals？
Cle。Thatisnottobedenied。
Ath。AndweacknowledgethatallmortalcreaturesarethepropertyoftheGods，towhomalsothewholeofheavenbelongs？
Cle。Certainly。
Ath。And，therefore，whetherapersonsaysthatthesethingsaretotheGodsgreatorsmall-ineithercaseitwouldnotbenaturalfortheGodswhoownus，andwhoarethemostcarefulandthebestofownerstoneglectus-Thereisalsoafurtherconsideration。
Cle。Whatisit？
Ath。Sensationandpowerareinaninverseratiotoeachotherinrespecttotheircaseanddifficulty。
Cle。Whatdoyoumean？
Ath。Imeanthatthereisgreaterdifficultyinseeingandhearingthesmallthanthegreat，butmorefacilityinmovingandcontrollingandtakingcareofandunimportantthingsthanoftheiropposites。
Cle。Farmore。
Ath。Supposethecaseofaphysicianwhoiswillingandabletocuresomelivingthingasawhole-howwillthewholefareathishandsifhetakescareonlyofthegreaterandneglectsthepartswhicharelesser？
Cle。Decidedlynotwell。
Ath。Nobetterwouldbetheresultwithpilotsorgenerals，orhouseholdersorstatesmen，oranyothersuchclass，iftheyneglectedthesmallandregardedonlythegreat；-asthebuilderssay，thelargerstonesdonotliewellwithoutthelesser。
Cle。Ofcoursenot。
Ath。Letusnot，then，deemGodinferiortohumanworkmen，who，inproportiontotheirskill，finishandperfecttheirworks，smallaswellasgreat，byoneandthesameart；orthatGod，thewisestofbeings，whoisbothwillingandabletotakecare，islikealazygood-for-nothing，oracoward，whoturnshisbackuponlabourandgivesnothoughttosmallerandeasiermatters，buttothegreateronly。
Cle。Never，Stranger，letusadmitasuppositionabouttheGodswhichisbothimpiousandfalse。
Ath。IthinkthatwehavenowarguedenoughwithhimwhodelightstoaccusetheGodsofneglect。
Cle。Yes。
Ath。Hehasbeenforcedtoacknowledgethatheisinerror，buthestillseemstometoneedsomewordsofconsolation。
Cle。Whatconsolationwillyouofferhim？
Ath。Letussaytotheyouth：-Theruleroftheuniversehasorderedallthingswithaviewtotheexcellenceandpreservationofthewhole，andeachpart，asfarasmaybe，hasanactionandpassionappropriatetoit。Overthese，downtotheleastfractionofthem，ministershavebeenappointedtopreside，whohavewroughtouttheirperfectionwithinfinitesimalexactness。Andoneoftheseportionsoftheuniverseisthineown，unhappyman，which，howeverlittle，contributestothewhole；andyoudonotseemtobeawarethatthisandeveryothercreationisforthesakeofthewhole，andinorderthatthelifeofthewholemaybeblessed；andthatyouarecreatedforthesakeofthewhole，andnotthewholeforthesakeofyou。Foreveryphysicianandeveryskilledartistdoesallthingsforthesakeofthewhole，directinghisefforttowardsthecommongood，executingthepartforthesakeofthewhole，andnotthewholeforthesakeofthepart。Andyouareannoyedbecauseyouareignoranthowwhatisbestforyouhappenstoyouandtotheuniverse，asfarasthelawsofthecommoncreationadmit。Now，asthesoulcombiningfirstwithonebodyandthenwithanotherundergoesallsortsofchanges，eitherofherself，orthroughtheinfluenceofanothersoul，allthatremainstotheplayerofthegameisthatheshouldshiftthepie
