Ch. 6
Of Providence.
FROM everything which is or happens in the world, it
is easy to praise Providence, if a man possesses these two
qualities, the faculty of seeing what belongs and happens
to all persons and things, and a grateful disposition. If he
does not possess these two qualities, one man will not see
the use of things which are and which happen; another
will not be thankful for them, even if he does know them.
If God had made colours, but had not made the faculty of
seeing them, what would have been their use? None at
all. On the other hand, if He had made the faculty of
vision, but had not made objects such as to fall under the
faculty, what in that case also would have been the use
of it? None at all. Well, suppose that He had made
both, but had not made light? In that case, also, they
would have been of no use. Who is it then who has
fitted this to that and that to this? And who is it that
has fitted the knife to the case and the case to the knife?
Is it no one?40 And, indeed, from the very structure of
things which have attained their completion, we are accustomed to show that the work is certainly the act of some
artificer, and that it has not been constructed without a
purpose. Does then each of these things demonstrate the
workman, and do not visible things and the faculty of
seeing and light demonstrate Him? And the existence of
male and female, and the desire of each for conjunction,
and the power of using the parts which are constructed,
do not even these declare the workman? If they do not,
let us consider41 the constitution of our understanding
[p. 20]
according to which, when we meet with sensible objects,
we do not simply receive impressions from them, but we
also select42 something from them, and subtract something,
and add, and compound by means of them these things or
those, and, in fact, pass from some to other things which,
in a manner, resemble them: is not even this sufficient
to move some men, and to induce them not to forget the
workman? If not so, let them explain to us what it is
that makes each several thing, or how it is possible that
things so wonderful and like the contrivances of art
should exist by chance and from their own proper motion?
What, then, are these things done in us only? Many,
indeed, in us only, of which the rational animal had
peculiarly need; but you will find many common to us
with irrational animals. Do they then understand what
is done? By no means. For use is one thing, and understanding is another: God had need of irrational animals
to make use of appearances, but of us to understand the
use of appearances.43 It is therefore enough for them to
eat and to drink, and to sleep and to copulate, and to do all
the other things which they severally do. But for us, to
whom He has given also the intellectual faculty, these
things are not sufficient; for unless we act in a proper
and orderly manner, and conformably to the nature and
constitution of each thing, we shall never attain our true
end. For where the constitutions of living beings are
different, there also the acts and the ends are different.
In those animals then whose constitution is adapted only
to use, use alone is enough: but in an animal (man), which
has also the power of understanding the use, unless there
be the due exercise of the understanding, he will never
attain his proper end. Well then God constitutes every
animal, one to be eaten, another to serve for agriculture,
another to supply cheese, and another for some like use;
for which purposes what need is there to understand
appearances and to be able to distinguish them? But God
has introduced man to be a spectator of God44 and of His
[p. 21]
works; and not only a spectator of them, but an interpreter.
For this reason it is shameful for man to begin and to end
where irrational animals do; but rather he ought to begin
where they begin, and to end where nature ends in us;
and nature ends in contemplation and understanding, and
in a way of life conformable to nature. Take care then
not to die without having been spectators of these things.
But you take a journey to Olympia to see the work of
Phidias,45 and all of you think it a misfortune to die without having seen such things. But when there is no need
to take a journey, and where a man is, there he has the
works (of God) before him, will you not desire to see and
understand them? Will you not perceive either46 what
you are, or what you were born for, or what this is for
which you have received the faculty of sight? But you
may say, there are some things disagreeable and troublesome in life. And are there none at Olympia? Are you
not scorched? Are you not pressed by a crowd? Are
you not without comfortable means of bathing? Are you
not wet when it rains? Have you not abundance of noise,
clamour, and other disagreeable things? But I suppose
that setting all these things off against the magnificence of
the spectacle, you bear and endure. Well then and have
[p. 22]
you not received faculties by which you will be able to
bear all that happens? Have you not received greatness
of soul? Have you not received manliness? Have you
not received endurance? And why do I trouble myself
about anything that can happen if I possess greatness of
soul? What shall distract my mind or disturb me, or
appear painful? Shall I not use the power for the purposes for which I received it, and shall I grieve and lament
over what happens?
Yes, but my nose runs.47 For what purpose then, slave,
have you hands? Is it not that you may wipe your nose?
Is it then consistent with reason that there should be running of noses in the world?Nay, how much better it is
to wipe your nose than to find fault. What do you think
that Hercules would have been if there had not been such
a lion, and hydra, and stag, and boar, and certain unjust
and bestial men, whom Hercules used to drive away and
clear out? And what would he have been doing if there
had been nothing of the kind? Is it not plain that he
would have wrapped himself up and have slept? In the
first place then he would not have been a Hercules, when
he was dreaming away all his life in such luxury and ease;
and even if he had been one, what would have been the
use of him? and what the use of his arms, and of the
strength of the other parts of his body, and his endurance
and noble spirit, if such circumstances and occasions had
not roused and exercised him? Well then must a man
provide for himself such means of exercise, and seek to introduce a lion from some place into his country, and a boar,
and a hydra? This would be folly and madness: but as
they did exist, and were found, they were useful for showing what Hercules was and for exercising him. Come
then do you also having observed these things look to the
faculties which you have, and when you have looked at
them, say: Bring now, 0 Zeus, any difficulty that thou
pleasest, for I have means given to me by thee and powers48
[p. 23]
for honouring myself through the things which happen.
You do not so: but you sit still, trembling for fear that
some things will happen, and weeping, and lamenting, and
groaning for what does happen: and then you blame the
gods. For what is the consequence of such meanness of
spirit but impiety?49 And yet God has not only given us
these faculties; by which we shall be able to bear everything thing happens without being depressed or broken by
it; but, like a good king and a true father, He has given us
these faculties free from hindrance, subject to no compulsion, unimpeded, and has put them entirely in our own
power, without even having reserved to Himself any power
of hindering or impeding. You, who have received these
powers free and as your own, use them not: you do not
even see what you have received, and from whom; some of
you being blinded to the giver, and not even acknowledging your benefactor, and others, through meanness of
spirit, betaking yourselves to fault-finding and making
charges against God. Yet I will show to you that you
have powers and means for greatness of soul and manliness: but what powers you have for finding fault and
making accusations, do you show me.
