Stoicism - College of Stoic Philosophers

2IOSTOICISM.and love."To those who ask,— 'Where hast thou seenthe gods, or how dost thou comprehend that theyexist and so worshippest them ? ' I answer, in the firstplace, that they may be seen even with the eyes ;inthe second place, neither have I seen even my ownsoul, and yet I honour it. Thus then with respectto the gods, from what I constantly experience oftheir power, from this I comprehend that they exist,and I venerate them."iThanks to their inspiration virtuous life is possible"for man. I thank the gods .... that I receivedclear and frequent impressions about living accordingto nature, and what kind of life that is, so that, sofar as depended on the gods, and their gifts,andhelp, and inspirations, nothing hindered me fromforthwith living according to nature, though I stillfall short of itthrough my own fault, and throughnot observing the admonitions of the gods, and, Imay almost ^say, their direct instructions."They bear even with the evil, and bless them withtheir mercies." The gods, who are immortal, are notvexed because during so long a time they must toleratecontinually men such as they are, and so manyof them bad, and besides this, they also take care ofthem in all ways.so soon, art thou wearied of enduring the bad, andBut thou, who art destined to endthis too when thou art one of them ?"^They, or He, forhis language here as elsewhere is\mdecided, welcome the penitent with hopes of pardon.'"Thoughts," xii. 28. ^"Thoughts,"!. 17.3"Thoughts," vii. 70.