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Million Book Collection - The Fishers of Men Ministries

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THE STANDING-GROUND OF PHILOSOPHY 199ally they were considered to prepare people for deathand so in the Caesarean history the victim not unfrequently spends his last moments in a conversatior" with his own philosopher." " Thus 1 Julius Kanuscondemned by Caligula, did not cease to searcthe truth in his very end. ' Why are you so sorry ?he said to his friends. ' You ask whether souls areimmortal: that I shall presently know.' His philosopherwas following him, and now they were nearingthat hill on which daily <strong>of</strong>ferings were made to ourod, Caesar. ' What are you thinking <strong>of</strong> now, Kanus ? 'iid he. i I intend,' replied Kanus, c to observe whethert that most rapid moment the soul has a sense <strong>of</strong> itgoing forth.' " In like manner Rubellius Plautwas encouraged by Musonius to prefer death to anuncertain life; and the messenger <strong>of</strong> death foundThrasea in conversation with the Cynic, Demetrius." It might be judged," says Tacitus, " by theearnestness <strong>of</strong> his face and some words more loudlyspoken than the rest, that he was inquiring as tothe nature <strong>of</strong> the soul and the separation <strong>of</strong> body and" "j »spirit.Another species <strong>of</strong> the house-philosopher was thecourt-philosopher. Such are mentioned at the courts<strong>of</strong> Augustus, Nero, Trajan, Hadrian, the Empress JuliaDomna. Plutarch defends such a position on thund that philosophers who give themselves up tform the moral life <strong>of</strong> private persons deliver onindividuals from weaknesses and passions : but hewho ennobles the character <strong>of</strong> a ruler advances andimproves thereby the whole State.For such advan-1 Seneca, De TranquilL 14. "Prosequebatuv ilium philosophusSUU8.2 Tacitus, Ann. 16, 34.

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