7. “But why was God so unjust in the destinies he prescribed for mortals, as to send upon good men poverty, wounds, and cruel deaths”? The artisan cannot change matter; it is passive. There are some things that cannot be separated from others; they are bound together and indivisible. Sluggish natures and such as are prone to sink into slumber or into a state closely akin to slumber, are conjoined of inert elements; to form a man who is really worthy of the name a more heroic destiny is needed. His path will not be smooth; he must go up-hill and down-hill, be tossed on the waves, and guide his bark through turbid waters; in spite of changing fortune, he must hold on his way. 8. He will meet many obstacles hard to remove or surmount, but he will himself remove them and smooth his path. Gold is tried by fire; brave men by misfortune. Behold to what heights virtue may climb; thou shouldst know that it cannot go by ways that are free from dangers. Hard is the way at first: though drawn by prancing steeds, Slow, up the sky, the shining car proceeds;— On land and sea I gaze from heaven’s high crest; Fear and emotion fill my heaving breast. Steep is the downward way, and with tight rein I must the ardor of my steeds restrain; E’en Tethys, wont to greet me ’neath the waves, Fears lest we plunge headlong to wat’ry graves. 9. When the high-spirited youth heard these words he said, “I like the way; I shall ascend it even though I fall forthwith in so doing.” The sun-god still tries to dissuade him from his rash purpose by exciting his fears: Hold straight thy course nor turn for aught aside, Through Taurus’ horns adverse thy coursers guide, And Haemon’s bow and Leo’s searching face. To this he replied, “Yoke the steeds to the chariot; by the very words which you seek to deter me, you incite me. I long to stand where Sol himself quakes with fear; it is only ignoble and weak souls that journey on safe roads; courage ventures on giddy heights.” VI. “But why does God suffer any evil to befall the good”? Verily, He does not suffer it. He wards off from them all evils, crimes and misdeeds and impure thoughts and avaricious designs and unbridled passions and lust after other men’s property; He watches over and protects them. Will any one in addition to this demand of God that He shall also bear the luggage of good men (as if He were a slave)! They themselves cast this burden upon God; mere externals they make light of. Democritus threw away his riches, thinking them a fardel upon his noble soul. Why do you wonder that God sometimes suffers that to come upon a good man which he himself desires?