Plutarch's essays and miscellanies, Vol. 2 (of 5) : $b Comprising all his works collected under the title of "Morals"Plutarch
Philosophy
Plutarch's essays and miscellanies, Vol. 2 (of 5) : $b Comprising all his works collected under the title of "Morals"
Plutarch
Classical literature; Essays; Ethics; Philosophy
_Solution._ Is it as the Pythagoreans do, who make little things
symbols of great matters,—as forbidding to sit down upon a bushel
and to stir up the fire with a sword,—so that the ancients used many
enigmatical ceremonies, especially about their priests, and such was
this of the lanthorn? For the lanthorn is like the body encompassing
the soul, the soul being the light withinside, and the understanding
and judgment ought to be always open and quick-sighted, and never to be
shut up or blown out. And when the winds blow, the birds are unsettled
and do not afford sound prognostics, by reason of their wandering and
irregularity in flying; by this usage therefore they teach that their
soothsayers must not prognosticate when there are high winds, but in
still and calm weather, when they can use their open lanthorns.
_Question 73._ Why were priests that had sores about them forbid
to use divination.
_Solution._ Is not this a significant sign that, whilst they are
employed about divine matters, they ought not to be in any pain, nor
have any sore or passion in their minds, but to be cheerful, sincere,
and without distraction? Or it is but rational, if no man may offer a
victim that hath a sore, nor use such birds for soothsaying, that much
more they should themselves be free from these blemishes, and be clean,
sincere, and sound, when they go about to inspect divine prodigies;
for an ulcer seems to be a mutilation and defilement of the body.
_Question 74._ Why did Servius Tullius build a temple of Small
Fortune, whom they call Brevis?
_Solution._ Was it because he was of a mean original and in a
low condition, being born of a captive woman, and by fortune came to
be king of Rome? Or did not that change of his condition manifest the
greatness rather than the smallness of his fortune? But Servius most
of all of them seems to ascribe divine influence to Fortune, giving
thereby a reputation to all his enterprises. For he did not only
build temples of Hopeful Fortune, of Fortune that averteth evil, of
Mild, Primogenial, and Masculine Fortune; but there is a temple also
of Private Fortune, another of Regardful Fortune, another of Hopeful
Fortune, and the fourth of Virgin Fortune. But why should any one
mention any more names, seeing there is a temple also of Ensnaring
Fortune, which they name Viscata, as it were ensnaring us when we are
as yet afar off, and enforcing us upon business.[161] Consider this
now, whether it be that Servius found that great matters are effected
by a small piece of Fortune, and that it often falls out that great
things are effected by some or do come to nought by a small thing
being done or not done. He built therefore a temple of Small Fortune,
teaching us to take care of our business, and not contemn things that
happen by reason of their smallness.
_Question 75._ Why did they not extinguish a candle, but suffer it
to burn out of its own accord.
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