Plutarch's essays and miscellanies, Vol. 3 (of 5) : $b Comprising all his works collected under the title of "Morals"Plutarch
Philosophy
Plutarch's essays and miscellanies, Vol. 3 (of 5) : $b Comprising all his works collected under the title of "Morals"
Plutarch
Classical literature; Essays; Ethics; Philosophy
Anaxagoras avers that bodies did consist from all eternity, but the
divine intellect did reduce them into their proper orders, and effected
the origination of all beings. Plato did not suppose that the primary
bodies had their consistence and repose, but that they were moved
confusedly and in disorder; but God, knowing that order was better
than confusion, did digest them into the best methods. Both these were
equally peccant; for both suppose God to be the great moderator of
human affairs, and for that cause to have formed this present world;
when it is apparent that an immortal and blessed being, replenished
with all his glorious excellencies, and not at all obnoxious to any
sort of evil, but being wholly occupied with his own felicity and
immortality, would not employ himself with the concerns of men; for
certainly miserable is the being which, like a laborer or artificer,
is molested by the troubles and cares which the forming and governing
of this world must give him. Add to this, that the God whom these men
profess was either not at all existing previous to this present world
(when bodies were either reposed or in a disordered motion), or that
then God did either sleep, or else was in a perpetual watchfulness, or
that he did neither of these. Now neither the first nor the second can
be entertained, because they suppose God to be eternal; if God from
eternity was in a continual sleep, he was in an eternal death,—and
what is death but an eternal sleep?—but no sleep can affect a Deity,
for the immortality of God and alliance to death are vastly different.
But if God was in a continual vigilance, either there was something
wanting to make him happy, or else his beatitude was perfectly
complete; but according to neither of these can God be said to be
blessed; not according to the first, for if there be any deficiency
there is no perfect bliss; not according to the second, for, if there
be nothing wanting to the felicity of God, it must be a useless
enterprise for him to busy himself in human affairs. And how can it be
supposed that God administers by his own providence human concerns,
when to vain and trifling persons prosperous things happen, to great
and high adverse? Agamemnon was both
A virtuous prince, for warlike acts renowned,[41]
and by an adulterer and adulteress was vanquished and perfidiously
slain. Hercules, after he had freed the life of man from many things
that were pernicious to it, perished by the witchcraft and poison of
Deianira.
Thales said that the intelligence of the world was God.
Anaximander concluded that the stars were heavenly Deities.
Democritus said that God, being a globe of fire, is intelligence and
the soul of the world.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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