Let not sleep e’er close thy tired eyes Without thou ask thyself: What have I omitted and what done? (22). Abstain thou if ’tis evil; persevere if good (23). Meditate upon my counsels; love them; follow them; To the divine virtues will they know how to lead thee (24). I swear it by the one who in our hearts engraved The sacred Tetrad, symbol immense and pure, Source of Nature and model of the Gods (25). But before all, thy soul to its faithful duty, Invoke these Gods with fervour, they whose aid, Thy work begun, alone can terminate (26). Instructed by them, naught shall then deceive thee: Of diverse beings thou shalt sound the essence; And thou shalt know the principle and end of All (27). If Heaven wills it, thou shalt know that Nature, Alike in everything, is the same in every place (28): So that, as to thy true rights enlightened, Thine heart shall no more feed on vain desires (29). Thou shalt see that the evils which devour men Are of their choice the fruit (30); that these unfortunates Seek afar the goodness whose source within they bear (31). For few know happiness: playthings of the passions, Hither, thither tossed by adverse waves, Upon a shoreless sea, they blinded roll, Unable to resist or to the tempest yield (32). God! Thou couldst save them by opening their eyes (33). But no: ’tis for the humans of a race divine To discern Error and to see the Truth (34). Nature serves them (35). Thou who fathomed it, O wise and happy man, rest in its haven. But observe my laws, abstaining from the things Which thy soul must fear, distinguishing them well; Letting intelligence o’er thy body reign (36); So that, ascending into radiant Ether, Midst the Immortals, thou shalt be thyself a God. [232] Hiérocl., _Comment. in Aur. Carmin. Proem._ [233] Fabric., _Bibl. græc._, p. 460; Dacier, _Remarq. sur les Comm. d’Hiéroclès_. [234] Jamblic., _De Vitâ Pythag._, c. 30 et 33; Plutarch, _De Gen. Socrat._ [235] Plutarch, _De Repug. stoïc._; Diog. Laërt., l. viii., § 39; Polyb., l. ii.; Justin., l. xx., c. 4; Vossius, _De Phil. sect._, c. 6. [236] Hiérocl., _Aur. Carm._, v. 71. [237] _Voyez_ Dacier, _Rem. sur le Comment. d’Hiérocl._ [238] Plut., _De Gen. Socr._; Ælian., _Var. Hist._, l. ii., c. 7. [239] Bacon, _Novum Organum, Aph._, 65 et 71. [240] _Asiat. Res._, t. iii., p. 371 à 374. [241] _Mém. concern. les Chin._, t. ii., p. 26. [242] _Eulma Esclam. Note du Boun-Dehesh_, p. 344. [243] Porphyr., _De Antr. Nymph._, p. 126. [244] Αὐτὸν δ’ οὐχ ὁράω περὶ γὰρ νέφος ἐστήρικται. _Voyez_ Dacier, dans ses _Remarques sur les Comment. d’Hiérocl._