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Philosophers, who place the end of human good in virtue itself, in
order to put to shame certain other philosophers, who indeed approve of
the virtues, but measure them all with reference to the end of bodily
pleasure, and think that this pleasure is to be sought for its own
sake, but the virtues on account of pleasure, are wont to paint a kind
of word-picture, in which Pleasure sits like a luxurious queen on a
royal seat, and all the virtues are subjected to her as slaves,
watching her nod, that they may do whatever she shall command. She
commands Prudence to be ever on the watch to discover how Pleasure may
rule, and be safe. Justice she orders to grant what benefits she
can,in order to secure those friendships which are necessary for bodily
pleasure; to do wrong to no one, lest, on account of the breaking of
the laws, Pleasure be not able to live in security. Fortitude she
orders to keep her mistress, that is, Pleasure, bravely in her
mind, if any affliction befall her body which does not occasion death,
in order that by remembrance of former delights she may mitigate the
poignancy of present pain. Temperance she commands to take only a
certain quantity even of the most favorite food, lest, through
immoderate use, anything prove hurtful by disturbing the health of the
body, and thus Pleasure, which the Epicureans make to consist
chiefly in the health of the body, be grievously offended. Thus the
virtues, with the whole dignity of their glory, will be the slaves of
Pleasure, as of some imperious and disreputable woman.
There is nothing, say our philosophers, more disgraceful and
monstrous than this picture, and which the eyes of good men can less
endure. And they say the truth. But I do not think that the picture
would be sufficiently becoming, even if it were made so that the
virtues should be represented as the slaves of human glory; for,
though that glory be not a luxurious woman, it is nevertheless puffed
up, and has much vanity in it. Wherefore it is unworthy of the
solidity and firmness of the virtues to represent them as serving this
glory, so that Prudence shall provide nothing, Justice distribute
nothing, Temperance moderate nothing, except to the end that men may
be pleased and vain glory served. Nor will they be able to defend
themselves from the charge of such baseness, whilst they, by way of
being despisers of glory, disregard the judgment of other men, seem to
themselves wise, and please themselves. For their virtue, if,
indeed, it is virtue at all, is only in another way subjected to human
praise; for he who seeks to please himself seeks still to please man.
But he who, with true piety towards God, whom he loves, believes,
and hopes in, fixes his attention more on those things in which he
displeases himself, than on those things, if there are any such,
which please himself, or rather, not himself, but the truth, does
not attribute that by which he can now please the truth to anything but
to the mercy of Him whom he has feared to displease, giving thanks for
what in him is healed, and pouring out prayers for the healing of that
which is yet unhealed.
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