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What shall we say, besides, of the idea that Felicity also is a
goddess? She has received a temple; she has merited an altar;
suitable rites of worship are paid to her. She alone, then, should
be worshipped. For where she is present, what good thing can be
absent? But what does a man wish, that he thinks Fortune also a
goddess and worships her? Is felicity one thing, fortune another?
Fortune, indeed, may be bad as well as good; but felicity, if it
could be bad, would not be felicity. Certainly we ought to think all
the gods of either sex (if they also have sex) are only good. This
says Plato; this say other philosophers; this say all estimable
rulers of the republic and the nations. How is it, then, that the
goddess Fortune is sometimes good, sometimes bad? Is it perhaps the
case that when she is bad she is not a goddess, but is suddenly changed
into a malignant demon? How many Fortunes are there then? Just as
many as there are men who are fortunate, that is, of good fortune.
But since there must also be very many others who at the very same time
are men of bad fortune, could she, being one and the same Fortune,
be at the same time both bad and good, the one to these, the other to
those? She who is the goddess, is she always good? Then she herself
is felicity. Why, then, are two names given her? Yet this is
tolerable; for it is customary that one thing should be called by two
names. But why different temples, different altars, different
rituals? There is a reason, say they, because Felicity is she whom
the good have by previous merit; but fortune, which is termed good
without any trial of merit, befalls both good and bad men
fortuitously, whence also she is named Fortune. How, therefore, is
she good, who without any discernment comes-both to the good and to
the bad? Why is she worshipped, who is thus blind, running at random
on any one whatever, so that for the most part she passes by her
worshippers, and cleaves to those who despise her? Or if her
worshippers profit somewhat, so that they are seen by her and loved,
then she follows merit, and does not come fortuitously. What, then,
becomes Of that definition of fortune? What becomes of the opinion
that she has received her very name from fortuitous events? For it
profits one nothing to worship her if she is truly fortune. But if she
distinguishes her worshippers, so that she may benefit them, she is
not fortune. Or does, Jupiter send her too, whither he pleases?
Then let him alone be worshipped; because Fortune is not able to
resist him when he commands her, and sends her where he pleases. Or,
at least, let the bad worship her, who do not choose to have merit by
which the goddess Felicity might be invited.
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