, afterhavingarrangedallthingswellandbenevolentlyformankind, haveoverlookedthisalone, thatsomemen, andverygoodmen, andmenwho, aswemaysay, havehadmostcommunionwiththedivinity, andthroughpiousactsandreligiousobservanceshavebeenmostintimatewiththedivinity, whentheyhaveoncediedshouldneverexistagain, butshouldbecompletelyextinguished?
Butifthisisso, beassuredthatifitoughttohavebeenotherwise, , itwouldalsobepossible; andifitwereaccordingtonature, , ifinfactitisnotso, bethouconvincedthatitoughtnottohavebeenso: forthouseestevenofthyselfthatinthisinquirythouartdisputingwiththeDeity; andweshouldnotthusdisputewiththegods, unlesstheyweremostexcellentandmostjust; butifthisisso, theywouldnothaveallowedanythingintheorderingoftheuniversetobeneglectedunjustlyandirrationally.
, whichisineffectualforallotherthingsforwantofpractice, holdsthebridlemorevigorouslythantherighthand; forithasbeenpractisedinthis.
; andconsidertheshortnessoflife, theboundlessabyssoftimepastandfuture, thefeeblenessofallmatter.
[forms] ofthingsbareoftheircoverings; thepurposesofactions; considerwhatpainis, whatpleasureis, anddeath, andfame; whoistohimselfthecauseofhisuneasiness; hownomanishinderedbyanother; thateverythingisopinion.
, notlikethegladiator; forthegladiatorletsfalltheswordwhichheusesandiskilled; buttheotheralwayshashishand, andneedstodonothingelsethanuseit.
, dividingthemintomatter, form, andpurpose.
, andtoacceptallthatGodmaygivehim.
