The question next arises, whether we ought to count metals amongst
the number of good things or class them amongst the bad. The Peripatetics
regarded all wealth as a good thing, and merely spoke of externals as having
to do with neither the mind nor the body. Well, let riches be an external
thing. And, as they said, many other things may be classed as good if it is
in one's power to use them either well or ill. For good men employ them for
good, and to them they are useful. The wicked use them badly, and to
them they are harmful. There is a saying of Socrates, that just as wine
is influenced by the cask, so the character of riches is like their possessors.
The Stoics, whose custom it is to argue subtly and acutely, though they did
not put wealth in the category of good things, they did not count it amongst
the evil ones, but placed it in that class which they term neutral. For to
them virtue alone is good, and vice alone evil. The whole of what remains
is indifferent. Thus, in their conviction, it matters not whether one be in
good health or seriously ill; whether one be handsome or deformed. In
short:
the number of good things or class them amongst the bad. The Peripatetics
regarded all wealth as a good thing, and merely spoke of externals as having
to do with neither the mind nor the body. Well, let riches be an external
thing. And, as they said, many other things may be classed as good if it is
in one's power to use them either well or ill. For good men employ them for
good, and to them they are useful. The wicked use them badly, and to
them they are harmful. There is a saying of Socrates, that just as wine
is influenced by the cask, so the character of riches is like their possessors.
The Stoics, whose custom it is to argue subtly and acutely, though they did
not put wealth in the category of good things, they did not count it amongst
the evil ones, but placed it in that class which they term neutral. For to
them virtue alone is good, and vice alone evil. The whole of what remains
is indifferent. Thus, in their conviction, it matters not whether one be in
good health or seriously ill; whether one be handsome or deformed. In
short:
“Whether, sprung from Inachus of old, and thus hast lived
beneath the sun in wealth, or hast been poor and despised among men,
it matters not.”
beneath the sun in wealth, or hast been poor and despised among men,
it matters not.”
For my part, I see no reason why anything that is in itself of use should
not be placed in the class of good things. At all events, metals are a
creation of Nature, and they supply many varied and necessary needs of the
human race, to say nothing about their uses in adornment, which are so
wonderfully blended with utility. Therefore, it is not right to degrade them
from the place they hold among the good things. In truth, if there is a
bad use made of them, should they on that account be rightly called evils?
For of what good things can we not make an equally bad or good use? Let
me give examples from both classes of what we term good. Wine, by far
the best drink, if drunk in moderation, aids the digestion of food, helps to
produce blood, and promotes the juices in all parts of the body. It is of use
in nourishing not only the body but the mind as well, for it disperses our
dark and gloomy thoughts, frees us from cares and anxiety, and restores
our confidence. If drunk in excess, however, it injures and prostrates the
body with serious disease. An intoxicated man keeps nothing to himself;
he raves and rants, and commits many wicked and infamous acts. On
this subject Theognis wrote some very clever lines, which we may render
thus:
not be placed in the class of good things. At all events, metals are a
creation of Nature, and they supply many varied and necessary needs of the
human race, to say nothing about their uses in adornment, which are so
wonderfully blended with utility. Therefore, it is not right to degrade them
from the place they hold among the good things. In truth, if there is a
bad use made of them, should they on that account be rightly called evils?
For of what good things can we not make an equally bad or good use? Let
me give examples from both classes of what we term good. Wine, by far
the best drink, if drunk in moderation, aids the digestion of food, helps to
produce blood, and promotes the juices in all parts of the body. It is of use
in nourishing not only the body but the mind as well, for it disperses our
dark and gloomy thoughts, frees us from cares and anxiety, and restores
our confidence. If drunk in excess, however, it injures and prostrates the
body with serious disease. An intoxicated man keeps nothing to himself;
he raves and rants, and commits many wicked and infamous acts. On
this subject Theognis wrote some very clever lines, which we may render
thus:
“Wine is harmful if taken with greedy lips, but if drunk in
moderation it is wholesome.”25
moderation it is wholesome.”25
But I linger too long over extraneous matters.
I must pass on to the
gifts of body and mind, amongst which strength, beauty, and genius
occur to me. If then a man, relying on his strength, toils hard to maintain
himself and his family in an honest and respectable manner, he uses the
gift aright, but if he makes a living out of murder and robbery, he uses it
wrongly. Likewise, too, if a lovely woman is anxious to please her husband
gifts of body and mind, amongst which strength, beauty, and genius
occur to me. If then a man, relying on his strength, toils hard to maintain
himself and his family in an honest and respectable manner, he uses the
gift aright, but if he makes a living out of murder and robbery, he uses it
wrongly. Likewise, too, if a lovely woman is anxious to please her husband
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