Do you marvel at this? Do you hold this unjust? Is it for this that you accuse God? Had Socrates no compensation for this? Where then for him was the ideal Good? Whom shall we hearken to, you or him? And what says he?

“Anytus and Meletus(8) may put me to death: to injure me is beyond their power.”

And again: —

“If such be the will of God, so let it be.”

(8) The accusers of Socrates. See Plato’s Apology.

LIII

Nay, young man, for heaven’s sake; but once thou hast heard these words, go home and say to thyself: — ”It is not Epictetus that has told me these things: how indeed should he? No, it is some gracious God through him. Else it would never have entered his head to tell me them —