Do you philosophers, then, teach us to despise our kings?
— Far from it. Who among us teaches you to dispute their claim to the things over which they have authority? Take my paltry body, take my property, take my reputation, take those who are about me. If I persuade any to lay claim to these things, let some man truly accuse me.
"Yes, but I wish to control your judgements also."
And who has given you this authority? How can you have the power to overcome another's judgement?
"By bringing fear to bear upon him," he says, "I shall overcome him."
You fail to realize that the judgement overcame itself, it was not overcome by something else; and nothing else can overcome moral purpose, but it overcomes itself. For this reason too the law of God is most good and most just: "Let the better always prevail over the worse."
— Far from it. Who among us teaches you to dispute their claim to the things over which they have authority? Take my paltry body, take my property, take my reputation, take those who are about me. If I persuade any to lay claim to these things, let some man truly accuse me.
"Yes, but I wish to control your judgements also."
And who has given you this authority? How can you have the power to overcome another's judgement?
"By bringing fear to bear upon him," he says, "I shall overcome him."
You fail to realize that the judgement overcame itself, it was not overcome by something else; and nothing else can overcome moral purpose, but it overcomes itself. For this reason too the law of God is most good and most just: "Let the better always prevail over the worse."
I am reminded of another philosopher's words, "give to Caesar what is Caesar's". We can be compelled to give away our possessions but our principles and our convictions are our own. With virtuous principles and strong convictions we cannot be persuaded by outside forces and influences. To thine own self be true.
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