is for community and society; and therefore hath it both made
the things that are worse, for the best, and hath allied and knit
together those which are best, as it were in an harmony.
Seest thou not how it hath sub-ordinated, and co-ordinated? and
how it hath distributed unto everything according to its worth?
and those which have the pre-eminency and superiority above all,
hath it united together, into a mutual consent and agreement.
XXV. How hast thou carried thyself hitherto towards the Gods?
towards thy parents? towards thy brethren? towards thy wife?
towards thy children? towards thy masters? thy foster-fathers?
thy friends? thy domestics? thy servants? Is it so with thee,
that hitherto thou hast neither by word or deed wronged any of them?
Remember withal through how many things thou hast already passed,
and how many thou hast been able to endure; so that now
the legend of thy life is full, and thy charge is accomplished.
Again, how many truly good things have certainly by thee been
discerned? how many pleasures, how many pains hast thou passed
over with contempt? how many things eternally glorious hast thou
despised? towards how many perverse unreasonable men hast thou
carried thyself kindly, and discreetly?