thais-第20章

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as　a　good　form　of　government；　and　that　we　shall　never　discover　one；
because　the　Greeks；　who　had　so　many　excellent　ideas；　were　never　able
to　find　one。　In　that　respect；　therefore；　all　hope　of　ultimate　success
is　taken　from　us。　Unmistakable　signs　show　that　the　world　is　about　to
fall　into　ignorance　and　barbarism。　It　has　been　our　lot；　Lucius；　to
witness　terrible　events。　Of　all　the　mental　satisfactions　which
intelligence；　learning；　and　virtue　can　give；　all　that　remains　is　the
cruel　pleasure　of　watching　ourselves　die。

COTTA。　It　is　true　that　the　rapacity　of　the　people；　and　the　boldness　of
the　barbarians；　are　threatening　evils。　But　with　a　good　fleet；　a　good
army；　and　plenty　of　money

HERMODORUS。　What　is　the　use　of　deceiving　ourselves？　The　dying　empire
will　become　an　easy　prey　to　the　barbarians。　Cities　which　were　built　by
Hellenic　genius；　or　Latin　patience；　will　soon　be　sacked　by　drunken
savages。　Neither　art　nor　philosophy　will　exist　any　longer　on　the
earth。　The　statues　of　the　gods　will　be　overturned　in　the　temples；　and
in　men's　hearts　as　well。　Darkness　will　overcome　all　minds；　and　the
world　will　die。　Can　we　believe　that　the　Sarmatians　will　ever　devote
themselves　to　intelligent　work；　that　the　Germani　will　cultivate　music
and　philosophy；　and　that　the　Quadi　and　the　Marcomani　will　adore　the
immortal　gods？　No！　we　are　sliding　toward　the　abyss。　Our　old　Egypt；
which　was　the　cradle　of　the　world；　will　be　its　burial　vault；　Serapis；
the　god　of　Death；　will　receive　the　last　adoration　of　mortals；　and　I
shall　have　been　the　last　priest　of　the　last　god。

At　this　moment　a　strange　figure　raised　the　tapestry；　and　the　guests
saw　before　them　a　little　hunchback；　whose　bald　skull　rose　in　a　point。
He　was　clad；　in　the　Asiatic　fashion；　in　a　blue　tunic；　and　wore　round
his　legs；　like　the　barbarians；　red　breeches；　spangled　with　gold　stars。
On　seeing　him；　Paphnutius　recognised　Marcus　the　Arian；　and　fearing
lest　a　thunderbolt　should　fall　from　heaven；　he　covered　his　head　with
his　arms；　and　grew　pale　with　fright。　At　this　banquet　of　the　demons；
neither　the　blasphemies　of　the　pagans；　nor　the　horrible　errors　of　the
philosophers；　had　had　any　effect　on　him；　but　the　mere　presence　of　the
heretic　quenched　his　courage。　He　would　have　fled；　but　his　eyes　met
those　of　Thais；　and　he　felt　at　once　strengthened。　He　read　in　her　soul
that　she；　who　was　predestined　to　become　a　saint；　already　protected
him。　He　seized　the　skirt　of　her　long；　flowing　robe；　and　inwardly
prayed　to　the　Saviour　Jesus。

A　murmur　of　acclamation　welcomed　the　arrival　of　the　personage　who　had
been　called　the　Christian　Plato。　Hermodorus　was　the　first　to　speak。

〃Most　illustrious　Marcus；　we　rejoice　to　see　you　amongst　us；　and　it　may
be　said　that　you　come　at　the　right　moment。　We　know　nothing　of　the
Christian　doctrine；　beyond　what　is　publicly　taught。　Now；　it　is　certain
that　a　philosopher；　like　you；　cannot　think　as　the　vulgar　think；　and　we
are　curious　to　know　your　opinion　of　the　principal　mysteries　of　the
religion　you　profess。　Our　dear　friend；　Zenothemis；　who；　as　you　know；
is　always　hunting　for　symbolic　meanings；　just　now　questioned　the
illustrious　Paphnutius　concerning　the　Jewish　books。　But　Paphnutius
made　no　reply；　and　we　should　not　be　surprised　at　that；　as　our　guest
has　made　a　vow　of　silence；　and　God　has　sealed　his　tongue　in　the
desert。　But　you　Marcus；　who　have　spoken　at　the　Christian　synods；　and
even　at　the　councils　of　the　divine　Constantine；　can　if　you　wish；
satisfy　our　curiosity　by　revealing　to　us　the　philosophic　truths　which
are　wrapped　up　in　the　Christian　fables。　Is　not　the　first　of　these
truths　the　existence　of　an　only　Godin　whom；　for　my　part；　I　fervently
believe？〃

MARCUS。　Yes；　venerable　brethren；　I　believe　in　an　only　God；　not
begottenthe　only　Eternal；　the　origin　of　all　things。

NICIAS。　We　know；　Marcus；　that　your　God　created　the　world。　That　must
certainly　have　been　a　great　crisis　in　His　existence。　He　had　already
existed　an　eternity　before　He　could　make　up　His　mind　to　it。　But　I
must；　in　justice；　confess　that　His　situation　was　a　most　difficult　one。
He　must　continue　inactive　if　He　would　remain　perfect；　and　must　act　if
He　would　prove　to　Himself　His　own　existence。　You　assure　me　that　He
decided　to　act。　I　am　willing　to　believe　you；　although　it　was　an
unpardonable　imprudence　on　the　part　of　a　perfect　God。　But　tell　us；
Marcus；　how　He　set　about　making　the　world。

MARCUS。　Those　who；　without　being　Christians；　possess；　like　Hermodorus
and　Zenothemis；　the　principles　of　knowledge；　are　aware　that　God　did
not　create　the　world　personally　without　an　intermediary。　He　gave　birth
to　an　only　Son；　by　whom　all　things　were　made。

HERMODORUS。　That　is　quite　true；　Marcus；　and　this　Son　is　worshipped
under　the　various　names　of　Hermes；　Mithra；　Adonis；　Apollo；　and　Jesus。

MARCUS。　I　should　not　be　a　Christian　if　I　gave　Him　any　other　names　than
those　of　Jesus　Christ；　and　Saviour。　He　is　the　true　Son　of　God。　But　He
is　not　eternal；　since　He　had　a　beginning；　as　to　thinking　that　He
existed　before　He　was　begotten；　we　must　leave　that　absurdity　to　the
Nicaean　mules；　and　the　obstinate　ass　who　too　long　governed　the　Church
of　Alexandria　under　the　accursed　name　of　Athanasius。

At　these　words　Paphnutius；　white　with　horror　and　his　face　bedewed　with
the　sweat　of　agony　made　the　sign　of　the　cross；　but　maintained　a
sublime　silence。

Marcus　continued

〃It　is　clear　that　the　foolish　Nicene　Creed　is　a　treason　against　the
majesty　of　the　only　God；　by　compelling　Him　to　share　His　indivisible
attributes　with　His　own　emanationthe　Mediator　by　whom　all　things
were　made。　Cease　jesting　at　the　true　God　of　the　Christians；　Nicias；
and　learn　that；　like　the　lilies　of　the　field；　He　toils　not；　neither
does　He　spin。　It　was　not　He　who　was　the　worker；　it　was　His　only　Son；
Jesus；　who；　having　created　the　world；　came　afterwards　to　repair　His
handiwork。　For　the　creation　could　not　be　perfect；　and　evil　was
necessarily　mingled　with　good。

NICIAS。　What　is　〃good；〃　and　what　is　〃evil〃？

There　was　a　moment's　silence；　during　which　Hermodorus；　his　arm
extended　on　the　cloth；　pointed　to　a　little　ass　in　Corinthian　metal
which　bore　two　basketsthe　one　containing　white　olives；　the　other
black　olives。

〃You　see　these　olives；〃　he　said。　〃The　contrast　between　the　colours　is
pleasant　to　the　eye；　and　we　are　content　that　these　should　be　light　and
those　should　be　dark。　But；　if　they　were　endowed　with　thought　and
knowledge；　the　white　would　say；　It　is　good　for　an　olive　to　be　white；
it　is　bad　for　it　to　be　black；　and　the　black　olives　would　hate　the
white　olives。　We　judge　better；　for　we　are　as　much　above　them　as　the
gods　are　above　us。　For　man；　who　only　sees　a　part　of　things；　evil　is　an
evil；　for　God；　who　understands　all　things；　evil　is　a　good。　Doubtless
ugliness　is　ugly；　and　not　beautiful；　but　if　all　were　beautiful；　the
whole　would　not　be　beautiful。　It　is；　then；　well　that　there　should　be
evil；　as　the　second　Plato；　far　greater　than　the　first；　has
demonstrated。〃

EUCRITES。　Let　us　talk　more　morally。　Evil　is　an　evilnot　for　the
world；　of　which　it　cannot　destroy　the　indestructible　harmony　but　for
the　sinner　who　does　it；　and　cannot　help　doing　it。

COTTA。　By　Jupiter？　that　is　a　good　argument。

EUCRITES。　The　world　is　a　tragedy　by　an　excellent　poet。　God；　who
composed　it；　has　intended　each　of　us　to　play　a　part　in　it。　If　he　wills
that　you　shall　be　a　beggar；　a　prince；　or　a　cripple；　make　the　best　of
the　part　assigned　you。

NICIAS。　Assuredly　it　would　be　well　that　the　cripple　should　limp　like
Hephaistos：　it　would　be　well　that　the　madman　should　indulge　in　all　the
fury　of　Ajax；　that　the　incestuous　woman　should　repeat　the　crimes　of
Phaedra；　that　the　traitor　should　betray；　that　the　rascal　should　lie；
and　the　murderer　kill；　and　when　the　piece　was　played；　all　the　actor
kings；　just　men；　bloody　tyrants；　pious　virgins；　immodest　wives；　noble…
minded　citizens；　and　cowardly　assassinsshould　receive　from　the　poet
an　equal　share　in　the　felicitations。

EUCRITES。　You　distort　my　thought；　Nicias；　and　change　a　beautiful　young
girl　into　a　hideous　Gorgon。　I　am　sorry　for　you；　if　you　are　so　ignorant
of　the　nature　of　the　gods；　of　justice；　and　of　the　eternal　laws。

ZENOTHEMIS。　For　my　part；　friends；　I　believe　in　the　reality　of　go