will tear out your heart while you are asleep； and put a sponge in its
place； and the next day； when you drink water； you will be choked to
death。〃
She watched them grow pale； then she turned away from them； and sat on
a couch by the side of Paphnutius。 The voice of Cotta； kind but
imperious； was suddenly heard above the murmur of conversation。
〃Friends； let each take his place！ Slaves； pour out the honeyed wine！〃
Then； the host raising his cup
〃Let us first drink to the divine Constantine and the genius of the
empire。 The country should be put first of all； even above the gods；
for it contains them all。〃
All the guests raised their full cups to their lips。 Paphnutius alone
did not drink； because Constantine had persecuted the Nicaean faith；
and because the country of the Christian is not of this world。
Dorion； having drunk； murmured
〃What is one's country？ A flowing river。 The shores change； and the
waves are incessantly renewed。〃
〃I know； Dorion；〃 replied the Prefect of the Fleet； 〃that you care
little for the civic virtues； and you think that the sage ought to
hold himself aloof from all affairs。 I think； on the contrary； that an
honest man should desire nothing better than to fill a responsible
post in the State。 The State is a noble thing。〃
Hermodorus； the High Priest of Serapis； spoke next
〃Dorion has asked； 'What is one's country？' I will reply that the
altars of the gods and the tombs of ancestors make one's country。 A
man is a fellow…citizen by association of memories and hopes。〃
Young Aristobulus interrupted Hermodorus。
〃By Castor！ I saw a splendid horse to…day。 It belonged to Demophoon。
It has a fine head； small jaw； and strong forelegs。 It carries its
neck high and proud； like a cock。〃
But young Chereas shook his head。
〃It is not such a good horse as you say； Aristobulus。 Its hoofs are
thin； and the pasterns are too low； the animal will soon go lame。〃
They were continuing their dispute； when Drosea uttered a piercing
shriek。
〃Oh！ I nearly swallowed a fish…bone； as long and much sharper than a
style。 Luckily； I was able to get it out of my throat in time！ The
gods love me！〃
〃Did you say； Drosea； that the gods loved you？〃 asked Nicias； smiling。
〃Then they must share the same infirmities as men。 Love presupposes
unhappiness on the part of whoever suffers from it； and is a proof of
weakness。 The affection they feel for Drosea is a great proof of the
imperfection of the gods。〃
At these words Drosea flew into a great rage。
〃Nicias； your remarks are foolish and not to the point。 But that is
your characteryou never understand what is said； and reply in words
devoid of sense。〃
Nicias smiled again。
〃Talk away； talk away； Drosea。 Whatever you say； we are glad every
time you open your mouth。 Your teeth are so pretty！〃
At that moment； a grave…looking old man； negligently dressed； walking
slowly； with his head high； entered the room； and gazed at the guests
quietly。 Cotta made a sign to him to take a place by his side； on the
same couch。
〃Eucrites；〃 he said； 〃you are welcome。 Have you composed a new
treatise on philosophy this month？ That would make； if I calculate
correctly； the ninety…second that has proceeded from the Nile reed you
direct with an Attic hand。〃
Eucrites replied； stroking his silver beard
〃The nightingale was created to sing； and I was created to praise the
immortal gods。〃
DORION。 Let us respectfully salute； in Eucrites； the last of the
stoics。 Grave and white； he stands in the midst of us like the image
of an ancestor。 He is solitary amidst a crowd of men； and the words he
utters are not heard。
EUCRITES。 You deceive yourself； Dorion。 The philosophy of virtue is
not dead。 I have numerous disciples in Alexandria； Rome； and
Constantinople。 Many of the slaves； and some of the nephews of Caesar；
now know how to govern themselves； to live independently； and being
unconcerned with all affairs； they enjoy boundless happiness。 Many of
them have revived； in their own person； Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius。
But if it were true that virtue were for ever extinguished upon the
earth； in what way would the loss of it affect my happiness； since it
did not depend on me whether it existed or perished？ Only fools；
Dorion； place their happiness out of their own power。 I desire nothing
that the gods do not wish； and I desire all that they do wish。 By that
means I render myself like unto them； and share their infallible
content。 If virtue perishes； I consent that it should perish； and that
consent fills me with joy； as the supreme effort of my reason or my
courage。 In all things my wisdom will copy the divine wisdom； and the
copy will be more valuable than the model； it will have cost greater
care and more work。
NICIAS。 I understand。 You put yourself on the same level as divine
providence。 But if virtue consists only in effort； Eucrites； and in
that intense application by which the disciples of Zeno pretend to
render themselves equal to the gods； the frog； which swelled itself
out to try and become as big as the ox； accomplished a masterpiece of
stoicism。
EUCRITES。 You jest； Nicias； and； as usual； you excel in ridicule。 But
if the ox of which you speak is really a god； like Apis； or like that
subterranean ox whose high priest I see here； and if the frog； being
wisely inspired； succeed in equalling it； would it not be； in fact；
more virtuous than the ox； and could you refrain from admiring such a
courageous little animal！
Four servants placed on the table a wild pig； still covered with its
bristles。 Little pigs； made of pastry； surrounded the animal； as
though they would suckle； to show that it was a sow。
Zenothemis； turning towards the monk； said
〃Friends； a guest has come hither to join us。 The illustrious
Paphnutius； who leads such an extraordinary life of solitude； is our
unexpected guest。〃
COTTA。 You may even add； Zenothemis； that the place of honour is due
to him； because he came without being invited。
ZENOTHEMIS。 Therefore； we ought； my dear Lucius； to make him the more
welcome； and strive to do that which would be most agreeable to him。
Now it is certain that such a man cares less for the perfumes of meat
than for the perfumes of fine thoughts。 We shall； doubtless； please
him by discussing the doctrine he professes； which is that of Jesus
crucified。 For my own part； I shall the more willingly discuss this
doctrine； because it keenly interests me； on account of the number and
the diversity of the allegories it contains。 If one may guess at the
spirit by the letter； it is filled with truths； and I consider that
the Christian books abound in divine revelations。 But I should not；
Paphnutius； grant equal merit to the Jewish books。 They were inspired
not； as it was said； by the Spirit of God； but by an evil genius。
Iaveh； who dictated them； was one of those spirits who people the
lower air； and cause the greater part of the evils； from which we
suffer； but he surpassed all the others in ignorance and ferocity。 On
the contrary； the serpent with golden wings； which twined its azure
coils round the tree of knowledge； was made up of light and love。 A
combat between these two powersthe one of light and the other of
darknesswas； therefore； inevitable。 It occurred soon after the
creation of the world。 God had hardly begun to rest after His labors；
Adam and Eve； the first man and the first woman； lived happy and naked
in the Garden of Eden； when Iaveh conceivedto their misfortunethe
design of governing them and all the generations which Eve already
bore in her splendid loins。 As he possessed neither the compass nor
the lyre； and was equally ignorant of the science which commands and
the art which persuades； he frightened these two poor children by
hideous apparitions； capricious threats； and thunder…bolts。 Adam and
Eve； feeling his shadow upon them； pressed closer to one another； and
their love waxed stronger in fear。 The serpent took pity on them； and
determined to instruct them； in order that； possessing knowledge； they
might no longer be misled by lies。 Such an undertaking required
extreme prudence； and the frailty of the first human couple rendered
it almost hopeless。 The well…intentioned demon essayed it； however。
Without the knowledge of Iavehwho pretended to see everything； but；
in reality； was not very sharp…sightedhe approached these two
beings； and charmed their eyes by the splendour of his coat and the
brilliancy of his wings。 Then he interested their minds by forming
before them； with his body； definite figures； such as the circle； the
ellipse； and the spiral； the wonderful properties of which have since
been recognised by the Greeks。 Adam meditated on these figures more
than Eve did。 But when the serpent began to speak； and taught the most
sublime truthsthose which cannot be demonstratedhe found that Adam
being made of red earth； was of too dull a nature to understand these
subtle distinctions； but that Eve； on the contrary； being more tender
and more sensitive； was easily impressed。 Therefore he conversed with
her alone； in the absence of her husband； in order to initiate her
first
DORION。 Permit me； Zenothemis； to interru