Page:Works of Plato, vol. 1 (Dacier,1701).pdf/13

2 A Discourse on Plato

odious in throwing it away on those Libertines, who by a pretended Force d'Esprit or Strength of Thought, which at bottom is no better than Weakness and Ignorance, live rather like Beasts than Men. Is it then to be wonder'd at that Philosophy is mistaken and neglected, and that Men no longer pay her that respect and veneration, which she formerly excited in their Minds? Asham'd of being confounded with the Daughters of the Earth, she is reascended to Heaven, from whence Socrates brought her.

   The Athenians heretofore by a publick decree forbad, that the Names of Harmodius, and Aristogiton, who had deliver'd their Countrey from the Tyranny of Hippias and Hipparchus, should ever be given to Slaves: for they thought it a horrible Indignity by so shameful a Communication to blast those Names that were devoted to the publick Liberty. Philosophy is another Deliverer, she triumphs over Vices, overthrows Impiety, and confounds the Wisdom of the World. 'Tis somewhat greater than the Arts, and that what Men commonly call the Sciences, 'tis the love of true Wisdom, the knowledge of Divine and Humane Things, that is to say, the Science of God, a Science which teaches us to know the relation which our Souls necessarily bear to their Creator, and by and in him, to all rational Creatures, and which produces the certain knowledge of all our Duties, towards God, our Neighbours and our Selves.
   To be truly a Philosopher is to have Temperance, Justice and Fortitude, to love the Truth, to avoid Sensual Pleasures, to despise Riches, to weaken, as much as may be, the bands that fasten the Soul to the Body, to hate and contemn this Body which is always opposing Wisdom, to renounce all our Desires, to fear neither the Poverty, nor Shame, nor Reproach we may be expos'd to, for the sake of Righteousness and Truth; to do good to Mankind even our very Enemies: to have nothing in view, but