But a doctor does not wonder at such things, for he knows the ways and constitutions of health and sickness.And what is the health of the soul but virtue? and what the sickness, but vice? And who is the preserver of the good and banisher of the evil, who but God, the guardian and healer of minds? God looks forth from the high watch-tower of His Providence, He sees what suits each man, and applies to him that which suits him.Hence then comes that conspicuous cause of wonder in the order of Fate, when a wise man does that which amazes the ignorant.For, to glance at the depth of God's works with so few words as human reason is capable of comprehending, I say that what you think to be most fair and most conducive to justice's preservation, that appears different to an all-seeing Providence.Has not our fellow-philosopher Lucan told us how " the conquering cause did please the gods, but the conquered, Cato?" 1 What then surprises you when done on this 130:1 -- Lucan, Pharsalia , i.128.
This famous line refers to the final triumph of C?sar at Thapsus, B.C.
46, when Cato considered that the Republican cause was finally doomed and he committed suicide at Utica rather than survive it.Page 131earth, is the true-guided order of things; it is your opinion which is perverted and confused.But if there is any one whose life is so good that divine and human estimates of him agree, yet he must be uncertain in the strength of his mind; if any adversity befall him, it may always be that he will cease to preserve his innocence, by which he found that he could not preserve his good fortune.Thus then a wise dispensation spares a man who might be made worse by adversity, lest he should suffer when it is not good for him to be oppressed.Another may be perfected in all virtues, wholly conscientious, and very near to God: Providence holds that it is not right such an one should receive any adversity, so that it allows him to be troubled not even by bodily diseases.As a better man 1 than I has said, " The powers of virtues build up the body of a good man."It often happens that the duty of a supreme authority is assigned to good men for the purpose of pruning the insolent growth of wickedness.To some, Providence grants a mingled store of good and bad, according to the nature of their minds.Some she treats bitterly, lest they grow too exuberant with long 131:1 -- The author is supposed to be Hermes Trismegistus, who wrote in the third century after Christ.The word 'powers'
was used by many Neo-Platonic philosophers for those beings in the scale of nature, with which they filled the chasm between God and man.But Boethius does not seem to intend the word to have that definite meaning here.Page 132continued good fortune; others she allows to be harassed by hardships that the virtues of their minds should be strengthened by the habit and exercise of patience.Some have too great a fear of sufferings which they can bear; others have too great contempt for those which they cannot bear:
these she leads on by troubles to make trial of themselves.Some have brought a name to be honoured for all time at the price of a glorious death.Some by shewing themselves undefeated by punishment, have left a proof to others that virtue may be invincible by evil.What doubt can there be of how rightly such things are disposed, and that they are for the good of those whom we see them befall? The other point too arises from like causes, that sometimes sorrows, sometimes the fulfilment of their desires, falls to the wicked.
As concerns the sorrows, no one is surprised, because all agree that they deserve ill.Their punishments serve both to deter others from crime by fear, and also to amend the lives of those who undergo them; their happiness, on the other hand, serves as a proof to good men of how they should regard good fortune of this nature, which they see often attends upon the dishonest.
And another thing seems to me to be well arranged: the nature of a man may be so headstrong and rough that lack of wealth may stir him to crime more readily than restrain him; for the disease of such an one Providence prescribes a remedy of stores of patrimony: he may see Page 133that his conscience is befouled by sin, he may take account with himself of his fortune, and will perhaps fear lest the loss of this property, of which he enjoys the use, may bring unhappiness.Wherefore he will change his ways, and leave off from ill-doing so long as he fears the loss of his fortune.Again, good fortune, unworthily improved, has flung some into ruin.To some the right of punishing is committed that they may use it for the exercise and trial of the good, and the punishment of evil men.
