Political fragments of Archytas, Charondas, Zaleucus, and other ancient Pythagoreans, preserved by Stobaeus; and also, ethical fragments of Hierocles ... preserved by the same author / Translated from the Greek. By Thomas Taylor.

  • Thomas Taylor
Date:
1822
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Political fragments of Archytas, Charondas, Zaleucus, and other ancient Pythagoreans, preserved by Stobaeus; and also, ethical fragments of Hierocles ... preserved by the same author / Translated from the Greek. By Thomas Taylor. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    68 this is not done, divinity will not pay any atten¬ tion to the prayers of such parents for their children. The images of our parents, indeed, and progenitors should be esteemed by us as far more venerable and divine than any inani¬ mate images. For these animated images, when they are continually adorned and ren¬ dered splendid with honour by us, pray for us, and implore the gods to bestow on us the most excellent gifts: but the contrary when we despise them. Neither of these, however, is effected by inanimate images. Hence he who conducts himself in a becoming manner towards his parents and progenitors, and other relatives of this kind, will possess the most proper of all statues, and the best cal¬ culated to render him dear to divinity. Every one, therefore, endued with intellect should honour and venerate his parents, and should dread their execrations and [unfavourable] prayers, as knowing that many of them fre¬ quently take effect. These things, therefore, being thus disposed by nature, men that are prudent and modest will consider their living aged progenitors as a treasure, to the extremity of life; and if they die before they arrive at that period, they will be vehemently desired by them. On the contrary, progenitors will be