.
The Greeks and Romans had placed this end absolutely in life itself, so
that, in this sense, they may most certainly be called blind heathens.
Correspondingly, all their virtues consist in what is serviceable to the
public, in what is useful; and Aristotle says quite naively, "_Those
virtues must necessarily be the greatest which are the most useful to
others_" ([Greek: anankae de megistas einai aretas tas tois allois
chraesimotatas], _Rhetor_. I. c. 9). This is why the ancients considered
love for one's country the greatest virtue, although it is a very
doubtful one, as it is made up of narrowness, prejudice, vanity, and an
enlightened self-interest. Preceding the passage that has just been
quoted, Aristotle enumerates all the virtues in order to explain them
individually. They are _Justice, Courage, Moderation, Magnificence_
([Greek: megaloprepeia]), _Magnanimity, Liberality, Gentleness,
Reasonableness, and Wisdom_. How different from the Christian virtues!
Even Plato, without comparison the most transcendental philosopher of
pre-Christian antiquity, knows no higher virtue than _Justice_; he alone
recommends it unconditionally and for its own sake, while all the other
philosophers make a happy life--_vita beata_--the aim of all virtue; and
it is acquired through the medium of moral behaviour. Christianity
released European humanity from its superficial and crude absorption in
an ephemeral, uncertain, and hollow existence.

... _coelumque tueri
Jussit, et erectos ad sidera tollere vultus_.

Accordingly, Christianity does not only preach Justice, but the _Love of
Mankind, Compassion, Charity, Reconciliation, Love of one's Enemies,
Patience, Humility, Renunciation, Faith, and Hope_. Indeed, it went even
further: it taught that the world was of evil and that we needed
deliverance; consequently it preached contempt of the world,
self-denial, chastity, the giving up of one's own will, that is to say,
turning away from life and its phantom-like pleasures; it taught further
the healing power of suffering, and that an instrument of torture is the
symbol of Christianity, I willingly admit that this serious and only
correct view of life had spread in other forms throughout Asia thousands
of years previously, independently of Christianity as it is still; but
this view of life was a new and tremendous revelation to European
humanity. For it is well known that the population of Europe consists of
Asia