shouldest see, that those whom thou complainedst went unpunished, do
never escape without punishment for their wickedness. And that thou
shouldest learn that the licence which thou wishedst might soon end, is
not long, and yet the longer the more miserable, and most unhappy if it
were everlasting. Besides, that the wicked are more wretched being
permitted to escape with unjust impunity, than being punished with just
severity. Out of which it followeth that they are then more grievously
punished, when they are thought to go scot-free."

"When I consider thy reasons," quoth I, "I think nothing can be said
more truly. But if I return to the judgments of men, who is there that
will think them worthy to be believed or so much as heard?" "It is
true," quoth she, "for they cannot lift up their eyes accustomed to
darkness, to behold the light of manifest truth, and they are like those
birds whose sight is quickened by the night, and dimmed by the day. For
while they look upon, not the order of things, but their own affections,
they think that licence and impunity to sin is happy. But see what the
eternal law establisheth. If thou apply thy mind to the better, thou
needest no judge to reward thee: thou hast joined thyself to the more
excellent things. If thou declinest to that which is worse, never expect
any other to punish thee: thou hast put thyself in a miserable estate;
as if by turns thou lookest down to the miry ground, and up to heaven,
setting aside all outward causes, by the very law of sight thou seemest
sometime to be in the dirt, and sometime present to the stars. But the
common sort considereth not these things. What then? Shall we join
ourselves to them whom we have proved to be like beasts? What if one
having altogether lost his sight should likewise forget that he ever had
any, and should think that he wanted nothing which belongeth to human
perfection: should we likewise think them blind, that see as well as
they saw before? For they will not grant that neither, which may be
proved by as forcible reasons, that they are more unhappy that do injury
than they which suffer it." "I would," quoth I, "hear these reasons."
"Deniest thou," quoth she, "that every wicked man deserveth punishment?"
"No." "And it is many ways clear that the vicious are miserable?" "Yes,"
quoth I. "Then you do not doubt that those who deserve punishment are
wretched?" "It i