nd you may be born of the same
parents, for snakes also are: but neither will they be friends, nor you,
so long as you retain these bestial and cursed opinions.

* * * * *

ON THE POWER OF SPEAKING.--Every man will read a book with more pleasure
or even with more ease, if it is written in fairer characters. Therefore
every man will also listen more readily to what is spoken, if it is
signified by appropriate and becoming words. We must not say then that
there is no faculty of expression: for this affirmation is the
characteristic of an impious and also of a timid man. Of an impious man,
because he undervalues the gifts which come from God, just as if he
would take away the commodity of the power of vision, or hearing, or of
seeing. Has then God given you eyes to no purpose? and to no purpose has
he infused into them a spirit so strong and of such skilful contrivance
as to reach a long way and to fashion the forms of things which are
seen? What messenger is so swift and vigilant? And to no purpose has he
made the interjacent atmosphere so efficacious and elastic that the
vision penetrates through the atmosphere which is in a manner moved? And
to no purpose has he made light, without the presence of which there
would be no use in any other thing?

Man, be neither ungrateful for these gifts nor yet forget the things
which are superior to them. But indeed for the power of seeing and
hearing, and indeed for life itself, and for the things which contribute
to support it, for the fruits which are dry, and for wine and oil give
thanks to God: but remember that he has given you something else better
than all these, I mean the power of using them, proving them, and
estimating the value of each. For what is that which gives information
about each of these powers, what each of them is worth? Is it each
faculty itself? Did you ever hear the faculty of vision saying anything
about itself? or the faculty of hearing? or wheat, or barley, or a
horse, or a dog? No; but they are appointed as ministers and slaves to
serve the faculty which has the power of making use of the appearances
of things. And if you inquire what is the value of each thing, of whom
do you inquire? who answers you? How then can any other faculty be more
powerful than this, which uses the rest as ministers and itself proves
each and pronounces about them? for which of them knows what itself is,
and what is its own value? which of them