de the faculty of seeing them, what would
have been their use? None at all. On the other hand, if he had made the
faculty of vision, but had not made objects such as to fall under the
faculty, what in that case also would have been the use of it? None at
all. Well, suppose that he had made both, but had not made light? In
that case, also, they would have been of no use. Who is it then who has
fitted this to that and that to this?

What, then, are these things done in us only? Many, indeed, in us only,
of which the rational animal had peculiar need; but you will find many
common to us with irrational animals. Do they then understand what is
done? By no means. For use is one thing, and understanding is another;
God had need of irrational animals to make use of appearances, but of us
to understand the use of appearances. It is therefore enough for them to
eat and to drink, and to copulate, and to do all the other things which
they severally do. But for us, to whom he has given also the
intellectual faculty, these things are not sufficient; for unless we act
in a proper and orderly manner, and conformably to the nature and
constitution of each thing, we shall never attain our true end. For
where the constitutions of living beings are different, there also the
acts and the ends are different. In those animals then whose
constitution is adapted only to use, use alone is enough; but in an
animal (man), which has also the power of understanding the use, unless
there be the due exercise of the understanding, he will never attain his
proper end. Well then God constitutes every animal, one to be eaten,
another to serve for agriculture, another to supply cheese, and another
for some like use; for which purposes what need is there to understand
appearances and to be able to distinguish them? But God has introduced
man to be a spectator of God and of his works; and not only a spectator
of them, but an interpreter. For this reason it is shameful for man to
begin and to end where irrational animals do; but rather he ought to
begin where they begin, and to end where nature ends in us; and nature
ends in contemplation and understanding, and in a way of life
conformable to nature. Take care then not to die without having been
spectators of these things.

But you take a journey to Olympia to see the work of Phidias, and all of
you think it a misfortune to die without having seen such things. But
when there is no need to take a journey, an