ectacle and the festival
for a short time? Will you not then, as long as you have been permitted,
after seeing the spectacle and the solemnity, when he leads you out, go
with adoration of him and thanks for what you have heard and seen? No;
but I would still enjoy the feast. The initiated too would wish to be
longer in the initiation; and perhaps also those at Olympia to see other
athletes. But the solemnity is ended; go away like a grateful and modest
man; make room for others; others also must be born, as you were, and,
being born, they must have a place, and houses, and necessary things.
And if the first do not retire, what remains? Why are you insatiable?
Why are you not content? why do you contract the world? Yes, but I would
have my little children with me and my wife. What, are they yours? do
they not belong to the giver, and to him who made you? then will you not
give up what belongs to others? will you not give way to him who is
superior? Why then did he introduce me into the world on these
conditions? And if the conditions do not suit you, depart. He has no
need of a spectator who is not satisfied. He wants those who join in the
festival, those who take part in the chorus, that they may rather
applaud, admire, and celebrate with hymns the solemnity. But those who
can bear no trouble, and the cowardly, he will not unwillingly see
absent from the great assembly ([Greek: panaeguris]) for they did not
when they were present behave as they ought to do at a festival nor fill
up their place properly, but they lamented, found fault with the deity,
fortune, their companions; not seeing both what they had, and their own
powers, which they received for contrary purposes, the powers of
magnanimity, of a generous mind, manly spirit, and what we are now
inquiring about, freedom. For what purpose then have I received these
things? To use them. How long? So long as he who has lent them chooses.
What if they are necessary to me? Do not attach yourself to them and
they will not be necessary; do not say to yourself that they are
necessary, and then they are not necessary.

You then, a man may say, are you free? I wish, by the gods, and pray to
be free; but I am not yet able to face my masters, I still value my poor
body, I value greatly the preservation of it entire, though I do not
possess it entire. But I can point out to you a free man, that you may
no longer seek an example. Diogenes was free. How was he free? Not
because he