PLUTARCH

ON

ISIS AND OSIRIS.

a. All good things, 2 O Clea, those who have sense must ask from the gods, but most of all, by pursuing the knowledge concerning them as far as is possible for men, we pray to obtain it from them: for there is nothing greater for a man to receive, nor more honorable for a god to bestow, than truth. For God grants to men the other things they need, without possessing these as his own or using them. For the divine is not blessed through silver and gold, nor is it strong through thunders and lightnings, but through knowledge and wisdom. 4 And Homer expressed this most beautifully of all that he has said concerning the gods:

Indeed, they have the same birth and the same fatherland,
But Zeus was born first, and knew more.

1 The title of this book, as it exists in the catalogue of Plutarch’s Works, which his son Lamprias composed for the sake of a friend, is read thus, (No. 116.) ON THE DISCOURSE CONCERNING ISIS AND SARAPIS, see Fabric. Biblioth. Graec. vol. 3, page 339. Whence this diversity of inscribing arises, whether from the carelessness of copyists, which often happens, and which we shall see later in these very words to have truly occurred, or from the hand of Lamprias himself, is difficult to say. I know indeed that according to the mind of the Chaeronean Philosopher, Sarapis is exactly the same as our Osiris; but there is no reason for this cause why we should rashly depart from the present reading, which all Editions constantly exhibit. For since Osiris was much older and better known than that Sarapis (whose image, if one is to believe Montfaucon, Antiq. explicat. T. 2. P. 2. c. 10, is never to be seen among the most ancient Tables of the Gods of the Egyptian race). And since the Fable which the author undertakes to explain is entirely about Isis and Osiris, but he does not utter a word about that other one, except as if in passing; there can be no doubt that the present inscription is most accommodated to Plutarch’s mind. This treatise is also cited twice by Eusebius, as occurs now, (in the books Prep. Evang. Ed. Paris. pages 91 and 186) under the title OF THE DISCOURSE CONCERNING ISIS, AND THE EGYPTIAN GODS. Furthermore, regarding the method and order which Plutarch observed in compiling this book...