Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers

celestial [bodies], and concerning the nature of things, provide the greatest support to Christian truth. For such an outstanding intent to investigate truth, such keen effort, and such celebrated study certainly deserved not to be altogether deprived of the fruit of its own sweat, with God permitting that, through their testimony as well, the true faith might receive a foundation and strength. You may find in these many things said gravely and deeds done steadfastly, so that not only may inviolable truth gain faith from their books, but incentive to virtue may also accrue to our religion through their examples. For how foul and how full of disgrace is it if a Christian man—one who depends on his God and for whom there is a certain hope of eternal life—should be loath to apply himself to virtue and continence, when he discovers that pagan men, and those far removed from the true worship of God and religion, have studied more intensely in probity, modesty, frugality, and other ornaments of the human soul of that kind? Most of these examples, I would almost say, are closest to evangelical perfection, so that it is a thing to be vehemently ashamed and to blush for if a philosopher of the world displays less than Christ [would have him display], and if the love of empty glory can do more in a pagan breast than the affection of religious piety in a Christian soul. By these and similar reasonings, I was easily persuaded not to spurn this task of translating as useless, or to flee from it as harmful, but on the contrary, to undertake it steadfastly as thoroughly convenient and necessary. Indeed, if the admiration of these men happens to captivate someone more than is right, and he wishes to prefer or compare their deeds to our own philosophy, and to use as examples that which we alone almost fear, he should be lightly admonished to admire solid virtue rather than a shadowed image of virtue, and he will be taught by the reading itself by what miserable falls those very people he admires have sometimes collapsed.