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.For God draws all men to himself by his benignity.'208 The king praised him and asked the next in order How he could be the friend of men ? And he replied, ' By observing that the human race increases and is born with much trouble and great suffering: wherefore you must not lightly punish or inflict torments upon them, since you know that the life of men is made up of pains and penalties.For if you understood everything you would be filled with pity, for God also is pitiful.'209 The king received the answer with approbation and inquired of the next 'What is the most essential qualification for ruling ? ' ' To keep oneself ', he answered, ' free from bribery and to practice sobriety during the greater part of one's life, to honour righteousness above all things, and to make friends of men of this type.For God, too, is a lover of justice.'210 Having signified his approval, the king said to another 'What is the true mark of piety?' And he replied, 'To perceive that God constantly works in the Universe and knows all things, and no man who acts unjustly and works wickedness can escape His notice.AS God is the benefactor of the whole world, so you, too, must imitate Him and be void of offence.'211 The king signified his agreement and said to another ' What is the essence of kingship ? ' And he replied, ' To rule oneself well and not to be led astray by wealth or fame to immoderate or unseemly desires, this is the true way of ruling if you reason the matter well out.For all that you really need is yours, and God is free from need and benignant withal.Let your thoughts be such as become a man, and desire not many things but only such as are necessary for ruling.'212 The king praised him and asked another man How his deliberations might be for the best ? and he replied, 'If he constantly set justice before him in everything and thought that injustice was equivalent to deprivation of life.For God always promises the highest blessings to the just.'213 Having praised him, the king asked the next How he could be free from disturbing thoughts ill his sleep ? And he replied, ' You have asked me a question which is very difficult to answer, for we cannot bring our true selves into play during the hours of sleep, but are held fast in these 214 by imaginations that cannot be controlled by reason.For our souls possess the feeling that they actually see the things that enter into our consciousness during sleep.But we make a mistake if we suppose that we are actually sailing on the sea in boats or flying through the air or traveling to other regions or anything else of the kind.And yet we actually do imagine such 215 things to be taking place.So far as it is possible for me to decide, I have reached the following conclusion.You must in every possible way, O King, govern your words and actions by the rule of piety that you may have the consciousness that you are maintaining virtue and that you never choose to gratify yourself at the expense of reason and never by abusing your power do 216 despite to righteousness.For the mind mostly busies itself in sleep with the same things with which it occupies itself when awake.And he who has all his thoughts and actions set towards the noblest ends establishes himself in righteousness both when he is awake and when he is asleep.Wherefore you must be steadfast in the constant discipline of self.'217 The king bestowed praise on the man and said to another-' since you are the tenth to answer, when you have spoken, we will devote ourselves to the banquet.' And then he put the question, 218 How can I avoid doing anything unworthy of myself? And he replied, 'Look always to your own fame and your own supreme position, that you may speak and think only such things as are 219 consistent therewith, knowing that all your subjects think and talk about you.For you must not appear to be worse than the actors, who study carefully the role, which it is necessary for them to play, and shape all their actions in accordance with it [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]