113. But there is nothing like examining this wonderful copying of theirs, or rather parodying as it were on the stage; and discovering what was the scope of the teaching, and what the object of the congregations: in order that, as Plato says about his projected Republic, "when they move about we may discover their intention." For, as Philosophy is divided into two parts, that is, Theory and Practice, and the former is the more sublime but difficult to investigate; the latter the more humble, yet of greater real utility ---- the two gain credit with us by means of one another: for Theory we take for a travelling-companion into the other world, whilst we make Practice the stepping-stone to Theory: inasmuch as it is impossible for persons not living wisely to have claims to wisdom. But on their side I know not which, of these two branches is the more ridiculous, or the more feeble, since they derive not the strength of their system from divine inspiration, just as those roots that are carried away down a stream have no firm hold. Now, let us have a fling at their happiness, and let us play, as often is done on the stage, with them while they play and tell fables; and let there be an addition made to the text "to rejoice with, those that do rejoice, and to weep with them that weep," namely, "to endure to talk nonsense with them that talk nonsense;" and the poets know of laughter in the midst of tears.

ΡΙΓʹ. Οὐδὲν δὲ οἷον καὶ τὴν θαυμασίαν αὐτῶν ταύτην ἀνάπλασιν ἢ μετάπλασιν ὡς ἐπὶ σκηνῆς θεωρῆσαι καὶ καταμαθεῖν, τίς μὲν ἂν ἦν ὁ τῆς διδασκαλίας τρόπος αὐτοῖς, τί δὲ τὸ πέρας τῶν συνελεύσεων: ἵν', ὅ φησι Πλάτων περὶ τῆς ἐν λόγῳ πόλεως, ἴδωμεν κινουμένην αὐτῶν τὴν ἐπίνοιαν. Εἰς δύο γὰρ ταῦτα διῃρημένης πάσης φιλοσοφίας, θεωρίαν τε λέγω καὶ πρᾶξιν: καὶ τῆς μὲν ὑψηλοτέρας οὔσης, δυστεκμάρτου δέ: τῆς δὲ ταπεινοτέρας, χρησιμωτέρας δέ: ἡμῖν μὲν ἀμφότερα δι' ἀλλήλων εὐδοκιμεῖ: καὶ γὰρ θεωρίαν συνέκδημον πρὸς τὰ ἐκεῖθεν ποιούμεθα, καὶ πρᾶξιν θεωρίας ἐπίβασιν: οὐδὲ γὰρ οἷόν τε εἶναι σοφίας μετέχειν μὴ σοφῶς ἀναστραφέντας: τοῖς δὲ οὐκ οἶδ' ὁπότερον δόξει γελοιότερόν τε καὶ ἀσθενέστερον, οὐκ ἔχουσιν ἐκ θείας ἐπιπνεύσεως τὸ δυνατὸν τοῦ συστήματος, ὥσπερ τῶν ῥιζῶν, αἳ καθ' ὕδατος ὀχοῦνται, πῆξιν οὐκ ἔχουσαι. Καὶ δὴ βάλωμεν εἰς τὴν μακαρίαν αὐτῶν, ἵν' ὀλίγα καὶ αὐτοὶ παίζουσιν αὐτοῖς καὶ μυθολογοῦσιν, ὥσπερ ἐν πολλοῖς τῶν δραμάτων, συμπαίξωμεν: καὶ προστεθείη τῷ χαίρειν μετὰ χαιρόντων, καὶ κλαίουσι συνδακρύειν, τὸ καὶ ληραίνουσι συλληρεῖν ἀνέχεσθαι: καὶ γέλωτα ἐν δακρύοις ποιηταὶ γινώσκουσιν.