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470 A test of a man's character is association with such people. For when he is worthless, he will of necessity be with those like him; but when, on the other hand, he is temperate and wise, with those pursuing the same things as he. 471 In the same way that the nature of the eyes has within itself the power of sight, but is not by itself naturally sufficient for the perception of visible things, unless something else from without illuminates and assists the use of the eyes and contributes light for the viewing of sensible things, so also is the intellectual and rational nature related to the sacred word of God.

472 This nature has sown in the human race the seeds for knowing both virtue and vice, and has permitted reason to partake of either of these, having established it as its own sovereign and judge, leader and lord. As one having by nature the predispositions to virtue and vice within himself, he would not be able, even if he should ever fall into the abyss of vice itself, not to revere virtue, his conscience shuddering, if he should choose the worse. And a clear proof and test of these things is that no one dares to be an accuser of his own vice, but rather from the opposite as much as he is able, he tries to conceal and cover up whatever things he might secretly attempt contrary to what is right. And the disposition of each person itself, not being similarly disposed toward those who benefit him and toward those who attempt to harm him, becomes a self-taught teacher for each person of the knowledge concerning good and evil, the law of nature, forbidding some to do to others what one would not choose to suffer from others. 473 It is possible, O child, to speak well, but to be worthless; but it is impossible for one who acts well to be worthless.

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470 ἔλεγχος ἀνδρὸς ἤθους ἡ μετὰ τῶν τοιῶνδε συνουσία. ὅτε γὰρ φαῦλος, ἐξ ἀνάγκης τοῖς ὁμοίοις συνέσται· ὅτε αὖ πάλιν σώφρων καὶ σοφὸς, τοῖς τὰ αὐτὰ αὐτῷ μετιοῦσιν. 471 ὃν τρόπον ἡ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν φύσις ἔχει μὲν ἐν ἑαυτῇ τὴν ὁρατικὴν δύναμιν, οὐχ ἱκανὴ δὲ καθ' ἑαυτὴν πέφυκεν πρὸς τὴν τῶν ὁρατικῶν κατάληψιν, μὴ οὐχὶ ἑτέρου τινὸς ἔξωθεν φωτίζοντος καὶ συνυπουργοῦντος τῇ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν χρήσει καὶ τῷ συμβαλλομένῳ φωτὶ πρὸς τὴν τῶν αἰσθητῶν θέαν, οὕτως καὶ ἡ νοερὰ καὶ λογικὴ φύσις ἔχει πρὸς τὸν ἱερὸν τοῦ θεοῦ λόγον.

472 ἡ φύσις αὕτη τὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων κατέσπειρεν γένει τά τε τῆς ἀρετῆς καὶ τὰ τῆς κακίας σπέρματα γινώσκειν, θατέρου τε τούτων συνεχώρησεν μετέχειν τῷ λογισμῷ, αὐτοκράτορα καὶ κριτὴν ἡγεμόνα τε καὶ κύριον αὐτὸν ἑαυτοῦ καταστήσασα· ὡς οἷα δὴ ὑπὸ τῆς φύσεως τὰ τῆς ἀρετῆς καὶ τὰ τῆς κακίας προτερήματα ἔχων ἐν ἑαυτῷ οὐκ ἂν δύναιτο, κἂν εἰς αὐτὸν τῆς κακίας βυθὸν καταπέσοι ποτὲ, μὴ οὐχὶ σεμνύειν τὴν ἀρετὴν, καταπταῖσον τὸ συνειδὸς, εἰ προέλοιτο τὸ χεῖρον. καὶ τούτων ἀπόδειξις καὶ ἔλεγχος ἐναργὴς τὸ μηδένα τολμᾶν τῆς ἑαυτοῦ κακίας γενέσθαι κατήγορον ἀλλ' ἐκ τῶν ἐναντίων ὡς ἡ δύναμις ἐπικρύπτειν καὶ σκέπειν ἅπερ δὴ ἂν παρὰ τὸ καθῆκον λαθραίως ἐπιχειρῇ. καὶ αὐτὴ δὲ ἡ ἑκάστου διάθεσις μὴ ὁμοίως διακειμένου πρός τε τοὺς εὐεργετοῦντας καὶ πρὸς τοὺς βλάπτειν αὐτὸν ἐπιχειροῦντας αὐτομαθὴς διδάσκαλος γίνεται ἑκάστῳ τῆς περὶ ἀγαθῶν καὶ κακῶν ἐπιστήμης, ὁ τῆς φύσεως νόμος, ταῦτά τινας δρᾶν ἑτέροις ἀπαγορεύων, ἅπερ τις αὐτὸς παρ' ἑτέρων οὐκ ἂν ἕλοιτο παθεῖν. 473 ἐνδέχεται μὲν, ὦ παιδίον, λέγειν μὲν εὖ, φαῦλον δὲ ὑπάρχειν· πράσσοντα δὲ εὖ φαῦλον εἶναι ἀδύνατον.