Page:Ante-Nicene Christian Library Vol 2.djvu/352

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338
JUSTIN ON THE
Than those who live a gentle pious life;
And cities small, I know, which reverence gods,
Submissive bend before the many spears
Of larger impious ones; yea, and methinks
If any man lounge idly, and abstain
From working with his hands for sustenance,
Yet pray the gods; he very soon will know
If they from him misfortunes will avert."

And Menander in Diphilus:[1]

"Therefore ascribe we praise and honour great
To Him who Father is, and Lord of all;
Sole maker and preserver of mankind,
And who with all good things our earth has stored."

The same also in the Piscatores:

"For I deem that which nourishes my life
Is God; but he whose custom 'tis to meet
The wants of men,—He needs not at our hands
Renewed supplies, Himself being all in all."[2]

The same in the Fratres:

"God ever is intelligence to those
Who righteous are: so wisest men have thought."

And in the Tibicinæ:

"Good reason finds a temple in all things
Wherein to worship; for what is the mind,
But just the voice of God within us placed?"

And the tragedian in Phrixus:

"But if the pious and the impious
Share the same lot, how could we think it just,
If Jove, the best, judges not uprightly?"

  1. These lines are assigned to Diphilus.
  2. The words from "but" to "all" are assigned by Otto to Justin, not to Menander.