Pagina 238 di 1391

For philosophy, even in her fallen estate, has a dignity of her

own-and he, like a bald little blacksmith's apprentice as he is,

having made some money and got out of durance, washes and dresses

himself as a bridegroom and marries his master's daughter. What

will be the issue of such marriages? Will they not be vile and

bastard, devoid of truth and nature? 'They will.' Small, then, is

the remnant of genuine philosophers; there may be a few who are

citizens of small states, in which politics are not worth

thinking of, or who have been detained by Theages' bridle of ill

health; for my own case of the oracular sign is almost unique,

and too rare to be worth mentioning. And these few when they have

tasted the pleasures of philosophy, and have taken a look at that

den of thieves and place of wild beasts, which is human life,

will stand aside from the storm under the shelter of a wall, and

try to preserve their own innocence and to depart in peace.