Ch. 3
How, from the doctrine that god is the father of mankind, we may proceed to its consequences.
If a person could be persuaded of this principle as
he ought, that we are all originally descended
from God, and that he is the father of men and gods,
I conceive he never would think of himself meanly or
ignobly. Suppose Caesar were to adopt you, there
would be no bearing your haughty looks; and will
you not feel ennobled on knowing yourself to be the
son of God? Yet, in fact, we are not ennobled. But
having two things united in our composition, a body
in common with the brutes, and reason in common
with the gods, many incline to this unhappy and mortal kindred, and only some few to that which is happy
and divine. And, as of necessity every one must treat
each particular thing according to the notions he
forms about it, so those few who suppose that they
are made for faith and honor and a wise use of things
will never think meanly or ignobly concerning themselves. But with the multitude the case is contrary.
"For what am I? A poor contemptible man, with
this miserable flesh of mine?" Miserable indeed;
but you have likewise something better than this poor
flesh. Why, then, overlooking that, do you pine away
in attention to this?
By means of this [animal] kindred some of us, deviating towards it, become like wolves, faithless, and
crafty, and mischievous; others, like lions, wild and
savage and untamed; but most of us foxes, and disgraceful even among brutes. For what else is a slanderous and ill-natured man but a fox, or something
yet more wretched and mean? Watch and take heed,
then, that you do not sink thus low.