the six enneads-第46节
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have allowed themselves to fall like fat…loaded sheep； a prey to the wolves。 But the evil…doers also have their punishment： first they pay in that very wolfishness； in the disaster to their human quality： and next there is laid up for them the due of their Kind： living ill here； they will not get off by death； on every precedent through all the line there waits its sequent； reasonable and natural… worse to the bad； better to the good。 This at once brings us outside the gymnasium with its fun for boys； they must grow up； both kinds； amid their childishness and both one day stand girt and armed。 Then there is a finer spectacle than is ever seen by those that train in the ring。 But at this stage some have not armed themselves… and the duly armed win the day。 Not even a God would have the right to deal a blow for the unwarlike： the law decrees that to come safe out of battle is for fighting men； not for those that pray。 The harvest comes home not for praying but for tilling； healthy days are not for those that neglect their health： we have no right to complain of the ignoble getting the richer harvest if they are the only workers in the fields； or the best。 Again： it is childish； while we carry on all the affairs of our life to our own taste and not as the Gods would have us； to expect them to keep all well for us in spite of a life that is lived without regard to the conditions which the Gods have prescribed for our well…being。 Yet death would be better for us than to go on living lives condemned by the laws of the Universe。 If things took the contrary course； if all the modes of folly and wickedness brought no trouble in life… then indeed we might complain of the indifference of a Providence leaving the victory to evil。 Bad men rule by the feebleness of the ruled： and this is just； the triumph of weaklings would not be just。 9。 It would not be just； because Providence cannot be a something reducing us to nothingness： to think of Providence as everything； with no other thing in existence； is to annihilate the Universe； such a providence could have no field of action； nothing would exist except the Divine。 As things are； the Divine； of course； exists； but has reached forth to something other… not to reduce that to nothingness but to preside over it； thus in the case of Man； for instance； the Divine presides as the Providence； preserving the character of human nature； that is the character of a being under the providential law； which； again； implies subjection to what that law may enjoin。 And that law enjoins that those who have made themselves good shall know the best of life； here and later； the bad the reverse。 But the law does not warrant the wicked in expecting that their prayers should bring others to sacrifice themselves for their sakes； or that the gods should lay aside the divine life in order to direct their daily concerns； or that good men； who have chosen a path nobler than all earthly rule； should become their rulers。 The perverse have never made a single effort to bring the good into authority； nor do they take any steps to improve themselves； they are all spite against anyone that becomes good of his own motion； though if good men were placed in authority the total of goodness would be increased。 In sum： Man has come into existence； a living being but not a member of the noblest order； he occupies by choice an intermediate rank； still； in that place in which he exists； Providence does not allow him to be reduced to nothing； on the contrary he is ever being led upwards by all those varied devices which the Divine employs in its labour to increase the dominance of moral value。 The human race； therefore； is not deprived by Providence of its rational being； it retains its share； though necessarily limited； in wisdom； intelligence； executive power and right doing； the right doing； at least； of individuals to each other… and even in wronging others people think they are doing right and only paying what is due。 Man is； therefore； a noble creation； as perfect as the scheme allows； a part； no doubt； in the fabric of the All； he yet holds a lot higher than that of all the other living things of earth。 Now； no one of any intelligence complains of these others； man's inferiors； which serve to the adornment of the world； it would be feeble indeed to complain of animals biting man； as if we were to pass our days asleep。 No： the animal； too； exists of necessity； and is serviceable in many ways； some obvious and many progressively discovered… so that not one lives without profit to itself and even to humanity。 It is ridiculous； also； to complain that many of them are dangerous… there are dangerous men abroad as well… and if they distrust us； and in their distrust attack； is that anything to wonder at？ 10。 But： if the evil in men is involuntary； if their own will has not made them what they are； how can we either blame wrong…doers or even reproach their victims with suffering through their own fault？ If there is a Necessity； bringing about human wickedness either by force of the celestial movement or by a rigorous sequence set up by the First Cause； is not the evil a thin rooted in Nature？ And if thus the Reason…Principle of the universe is the creator of evil； surely all is injustice？ No： Men are no doubt involuntary sinners in the sense that they do not actually desire to sin； but this does not alter the fact that wrongdoers； of their own choice； are； themselves； the agents； it is because they themselves act that the sin is in their own； if they were not agents they could not sin。 The Necessity ＇held to underlie human wickedness＇ is not an outer force ＇actually compelling the individual＇； but exists only in the sense of a universal relationship。 Nor is the force of the celestial Movement such as to leave us powerless： if the universe were something outside and apart from us it would stand as its makers willed so that； once the gods had done their part； no man； however impious； could introduce anything contrary to their intention。 But； as things are； efficient act does come from men： given the starting Principle； the secondary line； no doubt； is inevitably completed； but each and every principle contributes towards the sequence。 Now Men are Principles； or； at least； they are moved by their characteristic nature towards all that is good； and that nature is a Principle； a freely acting cause。 11。 Are we； then； to conclude that particular things are determined by Necessities rooted in Nature and by the sequence of causes； and that everything is as good as anything can be？ No： the Reason…Principle is the sovereign； making all： it wills things as they are and； in its reasonable act； it produces even what we know as evil： it cannot desire all to be good： an artist would not make an animal all eyes； and in the same way； the Reason…Principle would not make all divine； it makes Gods but also celestial spirits； the intermediate order； then men； then the animals； all is graded succession； and this in no spirit of grudging but in the expression of a Reason teeming with intellectual variety。 We are like people ignorant of painting who complain that the colours are not beautiful everywhere in the picture： but the Artist has laid on the appropriate tint to every spot。 Or we are censuring a drama because the persons are not all heroes but include a servant and a rustic and some scurrilous clown； yet take away the low characters and the power of the drama is gone； these are part and parcel of it。 12。 Suppose this Universe were the direct creation of the Reason…Principle applying itself； quite unchanged； to Matter； retaining； that is； the hostility to partition which it derives from its Prior； the Intellectual Principle… then； this its product； so produced； would be of supreme and unparalleled excellence。 But the Reason…Principle could not be a thing of entire identity or even of closely compact diversity； and the mode in which it is here manifested is no matter of censure since its function is to be all things； each single thing in some distinctive way。 But has it not； besides itself entering Matter； brought other beings down？ Has it not for example brought Souls into Matter and； in adapting them to its creation； twisted them against their own nature and been the ruin of many of them？ And can this be right？ The answer is that the Souls are； in a fair sense； members of this Reason…Principle and that it has not adapted them to the creation by perverting them； but has set them in the place here to which their quality entitles them。 13。 And we must not despise the familiar observation that there is something more to be considered than the present。 There are the periods of the past and； again； those in the future； and these have everything to do with fixing worth of place。 Thus a man； once a ruler； will be made a slave because he abused his power and because the fall is to his future good。 Those that have money will be made poor… and to the good poverty is no hindrance。 Those that have unjustly killed； are killed in turn； unjustly as regards the murderer but justly as regards the victim； and those that are to suffer are thrown into the path of those that administer the merite
