Роздуми
Book 9
Becausetheydohavesouls,andthebondinginstinctisfoundinadevelopedform—notsomethingweseeinplants,orstones,ortrees.Andit’sstillmoredevelopedinrationalbeings,withtheirstates,friendships,families,groups,theirtreatiesandtruces.Andinthoseyetmoredevelopedthereisakindofunityevenbetweenseparatethings,thekindthatweseeinthestars.Anadvancedlevelofdevelopmentcanproduceasympathyeveninthingsthatarequitedistinct.
Butlookhowthingsarenow.Therationalthingsaretheonlyonesthathavelostthatsenseofattraction—ofconvergence.Onlytheredowenotseethatintermingling.Buthowevermuchtheytrytoavoidit,there’snoescaping.Natureisstronger.Asyoucanseeifyoulookclosely.
Concreteobjectscanpullfreeoftheearthmoreeasilythanhumanscanescapehumanity.
10.Humanity,divinity,andtheworld:allofthembearingfruit.Eachfruitfulinitsseason.Normallywelimitthewordtovinesandotherplants.Unnecessarily.Thefruitofthelogosnourishesbothusandit.Andotherthingsspringfromittoo—ofthesamespeciesasthelogositself.
11.Convincethemnotto.
Ifyoucan.
Andifnot,remember:thecapacityforpatiencewasgivenusforareason.Thegodsarepatientwiththemtoo,andevenhelpthemtoconcretethings:health,money,fame....Suchisthegods’goodness.
Andyours,too,ifyouwanted.
