Ath。And，Omostexcellentandbestofmen，doIunderstandyoutomeanthattheyarecarelessbecausetheyareignorant，anddonotknowthattheyoughttotakecare，orthattheyknow，andyetlikethemeanestsortofmen，knowingthebetter，choosetheworsebecausetheyareovercomebypleasuresandpains？
Cle。Impossible。
Ath。Donotallhumanthingspartakeofthenatureofsoul？Andisnotmanthemostreligiousofallanimals？
Cle。Thatisnottobedenied。
Ath。AndweacknowledgethatallmortalcreaturesarethepropertyoftheGods，towhomalsothewholeofheavenbelongs？
Cle。Certainly。
Ath。And，therefore，whetherapersonsaysthatthesethingsaretotheGodsgreatorsmall-ineithercaseitwouldnotbenaturalfortheGodswhoownus，andwhoarethemostcarefulandthebestofownerstoneglectus-Thereisalsoafurtherconsideration。
Cle。Whatisit？
Ath。Sensationandpowerareinaninverseratiotoeachotherinrespecttotheircaseanddifficulty。
Cle。Whatdoyoumean？
Ath。Imeanthatthereisgreaterdifficultyinseeingandhearingthesmallthanthegreat，butmorefacilityinmovingandcontrollingandtakingcareofandunimportantthingsthanoftheiropposites。
Cle。Farmore。
Ath。Supposethecaseofaphysicianwhoiswillingandabletocuresomelivingthingasawhole-howwillthewholefareathishandsifhetakescareonlyofthegreaterandneglectsthepartswhicharelesser？
Cle。Decidedlynotwell。
Ath。Nobetterwouldbetheresultwithpilotsorgenerals，orhouseholdersorstatesmen，oranyothersuchclass，iftheyneglectedthesmallandregardedonlythegreat；-asthebuilderssay，thelargerstonesdonotliewellwithoutthelesser。
Cle。Ofcoursenot。
Ath。Letusnot，then，deemGodinferiortohumanworkmen，who，inproportiontotheirskill，finishandperfecttheirworks，smallaswellasgreat，byoneandthesameart；orthatGod，thewisestofbeings，whoisbothwillingandabletotakecare，islikealazygood-for-nothing，oracoward，whoturnshisbackuponlabourandgivesnothoughttosmallerandeasiermatters，buttothegreateronly。
Cle。Never，Stranger，letusadmitasuppositionabouttheGodswhichisbothimpiousandfalse。
Ath。IthinkthatwehavenowarguedenoughwithhimwhodelightstoaccusetheGodsofneglect。
Cle。Yes。
Ath。Hehasbeenforcedtoacknowledgethatheisinerror，buthestillseemstometoneedsomewordsofconsolation。
Cle。Whatconsolationwillyouofferhim？
Ath。Letussaytotheyouth：-Theruleroftheuniversehasorderedallthingswithaviewtotheexcellenceandpreservationofthewhole，andeachpart，asfarasmaybe，hasanactionandpassionappropriatetoit。Overthese，downtotheleastfractionofthem，ministershavebeenappointedtopreside，whohavewroughtouttheirperfectionwithinfinitesimalexactness。Andoneoftheseportionsoftheuniverseisthineown，unhappyman，which，howeverlittle，contributestothewhole；andyoudonotseemtobeawarethatthisandeveryothercreationisforthesakeofthewhole，andinorderthatthelifeofthewholemaybeblessed；andthatyouarecreatedforthesakeofthewhole，andnotthewholeforthesakeofyou。Foreveryphysicianandeveryskilledartistdoesallthingsforthesakeofthewhole，directinghisefforttowardsthecommongood，executingthepartforthesakeofthewhole，andnotthewholeforthesakeofthepart。Andyouareannoyedbecauseyouareignoranthowwhatisbestforyouhappenstoyouandtotheuniverse，asfarasthelawsofthecommoncreationadmit。Now，asthesoulcombiningfirstwithonebodyandthenwithanotherundergoesallsortsofchanges，eitherofherself，orthroughtheinfluenceofanothersoul，allthatremainstotheplayerofthegameisthatheshouldshiftthepieces；sendingthebetternaturetothebetterplace，andtheworsetotheworse，andsoassigningtothemtheirproperportion。
Cle。Inwhatwaydoyoumean？
Ath。InawaywhichmaybesupposedtomakethecareofallthingseasytotheGods。Ifanyoneweretoformorfashionallthingswithoutanyregardtothewhole-if，forexample，heformedalivingelementofwateroutoffire，insteadofformingmanythingsoutofoneoroneoutofmanyinregularorderattainingtoafirstorsecondorthirdbirth，thetransmutationwouldhavebeeninfinite；butnowtheruleroftheworldhasawonderfullyeasytask。
Cle。Howso？
Ath。Iwillexplain：-Whenthekingsawthatouractionshadlife，andthattherewasmuchvirtueinthemandmuchvice，andthatthesoulandbody，althoughnot，liketheGodsofpopularopinion，eternal，yethavingoncecomeintoexistence，wereindestructibleforifeitherofthemhadbeendestroyed，therewouldhavebeennogenerationoflivingbeings；andwhenheobservedthatthegoodofthesoulwaseverbynaturedesignedtoprofitmen，andtheeviltoharmthem-he，seeingallthis，contrivedsotoplaceeachofthepartsthattheirpositionmightintheeasiestandbestmannerprocurethevictoryofgoodandthedefeatofevilinthewhole。Andhecontrivedageneralplanbywhichathingofacertainnaturefoundacertainseatandroom。Buttheformationofqualitieshelefttothewillsofindividuals。Foreveryoneofusismadeprettymuchwhatheisbythebentofhisdesiresandthenatureofhissoul。
Cle。Yes，thatisprobablytrue。
Ath。Thenallthingswhichhaveasoulchange，andpossessinthemselvesaprincipleofchange，andinchangingmoveaccordingtolawandtotheorderofdestiny：natureswhichhaveundergonealesserchangemovelessandontheearth’ssurface，butthosewhichhavesufferedmorechangeandhavebecomemorecriminalsinkintotheabyss，thatistosay，intoHadesandotherplacesintheworldbelow，ofwhichtheverynamesterrifymen，andwhichtheypicturetothemselvesasinadream，bothwhilealiveandwhenreleasedfromthebody。Andwheneverthesoulreceivesmoreofgoodorevilfromherownenergyandthestronginfluenceofothers-whenshehascommunionwithdivinevirtueandbecomesdivine，sheiscarriedintoanotherandbetterplace，whichisperfectinholiness；butwhenshehascommunionwithevil，thenshealsochangesthePlaceofherlife。
ThisisthejusticeoftheGodswhoinhabitOlympus。
Oyouthoryoungman，whofancythatyouareneglectedbytheGods，knowthatifyoubecomeworseyoushallgototheworsesouls，orifbettertothebetter，andineverysuccessionoflifeanddeathyouwilldoandsufferwhatlikemayfitlysufferatthehandsoflike。
Thisisthejusticeofheaven，whichneitheryounoranyotherunfortunatewillevergloryinescaping，andwhichtheordainingpowershavespeciallyordained；takegoodheedthereof，foritwillbesuretotakeheedofyou。Ifyousay：-Iamsmallandwillcreepintothedepthsoftheearth，orIamhighandwillflyuptoheaven，youarenotsosmallorsohighbutthatyoushallpaythefittingpenalty，eitherhereorintheworldbeloworinsomestillmoresavageplacewhitheryoushallbeconveyed。Thisisalsotheexplanationofthefateofthosewhomyousaw，whohaddoneunholyandevildeeds，andfromsmallbeginningshadgrowngreat，andyoufanciedthatfrombeingmiserabletheyhadbecomehappy；andintheiractions，asinamirror，youseemedtoseetheuniversalneglectoftheGods，notknowinghowtheymakeallthingsworktogetherandcontributetothegreatwhole。Andthinkestthou，boldman，thatthouneedestnottoknowthis？-hewhoknowsitnotcanneverformanytrueideaofthehappinessorunhappinessoflifeorholdanyrationaldiscourserespectingeither。IfCleiniasandthisourreverendcompanysucceedinbringingtoyouthatyouknownotwhatyousayoftheGods，thenwillGodhelpyou；butshouldyoudesiretohearmore，listentowhatwesaytothethirdopponent，ifyouhaveanyunderstandingwhatsoever。ForIthinkthatwehavesufficientlyprovedtheexistenceoftheGods，andthattheycareformen：-Theothernotionthattheyareappeasedbythewicked，andtakegifts，iswhatwemustnotconcedetoanyone，andwhateverymanshoulddisprovetotheutmostofhispower。
Cle。Verygood；letusdoasyousay。
Ath。Well，then，bytheGodsthemselvesIconjureyoutotellme-iftheyaretobepropitiated，howaretheytobepropitiated？
Whoarethey，andwhatistheirnature？Musttheynotbeatleastrulerswhohavetoorderunceasinglythewholeheaven？
Cle。True。
Ath。Andtowhatearthlyrulerscantheybecompared，orwhotothem？Howinthelesscanwefindanimageofthegreater？Aretheycharioteersofcontendingpairsofsteeds，orpilotsofvessels？
Perhapstheymightbecomparedtothegeneralsofarmies，ortheymightbelikenedtophysiciansprovidingagainstthediseaseswhichmakewaruponthebody，ortohusbandmenobservinganxiouslytheeffectsoftheseasonsonthegrowthofplants；orIperhaps，toshepherdsofflocks。Forasweacknowledgetheworldtobefullofmanygoodsandalsoofevils，andofmoreevilsthangoods，thereis，asweaffirm，animmortalconflictgoingonamongus，whichrequiresmarvellouswatchfulness；andinthatconflicttheGodsanddemigodsareourallies，andwearetheirproperty。Injusticeandinsolenceandfollyarethedestructionofus，andjusticeandtemperanceandwisdomareoursalvation；andtheplaceoftheselatterisinthelifeoftheGods，althoughsomevestigeofthemmayoccasionallybediscernedamongmankind。Butuponthisearthweknowthattheredwellsoulspossessinganunjustspirit，whomaybecomparedtobruteanimals，whichfawnupontheirkeepers，whetherdogsorshepherds，orthebestandmostperfectmasters；fortheyinlikemanner，asthevoicesofthewickeddeclare，prevailbyflatteryandprayersandincantations，andareallowedtomaketheirgainswithimpunity。Andthissin，whichistermeddishonesty，isanevilofthesamekindaswhatistermeddiseaseinlivingbodiesorpestilenceinyearsorseasonsoftheyear，andincitiesandgovernmentshasanothername，whichisinjustice。
Cle。Quitetrue。
Ath。WhatelsecanhesaywhodeclaresthattheGodsarealwayslenienttothedoersofunjustacts，iftheydividethespoilwiththem？Asifwolvesweretotossaportionoftheirpreytothedogs，andthey，mollifiedbythegift，sufferedthemtoteartheflocks。
MustnothewhomaintainsthattheGodscanbepropitiatedarguethus？
Cle。Preciselyso。
Ath。Andtowhichoftheabove-mentionedclassesofguardianswouldanymancomparetheGodswithoutabsurdity？Willhesaythattheyarelikepilots，whoarethemselvesturnedawayfromtheirdutyby“libationsofwineandthesavouroffat，“andatlastoverturnbothshipandsailors？
Cle。Assuredlynot。
Ath。Andsurelytheyarenotlikecharioteerswhoarebribedtogiveupthevictorytootherchariots？
Cle。ThatwouldbeafearfulimageoftheGods。
Ath。Noraretheylikegenerals，orphysicians，orhusbandmen，orshepherds；andnoonewouldcomparethemtodogswhohavesilencedbywolves。
Cle。Athingnottobespokenof。
Ath。AndarenotalltheGodsthechiefestofallguardians，anddotheynotguardourhighestinterests？
Cle。Yes；thechiefest。
Ath。Andshallwesaythatthosewhoguardournoblestinterests，andarethebestofguardians，areinferiorinvirtuetodogs，andtomenevenofmoderateexcellence，whowouldneverbetrayjusticeforthesakeofgiftswhichunjustmenimpiouslyofferthem？