Assuredly whatsoever things are fabled to exist in deep Acheron, these all exist in this life. There is no wretched Tantalus, fearing the great rock that hangs over him in the air and frozen with vain terror. Rather, it is in this life that fear of the gods oppresses mortals without cause, and the rock they fear is any that chance may bring.

If men saw that a term was set to their troubles, they would find strength in some way to withstand the hocus-pocus and intimidations of the prophets.

The nature of the universe has by no means been made through divine power, seeing how great are the faults that mar it.

Pleasant it to behold great encounters of warfare arrayed over the plains, with no part of yours in peril.

Violence and wrong enclose all who commit them in their meshes and do mostly recoil on him from whom they begin.

Tis pleasant to stand on shore and watch others labouring in a stormy sea.

From the very fountain of enchantment there arises a taste of bitterness to spread anguish amongst the flowers.