Either the gods have no power, or they do. If they have no power, why do you pray? But if they do, why not pray that they give you freedom from fearing, desiring, or grieving over any of these things, rather than that one of them be absent or present? Certainly, if the gods can cooperate with human beings, they can cooperate toward these ends.
Perhaps you will say, “The gods placed these things in my power.” Then is it not better to use what is in your power freely than to be carried toward what is not in your power slavishly and abjectly? And who told you that the gods do not assist us even with what is in our power? Begin, then, to pray about these things, and you will see.
One person prays, “How may I sleep with that woman?” You: “How may I not desire to sleep with her?” Another: “How may I be rid of that person?” You: “How may I not need to be rid of him?” Another: “How may I not lose my little child?” You: “How may I not fear losing the child?” In short, turn your prayers in this direction and observe what happens.
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Either the gods have no power or they have power. If, then, they have no power, why dost thou pray to them? But if they have power, why dost thou not pray for them to give thee the faculty of not fearing any of the things which thou fearest, or of not desiring any of the things which thou desirest, or not being pained at anything, rather than pray that any of these things should not happen or happen? for certainly if they can co-operate with men, they can co-operate for these purposes. But perhaps thou wilt say, the gods have placed them in thy power. Well, then, is it not better to use what is in thy power like a free man than to desire in a slavish and abject way what is not in thy power? And who has told thee that the gods do not aid us even in the things which are in our power? Begin, then, to pray for such things, and thou wilt see. One man prays thus: How shall I be able to lie with that woman? Do thou pray thus: How shall I not desire to lie with her? Another prays thus: How shall I be released from this? Another prays: How shall I not desire to be released? Another thus: How shall I not lose my little son? Thou thus: How shall I not be afraid to lose him? In fine, turn thy prayers this way, and see what comes.
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