As I was walking one early morning in the cloisters of the Colonnade a man met me, with others round him, and said, Good morning, Philosopher. And so saying he turned, and began to walk along with me, and his friends too turned with him. And I in reply addressed him and said: What may be your pleasure?
He answered: I was taught in Argos by Corinthus of the school of Socrates that one must not despise nor ignore those that wear this dress you have on, but should treat them with absolute courtesy, and converse with them, in the hope that some gain may accrue from such intercourse either to him or to oneself. For it is well for both if either be benefited. For this reason, whenever I see anyone in such a dress, I gladly draw nigh to him, and therefore had now the pleasure of addressing you. And these are followers and companions of mine, and themselves anticipate hearing some profitable discourse from you.
‘And who art thou, thou boldest man of mortal birth?’ said I in jest. He told me frankly both his name and his nationality. I am called Trypho, he said, and I am a circumcised Hebrew, who have fled from the war which broke out recently, and am spending much time in Greece and in Corinth.
How then, said I, could you derive so much advantage from philosophy, as from your own lawgiver and your prophets?
What do you mean? Do not the philosophers discourse entirely about God, he went on to say, and hold their discussions invariably about supreme government and providence? And is not this the business of philosophy, to make enquiries into the nature of divinity?
Yes, I said, we ourselves certainly have thought so. But here is a point which the great majority of philosophers have not taken into consideration, whether there be one or even several gods, and whether they exercise providence over each of us or not, as though this knowledge did not contribute anything unto happiness. On the contrary, they even endeavour to persuade us that while God cares for the universe and even for races and species, yet (He cares) no further for you and me and for the individual. For, if He did, should we not be praying to Him all day and night?
But how this theory finally works out for them, is not difficult to understand. For (if there be no providence) there is no sense of responsibility, and there is freedom to say this, and to follow those who think it, and, both to do and to say whatever they choose, neither fearing punishment nor expecting any good from God. How can it be otherwise? For they say that things will always remain as they are, and further, that you and I shall live again as we are living now, without having become either better or worse. But some others, premising that the soul is immortal and incorporeal, think that even if they have committed any wrong they will suffer no punishment (for the incorporeal is incapable of suffering), and again, as the soul itself is (by its nature) immortal, they have no further need for God.
Then he said, smiling courteously, But pray tell us what are your own thoughts about these things, and what opinion you hold about God, and what is your own attitude as a philosopher.