CRITO [400 B.C.]

ON PRUDENCE AND PROSPERITY

Such is the mutual relation of prudence and prosperity. Prudence is explainable and reasonable, orderly and definite. Prosperity is unexplainable, and irrational, disorderly, and indefinite. In origination and power, prudence is prior to prosperity; the former governing and defining, the latter being governed and defined; but they are mutually adjusting, concurring in the same thing. For that which limits and adjusts must be explainable and reasonable, while that which is limited and adjusted; is naturally unexplainable and irrational. That is how the reason of the infinite's nature, and of the limiter subsists in all things. Infinites are always naturally disposed to be limited and adjusted by things possessing reason and prudence for in the relation to the latter, the former stand as matter and essence. But finites are self-adjusted and self-limited, being causal and energetic.

The mutual adjustment of these natures in different things produces a variety of adjusted substances. For in the comprehension of the whole of things, the mutual adjustment of both the moving and the passive, is the world. There is no other possible way of salvation for the whole and the universe, than by the adjustment of the things generated to the divine, and of the ever passive to the ever moved. The similar adjustment, in man, of the irrational to the rational part of the soul is virtue, for this cannot exist in case of mutual strife between the two. So also in a city, the mutual adjustment of the governors to the governed produces strength and concord. Governing is the specialty of the better nature; while being governed is more suited to the subordinate part. To both are common strength and concord. A similar mutual adjustment exists in the universe and in the family; the former being a resultance of allurements and erudition with reason, the latter of pains and pleasures, prosperity and adversity. Man's constitution is such that he needs changes, work and rest, sorrow and gladeness, prosperity and adversity.

Some things draw the intellect towards wisdom, and industry, and keep it there; others relax and delight, rendering the intellect vigorous and prompt. Should one of these elements prevail, then man's life becomes one-sided, exaggerating sorrow and difficulty, or levity and smoothness. Now all these should be mutually adjusted by prudence, which discerns and distinguishes in actions the elements of limitation and infinity. That is why prudence is the mother and leader of the other virtues. For it is prudence's reason and law which organize and harmonize all other virtues.

Summarizing: The irrational and explainable are to be found in all things; the latter defines and limits, the former is defined and bounded. The resultance of both is the proper organisation of the whole and the universe.

God fashioned man in a way such as to declare that not through the want of power or deliberate choice, that man is incapable of impulsion to beauty of conduct. In man was implanted a principle such as to combine the possible with the desirable; so that while man is the cause of power and of the possession of good, God is that of reasonable impulse and incitation. So God made man tend to heaven, gave him an intellective power, implanted in him a sight called intellect, which is capable of beholding God. For without God, it is impossible to discover what is best and most beautiful; and without intellect we cannot see God, since every mortal nature's establishment implied a progressive loss of intellect. It is not God, however, who effected this, but generation, and that impulse of the soul which lacks deliberate choice.