Page:Greece from the Coming of the Hellenes to AD. 14.djvu/393

Rh Cleanthes, who succeeded Zeno as head of the school in B.C. 265:—

&emsp;“Hail! most glorious of immortal beings, of many names, almighty for ever, Zeus, lord of Nature, that guidest all things by law! To thee all mortals may make their prayer: for of thee are we sprung, having alone of mortal things which live and move upon the earth been dowered with a likeness of thy voice. Therefore of thee will I sing and ever hymn thy might. Thee all this heavenly frame, rolling round the earth, obeys,—by whatever path thou leadest it,—and owns thee for its lord. . . . King art thou, supreme, for ever! Nothing is wrought on earth apart from thee, oh God, nor in the realm of air divine nor in the sea, save what the wicked work by their own lack of wisdom- But thou knowest to make the crooked straight, to bring order out of chaos, to atone strife. For so hast thou yoked together evil with good that order ariseth therefrom, one, eternal. But the wicked will have none of it. Miserable men! they ever yearn to possess the good, yet look not on the impartial law of God, nor hearken thereto, which, if they would obey it, would give them good life. Whereas of their own act they rush upon evil, one with another, some seeking glory with ill-starred rivalry, some set on gain heedless of right or wrong, some given over to loose living and the pleasures of the body. . . . But, oh Zeus, that givest all, oh God of the dark cloud and the vivid lightning, save thou men from folly that beareth bitter fruit! Scatter it from our soul, oh Father, and grant that we attain unto wisdom, whereby thou