it and to hinder it; for the universe had need even of such men as these.
It remains then for thee to understand among what kind of workmen thou
placest thyself; for he who rules all things will certainly make a right
use of thee, and he will receive thee among some part of the co-operators
and of those whose labors conduce to one end. But be not thou such a part
as the mean and ridiculous verse in the play, which Chrysippus speaks of.

43. Does the sun undertake to do the work of the rain, or Aesculapius the
work of the Fruit-bearer [the earth]? And how is it with respect to each
of the stars, are they not different and yet they work together to the
same end?

44. If the gods have determined about me and about the things which must
happen to me, they have determined well, for it is not easy even to
imagine a deity without forethought; and as to doing me harm, why should
they have any desire towards that? for what advantage would result to
them from this or to the whole, which is the special object of their
providence? But if they have not determined about me individually, they
have certainly determined about the whole at least, and the things which
happen by way of sequence in this general arrangement I ought to accept
with pleasure and to be content with them. But if they determine about
nothing,--which it is wicked to believe, or if we do believe it, let us
neither sacrifice nor pray nor swear by them, nor do anything else which
we do as if the gods were present and lived with us,--but if however the
gods determine about none of the things which concern us, I am able to
determine about myself, and I can inquire about that which is useful; and
that is useful to every man which is conformable to his own constitution
and nature. But my nature is rational and social; and my city and
country, so far as I am Antoninus, is Rome, but so far as I am a man, it
is the world. The things then which are useful to these cities are alone