Tuesday, March 29, 2022
Foolish
Epicurus, Sententiae Vaticanae 65 (tr. George K. Strodach):
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It is senseless to ask the gods for what a man is able to provide for himself.Cf. Euripides, fragment 432 Kannicht (435 Nauck; tr. Christopher Collard and Martin Cropp):
μάταιόν ἐστι παρὰ θεῶν αἰτεῖσθαι ἅ τις ἑαυτῷ χορηγῆσαι ἱκανός ἐστι.
Do something now yourself, and then invoke the gods;
for god adds his assistance to the man who strives.
αὐτός τι νῦν δρῶν εἶτα δαίμονας κάλει·
τῷ γὰρ πονοῦντι καὶ θεὸς συλλαμβάνει.
