have, besides, the inspired word which declares that all these things will take place; and all the prophets (upon whom be peace!) and all the saints and teachers of religion (upon whom may God have mercy!) have testified to the truth of them.
Do you not see that if you were desirous to partake of food and were just stretching forth your hand to take it, and some one should say, "Beware, and do not eat of that food, for it is deadly poison," or "a serpent has vomited upon it," that although there was a doubt in your mind whether what he said was true or false, still you would believe him and refrain from eating the food? You would say to yourself: "If I do not eat it, I have nothing to suffer but to remain hungry for a while longer, but if I eat it, I may kill myself. It is prudent, therefore, for me to refrain from it."
Again, if you were sick, and a person who writes magical phrases and charms, should say to you, "give me a drachm of silver, and I will write for you a well tried charm by means of which you will immediately get well," although you know that there is no relation of fitness between an external charm, and an internal disorder of the stomach for instance, and that there is little probability of your recovering by its means, you are still disposed to take it. And you say, "Come, let me have it, if it act as a medicine, I shall be a gainer by so many drachms of silver, and if it do me no good, I shall only have lost a single drachm. I ought therefore to try it."
Once more, if an astrologer should say to you, "if you will drink this bitter and disagreeable medicine, you will not be attacked with illness during the whole of this coming year, for the moon is in such a station among the heavenly bodies," notwithstanding the lie of the astrologer should be very clear to your mind, and you have no confidence in what he says, you would reply, "well, let me
