The Tablet of the Theban Cebes [pp. 539-546]

1849.] The Tablet of the Theban Cebes. 541
Old Man. " Such as many men consider to
be blessings."
Stranger. "Pray, what are they?"
Old Man. " Wealth evidently, and fame,
rank, children, power and sovereignty, and such
like."
Stranger. "And are these not blessings 7"
Old Man. " We will investigate that by and
bye. Let us now go on with the explanation of
the picture."
Stranger. " Very well, be it so."
9. Old Man. " When you have passed this
gate, do you see another circle farther up, and
outside of it some women standing, gaudily ar rayed, like women of pleasure?"
Stranger. "Yes."
Old Man. "These are called'Intemperance,'
'Profligacy,''Covetousness' and' Flattery.'"
Stranger. "Why are they standing there?"
Old Man. "Watching for those who get any
thing firom' Fortune."
Stranger. " What then do they do?"
Old Man. "They rush up to and embrace
them, ply them with flattery and importune them
to stay with them, saying that they will lead a
pleasant and easy life, free from toil and hard ship. But if any one is prevailed upon by them
to enter upon a life of voluptuousness, he finds
it to be pleasant and agreeable for a time, until
the excitement wears off, and no longer. When
sober reason revives, he then finds that he was
not using and enjoying pleasure, but that she was
devouring and wantonly ruining him. And just
as soon as he has squandered all that he got from
' Fortune,' he is forced to become a slave to'these
women, to bear every insult with patience, to sub mit to vice and degradation, and for their sakes
to perpetrate any villainy, as theft, sacrilege, perjury, treachery, robbery, &c. And when all is
done, they then hand their victim3 over to'Pun ishment."
10. Stranger. "What kind of person is she?',
Old Man. "Do you see a little behind the
other women a small door-way and a narrow
dark spot, where some miserable, filthy, ragged
looking women appear to be congregated?"
Stranger. "Yes, distinctly."
Old Man. "Of these, the one with the whip
in her hand is called Punishment;' the one with
her head sunk on her lap, is' Grief;" and the one
tearing her hair is'Anguish.'"
Stranger. "And who is that ill-looking, lean,
naked man standing near them, and at his side
a miserable meagre woman that resembles
him?"
Old Man. "His name is' Lamentation,' and
the woman, who is his sister, is called'Despair.'
The man is handed over to these, and lives with
them in a state of torment. He is next hurried
off to the abode of'Wretchedness,' there he lin gers out the remainder of his life in all kinds of
misery, unless'Repentance' should kindly put
herself in his way."
11. Stranger. " What would be the result if
' Repentance' should meet him 7"
Old Man. "1K he rescues him from his mise ries, and places at his side another' Opinion' and
another' Desire.' The one leading him to' True
Science,' and the other, at the same time, inviting
him to'False Science.'"
Stranger. " Then what takes place?"
Old Man. "If he should attach himself to
this' Opinion,' she will bring him to' True
Science;' having been purified by her, he is sav ed, and becomes happy and prosperous in life.
But if he reject her, he is again involved in all the
mazes of'False Sentiments.'"
12. Stranger. "Alas! what a great risk has
to be run the second time! But this'False
Science,' what of her?"
Old Man. "Do you see that second circle?"
Stranger. "Very distinctly."
Old Man. "And on the outside of it, near its
entrance, a woman is standing, who appears to
be very neat and elegant?"
Stranger. "Yes."
Old Man. "The thoughtless and unreflecting
mass of men call her Science. But she is False
Science. Now, even those who are preserved,
when they would go on to' True Science,' call
here first."
Stranger. "Why, is there no other road by
which they could reach the True?"
Old Man. "There is."
13. Stranger. "Who are those men that are
walking about within the circle?"
Old Man. "The lovers of'False Science,'
who, being deceived, fancy they are associating
with the True."
Stranger. " What are they called?"
Old Man. "Poets, Rhetoricians, Dialecticians,
Arithmeticians, Geometricians, Astrologers, Voluptuaries, Peripatetics, Critics, and such like."
14. Stranger. 1"Who are these women that
seem to be running about, they resemble those in
the first circle, among whom you sai4 were' In
temperance' and her associates?"
Old MIan. " They are the same."
Stranger. "What! are they admitted ere
also?"
Old Man~ "Yes, indeed, even here, but rarely, not as they are into the first circle."
Stranger. "And are the'Opinions' also admitted?"
Old Man. "Yes, for the draught which'Deceit' administered still remains in them, A also
do'Ignorance' and her associate'Folly.' Indeed, neither the' Opinion' nor her train of evils
1849.]
The Tablet of the T7heban Cebes.
541