MINUCIVS FELIX. 477 certainlineamentsmodified,and thus we are each found to be unlike to one another,whilewe allappear to be likein general. What isthe reasonof our being born ? what means the desireof begetting? Is itnot given by God, and that the breastsshouldbecome fullof milk as the offspringgrows to maturity,and that the tenderprogeny shouldgrow up by the nourishmentaffordedby the abundance of themilky mois ture? Neither does God have care alonefor the universe as a whole,but alsoforitsparts. Britainisdeficientin sun shine,but itisrefreshedby the warmth of the sea thatflows around it. The riverNile tempers the dryness of Egypt; the EuphratescultivatesMesopotamia; the riverIndus makes up forthe want of rains,and issaidboth to sow and to water the East. Now if,on enteringany house,you shouldbehold everythingrefined,wellarranged,and adorned,assuredlyyou would believethat a master presidedover it,and that he himselfwas much betterthan allthoseexcellentthings. So in thishouse of theworld,when you lookupon theheaven and the earth,itsprovidence,itsordering,itslaw,believethat thereisa Lord and Parent of the universefarmore glorious than the starsthemselves,and the partsof the whole world. Unless,perchance— sincethereisno doubt as totheexistence of providence— you think that it is a subjectof inquiry, whether the celestialkingdom is governed by the power of one or by the ruleof many ; and thismatter itselfdoesnot involve much troublein opening out,to one who considers earthlyempires,for which the examples certainlyare taken from heaven. When at any time was there an alliancein royalauthoritywhich eitherbegan with good faithor ceased without bloodshed? I pass over the Persians,who gathered the augury fortheirchieftainshipfrom theneighingofhorses; and I do not quotethatabsolutelydead fableof the Theban brothers.1The storyabout the twins [Romulus and Remus], in respectof the dominion of shepherds,and of a cottage,is very wellknown. The wars of theson-in-lawand the father- in-law1were scatteredoverthe wholeworld; and thefortune8 1 EteoclesandPolynices. 2Pompey andCa;sar. 3Accordingtosome," onefate."