Apol. And what more noble can your doctrine preach, Than virtue, which philosophy does teach? To keep the passions in severest awe, To live to reason, nature's greatest law; To follow virtue, as its own reward; And good and ill, as things without regard.
S. Cath. Yet few could follow those strict rules they gave; For human life will human frailties have; And love of virtue is but barren praise, Airy as fame; nor strong enough to raise The actions of the soul above the sense. Virtue grows cold without a recompence. We virtuous acts as duty do regard; Yet are permitted to expect reward.
Apol. By how much more your faith reward assures, So much more frank our virtue is than yours.
S. Cath. Blind men! you seek e'en those rewards you blame: But ours are solid; yours an empty name. Either to open praise your acts you guide, Or else reward yourselves with secret pride.
Apol. Yet still our moral virtues you obey; Ours are the precepts, though applied your way.
S. Cath. 'Tis true, your virtues are the same we teach; But in our practice they much higher reach. You but forbid to take another's due, But we forbid even to desire it too: Revenge of injuries you virtue call; But we forgiveness of our wrongs extol: Immodest deeds you hinder to be wrought, But we proscribe the least immodest thought. So much your virtues are in ours refined, That yours but reach the actions, ours the mind.
Max. Answer, in short, to what you heard her speak. [To Apol.
Apol. Where truth prevails, all arguments are weak. To that convincing power I must give place; And with that truth that faith I will embrace.
Max. O traitor to our gods—but more to me! Dar'st thou of any faith but of thy prince's be? But sure thou rav'st; thy foolish error find: Cast up the poison that infects thy mind, And shun the torments thou art sure to feel.
Apol. Nor fire, nor torture, nor revenging steel Can on my soul the least impression make: How gladly, truth, I suffer for thy sake! Once I was ignorant of what was so; But never can abandon truth I know. My martyrdom I to thy crown prefer; Truth is a cause for a philosopher.