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[613a] work together for the best1 for him that is dear to the gods, apart from the inevitable evil caused by sin in a former life2?” “By all means.” “This, then, must be our conviction about the just man, that whether he fall into poverty or disease or any other supposed evil, for him all these things will finally prove good, both in life and in death. For by the gods assuredly that man will never be neglected who is willing and eager to be righteous, and by the practice of virtue to be likened unto god3

1 This recalls the faith of Socrates in Apol. 41 C-D and Phaedo 63 B-C, and anticipates the theodicy of Laws 899 D ff., 904 D-E ff.

2 Besides obvious analogies with Buddhism, this recalls Empedocles fr. 115, Diels i3 p. 267.

3 Cf.ὁμοίωσις θεῷTheaet. 176 B, and What Plato Said, p. 578, p. 72, note d.

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