Some Actions Really Wicked.

Chapter XIX.—Some Actions Really Wicked.

And Peter said:  “A man ought to punish himself through self-restraint,¹⁴⁵⁰ when his lust wishes to hurry on to the injury of another, knowing that¹⁴⁵¹the wicked one can destroy the wicked, for he has received power over them from the beginning.  And not yet is this an evil to those who have done evil; but that their souls should remain punished after the destruction, you are right in thinking to be really harsh, though the man who has been fore-ordained for evil should say that it is right.¹⁴⁵²  Wherefore, as I said, we ought to avoid doing injury¹⁴⁵³ to another for the sake of a short lived pleasure, that we may not involve ourselves in eternal punishment for the sake of a little pleasure.”  And Simon said:  “Is it the case, then, that there is nothing either bad or good by nature, but the difference arises through law and custom?  For is it not¹⁴⁵⁴ the habit of the Persians to marry their own mothers, sisters and daughters, while marriage with other women is prohibited¹⁴⁵⁵ as most barbarous?  Wherefore, if it is not settled what things are evil, it is not possible for all to look forward to the judgment of God.”  And Peter said:  “This cannot hold; for it is plain to all that cohabitation with mothers is abominable, even though the Persians, who are a mere fraction of the whole, should under the effects of a bad custom fail to see the iniquity of their abominable conduct.  Thus also the Britons publicly cohabit in the sight of all, and are not ashamed; and some men eat the flesh of others, and feel no disgust; and others eat the flesh of dogs; and others practice other unmentionable deeds.  Thus, then we ought not to form our judgments with a perception which through habit has been perverted from its natural action.  For to be murdered is an evil, even if all were to deny it; for no one wishes to suffer it himself, and in the case of theft¹⁴⁵⁶ no one rejoices at his own punishment.  If, then, no one¹⁴⁵⁷ were at all ever to confess that these are sins, it is right even then to look forward of necessity to a judgment in regard to sins.”  When Peter said this, Simon answered:  “Does this, then, seem to you to be the truth in regard to the wicked one?  Tell me.”