390 The Chdrvaka System of Philosophy. [No. 4, 



interpret his dialogue between the gods and the materialist as in- 

 volving a deeper meaning than a mere episode in a romance ; its issue 

 was premeditated and his sympathies were with the aggressor. To 

 him the contest was not one between truth and falsehood, but simply 

 between equally balanced alternatives of doubt, and materialism in 

 his eyes was only one of the manifold varieties of possible opinion 

 which might equally serve to amuse the mind in life's weary play- 

 ground. The true philosopher would look down on the busy scene, 

 endless alike in aim and duration, from his d.Ka.TaXr)\\iia as from Lucre- 

 tius' watch tower, 



Despicere trade queas alios, passimque videre 

 Errare atque viam palantea queerere vitse. 



How different from the creed of Plato, as he puts it in the mouth 

 of Simmias, in the immortal dialogue with Socrates in prison, — " It 

 seems to me, as perhaps it seems to thee, that to know the certainty 

 of such matters in this life is impossible or at any rate most difficult ; 

 but he were the veriest craven who for all this would shrink from 

 proving to the uttermost every opinion current among men, resolved 

 never to desist until fairly worn out with exploring in every direc- 

 tion. For one at least of three things we ought to achieve, — either to 

 learn from others where truth is to be found or, may be, to find it our- 

 selves, — or else if this be impossible, then to take the best and least 

 disputable of human opinions, and risking our fortunes thereon like 

 him who commits himself to a raft, to sail across this life, unless one 

 can embark on some surer vessel or some divine demonstration." 



