THE CONCEPTION OF TRUTH AMONG THE 
GREEKS AND IN BROWNING. 1 
The poem of “Ixion” suggests the aspirations of a soul 
racked on the fiery wheel of life’s troubles and despair, but 
a soul that looks beyond the torments of time into the region 
of purity, hope, and truth far away; for in all conditions 
this life’s journey is crowded with anxieties, griefs, and care. 
It is impossible to escape from under suffering’s yoke. But 
in reality, these so-considered barriers to happiness may be 
made the means to elevate the soul to higher planes; and the 
burden of the yoke, through truth and hope, is changed to 
a silken scarf, if the eye be but fixedly turned upward. All 
sorrow melts to joy when the realization comes to the toiler 
that true happiness is reached through pain. Grief may be 
termed an essential factor in the evolution of character. Suf¬ 
fering is the seasoning of life, the necessary condiment of 
existence. There is no tinge of pessimism or despair in the 
candid heart that acknowledges woe as the common heritage. 
But in recognition of poison one must also recognize that 
an antidote is to be applied. From the world’s healers many 
formulae have descended to us to save the human heart from 
utter annihilation. 
The Blessed One spoke at Benares: “He who recognizes 
the existence of suffering, its cause, its remedy, and its cessa¬ 
tions has fathomed the four noble Truths:— 
“The Truth of suffering. 
“The Truth of the cause of suffering. 
“The Truth of the cessation of suffering. 
“The Truth of the path which leads to the cessation of suf¬ 
fering.” 
1 Read before the Boston Browning Society November 17, 1895. Preceded 
by the reading of “ Ixion.” 
