Socrates, humanae sapientiae quasi quoddam terrestre oraculum, nihil ultra petendum a dis immortalibus arbitrabatur quam ut bona tribuerent, quia ii demum scirent quid unicuique esset utile, nos autem plerumque id votis expeteremus quod non impetrasse melius foret: etenim densissimis tenebris involuta mortalium mens, in quam late patentem errorem caecas precationes tuas spargis! divitias appetis, quae multis exitio fuerunt; honores concupiscis, qui complures pessum dederunt; regna tecum ipsa volvis, quorum exitus saepenumero miserabiles cernuntur; splendidis coniugiis inicis manus: at haec ut aliquando illustrant, ita nonnumquam funditus domos evertunt.
Socrates, a sort of earthly oracle of human wisdom, thought that we should ask nothing of the immortal gods except that they give us good, because only they know what is expedient for each individual, whereas we often seek with vows something that were better not granted us. For indeed, O mind of mortals enveloped in deepest darkness, into how widespread a field of error do you scatter your blind prayers! You seek riches, that have destroyed many. You desire offices, that have brought to ruin not a few. You have visions of kingly powers, that are often seen to end in misery. You lay hold on brilliant marriages; but while they sometimes shed lustre on a house, at others they overthrow it utterly.
final_alignments\Valerius_Memorable_Book7.json