[81]
39. "'But,' you say, ' all kings, peoples, and
nations employ auspices.' As if there were anything
so absolutely common as want of sense, or as if
you yourself in deciding anything would accept the
opinion of the mob! How often will you find a man
who will say that pleasure is not a good! Most
people actually call it the highest good. Then will
the Stoics abandon their views about pleasure because
the crowd is against them? or do you think that the
multitude follows the lead of the Stoics in very
many matters? What wonder, then, if in auspices
and in every kind of divination weak minds should
adopt the superstitious practices which you have
mentioned and should be unable to discern the
truth?
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