It is hard to me to understand how you, Gagabu, who so often absolve where we condemn, can so relentlessly judge so great a benefactor to our temple." "And I fail to comprehend," exclaimed the old man, "how you--you who so willingly condemn, can so weakly excuse this--this--call him what you will." "He is indispensable to us at this time," said the haruspex.
"Granted," said Gagabu, lowering his tone.

"And I think still to make use of him, as the high-priest has done in past years with the best effect when dangers have threatened us; and a dirty road serves when it makes for the goal.

The Gods themselves often permit safety to come from what is evil, but shall we therefore call evil good--or say the hideous is beautiful?
Make use of the king's pioneer as you will, but do not, because you are indebted to him for gifts, neglect to judge him according to his imaginings and deeds if you would deserve your title of the Initiated and the Enlightened.

Let him bring his cattle into our temple and pour his gold into our treasury, but do not defile your souls with the thought that the offerings of such a heart and such a hand are pleasing to the Divinity.

Above all," and the voice of the old man had a heart-felt impressiveness, "Above all, do not flatter the erring man--and this is what you do, with the idea that he is walking in the right way; for your, for our first duty, O my friends, is always this--to guide the souls of those who trust in us to goodness and truth." "Oh, my master!" cried Pentaur, "how tender is thy severity." "I have shown the hideous sores of this man's soul," said the old man, as he rose to quit the hall.