Pseudo-Diogenic Epistles Testimony 41

Οὐ δοκεῖ μοι πᾶς τὸ καθ’ ἡμᾶς ἐν ἀρετῇ δύνασθαι, ἐπεὶ πολλῶν ἡ πρόθεσις καθαιρετικὴ τῆς ἀξίας γίνεται· οὐδὲ γὰρ ὁ τοῦ Μέλητος εἰπὼν τὸν Δία πατέρα ἀνδρῶν τε θεῶν τε ἐκύδηνεν ἀλλ’ ἐμείωσεν, ἐπεὶ χαλεπόν, εἰ οὓς οἱ γεννήσαντες διὰ πονηρίαν ἀπολέγονται, βιὸς εἶναι παῖδας πιστεύομεν. ταῦτα οὖν ὃ κύων μόνα δυνήσεται, ἃ κατ’ ἀρετὴν ἐνεργεῖται.

It does not seem to me that everyone can accomplish what accords with our school in the sphere of virtue, since many people's stated purpose diminishes its worth. The poet who called Zeus, son of Cronus, "father of men and gods" did not glorify him but diminished him, since it is difficult to believe that those whom their own parents disown for wickedness are children of Zeus. The Dog, therefore, will be capable only of those things that are performed in accordance with virtue.

Il ne me semble pas que tout homme puisse accomplir ce qui, selon nous, relève de la vertu, puisque l’intention de beaucoup détruit la valeur de ce qu’ils font. Celui qui appela Zeus «père des hommes et des dieux», le fils de Mélétos, ne le glorifia pas, mais le diminua. Il serait en effet pénible de croire enfants de Zeus ceux que leurs propres géniteurs renient à cause de leur méchanceté. Le Chien ne pourra donc que les seules actions qui s’accomplissent selon la vertu.