what a bustle she raises in the whole theatre while she raises herself
to give the blow, and what a fear they are all in, lest she should
prevent the old man that comes to stop her hand, and should wound the
youth. Now if another old man should stand by her and say, “Strike, it
is thy enemy,” and this, “Hold, it is thy son;” which, think you, would
be the greater injustice, to omit the punishing of an enemy for the
sake of one’s child, or to suffer one’s self to be so transported with
anger at an enemy as to kill one’s child? Since then neither hatred
nor wrath nor any revenge nor fear for ourselves carries us to the
slaughter of a beast, but the poor sacrifice stands with an inclined
neck, only to satisfy thy lust and pleasure, and then one philosopher
stands by and tells thee, “Cut him down, it is but an unreasonable
animal,” and another cries, “Hold, what if there should be the soul of
some kinsman or God inclosed in him”?—good Gods! is there the like
danger if I refuse to eat flesh, as if I for want of faith murder my
child or some other friend?
6. The Stoics’ way of reasoning upon this subject of flesh-eating is
no way equal nor consonant with themselves. Who is this that hath so
many mouths for his belly and the kitchen? Whence comes it to pass,
that they so very much womanize and reproach pleasure, as a thing
that they will not allow to be either good or preferable, or so much
as agreeable, and yet all on a sudden become so zealous advocates
for pleasures? It were indeed but a reasonable consequence of their
doctrine, that, since they banish perfumes and cakes from their
banquets, they should be much more averse to blood and to flesh. But
now, just as if they would reduce their philosophy to their day-books,
they lessen the expenses of their suppers in certain unnecessary and
needless matters, but the untamed and murderous part of their expense
they nothing boggle at. “Well! What then?” say they. “We have nothing
to do with brute beasts.” Nor have you any with perfumes, nor with
foreign sauces, may some one answer; therefore expel these from your
banquets, if you are driving out every thing that is both useless and
needless.
7. Let us therefore in the next place consider, whether we owe any
justice to the brute beasts. Neither shall we handle this point
artificially, or like subtle sophisters, but by casting our eye into
our own breasts, and conversing with ourselves as men, we will weigh
and examine the whole matter....