Note 25 — Chapter XVII · THE EPICUREAN VIEWS ON NATURE.

Nor can these Gods be supposed to care for the world and the affairs of men, else their happiness would be marred by the most distressing occupation; but perfectly free from care and trouble, and absolutely regardless of the world, in eternal contemplation of their unchanging perfection, they enjoy the most unalloyed happiness.25 The view which the School formed to itself of this happiness we learn from Philodemus.26 The Gods are exempt from sleep, sleep being a partial death, and not needed by beings who live without any exertion. And yet he believes that they require nourishment, though this must, of course, be of a kind suited to their nature. They also need dwellings,27 since every being requires some place wherein to dwell. Were powers of speech to be refused to them, they would be deprived of the highest means of enjoyment—the power of conversing with their equals. Philodemus thinks it probable they use the Greek or some other closely allied language.28 In short, he imagines the Gods to be a society of Epicurean philosophers, who have everything that they can desire—everlasting life, no care, and perpetual opportunities of sweet converse. Only such Gods,—the Epicureans thought,29—need not be feared. Only such Gods are free and pure, and worshipped because of this very perfection.30 Moreover, these Gods are innumerable. If the number of mortal beings is infinite, the law of counterpoise requires that the number of immortal beings must not be less.31 If we have only the idea of a limited number of Gods, it is because, owing to their being so much alike,32 we confound in our minds the innumerable pictures of the Gods which are conveyed to our souls.