So much for men; and now, if you wish, I shall
pass to fire and that reprehensible theft! In the
name of the gods answer me this question without
any hesitation; have we lost any fire since men
have had it too? You can’t say that we have.
The nature of that possession is such, I suppose,
that it is not diminished if anyone else takes some
of it, for it does not go out when a light is procured
from it. But surely it is downright stinginess to
prevent things from being shared with those who
need them when it does you no harm to share them.
Inasmuch as you are gods, you ought to be kindly
and
bestowers of blessings
Od, 8, 325.
and to stand aloof
from all stinginess. In this case even if I had filched
all your fire and taken it down to earth without
leaving a bit of it behind, I should not be guilty
of any great wrong-doing against you, for you yourselves have no need of it, as you do not get cold and
do not cook your ambrosia and do not require artificial light.