Definitions HQ

Prayer (n.) has ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠asked for the greatest evils: the source of everything that needs consolation is what we thanked the gods for.

Prayer (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠clean when you ask God for nothing you could not ask for openly — yet men whisper their basest prayers to heaven and fall silent if anyone listens.

Prayer (n.) answered ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠is how the gods bestow magnificent ills: with genial faces they give what irritates and tortures, justified by the fact that it was asked for.

Prayer (n.) for ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠a sound mind is foolish, when you can get one from yourself.

Prayer (n.) of ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠our nurse, guardian and mother for our good fortune is a curse: we have grown up amid the curses invoked by our parents, and they are worse the more completely they are fulfilled.

Prayer (n.) has ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠asked for our greatest evils: from what once made us give thanks comes everything that now demands consolation.

Prayer (n.) for ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠a life of honour secretly asks also for Regulus’s chest, Cato’s torn wound and the cup that removed Socrates from gaol to heaven — things without which life sometimes cannot be honourable.

Prayer (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠itself a link in fate's chain: the gods leave some things in suspense, but only so that our praying can be among their causes.

Prayer (n.) for ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠wisdom is foolish, Seneca wrote, since you can get it from yourself: no need to whisper into a statue's ear when the god is near you, with you, inside you.