And we, more than all other men, are your helpers and allies for peace, holding as we do these doctrines: that it is impossible for the evildoer or the covetous or the schemer—or the virtuous man—to escape the notice of God, and that each man goes either to eternal punishment or to salvation according to the worth of his deeds. For if all men knew these things, no one would choose wickedness even for a little while, knowing that he goes to the eternal condemnation by fire, but would by every means restrain himself and adorn himself with virtue, that he might obtain the good things from God and be free of the punishments. For those who, on account of the laws and penalties you have laid down, try to escape notice while doing wrong, do wrong because they understand that, since you are men, it is possible to escape your notice; but if they learned and were persuaded that it is impossible to escape God's notice in anything—not only what is done but even what is purposed—they would by every means be orderly, on account of what hangs over them, as you too will agree. But you seem to fear lest all should do right and you should no longer have any to punish; that would be the work of executioners, not of good rulers. And we are persuaded that these things are brought about by wicked demons, who even demand sacrifices and services from those who live irrationally, and that, as we said before, they energize these things; but we do not suppose that you, who reach out after piety and philosophy, would do anything irrational. Yet if you too, like the foolish, honor custom above truth, do what you can; but rulers who honor reputation above truth have only as much power as robbers in a desert. That you will not prosper, Reason declares—Reason, than whom we know no more kingly or just a ruler, after God who begot him. For just as all shun the inheritance of their fathers' poverty or sufferings or disgrace, so the sensible man will not choose whatever Reason directs ought not to be chosen. That all these things would come to pass, I say, our teacher foretold—Jesus Christ, who is the Son and Apostle of God the Father and Master of all, from whom we have received the name of being called Christians. Wherefore we become steadfast toward all that he has taught, since we see in fact coming to pass whatever he foretold beforehand—which is the work of God, to speak of a thing before it happens, and then to have it shown coming to pass as it was foretold. It would have been possible to stop even at this and add nothing, considering that we ask for things just and true; but since we know that a soul held fast by ignorance is not easily changed in a moment, we have been eager to add a little, in order to persuade those who love truth, knowing that it is not impossible to flee ignorance once the truth is set before one.