Theater of the World

The Theater of the World

Man is the most miserable animal.

They examined them diligently and endeavored with special care and earnestness to live according to their ways, and also compared their nature and being with our own. They finally discovered that among all that has breath and lives and moves upon the earth, there is nothing more pitiful and miserable than man himself.

Others, however, who gave more thought to the works of nature, have scolded and blasphemed the same, and instead of a gracious and friendly mother, have made a cruel and unfriendly stepmother of her.

Others have wept for the human tribulations and misfortunes throughout their entire lives, and have accompanied them with their tears and sorrows even to their graves. Just like that Heraclitus, who persuaded himself that all that one can see under heaven is nothing other than a true mirror of all misery and sorrow, for which reason one should weep and mourn eternally.

Others, however, have surrendered themselves to all the shame and vice that are upon the earth with immoderate and discourteous laughter, like Democritus. He, if he were to live today and see the great dis-