Imagine if someone truly understood this teaching: we all come from God in a special way. God is the father of both humans and gods. If you really grasped this, you'd never think poorly of yourself. Look — if the emperor adopted you, your pride would be unbearable. So if you know you're a child of Zeus, wouldn't you feel elevated? But we don't act this way. Here's why: humans are made of two parts. We share our bodies with animals. We share our reason and intelligence with the gods. Most people focus on the connection that's wretched and will die.
If a man should be able to assent to this doctrine as he ought, that we are all sprung from God in an especial manner, and that God is the father both of men and of gods, I suppose that he would never have any ignoble or mean thoughts about himself. But if Cæsar (the emperor) should adopt you, no one could endure your arrogance; and if you know that you are the son of Zeus, will you not be elated? Yet we do not so; but since these two things are mingled in the generation of man, body in common with the animals, and reason and intelligence in common with the gods, many incline to this kinship, which is miserable and mortal;