People have different views about gods. Some say no divine being exists at all. Others say one exists but doesn't care about anything and never acts. A third group says a divine being exists and cares about things, but only big cosmic matters — nothing that happens on earth. A fourth group says the divine being cares about both earthly and cosmic things, but only in general terms, not about individual cases. Then there's a fifth group that includes Ulysses and Socrates, who say: 'I don't move without your knowledge.'
With respect to gods, there are some who say that a divine being does not exist; others say that it exists, but is inactive and careless, and takes no forethought about anything; a third class say that such a being exists and exercises forethought, but only about great things and heavenly things, and about nothing on the earth; a fourth class say that a divine being exercises forethought both about things on the earth and heavenly things, but in a general way only, and not about things severally. There is a fifth class to whom Ulysses and Socrates belong, who say:
I move not without thy knowledge.—Iliad, x., 278.