If God listened to the prayers of men, all men would quickly have

Hear now, children of the earth, and listen to the timeless wisdom that flows from the mouth of the great philosopher Epicurus, whose words echo through the ages like a storm that sweeps across the plains. "If God listened to the prayers of men, all men would quickly have perished: for they are forever praying for evil against one another." These words speak of a deep and painful truth that binds humanity together in its folly: that often, the very prayers we offer are not for peace or prosperity, but for harm, for vengeance, for the downfall of our brothers and sisters. If the gods were to heed the wishes of mankind, the world would soon be undone, for man is, by nature, quick to seek the destruction of others.

Consider the nature of human desires, my children. We are quick to ask for power, for victory, for the destruction of those who stand against us. And yet, these very desires, when multiplied across the hearts of millions, become a plague upon the earth. Nations pray for the downfall of their enemies, tribes wish for the collapse of others, and individuals seek to rise at the expense of their neighbors. If the gods granted each prayer, the world would be consumed by destruction. It is a great gift that the gods, in their wisdom, do not listen to the prayers of mankind, for in our hearts lies not peace, but conflict, not compassion, but strife.

Look upon the ancient wars that have scarred the earth. In the time of the Trojan War, the great heroes of myth prayed not for peace, but for the destruction of their enemies. Achilles, the mighty warrior, prayed for the death of Hector, his brother in arms, and the world wept for the bloodshed that followed. Yet, it was not just the warriors who prayed for death. The gods themselves, those celestial beings, were embroiled in their own disputes, with each one choosing sides, guiding the hands of men toward destruction. If the gods had listened to the prayers of these men, the earth would have been drowned in blood and sorrow, and nothing would have been left but ruin.

In the world we live in today, we see echoes of the same folly. Leaders of nations still pray for dominance, for the destruction of their rivals, for the downfall of those who challenge their power. Consider the cold wars of the past century, where leaders and nations armed themselves with weapons of unimaginable destruction, each praying for their own triumph, while the world teetered on the edge of annihilation. What would have become of us if the prayers of these men had been answered? If the gods had listened to the call for destruction, the world would have perished in a firestorm of hatred and violence. But wisdom has spared us, for the gods are wise, and they do not heed the prayers of those who seek harm.

And so, children, let us take heed of Epicurus’ words. For the world does not perish from lack of prayers, but from the poison in the hearts of men. If we are to survive, we must seek to cleanse our hearts of hatred and division. We must pray not for the destruction of others, but for the strength to build, for the courage to reconcile, and for the wisdom to understand that the true victory lies not in the downfall of another, but in the rise of our shared humanity. As long as we seek only to tear one another down, we will continue to sow the seeds of suffering.

What, then, should we pray for, children of the earth? Pray not for your enemies to fall, but for the strength to forgive. Pray not for victory in battle, but for the wisdom to find peace. Pray not for power, but for humility. For only in the absence of hatred can we truly rise, and only in the presence of peace can we find the true strength of humanity. Let us learn, as Epicurus did, that our prayers must reflect the deepest truth of our nature—that we are all brothers and sisters on this earth, and it is in love and compassion that we will find our true power.

So, children, let us walk forward with open hearts. Let us seek not the destruction of others, but their uplifting. Let our prayers be for the well-being of all, and may we rise above the folly of old. The gods will not listen to our prayers for evil, for they know the consequences all too well. It is our duty, then, to offer up prayers of hope, of reconciliation, and of peace—for it is in these that we will find the true strength to build a world that endures, not through the destruction of others, but through the elevation of all.