To Autolycus 2.37

Some of the poets, too, have already uttered these things, as if speaking oracles against themselves and as a testimony to those who do wrong, saying that they will be punished. Aeschylus said: “For the doer it is due also to suffer.” Pindar too said: “Since for one who does something it is fitting also to suffer.” Likewise Euripides: “Bear your suffering; you rejoiced in doing. It is lawful to do harm to an enemy wherever you catch him.” And again the same poet: “I hold it a man's part to harm his enemies.” Likewise Archilochus: “One great thing I know: to repay with terrible evils the one who does me [any] evil.” And that God sees all things and nothing escapes him, but being patient he holds back until he is about to judge, Dionysius has said this too: “The eye of Justice, looking out as with a calm face, always sees all things alike.” And that the judgment of God will come and evils will suddenly overtake the wicked, Aeschylus also indicated, saying: “Evil comes swift-footed upon mortals, in return for the offense, upon one who transgresses what is right. You see Justice voiceless, unseen by one who sleeps or walks or sits; she follows next, from the side, or at another time later. Night does not hide one who has done evil; whatever terrible thing you do, think that someone sees.” And does not Simonides say: “There is no evil that men may not expect; in a short time God overturns all things”? Again Euripides: “Never should one think the good fortune of an evil man, or his arrogant wealth, secure, nor the race of the unjust; for time, born of no one, shows up the wickedness of men.” And again Euripides: “For the divine is not without understanding, but can discern oaths that were wrongly sworn and forced.” And Sophocles: “If you have done terrible things, you must also suffer terrible things.” So whether about an unjust oath or about any other offense, they themselves have all but foretold that God will examine it; and about the conflagration of the world, willingly or unwillingly, they spoke in agreement with the prophets, although they came much later and stole these things from the law and the prophets.