Full Idea
Historically, virtue consisted at first of obedience to authority, whether that of the gods, the government, or custom.
Gist of Idea
Originally virtue was obedience, to gods, government, or custom
Source
Bertrand Russell (An Outline of Philosophy [1927], Ch 22)
Book Reference
Russell,Bertrand: 'An Outline of Philosophy' [Routledge 1979], p.181
A Reaction
Russell proceeds to demolish such a theory, which he finds it fairly easy to do. In Nietzsche's terms, he is only describing slave virtue. Each role in the world has its own virtues (and functions). Which gods are the most virtuous?