would be the attempt to tell all the figures of them circling as in
dance； and their juxtapositions； and the return of them in their
revolutions upon themselves； and their approximations； and to say
which of these deities in their conjunctions meet； and which of them
are in opposition； and in what order they get behind and before one
another； and when they are severally eclipsed to our sight and again
reappear； sending terrors and intimations of the future to those who
cannot calculate their movements…to attempt to tell of all this
without a visible representation of the heavenly system would be
labour in vain。 Enough on this head； and now let what we have said
about the nature of the created and visible gods have an end。
To know or tell the origin of the other divinities is beyond us； and
we must accept the traditions of the men of old time who affirm
themselves to be the offspring of the gods…that is what they say…and
they must surely have known their own ancestors。 How can we doubt
the word of the children of the gods？ Although they give no probable
or certain proofs； still； as they declare that they are speaking of
what took place in their own family； we must conform to custom and
believe them。 In this manner； then； according to them； the genealogy
of these gods is to be received and set forth。
Oceanus and Tethys were the children of Earth and Heaven； and from
these sprang Phorcys and Cronos and Rhea； and all that generation； and
from Cronos and Rhea sprang Zeus and Here； and all those who are
said to be their brethren； and others who were the children of these。
Now； when all of them； both those who visibly appear in their
revolutions as well as those other gods who are of a more retiring
nature； had come into being； the creator of the universe addressed
them in these words： 〃Gods； children of gods； who are my works； and of
whom I am the artificer and father； my creations are indissoluble；
if so I will。 All that is bound may be undone； but only an evil
being would wish to undo that which is harmonious and happy。
Wherefore； since ye are but creatures； ye are not altogether
immortal and indissoluble； but ye shall certainly not be dissolved；
nor be liable to the fate of death； having in my will a greater and
mightier bond than those with which ye were bound at the time of
your birth。 And now listen to my instructions：…Three tribes of
mortal beings remain to be created…without them the universe will be
incomplete； for it will not contain every kind of animal which it
ought to contain； if it is to be perfect。 On the other hand； if they
were created by me and received life at my hands； they would be on
an equality with the gods。 In order then that they may be mortal；
and that this universe may be truly universal； do ye； according to
your natures； betake yourselves to the formation of animals； imitating
the power which was shown by me in creating you。 The part of them
worthy of the name immortal； which is called divine and is the guiding
principle of those who are willing to follow justice and you…of that
divine part I will myself sow the seed； and having made a beginning； I
will hand the work over to you。 And do ye then interweave the mortal
with the immortal； and make and beget living creatures； and give
them food； and make them to grow； and receive them again in death。〃
Thus he spake； and once more into the cup in which he had previously
mingled the soul of the universe he poured the remains of the
elements； and mingled them in much the same manner； they were not；
however； pure as before； but diluted to the second and third degree。
And having made it he divided the whole mixture into souls equal in
number to the stars； and assigned each soul to a star； and having
there placed them as in a chariot； he showed them the nature of the
universe； and declared to them the laws of destiny； according to which
their first birth would be one and the same for all；…no one should
suffer a disadvantage at his hands； they were to be sown in the
instruments of time severally adapted to them； and to come forth the
most religious of animals； and as human nature was of two kinds； the
superior race would here after be called man。 Now； when they should be
implanted in bodies by necessity； and be always gaining or losing some
part of their bodily substance； then in the first place it would be
necessary that they should all have in them one and the same faculty
of sensation； arising out of irresistible impressions； in the second
place； they must have love； in which pleasure and pain mingle； also
fear and anger； and the feelings which are akin or opposite to them；
if they conquered these they would live righteously； and if they
were conquered by them； unrighteously。 He who lived well during his
appointed time was to return and dwell in his native star； and there
he would have a blessed and congenial existence。 But if he failed in
attaining this； at the second birth he would pass into a woman； and
if； when in that state of being； he did not desist from evil； he would
continually be changed into some brute who resembled him in the evil
nature which he had acquired； and would not cease from his toils and
transformations until he followed the revolution of the same and the
like within him； and overcame by the help of reason the turbulent
and irrational mob of later accretions； made up of fire and air and
water and earth； and returned to the form of his first and better
state。 Having given all these laws to his creatures； that he might
be guiltless of future evil in any of them； the creator sowed some
of them in the earth； and some in the moon； and some in the other
instruments of time； and when he had sown them he committed to the
younger gods the fashioning of their mortal bodies； and desired them
to furnish what was still lacking to the human soul； and having made
all the suitable additions； to rule over them； and to pilot the mortal
animal in the best and wisest manner which they could； and avert
from him all but self…inflicted evils。
When the creator had made all these ordinances he remained in his
own accustomed nature； and his children heard and were obedient to
their father's word； and receiving from him the immortal principle
of a mortal creature； in imitation of their own creator they
borrowed portions of fire； and earth； and water； and air from the
world； which were hereafter to be restored…these they took and
welded them together； not with the indissoluble chains by which they
were themselves bound； but with little pegs too small to be visible；
making up out of all the four elements each separate body； and
fastening the courses of the immortal soul in a body which was in a
state of perpetual influx and efflux。 Now these courses； detained as
in a vast river； neither overcame nor were overcome； but were hurrying
and hurried to and fro； so that the whole animal was moved and
progressed； irregularly however and irrationally and anyhow； in all
the six directions of motion； wandering backwards and forwards； and
right and left； and up and down； and in all the six directions。 For
great as was the advancing and retiring flood which provided
nourishment； the affections produced by external contact caused
still greater tumult…when the body of any one met and came into
collision with some external fire； or with the solid earth or the
gliding waters； or was caught in the tempest borne on the air； and the
motions produced by any of these impulses were carried through the
body to the soul。 All such motions have consequently received the
general name of 〃sensations；〃 which they still retain。 And they did in
fact at that time create a very great and mighty movement； uniting
with the ever flowing stream in stirring up and violently shaking
the courses of the soul； they completely stopped the revolution of the
same by their opposing current； and hindered it from predominating and
advancing； and they so disturbed the nature of the other or diverse；
that the three double intervals ＇i。e。 between 1； 2； 4； 8＇； and the
three triple intervals ＇i。e。 between 1； 3； 9； 27＇； together with the
mean terms and connecting links which are expressed by the ratios of 3
： 2； and 4 ： 3； and of 9 ： 8…these； although they cannot be wholly
undone except by him who united them； were twisted by them in all
sorts of ways； and the circles were broken and disordered in every
possible manner； so that when they moved they were tumbling to pieces；
and moved irrationally； at one time in a reverse direction； and then
again obliquely； and then upside down； as you might imagine a person
who is upside down and has his head leaning upon the ground and his
feet up against something in the air； and when he is in such a
position； both he and the spectator fancy that the right of either
is his left； and left right。 If； when powerfully experiencing these
and similar effects； the revolutions of the soul come in contact
with some external thing； either of the class of the same or of the
other； they speak of the same or of the other in a manner the very
opposite of the truth； and they become false and foolish； and there is
no course or revolution in them which has a guiding or directing
power； and if again any sensations enter in violently from without and
drag after them the whole vessel of the soul； then the courses of
the soul； though they seem to conquer； are really conquered。
And by reason of all these affections； the soul； when encased in a
mortal body； now； as in the beginning； is at first without
intelligence； but when the flood of growth and nutriment abates； and
the courses of the soul； calming down； go their own way and become
steadier as time goes on； then the several circles return to their
natural form； and their revolutions are corrected； and they call the
same and the other by their right names； and make the possessor of
them to become a rational being。 And if these combine in him with
any true nurture or education； he attains the fulness and health of
the perfect man； and escapes the worst disease of all