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soul；　causing　that　perception　which　we　call　sight。　But　when　night

comes　on　and　the　external　and　kindred　fire　departs；　then　the　stream　of

vision　is　cut　off；　for　going　forth　to　an　unlike　element　it　is

changed　and　extinguished；　being　no　longer　of　one　nature　with　the

surrounding　atmosphere　which　is　now　deprived　of　fire：　and　so　the　eye

no　longer　sees；　and　we　feel　disposed　to　sleep。　For　when　the　eyelids；

which　the　gods　invented　for　the　preservation　of　sight；　are　closed；

they　keep　in　the　internal　fire；　and　the　power　of　the　fire　diffuses　and

equalises　the　inward　motions；　when　they　are　equalised；　there　is

rest；　and　when　the　rest　is　profound；　sleep　comes　over　us　scarce

disturbed　by　dreams；　but　where　the　greater　motions　still　remain；　of

whatever　nature　and　in　whatever　locality；　they　engender

corresponding　visions　in　dreams；　which　are　remembered　by　us　when　we

are　awake　and　in　the　external　world。　And　now　there　is　no　longer　any

difficulty　in　understanding　the　creation　of　images　in　mirrors　and

all　smooth　and　bright　surfaces。　For　from　the　communion　of　the　internal

and　external　fires；　and　again　from　the　union　of　them　and　their

numerous　transformations　when　they　meet　in　the　mirror；　all　these

appearances　of　necessity　arise；　when　the　fire　from　the　face

coalesces　with　the　fire　from　the　eye　on　the　bright　and　smooth　surface。

And　right　appears　left　and　left　right；　because　the　visual　rays　come

into　contact　with　the　rays　emitted　by　the　object　in　a　manner

contrary　to　the　usual　mode　of　meeting；　but　the　right　appears　right；

and　the　left　left；　when　the　position　of　one　of　the　two　concurring

lights　is　reversed；　and　this　happens　when　the　mirror　is　concave　and

its　smooth　surface　repels　the　right　stream　of　vision　to　the　left　side；

and　the　left　to　the　right。　Or　if　the　mirror　be　turned　vertically；　then

the　concavity　makes　the　countenance　appear　to　be　all　upside　down；

and　the　lower　rays　are　driven　upwards　and　the　upper　downwards。

　　All　these　are　to　be　reckoned　among　the　second　and　co…operative

causes　which　God；　carrying　into　execution　the　idea　of　the　best　as

far　as　possible；　uses　as　his　ministers。　They　are　thought　by　most　men

not　to　be　the　second；　but　the　prime　causes　of　all　things；　because　they

freeze　and　heat；　and　contract　and　dilate；　and　the　like。　But　they　are

not　so；　for　they　are　incapable　of　reason　or　intellect；　the　only

being　which　can　properly　have　mind　is　the　invisible　soul；　whereas　fire

and　water；　and　earth　and　air；　are　all　of　them　visible　bodies。　The

lover　of　intellect　and　knowledge　ought　to　explore　causes　of

intelligent　nature　first　of　all；　and；　secondly；　of　those　things　which；

being　moved　by　others；　are　compelled　to　move　others。　And　this　is

what　we　too　must　do。　Both　kinds　of　causes　should　be　acknowledged　by

us；　but　a　distinction　should　be　made　between　those　which　are　endowed

with　mind　and　are　the　workers　of　things　fair　and　good；　and　those　which

are　deprived　of　intelligence　and　always　produce　chance　effects　without

order　or　design。　Of　the　second　or　co…operative　causes　of　sight；

which　help　to　give　to　the　eyes　the　power　which　they　now　possess；

enough　has　been　said。　I　will　therefore　now　proceed　to　speak　of　the

higher　use　and　purpose　for　which　God　has　given　them　to　us。　The　sight

in　my　opinion　is　the　source　of　the　greatest　benefit　to　us；　for　had

we　never　seen　the　stars；　and　the　sun；　and　the　heaven；　none　of　the

words　which　we　have　spoken　about　the　universe　would　ever　have　been

uttered。　But　now　the　sight　of　day　and　night；　and　the　months　and　the

revolutions　of　the　years；　have　created　number；　and　have　given　us　a

conception　of　time；　and　the　power　of　enquiring　about　the　nature　of　the

universe；　and　from　this　source　we　have　derived　philosophy；　than

which　no　greater　good　ever　was　or　will　be　given　by　the　gods　to

mortal　man。　This　is　the　greatest　boon　of　sight：　and　of　the　lesser

benefits　why　should　I　speak？　even　the　ordinary　man　if　he　were　deprived

of　them　would　bewail　his　loss；　but　in　vain。　Thus　much　let　me　say

however：　God　invented　and　gave　us　sight　to　the　end　that　we　might

behold　the　courses　of　intelligence　in　the　heaven；　and　apply　them　to

the　courses　of　our　own　intelligence　which　are　akin　to　them；　the

unperturbed　to　the　perturbed；　and　that　we；　learning　them　and　partaking

of　the　natural　truth　of　reason；　might　imitate　the　absolutely

unerring　courses　of　God　and　regulate　our　own　vagaries。　The　same　may　be

affirmed　of　speech　and　hearing：　they　have　been　given　by　the　gods　to

the　same　end　and　for　a　like　reason。　For　this　is　the　principal　end　of

speech；　whereto　it　most　contributes。　Moreover；　so　much　of　music　as

is　adapted　to　the　sound　of　the　voice　and　to　the　sense　of　hearing　is

granted　to　us　for　the　sake　of　harmony；　and　harmony；　which　has

motions　akin　to　the　revolutions　of　our　souls；　is　not　regarded　by　the

intelligent　votary　of　the　Muses　as　given　by　them　with　a　view　to

irrational　pleasure；　which　is　deemed　to　be　the　purpose　of　it　in　our

day；　but　as　meant　to　correct　any　discord　which　may　have　arisen　in

the　courses　of　the　soul；　and　to　be　our　ally　in　bringing　her　into

harmony　and　agreement　with　herself；　and　rhythm　too　was　given　by　them

for　the　same　reason；　on　account　of　the　irregular　and　graceless　ways

which　prevail　among　mankind　generally；　and　to　help　us　against　them。

　　Thus　far　in　what　we　have　been　saying；　with　small　exception；　the

works　of　intelligence　have　been　set　forth；　and　now　we　must　place　by

the　side　of　them　in　our　discourse　the　things　which　come　into　being

through　necessity…for　the　creation　is　mixed；　being　made　up　of

necessity　and　mind。　Mind；　the　ruling　power；　persuaded　necessity　to

bring　the　greater　part　of　created　things　to　perfection；　and　thus　and

after　this　manner　in　the　beginning；　when　the　influence　of　reason　got

the　better　of　necessity；　the　universe　was　created。　But　if　a　person

will　truly　tell　of　the　way　in　which　the　work　was　accomplished；　he　must

include　the　other　influence　of　the　variable　cause　as　well。

Wherefore；　we　must　return　again　and　find　another　suitable　beginning；

as　about　the　former　matters；　so　also　about　these。　To　which　end　we　must

consider　the　nature　of　fire；　and　water；　and　air；　and　earth；　such　as

they　were　prior　to　the　creation　of　the　heaven；　and　what　was

happening　to　them　in　this　previous　state；　for　no　one　has　as　yet

explained　the　manner　of　their　generation；　but　we　speak　of　fire　and　the

rest　of　them；　whatever　they　mean；　as　though　men　knew　their　natures；

and　we　maintain　them　to　be　the　first　principles　and　letters　or

elements　of　the　whole；　when　they　cannot　reasonably　be　compared　by　a

man　of　any　sense　even　to　syllables　or　first　compounds。　And　let　me

say　thus　much：　I　will　not　now　speak　of　the　first　principle　or

principles　of　all　things；　or　by　whatever　name　they　are　to　be　called；

for　this　reason…because　it　is　difficult　to　set　forth　my　opinion

according　to　the　method　of　discussion　which　we　are　at　present

employing。　Do　not　imagine；　any　more　than　I　can　bring　myself　to

imagine；　that　I　should　be　right　in　undertaking　so　great　and

difficult　a　task。　Remembering　what　I　said　at　first　about

probability；　I　will　do　my　best　to　give　as　probable　an　explanation　as

any　other…or　rather；　more　probable；　and　I　will　first　go　back　to　the

beginning　and　try　to　speak　of　each　thing　and　of　all。　Once　more；

then；　at　the　commencement　of　my　discourse；　I　call　upon　God；　and　beg

him　to　be　our　saviour　out　of　a　strange　and　unwonted　enquiry；　and　to

bring　us　to　the　haven　of　probability。　So　now　let　us　begin　again。

　　This　new　beginning　of　our　discussion　of　the　universe　requires　a

fuller　division　than　the　former；　for　then　we　made　two　classes；　now　a

third　must　be　revealed。　The　two　sufficed　for　the　former　discussion：

one；　which　we　assumed；　was　a　pattern　intelligible　and　always　the　same；

and　the　second　was　only　the　imitation　of　the　pattern；　generated　and

visible。　There　is　also　a　third　kind　which　we　did　not　distinguish　at

the　time；　conceiving　that　the　two　would　be　enough。　But　now　the

argument　seems　to　require　that　we　should　set　forth　in　words　another

kind；　which　is　difficult　of　explanation　and　dimly　seen。　What　nature

are　we　to　attribute　to　this　new　kind　of　being？　We　reply；　that　it　is

the　receptacle；　and　in　a　manner　the　nurse；　of　all　generation。　I　have

spoken　the　truth；　but　I　must　express　myself　in　clearer　language；　and

this　will　be　an　arduous　task　for　many　reasons；　and　in　particular

because　I　must　first　raise　questions　concerning　fire　and　the　other

elements；　and　determine　what　each　of　them　is；　for　to　say；　with　any

probability　or　certitude；　which　of　them　should　be　called　water

rather　than　fire；　and　which　should　be　called　any　of　them　rather　than

all　or　some　one　of　them；　is　a　difficult　matter。　How；　then；　shall　we

settle　this　point；　and　what　questions　about　the　elements　may　be　fairly

raised？

　　In　the　first　place；　we　see　that　what　we　just　now　called　water；　by

condensation；　I　suppose；　becomes　stone　and　earth；　and　this　same

element；　when　melted　and　dispersed；　passes　into　vapour　and　air。　Air；

again；　when　inflamed；　becomes　fire；　and　again　fire；　when　condensed　and

extinguished；　passes　once　more　into　the　form　of　air；　and　once　more；

air；　when　collected　and　co