OCELLUS LUCANUS 



ON THE UNIVERSE. 



CHAP. I. 



OCELLUS LUCANUS has written what follows con- 

 cerning the Nature of the Universe ; having learnt 

 some things through clear arguments from Nature 

 herself, but others from opinion, in conjunction witfi 

 reason *, it being his intention [in this work] to de- 

 rive what is probable from intellectual perception. 

 It appears, therefore, to me, that the Universe 

 is indestructible and unbegotten, since it always 

 was, and always will be ; for if it had a temporal 

 beginning, it would not have always existed : thus, 

 therefore, the universe is unbegotten and inde- 

 structible ; for if some one should opine that it was 

 once generated, he would not be able to find any- 

 thing into which it can be corrupted and dissolved, 

 since that from which it was generated would be 

 the first part of the universe ; and again, that into 



* See Additional Notes, (A.) 

 B 



