FABLE OF CUPID. 51 



person. And this perfectly agrees with Holy Scripture. 

 For it is not written that . God created in the beginning 

 the matter of chaos, but the heavens and the earth. 



There is also subjoined a description of the state of 

 things as it was before the work of the days, in which dis 

 tinct mention is made of the heaven and earth, which are 

 the names of forms, but yet that the mass according to the 

 whole was without form. But Cupid is introduced into the 

 parable personified, yet so as that he is naked. Therefore, 

 after those who speak of matter as abstract, they err next 

 (though in a contrary w r ay), who speak of matter as not un 

 clothed. And on this topic I have inserted some remarks, 

 in treating upon what kind of proofs are suited to the sub 

 ject of the first matter, and upon the heterogeneous nature 

 of the first matter. But the proper place for this subject, 

 upon which we shall now enter. We will examine, there 

 fore, who of those who attributed the origin of things to 

 matter endowed with form, held a native and bare form of 

 matter, and who, on the other hand, a form spread over it 

 and shapen. There are, in all, four sects of those who have 

 hazarded opinions on this subject. The first is of those 

 who maintain one element of things, but set up a diversity 

 of entities in the unfixed and distributable nature of the same 

 element. The second is of those who maintain an element 

 one in substance, and that fixed and invariable, but derive 

 a diversity of entities through the various magnitudes, 

 figures, and positions of this kind of element. The third 

 is of those who maintain more elements, and a diversity of 

 entities on the ground of their temperament and commixture. 

 The fourth, of those who lay down an infinite or, at least, 

 very numerous body of elements of things, but with their 

 species and forms; and these have no need of inventing some 

 thing to lead things to a various principle, seeing they already 

 separate nature from a primitive element. Among these only 

 the second sect seems to me to set forth Cupid as he is, 

 native and unclothed. The first introduces him as veiled, 

 the third with a coat, the fourth with a cloak and mask. 



For the better explication of the parable, I will make 

 a few remarks on each. In the first place, then, of those 

 who have laid down but one first element, I find none 

 who affirm that of the earth. The nature of the earth in 

 deed was against it ; quiet, and senseless, and inactive, but 

 yielding to the influence of the heavens, of fire, and other 

 things ; so that none thought of asserting this of the earth. 

 Yet the wisdom of the ancients assigned to the earth the 



