POEMANDRES. XI. 71 



and the Earth in the midst of the Universe, established as 

 support (a) of this beautiful World, 1 nourisher and nurse of 

 those upon Earth. Behold also the multitude of the im- 

 mortal animals how large it is, and of the mortal; in the 

 midst of both as well of the immortal as of the mortal, the 

 Moon revolving around. 



8. All things then are full of Soul, and all things pro- 

 perly (6) moved by that; some indeed around the Heaven, 

 but others around the Earth, and neither the right towards 

 the left, nor the left towards the right; nor those above 

 downwards, nor those below upwards. And that all these , 

 are generate, most beloved Hermes ! thou dost not still I j 

 need to learn of me; for they are bodies, and have soul, 

 and are moved. But for these to concur (c) in one is im- 

 possible apart from the gatherer (cT). 



9. This then must be some one and such altogether One. 

 For different and many being the motions and the bodies 

 not similar, yet but one velocity ordered throughout all, 

 it is impossible that there be two or more Makers ; for the 

 one order is not preserved with many. For in the feebler, 

 emulation will ensue of the superior, and they will contend. 

 And if other was the Maker of the mutable animals and 

 mortals, he would have desired to make immortals also ; 

 just as also he of the immortals, mortals. Suppose then 

 if also there be two ; one being the Matter and one the 

 Soul, with which of them would be the conducting of the 

 making (e) ? and if somewhat also with both, with whom 

 the larger portion ? 



10. But think thus, as of every living body having the 

 constitution (/) of Matter and Soul, and of the immortal 

 and of the mortal, and of the irrational. For all living 



(a) i/Troffrafy^j/. (6) /S/fiij. (c) 



(d) %api$ TOV ffvi/ayovro$. (e) yfi^yiac, ry$ TTOiqffeas. (/) 



1 See ante, ch. iii. 4, and note there. Mr Proctor, in his work, " Our 



place among Infinities," states that the Egyptians held that the Sun 



and Moon revolved round the Earth, but the five other planets round 



the Sun. But this passage proves the general belief to have been that 



the whole system revolved round the Earth, which remained stationary 



in the midst. 



