118 HERMES TRISMEGISTUS. 



Asclepius. For there is necessity, Child ! 



Tat. How then do we see, Father ! some of the 

 irrational using science and art ; such as the ants treasur- 

 ing up the food for the winter, and the aerial animals 

 also putting together nests for themselves, and the quad- 

 rupeds cognizant of their own folds ? 



Asclepius. These things they do, Child ! neither by 

 science nor by art, but by Nature. For the science and 

 the art are things teachable (a), but of these irrationals 

 none is taught anything. For things generate by nature 

 are generate by a common (6) energy, but those by science 

 and art belong to knowing ones, not to all ; but what is 

 generate in all is energized by Nature. Thus the Men 

 look upwards, but not all men are musical, nor all archers, 

 nor hunters, nor all the rest ; but some of them have learnt 

 something, science and art energizing. In the same way, 

 if some of the ants had done this but some not, fairly 

 thou hadst said, they do this very thing by science, and 

 by art collect the food; but if all are led alike by the 

 Nature to this even unwilling, it is plain that they do this 

 neither by science nor by art. For Energies, Tat ! them- 

 selves being incorporeal, are in bodies and energize through 

 the bodies. Wherefore, Tat ! in that they are (c) incor- 

 poreal (and thou sayest them to be immortal), and in that 

 they cannot energize apart from bodies, I say that they 

 are always in Body. For things generate for something or 

 because of something, having fallen under (d) Providence 

 or Necessity, it is impossible ever to remain inert of the 

 proper energy. For the Entity always will be ; for this is 

 of it both body and life. To this reason follows there 

 being also always the bodies. Wherefore also I say the 

 very embodiment (e) to be eternal energy. For if bodies 

 upon earth are dissoluble, but bodies there must be, and 

 these places and organs of the Energies, and the Energies 

 are immortal (but the immortal ever is) ; Energy, and the 

 making of bodies therefore (/) ever is. But they follow upon 



(a) t>tba,x,Ttx,dt,. (6) *#0o?ux>j. (c) xctdon. 



(d) VTTOTrgTTTJiJfcOTflt. (e) <I6)ftOlTU<TlU. (/) St'/S. 



