4 i8 WISDOM OF THE ANCIENTS. 



without addition or diminution.* But the agitations and struggling 

 motions of matter first produced certain imperfect and ill-joined com 

 positions of things, as it were so many first rudiments, or essays of 

 worlds ; till, in process of time, there arose a fabric capable of pre 

 serving its form and structure. Whence the first age was shadowed 

 out by the reign of Saturn ; who, on account of the frequent dissolu 

 tions and short durations of things, was said to devour his children. 

 And the second age was denoted by the reign of Jupiter ; who thrust 

 or drove those frequent and transitory changes into Tartarus a place 

 expressive of disorder. This place seems to be the middle space, 

 between the lower heavens and the internal parts of the earth, wherein 

 disorder, imperfection, mutation, mortality, destruction, and corrup 

 tion, are principally found. 



Venus was not born during the former generation of things, under 

 the reign of Saturn ; for whilst discord and jar had the upper hand 

 of concord and uniformity in the matter of the universe, a change of 

 the entire structure was necessary. And in this manner things were 

 generated and destroyed before Saturn was dismembered. But when 

 this matter of generation ceased,f there immediately followed another, 

 brought about by Venus, or a perfect and established harmony of 

 things ; whereby changes were wrought in the parts, whilst the uni 

 versal fabric remained entire and undisturbed. Saturn, however, is 

 said to be thrust out and dethroned, not killed, and become extinct; 

 because, agreeably to the opinion of Democritus, the world might 

 relapse into its old confusion and disorder, which Lucretius hoped 

 would not happen in his time.* 



But now, when the world was compact, and held together by its 

 own bulk and energy, yet there was no rest from the beginning ; for, 

 first, there followed considerable motions and disturbances in the 

 celestial regions, though so regulated and moderated by the power 

 of the Sun, prevailing over the heavenly bodies, as to continue the 

 world in its state. Afterwards there followed the like in the lower 

 parts, by inundations, storms, winds, general earthquakes, etc., which, 

 however, being subdued and kept under, there ensued a more peace 

 able and lasting harmony, and consent of things. 



It may be said of this fable, that it includes philosophy ; and 

 again, that philosophy includes the fable; for we know, by faith, that 

 all these things are but the oracle of sense, long since ceased and 

 decayed ; but the matter and fabric of the world being justly attributed 

 t j a creator. 



* The original quantity of matter renr&amp;lt;aining invariably the same, explains that 

 circumstance in the fable of the same knife being used for the dismembering of 

 Saturn as had before been used for the dismembering of Coclum. 



t Viz., when Jupiter possessed the throne; or after a durable world was 

 forn.ed. Let the figurative or personifying manner of expression, usual among 

 the poets, be all along considered. 



\ &quot; Quod procul a nobis fiectat Fortuna gubernans ; 

 Et ratio potius quam res persuadeat ipsa.&quot; 



