22. To what, then, you ask, do these things tend? We have brought them forward in order that—as it has been believed that the souls of men are divine, and therefore immortal, and that they come to their human bodies with all knowledge—we may make trial from this child, whom we have supposed to be brought up in this way, whether this is credible, or has been rashly believed and taken for granted, in consequence of deceitful anticipation. Let us suppose, then, that he grows up, reared in a secluded, lonely spot, spending as many years as you choose, twenty or thirty,—nay, let him be brought into the assemblies of men when he has lived through forty years; and if it is true that he is a part of the divine essence, and306    So Gelenius, followed by Canterus, Elmenh., and Oberthür, reading portione-m et, while the words tam lætam, “that he is so joyous a part” are inserted before et by Stewechius and the rest, except both Roman edd. which retain the ms. portione jam læta. lives here sprung from the fountains of life, before he makes acquaintance with anything, or is made familiar with human speech, let him be questioned and answer who he is, or from what father in what regions he was born, how or in what way brought up; with what work or business he has been engaged during the former part of his life. Will he not, then, stand speechless, with less wit and sense than any beast, block, stone? Will he not, when brought into contact with307    Lit., “sent to.” strange and previously unknown things, be above all ignorant of himself? If you ask, will he be able to say what the sun is, the earth, seas, stars, clouds, mist, showers, thunder, snow, hail? Will he be able to know what trees are, herbs, or grasses, a bull, a horse, or ram, a camel, elephant, or kite?308    So the ms., reading milvus, for which all edd. (except Oberthuer) since Stewechius read mulus, “a mule.”

0843A XXII. Quorsum igitur haec spectant? Ut, quoniam creditum est animas divinas atque adeo immortales esse, et ad hominum corpora disciplinis cum omnibus advolare, experiamur ex isto, quem hoc genere voluimus educari, capiatne res fidem, an sit leviter credita, et frustrabili expectatione praesumpta. Procedat igitur nobis solitudine in operta nutritus, quot vultis annos agens, vultis vicenarius? vultis tricenarius? immo cum annos fuerit quadraginta permensus, mortalium conciliis inferatur: et si verum est illum principalis esse substantiae portionem tam laetam et ex fontibus vitae derivatum hic agere, antequam notitiam rei sumat alicujus, aut sermone imbuatur humano, det responsum rogatus, quisnam sit ipse, aut quo patre, quibus sit in regionibus 0843B editus, quo pacto, aut quanam ratione 0844A nutritus, quid operis aut negotii celebrans anteacti temporis decurrerit aevitatem. Ita ille non omni pecore, ligno, saxo obtusior, atque hebetior stabit? non missus in res novas, et numquam sibi ante cognitas, ipsum sese est ante omnia nesciturus? Poteritne, si quaeras, sol quid sit ostendere, terra, maria, sidera, nubes, nebula, pluviae, tonitrua, nix, grando? Poterit arbores scire quid sint, herbae, aut gramina, taurus, equus, aut aries, camelus, elephantus, aut mulus?