48. Here, too, in like manner, when we deny that souls are the offspring of God Supreme, it does not necessarily follow that we are bound to declare from what parent they have sprung, and by what causes they have been produced. For who prevents us from being either ignorant of the source from which they issued and came, or aware that they are not God’s descendants? By what method, you say, in what way? Because it is most true and certain501    Omni vero verissimum est certoque certissimum—the superlative for the comparative. that, as has been pretty frequently said, nothing is effected, made, determined by the Supreme, except that which it is right and fitting should be done; except that which is complete and entire, and wholly perfect in its502    Lit., “finished with the perfection of.” integrity. But further, we see that men, that is, these very souls—for what are men but souls bound to bodies?—themselves show by perversely falling into503    Lit., “by perversity”—s-c-ævitate, the reading of the ms., LB., Orelli, Hild., and Oehler, all others omitting c—“by the rage;” except Stewechius, who reads servitute—“slavery.” vice, times without number, that they belong to no patrician race, but have sprung from insignificant families. For we see some harsh, vicious, presumptuous, rash, reckless, blinded, false, dissemblers, liars, proud, overbearing, covetous, greedy, lustful, fickle, weak, and unable to observe their own precepts; but they would assuredly not be so, if their original goodness defended504    Or, perhaps, “the goodness of the Supreme planted”—generositas eos adsereret principalis. them, and they traced their honourable descent from the head of the universe.

XLVIII. Consimiliter hic quoque cum animas renuamus Dei esse principis prolem, non continuo sequitur, ut explicare debeamus quonam parente sint editae, et causis cujusmodi procreatae. Quis enim nos 0888B prohibet, aut unde enatae sint, prodierintque nescire, aut eas non esse Dei progeniem, scire? Quanam, inquitis, ratione, qua via? Quia omni vero verissimum est, certoque certissimum, nihil rerum a principe, sicut saepius dictum est, agi, fieri, statui, nisi quod oporteat, et conveniat fieri: nisi quod sit plenum, et integrum, et in suae integritatis perfectione finitum. Porro autem conspicimus homines, id est animas ipsas , quid enim sunt homines nisi animae corporibus 0889A illigatae? scaevitate innumerabili vitiorum ipsos se indicare non esse patricii generis, sed ex mediocribus familiis procreatos. Namque alios videmus immites, facinorosos, audaces, temerarios, praecipites, caecos, fictos, dissimulatores, mendaces, superbos, arrogantes, avaros, cupidos, libidinosos, inconstantes, invalidos, et sua ipsos decreta conservare nequeuntes: quod utique non essent, si generositas eos assereret principalis, et ab rerum capite descendentium ducerent honestamenta natalium.