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the water, settling under itself, hollowed out the places lying beneath.” 15.32.8 Such is their wonderful cosmogony. And connected with these things is another very great war of words, as they were at a loss about all sorts of propositions: whether one must consider the universe to be one or many, and whether the world is one or more than one; and whether it is ensouled and governed by the providence of God, or the opposite; and whether it is indestructible or destructible; and from where it is nourished; and from what part God began to make the world; and concerning the order of the world; and what is the cause of its inclination; and concerning what is outside the circumference of the world; and what are the right and left parts of the world; and concerning heaven; and in addition to all these things, concerning demons and heroes; and concerning matter and concerning ideas; and concerning the order of the universe; and furthermore concerning the course and motion of the stars; and in addition to these, from where the stars are illuminated; and concerning those called the Dioscuri; and concerning the eclipse of the sun and moon; and concerning its appearance and why it looks earthy; and concerning its distances; and also concerning years. 15.32.9 But since Plutarch, by cutting short all these things which have been elaborated with countless words by those of whom we are speaking, has summarized them in a few words, bringing together in one place the opinions of all and their disagreements, I think they will not be useless for us either, when set forth for their reasonable rejection. For when they themselves stood against one another, diametrically opposed in battles and wars, and kindled nothing more than attacks upon themselves, each one refuting the arguments of his neighbor with a love of contention, how would not anyone at all reasonably admit that for us a safe suspension of judgment on these matters 15.32.10 has come about? And I will set down next, after what has been said, all the questions they raised about more terrestrial matters—concerning the shape of the earth and concerning its position and inclination, and also concerning the sea—so that you may know that the noble philosophers disagreed not only about celestial and lofty things, but that they have also differed on terrestrial matters. And so that you may marvel still more at the wisdom of the wise, I will add also all their disputes about the soul and the ruling principle within them, since they have not even been able to know what kind of nature they themselves are. But let us go up to the first of the topics mentioned.

15.33.1 33. WHETHER THE UNIVERSE IS ONE

“Those, then, of the Stoa declared that the world is one, which they also said is the universe and bodily things. 15.33.2 But Empedocles held that the world is one, but that the world is not the universe, but a small part of the universe, and the rest is idle matter. 15.33.3 And Plato infers his opinion, that the world is one and the universe is one, from three points: from the fact that it would not be perfect unless it contained all things; from the fact that it would not be like its pattern unless it were unique; from the fact that it would not be indestructible, 15.33.4 if anything were outside of it. But against Plato it must be said that the world is not perfect, for neither does it contain all things, and there are many patterns, as in the case of statues and houses and paintings; and how did he say, “There is nothing outside it, for it would not be able to revolve”? And it is not indestructible nor can it be, being created. 15.33.5 But Metrodorus says it is absurd that in a great plain one ear of corn should be produced and one world in the infinite. And that they are infinite in number is clear from the fact that the causes are infinite. For if the world is finite, but all the causes from which the world has come into being are infinite, it is necessary that they be infinite. For where all the causes are, there are also the effects. And the causes are either the atoms or the elements.

15.34.1 34. WHETHER THE WORLD IS ENSOULED AND GOVERNED BY PROVIDENCE

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ἑαυτὸ τὸ ὕδωρ ὑποστὰν ἐκοίλανε τοὺς ὑποκειμένους τόπους.» 15.32.8 Τοιαύτη καὶ ἡ θαυμάσιος αὐτῶν κοσμογονία. συνῆπται δὲ τούτοις ἄλλη τις πλείστη λογομαχία, παντοίων πέρι προτάσεων ἀπορησάντων· εἰ χρὴ τὸ πᾶν ἓν ἢ πολλὰ ἡγεῖσθαι καὶ εἰ ἕνα τὸν κόσμον ἢ πλείους· καὶ εἴτε ἔμψυχος οὗτος καὶ προνοίᾳ τυγχάνει θεοῦ διοικούμενος εἴτε καὶ τἀναντία· καὶ εἰ ἄφθαρτος ἢ φθαρτός· καὶ πόθεν τρέφεται· καὶ ἀπὸ ποίου ἤρξατο ὁ θεὸς κοσμοποιεῖν· περί τε τῆς τάξεως τοῦ κόσμου· καὶ τίς ἡ αἰτία τοῦ αὐτὸν ἐγκλιθῆναι· περί τε τοῦ ἐκτὸς τῆς τοῦ κόσμου περιφερείας· καὶ τίνα τὰ δεξιὰ καὶ τὰ ἀριστερὰ τοῦ κόσμου· περί τε οὐρανοῦ· καὶ πρὸς ἅπασι τούτοις περὶ δαιμόνων καὶ ἡρώων· περί τε ὕλης καὶ περὶ ἰδεῶν· καὶ περὶ τῆς τοῦ παντὸς τάξεως· ἔτι μὴν περὶ τῆς τῶν ἄστρων φορᾶς τε καὶ κινήσεως· καὶ πρὸς τούτοις ὁπόθεν φωτίζονται οἱ ἀστέρες· καὶ περὶ τῶν καλουμένων ∆ιοσκούρων· περί τε ἐκλείψεως ἡλίου καὶ σελήνης· καὶ περὶ ἐμφάσεως αὐτῆς καὶ διὰ τί γεώδης φαίνεται· καὶ περὶ τῶν ἀποστημάτων αὐτῆς· καὶ ἔτι περὶ ἐνιαυτῶν. 15.32.9 ταῦτα δὲ πάντα διὰ μυρίων τοῖς περὶ ὧν ὁ λόγος κατεσκευασμένα ἐπειδὴ τεμὼν ὁ Πλούταρχος ἐν ὀλίγοις συνεῖλεν, ἐπὶ ταὐτὸν ὁμοῦ συναγαγὼν τὰς ἁπάντων ἀποφάσεις καὶ τὰς διαφωνίας αὐτῶν, ἡγοῦμαι καὶ ἡμῖν οὐκ ἄχρηστα γενήσεσθαι παρατεθέντα εἰς τὴν εὔλογον αὐτῶν παραίτησιν. ὅτε γὰρ αὐτοὶ πρὸς σφᾶς αὐτοὺς ἐναντίοι κατὰ διάμετρον ἔστησαν μάχας τε καὶ πολέμους, πλέον δὲ οὐδὲν καθ' ἑαυτῶν ἐξῆψαν, τὰ τοῦ πέλας ἕκαστοι φιλοτιμίᾳ λόγων ἀπελέγξαντες, πῶς οὐκ ἂν εἰκότως ἡμῖν ἀσφαλῆ τὴν περὶ τούτων ἐποχὴν 15.32.10 γεγονέναι πᾶς ὁστισοῦν ὁμολογήσειε; θήσω δὲ ἑξῆς τοῖς εἰρημένοις ὅσα καὶ περὶ τῶν προσγειοτέρων ἐπηπόρησαν, περὶ γῆς σχήματος καὶ περὶ θέσεως καὶ ἐγκλίσεως αὐτῆς καὶ ἔτι περὶ θαλάσσης, ὡς ἂν εἰδείης ὅτι μὴ περὶ μόνων τῶν μετεώρων καὶ μεταρσίων οἱ γενναῖοι διέστησαν, ἀλλ' ὅτι καὶ ἐν τοῖς περιγείοις διαπεφωνήκασιν. ἵνα δὲ τῶν σοφῶν ἔτι τὴν σοφίαν ἀποθαυμάσῃς, προσθήσω καὶ ὅσα περὶ ψυχῆς καὶ τοῦ ἐν αὑτοῖς ἡγεμονικοῦ διεμαχέσαντο, οὐδὲ σφᾶς αὐτοὺς ἐπιγνῶναι οἵας εἶεν φύσεως δεδυνημένοι. ἀλλὰ γὰρ ἀνίωμεν ἐπὶ τὰ πρῶτα τῶν εἰρημένων.

15.33.1 λγʹ. ΕΙ ΕΝ ΤΟ ΠΑΝ

«Οἱ μὲν οὖν ἀπὸ τῆς Στοᾶς ἕνα κόσμον ἀπεφήναντο, ὃν δὴ καὶ τὸ πᾶν ἔφασαν εἶναι καὶ τὰ σωματικά. 15.33.2 Ἐμπεδοκλῆς δὲ κόσμον μὲν ἕνα, οὐ μέντοι τὸ πᾶν εἶναι τὸν κόσμον, ἀλλ' ὀλίγον τι τοῦ παντὸς μέρος, τὸ δὲ λοιπὸν ἀργὴν ὕλην. 15.33.3 Πλάτων δὲ τεκμαίρεται τὸ δοκοῦν, ὅτι εἷς ὁ κόσμος καὶ ἓν τὸ πᾶν, ἐκ τριῶν· ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ἔσεσθαι τέλειον, ἐὰν μὴ πάντα ἐμπεριέχῃ· ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ἔσεσθαι ὅμοιον τῷ παραδείγματι, ἐὰν μὴ μονογενὴς ᾖ· ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ἔσεσθαι ἄφθαρτον, 15.33.4 ἐάν τι ἐξωτέρω αὐτοῦ ᾖ. πρὸς δὲ τὸν Πλάτωνα λεκτέον ὅτι οὐ τέλειος ὁ κόσμος, οὐδὲ γὰρ τὰ πάντα περιέχει, καὶ πολλὰ παραδείγματά ἐστιν ὥσπερ ἐπ' ἀνδριάντων καὶ οἰκιῶν καὶ ζωγραφιῶν· πῶς δὲ εἶπεν· «Ἔξωθέν τι αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἔστι, περιδινεῖσθαι γὰρ οὐκ ἐδύνατο»; ἄφθαρτος δὲ οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδὲ δύναται εἶναι, γενητὸς ὤν. 15.33.5 Μητρόδωρος δέ φησιν ἄτοπον εἶναι ἐν μεγάλῳ πεδίῳ ἕνα στάχυν γεννηθῆναι καὶ ἕνα κόσμον ἐν τῷ ἀπείρῳ. ὅτι δὲ ἄπειρος κατὰ τὸ πλῆθος, δῆλον ἐκ τοῦ ἄπειρα τὰ αἴτια εἶναι. εἰ γὰρ ὁ μὲν κόσμος πεπερασμένος, τὰ δὲ αἴτια πάντα ἄπειρα, ἐξ ὧν ὁ κόσμος γέγονεν, ἀνάγκη ἀπείρους εἶναι. ὅπου γὰρ τὰ πάντα αἴτια, ἐκεῖ καὶ ἀποτελέσματα. αἴτια δὲ ἤτοι αἱ ἄτομοι ἢ τὰ στοιχεῖα.

15.34.1 λδʹ. ΕΙ ΕΜΨΥΧΟΣ Ο ΚΟΣΜΟΣ ΚΑΙ ΠΡΟΝΟΙΑΙ ∆ΙΟΙΚΟΥΜΕΝΟΣ