X.  Thus, then, and for these reasons, He gave being to the world of thought, as far as I can reason upon these matters, and estimate great things in my own poor language.  Then when His first creation was in good order, He conceives a second world, material and visible; and this a system and compound of earth and sky, and all that is in the midst of them—an admirable creation indeed, when we look at the fair form of every part, but yet more worthy of admiration when we consider the harmony and the unison of the whole, and how each part fits in with every other, in fair order, and all with the whole, tending to the perfect completion of the world as a Unit.  This was to shew that He could call into being, not only a Nature akin to Himself, but also one altogether alien to Himself.  For akin to Deity are those natures which are intellectual, and only to be comprehended by mind; but all of which sense can take cognisance are utterly alien to It; and of these the furthest removed are all those which are entirely destitute of soul and of power of motion.  But perhaps some one of those who are too festive and impetuous may say, What has all this to do with us?  Spur your horse to the goal.  Talk to us about the Festival, and the reasons for our being here to-day.  Yes, this is what I am about to do, although I have begun at a somewhat previous point, being compelled to do so by love, and by the needs of my argument.

Ιʹ. Οὕτω μὲν οὖν ὁ νοητὸς αὐτῷ, καὶ διὰ ταῦτα ὑπέστη κόσμος, ὡς ἐμὲ γοῦν περὶ τούτων φιλοσοφῆσαι, μικρῷ λόγῳ τὰ μεγάλα σταθμώμενον. Ἐπεὶ δὲ τὰ πρῶτα καλῶς εἶχεν αὐτῷ, δεύτερον ἐννοεῖ κόσμον ὑλικὸν καὶ ὁρώμενον: καὶ οὗτός ἐστι τὸ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς, καὶ τῶν ἐν μέσῳ σύστημά τε καὶ σύγκριμα, ἐπαινετὸν μὲν τῆς καθ' ἕκαστον εὐφυΐας, ἀξιεπαινετώτερον δὲ τῆς ἐξ ἁπάντων εὐαρμοστίας καὶ συμφωνίας, ἄλλου πρὸς ἄλλο τι καλῶς ἔχοντος, καὶ πάντων πρὸς ἅπαντα, εἰς ἑνὸς κόσμου συμπλήρωσιν: ἵνα δείξῃ, μὴ μόνον οἰκείαν ἑαυτῷ φύσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάντη ξένην ὑποστήσασθαι δυνατὸς ὤν. Οἰκεῖον μὲν γὰρ θεότητος, αἱ νοεραὶ φύσεις, καὶ νῷ μόνῳ ληπταί: ξένον δὲ παντάπασιν, ὅσαι ὑπὸ τὴν αἴσθησιν, καὶ τούτων αὐτῶν ἔτι ποῤῥωτέρω, ὅσαι παντελῶς ἄψυχοι καὶ ἀκίνητοι: Ἀλλὰ τί τούτων ἡμῖν, τάχα ἂν εἴποι τις τῶν λίαν φιλεόρτων καὶ θερμοτέρων; Κέντει τὸν πῶλον περὶ τὴν νύσσαν. Τὰ τῆς ἑορτῆς ἡμῖν φιλοσόφει, καὶ οἷς προκαθεζόμεθα σήμερον. Τοῦτο δὴ καὶ ποιήσω, καὶ εἰ μικρὸν ἄνωθεν ἠρξάμην, οὕτω τοῦ πόθου καὶ τοῦ λόγου βιασαμένων.