[36,50] ταῦτα δὲ σπανίως ξυμβαίνοντα δοκεῖν μὲν ἀνθρώποις διὰ τὸν αὑτῶν ὄλεθρον γίγνεσθαι μὴ κατὰ λόγον μηδὲ μετέχειν τῆς τοῦ παντὸς τάξεως, λανθάνειν δὲ αὐτοὺς ὀρθῶς γιγνόμενα καὶ κατὰ γνώμην τοῦ σῴζοντος καὶ κυβερνῶντος τὸ πᾶν. εἶναι γὰρ ὅμοιον ὥσπερ ὅταν ἅρματος ἡνίοχος τῶν ἵππων τινὰ κολάζῃ χαλινῷ σπάσας ἢ κέντρῳ ἁψάμενος· ὁ δ´ ἐσκίρτησε καὶ ἐταράχθη, παραχρῆμα εἰς δέον καθιστάμενος. μίαν μὲν οὖν λέγουσι ταύτην ἡνιόχησιν ἰσχυράν, οὐχ ὅλου φθειρομένου τοῦ παντός. (36,51) πάλιν δὲ ἑτέραν τῆς τῶν τεττάρων κινήσεως καὶ μεταβολῆς, ἐν ἀλλήλοις μεταβαλλομένων καὶ διαλλαττόντων τὰ εἴδη, μέχρις ἂν εἰς μίαν ἅπαντα συνέλθῃ φύσιν, ἡττηθέντα τοῦ κρείττονος. ὅμως δὲ καὶ ταύτην τὴν κίνησιν ἡνιοχήσει προσεικάζειν τολμῶσιν ἐλάσει τε ἅρματος, ἀτοπωτέρας δεόμενοι τῆς εἰκόνος· οἷον εἴ τις θαυματοποιὸς ἐκ κηροῦ πλάσας ἵππους, ἔπειτα ἀφαιρῶν καὶ περιξύων ἀφ´ ἑκάστου προστιθείη ἄλλοτε ἄλλῳ, τέλος δὲ ἅπαντας εἰς ἕνα τῶν τεττάρων ἀναλώσας μίαν μορφὴν ἐξ ἁπάσης τῆς ὕλης ἐργάζοιτο. (36,52) εἶναί γε μὴν τὸ τοιοῦτο μὴ καθάπερ ἀψύχων πλασμάτων ἔξωθεν τοῦ δημιουργοῦ πραγματευομένου καὶ μεθιστάντος τὴν ὕλην, αὐτῶν δὲ ἐκείνων γίγνεσθαι τὸ πάθος, ὥσπερ ἐν ἀγῶνι μεγάλῳ τε καὶ ἀληθινῷ περὶ νίκης ἐριζόντων· γίγνεσθαι δὲ τὴν νίκην καὶ τὸν στέφανον ἐξ ἀνάγκης τοῦ πρώτου καὶ κρατίστου τάχει τε καὶ ἀλκῇ καὶ τῇ ξυμπάσῃ ἀρετῇ, (36,53) ὃν εἴπομεν ἐν ἀρχῇ τῶν λόγων ἐξαίρετον εἶναι Διός. τοῦτον γάρ, ἅτε πάντων ἀλκιμώτατον καὶ φύσει διάπυρον, ταχὺ ἀναλώσαντα τοὺς ἄλλους, καθάπερ οἶμαι τῷ ὄντι κηρίνους, ἐν οὐ πολλῷ τινι χρόνῳ, δοκοῦντι δὲ ἡμῖν ἀπείρῳ πρὸς τὸν ἡμέτερον αὐτῶν λογισμόν, καὶ τὴν οὐσίαν πάντων πᾶσαν εἰς αὑτὸν ἀναλαβόντα, πολὺ κρείττω καὶ λαμπρότερον ὀφθῆναι τοῦ πρότερον, ὑπ´ οὐδενὸς ἄλλου θνητῶν οὐδὲ ἀθανάτων, ἀλλ´ αὐτὸν ὑφ´ αὑτοῦ νικηφόρον γενόμενον τοῦ μεγίστου ἀγῶνος. στάντα δὲ ὑψηλὸν καὶ γαῦρον, χαρέντα τῇ νίκῃ, τόπον τε ὡς πλεῖστον καταλαβεῖν καὶ μείζονος χώρας δεηθῆναι τότε ὑπὸ ῥώμης καὶ μένους. (36,54) κατὰ τοῦτο δὴ γενόμενοι τοῦ λόγου δυσωποῦνται τὴν αὐτὴν ἐπονομάζειν τοῦ ζῴου φύσιν. εἶναι γὰρ αὐτὸν ἤδη τηνικάδε ἁπλῶς τὴν τοῦ ἡνιόχου καὶ δεσπότου ψυχήν, μᾶλλον δὲ αὐτὸ τὸ φρονοῦν καὶ τὸ ἡγούμενον αὐτῆς. {οὕτως δὴ λέγομεν καὶ ἡμεῖς τιμῶντες καὶ σεβόμενοι τὸν μέγιστον θεὸν ἔργοις τε ἀγαθοῖς καὶ ῥήμασιν εὐφήμοις.} (36,55) λειφθεὶς γὰρ δὴ μόνος ὁ νοῦς καὶ τόπον ἀμήχανον ἐμπλήσας αὑτοῦ ἅτ´ ἐπ´ ἴσης πανταχῇ κεχυμένος, οὐδενὸς ἐν αὐτῷ πυκνοῦ λειφθέντος, ἀλλὰ πάσης ἐπικρατούσης μανότητος, ὅτε κάλλιστος γίγνεται, τὴν καθαρωτάτην λαβὼν αὐγῆς ἀκηράτου φύσιν, εὐθὺς ἐπόθησε τὸν ἐξ ἀρχῆς βίον. ἔρωτα δὴ λαβὼν τῆς ἡνιοχήσεως ἐκείνης καὶ ἀρχῆς καὶ ὁμονοίας τῆς τε τῶν τριῶν φύσεων καὶ ἡλίου καὶ σελήνης καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἄστρων, ἁπάντων τε ἁπλῶς ζῴων καὶ φυτῶν, ὥρμησεν ἐπὶ τὸ γεννᾶν καὶ διανέμειν ἕκαστα καὶ δημιουργεῖν τὸν ὄντα νῦν κόσμον ἐξ ἀρχῆς πολὺ κρείττω καὶ λαμπρότερον ἅτε νεώτερον. (36,56) ἀστράψας δὲ ὅλος οὐκ ἄτακτον οὐδὲ ῥυπαρὰν ἀστραπήν, οἵαν χειμέριος ἐλαυνομένων βιαιότερον πολλάκις τῶν νεφῶν διῇξεν, ἀλλὰ καθαρὰν καὶ ἀμιγῆ παντὸς σκοτεινοῦ, μετέβαλε ῥᾳδίως ἅμα τῇ νοήσει. μνησθεὶς δὲ Ἀφροδίτης καὶ γενέσεως ἐπράϋνε καὶ ἀνῆκεν αὑτόν, καὶ πολὺ τοῦ φωτὸς ἀποσβέσας εἰς ἀέρα πυρώδη τρέπεται πυρὸς ἠπίου. μιχθεὶς δὲ τότε Ἥρᾳ καὶ μεταλαβὼν τοῦ τελειοτάτου λέχους, ἀναπαυσάμενος ἀφίησι τὴν πᾶσαν αὖ τοῦ παντὸς γονήν. τοῦτον ὑμνοῦσι παῖδες σοφῶν ἐν ἀρρήτοις τελεταῖς Ἥρας καὶ Διὸς εὐδαίμονα γάμον. (36,57) ὑγρὰν δὲ ποιήσας τὴν ὅλην οὐσίαν, ἓν σπέρμα τοῦ παντός, αὐτὸς ἐν τούτῳ διαθέων, καθάπερ ἐν γονῇ πνεῦμα τὸ πλάττον καὶ δημιουργοῦν, τότε δὴ μάλιστα προσεοικὼς τῇ τῶν ἄλλων συστάσει ζῴων, καθ´ ὅσον ἐκ ψυχῆς καὶ σώματος συνεστάναι λέγοιτ´ ἂν οὐκ ἄπο τρόπου, τὰ λοιπὰ ἤδη ῥᾳδίως πλάττει καὶ τυποῖ, λείαν καὶ μαλακὴν αὑτῷ περιχέας τὴν οὐσίαν καὶ πᾶσαν εἴκουσαν εὐπετῶς. (36,58) ἐργασάμενος δὲ καὶ τελεώσας ἀπέδειξεν ἐξ ἀρχῆς τὸν ὄντα κόσμον εὐειδῆ καὶ καλὸν ἀμηχάνως, πολὺ δὴ λαμπρότερον ἢ οἷος ὁρᾶται νῦν. πάντα γάρ που καὶ τἄλλα ἔργα τῶν δημιουργῶν καινὰ ἀπὸ τῆς τέχνης καὶ τῶν χειρῶν παραχρῆμα τοῦ ποιήσαντος κρείττω καὶ στιλπνότερα. καὶ τῶν φυτῶν τὰ νεώτερα εὐθαλέστερα τῶν παλαιῶν ὅλα τε βλαστοῖς ἐοικότα. καὶ μὴν τά γε ζῷα εὐχάριτα καὶ προσηνῆ ἰδεῖν μετὰ τὴν γένεσιν, οὐ μόνον τὰ κάλλιστα αὐτῶν, πῶλοί τε καὶ μόσχοι καὶ σκύλακες, ἀλλὰ καὶ θηρίων σκύμνοι τῶν ἀγριωτάτων. (36,59) ἡ μὲν γὰρ ἀνθρώπου φύσις νηπία τότε καὶ ὑδαρὴς ὁμοία Δήμητρος ἀτελεῖ χλόῃ, προελθοῦσα δὲ εἰς τὸ μέτρον ὥρας καὶ νεότητος παντὸς ἀτεχνῶς φυτοῦ κρεῖττον καὶ ἐπιφανέστερον βλάστημα. ὁ δὲ ξύμπας οὐρανός τε καὶ κόσμος, ὅτε πρῶτον συνετελέσθη, κοσμηθεὶς ὑπὸ τῆς σοφωτάτης τε καὶ ἀρίστης τέχνης, ἄρτι τῶν τοῦ δημιουργοῦ χειρῶν ἀπηλλαγμένος, λαμπρὸς καὶ διαυγὴς καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς μέρεσι παμφαίνων, νήπιος μὲν οὐδένα χρόνον ἐγένετο οὐδὲ ἀσθενὴς κατὰ τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην τε καὶ θνητὴν τῆς φύσεως ἀσθένειαν, νέος δὲ καὶ ἀκμάζων εὐθὺς ἀπὸ τῆς ἀρχῆς.

[36,50] (p467) "According to the Magi, these rare occurrences are viewed by mankind as taking place for their destruction, and not in accord with reason or as a part of the order of the universe, being unaware that they occur quite properly and in keeping with the plan of the preserver and governor of the world. For in reality it is comparable with what happens when a charioteer punishes one of his horses, pulling hard upon the rein or pricking with the goad; and then the horse prances and is thrown into a panic but straightway settles down to its proper gait. "Well then, this is one kind of driving of which they tell, attended by violence but not involving the complete destruction of the universe. 51 On the other hand, they tell also of a different kind that involves the movement and change of all four horses, one in which they shift among themselves and interchange their forms until all come together into one being, having been overcome by that one which is superior in power. And yet this movement also the Magi dare to liken to the guidance and driving of a chariot, though to do so they need even stranger imagery. For instance, it is as if some magician were to mould horses out of wax, and then, subtracting and scraping off the wax from each, should add a little now to this one and now to that, until finally, having used up all the horses in constructing one from the four, he should fashion a single horse out of all his material. 52 They state, however, that in reality the process to which they refer is not like that of such inanimate images, in which the craftsman operates and shifts the material from without, but that instead the transformation is the work of these creatures themselves, just as if they were striving for victory in a (p469) contest that is great and real. And they add that the victory and its crown belong of necessity to that horse which is first and best in speed and prowess and general excellence, I mean to that one which we named in the beginning of our account as the special steed of Zeus. 53 For that one, being most valiant of all and fiery by nature, having speedily used up the others — as if, methinks, they were truly made of wax — in no great span of time (though to us it seems endless according to our reckoning) and having appropriated to itself all the substance of them all, appeared much greater and more brilliant than formerly; not through the aid of any other creature, either mortal or immortal, but by itself and its own efforts proving victor in the greatest contest. And, standing tall and proud, rejoicing in its victory, it not only seized the largest possible region but also needed larger space at that time, so great was its strength and its spirit. 54 "Having arrived at that stage in their myth, the Magi are embarrassed in search of a name to describe the nature of the creature of their own invention. For they say that now by this time it is simply the soul of the charioteer and master; or, let us say, merely the intellect and leadership of that soul. (Those, in fact, are the terms we ourselves employ when we honour and reverence the greatest god by noble deeds and pious words). 55 For indeed, when the mind alone had been left and had filled with itself immeasurable space, since it had poured itself evenly in all directions and nothing in it remained dense but (p471) complete porosity prevailed — at which time it becomes most beautiful — having obtained the purest nature of unadulterated light, it immediately longed for the existence that it had at first. Accordingly, becoming enamoured of that control and governance and concord which it once maintained not only over the three natures of sun and moon and the other stars, but also over absolutely all animals and plants, it became eager to generate and distribute everything and to make the orderly universe then existent once more far better and more resplendent because newer. 56 And emitting a full flash of lightning, not a disorderly or foul one such as in stormy weather often darts forth, when the clouds drive more violently than usual, but rather pure and unmixed with any murk, it worked a transformation easily, with the speed of thought. But recalling Aphroditê and the process of generation, it tamed and relaxed itself and, quenching much of its light, it turned into fiery air of gentle warmth, and uniting with Hera and enjoying the most perfect wedlock, in sweet repose it emitted anew the full supply of seed for the universe. Such is the blessed marriage of Zeus and Hera of which the sons of sages sing in secret rites. 57 And having made fluid all his essence, one seed for the entire world, he himself moving about in it like a spirit that moulds and fashions in generation, then indeed most closely resembling the composition of the other creatures, inasmuch as he might with reason be said to consist of soul and body, he now (p473) with ease moulds and fashions all the rest, pouring about him his essence smooth and soft and easily yielding in every part. 58 "And having performed his task and brought it to completion, he revealed the existent universe as once more a thing of beauty and inconceivable loveliness, much more resplendent, indeed, than it appears to-day. For not only, I ween, are all other works of craftsmen better and brighter when fresh from the artistic hand of their maker, but also the younger specimens of plants are more vigorous than the old and altogether like young shoots. And indeed animals, too, are charming attractive to behold right after their birth, not merely the most beautiful among them — colts and calves and puppies — but even the whelps of wild animals of the most savage kind. 59 For, on the one hand, the nature of man is helpless and feeble like Demeter's tender grain, but when it has progressed to the full measure of its prime, it is a stronger and more conspicuous creation than any plant at all. However, the entire heaven and universe when first it was completed, having been put in order by the wisest and noblest craft, just released from the hand of the creator, brilliant and translucent and brightly beaming in all its parts, remained helpless for no time at all, nor weak with the weakness that nature ordains for man and other mortal beings, but, on the contrary, was fresh and vigorous from the very beginning.