Dialogue on Divine and Human Love

by the virtue of heaven, in the whole, other forms more excellent than any of the elements, in diverse degrees, while the elements still remain materially mixed within them. SO. What are these forms that the elements (through their original: "amicitia"; "friendship" refers to the harmonious proportion or balance between the four contrary elements (earth, water, air, fire) that allows them to combine into a single substance. friendship) receive? PH. And how many are the degrees?
In the first and most subtle degree of friendship, they receive the forms of mixtures that are not animate i.e., things without life or a soul., such as the forms of stones—some dark and others clearer, and others lustrous and most bright—in which the earth provides hardness; water provides clarity; air provides transparency; and fire provides luster or, rather, luminosity, and the rays that are found in precious stones. Also resulting from this first friendly mixture of the elements are the forms of Metals: some coarse, like Iron and Lead; others cleaner, like Copper, Tin, and Quicksilver; others clear and beautiful, like Silver and Gold. In all of these, water dominates so much that fire is able to liquefy them. In all these things, the form of the mixture—whether Stone or Metal—is more perfect the greater and more equal the friendship of the elements is within it. And when the friendship of these four contrary elements is of a higher degree, and its love is more united, with greater quality and with less excess of any one of them, they not only have the forms of mixture, but they also receive more excellent forms, such as the animate ones. First among these are those of the vegetative soul: the lowest level of the soul in classical philosophy, responsible for basic biological functions like growth and reproduction, which cause in plants germination, nutrition, growth in every direction, and the generation of their like through seeds or branches; and thus are generated all species of plants. Of these, the least perfect are the Herbs; Trees are the most perfect. And among them, each species is more perfect than another and of more excellent operation the more these four contrary elements are found in it with greater love, and with more unity and equal friendship; and this is the second degree of their friendship. And when the love of the elements is greater, more united, and more equal, it not only receives the forms of the mixture and the forms of the vegetative soul (of nutrition, growth, and generation) but they also receive, furthermore, the forms of the sensitive soul: the level of the soul that grants living beings the ability to perceive their environment and move themselves, along with sense, local movement, imagination, and appetite. And from this degree of friendship are generated all species of animals: terrestrial, aquatic, and volatile original: "uolatili"; referring to birds or any creatures that fly.. Some of these are imperfect, having neither movement nor sense, except for that of touch; but the perfect animals have all the senses and movement, and one species is more excellent than another in its operation, the greater and of more...