With Chalcidius as Interpreter

and that it should be of the same order: so that no one's rightful justice should be diminished by him in any part. Furthermore, it was necessary that these souls, destined by certain and lawful successions of time, should bring forth the fruit of a pious race of animals which, above all other living creatures, † might look up to original: suspiciant look up to God. Moreover, the nature of man is twofold: the better kind of which was to be designated by the name of "man" referring to the male sex as the primary or "better" form in the Platonic hierarchy.

¶ And when they were introduced into bodies by the necessity of decree: and the bodily equipment shall be changed in various ways, with some members failing and others succeeding in turn, first indeed a sense is excited by violent passions: after which a desire is born, mixed from pleasure and sadness.

¶ Then indeed fear and anger: and the rest of their attendant disturbances, moving them with diverse affection according to their nature. If they could refrain and subjugate these: their life would be just and mild: if they were conquered, it would be unjust and rugged original: confragosam; meaning difficult or uneven. And for the victors indeed, a return to the dwelling and seat of their companion star lies open: to lead thereafter a true and blessed life. Furthermore, those conquered would change their sex † falling away original: desiscentibus and be relegated to the weakness of the female nature at the time of the second generation: Nor † ceasing original: desistentibus if they did not depart from vices and intemperance: yet the punishment and rejection into worse states would continue: until, according to their conduct and merits, they put on the forms of wild beasts.

¶ And there would be no pause from evils: until that rational and always same revolution of the world the celestial motion followed them, and wiped away all their vices contracted from fire, and water, earth, and air: and cleansed all the filth: the unadvised and immoderate errors being reduced to the measure and temperance of reason: so that, having laid aside their sordes, expiated and purified, † to reach original: pertingere they might finally deserve to reach the dignity of their ancient countenance.

¶ When all these proclamations of the fatal laws had been revealed and set forth in this manner: lest any authority for guilt should reside with him thereafter through silence: God made a sowing of this kind: so that the beginnings of the human race were cast partly on the earth: partly on the moon: partly on the others which are the instruments of time the planets. Furthermore, those duties which follow the sowing, he enjoined upon the Gods made by him (as I had said): and especially the care of forming mortal bodies: and if any part of the human soul even then remained over, to whose constitution labor seemed necessary.

He exhorted that they should consequently undertake all other things which the perfection of the work and the order of things required: and they should strive with their strength so that the mortal nature might be governed as well as possible, except for misfortunes: the authority and cause of which would be in their own power.

¶ When all these things were arranged in this manner: while the Creator of things remained in his purpose, the sons the lesser gods understanding the command of the father, taking an immortal beginning of a mortal living being according to the mandated formation, borrowed an elementary loan from the materials of the world: fire, earth, and water with spirit: which was to be returned when there was need, they glued together those things which they had received. Not with the same bonds by which they themselves were bound: but with others, invisible bolts original: gomphis; meaning dowels or bolts because of their incomprehensible smallness. Therefore, the materials being prepared: they bound the circuits of the immortal soul to the watering and fluid body. Furthermore, the circuits: as if bound to a rapid and downward-flowing torrent: neither held: nor were held: but were carried by force: and were carried by force in turn, so that the whole which moved in the animal: yet with a headlong and inordinate tossing: since it was snatched away by six irrational motions: proceeding and wandering forward, backward, to the right, to the left, and likewise upward and downward. Indeed, with an immense, watering, and immoderately flowing flood: from which food and nourishment were procured: a much greater disturbance from without...