ÉPINOMIS.

trust that they will hear it, and share with us the beautiful inspirations that will come to you regarding the gods and goddesses.

THE ATHENIAN. That is what I shall do, provided that God himself serves as my guide; only join your prayers to mine.

CLINIAS. Speak now.

THE ATHENIAN. Since those who preceded us explained the origin of the gods and animals poorly, I must begin by reforming their errors on this subject, by taking up again what was proven in the previous conversation against the impious See Book X of the Laws., namely, that there are gods, that their providence extends to everything, to small things as to large ones, and that they are inflexible toward injustice. You remember this no doubt, Clinias, for you wrote down our conversation, and you should do so all the more as we said nothing that was not exactly true. Now, the fundamental point of that discussion was that the soul pre-existed the body. Do you recall? Is the matter not thus? For it is according to reason that that which is of a more excellent nature be also more ancient and more divine than that which holds to an inferior nature, and must consequently be younger and less honored, just as that which governs exists before that which is governed, and that which imparts motion before that which receives it. Let us acknowledge, therefore, that the existence of the soul is anterior to that of the body. But if it is so, it is even more according to reason that the principle of existence be anterior to every existing being. Let us establish, therefore, as a thing more in conformity with order, that there is a principle of the principle, and that we are taking the straightest path to rise to what is most sublime in wisdom, that is to say, the origin of the gods.