(41) The prayer is answered by the mere fact that part and other part are wrought to one tone like a musical string which, plucked at one end, vibrates at the other also. Often, too, the sounding of one string awakens what might pass for a perception in another, the result of their being in harmony and tuned to one musical scale; now, if the vibration in a lyre affects another by virtue of the sympathy existing between them, then certainly in the All- even though it is constituted in contraries- there must be one melodic system; for it contains its unisons as well, and its entire content, even to those contraries, is a kinship.

Thus, too, whatever is hurtful to man- the passionate spirit, for example, drawn by the medium of the gall into the principle seated in the liver- comes with no intention of hurt; it is simply as one transferring fire to another might innocently burn him: no doubt, since he actually set the other on fire he is a cause, but only as the attacking fire itself is a cause, that is by the merely accidental fact that the person to whom the fire was being brought blundered in taking it.

(1) After the body of the universe, also, many things are generated by the nature of it. For the concord of similars, and the contrariety of dissimilars, effect not a few things. Farther still, the assemblage of many things into the one animal of the universe, and the powers in the world, whatever the number and quality of them may be, effect, in short, one thing in wholes and another in parts, on account of the divided imbecility of parts. Thus, for instance, the friendship, love, and contention which subsist in energy in the universe, become passions in the partial natures by which they are participated. Those things, likewise, that are preestablished in forms and pure reasons in the nature of wholes, participate of a certain material indigence, and privation of morphe , in things which subsist according to a part. And things which are conjoined to each other in wholes are separated in parts. Hence partible natures, which participate of wholes in conjunction with matter, degenerate from them in all things, and also from what is beautiful and perfect. But some parts are corrupted, in order that wholes may be preserved in a condition conformable to nature. Sometimes, likewise, parts are compressed and weighed down, though at the same time wholes remain impassive to a molestation of this kind.

(10) We however perceive that some things become immediately the cause of a great change in quality, as is evident in wine. For when it is drank abundantly, it makes men at first more cheerful, but afterwards more insane and indecorous. But men are ignorant of those things which do not exhibit a power of this kind; though every thing that is eaten is the cause of a certain peculiar disposition. Hence it requires great wisdom, to be able to know and perceive, what kind and what quantity of food ought to be used. This science, however, was at first unfolded by Apollo and Pæon; but afterwards by Esculapius and his followers.

(46) Sometimes there is a rapid change and shift on the scale of the opposites. Love is quickly transmuted to hate; the best friends and most ardent lovers become the bitterest enemies. And, on the other hand, persons who originally detest each other frequently become ardent lovers after a time; and old enemies, when reconciled, frequently become the closest friends. The swing is often as far in one direction as was its former swing in the opposite direction. Up changes to down, as the earth revolves; and hot becomes cold when the vibrations are changed. This also applies to hard and soft, tenuous and solid, etc., the conditions depending entirely upon the rate of vibrations and relative positions of the particles of the matter of which the things are composed. Moreover, constant emphasis or activity of one opposite frequently leads to a manifestation of the other opposite. We often fly to the other extreme of feeling and action, when we have over-emphasized the former emotional states. We get tired and disgusted with one set or condition of things, and feel a desire to fly to the opposite condition or set. Too much of a good thing often causes us to dislike it. Likewise, if we travel far enough west, we finally reach the extreme east, and vice versa. If we travel far enough north, we pass the pole and find ourselves proceeding south. At the North Pole, no matter in what direction we may travel, we always find ourselves travelling south; while at the South Pole, we can travel north only, no matter which way we may step out.

(82) Timaeus: become heated, and the dry presently become moist, and the light heavy, and they undergo every variety of change in every respect. For, as we maintain, it is only the addition or subtraction of the same substance from the same substance in the same order and in the same manner and in due proportion which will allow the latter to remain safe and sound in its sameness with itself. But whatsoever oversteps any of these conditions in its going out or its coming in will produce alterations of every variety and countless diseases and corruptions.

(23) First there is the astringent Quality, then the Sweet, next, the Bitter: The Sweet is in the Midst between the Astringent and Bitter. Now the Astringent causes Things to be hard, cold, and dark; and the Bitter tears, drives, rages, and divides or distinguishes. These two Qualities rub and drive one another to hard, and move so eagerly, that they generate the Heat, which now in these two Qualities is dark, even as Heat in a Stone is.

(47) secondly, the sweet Quality also loves the bitter, because it is a Cause of the Heat, and also because the bitter Spirit triumphs and trembles in the sweet Water, Heat, and Light, and so makes the sweet Water moveable or stirring, and living. And

(4) A certain thing of this kind also may take place in the harmony and crasis of the universe: for the same things may be the salvation of the whole, through the perfection of the things inherent and the recipients; but may be noxious to the parts, through their partible privation of symmetry. In the motion, therefore, of the universe, all the circulations preserve the whole world invariably the same; but some one of the parts is frequently injured by another part, which we see is sometimes the case in a dance. Again, therefore, corruptibility and mutability are passions connascent with partial natures. But it is not proper to ascribe these to wholes and first causes, either as if they existed in them, or as if they proceeded to terrestrial substances from them. Hence, through these things it is demonstrated, that neither the celestial Gods, nor their gifts, are effective of evil.

(66) Timaeus: results from an opposite condition. Whenever the composition of the particles which enter into the moist parts is naturally akin to the state of the tongue, they oil its roughened parts and smooth it, contracting the parts that are unnaturally dilated or dilating those that are contracted, and thus settling them all, so far as possible, in their natural condition; and every such remedy of the forcible affections, being pleasant and welcome to everyone, is called “sweet.”

(62) Timaeus: as a result of the uniformity and compression. But that which is being contracted contrary to nature fights, and, in accordance with its nature, thrusts itself away in the contrary direction. And to this fighting and shaking we give the names of “trembling” and “shivering”; while this affection as a whole, as well as the cause thereof, is termed “cold.” By the term “hard” we indicate all the things to which our flesh gives way; and by the term “soft” all those which give way to our flesh; and these terms are similarly used relatively to each other. Now a substance gives way when it has its base small; but when it is constructed

(5) As, for Example, Heat, which burns, consumes, and drives forth all, whatsoever comes into it, which is not of the same Property; and again, it enlightens and warms all cold, wet, and dark Things; it compacts and hardens soft Things. Of Light and Fierceness.

(1) We may, however, beginning from another hypothesis, demonstrate the same thing. We must admit that the corporeal parts of the universe are neither sluggish nor destitute of power, but as much as they excel our concerns in perfection, beauty, and magnitude, by so much also is the power which is present with them greater. Each, likewise, by itself is capable of effecting different things, and produces certain different energies. They are also capable of effecting things much more numerous on each other. And besides this, a certain multiform production extends to parts from wholes; partly from sympathy, through similitude of powers, and partly from the aptitude of the agent to the patient. If, therefore, certain evils and destructions happen to parts, they are salutary and good as with reference to wholes and the harmony of the universe, but to parts they introduce a necessary corruption, either from not being able to bear the energies of wholes, or from a certain other commixture and temperament of their own imbecility, or, in the third place, from the privation of symmetry in the parts to each other.

(28) When the astringent and bitter Quality rub themselves so hard one upon another, that they generate Heat, and now the sweet Quality, the sweet Fountain-water, is therein in the Midst or Center between the astringent and bitter Quality, and the Heat becomes generated between the astringent and bitter Quality, in the sweet Fountain-water, through the astringent and bitter Quality;

(64) Timaeus: When an affection which is against nature and violent occurs within us with intensity it is painful, whereas the return back to the natural condition, when intense, is pleasant ; and an affection which is mild and gradual is imperceptible, while the converse is of a contrary character. And the affection which, in its entirety, takes place with ease is eminently perceptible, but it does not involve pain or pleasure; such, for example, are the affections of the visual stream itself, which, as we said before, becomes in the daylight a body substantially one with our own. For no pains are produced therein by cuttings or burnings

(44) As an illustration of the fact just stated, we may consider the two opposites known as Hot and Cold, respectively; surely there can be no two qualities apparently more distinct and separate from each other—more diametrically different from each other. But careful examination shows us that the two contrasting things are really but degrees, conditions, and states of the same thing. There is no such thing as an "absolute hot," or an "absolute cold." There are merely different degrees of this Hot-Cold pair of opposites, which for convenience we call "Heat." We cannot point out a place on the thermometer where Hot ceases and Cold begins, or vice versa. The two states or conditions blend into each other, and any statement regarding them is found to be merely comparative. If we place one hand in a bowl of very hot water, and the other in a bowl of ice-cold water, and then suddenly withdraw both hands and plunge them into a bowl of lukewarm water, what happens d Simply this, that we find that the hot-water hand feels a sensation of coolness, while the cold-water hand feels a sensation of heat—each experience resulting from the comparison with the previous experience.

(67) For it dries all the other Powers, and retains them all through its Infection or Influence, and the Sweet softens and moistens all the other, and so blends and temperates itself with all the other, whereby they become delicately pleasant and mild or soft. And

(144) Thou hast many Examples thereof in this World, that if some Creature or Man look upon a Thing, it perishes because of the Poison or Venom in the Creature: On the other Hand again, some Men, as also Beasts and other Creatures, can with their Tone or Words change or alter the Malignity or Evil of a Thing, and bring it into a right Form. And

(58) And the bitter Quality penetrates into the Body, into the astringent, four and sweet Quality, and frames all Sorts of Colours according to that Quality which the Body is most eagerly inclined to, or to that Quality which is strongest in the Body: according to that the bitter Quality frames the Body with its Colours, and according to that Quality the Creature has its greatest Impulse and Inclination, Motion, Boiling and Will. IV. Of the Fourth Circumstance or Species.

(79) Now when the astringent or harsh and bitter Quality get their Light from the Heat, then they see the sweet Quality, and taste of its sweet Water, and then they continually make haste after the sweet Water, and drink it up, for they are very hard, rough, and thirsty, and the Heat dries them quite up.

(34) Of this you have a Similitude in an Apple, which at first is astringent, harsh, or chokey, but when the sweet Quality forces and overcomes it, then it is very soft, lovely and pleasant to eat: And thus it is also in the Divine Power.