the eternal
human essence is not in individuals, who are born and die. It (Truth) is
specific unity, said Plato, not the numerical multitude that holds the
substance of things. Therefore he called Idea one and many, movable and
immovable because as incorruptible species it is intelligible and one,
and as it communicates itself to matter and is subject to movement and
generation, it is sensible and many. In this second mode it has more of
non-entity than of entity; seeing that it is one and another and is ever
running but never diminishes.[O] In the first mode it is an entity, and
true. See now, the mathematicians take it for granted, that the true
figures are not to be found in natural bodies, nor can they be there
through the power either of nature or of art. You know, besides, that
the truth (reality) of supernatural substances is above matter. We must
therefore conclude that he who seeks the truth must rise above the
reason of corporeal things. Besides which it must be considered, that he
who feeds has a certain natural memory of his food, especially when it
is most required; it leaves in the mind the likeness and species of it,
in an elevated manner, according to the elevation and glory of him who
aims, and of that which is aimed at. Hence it is that everything has,
innate, the intelligence of those things which belong to the
conservation of the individual and species, and furthermore its final
perfection depends upon efforts to seek its food through some kind of
hunting or chase. Therefore it is necessary that the human soul should
have the light, the genius, and the instruments suitable for its
pursuit. And here contemplation comes to aid, and logic, the fittest
mode for the pursuit of truth, to find it, to distinguish it, and to
judge of it. So that one goes rambling amongst the wild woods of natural
things, where there are many objects under shadow and mantle, for it is
in a thick, dense, and deserted solitude that Truth most often has its
secret cavernous retreat, all entwined with thorns and covered with
bosky, rough and umbrageous plants; it is hidden, for the most part, for
the most excellent and worthy reasons, buried and veiled with utmost
diligence, just as we hide with the greatest care the greatest
treasures, so that, sought by a great variety of hunters, of whom some
are more able and expert, some less, it cannot be discovered without
great labour.

Pythagoras went seeking for it with his imprints and