ays ready prepared and at hand to clean the mirror. And
hence, when any impurities arise in the region of the liver by reason of
disorders of the body, the loose nature of the spleen, which is composed
of a hollow and bloodless tissue, receives them all and clears them
away, and when filled with the unclean matter, swells and festers, but,
again, when the body is purged, settles down into the same place as
before, and is humbled.

Concerning the soul, as to which part is mortal and which divine, and
how and why they are separated, and where located, if God acknowledges
that we have spoken the truth, then, and then only, can we be confident;
still, we may venture to assert that what has been said by us is
probable, and will be rendered more probable by investigation. Let us
assume thus much.

The creation of the rest of the body follows next in order, and this we
may investigate in a similar manner. And it appears to be very meet that
the body should be framed on the following principles:--

The authors of our race were aware that we should be intemperate in
eating and drinking, and take a good deal more than was necessary or
proper, by reason of gluttony. In order then that disease might not
quickly destroy us, and lest our mortal race should perish without
fulfilling its end--intending to provide against this, the gods made
what is called the lower belly, to be a receptacle for the superfluous
meat and drink, and formed the convolution of the bowels, so that the
food might be prevented from passing quickly through and compelling
the body to require more food, thus producing insatiable gluttony, and
making the whole race an enemy to philosophy and music, and rebellious
against the divinest element within us.

The bones and flesh, and other similar parts of us, were made as
follows. The first principle of all of them was the generation of the
marrow. For the bonds of life which unite the soul with the body are
made fast there, and they are the root and foundation of the human race.
The marrow itself is created out of other materials: God took such of
the primary triangles as were straight and smooth, and were adapted by
their perfection to produce fire and water, and air and earth--these, I
say, he separated from their kinds, and mingling them in due proportions
with one another, made the marrow out of them to be a universal seed of
the whole race of mankind; and in this seed he then planted and enclosed
the souls, a