or figure. This was the origin of all that account of
the dead in Homer. This was the idea that caused my friend Appius to frame
his Necromancy; and this is how there got about that idea of the lake of
Avernus, in my neighbourhood,--

From whence the souls of undistinguish'd shape,
Clad in thick shade, rush from the open gate
Of Acheron, vain phantoms of the dead.

And they must needs have these appearances speak, which is not possible
without a tongue, and a palate, and jaws, and without the help of lungs
and sides, and without some shape or figure; for they could see nothing by
their mind alone, they referred all to their eyes. To withdraw the mind
from sensual objects, and abstract our thoughts from what we are
accustomed to, is an attribute of great genius: I am persuaded, indeed,
that there were many such men in former ages: but Pherecydes(57) the
Syrian is the first on record who said that the souls of men were
immortal; and he was a philosopher of great antiquity in the reign of my
namesake Tullus. His disciple Pythagoras greatly confirmed this opinion,
who came into Italy in the reign of Tarquin the Proud: and all that
country which is called Great Greece was occupied by his school, and he
himself was held in high honour, and had the greatest authority: and the
Pythagorean sect was for many ages after in such great credit, that all
learning was believed to be confined to that name.

XVII. But I return to the ancients. They scarcely ever gave any reason for
their opinion but what could be explained by numbers or definitions. It is
reported of Plato, that he came into Italy to make himself acquainted with
the Pythagoreans; and that when there, amongst others, he made an
acquaintance with Archytas(58) and Timaeus,(59) and learned from them all
the tenets of the Pythagoreans; and that he not only was of the same
opinion with Pythagoras concerning the immortality of the soul, but that
he also brought reasons in support of it; which, if you have nothing to
say against it, I will pass over, and say no more at present about all
this hope of immortality.

_A._ What, will you leave me when you have raised my expectations so high?
I had rather, so help me Hercules! be mistaken with Plato, whom I know how
much you esteem, and whom I admire myself from what you say of him, than
be in the right with those others.

_M._ I commend you; for, indeed, I could myself willingly be mistaken in
his company. Do we,