But the world has nothing of the disorder which exists in the compounds of which we have been speaking. Observation will show that if it undergoes destruction its several parts must at present have been arranged in an unnatural position and such a supposition is irreverent. For all the parts of the world have been given the best possible situation and harmony of order, so that each is as it were in its beloved fatherland and does not seek any change for the better. And so the earth has been assigned the mid-most position to which all things of earth descend even if they are thrown up, a sign that this is their natural position, for if anything stands at rest anywhere without being forced thither it is there that it has found its proper place. Water is spread over the surface of earth, and air and fire have made their way from the middle to the upper position, air having allotted to it the space between water and fire and fire the uppermost. And so even if you light a torch and make it descend to earth the flame will all the same force its way against you and speed upwards lightening itself to gain the motion natural to fire. In fact if we grant that in other creatures destruction is caused by their unnatural arrangement of their parts, while in the world each of the parts is arranged naturally and has its proper position apportioned to it, we are justified in saying that the world is indestructible. Another point which must be clear to everyone is this. Nature in each case strives to maintain and conserve the thing of which it is the nature and if it were possible to render it immortal. Tree nature acts so in trees, animal nature in each kind of animal, but the nature of any particular part is necessarily too feeble to carry it into a perpetual existence. For privation or scorching or chilling or the vast multitude of other circumstances which ordinarily affect it descend to shake it violently and loosen and finally break the bond which holds it together, though if no such external force were lying ready to attack it, so far as itself was concerned, it would preserve all things small or great proof against age. The nature of the world then must necessarily desire the conservation of the All. For it is not inferior to the nature of particular parts that it should take to its heels and leave its post and try to manufacture sickness rather than health, destruction rather than complete preservation, since High o’er them all she rears her head and brows Easy to recognize though all are fair. But if this is true the world will not be susceptible to destruction. Why so? Because the nature which holds it together fortified by its great fund of strength is invincible and prevails over everything which could injure it. And so Plato says well: “For nothing went out from it nor entered it from anywhere. For there was nothing. For by design it was created to supply its own sustenance by its own wasting and have all its actions and passions in itself and by itself. For its framer deemed that were it self-sufficing it would be far better than if it required aught else.”
On the Eternity of the World 7
Tap any verse to see what it echoes — and start a chain or echo from it.