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51. But you laugh at our
reply, because, while we deny that souls are of royal descent, we do
not, on the other hand, say in turn from what causes and beginnings
they have sprung. But what kind of crime is it either to be
ignorant of anything, or to confess quite openly that you do not know
that of which you are ignorant? or whether does he rather seem to you
most deserving of ridicule who assumes to himself no knowledge of some
dark subject; or he who thinks that he3756
| 3756
The ms. reads se esse,
without meaning, from which LB., followed by Hildebrand, and Oehler
derived se ex se—“himself of himself.”
The rest simply omit esse as above. | knows most clearly that which
transcends human knowledge, and which has been involved in dark
obscurity? If the nature of everything were thoroughly
considered, you too are in a position like that which you censure in
our case. For you do not say anything which has been
ascertained and set most clearly in the light of truth, because you say
that souls descend from the Supreme Ruler Himself, and enter into the
forms of men. For you conjecture, do not perceive3757
this;
surmise, do not actually know it; for if to know is to retain in
the mind that which you have yourself seen or known, not one of those
things which you affirm can you say that you have ever seen—that
is, that souls descend from the abodes and regions above. You are
therefore making use of conjecture, not trusting clear
information. But what is conjecture, except a doubtful imagining
of things, and directing of the mind upon nothing accessible? He,
then, who conjectures, does not comprehend,3758
nor does he walk in the3759
light of
knowledge. But if this is true and certain in the opinion of
proper and very wise judges, your conjectures, too, in which you trust,
must be regarded as showing your ignorance.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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