48. Here, too, in like
manner, when we deny that souls are the offspring of God Supreme, it
does not necessarily follow that we are bound to declare from what
parent they have sprung, and by what causes they have been
produced. For who prevents us from being either ignorant of the
source from which they issued and came, or aware that they are not
God’s descendants? By what method, you say, in what
way? Because it is most true and certain3739
| 3739
Omni vero verissimum est certoque certissimum—the
superlative for the comparative. |
that, as has been pretty frequently
said, nothing is effected, made, determined by the
Supreme, except that
which it is right and fitting should be done; except that which is
complete and entire, and wholly
perfect in its
3740
integrity. But further, we see
that men, that is, these very
souls—for what are men but
souls
bound to bodies?—themselves show by perversely falling
into
3741
| 3741
Lit., “by perversity”—s-c-ævitate,
the reading of the ms., LB., Orelli, Hild., and
Oehler, all others omitting c—“by the
rage;” except Stewechius, who reads
servitute—“slavery.” |
vice, times
without number, that they
belong to no patrician race, but have sprung
from insignificant
families. For we see some harsh, vicious,
presumptuous, rash, reckless,
blinded, false, dissemblers,
liars,
proud, overbearing, covetous,
greedy,
lustful,
fickle,
weak, and unable
to observe their own
precepts; but they would assuredly not be
so, if their original
goodness defended
3742
| 3742
Or, perhaps, “the goodness of the Supreme
planted”—generositas eos adsereret principalis. |
them, and they traced their honourable
descent from the head of the universe.
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