22. To what, then, you
ask, do these things tend? We have brought them
forward in order that—as it has been believed that the souls
of men are divine, and therefore immortal, and that they come to
their human bodies with all knowledge—we may make trial from this
child, whom we have supposed to be brought up in this way,
whether this is credible, or has been rashly believed and taken for
granted, in consequence of deceitful anticipation. Let us
suppose, then, that he grows up, reared in a secluded, lonely spot,
spending as many years as you choose, twenty or thirty,—nay, let
him be brought into the assemblies of men when he has lived through
forty years; and if it is true that he is a part of the divine essence,
and3544
| 3544 So
Gelenius, followed by Canterus, Elmenh., and Oberthür, reading
portione-m et, while the words tam lætam,
“that he is so joyous a part” are inserted before et
by Stewechius and the rest, except both Roman edd. which retain
the ms. portione jam
læta. |
lives here
sprung from the
fountains of
life, before he makes acquaintance with
anything, or is made familiar with human
speech, let him be questioned
and answer who he is, or from what
father in what
regions he was
born,
how or in what way brought up; with what
work or
business he has been
engaged during the former part of his
life. Will he not, then,
stand
speechless, with less wit and sense than any
beast, block,
stone? Will he not, when brought into contact with
3545
strange and
previously unknown things, be above all ignorant of himself? If
you ask, will he be able to say what the sun is, the
earth,
seas,
stars,
clouds,
mist, showers,
thunder,
snow, hail? Will he be
able to know what trees are, herbs, or grasses, a bull, a horse, or
ram, a camel, elephant, or kite?
3546
| 3546
So the ms., reading milvus,
for which all edd. (except Oberthuer) since Stewechius read
mulus, “a mule.” |
E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
