, in short, stand still; and
that nothing in the world moves except the earth; and, as that turns and
revolves on its own axis with the greatest rapidity, he thinks that
everything is made to appear by it as if it were the heaven which is moved
while the earth stands still. And, indeed, some people think that Plato,
in the Timaeus, asserts this, only rather obscurely. What is your opinion,
Epicurus? Speak. Do you think that the sun is so small?--Do I? Do you
yourselves think it so large? But all of you are ridiculed by him, and you
in your turn mock him. Socrates, then, is free from this ridicule, and so
is Ariston of Chios, who thinks that none of these matters can be known.

But I return to the mind and body. Is it sufficiently known by us what is
the nature of the sinews and of the veins? Do we comprehend what the mind
is?--where it is?--or, in short, whether it exists at all, or whether, as
Dicaearchus thinks, there is no such thing whatever? If there is such a
thing, do we know whether it has three divisions, as Plato thought; those
of reason, anger, and desire?--or whether it is single and uniform? If it
is single and uniform, do we know whether it is fire, or breath, or
blood?--or, as Xenocrates says, number without a body?--though, what sort of
thing that is, is not very easy to understand. And whatever it is, do we
know whether it is mortal or eternal? For many arguments are alleged on
both sides.

XL. Some of these theories seem certain to your wise man: but ours does
not even see what is most probable; so nearly equal in weight are the
opposite arguments in most cases. If you proceed more modestly, and
reproach me, not because I do not assent to your reasoning, but because I
do not assent to any, I will not resist any further: but I will select
some one with whom I may agree. Whom shall I choose?--whom? Democritus?
for, as you know, I have always been a favourer of noble birth. I shall be
at once overwhelmed with the reproaches of your whole body. Can you think,
they will say to me, that there is any vacuum, when everything is so
filled and close packed that whenever any body leaves its place and moves,
the place which it leaves is immediately occupied by some other body? Or
can you believe that there are any atoms to which whatever is made by
their combination is entirely unlike? or that any excellent thing can be
made without intellect? And, since this admirable beauty is found in one
world, do you think th