able to move of himself; and to think that he moves them at one time in

one direction and at another time in another is blasphemy. Hence we must

not say that the world is either self-moved always, or all made to go

round by God in two opposite courses; or that two Gods, having opposite

purposes, make it move round. But as I have already said (and this is

the only remaining alternative) the world is guided at one time by an

external power which is divine and receives fresh life and immortality

from the renewing hand of the Creator, and again, when let go, moves

spontaneously, being set free at such a time as to have, during infinite

cycles of years, a reverse movement: this is due to its perfect balance,

to its vast size, and to the fact that it turns on the smallest pivot.

YOUNG SOCRATES: Your account of the world seems to be very reasonable

indeed.

STRANGER: Let us now reflect and try to gather from what has been said

the nature of the phenomenon which we affirmed to be the cause of all

these wonders. It is this.

YOUNG SOCRATES: What?

STRANGER: The reversal which takes place from time to time of the motion

of the universe.

YOUNG SOCRATES: How is that the cause?

Statesman