De Aeternitate Mundi

let us therefore examine the dates of each of these, disregarding the fables invented by the tragedians about the gods; but if man is not eternal then neither is any other animal, so that then neither are the places which receive them, the earth, or the water, or the air; from all which considerations it is plain that this world is liable to destruction.

But it is necessary to encounter such quibbling arguments as these, lest some persons of too little experience should yield to and be led away by them; and we must begin our refutation of them from the same point from which the Sophists begin their deceit. They say, "There could no longer be any inequalities existing on the earth, if the world were eternal." Why not, my most excellent friends? For other persons will come up and say that the natures of trees are in no respect different from mountains; but just as they at certain seasons lose their leaves, and again at certain seasons recover their verdure again; on which account there is admirable truth in those lines of the poet:—

but after a long lapse of time the additional growth becomes conspicuous because the trees having a more rapid nature, display their increase with great rapidity; but mountains have a slower character, on which account it happens that the additions which take place in their case are not perceptible by the outward senses except after a long time.

And these men appear to be ignorant of the manner in which they are produced, since if they had not been, perhaps they would have been silent out of shame; but still there is no reason why we should not teach them; but there is nothing new in what is now said, neither are they our words but the ancient sayings of wise men, by whom nothing which was necessary for knowledge has been left uninvestigated;

when the fiery principle which is contained beneath, in the earth, is thrust upwards by the natural power of fire, it proceeds to its own appropriate place; and if it meets with any respite or [*](Homer, II. vi. 147. )

for there arises then a most violent contention between two things which are natural adversaries, the lightest and the heaviest of things, each of them pressing onwards to reach its own place, and each striving against the violent efforts of the other; accordingly the fire, which is drawing up the earth with it, is compelled to sink down by its descending power; and the earth naturally inclining to the lowest point is nevertheless to a certain degree made light, and lifted up by the upward tendencies of fire, and so is raised on high, and being at last overpowered by the more influential power which lightens it is thrust upwards towards the natural seat of fire, and established on high.

Why then need we wonder if the mountains are not entirely washed away by the impetuosity of the rains, when so great a power, which keeps them together, and by which they are raised up, is very firmly and steadfastly connected with them? For if they were released from the bond which holds them together, it would be natural for them to be entirely dissolved and to be dispersed by the water; but since they are bound together by this power of fire, they resist the impetuosity of the rains more surely. These things, then, may be said by us with respect to the argument that the inequalities of the surface of the earth are no proof of the world having been created and being liable to destruction;

but with respect to that argument which was endeavoured to be established by the diminution of the sea, we may reasonably adduce this statement in opposition to it: "Do not look only at the islands which have risen up out of the sea, nor at any portions of land which, having been formerly buried by the waters, have in subsequent times become dry land; for obstinate contention is very unfavourable to the consideration of natural philosophy, which considers the search after truth to be the chief object of rational desire; but look rather at the contrary effects: consider how many districts on

Are you ignorant of the celebrated account which is given of that most sacred Sicilian strait, which in old times joined Sicily to the continent of Italy? [*](This is alluded to by Virgil— Haec loca vi quondam, et vastâ convulsa ruinâ Tantum aevi longinqua valet mutare vetustas, Dissiluisse ferunt, quum protenus utraque tellus Una foret: venit medio vi pontus, et undis Hesperium Siculo latus abscidit, arvaque et urbes Litore diductas angusto interluit aestu.—Aen. iii. 419. Or, as it is translated by Dryden, The Italian shore And fair Sicilia’s coast were one before An earthquake caused the flaw; the roaring tides The passage broke that land from land divides, And where the lands retired the rushing ocean rides Distinguished by the straits on either hand Now rising cities in long order stand, And fruitful fields; so much can time invade The mouldering work that beauteous nature made. ) and where vast seas on each side being excited by violent storms met together, coming from opposite directions, the land between them was overwhelmed and broken away; from which circumstance the city built in the neighbourhood was called Rhegium, [*](Ῥήγιον, from ρ́ήγνυμι, " to break." ) and the result was quite different from what any one would have expected; for the seas which had formerly been separated now flowed together and were united in one expanse; and the land which had previously united was now separated into two portions by the strait which intersected it, in consequence of which Sicily, which had previously formed a part of the mainland, was now compelled to be an island.

And it is said that many other cities also have disappeared, having been swallowed up by the sea which overwhelmed them; since they speak of three in Peloponnesus— "Aegira and fair Bura’s walls, And Helica’s lofty halls, And many a once renowned town, With wreck and seaweed overgrown," [*](This is alluded to by Virgil- Haec loca vi quondam, et vastâ convulsa ruinâ Tantum aevi longinqua valet mutare vetustas, Dissiluisse ferunt, quum protenus utraque tellus Una foret: venit medio vi pontus, et undis Hesperium Siculo latus abscidit, arvaque et urbes Litore diductas angusto interluit aestu.-Æn. iii. 419. Or, as it is translated by Dryden, " The Italian shore And fair Sicilia’s coast were one before An earthquake caused the flaw; the roaring tides The passage broke that land from land divides, And where the lands retired the'rushing ocean rides Distinguished by the straits on either hand Now rising cities in long order stand, And fruitful fields; so much can time invade The mouldering work that beauteous nature made." ) [*](Ῥήγιον, from ῥήγνυμι, " to break." )