Cle。Whatdoyoumean？
　　Ath。Letusselectofthetenmotionstheonewhichmindchieflyresembles；thisIwillbringtoyourrecollection，andwillthenmaketheansweronbehalfofusall。
　　Cle。Thatwillbeexcellent。
　　Ath。Youwillsurelyrememberoursayingthatallthingswereeitheratrestorinmotion？
　　Cle。Ido。
　　Ath。Andthatofthingsinmotionsomeweremovinginoneplace，andothersinmorethanone？
　　Cle。Yes。
　　Ath。Ofthesetwokindsofmotion，thatwhichmovesinoneplacemustmoveaboutacentrelikeglobesmadeinalathe，andismostentirelyakinandsimilartothecircularmovementofmind。
　　Cle。Whatdoyoumean？
　　Ath。Insayingthatbothmindandthemotionwhichisinoneplacemoveinthesameandlikemanner，inandaboutthesame，andinrelationtothesame，andaccordingtooneproportionandorder，andarelikethemotionofaglobe，weinventedafairimage，whichdoesnodiscredittoouringenuity。
　　Cle。Itdoesusgreatcredit。
　　Ath。Andthemotionoftheothersortwhichisnotafterthesamemanner，norinthesame，noraboutthesame，norinrelationtothesame，norinoneplace，norinorder，noraccordingtoanyruleorproportion，maybesaidtobeakintosenselessnessandfolly？
　　Cle。Thatismosttrue。
　　Ath。Then，afterwhathasbeensaid，thereisnodifficultyindistinctlystating，thatsincesoulcarriesallthingsround，eitherthebestsoulorthecontrarymustofnecessitycarryroundandorderandarrangetherevolutionoftheheaven。
　　Cle。Andjudgingfromwhathasbeensaid，Stranger，therewouldbeimpietyinassertingthatanybutthemostperfectsoulorsoulscarriesroundtheheavens。
　　Ath。Youhaveunderstoodmymeaningrightwell，Cleinias，andnowletmeaskyouanotherquestion。
　　Cle。Whatareyougoingtoask？
　　Ath。Ifthesoulcarriesroundthesunandmoon，andtheotherstars，doesshenotcarryroundeachindividualofthem？
　　Cle。Certainly。
　　Ath。Thenofoneofthemletusspeak，andthesameargumentwillapplytoall。
　　Cle。Whichwillyoutake？
　　Ath。Everyoneseesthebodyofthesun，butnooneseeshissoul，northesoulofanyotherbodylivingordead；andyetthereisgreatreasontobelievethatthisnature，unperceivedbyanyofoursenses，iscircumfusedaroundthemall，butisperceivedbymind；
　　andthereforebymindandreflectiononlyletusapprehendthefollowingpoint。
　　Cle。Whatisthat？
　　Ath。Ifthesoulcarriesroundthesun，weshallnotbefarwronginsupposingoneofthreealternatives。
　　Cle。Whatarethey？
　　Ath。Eitherthesoulwhichmovesthesunthiswayandthat，resideswithinthecircularandvisiblebody，likethesoulwhichcarriesusabouteveryway；orthesoulprovidesherselfwithanexternalbodyoffireorair，assomeaffirm，andviolentlypropelsbodybybody；orthirdly，sheiswithoutsuchabody，butguidesthesunbysomeextraordinaryandwonderfulpower。
　　Cle。Yes，certainly；thesoulcanonlyorderallthingsinoneofthesethreeways。
　　Ath。Andthissoulofthesun，whichisthereforebetterthanthesun，whethertakingthesunaboutinachariottogivelighttomen，oractingfromwithoutorinwhateverway，oughtbyeverymantobedeemedaGod。
　　Cle。Yes，byeverymanwhohastheleastparticleofsense。
　　Ath。Andofthestarstoo，andofthemoon，andoftheyearsandmonthsandseasons，mustwenotsayinlikemanner，thatsinceasoulorsoulshavingeverysortofexcellencearethecausesofallofthem，thosesoulsareGods，whethertheyarelivingbeingsandresideinbodies，andinthiswayorderthewholeheaven，orwhateverbetheplaceandmodeoftheirexistence；-andwillanyonewhoadmitsallthisventuretodenythatallthingsfullofGods？
　　Cle。Noone，Stranger，wouldbesuchamadman。
　　Ath。Andnow，MegillusandCleinias，letusoffertermstohimwhohashithertodeniedtheexistenceoftheGods，andleavehim。
　　Cle。Whatterms？
　　Ath。Eitherheshallteachusthatwewerewronginsayingthatthesoulistheoriginalofallthings，andarguingaccordingly；or，ifhebenotabletosayanythingbetter，thenhemustyieldtousandlivefortheremainderofhislifeinthebeliefthatthereareGods-Letussee，then，whetherwehavesaidenoughornotenoughtothosewhodenythatthereareGods。
　　Cle。Certainly-quiteenough，Stranger。
　　Ath。Thentothemwewillsaynomore。Andnowwearetoaddresshimwho，believingthatthereareGods，believesalsothattheytakenoheedofhumanaffairs：Tohimwesay-Othoubestofmen，inbelievingthatthereareGodsyouareledbysomeaffinitytothem，whichattractsyoutowardsyourkindredandmakesyouhonourandbelieveinthem。Butthefortunesofevilandunrighteousmeninprivateaswellaspubliclife，which，thoughnotreallyhappy，arewronglycountedhappyinthejudgmentofmen，andarecelebratedbothbypoetsandprosewriters-thesedrawyouasidefromyournaturalpiety。Perhapsyouhaveseenimpiousmengrowingoldandleavingtheirchildren’schildreninhighoffices，andtheirprosperityshakesyourfaith-youhaveknownorheardorbeenyourselfaneyewitnessofmanymonstrousimpieties，andhavebeheldmenbysuchcriminalmeansfromsmallbeginningsattainingtosovereigntyandthepinnacleofgreatness；andconsideringallthesethingsyoudonotliketoaccusetheGodsofthem，becausetheyareyourrelatives；
　　andsofromsomewantofreasoningpower，andalsofromanunwillingnesstofindfaultwiththem，youhavecometobelievethattheyexistindeed，buthavenothoughtorcareofhumanthings。Now，thatyourpresentevilopinionmaynotgrowtostillgreaterimpiety，andthatwemayifpossibleuseargumentswhichmayconjureawaytheevilbeforeitarrives，wewilladdanotherargumenttothatoriginallyaddressedtohimwhoutterlydeniedtheexistenceoftheGods。Anddoyou，MegillusandCleinias，answerfortheyoungmanasyoudidbefore；andifanyimpedimentcomesinourway，I
　　willtakethewordoutofyourmouths，andcarryyouovertheriverasIdidjustnow。
　　Cle。Verygood；doasyousay，andwewillhelpyouaswellaswecan。
　　Ath。TherewillprobablybenodifficultyinprovingtohimthattheGodscareaboutthesmallaswellasaboutthegreat。Forhewaspresentandheardwhatwassaid，thattheyareperfectlygood，andthatthecareofallthingsismostentirelynaturaltothem。
　　Cle。Nodoubtheheardthat。
　　Ath。Letusconsidertogetherinthenextplacewhatwemeanbythisvirtuewhichweascribetothem。Surelyweshouldsaythattobetemperateandtopossessmindbelongstovirtue，andthecontrarytovice？
　　Cle。Certainly。
　　Ath。Yes；andcourageisapartofvirtue，andcowardiceofvice？
　　Cle。True。
　　Ath。Andtheoneishonourable，andtheotherdishonourable？
　　Cle。Tobesure。
　　Ath。Andtheone，likeothermeanerthings，isahumanquality，buttheGodshavenopartinanythingofthesort？
　　Cle。Thatagainiswhateverybodywilladmit。
　　Ath。Butdoweimaginecarelessnessandidlenessandluxurytobevirtues？Whatdoyouthink？
　　Cle。Decidedlynot。
　　Ath。Theyrankundertheoppositeclass？
　　Cle。Yes。
　　Ath。Andtheiropposites，therefore，wouldfallundertheoppositeclass？
　　Cle。Yes。
　　Ath。Butarewetosupposethatonewhopossessesallthesegoodqualitieswillbeluxuriousandheedlessandidle，likethosewhomthepoetcomparestostinglessdrones？
　　Cle。Andthecomparisonisamostjustone。
　　Ath。SurelyGodmustnotbesupposedtohaveanaturewhichhehimselfhates？-hewhodarestosaythissortofthingmustnotbetoleratedforamoment。
　　Cle。Ofcoursenot。Howcouldhehave？
　　Ath。Shouldwenotonanyprinciplebeentirelymistakeninpraisinganyonewhohassomespecialbusinessentrustedtohim，ifhehaveamindwhichtakescareofgreatmattersandnocareofsmallones？
　　Reflect；hewhoactsinthisway，whetherhebeGodorman，mustactfromoneoftwoprinciples。
　　Cle。Whatarethey？
　　Ath。Eitherhemustthinkthattheneglectofthesmallmattersisofnoconsequencetothewhole，orifheknowsthattheyareofconsequence，andheneglectsthem，hisneglectmustbeattributedtocarelessnessandindolence。Isthereanyotherwayinwhichhisneglectcanbeexplained？Forsurely，whenitisimpossibleforhimtotakecareofall，heisnotnegligentifhefailstoattendtothesethingsgreatorsmall，whichaGodorsomeinferiorbeingmightbewantinginstrengthorcapacitytomanage？
　　Cle。Certainlynot。
　　Ath。Now，then，letusexaminetheoffenders，whobothalikeconfessthatthereareGods，butwithadifference-theonesayingthattheymaybeappeased，andtheotherthattheyhavenocareofsmallmatters：therearethreeofusandtwoofthem，andwewillsaytothem-Inthefirstplace，youbothacknowledgethattheGodshearandseeandknowallthings，andthatnothingcanescapethemwhichismatterofsenseandknowledge：-doyouadmitthis？
　　Cle。Yes。
　　Ath。Anddoyouadmitalsothattheyhaveallpowerwhichmortalsandimmortalscanhave？
　　Cle。Theywill，ofcourse，admitthisalso。
　　Ath。Andsurelywethreeandtheytwo-fiveinall-haveacknowledgedthattheyaregoodandperfect？
　　Cle。Assuredly。
　　Ath。But，iftheyaresuchasweconceivethemtobe，canwepossiblysupposethattheyeveractinthespiritofcarelessnessandindolence？Forinusinactivityisthechildofcowardice，andcarelessnessofinactivityandindolence。
　　Cle。Mosttrue。
　　Ath。ThennotfrominactivityandcarelessnessisanyGodevernegligent；forthereisnocowardiceinthem。
　　Cle。Thatisverytrue。
　　Ath。Thenthealternativewhichremainsis，thatiftheGodsneglectthelighterandlesserconcernsoftheuniverse，theyneglectthembecausetheyknowthattheyoughtnottocareaboutsuchmatters-whatotheralternativeistherebuttheoppositeoftheirknowing？
　　Cle。Thereisnone。