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。