LXXVI. 1. If, then, the most approved of the philo-

sophers, when thej perceived in soulless and bodiless things a riddle of the Divine, did not think it r^t to neglect anything or treat it with disrespect^ still more liking, I think, we should then have for the peculiarities in natures that are endowed with sense and poeaees soul and passion and character, — not paying honour to these, but through them to the Divine ; so that since they are made by Nature into mirrors clearer [than any man can make], we should consider this as the instrument and art of Grod who ever orders all things.
2. And, generally, we should deem that nothing soulless is superior to a thing with soul, nor one with- out sense to one possessing it ; not even if one should bring together into one spot all the gold and emeralds in the world.
3. For that which in Divine does not reside in colours or shapes or smoothnesses; nay, all things that either have no share or are not of a nature to share in life, have a lot of less value than that of dead bodies.'
4. Whereas the Nature that lives and sees^ and has its source of motion from itself, and knowledge of things that are its and those that are not, has appro-
^ The Tetraktys was ordinarily considered to be the sum of the first four numbers simply, that is 1+8+3+4=10 ; but hmn we haye it given as 1+3+6 + 7-16, and 8+4+6+8»9Q,aiid 16+ 80«36. The oath is said to have been: ''Tea, by Him who did bestow upon our soul Tetraktys, Ever-flowing Nature, Sooite pnssewring roots "—the ''roots" being the four elements.
* Se. which have at least been the vehicle of life.
THE MYSTERIES OF ISIS AND OSIRIS 361
priated both an " efflux of the Good/' ^ and a share of the Thinker "by whom the universe is steered," as Heracleitus says.'
5. For which cause the Divine is not less well pourtrayed in these [sc. animals] than by means of works of art in bronze and stone, which while equally susceptible of decay and mutilations,* are in their nature destitute of all feeling and understanding.
6. With regard to the honours paid to animals, then, I approve this view more highly than any other that has been mentioned.
GONCERNINO THE SaCRED BOBES