But, O ye gods, turn aside from my tongue the madness of those men.[542] Hallow my lips and make a pure stream flow from them! And thee, much-wooed, white-armed Virgin Muse, do I beseech that I may hear what is lawful for the children of a day! Speed me on my way from the abode of <<5>> Holiness and drive my willing car! Thee shall no garlands of glory and honour at the hands of mortals constrain to lift them from the ground, on condition of speaking in thy pride beyond that which is lawful and right, and so to gain a seat upon the heights of wisdom. Go to now, consider with all thy powers in what way each thing is clear. Hold not thy sight in greater credit as <<10>> compared with thy hearing, nor value thy resounding ear above the clear instructions of thy tongue;[543] and do not withhold thy confidence in any of thy other bodily parts by which there is an opening for understanding,[544] but consider everything in the way it is clear. R. P. 163. (5) But it is ever the way of low minds to disbelieve their betters. Do thou learn as the sure testimonies of my Muse bid thee, dividing the argument in thy heart.[545] (6) Hear first the four roots of all things: shining Zeus, life-bringing Hera, Aidoneus, and Nestis whose tear-drops are a well-spring to mortals. R. P. 164.[546] (7) ... uncreated. (8) And I shall tell thee another thing. There is no coming into being of aught that perishes, nor any end for it in baneful death; but only mingling and change of what has been mingled. Coming into being is but a name given to these by men. R. P. 165. (9) But, when the elements have been mingled in the fashion of a man and come to the light of day, or in the fashion of the race of wild beasts or plants or birds, then men say that these come into being; and when they are separated, they call that woeful death. They call it not aright; but I too follow <<5>> the custom, and call it so myself. (10) Avenging death. (11, 12) Fools!—for they have no far-reaching thoughts—who deem that what before was not comes into being, or that aught can perish and be utterly destroyed. For it cannot be that aught can arise from what in no way is, and it is impossible and unheard of that what _is_ should perish; for it <<5>> will always _be_, wherever one may keep putting it. R. P. 165 a. (13) And in the All there is naught empty and naught too full. (14) In the All there is naught empty. Whence, then, could aught come to increase it? (15)