203. And the earth met with these in almost equal amounts, with Hephaistos and Ombros and bright-shining Aether (_i.e._ air), being anchored in the perfect harbours of Kypris; either a little more earth, or a little less with more of the others. From these arose blood and various kinds of flesh. 208. ... glueing barley-meal together with water. 209. (Water) tenacious Love. _Book II._ 210. And if your faith be at all lacking in regard to these (elements), how from water and earth and air and sun (fire) when they are mixed, arose such colours and forms of mortal things, as many as now have arisen under the uniting power of Aphrodite.... 214. How both tall trees and fishes of the sea (arose). 215. And thus then Kypris, when she had moistened the earth with water, breathed air on it and gave it to swift fire to be hardened. 217. And all these things which were within were made dense, while those without were made rare, meeting with such moisture in the hands of Kypris. 219. And thus tall trees bear fruit (_lit._ eggs), first of all olives. 220. Wherefore late-born pomegranates and luxuriant apples.... 221. Wine is water that has fermented in the wood beneath the bark. 222. For if thou shalt fix them in all thy close-knit mind and watch over them graciously with pure attention, all these things shall surely be thine for ever, and many others shalt thou possess from them. For these themselves shall cause each to grow into its own character, whatever is the nature[80] of each. But if thou shalt reach out for things of another sort, as is the manner of men, there exist countless evils to blunt your studious thoughts; †soon these latter shall cease to live as time goes on, desiring as they do to arrive at the longed-for generation of themselves.† For know that all things have understanding and their share of intelligence. 232. Favor hates Necessity, hard to endure. 233. This is in the heavy-backed shells found in the sea, of limpets and purple-fish and stone-covered tortoises ... there shalt thou see earth lying uppermost on the surface. 236. Hair and leaves and thick feathers of birds are the same thing in origin, and reptiles’ scales, too, on strong limbs. 238. But on hedgehogs, sharp-pointed hair bristles on their backs. 240. Out of which divine Aphrodite wrought eyes untiring. 241. Aphrodite fashioning them curiously with bonds of love. 242. When they first grew together in the hands of Aphrodite. 243. The liver well supplied with blood. 244. Where many heads grew up without necks, and arms were wandering about naked, bereft of shoulders, and eyes roamed about alone with no foreheads.