And exhibiting the Christian life, he writes in the _Theætetus_ in these words: “Let us now speak of the highest principles. For why should we speak of those who make an abuse of philosophy? These know neither the way to the forum, nor know they the court or the senate-house, or any other public assembly of the state. As for laws and decrees spoken or[848] written, they neither see nor hear them. But party feelings of political associations and public meetings, and revels with musicians [occupy them][849]; but they never even dream of taking part in affairs. Has any one conducted himself either well or ill in the state, or has aught evil descended to a man from his forefathers?--it escapes their attention as much as do the sands of the sea. And the man does not even know that he does not know all these things; but in reality his body alone is situated and dwells in the state, while the man himself flies, according to Pindar, beneath the earth and above the sky, astronomizing, and exploring all nature on all sides.” Again, with the Lord’s saying, “Let your yea be yea, and your nay nay,” may be compared the following: “But to admit a falsehood, and destroy a truth, is in nowise lawful.” With the prohibition, also, against swearing agrees the saying in the tenth book of the _Laws_: “Let praise and an oath in everything be absent.” And in general, Pythagoras, and Socrates, and Plato say that they hear God’s voice while closely contemplating the fabric of the universe, made and preserved unceasingly by God. For they heard Moses say, “He said, and it was done,” describing the word of God as an act. And founding on the formation of man from the dust, the philosophers constantly term the body earthy. Homer, too, does not hesitate to put the following as an imprecation: “But may you all become earth and water.” As Esaias says, “And trample them down as clay.” And Callimachus clearly writes: “That was the year in which Birds, fishes, quadrupeds, Spoke like Prometheus’ clay.” And the same again: “If thee Prometheus formed, And thou art not of other clay.” Hesiod says of Pandora: “And bade Hephæstus, famed, with all his speed, Knead earth with water, and man’s voice and mind Infuse.” The Stoics, accordingly, define nature to be artificial fire, advancing systematically to generation. And God and His Word are by Scripture figuratively termed fire and light. But how? Does not Homer himself, is not Homer himself, paraphrasing the retreat of the water from the land, and the clear uncovering of the dry land, when he says of Tethys and Oceanus: “For now for a long time they abstain from Each other’s bed and love?”[850] Again, power in all things is by the most intellectual among the Greeks ascribed to God; Epicharmus--he was a Pythagorean--saying: “Nothing escapes the divine. This it behoves thee to know. He is our observer. To God nought is impossible.” And the lyric poet: