Now the creation took up the whole of each of the four elements;
for the Creator compounded the world out of all the fire and all
the water and all the air and all the earth, leaving no part of
any of them nor any power of them outside. His intention was, in
the first place, that the animal should be as far as possible a
perfect whole and of perfect parts: secondly, that it should be
one, leaving no remnants out of which another such world might be
created: and also that it should be free from old age and
unaffected by disease. Considering that if heat and cold and
other powerful forces which unite bodies surround and attack them
from without when they are unprepared, they decompose them, and
by bringing diseases and old age upon them, make them waste
away—for this cause and on these grounds he made the world one
whole, having every part entire, and being therefore perfect and
not liable to old age and disease. And he gave to the world the
figure which was suitable and also natural. Now to the animal
which was to comprehend all animals, that figure was suitable
which comprehends within itself all other figures. Wherefore he
made the world in the form of a globe, round as from a lathe,
having its extremes in every direction equidistant from the
centre, the most perfect and the most like itself of all figures;
for he considered that the like is infinitely fairer than the
unlike. This he finished off, making the surface smooth all round
for many reasons; in the first place, because the living being
had no need of eyes when there was nothing remaining outside him
to be seen; nor of ears when there was nothing to be heard; and
there was no surrounding atmosphere to be breathed; nor would
there have been any use of organs by the help of which he might
receive his food or get rid of what he had already digested,
since there was nothing which went from him or came into him: for
there was nothing beside him. Of design he was created thus, his
own waste providing his own food, and all that he did or suffered
taking place in and by himself. For the Creator conceived that a
being which was self-sufficient would be far more excellent than
one which lacked anything; and, as he had no need to take
anything or defend himself against any one, the Creator did not
think it necessary to bestow upon him hands: nor had he any need
of feet, nor of the whole apparatus of walking; but the movement
suited to his spherical form was assigned to him, being of all
the seven that which is most appropriate to mind and
intelligence; and he was made to move in the same manner and on
the same spot, within his own limits revolving in a circle. All
the other six motions were taken away from him, and he was made