the nature of a thing we must observe it in its unalloyed state； since any addition obscures the reality。 Clear； then look： or； rather； let a man first purify himself and then observe： he will not doubt his immortality when he sees himself thus entered into the pure； the Intellectual。 For； what he sees is an Intellectual…Principle looking on nothing of sense； nothing of this mortality； but by its own eternity having intellection of the eternal： he will see all things in this Intellectual substance； himself having become an Intellectual Kosmos and all lightsome； illuminated by the truth streaming from The Good； which radiates truth upon all that stands within that realm of the divine。 Thus he will often feel the beauty of that word 〃Farewell： I am to you an immortal God；〃 for he has ascended to the Supreme； and is all one strain to enter into likeness with it。 If the purification puts the human into knowledge of the highest； then； too； the science latent within becomes manifest； the only authentic knowing。 For it is not by running hither and thither outside of itself that the soul understands morality and right conduct： it learns them of its own nature； in its contact with itself； in its intellectual grasp of itself； seeing deeply impressed upon it the images of its primal state； what was one mass of rust from long neglect it has restored to purity。 Imagine living gold： it files away all that is earthy about it； all that kept it in self…ignorance preventing it from knowing itself as gold； seen now unalloyed it is at once filled with admiration of its worth and knows that it has no need of any other glory than its own； triumphant if only it be allowed to remain purely to itself。 11。 （16） What intelligent mind can doubt the immortality of such a value； one in which there is a life self…springing and therefore not to be destroyed？ This is at any rate a life not imported from without； not present in the mode of the heat in fire… for if heat is characteristic of the fire proper； it certainly is adventitious to the Matter underlying the fire； or fire； too； would be everlasting… it is not in any such mode that the soul has life： this is no case of a Matter underlying and a life brought into that Matter and making it into soul ＇as heat comes into matter and makes it fire＇。 Either life is Essential Reality； and therefore self…living… the very thing we have been seeking… and undeniably immortal： or it； too； is a compound and must be traced back through all the constituents until an immortal substance is reached； something deriving movement from itself； and therefore debarred from accepting death。 Even supposing life could be described as a condition imposed upon Matter； still the source from which this condition entered the Matter must necessarily be admitted to be immortal simply by being unable to take into itself the opposite of the life which it conveys。 Of course； life is no such mere condition； but an independent principle； effectively living。 12。 （17） A further consideration is that if every soul is to be held dissoluble the universe must long since have ceased to be： if it is pretended that one kind of soul； our own for example； is mortal； and another； that of the All； let us suppose； is immortal； we demand to know the reason of the difference alleged。 Each is a principle of motion； each is self…living； each touches the same sphere by the same tentacles； each has intellection of the celestial order and of the super…celestial； each is seeking to win to what has essential being； each is moving upwards to the primal source。 Again： the soul's understanding of the Absolute Forms by means of the visions stored up in it is effected within itself； such perception is reminiscence； the soul then must have its being before embodiment； and drawing on an eternal science； must itself be eternal。 Every dissoluble entity； that has come to be by way of groupment； must in the nature of things be broken apart by that very mode which brought it together： but the soul is one and simplex； living not in the sense of potential reception of life but by its own energy； and this can be no cause of dissolution。 But； we will be told； it tends to destruction by having been divided （in the body） and so becoming fragmentary。 No： the soul； as we have shown； is not a mass； not a quantity。 May not it change and so come to destruction？ No： the change that destroys annuls the form but leaves the underlying substance： and that could not happen to anything except a compound。 If it can be destroyed in no such ways； it is necessarily indestructible。 13。 （18） But how does the soul enter into body from the aloofness of the Intellectual？ There is the Intellectual…Principle which remains among the intellectual beings； living the purely intellective life； and this； knowing no impulse or appetite； is for ever stationary in that Realm。 But immediately following upon it； there is that which has acquired appetite and； by this accruement； has already taken a great step outward； it has the desire of elaborating order on the model of what it has seen in the Intellectual…Principle： pregnant by those Beings； and in pain to the birth； it is eager to make； to create。 In this new zest it strains towards the realm of sense： thus； while this primal soul in union with the Soul of the All transcends the sphere administered； it is inevitably turned outward； and has added the universe to its concern： yet in choosing to administer the partial and exiling itself to enter the place in which it finds its appropriate task； it still is not wholly and exclusively held by body： it is still in possession of the unembodied； and the Intellectual…Principle in it remains immune。 As a whole it is partly in body； partly outside： it has plunged from among the primals and entered this sphere of tertiaries： the process has been an activity of the Intellectual…Principle； which thus； while itself remaining in its identity； operates throughout the soul to flood the universe with beauty and penetrant order… immortal mind； eternal in its unfailing energy； acting through immortal soul。 14。 （19） As for the souls of the other living beings； fallen to the degree of entering brute bodies； these too must be immortal。 And if there is in the animal world any other phase of soul； its only possible origin； since it is the life…giver； is； still； that one principle of life： so too with the soul in the vegetal order。 All have sprung from one source； all have life as their own； all are incorporeal； indivisible； all are real…beings。 If we are told that man's soul being tripartite must as a compound entity be dissolved； our answer shall be that pure souls upon their emancipation will put away all that has fastened to them at birth； all that increment which the others will long retain。 But even that inferior phase thus laid aside will not be destroyed as long as its source continues to exist； for nothing from the realm of real being shall pass away。 15。 （20） Thus far we have offered the considerations appropriate to those asking for demonstration： those whose need is conviction by evidence of the more material order are best met from the abundant records relevant to the subject： there are also the oracles of the Gods ordering the appeasing of wronged souls and the honouring of the dead as still sentient； a practice common to all mankind： and again； not a few souls； once among men； have continued to serve them after quitting the body and by revelations； practically helpful； make clear； as well； that the other souls； too； have not ceased to be。 EIGHTH TRACTATE。
THE SOUL'S DESCENT INTO BODY。
1。 Many times it has happened： Lifted out of the body into myself； becoming external to all other things and self…encentered； beholding a marvellous beauty； then； more than ever； assured of community with the loftiest order； enacting the noblest life； acquiring identity with the divine； stationing within It by having attained that activity； poised above whatsoever within the Intellectual is less than the Supreme： yet； there comes the moment of descent from intellection to reasoning； and after that sojourn in the divine； I ask myself how it happens that I can now be descending； and how did the soul ever enter into my body； the soul which； even within the body； is the high thing it has shown itself to be。 Heraclitus； who urges the examination of this matter； tells of compulsory alternation from contrary to contrary； speaks of ascent and descent； says that 〃change reposes；〃 and that 〃it is weariness to keep toiling at the same things and always beginning again〃； but he seems to teach by metaphor； not concerning himself about making his doctrine clear to us； probably with the idea that it is for us to seek within ourselves as he sought for himself and found。 Empedocles… where he says that it is law for faulty souls to descend to this sphere； and that he himself was here because he turned a deserter； wandered from God； in slavery to a raving discord… reveals neither more nor less than Pythagoras and his school seem to me to convey on this as on many other matters； but in his case； versification has some part in the obscurity。 We have to fall back on the illustrious Plato； who uttered many noble sayings about the soul； and has in many places dwelt upon its entry into body so that we may well hope to get some light from him。 What do we learn from this philosopher？ We will not find him so consistent throughout that it is easy to discover his mind。 Everywhere； no doubt； he expresses contempt for all that is of sense； blames the commerce of the soul with body as an enchainment； an entombment； and upholds as a great truth the saying of the Mysteries that the soul is here a prisoner。 In the Cavern of Plato and in the Cave of Empedocles； I discern this universe； where the breaking of the fetters and the ascent from the depths are figures of the wayfaring toward the Intellectual Realm。 In the Phaedrus he makes a failing of the wings the cause of the entry to this realm： and there are Periods which send back the soul after it has risen； there are judgements and lots and fates and necessities driving othe