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letussupposeourselvestoselectsomeoneofthem，andgentlyreasonwithhim，smotheringouranger：-Omyson，wewillsaytohim，youareyoung，andtheadvanceoftimewillmakeyoureversemayoftheopinionswhichyounowhold。Waitawhile，anddonotattempttojudgeatpresentofthehighestthings；andthatisthehighestofwhichyounowthinknothing-toknowtheGodsrightlyandtoliveaccordingly。Andinthefirstplaceletmeindicatetoyouonepointwhichisofgreatimportance，andaboutwhichIcannotbedeceived：-YouandyourfriendsarenotthefirstwhohaveheldthisopinionabouttheGods。Therehavealwaysbeenpersonsmoreorlessnumerouswhohavehadthesamedisorder。Ihaveknownmanyofthem，andcantellyou，thatnoonewhohadtakenupinyouththisopinion，thattheGodsdonotexist，evercontinuedinthesameuntilhewasold；thetwoothernotionscertainlydocontinueinsomecases，butnotinmany；thenotion，Imean，thattheGodsexist，buttakenoheedofhumanthings，andtheothernotionthattheydotakeheedofthem，butareeasilypropitiatedwithsacrificesandprayers。AstotheopinionabouttheGodswhichmaysomedaybecomecleartoyou，Iadviseyougowaitandconsiderifitbetrueornot；askofothers，andaboveallofthelegislator。
InthemeantimetakecarethatyoudonotoffendagainsttheGods。Forthedutyofthelegislatorisandalwayswillbetoteachyouthetruthofthesematters。
Cle。Ouraddress，Stranger，thusfar，isexcellent。
Ath。Quitetrue，MegillusandCleinias，butIamafraidthatwehaveunconsciouslylightedonastrangedoctrine。
Cle。Whatdoctrinedoyoumean？
Ath。Thewisestofalldoctrines，intheopinionofmany。
Cle。Iwishthatyouwouldspeakplainer。
Ath。Thedoctrinethatallthingsdobecome，havebecome，andwillbecome，somebynature，somebyart，andsomebychance。
Cle。Isnotthattrue？
Ath。Well，philosophersareprobablyright；atanyratewemayaswellfollowintheirtrack，andexaminewhatisthemeaningofthemandtheirdisciples。
Cle。Byallmeans。
Ath。Theysaythatthegreatestandfairestthingsaretheworkofnatureandofchance，thelesserofart，which，receivingfromnaturethegreaterandprimevalcreations，mouldsandfashionsallthoselesserworkswhicharegenerallytermedartificial。
Cle。Howisthat？
Ath。Iwillexplainmymeaningstillmoreclearly。Theysaythatfireandwater，andearthandair，allexistbynatureandchance，andnoneofthembyart，andthatastothebodieswhichcomenextinorder-earth，andsun，andmoon，andstars-theyhavebeencreatedbymeansoftheseabsolutelyinanimateexistences。Theelementsareseverallymovedbychanceandsomeinherentforceaccordingtocertainaffinitiesamongthem-ofhotwithcold，orofdrywithmoist，orofsoftwithhard，andaccordingtoalltheotheraccidentaladmixturesofoppositeswhichhavebeenformedbynecessity。Afterthisfashionandinthismannerthewholeheavenhasbeencreated，andallthatisintheheaven，aswellasanimalsandallplants，andalltheseasonscomefromtheseelements，notbytheactionofmind，astheysay，orofanyGod，orfromart，butasIwassaying，bynatureandchanceonly。Artsprangupafterwardsandoutofthese，mortalandofmortalbirth，andproducedinplaycertainimagesandverypartialimitationsofthetruth，havinganaffinitytooneanother，suchasmusicandpaintingcreateandtheircompanionarts。Andthereareotherartswhichhaveaseriouspurpose，andtheseco-operatewithnature，such，forexample，asmedicine，andhusbandry，andgymnastic。Andtheysaythatpoliticscooperatewithnature，butinalessdegree，andhavemoreofart；alsothatlegislationisentirelyaworkofart，andisbasedonassumptionswhicharenottrue。
Cle。Howdoyoumean？
Ath。Inthefirstplace，mydearfriend，thesepeoplewouldsaythattheGodsexistnotbynature，butbyart，andbythelawsofstates，whicharedifferentindifferentpla
