4. We should not be surprised at water extinguishing fire, or at
fire destroying some other element. Even this element was introduced
to existence by some other element, and it is not surprising that
it should be destroyed, since it did not produce itself, and was
introduced to existence only by the destruction of some other element
(as thought Heraclitus and the Stoics[35]). Besides, the extinguished
fire is replaced by another active fire. In the incorporeal heaven,
everything is permanent; in the visible heaven, the totality, as well
as the more important and the most essential parts, are eternal.
The souls, on passing through different bodies, (by virtue of their
disposition[36]), themselves change on assuming some particular form;
but, when they can do so, they stand outside of generation, remaining
united to the universal Soul. The bodies are alive by their form, and
by the whole that each of them constitutes (by its union with a soul),
since they are animals, and since they nourish themselves; for in
the sense-world life is mobile, but in the intelligible world it is
immobile. Immobility necessarily begat movement, self-contained life
was compelled to produce other life, and calm being naturally exhaled
vibrating spirit.