Souls therefore are necessarily amphibians;[171] since they alternately
live in the intelligible world, and in the sense-world; staying longer
in the intelligible world when they can remain united to supreme
Intelligence more permanently, or staying longer or preponderatingly
here below when nature or destiny imposes on them a contrary fate. That
is the secret meaning of Plato's words[172] to the effect that the
divinity divides the seeds of the souls formed by a second mixture in
the cup, and that He separates them into (two) parts. He also adds that
they must necessarily fall into generation after having been divided
into a definite number. Plato's statement that the divinity sowed the
souls,[173] as well as the divinity's address to the other deities,
must be taken figuratively. For, in reference to the things contained
in the universe, this implies that they are begotten or produced; for
successive enumeration and description implies an eternal begetting,
and that those objects exist eternally in their present state.