Immediately after this, as if doing his utmost to reduce the human race
to a still lower position, and to bring them to the level of the
irrational animals, and desiring to omit not a single circumstance
related of the latter which manifests their greatness, he declares that
“in certain individuals among the irrational creation there exists the
power of sorcery;” so that even in this particular men cannot specially
pride themselves, nor wish to arrogate a superiority over irrational
creatures. And the following are his words: “If, however, men entertain
lofty notions because of their possessing the power of sorcery, yet even
in that respect are serpents and eagles their superiors in wisdom; for
they are acquainted with many prophylactics against persons and
diseases, and also with the virtues of certain stones which help to
preserve their young. If men, however, fall in with these, they think
that they have gained a wonderful possession.” Now, in the first place,
I know not why he should designate as sorcery the knowledge of natural
prophylactics displayed by animals,—whether that knowledge be the result
of experience, or of some natural power of apprehension;[801] for the
term “sorcery” has by usage been assigned to something else. Perhaps,
indeed, he wishes quietly, as an Epicurean, to censure the entire use of
such arts, as resting only on the professions of sorcerers. However, let
it be granted him that men _do_ pride themselves greatly upon the
knowledge of such arts, whether they are sorcerers or not: how can
serpents be in this respect wiser than men, when they make use of the
well-known fennel[802] to sharpen their power of vision and to produce
rapidity of movement, having obtained this natural power not from the
exercise of reflection, but from the constitution of their body,[803]
while men do not, like serpents, arrive at such knowledge merely by
nature, but partly by experiment, partly by reason, and sometimes by
reflection and knowledge? So, if eagles, too, in order to preserve their
young in the nest, carry thither the eagle-stone when they have
discovered it, how does it appear that they are wise, and more
intelligent than men, who find out by the exercise of their reflective
powers and of their understanding what has been bestowed by nature upon
eagles as a gift?
Footnote 801:
φυσικήν τινα κατάληψιν.
Footnote 802:
τῷ μαράθρῳ.
Footnote 803:
ἀλλ’ ἐκ κατασκευῆς.