We must imagine a centre, and around this centre a luminous sphere
that radiates from (Intelligence). Then, around this sphere, lies a
second one that also is luminous, but only as a light lit from another
light (the universal Soul). Then, beyond and outside of these spheres
lies a further one, which no more is light, but which is illuminated
only by an alien light, for lack of a light peculiar to (this world
of ours). Outside of those two spheres there is indeed a rhomboid, or
rather another sphere, that receives its light from the second sphere,
and which receives it the more intensely, the closer it is thereto.
The great light (Intelligence) sheds its light though remaining within
itself, and the brilliancy that radiates around it (on to the soul)
is "reason." Other souls radiate also, some by remaining united to
the universal Soul, others by descending lower in order better to
illuminate the bodies to which they devote their care; but these cares
are troublous. As the pilot who steers his ship over the troubled
waves forgets himself in the effort of his work,[129] to the point
of forgetting that he exposes himself to perish with the ship in the
shipwreck, likewise souls are dragged down (into the abyss of matter)
by the attention they devote to the bodies that they govern. Then they
are chained to their destiny, as if fascinated by a magic attraction,
but really retained by the potent bonds of nature. If every body were
as perfect as the universe, it would completely suffice itself, it
would have no danger to fear, and the soul that is present within it,
instead of this, could communicate life to it without leaving the
intelligible world.