borating order on the model of what it has seen in the Intellectual…Principle： pregnant by those Beings； and in pain to the birth； it is eager to make； to create。 In this new zest it strains towards the realm of sense： thus； while this primal soul in union with the Soul of the All transcends the sphere administered； it is inevitably turned outward； and has added the universe to its concern： yet in choosing to administer the partial and exiling itself to enter the place in which it finds its appropriate task； it still is not wholly and exclusively held by body： it is still in possession of the unembodied； and the Intellectual…Principle in it remains immune。 As a whole it is partly in body； partly outside： it has plunged from among the primals and entered this sphere of tertiaries： the process has been an activity of the Intellectual…Principle； which thus； while itself remaining in its identity； operates throughout the soul to flood the universe with beauty and penetrant order… immortal mind； eternal in its unfailing energy； acting through immortal soul。 14。 （19） As for the souls of the other living beings； fallen to the degree of entering brute bodies； these too must be immortal。 And if there is in the animal world any other phase of soul； its only possible origin； since it is the life…giver； is； still； that one principle of life： so too with the soul in the vegetal order。 All have sprung from one source； all have life as their own； all are incorporeal； indivisible； all are real…beings。 If we are told that man's soul being tripartite must as a compound entity be dissolved； our answer shall be that pure souls upon their emancipation will put away all that has fastened to them at birth； all that increment which the others will long retain。 But even that inferior phase thus laid aside will not be destroyed as long as its source continues to exist； for nothing from the realm of real being shall pass away。 15。 （20） Thus far we have offered the considerations appropriate to those asking for demonstration： those whose need is conviction by evidence of the more material order are best met from the abundant records relevant to the subject： there are also the oracles of the Gods ordering the appeasing of wronged souls and the honouring of the dead as still sentient； a practice common to all mankind： and again； not a few souls； once among men； have continued to serve them after quitting the body and by revelations； practically helpful； make clear； as well； that the other souls； too； have not ceased to be。 EIGHTH TRACTATE。
THE SOUL'S DESCENT INTO BODY。
1。 Many times it has happened： Lifted out of the body into myself； becoming external to all other things and self…encentered； beholding a marvellous beauty； then； more than ever； assured of community with the loftiest order； enacting the noblest life； acquiring identity with the divine； stationing within It by having attained that activity； poised above whatsoever within the Intellectual is less than the Supreme： yet； there comes the moment of descent from intellection to reasoning； and after that sojourn in the divine； I ask myself how it happens that I can now be descending； and how did the soul ever enter into my body； the soul which； even within the body； is the high thing it has shown itself to be。 Heraclitus； who urges the examination of this matter； tells of compulsory alternation from contrary to contrary； speaks of ascent and descent； says that 〃change reposes；〃 and that 〃it is weariness to keep toiling at the same things and always beginning again〃； but he seems to teach by metaphor； not concerning himself about making his doctrine clear to us； probably with the idea that it is for us to seek within ourselves as he sought for himself and found。 Empedocles… where he says that it is law for faulty souls to descend to this sphere； and that he himself was here because he turned a deserter； wandered from God； in slavery to a raving discord… reveals neither more nor less than Pythagoras and his school seem to me to convey on this as on many other matters； but in his case； versification has some part in the obscurity。 We have to fall back on the illustrious Plato； who uttered many noble sayings about the soul； and has in many places dwelt upon its entry into body so that we may well hope to get some light from him。 What do we learn from this philosopher？ We will not find him so consistent throughout that it is easy to discover his mind。 Everywhere； no doubt； he expresses contempt for all that is of sense； blames the commerce of the soul with body as an enchainment； an entombment； and upholds as a great truth the saying of the Mysteries that the soul is here a prisoner。 In the Cavern of Plato and in the Cave of Empedocles； I discern this universe； where the breaking of the fetters and the ascent from the depths are figures of the wayfaring toward the Intellectual Realm。 In the Phaedrus he makes a failing of the wings the cause of the entry to this realm： and there are Periods which send back the soul after it has risen； there are judgements and lots and fates and necessities driving other souls down to this order。 In all these explanations； he finds guilt in the arrival of the soul at body； But treating； in the Timaeus； of our universe he exalts the kosmos and entitles it a blessed god； and holds that the soul was given by the goodness of the creator to the end that the total of things might be possessed of intellect； for thus intellectual it was planned to be； and thus it cannot be except through soul。 There is a reason； then； why the soul of this All should be sent into it from God： in the same way the soul of each single one of us is sent； that the universe may be complete； it was necessary that all beings of the Intellectual should be tallied by just so many forms of living creatures here in the realm of sense。 2。 Enquiring； then； of Plato as to our own soul； we find ourselves forced to enquire into the nature of soul in general… to discover what there can be in its character to bring it into partnership with body； and； again； what this kosmos must be in which； willing unwilling or in any way at all； soul has its activity。 We have to face also the question as to whether the Creator has planned well or ill。。。。。。 like our souls； which it may be； are such that governing their inferior； the body； they must sink deeper and deeper into it if they are to control it。 No doubt the individual body… though in all cases appropriately placed within the universe… is of itself in a state of dissolution； always on the way to its natural terminus； demanding much irksome forethought to save it from every kind of outside assailant； always gripped by need； requiring every help against constant difficulty： but the body inhabited by the World…Soul… complete； competent； self…sufficing； exposed to nothing contrary to its nature… this needs no more than a brief word of command； while the governing soul is undeviatingly what its nature makes it wish to be； and； amenable neither to loss nor to addition； knows neither desire nor distress。 This is how we come to read that our soul； entering into association with that complete soul and itself thus made perfect； walks the lofty ranges； administering the entire kosmos； and that as long as it does not secede and is neither inbound to body nor held in any sort of servitude； so long it tranquilly bears its part in the governance of the All； exactly like the world…soul itself； for in fact it suffers no hurt whatever by furnishing body with the power to existence； since not every form of care for the inferior need wrest the providing soul from its own sure standing in the highest。 The soul's care for the universe takes two forms： there is the supervising of the entire system； brought to order by deedless command in a kindly presidence； and there is that over the individual； implying direct action； the hand to the task； one might say； in immediate contact： in the second kind of care the agent absorbs much of the nature of its object。 Now in its comprehensive government of the heavenly system； the soul's method is that of an unbroken transcendence in its highest phases； with penetration by its lower power： at this； God can no longer be charged with lowering the All…Soul； which has not been deprived of its natural standing and from eternity possesses and will unchangeably possess that rank and habit which could never have been intruded upon it against the course of nature but must be its characteristic quality； neither failing ever nor ever beginning。 Where we read that the souls or stars stand to their bodily forms as the All to the material forms within it… for these starry bodies are declared to be members of the soul's circuit… we are given to understand that the star…souls also enjoy the blissful condition of transcendence and immunity that becomes them。 And so we might expect： commerce with the body is repudiated for two only reasons； as hindering the soul's intellective act and as filling with pleasure； desire； pain； but neither of these misfortunes can befall a soul which has never deeply penetrated into the body； is not a slave but a sovereign