Book 1, Chapter 27

66 “‘No origin for souls can be found on earth. In souls there is nothing mixed or compounded, nothing that seems born or fashioned out of earth, nothing even moist, airy, or fiery. For none of these substances contains the power of memory, understanding, or thought, capable of retaining the past, foreseeing the future, and embracing the present. These powers alone are divine; nor will any source ever be found from which they could come to human beings except a god. The soul, then, has a distinctive nature and power, separate from these familiar, recognized substances. Thus whatever it is that feels, understands, lives, and flourishes must be heavenly and divine, and for that reason eternal. Indeed, the very god whom we conceive cannot be conceived except as a mind, unbound and free, removed from every mortal compound, perceiving and moving all things and itself endowed with everlasting motion. The human mind belongs to this same kind and nature.’”

“Where, then, is that mind, and what is it like?”

67 “Where is yours, and what is it like? Can you tell me? If I lack everything I should like to have for understanding it, will you deny me the use even of what I have? The soul has not the power to see itself; but, like the eye, it sees other things without seeing itself. What it does not see is its own shape, which matters least—though perhaps it sees that too, but let us leave that aside. Certainly it sees its power, insight, memory, motion, and speed. These are great, divine, everlasting things. What its features are, or where it lives, is not even a question we need to ask.”

66 “‘Look for the source of souls on earth, and you won’t find it. They contain no blend or compound, nothing apparently formed or grown from earth—not even anything wet, airy, or made of fire. For these substances have no capacity for remembering, understanding, or thinking. They cannot keep the past in mind, see ahead, or grasp what’s happening now. Only these abilities are divine. Nothing but a god will ever explain how they reach us. So the soul has its own distinct power and substance, apart from the ordinary substances familiar to us. Whatever does the feeling and understanding, whatever lives and has energy, must belong to heaven and be divine; consequently it must last forever. Even our conception of a god is possible only as an unfettered, independent mind. We separate it from every mortal mixture: it perceives all things, sets them all in motion, and moves forever itself. Human intelligence is of that very kind, of that very substance.’”

“Then where is this mind? What sort of thing is it?”

67 “Tell me that about your own. Where is it? What sort of thing? Can you answer? I may lack some of the means of understanding it that I’d like. Will you therefore stop me using the means I have? The mind cannot look at itself; neither can an eye, but both can see other things. Its own shape escapes it, and that matters least. Perhaps it can even see that—let’s put that aside. At least it recognizes its strength and quick perception, its memory, its movement and speed. In these lie its greatness, its divinity, its everlasting life. There’s no need even to inquire about its outward appearance or its dwelling place.”