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The same Varro, then, still speaking by anticipation, says that he
thinks that God is the soul of the world (which the Greeks call
osmos), and that this world itself is God; but as a wise man,
though he consists of body and mind, is nevertheless called wise on
account of his mind, so the world is called God on account of mind,
although it consists of mind and body. Here he seems, in some fashion
at least, to acknowledge one God; but that he may introduce more, he
adds that the world is divided into two parts, heaven and earth, which
are again divided each into two parts, heaven into ether and air,
earth into water and land, of all which the ether is the highest, the
air second, the water third, and the earth the lowest. All these
four parts, he says, are full of souls; those which are in the ether
and air being immortal, and those which are in the water and on the
earth mortal. From the highest part of the heavens to the orbit of the
moon there are souls, namely, the stars and planets; and these are
not only understood to be gods, but are seen to be such. And between
the orbit of the moon and the commencement of the region of clouds and
winds there are aerial souls; but these are seen with the mind, not
with the eyes, and are called Heroes, and Lares, and Genii. This
is the natural theology which is briefly set forth in these anticipatory
statements, and which satisfied not Varro only, but many philosophers
besides. This I must discuss more carefully, when, with the help of
God, I shall have completed what I have yet to say concerning the
civil theology, as far as it concerns the select gods.
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