Sint principio omnium semina natura in se coeunte densata, quis hic auctor deus? Sint fortuitis concursionibus totius mundi membra coalita, digesta, formata, quis deus machinator? Sidera licet ignis accenderit et caelum licet sua materia suspenderit, licet terram fundaverit pondere et mare licet influxerit e liquore unde haec religio, unde formido, quae superstitio est? Homo et animal omne quod nascitur, inspiratur, attollitur, elementorum ut voluntaria concretio est, in quae rursum homo et animal omne dividitur, solvitur, dissipatur: ita in fontem refluunt et in semet omnia revolvuntur, nullo artifice nec iudice nec auctore.
Suppose that in the beginning nature gathered the seeds of all things together, and formed them into a mass'what god was here the author? Or suppose that by their fortuitous clashing the elements of the universe combined, took order and shape'what god was the artificer? Fire may have kindled the stars; the nature of its material have suspended heaven on high, founded the earth by its weight, drained moisture into the sea'if so, what ground is there for religion, for terror and superstitious dread? Man and each living thing is born, lives, grows up; consists of a spontaneous combination of elements, into which once again man and every living thing is separated, resolved and dispersed; so all things flow back to their source, and return unto themselves without artificer, or arbiter, or author of their being.
final_alignments\Minucius_Felix_Octavius.json