Hence we must not say that the world is either self-moved always, or all made to go round by God in two opposite courses; or that two Gods, having opposite purposes, make it move round. But as I have already said (and this is the only remaining alternative) the world is guided at one time by an external power which is divine and receives fresh life and immortality from the renewing hand of the Creator, and again, when let go, moves spontaneously, being set free at such a time as to have, during infinite cycles of years, a reverse movement: this is due to its perfect balance, to its vast size, and to the fact that it turns on the smallest pivot. YSOC. Your account of the world seems to be very reasonable indeed.

ἐκ πάντων δὴ τούτων τὸν κόσμον μήτε αὐτὸν χρὴ φάναι στρέφειν ἑαυτὸν ἀεί͵ μήτ΄ αὖ ὅλον ἀεὶ ὑπὸ θεοῦ στρέφεσθαι διττὰς καὶ ἐνανίας περιαγωγάς͵ μήτ΄ αὖ δύο τινὲ θεὼ φρονοῦντε ἑαυτοῖς ἐναντία στρέφειν αὐτόν͵ ἀλλ΄ ὅπερ ἄρτι ἐρρήθη καὶ μόνον λοιπόν͵ τοτὲ μὲν ὑπ΄ ἄλλης συμποδηγεῖσθαι θείας αἰτίας͵ τὸ ζῆν πάλιν ἐπικτώμενον καὶ λαμβάνοντα ἀθανασίαν ἐπισκευαστὴν παρὰ τοῦ δημιουργοῦ͵ τοτὲ δ΄ ὅταν ἀνεθῇ͵ δι΄ ἑαυτοῦ αὐτὸν ἰέναι͵ κατὰ καιρὸν ἀφεθέντα τοιοῦτον͵ ὥστε ἀνάπαλιν πορεύεσθαι πολλὰς περιόδων μυριάδας διὰ δὴ τὸ μέγιστον ὂν καὶ ἰσορροπώτατον ἐπὶ μικροτάτου βαῖνον ποδὸς ἰέναι. ΝΕ. ΣΩ. Φαίνεται γοῦν δὴ καὶ μάλα εἰκότως εἰρῆσθαι πάνθ΄ ὅσα διελήλυθας.