Why are they the happiest? Because they may be expected to pass into some gentle, social nature which is like their own, such as that of bees or ants, or even back again into the form of man, and just and moderate men spring from them.

That is not impossible. But he who is a philosopher or lover of learning, and is entirely pure at departing, is alone permitted to reach the gods. (...)

Πῇ δὴ οὗτοι εὐδαιμονέστατοι; Ὅτι τούτους εἰκός ἐστιν εἰς τοιοῦτον πάλιν ἀφικνεῖσθαι πολιτικὸν καὶ ἥμερον γένος͵ ἤ που μελιττῶν ἢ σφηκῶν ἢ μυρμήκων͵ καὶ εἰς ταὐτόν γε πάλιν τὸ ἀνθρώπινον γένος͵ καὶ γίγνεσθαι ἐξ αὐτῶν ἄνδρας μετρίους.

Εἰκός. Εἰς δέ γε θεῶν γένος μὴ φιλοσοφήσαντι καὶ παντελῶς καθαρῷ ἀπιόντι οὐ θέμις ἀφικνεῖσθαι ἀλλ΄ ἢ τῷ φιλομαθεῖ. (...)