What kind of falsehood therefore can be said to be derived from the Gods, who produce all the species of knowledge? What deception can there be with those who establish in themselves the whole of truth? In the same manner, as it appears to me, the Gods extend good to all things, but always that which is willing and able receives the extended good, as Socrates says in the Phaedrus. And a divine nature indeed is causeless of evil, but that which departs from it, and gravitates downwards, is elongated through itself; thus also, the Gods indeed are always the suppliers of truth, but those natures are illuminated by them, who are lawfully their participants. For the Elean wise man says, that the eye of the soul in the multitude, is not strong enough to look to the truth.

Ποῖον οὖν ψεῦδος ἐκ θεῶν͵ τῶν πάντα τὰ τῆς γνώσεως εἴδη παραγόντων; Τίς ἀπάτη παρὰ τῶν τὴν ὅλην ἀλήθειαν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἱδρυσαμένων; Καθάπερ γὰρ οἶμαι πᾶσι μὲν τὰ ἀγαθὰ προτείνουσιν οἱ θεοί͵ δέχεται δὲ ἀεὶ ὁ ἐθέλων τε καὶ δυνάμενος͵ φησὶν ὁ ἐν Φαίδρῳ Σωκράτης͵ καὶ τὸ μὲν θεῖον ἀναίτιον τῶν κακῶν͵ τὸ δὲ ἀφιστάμενον ἐκείνου καὶ βρῖθον εἰς τὸ κάτω δι΄ ἑαυτοῦ κακύνεται͵ τὸν αὐτὸν δὴ τρόπον καὶ θεοὶ μὲν ἀεὶ τῆς ἀληθείας εἰσὶ χορηγοί͵ προσλάμπεται δὲ ὑπ΄ αὐτῶν οἷς θέμις μετέχειν ἐκείνων. Τὰ γὰρ τῶν πολλῶν τῆς ψυχῆς ὄμματα καρτερεῖν πρὸς τὸ ἀληθὲς ἀφορῶντα ἀδύνατα͵ φησὶν ὁ Ἐλεάτης σοφός.