And in this way is brought about the genesis of evil, arising through the withdrawal of that which is beautiful and good. Now all is beautiful and good that is closely related to the First Good; but that which departs from its relation and likeness to this is certainly devoid of beauty and goodness. If, then, according to the statement we have been considering, that which is truly good is one, and the mind itself also has its power of being beautiful and good, in so far as it is in the image of the good and beautiful, and the nature, which is sustained by the mind, has the like power, in so far as it is an image of the image, it is hereby shown that our material part holds together, and is upheld when it is controlled by nature; and on the other hand is dissolved and disorganized when it is separated from that which upholds and sustains it, and is dissevered from its conjunction with beauty and goodness.

Now such a condition as this does not arise except when there takes place an overturning of nature to the opposite state, in which the desire has no inclination for beauty and goodness, but for that which is in need of the adorning element; for it must needs be that that which is made like to matter, destitute as matter is of form of its own, should be assimilated to it in respect of the absence alike of form and of beauty.

Καὶ τούτῳ γίνεται τῷ τρόπῳ τοῦ κακοῦ ἡ γένεσις͵ διὰ τῆς ὑπεξαιρέσεως τοῦ καλοῦ παρυφισταμένη, καλὸν δὲ πᾶν͵ ὅπερ ἂν τύχῃ πρὸς τὸ πρῶτον ἀγαθὸν οἰκείως ἔχον, ὅ,τι δ' ἂν ἔξω γένηται τῆς πρὸς τοῦτο σχέσεώς τε καὶ ὁμοιώσεως͵ ἄμοιρον τοῦ καλοῦ πάντως ἐστίν. Εἰ οὖν ἓν μὲν κατὰ τὸν θεωρηθέντα λόγον τὸ ὄντως ἀγαθόν, ὁ δὲ νοῦς τῷ κατ' εἰκόνα τοῦ καλοῦ γεγενῆσθαι καὶ αὐτὸς ἔχει τὸ καλὸς εἶναι, ἡ δὲ φύσις ἡ ὑπὸ τοῦ νοῦ συνεχομένη͵ καθάπερ τις εἰκὼν εἰκόνος ἐστί, δείκνυται διὰ τούτων͵ ὅτι τὸ ὑλικὸν ἡμῶν συνέστηκε μὲν καὶ περικρατεῖται͵ ὅταν οἰκονομῆται ὑπὸ τῆς φύσεως, λύεται δὲ καὶ διαπίπτει πάλιν͵ ὅταν χωρισθῇ τοῦ περικρατοῦντός τε καὶ συνέχοντος καὶ διασπασθῇ τῆς πρὸς τὸ καλὸν συμφυΐας.  

Τὸ δὲ τοιοῦτον οὐκ ἄλλως γίνεται ἢ ὅταν τῆς φύσεως πρὸς τὸ ἔμπαλιν γένηται ἡ ἐπιστροφή͵ μὴ πρὸς τὸ καλὸν τῆς ἐπιθυμίας νευούσης͵ ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸ χρῇζον τοῦ καλλωπίζοντος. Ἀνάγκη γὰρ πᾶσα τῇ πτωχευούσῃ τῆς ἰδίας μορφῆς ὕλῃ κατὰ τὸ ἄσχημόν τε καὶ ἀκαλλὲς συμμεταμορφοῦσθαι τὸ ὁμοιούμενον.