We have, however, discussed these points in passing, as following on our argument, since they were introduced by our speculation on the point before us; for the subject of enquiry was, whether the intellectual faculty has its seat in any of the parts of us, or extends equally over them all; for as for those who shut up the mind locally in parts of the body, and who advance for the establishment of this opinion of theirs the fact that the reason has not free course in the case of those whose cerebral membranes are in an unnatural condition, our argument showed that in respect of every part of the compound nature of man, whereby every man has some natural operation, the power of the soul remains equally ineffective if the part does not continue in its natural condition. And thus there came into our argument, following out this line of thought, the view we have just stated, by which we learn that in the compound nature of man the mind is governed by God, and that by it is governed our material life, provided the latter remains in its natural state, but if it is perverted from nature it is alienated also from that operation which is carried on by the mind.

Let us return however once more to the point from which we started-that in those who are not perverted from their natural condition by some affection, the mind exercises its own power, and is established firmly in those who are in sound health, but on the contrary is powerless in those who do not admit its operation; for we may confirm our opinion on these matters by yet other arguments: and if it is not tedious for those to hear who are already wearied with our discourse, we shall discuss these matters also, so far as we are able, in a few words.

Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν ἡμῖν ἐξ ἀκολουθίας τινὸς παρεξητάσθη͵ διὰ τῆς εἰς τὸ προκείμενον θεωρίας ἐπεισελθόντα. Τὸ γὰρ ζητούμενον ἦν͵ εἰ ἐν μέρει τινὶ τῶν ἐν ἡμῖν ἡ νοερὰ καθίδρυται δύναμις ἢ διὰ πάντων κατὰ τὸ ἴσον διήκει. Τῶν γὰρ τοπικοῖς μέρεσι περιειργόντων τὸν νοῦν καὶ εἰς σύστασιν τῆς τοιαύτης αὐτῶν ὑπολήψεως προφερόντων͵ τὸ μὴ εὐοδοῦσθαι τὴν διάνοιαν ἐπὶ τῶν παρὰ φύσιν διακειμένων τὰς μήνιγγας, ἀπέδειξεν ὁ λόγος͵ ὅτι κατὰ πᾶν μέρος τοῦ ἀνθρωπίνου συγκρίματος͵ καθ' ὃ πέφυκεν ἕκαστος ἐνεργεῖν͵ ἴσως ἡ τῆς ψυχῆς δύναμις ἀνενέργητος μένει͵ μὴ διαμένοντος ἐν τῇ φύσει τοῦ μέρους. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἐξ ἀκολουθίας τὸ προτεθὲν παρενέπεσε τῷ λόγῳ θεώρημα͵ δι' οὗ μανθάνομεν͵ ἐν τῷ ἀνθρωπίνῳ συγκρίματι ὑπὸ Θεοῦ μὲν διοικεῖσθαι τὸν νοῦν͵ ὑπ' ἐκείνου δὲ τὴν ὑλικὴν ἡμῶν ζωὴν͵ ὅταν ἐν τῇ φύσει μένῃ͵ εἰ δὲ παρατραπείη τῆς φύσεως, καὶ τῆς κατὰ τὸν νοῦν ἐνεργείας ἀλλοτριοῦσθαι.  

Ἀλλ' ἐπανέλθωμεν πάλιν ὅθεν ἐξέβημεν͵ ὅτι ἐπὶ τῶν μὴ παρατραπέντων ἐκ πάθους τινὸς τῆς φυσικῆς καταστάσεως τὴν οἰκείαν δύναμιν ὁ νοῦς ἐνεργεῖ͵ καὶ ἔῤῥωται μὲν ἐπὶ τῶν συνεστώτων͵ ἀδυνατεῖ δὲ πάλιν ἐπὶ τῶν μὴ χωρούντων αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐνέργειαν. Ἔστι γὰρ καὶ δι' ἑτέρων τὸ περὶ τούτων δόγμα πιστώσασθαι, καὶ εἰ μὴ βαρὺ τῇ ἀκοῇ τῶν προκεκμηκότων ἤδη τῷ λόγῳ͵ καὶ περὶ τούτων͵ ὡς ἂν οἷοί τε ὦμεν͵ δι' ὀλίγων διαληψώμεθα.