“Why, take animals, for example. When soul and body come together, and continue in one, this is, we say, a living creature; but when this unity is broken by the separation of these two, the creature dies, and is clearly no longer living. The body also, while it remains in one form by the joining together of its members, presents a human appearance; but if the separation and dispersal of the parts break up the body’s unity, it ceases to be what it was. And if we extend our survey to all other things, without doubt it will manifestly appear that each several thing subsists while it is one, but when it ceases to be one perishes.”

“Yes; when I consider further, I see it to be even as thou sayest.”

“Well, is there aught,” said she, “which, in so far as it acts conformably to nature, abandons the wish for life, and desires to come to death and corruption?”