The Limitations of Knowledge

To his friend.

1. Hear thou, Pausanias, son of wise Anchitus!

The Limitations of Knowledge

2. The ways of knowing lie scattered through their narrow members.

Many vile surprises blunts the soul and the keen desire.

Having viewed their little share of life, with briefest fates, they are lifted up and away like smoke.

They believe only on what each chances on, driven here and there.

Yet they boast The larger vision of the whole and all.

But never shall these things be seen nor heard by men, nor seized by mind.

Since you here now are withdrawn apart, you shall learn no more than what a mortal range of knowledge may span.

3. Shelter these teachings in your own mute breast.

4. But turn their madness, Gods! from tongue of mine, and drain through holy lips the well-spring clear!

And many-wooed, O white-armed Maiden-Muse,

You I approach: O drive and send to me Meek Piety’s well-reined chariot of song.

So far as lawful is for men to hear, Whose lives are but a day.

Nor shall desire to pluck the flowers of fame and wide report among mankind impel thee on to dare

Speech beyond holy bound and seat profane

Upon those topmost pinnacles of Truth.

But come, by every way of knowing see how each thing is revealed.

Nor, having sight, trust sight no more than hearing will bear out, trust echoing ear but after tasting tongue.

Nor check the proof of all thy members aught:

Note by all ways each thing as ’tis revealed.

5. Yea, but the base distrust the High and Strong.

Yet know the pledges that our Muse will urge,

When once her words be sifted through thy soul.

The Elements

6. First the fourfold root of all things hear!—

White gleaming Zeus, life-bringing Here, Dis,

And Nestis whose tears bedew mortality.

7. The uncreated elements.

Birth and Death

8. There is no birth of all things mortal, nor end in ruinous death.

But mingling only and interchange of mixed there is, and birth is but its name with men.

9. But when in man, wild beast, or bird, or bush, these elements commingle and arrive

The realms of light, the thoughtless deem it “birth”;

When they dispart, ’tis “doom of death;” and though

Not this the Law, I too assent to use.

10. Avenging Death.

Ex nihilo nihil.

11. Fools! for their thoughts are briefly brooded over.

Who trust that what is not can e’er become,

Or aught that is can wholly die away.

12. From what-is-not what-is can never become;

So that what-is should e’er be all destroyed,

No force could compass and no ear hath heard—

For there ’twill be forever where ’tis set.

The Plenum

13. The All has neither Void nor Overflow.

14. But with the All there is no Void, so where could anything greater come from?

Our Elements Immortal.

15. No wise man believes such foolishness, that:

• our existence lasts only while we live
• we feel joy and sorrow only in [physical] life
• before we were born we were nothing
• when we die we will be nothing again

Love and Hate, the Everlasting.

16. Love and Hate were powerful in the past, and they will exist in the future.

Eternity will always have them.