22. The descendants however, of the Philosophers, who were named the "primitive (students of) Physics"⁵⁴, (and) who preceded all (others), laid the origin of all upon the inanimate Elements, and recognized neither God, nor Providence, nor Creator, nor Maker of any thing; but vainly, emptily and falsely, arrogated to themselves the name and show of Philosophers: some of them affirming the earth, and dry substance, to be the origin of all; others the ocean⁵⁵, the Parent of all ; for thus they named the humid substance and waters : others, fire⁵⁶; others, the

air⁵⁷; and others, a compound⁵⁸ of these. They also introduced many male, as they likewise did, female Deities. Marriage too, and the bringing forth of children, they perverted by natural metaphors, and the specious diction of the fictitious stories of the Poets, to the adorning of (this their) vain glory⁵⁹. So that these also, fell down again, as it were by perverseness, from the heights above, upon the material elements and sensible portions of the universe !