CHAPTER V.WHETHER THE UNIVERSE IS ONE SINGLE THING.
The Stoics pronounce that the world is one thing, and this they say is the universe and is corporeal.
But Empedocles's opinion is, that the world is one; yet by no means the system of this world must be styled the universe, but that it is a small part of it, and the remainder is inactive matter.
What to Plato seems the truest he thus declares, that there is one world, and that world is the universe; and this he endeavors to evince by three arguments.

First, that the world could not be complete and perfect, if it did not within itself include all beings.

Secondly, nor could it give the true resemblance of its original and exemplar, if it were not the one only begotten thing.

Thirdly, it could not be incorruptible, if there were any being out of its compass to whose power it might be obnoxious.

But to Plato it may be thus returned.