And lastly, Xenophanes of Colophon laughs at the many and divers gods of Homer and sets one single deity on high--the ceaselessly creative might of nature, whose essence consists of thought, reason and eternity.
[A celebrated freethinker, who indulged in bold and independent speculations, and suffered much persecution for his ridicule of the Homeric deities.

He flourished at the time of our history and lived to a great age, far on into the fifth century.

We have quoted some fragments of his writings above.

He committed his speculations also to verse.] "In this power everything has its rise, and it alone remains unchanged, while all created matter must be continually renewed and perfected.

The ardent longing for some being above us, on whom we can lean when our own powers fail,--the wonderful instinct which desires a faithful friend to whom we can tell every joy and sorrow without fear of disclosure, the thankfulness with which we behold this beautiful world and all the rich blessings we have received--these are the feelings which we call piety--devotion.
"These you must hold fast; remembering, however, at the same time, that the world is ruled neither by the Egyptian, the Persian, nor the Greek divinities apart from each other, but that all these are one; and that one indivisible Deity, how different soever may be the names and characters under which He is represented, guides the fate of men and nations." The two Persian women listened to the old man in amazement.