L. VIVES.
MOre (a) perfect] Apuleius makes them of a meane temperature betweene earthly and aethe∣reall, more pure and transparent then a clowde, coagulate of the most subtile parts of ayre, * 1.1 and voide of all solidity, inuisible vnlesse they please to forme themselues a groser shape. (b) That with his skinne] Casting his skinne, he begins at his eies, that one ignorant thereof would thinke him blind. Then gettes he his head bare, and in 24. houres putteth it of his whole body. * 1.2 Looke Aristot. de gen. anim. lib. 8. (c) Higher place] Which Apuleius gathers thus: No element is voyde of creatures. Earth hath men and beasts: the water, fishes: fire some liuing things also, witnesse Aristotle: Ergo the ayre must haue some also: but vnlesse those spirits bee they, * 1.3 none can tell what they be. So that the spirits are vnder the gods, and aboue vs: their inferiors our betters. (d) I but birds] Apuleius his answer: thus: Some giue the ayre to the birds to dwell in: falsly: For they neuer go higher then Olympus top: which being the highest mount of the world, yet perpendicularly measured is not two furlongs high: whereas the ayre rea∣cheth vp to the concaue of the Moones spheare, and there the skies begin. What is then in all that ayrie space betweene the Moone and Olympus top? hath it no creatures? is it a dead vse∣lesse part of nature? And-againe, birds (if one consider them well) are rather creatures earth∣ly then a•…•…reall: on earth they feed, rest, breed, and flye as neare it as may bee: and when they are weary, earth is their port of retirement. This from an imperfect coppy of Apuleius: yet Augustines reason of the place must stand: for though the spirits bee aboue the birds, yet the birds are •…•…ill aboue vs: but I meane not heare to play the disputant.