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Chap. II.—Of the Production of the Beasts and of Man.

For our Creator and Parent, God, has given to man perception and reason, that it might be evident from this that we are descended from Him, because He Himself is intelligence, He Himself is perception and reason. Since He did not give that power of reason to the other animals, He provided beforehand in what manner their life might be more safe. For He clothed them all with their own natural hair, 1810 in order that they might more easily be able to endure the severity of frosts and colds. Moreover, He has appointed to every kind its own peculiar defence for the repelling of attacks from without; so that they may either oppose the stronger animals with natural weapons, or the feebler ones may withdraw themselves from danger by the swiftness of their flight, or those which require at once both strength and swiftness may protect themselves by craft, or guard themselves in hiding-places. 1811 And so others of them either poise themselves aloft with light plumage, or are supported by hoofs, 1812 or are furnished with horns; some have arms in their mouth—namely, their teeth 1813 —or hooked talons on their feet; and none of them is destitute of a defence for its own protection.  





Omnes enim suis ex se pilis. Others read, “pellibus texit.”  


[ποδωκίην λὰγωο̑ιςAnac., Ode i. 3.]  


[Φύσις κέρατα ταύροις ὁπλὰς δ' έδωκεν ίπποις.—Anac., Ode i. 1, 2.]  


[λέουσι χάσμ' οἠδόντωνIb., 4.]  


[“The survival of the fittest.” The cant of our day anticipated.]  


[τοι̑ς ἀνδράσιν φρόνημαIb., 5. See p. 172, note 5, supra.]  



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