That there is such a thing, therefore, as place, appears to be evident from alternate mutation: for where water now is, here, on its departure, as from a vessel, air will again be contained; but sometimes some other body will occupy this very place. But this appears to be different from the things which enter into it and are changed: for in the place in which air now is, in this water was before. So that it is evident that there was a certain place and receptacle different from both into which and from which they were changed. Again, the legions of natural and simple bodies, such as of fire, earth, and others of this kind, not only events that there is a certain place, but also that it possesses a certain power: for each tends to its own place, unless it is impeded; one body downward, and another upward. But these are the parts and species of place, namely, upward and downward, and the remaining six intervals. Things of this kind, however, do not only subsist with relation to us, namely, the right hand, and the left hand, upward and downward: for no one of these is always the same to us, but subsists according to position, as we happen to turn ourselves. Hence the same thing is frequently on the right and left hand, upward and downward, before and behind. But in nature each of these is separately defined. For not anything casual is upward, but that to which fire and a light body tend. In like manner, with respect to that which is downward, this is not the place of any casual thing, but it is that to which heavy and terrestrial things tend; as if these did not alone differ in position, but also in power. This also is manifested by mathematical entities: for these not being in place yet at the same time according to position with reference to us they have the right hand and the left: so that the position of them is alone the object of intellection, in consequence of not possessing each of these from nature. Further still; those who say that there is a vacuum, assert that there is place: for a vacuum will be a place deprived of body. That place, therefore, is something beside bodies; and that every sensible body is in place, may through these things be concluded. Hesiod, also, may seem to speak rightly when he makes chaos to be first period for he says,
Chaos of all things was the first producd,
and earth wide bosomed next.
As if it were requisite that there should first be a receptacle for beings, because he thought with the many, that all things are somewhere and in place. But if it is a thing of this kind, the power of place will be wonderful, and prior to all things: for that without which no one of other things subsists, but which can itself subsist without others, is necessarily the first period for place is not destroyed, when the things which it contains are corrupted.
