[120]
"Then shall we believe that the souls of sleepers
while dreaming are spontaneously moved? or, as
[p. 507]
Democritus thinks, that they are impelled to action
by phantoms from without1 ? Whether the one
theory or the other be correct, the fact remains that
men in sleep assume many false apparitions to be
true. Likewise, to men who are sailing, stationary
objects on shore seem to be moving; and also,
sometimes in looking at a lamp, by some sort of
optical illusion we see two flames instead of one.
Why need I mention how many non-existent things
are seen by men who are drunk or crazy? And if
we are to put no trust in such apparitions of the
waking man I do not understand why we should put
any trust in dreams. Of course you may argue, if
you will, about these tricks of vision as you would
about dreams, and say, for example, that when
stationary objects appear to be in motion, it foretells
an earthquake or a sudden flight; and when the
lamp's flame appears to be double it portends that
insurrection and rebellion are afoot!
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