Note 14 — Chapter VI · THE STUDY OF NATURE. FUNDAMENTAL POSITIONS.

(3) Cycles in the world’s course. No sooner, however, will everything have returned to its original unity,14 and the course of the world have come to an end, than the formation of a new world will begin,15 so exactly corresponding with the previous world that every particular thing, every particular person, and every occurrence will recur in it,16 precisely as they occurred in the world preceding. Hence the history of the world and of Deity—as, indeed, with the eternity of matter and acting force, must necessarily be the case—revolves in an endless cycle through exactly the same stages.17 Still there were not wanting, even in comparatively early times, members of the Stoic School who entertained doubts on this teaching; and among the most distinguished of the later Stoics some gave it up altogether.18 Besides the periodical destruction by fire, periodical destructions by floods19 were also assumed; there being, however, a difference of opinion as to whether the whole universe, or only the earth and its inhabitants, were subject to these floods.20