'What is that?' said I.
'Is there aught, thinkest thou, amid these mortal and perishable things which can produce a state such as this?'
'Nay, surely not; and this thou hast so amply demonstrated that no word more is needed.'
'Well, then, these things seem to give to mortals shadows of the true good, or some kind of imperfect good; but the true and perfect good they cannot bestow.'
'Even so,' said I.
'Since, then, thou hast learnt what that true happiness is, and what men falsely call happiness, it now remains that thou shouldst learn from what source to seek this.'
'Yes; to this I have long been eagerly looking forward.'
'Well, since, as Plato maintains in the "Timæus," we ought even in the most trivial matters to implore the Divine protection, what thinkest thou should we now do in order to deserve to find the seat of that highest good?'
'We must invoke the Father of all things,' said I; 'for without this no enterprise sets out from a right beginning.'
'Thou sayest well,' said she; and forthwith lifted up her voice and sang: