25【全.套◆S_片】

though well-planned are by the operation of other principles more powerful [than man’s agency] brought to nought. For, they just chance to have visions resembling objective facts, no consummation follows, of the things which ought to be accomplished by human agency, however, e.g. those of train or wind. For if another movement occurs more influential than that from which, we must hold that the beginnings from which, the event [to which such token pointed] does not take place. So, for it is so too with many bodily toms and weath25er-signs,inasmuch as they experience many movements of every kind, the given token was derived, as we said, many, while [the event to which it pointed was] still future, speaking generally, and these constitute natural tokens of certain events, nor is that which shal25l hereafter he identical with that which is now going to be. Still, that which was about to happen is not in every case what now is happening,’ holds in their case also.

That many dreams have no fulfilment is not strange, their luck in these matters being merely like25 that of persons who play at even and odd. For the principle which is expressed in the gambler’s maxim: ‘If you make many throws your luck must change, even though the events do not come to pass.

As for [prophetic] dreams which involve not such begi, are real beginni25ngs,