Somnium Scipionis, Part XXV

“For that which is always moved is eternal; but that which bears its movement to anything and that which itself is driven from another place, since it has an end of movement, it is necessary that it has an end of living. Therefore that which moves itself alone, since it is never left off from itself, not even does it ever desist from being moved; indeed for certain things which move themselves, this fountain, that beginning, is of moving. But there is no origin of the beginning; for all things rise from the beginning, but it itself is able to be born from no other thing; for this would not be a beginning which is born from something else; but if it never arises, nor indeed does it die anywhere. For, the beginning extinguished, neither will it itself be reborn by another, nor will it create another from itself, if indeed it is necessary that all things arise from a beginning. Thus it happens that the beginning of movement is from this thing which itself is moved by itself; this however is neither able to be born or to die; or else it is necessary that the whole heaven fall and that all nature stop and that it does not obtain any force by which, having been struck from the beginning, it is moved.