The Commentaries on the Timaeus of Plato — trans. Thomas Taylor

Jupiter or the Demiurgus,) is not imparticipable because it immediately illuminates, or is con-subsistent with, intellectual intellect. See the 6th Book of my Translation of Proclus on the theology of Plato.

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It has been rightly observed by some prior to us, that Plato having shown that the world was generated by a cause, immediately after ascends to the God who is the Demiurgus of it, in a manner worthy of his intellectual conceptions, Vor it seems that the artificial nature of the progeny, introduces a rational and divine cause, and not accident or chance, which are neither causes, nor have an hypostatic power, nor in short, sustain the well-ordered progression of beings. [1 is requisite, however, that we should first examine the words themselves, and afterwards thus recur to the whole theory.

Father and maker therefore, differ from) each other, so far as the former is the cause of matter,: but the latter of the world and order, and in short, of the formal cause; and so far indeed as the former is the supplier of bem and union, but the latter of powers and a multiforn essence 5 anid so far ax the one stably contains all things in himself, but the other is the eause of progression and veneration ; and so far as the former signifies ineffable and divine providence, but the Tatter an abundant communication of productive principles. Porphyry however says, that father is he who generates the universe from himself, but maker he who receives the matter of it from another. Hence Aristo indeed, is said to be the father of Plato, but the builder of a house is the maker or fabricator of it, as not himself generating the matter of which it consists. If however, this is true, there was no occasion to call the Demiurgus father, because, according to Timwus, he does not give subsistence to matter. Is not the demiurgus therefore, rather the maker as producing form? For we call all those makers who produce any thing from a non-existent state into existence, But so far as the Demiurgus produces that which he produces, in conjunction with life, he is father. Tor fathers are the causes of animals, and of certain living beings, and impart seed together with life. And thus much concerning this particular.

But “ this universe” signifies indeed, the corporeal masses, and the whole spheres [of which it consists] and the plenitudes of each. It also signifies the vital and intellectual powers, which ride as it were in the corporeal masses. It also comprehends all the mundane causes * and the whole divinity of the world, about which the number of the mundane Gods proceeds ; likewise, the one divinity, the divine soul, and the whole bulk of the world, together with the divine,

' For o\ns here, it is necessary to read vAys, because matter according to Plato proceeds from the father Phanes, or animal itself, and not from the Demiurgus.

* For avrovs, it is vecessary to read αἰτίας.

* For avrovs, it is vecessary to read αἰτίας.

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intellectual, psychical, and corporeal-formed number that is conjoined with the world, For every monad has a multitude co-ordinate to itself. All these therefore must be assumed for the wuiverse ; since it signifies all these. Perhaps likewise the addition of the pronoun ¢his, is significant of the universe being ina certain respect sensible and partial. For the intelligible universe is not ¢his, because it is comprehensive of all intellectual forms. But the term this is adapted to the visible universe which is allotted a sensible and material nature. It is ditticult therefore, as Plato says, to discover the Demiurgus of this universe. For since with respect to discovery one kind proceeds scientifically from such things as are first,’ but another journeys on from things of a secondary nature, according to reminiscence ; the discovery from such things as are first may be said to be dificult, because the invention of the intermediate powers, pertains to the highest theory. But the discovery from such things as are secondary, is nearly more ditficult than the former. For if we intend from these to survey the essence of the Demiurgus, and his other powers, it is necessary that we should have beheld all the nature of the things generated by him, all the visible parts of the world, and the nnapparent natural powers which it contains, according to which the sympathy and antipathy of the parts in the world subsist. Prior to these also, we must have surveyed the stable physical reasons, and natures themselves, both the more total and the more partial,* and again, the immaterial and material, the divine and diaemoniacal, and the natures of mortal animals. And farther still, the genera which are under life, the perpetual and the mortal, the undefiled and the material, such as are wholes, and sach as are parts, the rational and the irrational, and the prerogatives which are superior to ours, through which every thing between the Gods and the mortal nature are bound together. We must likewise have beheld the all-various souls, the diflerent numbers of Gods according to the diflerent parts of the universe, and the ineffable and effable impressions of the world through which it is conjoined with the father. For he who without having seen these is impelled to the survey of the Demiurgus, is more imperfect than is requisite to the intellectual perception of the father. But it is not lawful for any thing imperfect to be conjoined with that which is all-perfect.

Moreover, it is necessary,’ that the soul becoming an intellectual world, and being assimilated as much as possible to the whole intelligible world, should in-

* viz. From axioms and definitions.

* Meptcwrepas is omitted in the original. Ὁ For δη here, it is requisite to read bec.

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From axioms and definitions. * Meptcwrepas is omitted in the original. Ὁ For δη here, it is requisite to read bec.

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trofuce herself to the maker of the universe ; and from this introduction, should in a certain respect become familiar with him through a continued intellectual energy. For uninterrupted energy about any thing, calls forth and resuscitates our (dormant) ideas. But through this familiarity, becoming stationed at the door of the father, it is necessary that we should be united to him. For discovery is this, to meet with him, to be united to him, to associate alone with the alone, and to see him himself, the soul hastily withdrawing herself from every other energy to him. For being present with her father, she then considers scientific discussions to be but words,’ banquets together with him on the truth of real being, and in pure splendor is purely initiated in entire and stable visions. Such therefore is the discovery of the father, not that which is doxastic ; for this is dubious, and not very remote from the irrational life. Neither ts it scientific ; for this is syllogistic and composite, and does not come into contact with the intellectual essence of the intellectual Demiurgus. But it is that which subsists according to intellectual vision itself, acontact with the intelligible, and a union with the demiurgic intellect. For this may properly be denominated difficult, either as hard to obtain, presenting itself to souls after every evolution of life; or as the true labour of souls. For after the wandering about generation, after purification, and the light of science, intellectual energy and the intellect which is in us shine forth, placing the sonl in the father as ina port, purely establishing her in demiurgic intellections, and conjoining hight with light, not such as that of science, but more beautiful, more intellectual, and partaking more of the nature of the onethan this. For this is the paternal port," and the discovery of the father, viz. an undefiled union with him.

* This is in consequence of a union with the Demiurgus beiug so much superior to scientific perception.