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

A soul which is not consubsisteut with body.

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gically, and being itself, and the intelligible world, he speaks conformably both to himself, and to Orpheus who says:

For in Jove’s ample dwelling all things lie,
And in Jove’s belly they together flow.

And all such like assertions. Nor is it at all wonderful, that each of the Gods should be the universe, but after a different manner, one demiurgically, another connectively, another immutably, another convertively,' and another in some other way according to a divine peculiarity. But if he says that the whole extent between the world and the one, is the Demiurgus, this deserves to become the subject of doubt; and we may urge against this assertion the arguments which we derive from him. For where are the kings that are prior to Jupiter, and are the fathers of Jupiter?) Where are the kings, according to Plato, whom he thinks fit to arrange above the world next to the onc? How likewise can we say that perpetual being itself is the first being, if we also say that the Demiurgus is the whole intelligible order, who is himself perpetual being, as is likewise animal itself? For shall we not thus be compelled to say, that the Demiurgus is notan eternal being? Unless the Demiurgus likewise is comprehended together with other eternal beings. That Iamblichus himself, however, though he here celebrates the demiurgic order in a more confused manner, yet speaks of it more accurately elsewhere, may be from thence assumed, Tor writing concerning the fabrication of Jupiter in the Timanus, after the intelligible triads, and the three tricds of the intelligible and at the same time intellectual’ Gods, he attributes the third order in the intellectual hebdomad to the Demiurgus. Tor he says that these three Gods are celebrated by the Pythagoreans, who assert that the first of them is an intellect comprehending in itself whole monads, the simple, the indivisible, the boniform, that which abides and is united in itself, and who deliver such like indications of its transcendency. But they say that the second is collective of the perfection of things of this kind, and that the inost beautiful indications of it are divine fecundity, that which is collective of the three Gods, that which gives completion to energy, that which is generative of divine life, that which proceeds

* Instead of των δε rpexrws, it is necessary to read τὸν δε excorperrixws.

* It is here necessary to supply καὶ voepwy. For the three triads of the intelligible and at ‘hes same time intellectual Gods, immediately follow the intelligible triads, and the intellectual hebdomad follows as the third in order.

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* It is here necessary to supply καὶ voepwy. For the three triads of the intelligible and at ‘hes same time intellectual Gods, immediately follow the intelligible triads, and the intellectual hebdomad follows as the third in order.

p. 260

every where, and that which is beneficent. And they teach us that of the third who fabricates wholes, the most beautiful signatures are, prolific progressions, the productions and connections of total causes, together with total causes defined by forms, all proceeding fabrications, and other things similar to these. It is worth while, therefore, to form a judgment of the Tamblichean theology from these things, and to determine what the nature of it is respecting the Demiurgus of wholes. For how can the Demiurgus be the whole’ of perpetual being, if indeed perpetual being has been already defined by Plato; but he now says that it Is difficult to find the Demiurgus, and when found, impossible to speak of him to all men? And how can these things be verified of that which is definitively delivered, and unfolded into light to all those that were present ?

After Lamblichus, therefore, Theodorus, following Atnelius, says that there are three Demiurgi. He arranges them, however, not immediately after the one, but at the extremity > of the intelligible and at the same time intellectual Gods. He also calls the first an essential intellect, the second, an intellectual essence, and the third, the fountain of souls. He likewise says, that the first is indivisible, but the second, divided into wholes, and the third receives a division into particulars. Again, therefore, the same things must be said to himas were said to the illustrious Amelius ; viz. that we indeed acknowledge that there are three Gods, or Gods analogous to these, yet we do not admit that there are three Deminrgi, but that the first is the intelligible of the Demiurgus, the second, his generative power, and that the third is truly the demiurgic intellect. It is likewise requisite to consider whether the fountain of souls is to be arranged as the third: for power pertains to the middle, as he somewhere says; and thus it must be denominated partially, and not called the universal fountain of life. For the fountain of souls, is one of the fountains contamed in this middle [or generative power of the Demiurgus.} For life is not in souls only, norin animated 1tures alone, but there is also a divine, and an intellectual, prior to the psychical life, which is said to proceed diversely from thence, from divided rivers. And such, in short, are the dogmas ? of the ancicnt interpreters concerning the Demiurgus.

Let ux, however, concisely relate the opinion of our preceptor (Syrianus] on this subject, as we think that it especially accords with the conceptions of Plato.

And such, in short, are the dogmas ? of the ancicnt interpreters concerning the Demiurgus.

Let ux, however, concisely relate the opinion of our preceptor (Syrianus] on this subject, as we think that it especially accords with the conceptions of Plato.

* For o\ew here, itis necessary to read odor. 1 ΓῚ Instead οἵ exe τὰ δε των νοητων τέ καὶ νυέρων θεων, I read ex’ ἐσχατον τῶν γοήτων κ. λ.

2. For δυγματων here, it is becessary to read δυγματα.

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The one Demiurgus, therefore, according to him," subsists at the extremity of the intellectual divine monads, and the fountains of life. But he emits from himself the total fabrication, and presides over the more partial fathers of wholes, Being, however, himself immoveable, he is eternally established on the summit of Olympus,* and rules over the twofold worlds, the supercelestial and the celestial, comprebending also the beginning, middles, and ends of wholes. For of the? whole demiurgic order, one part is a distribution of wholes totally, another of wholes partially, another of parts totallys, and another of parts partially. Fabrication, therefore, being fourfold, the demiurgic monad binds to itself the total providence of wholes; but a demiurgic triad, is suspended from it, which rules over parts totally, and over the divided power of the monad’ Just again, as in the other, or the partial fabrication, a monad is the leader of a triad, which orderly distributes wholes partially, and parts partially. But all the multitude of the triad dances [as it were] round the monad, and being divided about it, distributes its productions, and is filled from it. Of the many Demiurgi, therefore, there is one Demiurgus (who is the monad of the rest], in order that all things may be - consequent to each other, viz. the one, the paradigm in intelligibles, the one intelligible Demiurgus, the one only-begotten world. If, however, these things are rightly asserted, the Demiurgus of wholes is the boundary of intellectuals, established indeed in the intelligible, but being full of power, according to which he produces wholes, and converting all things to himself. On this account also Timaus calls him intellect, and the best of causes, and says that he looks to the intelligible paradigm ; in order that by this he may separate him from the first intelligible Gods. But by calling him intellect, he distinguishes him from the intelligible and at the same time intellectual Gods. And by denominating him the best of causes, he establishes him above all the other supermundane Demiurgi. For he denominates the causes demiurgic, as also he had before said, “ Every thing generated is generated by a cause,” and adds, “ /Vhen therefore an artificer, &c.” Hence the Demiurgus is an intellectual God, exempt from all the Demiurgi. If,