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

“Tim. Entirely so, Socrates. And we shall endeavour to the utmost of our ability, to leave nothing belonging to such an employment

* For τὸ ἐκείνων here, it is necessary to read ro e\Aciwor.

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unaccomplished. For it would not be just, that we, who were yesterday entertained by you, in such a manner as guests ought to be received, should not return the hospitality with readiness and delight.”

The manners of Timeus are indicated by these words; for they are shown to be superb and modest, elevated and elegant, friendly and philanthropic. For the words “ Entirely so,” indicate his promptitude respecting the absent person, and the perfection of the science according to which he is readily disposed to fill up what is wanting in others; and they also indicate his genuine sincerity. But the words, “ We shall endeavour to the utmost of our ability, to leave nothing belonging to such an employment unaccomplished,” sufficiently present to our view, his firmness in the fulfilment of his promises, and his modesty in speaking of himself. Such, therefore, are the ethical indications that may be surveyed in these words. But the physical indications are these, that the remuneration of discussion, conveys an image of tiie communion and compensation of powers, through which all things are co-ordinated, and contribute to the one harmony of the universe. Likewise, that the energies of nature are changed according to time, different energies operating at different times on different subjects. For to these indications the words, “return the hospitality to you, by whom we were yesterday entertained in such a manner as guests ought to be received,” are similar. That which is theologically indicated is this, that the demiurgic cause proceeds through, and fills all things, aad cuts off every deficiency through his own power, and his prolific abundance, according to which he leaves nothing destitute of himself. For he is characterised by the super-plenary, the sufficient, and the all-perfect. Moreover, the expression, return the hospitality, is derived from the banqueting in divine fables, according to which the Gods pledge each other:

In golden goblets they each other pledge. Iliad IV. v. 2.

being filled with nectar from the mighty Jupiter. Nor is it simply said, to feast, but fo return the hospitality (or to feast in return). For a reciprocation of feasting," comprehends the entire, and completely perfect plenitude of banqueting. But this also is scen in wholes. For the visible orders of things call forth invisible powers, through their own consummate aptitude; and the latter through transcendency of goodness perfect the former. All these likewise, are conjoined with each other, and the communication of perfection, becomes the retnbution of

* For αφεστιασις here, it is necessary to read αγταφεστιασιε.

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All these likewise, are conjoined with each other, and the communication of perfection, becomes the retnbution of

* For αφεστιασις here, it is necessary to read αγταφεστιασιε.

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calling forth. Farther still, to do all these things, accompanied with justice, conveys an image of the Justice which arranges all things in conjunction with Jupiter. But the becoming {or in such ἃ manner as guests ought to be received] is an image of the cause which illuminates wholes with demiurgic beauty. And the term guests, is an image of the variety which is defined according to divine peculiarities. For each of the divine natures possesses appropriate powers and energies. As therefore Socrates feasted Timeus with the discourses of his own philosophy, thus also each of the Gods, energizing conformably to his proper powers, contributes to the one and transcendent providential attention of the Demiurgus to the whole of things. And_ these particulars are exhibited as an exercise to the theory of things, which presents itself to the view! after the manner of an image, in the introduction to the dialogue,

From these things likewise, the times of the dialogues, the Republic, and the Timwus, are manifest; since the one Is supposed to have taken place during the Bendidian festival in the Pirwus, but the other on the following day of the fes- ἀνα]. For that the Bendidian festival was celebrated in the Pirwus on the 19th of April, is acknowledged by those who have written concerning festivals, so that the Timwus must be supposed to have taken place on the 20th of the same month, But if, as will be observed in what follows, this dialogue is supposed to have taken place during the Vanathenwan festival, it is evident that this was the less Panathenwa. For the greater were celebrated on the 28th of June, according to the narration of those whom we have just mentioned,

“Soc. Do you remember, therefore, the magnitude and quality of the things which I proposed to you to explain £”

In the first place, it is requisite to attend to the order of the heads of what is said, of which, that concerning the multitude of those that form the conference, is the leader. The next to this pertains to the filling up the part of him who ts absent. And the third is that which is now added, and respects the explication of the things proposed to be discussed. But these are in continuity with each other. And with reference to the order, it is requisite to understand the accuracy of the words. For the words “ Do you remember,” exhibit distributed knowledge in the participations of discourse, Lor in the Demiurgus the recollection of all

' For eugawopeva in this place, I read engancuerns.

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For the words “ Do you remember,” exhibit distributed knowledge in the participations of discourse, Lor in the Demiurgus the recollection of all

' For eugawopeva in this place, I read engancuerns.

p. 23

things, is a separate, exempt, and uniform knowledge, according to the Mnemosyne which he contains, and which is the firm establishment of divine intelligence. And this in the secondary Gods, is a subordinate intellection; of both which the present persons are images. Through this memory likewise, which pre-exists in the universe, whole souls are established in intelligibles, and the demiurgic reasons, [or productive principles} possess an imrautable and an immoveable nature ; so that such" beings as are deprived of it, as is the case with partial souls, and the natures of things that are generated, fall off from their proper causes. But the terms “ such things,” and “about which,” are indicative of the quantity and quality of the productive principles, which proceed indeed from the total fabrication, and also proceed trom more partial Gods. And with respect to the words “which 2 proposed to you to caplain,” if they were addressed to Critias and Hermocrates, it is evident how they are to be referred to things, and to the principles of the fabrication of the world; but if also to Timeus, they are not a symbol of transcendency [in Socrates}, but of an evocation of the intellectual conceptions of Timzus. Besides these things, however, let us survey the answer of Timaus.

“Tim. Some things indeed, I recollect ; but such as I have forgotten, do you recall into my memory.”

That which is ethical in these words, you will find to be this, as Porphyry says, that they are amedium between irony and arrogance. For Timus does not say that he recollects every thing, nor that he recollects nothing; but that he recollects some things, and not others. That which is logical in them is, that they afford a pretext for the summary repetition of the problems: for to do this is the province of dialectic. The physical indication of the words is this, that physical productive principles always remain, and are always refluxive, just as the present remembrance [of Timius] is partly preserved, and partly lost. For what is said by the man must be transferred to the whole of nature. And the theological indication is, that the one fabrication [which is that of the Demiurgus] possesses indeed from itself, the immutable and undefiled in its generations ; but through secondary and third powers, is sustained as it proceeds, and is in itself separate ; these powers attending it as guards, and running as it were before it repress the tumult of generated natures. Or rather, that this fabrication is such,

* For oens here, it is necessary to read oea.

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