The Commentaries on the Timaeus of Plato — trans. Thomas Taylor
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to each other. Evil, however, is noton this account natural to the soul ; since she is essentially the mistress of her choice. For the animated body has an essential tendency to disease ; for it is essentially corruptible ; and yet disease
- * MoyAnpas is omitted in the original,
- * For the proper parts of d self-motive whole, are also self-motive,
> For aw’ αἰτίαν here, itis necessary to read amerarriws,p. 419 is not according to nature. Hence, disease is indeed evil to the partial nature which is allotted to connect this particular body, but is ood to. the wholeness of bodies, Por it is necessary that what is generated from other things, should be changed into another thing. As, therefore, to. the nature which isin us, it is good for the nutriment to be changed, in order to the preservation of the animal; thus alse to every nature it is good for a part to be corrupted, in order that the wholes may be preserved, which are always prior to parts. For if parts were generated irom wholes, and the things generated should remain, all things would be rapidly consumed, in consequence of wholes becoming partial natures. For acontinued ablation taking place from things of a finite nature, the whole must necessarily fail, But wholes not existing, either generation will be stopped, or Mutation to partial natures will be derived from other things. Tlence that which is evil to a partial nature is good to the whole life of the world.
Tlence that which is evil to a partial nature is good to the whole life of the world.
Farther still, therefore, resuming the inquiry after another manner frém the beginning, if we are asked whether divinity was willing there should be evil, or was not willing, we reply that he was both. For he was willing, indeed, considered as imparting being to all things. Forevery thing in the universe which has any kind of being proceeds from the demiurgic cause, But he was not "willing, considered as producing all things good. For he concealed evil in the use of good, And if you are willing to argue physically, evil is produced cssentially indeed (roma partial soul, but accidentally from divinity, so far as it is evil, ifit is admitted that divinity gave subsistence to the soul. Evil also, so far as it is essentially good, originates from a divine cause, but accidentally from the soul. Por so far as it subsists according to justice, it possesses good. Again, Plato in the Laws defines what punishment is, viz. that it appears to consume him Who sullers it, and rescmbles the opening of ulcers. And he who is incapable Ὁ of being healed without a certain action, is incited to the performance of it, in order that the soul being liberated from her parturiency and stupid astonishment about that which is base, and repenting of her own evils, may begin to be purified. Por base and unjust actions, when they are the objects of hope, are lovely to those that vehemently admire them, but when accomplished, till those that perform them with repentance. And when, indecd, they are the subjects of meditation, they cause the soul to be latently diseased ; but when they have proceeded into energy, they demonstrate their own imbecility, but liberate the soul from the
* For ro μεν vrapevow in this place, itis uecersary to read, ro μὴ Suvapevor.
410 “PROCLUS ON UTIL [wooK 11.
most disgraceful parturition, And some, indeed, exlubit this punisliment accord. ing to the whole of their life; but others according to purtial energies, For he who does any thing irrational, does it from choice, is impelled to that which is the object of his choice, and leads into energy that which pre-existed in his imagination, ing to the whole of their life; but others according to purtial energies, For he who does any thing irrational, does it from choice, is impelled to that which is the object of his choice, and leads into energy that which pre-existed in his imagination,
In short, evil is neither in intellectual natures ; for the whole intellectual genus is free from all evil; nor in whole souls, or whole bodies; for all wholes are exempt from evil, as being perpetual, and always subsisting according to nature, It remains, therefore, that it must be in partial souls, or in partial bodies. But neither js it in the essences of these; for all their essences are derived from divinity ; nor in their powers ; for these subsist according to nature. Hence it remains, thatit must be in their energies. But with respect to souls, itis neither in such as are rational; for all these aspire after good ; nor in such as are irrational; for these energize according to nature. But it subsists in the privation of symmetry ' of these with reference to each other. And in bodies, it is neither in forin; for it wishes to rule over matter; norin matter, for it aspires after the supervening ornaments of form. Butit consists in the privation of symmetry between form and matter. From which also it is evident, that every thing evil exists according to a parypostasis, or resemblance of subsistence, and that at the same time it is coloured by good ; so that all things are good through the will of divinity, and as much as possible nothing is destitute of good. For it was not possible, that generation existing, evil also should not have a shadowy subsistence, since It is necessary to the perfection of the whole of things. And from what has been said, itis evident, that the will of divinity is not vain. For all things are good with reference to him, and there is not any being which ts not vanquished by a portion of good. Nor are the words, “ as much as possible, written superfluously. For they do not signify an imperfect power, but that power which rules over all things, and benefits all things through an abundance of good.
“Thus receiving every thing that was visible, and which was not in a state of rest, but moved ina confused and disorderly manner, be led it from disorder into order, conceiving that the latter was in every respect better than the former.”
‘ For ovpperpig here, it is uccessary to read, ασυμμετρίῳ. μμετριᾳ 7 ?
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BOOK 11.] TIMAUS OF PLATO, 321
Plutarch of Cherona and his followers, and also Atticus, understand what is
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