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

Hence likewise, it is in 1}

a certain respect good and infinite, and the most obscure and formless being. On / this account also these are prior to forms, and the evolution of them into light. Orpheus likewise delivers the very same things. For as Plato produces twofold causes from the one, viz. bound and infinity, thus too the theologist gives subsistence to ether and chaos from time ; ether being the cause of bound every where, but chaos of infinity. And from these two principles he generates both the divine and the visible orders of things; from the more excellent principle indeed, producing every thing stable, effective of sameness, and the source of measure and connexion ; but from the less excellent, every thing motive, effective

‘viz. The highest God, or the one.

/p. 324 of difference, never failing progression, the nature which is defined, and connected by other things, and the last infinity by which matter also is comprehended. Hence also matter is dissimilarly assimilated to the firstinfinity.’ And it is indeed a separation (ywpiopa), as being the receptacle (ywza) and place of forms ; but there is neither bound, nor a bottom, nor a seat about it, as being infinite, unstable, and indefinite. But again, the last infinity may be denominated a perpetual darkness, as being cllotted a formless nature. ence conformably to this assertion, Orpheus produces matter from the first hypostasis of intelligibles, Jur there perpetual darkness* and the infinite subsist. And these indeed, subsist there in a way more excellent than the successive orders of being. In matter however, the umluminated, and the infinite are inherent, through indigence, and not according to a transcendency, but a deficiency of power. Moreover, the tradition of the Egyptians asserts the same things concerning it. For the divine Tamblichus relates that according to Hermes materiality (υλοότη τα) is produced from essentiality? (ex τὴς οὐσιοτητος). It is prohable therefore, that Plato derived from Hermes an opinion of this kind concerning matter. And matter indeed primarily subsists from these principles [bound and infinity]. But Plato also produces it according to second and third principles, viz. intelligible and intellectual, super-celestial and mundane causes. And why do 1 say this of the Gods themselves? For the nature of the universe likewise, produces matter so far as she is [ἃ Goddess]* and according to the hyparxis of herself. For according to this she participates of the first cause. The Demiurgus therefore, according to the unity which he contains, according to which likewise ~ he is a God, is’ also the cause of the last matter; but according to his demiurgic being, he is not the cause of matter, but of bodies so far as they are bodies,

* For xpos eavrny here, it is necessary to read pos avrny, [1, €. πρὸς avrny απειριαν.}

πρὸς avrny απειριαν.}

* The first hypostasis of intelligibles is being itself, which is mingled from bound and infinity. Per petual darkness therefore, may be said to reside here, because this hypostasis through proximity to the ineffable cause of all becomes Carkened. “ον being very pear, as Damarcius admirably observes, to the immense principle, if it be lawful so to speak, it ἀν εν as it were in the adytum of that truly mystic silence.” This darkness, however, is not any deficiency, but a transcendency of all that is luminous. Yor as there is one kind of ignorance which is below knowledge as being the defect of it, and another which is above knowledge, being that in which our ascent to the ineffable terminates ; thus also, there are two kinds of darkness, the one being below, and the other above light.

3 See lamblic. De Mysterns, p. 159.

* The word θέον is omitted in the original, but ought evidently to be inserted, because Proclus in the Introduction to this work observes that Nature is a Goddess through being deified.

" For crc bere, it is requisite to read ἐστι,p. 225 and of corporeal qualities. Lfence generation is the offspring of being. According to the life which he contains, he is the cause of the animation which pervades through all things; but according to his intellect, he is the cause of the intellectual supply imparted to the universe. And all such things indeed, as he produces according to his secondary powers, he produces in conjunction with those that are primary. For every thing which participates of intellect, participates also of life, of being, and of union, That also which lives is, and is one; and being is connected through its own proper unity. The converse, however, is not. true. For such things as he produces according to the one,’ so many he does not produce according to being. Nor does he give subsistence to as many things according to the fountain of life, as he does according tobeing. Noras many things according to a royal intellect, as he does according to life; but he gives the greatest extent to his providence from his more elevated powers. These things, however, we have elsewhere more fully discussed.*

Let us therefore return to the words of Plato, and survey the meaning of each. The word thus then, suspends the whole orderly distribution of things from the goodness of the Demiurgus, viz. from his divinity. But the words, “ every ¢hing that was visible,” in the first place, leave’ nothing solitary; and in the next place, they show that this visible nature is corporeal. For it would not be visible if it was incorporeal and without quality. So that they neither signify matter, nor the \ second subject (i. e. body void of quality]. But the visible nature is that which, τ εν Ἵ

Oe δ, ton

For it would not be visible if it was incorporeal and without quality. So that they neither signify matter, nor the \ second subject (i. e. body void of quality]. But the visible nature is that which, τ εν Ἵ

Oe δ, ton now participates of forms, and possesses certain vestiges, and representations, | being moved in a confused and disorderly manner. For the idolie and indistinct /), : presence of forms produces different motions in it, as Timeus says farther on. |/ , These, however, all the orders of Gods prior to the Demiurgus illuminate; but the paradigm transcendently illuminates them by his very being, and prior to fabrication. For superior energize prior to secondary causes, and the Demiurgus makes in conjunction with the paradigm, but the paradigm, prior to the Demiurgus, and permeates to those things to which the energy of demiurgic providence does not extend. Iftherefore, you wish to disjoin primordial causes, and the things which proceed from them,* you will find that the good which is the cause of 0, all things, is also the cause of matter. On this account it is likewise the cause of |

!

er

" Instead of cura ro ny here, it is uecessary to read cara ro εν.

* For εξησταται here, it is necessary to read εξετασται.

> Instead of ἀφιστησιν in this place, it is requisite to read ἀφίησιν. 4 For ra aw avrov bere, read ra ax’ avrwy.

“20 PROCLUS ON THE [βοοκ "1.