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

For neither is intellect produced according to idea, nor does it admit of any name of generation, being entirely unbegotten, and eternal. It is however unfolded into light from wholes, but abiding in them

* For epwshere, it is necessary to read opos.

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inherently, it proceeds unitedly, together with its more total causes. Hence it abides impartible and undivided, being preserved by undefiled and inflexible powers, while another life is distributed and divided about the parts of the umverse. Plato therefore, delivers the first: hypostasis of the universe from fabrication, viz. an hypostasis according to wholeness; according to which it becomes animated, divine, and endued with intelleet, conformably to a similitude to all-perfect animal. But he adds asecond hypostasis, which divides the world according to wholes, and the production of total parts; soul and the corporealformed nature existing according to this hypostasis. For intellect is entirely unbegotten, as we have said, because it is without generation and indivisible; except that it proceeds in an unbegotten manner, from the providence of the Demiurgus. But he calls the nature which receives intellect, the evolution ἡ itself into light of soul. For the Demiurgus himself places the circles of soul in intellect, unfolding it without division, as being impartible, and without figure, as being pertectly unfigured. And he delivers after this, the third hypostasis of the universe, dividing it according to parts, and giving perfection to each of the parts. For he delivers to us, how fire and air, water and earth are generated. But in the Jast place, he surveys the energy of fabrication which is effective of body ; and neither in this does he descend to particulars," but abides in the whole elements. — For the total fabrication is the fabrication of wholes, and of total parts. But he delivers the formation of individuals, and of things which are truly partial, to. the junior Gods ; in order that imitating the providence of their father about wholes, they also may receive a similar fabrication about particulars, and may have that analogy to him which he has to the intelligible paradigm. For being intellectual as with reference to this paradigm, and having the order of intellect, as with relation to intelligible intellect, he becomes himself intelligible to the mundane Gods.

As we have said therefore, fabrication being triple, the first, according to wholeness, the second, according to a division into wholes, and the third, according to a division into parts,’ Plato now intends to deliver to us the middle or second fabrication ; having indeed a transition of this kind consentaneous from. things themselves 5 and having also an opportune progression to this from what had been

" For aagaow here, read expavau.

* For ra sadeora, read ra καθέκαστα.

things themselves 5 and having also an opportune progression to this from what had been

" For aagaow here, read expavau.

* For ra sadeora, read ra καθέκαστα.

Ὁ In otber words fabrication is either Jovian, or Dienysiacal, or Adontical, as was before observed by Proclus.

p. 369

before said. For since he had defined the world to be one visible animal, comprehending within it all such things as are naturally allied to it; that the world indeed is one, he demonstrated from the onlyness of the paradigm ; but that it is visible, and that it is comprehensive of all kindred natures, is rendered manifest to us by the division of the universe into wholes. For if we can discover from what cause the world is visible, and how all the elements are co-arranged in it, and through what analogies, we shall easily perceive that it comprehends all kindred natures, and that there is nothing sensible which is not contained in the one ambit of the world. Perceiving this however, we shall sufficiently obtain the object. of investigation, For this was, how the world is visible, and how it is comprehepsive of all things which are naturally allied to it. For from what has been before said, we assume that the world is alone; but from these things, that it is all-perfect.

“Since, however, it is necessary that what is generated of a corporeal nature should be visible and tangible ; but without fire nothing can become visible, neither can any thing be tangible without a certain solid, nor solid without earth ;—hence divinity beginning to fabricate, constituted the body of the universe from fire and earth.”

Plato having a little before given the definition of that which is generated, calling it that which is becoming to be, and which is perishable, he defined it to be that which is the object of opinion in conjunction with sense. But demonstrating that the world is generated, he converts the definition. For he says that sensibles are seen to be things which are becoming to be, and are generated. But now transferring that which is itself generated, to the order of a subject, he predicates of it the visible and tangible. For these are the extremes of sensibles, just as the sight and the touch are the extremes of the senses. Hence there, as 1 have observed in what he says respecting the world being generated, he converts the definition. But here he gives it according to nature. For that which is becoming to be was in the order of the indefinite. But as he said in the hypotheses, that which is the object of opinion in conjunction with sense, is to be assumed in the definition. Ie says therefore, it is necessary that what is generated should be | sensible, not indeed every generated nature, but that which we before called generated, viz. the composite nature, and which is always becoming to be through the whole of time. For soul also is generated, but the discourse is not about this.

the composite nature, and which is always becoming to be through the whole of time. For soul also is generated, but the discourse is not about this.

p. 200

If however, some one should say that according to Plato material forms and qualities themselves are apprehended by sense, and yet are incorporeal, and at the same time have generation, let him know, says the divine Tamblichus, that these likewise contribute to the hypostasis of bodies, and are surveyed in conjunction with them. Since therefore the world has a certain corporeal and likewise an incorporeal portion in it, and this latter is two-fold, one being inseparable, but the other separate from body; since also the portion of the incorporeal, which is separate from body is two-fold, viz. psychical and intellectual; and further still, since the world also has the unbegotten and the generated, but the whole of every thing which consists of the unbeyotten and the generated, is generated, Plato very properly calls the whole world something generated and corporeal. formed. For if a whole consists of the mortal and the immortal, the whole is mortal ; if from the unbegotten and the generated, the whole is generated 5 and if from the incorporeal and the corporeal, the whole has the form of a corporeal nature. For if indeed, the incorporeal itself is co-passive with body, it becomes itself corporeal-formed, and not the whole only. Ty, however, that which is principally and properly incorporeal, is itself exempt and impassive, being raised above body, this more excellent nature is not indeed body, since it remains tn its own purity, but the whole may more justly be denominated corporeal-formed. Hence, since the world participates of many and blessed prerogatives from. its generator, but partakes also of body, itis deservedly called corporeal-formed, visible and tangible, according to the whole of itself Tor it is generated. But that which is generated is visible and tangible and has a body, as was rightly asserted before.

Plato beginning therefore from body, in the first place gives it to be sensible according to the extreme senses. In the next place, he imparts to it that which is more perfect than this, viz. the bond through analogy, which is connective of the bodies it contains, In the third place, he makes it to be a whole consisting of the wholes of the elements. Afterwards, in the fourth place, he gives ita spherical figure, in order that it may be most similar to itself according to form. In the fifth place, he shows that the world suffers all things in itself, In the sixth place, he distributes to it an appropriate motion. Afterwards, in the seventh place, he animates it through a divine soul. In the eighth place, he imparts to it atemporal period. Afterwards, in the ninth place, he establishes the senes '

For cepa here, itis necessary to read σειρα.

p. 391