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

The elements therefore, are in the heavens, but not! after the

* Ov is omitted here in the original.

p. 425

-V same manner as tn genesinrzic bodies 3 for neither do they subsist in the heavens, alter the same manner as in the Demiurzus. But prior to the sublunary elements, there are, the celestial fire (and this light manifests which is a species of fire) and celestial earth. Or Why does the moon being illuminated produce a shadow, and Why does not the solar light pervade through the whole of it? It is also necessary that the middle elements should. be in the heavenly bodies, but that ditl-rent elements should abound in different parts of the celestial regions. And in some places indeci, tt is necessary that tne fiery nature should widely scatter its splendour, on account of solidity, as in the starry bodies ; but in others, that it should be concealed from us, as in the spheres that carry the stars. Lence, the peculiarity of all fire is vistbility, but neither heat, nor floating, And solidity and tangivility, are the character-

“astics of all earth, but not gravity, sinking, and a downward tendency. It therefore, We assume these peculiarities, we shall find that fire and earth subsist also analogously in the heavens ; fire indeed, defining the essence of them, but each of the other elements being consubsistent with it.

It therefore, We assume these peculiarities, we shall find that fire and earth subsist also analogously in the heavens ; fire indeed, defining the essence of them, but each of the other elements being consubsistent with it.

Por again, this also may be said, that causes and the efficients of certain things, every where antecedently comprehend the powers of the natures which are adorned and produced by them 3 and especially when they produce according to nature, For thus nature possesses the form of the teeth, the eves and the hands, through which also she gives morphe to matter, And not every eye possesses interval, but there is something in which it has an impartible form. Again, soul is one, and contains in itself that which is divine, and that whieh is irrational. And in the divine part of itself, it comprehends rationally the irrational powers, by which it governs, and arranges ina becoming manner irrationality. And neither is the unity of the soul, nor its multitude destroyed through different essences. For these things subsist in one way in the superior, and in another in the inferior part. Ina similar manner, the world also is one and many ; for the heavens are one thing, and generation another. And ceneration ts adorned from the heavens ; and these elements are in the heavens, but celestiaily. For they are in soul, psyehically, in intellect, intellectually, and in the Demiurgus, demiurgically. For how could the sublunary elements be governed by the etiluxions from these natures, unless they also subsisted in them after another manner? Thus also in the arts, we may see that the physician does not preside over the carpenter ; for the physician does not anteccdently comprehend in himself the works of the carpenter. Nor does the mechanic preside over the cook ; for the former does not antecedently comprehend things pertaining to banquets. But it

Tim. Plat. : Vou. I. 41]

p. 426

is the province of that which antecedently comprehends the whole power of a thing, to govern it. Hence it is evident that the mechanist entirely presides over the carpenter, and the physician over the cook. If therefore, the heavens govern all generation, the elements will be contained in them primarily.

The Pythagoreans however say, that the clements may be surveyed in the heavens in a twefuld respect, in one way indeed prior to the sun, and in another after it: for the moon is ethereal earth. This therefore, the theologist clearly asserts. Lor he says:

Another boundless earth besides he made,
Which Gods se/ene, mortals meae call,

With num’rous houses, ties, mounts adorn’d.

This therefore, the theologist clearly

asserts. Lor he says:

Another boundless earth besides he made,
Which Gods se/ene, mortals meae call,

With num’rous houses, ties, mounts adorn’d.

But they say that the planct Mercury is ethereal water, Venus air, and the sun fire, And again, that Mars is eclestial fire, Jupiter celestial air, Saturn celestial water, and the inerratic sphere celestial earth. And thus speaking ina divided manner they make the extremes to be every where fire and earth, but conjoin the ethereal natures through media, viz. through Venus and Mercury: for both these have a collective and unifying power. But they conjoin the celestial natures, through Saturn and Jupiter: for through these that which is connective of wholes, and the commensurate, accede to all things. What we now say, however, is conformable to the history delivered by many [of the Pythagoric doctrines], For that this mode of distribution is not Platonic, we may learn from this that Plato arranges the sun immediately above the moon, afterwards Venus, and then Mercury.

It is necessary therefore to understand, that all the elements are in each of the celestial spheres, since in the sublunary elements also, each participates of the rest. For fire participates of earth; since being moved with facility, it would most rapidly perish, ifit was entirely without stability. And earth participates of fire; for being moved with difficulty, it requires heat to resuscitate and restore it. As this therefore is the case in these sublunary elements, much more must all the elements be in each of the celestial spheres, though some of the heavenly bodies participate more’ of fire, others of air, others of water, and others of earth.

Again therefore, from the beginning we must say, that the elements being con-

‘Madey is emitted in this place in the original, ev aa ae Sen eee oe te ee! ee δὰ τρια»

BOOK 111. TIM.GUS OF PLATO. 427