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

* There is an owission in this place of at adda.

p. 420

third place, that the medium is biformed, and thus we arrive at the tetrad. This therefore, is what the Pythagoric hymn says about number: That it proceeds from the secret recesses of the monad, until it arrives at the divine tetrad. And this generates the decad, which is the mother of all things. TVius also the father of the Golden Verses, celebrates the tetractys itself, as the fountain of perennial nature. For the world being adorned by the tetrad, which proceeds fromthe monad and triad, is terminated by the decad, as being comprehensive of all things, That the world likewise is one through analogy, subsisting from these elements, and from such like things according to powers, and from so many according to quantity, Plato clearly manifests by saying, that not the sublunary region, but the body of the universe, Was venerated from the four elements. But the friendship of the world is the end of the analogy, through which also the world is) saved by itself Por every thing which is friendly, wishes to be preservative of that to which it is friendly : but every thing foreign turns from, and does not even wish that to exist to which it is abhorrent; 50 that the nature which is friendly to, is preservative of itself. The world however, is friendly to itself through analogy and) sympathy, and therefore it preserves itself! Butat is also preserved by the fabrication of things, receiving from it an ineflable guard. Tfence also, the theologist denominates the bond derived from the Demiurgus strong, as Night is represented saying to the Demiurgus,

But when your power around the whole has spread

A strong coercive bond.

Analogy however, imparts this friendship to the world, by connecting and comprehending the powers of the elements that are init. Total nature likewise imparts it, producing the sympathy and harmony of contraries. But prior to nature, soul imparts it, weaving the one life of the world, and co-adapting all the parts of it to the whole. And still much prior to these, it is imparted by intellect, which produces in all things, order, perfection, and one connexion. And even prior to an intellectual essence, the one divinity of the universe, and all the Gods that are allotted the world, are the primordial causes of the union that is init. But much prior to this, the one Demiurgus imparts this friendship to the world. This greatest however, and most perfect of bonds, which the father on all sides throws round the world, as being eflective of the friendslip and harmonious communion init, is denominated by the [Chaldean] Oracles, the bond of love heavily-laden with fire. For they say, “ The paternal selfbegotten intellect understanding bis works,

BOOK 111.} TIM.LUS OF PLATO. 43h

For they say, “ The paternal selfbegotten intellect understanding bis works,

BOOK 111.} TIM.LUS OF PLATO. 43h

disseminated in all things, the bond of love heavy with fire.” And they add the cause why he did this, “ That all things might remain' loving for an infinite time, woven together intellectaally in all the light of the father.” For on account of this Jove, all things are adapted to each other, “That the elements of the world might remain running in love.” Hence, the mundane elements are bound together, possess friendship, and this indissoluble for an infinite time, through the will ofp. 2 the father. If also together with these,” you are willing to survey the supermundane cause of fhendship, you will find this likewise celebrated by theologists. For the Demiurgus produced Venus, in order that she might beautifully illuminate all mundane natures, with order, harmony, and communion. And he also produced Love as her attendant, who is the unifying cause of wholes. The Demiurcus however, likewise possesses in himself the cause of Love. For he is “ Metis the first generator, and much-pleasing Love.” Hence he is very properly the cause of friendship and concord to his fabrications. And perhaps looking to this Pherecydes said, that Jupiter when he was about to fabricate, was changed into Love. Because however, he constituted the world from contraries, he led it to concord and friendship, and disseminated in all things sameness and union which pervade through wholes.

Through these things therefore, the world is indissoluble, and it is likewise so from its maker. For how can that which generates all things by its very existence, be the cause of corruption to all things? Besides, every thing which i8 corrupted is corrupted either from = matter, or from form, or from its maker; and from each of these in a two-fold respect. For it is corrupted from the maker, either being imbecile, as a partial nature; or changing its intention, as ἃ partial sou]. Itis also corrupted from form, either not being well constituted at first, or being dissolved in the course of time. And it is corrupted from matter, either being inwardly deprived of symmetry, or sustaining violence externally. As corruption therefore, is produced in a sixfold manner, Plato subverts all the modes of it. For the world is not in either way corrupted from its maker. Not from his want of power, because the Demiurgus is the best of causes, and imbecility has no place with him, since he governs the universe by inflexible powers.

* For Mn ée here, read Mnyyy δε.

* In the original πρὸ rovrey, but as Venus is posterior to the Demiurgus, who has previously been said to be the cause of friendship to the world, it appears to me that we should read wpos rovrwy, oF rather πρὸς rovrocs, as xpes seldom signifies wilh, when it governs the genitive,

p. 432

Nor from his will, becanse he does not at different times will different things ;

Nor from his will, becanse he does not at different times will different things ;

and because, to be willing to dissolve that which 15 beautifully harmonized, and © well constituted, is the province of an evil nature. But he is good, and the universe is beautifully harmonized. It is a similar thing therefore, for the Demiurgus to be willing that the universe should not exist, and for him not to be good. Nor is the world corrupted from form; for itis harmonized according to analogy, and is perfect and one. And through harmony indeed, form vanquishes; but through wholeness and onlyness, the world will never be deprived of congruity, Nor is it corrupted from matter. For its inherent analogy subverts the pnvation of symmetry. But its onlyness removes it from the reach of external viclence, By no means therefore, is it possible tor the universe to be corrupted. Why then does Plato add, that it cannot be corrupted, except by him by whom it was bound? Itis evident indeed, that it every where belongs to him who binds, to dissolve. And you may assume from this, that the world is generated in such ἃ way,' as alone subsisting from another cause. For as it is not dissoluble by any thing else than its generator; so it is not generated by any other than by him who bound it, which is, as we have said, through his possessing the cause of the dissolution of that whichis bound. What is here said also has another indication. For the universe is indissoluble by every thing, except by him who bound v. For it is not indissoluble by him; since this is a small thing to assert. But on the contrary, itis eternally bound by him. As if therefore it should be said, that he who possesses scientific Knowledge, ts meapable of being deceived by all things except by intellect; for he is not incapable of being deceived by intellect ; since it is not sufficient to intellect that the soul is not deceived, but that it possesses wisdom; thus also the world is not indissoluble by hitn who bound it, but is rather bound by him. For by other things it is indissoluble ; bat to him it rather belongs to bind, and not to dissolve. Just as it belongs to the sun to Huminate, and not to darken. For this is the province of certain other things.

* But the composition of the world received one whole of each of the fourelements. For it was constituted by him who composed it, from ald fire, water, airand earth; and he did not leave externally any part or power of any one of the clements.”

* Instead of euros here, it s requisite to read ovrws.

p. 133