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

Perhaps, therefore, we shall speak rightly if we say, that education is the perfection which fills each thing with the good pertaining to it, and causes it to be sufficient to itself, according to intellectual perceptions and providential i ans WOE. eit Rae σῶς δὶp. 30 energies. But with respeet to music and gymnastic, that the former canses the lives in the universe to be harmonious, and the latter renders divine motion rythmical and elegant, so as always to preserve the same form, and the same immutable habit of the divine vehicles. For through these things Plato elsewhere calls divine souls Sirens, and shows that the celestial motion is harmoniously elegant ; for gymnastic is indeed in them. But medicine is in things sublunary in’ consequence of their receiving that which is preternatural. If, therefore, we assert these things, we shall, as I have betore observed, perhaps speak rightly. For powers proceed supernally from intelligibles to all heaven, and impart to the celestial lives by illumination the most excellent harmony, and to their vehicles undecaying strengih. But the disciplines which are in the universe, are the intellectual perceptions of souls, and of celestial natures, according to which they run back to the intelligible, following the mighty Jupiter, and) surveying number characterized by unity, the truly-existing heaven, and intellectual figure. Hence you may say, that the most trae arithmetic, astronomy and geometry are in them. Por they behold swifthess itself) and slowness itself, which are the paradigms of the celestial periods. And, in short, they survey the primordial and intellectual circulation, divine number, and intellectual figures. You may likewise say, that prior to these, they contain dialectic, according to which they intellectually perceive the whole of an intelligible essence, and are united to the one cause of all the unities. And if it is necessary to speak by making a division, we may say, that through such like disciplines they energize about first natures; but through gymnastic, preside over things secondary with undefiled purity; and through music, harmonically contain the colligation of wholes. ἢ

“δος. We likewise established, that those who were so educated, should neither consider gold, nor silver, nor any other possessions of a similar kind, as their own private property.”

Those things which are to be ordained in a city governed by the most equitable laws, have an evident cause, and were mentioned by Socrates in the Republic. Bat how ean we transfer them to the heavens?) Must it not be by. surveying through what cause men pursue the acquisition of gold and silver, and from what conceptions they are induced to cherish this infinite love? It is evident that it is because they wish to supply their wants, and desire to procure such things as may administer to their pleasures. For on this account, they are stupidly astonished a

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It is evident that it is because they wish to supply their wants, and desire to procure such things as may administer to their pleasures. For on this account, they are stupidly astonished a

>p. 36 about much-beloved wealth. They say, therefore, conformably to Cephalus, that the rich have many consolations. If, however, these things thus subsist, the perfection of the celestial Gods, since it is sufficient to itself, and is converted to the beautiful and the good, is not at all in want of this adventitious and apparent self-sufliciency, nor docs it look to convenience, or regard as its scope vulgar utility; but being established remote from all indigence and material necessity, and replete with good, it has a leading and ruling order in the universe, —Moreover, it does not admit partible and divided good. But it pursues that which is common and impartible, and extends to wholes, and is especially characterized according to this. Hence it harmonizes with what is now said, “that those who are so educated should neither consider gold, nor silver, nor any other possessions of a similar hind, as their own private properly.”

If you are willing also, it may be said, that gold and silver, and each of the metals, as likewise other things, grow in the earth, from the celestial Gods, and from an εἰ μα τον thence derived. Ut is said therefore that gold pertains to the Sun, silver to the Moon, lead to Saturn, and iron to Mars, Hence these are generated from thence. But they subsist in the earth, and not in the celestial Gods who emit the effuxions. For they do not receive any thing from material natures, And all things there, are indecd from all, but at the same time a different peculiarity has dominion in’ a different divinity,—here, ina Saturnian, bat there, inva solar manner; to which those who love to contemplate these things directing their attention, refer one material substance to this, but another to a different power. These things, therefore, are not the private, but the common property of the Gods ; for they are the progeny of all of them, Nor do they subsist in them, For as they produced them, they are not in want of them; but the metals which are here, derive their concretion from the efflurions of the celestial Gods. Why, therefore, are these things earnestly pursued by men ina partible manner? [tis because they have a material life, and are extended to a partial nature, upostatizing from the whole. For on this account there is much among them of mime and not mine. But they abandon the union and communion of lite.

“ But that rather, after the manner of auxiliaries, they should receive the wages of guardianship from those whom they defend and_ preserve ; and that their recompense should be as much as is sufficient for temperate men. ‘hat besides this, they should spend their stipend in com-

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‘hat besides this, they should spend their stipend in comp. 37mon, and live cohabiting with each other, and neglecting other pursuits should pay attention to virtue alone.”

It is not at all wonderful that in human lives there should be donation and retribution, and a reward of beneficence. For it is well said by Socrates in the Republic, that the mark at which he aims is to render the whole city happy, but not one particular genus of it, such as the guardian. If, however, this be right, it will be requisite that some persons in the city should be the saviours of it by their providential care and prudence, but that others by ministrant aid and servitude, should supply the saviours of the polity with the necessaries of life; just as the nature which is in us, by fashioning and preserving the organ, prepares milk for the energies adapted to it. But in the world, what retribution can there be, or what recompense can be made by mortals to the celestial Gods? For may we not say that these are the peculiarities of human imbecility, in consequence of not possessing self-sufliciency, but that every God is suflicient to himself, and in con- Junction with the self suflicient is superfull?" Pence through the union of superplenitude with selfsufliciency, he fills all secondary natures with good, but re-

-ceives nothing from them. Or it may be said, that though divinity receives ‘nothing, as being sutlicient and unindigent, yet at the same time he requires certain remunerations from us, retributions of beneticence, the acknowledgment of thanks, and equity, through which we are converted to him, and are filled) with greater good. For being good,’ he is desirous that all things should look to him,

-and should remember that all things are from him and on account of him. For the preservation of the natures posterior to him, is for each of them to be suspended froma divine cause. If, however, we interpret these things after this manner, referring remunerations to conversions, and the acknowledgment of thanks, how can it still further be inferred, that the Gods cohabit with us in common, and spend a remuneration of this hind? It is better, therefore, to understand remuneration ina more physical way. For since efluaions proceed from the heavens to the mortal place, but exhalations ascend thither, and through these the fabrication of the Gods about mortal natures receives its completion, hence Socrates calls suchlike mutations and tronsitions of terrestrial natures, remunerations or wages from sublunary matter,’ which are perfected by the heavens, in order that generation

• * It is necessary afler ry avrapver here to supply the word ureprAnpes.
• * For ayadwy yap or, it is obviously requisite to read ἀγαθὸν, «. A. 1 Instead of απο rns oAns in this place, I read ἀπὸ τὴν wAns τὴν νποσεληνῆν,

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