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

Why therefore is this very thing beheld in the universe, but is paradoxical in human lives! 1 say it is because these lives are cut off from wholes, and every human soul is partible.

* For ravra here, it is necessary to read παντγα.

Tim. Plat. τ Vou. 1. ὰὼ

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Hence the dogmas which embrace this communion appear to it most difficult to be admitted. If, therefore, some one should take away the condition of lis present subsistence, and elevate himself to the whole of things, he would immediately admit this communion, and despise the sympathy whichis divided by the multitude. So far, however, as each of us is extended, and minutely distributed about a part, and thus relinquishes the whole and one, so far also he leaps toa life of this kind, which is an unrestrained habitude, a disorderly arrangement, and an indivisible division.

“Soc. But that they might from their birth acquire a natural disposition as far as possible the best, we decreed that the rulers whom we placed over the marriage rites should, through the means of certain lots, take care that in the nuptial league, the worthy were mingled with the worthy ; that no discord may arise in this connexion, when it does not prove prosperous in the end, but that all the blame may be referred to fortune, and not to the guardians of such a conjunction.”

Plato particularly assumes in his Republic similitude, sameness, and geometrical, In conjunction with arithmetical equality, ino order that the similitude of it to the heavens, as in sensibles, or to the intelligible, as in supereclestial lives, may be perfectly preserved. For through this cause, in marriages also, he preserves the union of the best woman with the best man, and of the less excellent: woman with the less excellent man. For in the Gods likewise, primary natures are more connascent with those of the first rank, and secondary with those of the second rank ; and together with union there is unmingled purity. Tfence in the second genera after the Gods, a distribution of this kind conformably to the intention of the Gods, is effected according to desert. On this account, divine femate diemons are co-arranged with divine male dimons, psychical female with psychical inale, and material female with material male dwmons. And every where, the analogous in order proceeds as far as to the last of things. Po which we may add that the rulers contriving that this connexion may take plaice litently, sufhciently adumbrates to us that the cause of such a conjunction of genera subsists unapparently with the Gods; being thence primarily derived, bat) secondarily from damons,' and from the order of each, which ¢he lot indicates; possess-

It is necessary here to insert the words, ἀπὸ τὼν δαιμόνων.

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ing the power of colligation from similitude of life, according to which each is co-arranged with the similar, the divine with the divine, the material with the material, and that which has a middle subsistence, with the middle. On this account, likewise, all sedition and dissension is removed from divine natures, each loving that which is allied to itself, according to its own order, perceiving that this order is spontaneous, and not adventitious and devised; of all which, the citizens being conjoined in marriage by lot, and not looking to elegance and ornament in the connexion, is an image, For in natural things, also, receptacles are distributed to forms appropriately; and each form may ascribe the cause of its own co-ordination to material variety. At the same time, likewise, this is eflected according to causes ' which preside over the whole fabrication of things, and which are analogous to guardians. And thus much, therefore, has been said, tor the sake of the theory of wholes.

Longinus, however, doubts here, whether Plato was of opinion, that souls are emitted together with the seed: for in order that they may become most excellent, he conjoins similars with similars. And Porphyry replies indeed to the doubt, but not satisfactorily. Our preceptor, however, thinks that in’ the first place it should be observed, that Plato himself adds, “ In order that they might acquire a natural disposition as far as possible the best.” For children receice a physical stmilitude from their parents, and participate of a certain dignity and excellence from their begetters, according to the physical virtues. In the next place, it must be observed, that though it is not true that souls are emitted together with the seed, yet there is a distribution of the organs according to desert. For all souls are not introduced into casual organs, but each into that organ which is adapted to it.

ezira μὲν ἐσῆλος ebuve, χείρα Ce χείρονι δοσκεν,"

says Homer. Farther still, as an initiator into the mysteries, by placing certain symbols about statues, renders them more adapted to the participation of supcrior powers, thus also total nature fashioning bodies, by physical productive powers, the statues of souls, disseminates a different aptitude in different bodies for the reception of different

* For ra atriara here, it is requisite to read ra αἰτία.

* Iliad, χιν, vs, 382. i.e. ‘* He gave the good [i. e. the brave] man, good things, but the less excellent character, things of a less excellent nature. In the text of Proclus it is erroneously eofAa μὲν εσθλα eduve, x. Xr.

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souls, the better and the worse ; which the politician likewise rightly understanding, pays attention to the emission of seed in the city, and to all physical aptitude, in order that the most excellent souls may be generated for him in the most excellent natures. And thus much in answer to the doubt of Longinus. But why does Plato conceive it is better to think that Fortune is the cause of this distribution to the citizens? Shall we say it is, because it is advantageous to us to know the cause of things which we think to be good, but better to conceive the presence of such as we apprehend to be evil, to be causcless, than to accuse the cause which distributes these [seeming evils] for a good purpose? For this excites to a contempt, or rather to a hatred of the giver; because every one avoids that which becomes to him productive of evil.

* Iliad, χιν, vs, 382. i.e. ‘* He gave the good [i. e. the brave] man, good things, but the less excellent character, things of a less excellent nature. In the text of Proclus it is erroneously eofAa μὲν εσθλα eduve, x. Xr.

“Soc. Moreover, we ordered that the children of the good should be educated, but that those of the bad should be secretly sent to some other Cie:

These things also are established in the Republic, but by a much greater priority take place in the universe. With respect, therefore, to the productions of Gods and Dwimons, some genera abide in them, pure and remote from generation, which on this account are called undefiled; but others descend into generation, not being able to remain in the heavens without a downward inclination. And some of these are the offspring of good, but others of less excellent powers. lor the term dad is indicative of less excellent. ‘The horses, therefore, and charioteers of the Gods, are all of them good; but those of partial souls are of a mixed nature.t Hence in these, there is preponderation, a verging downward, and a defluxion of wings, which the celestial Gods send into generation, and diemons who preside over the descent of souls, The celestial and undefiled genera of souls, therefore, are nourished following the Gods to the banquet and delicious food, as it is said in the Phedrus. And those that are subservient to generation, communicate with it, being latently sent into it from the heavens, as Socrates says, indicating by the word Jafent the invisible and occult cause in the Gods of the psychical descents, and that souls which thence descend, become subject [latently] to another providential inspection, and to other guardians who preside over generation.

' This is asserted inthe Phadrus. See this explained, in the notes at the end of this Translation.

δας A καράβι, ει, RN αὶ

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