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

And besides these there is no other participation of

Tim. Plat. •

1 Xwt-rifitptf as omitted in lb* original.

Von. II.

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8*2

I'ROCLUS ON THE

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sjiecies or forms. Looking also to these things, we may be able to assign the specific c uises of those natures which subsist according to one form, as, for in¬ stance, of the sun, the moon, and man ; as likewise of those that subsist according to manv forms, together with that which is common. For there are many things of this kind m the earth, and in the sea; such as animals with a human face and the extremities resembling those of a fish, and animals in the form of dragons, hut with a leonine face; these liming an essence mingled from many things. All these ratios therefore, are \erv properly antecedently comprehended in the soul, as they define all the participations of forms in the universe. Nor ran there be any otlu r ratios of communion besides these, since all things receive a spe< ilic distinction a< cording to tin sc.

All these ratios therefore, are \erv properly antecedently comprehended in the soul, as they define all the participations of forms in the universe. Nor ran there be any otlu r ratios of communion besides these, since all things receive a spe< ilic distinction a< cording to tin sc.

Again, tin n fore, the hebdomad of ratios corresponds to the In hdomad of parts. And the soul is wholly through tin whole of itself hehduinatic, in its parts, in its ratios, and in its circles. For if the demiurgic intellect is n monad, hut the soul primarily proceeds trum intellect, it will have the ratio of the hebdomad to it. For the hebilomail is paternal and motherless. \nd jierhaps equality imparts to all tin 1 psychical ratios, a < imiinuiiioii ot the «ipial, in ordef" that all may commu¬ nicate w it h all. lint tin- multiple ratio a thirds an indication of the manner in w Inch th< ratios that are more single, un asure those that are multitudinous, the form* r w hoilv proei eding through the w hole ot the latter ; those* that are impartible mea¬ suring those that are more distributed into parts. The superparlieular how¬ ever, and siihsiijierpaitit ular ratios, indicate the dillerenec according to which whole ratios tin not eoiiimuim at< with whole, hut ha\e indeed a partial habi¬ tude, yet are conjoined affording to one certain most principal part of tin inselves. And the siiperpaitieiit and siilisiipiipartunl ratios allord an indicatioii of the last nature, according to w hich there is a certain partible and mul¬ tiple d communion ot the psychical ratios, on account ot diminution ami infe¬ riority. For the mure elevated of these reasons are united wholly to the whole of cat h other. Hut those of the middle rank are conjoined, not through the w hole of themselves, but according to the highest part. And those of the third rank, partibly coalesce according to multituih s. 1 say, for instance, essence communi¬ cates with all the ratios, measuring all their progressions : for nothing in them is unessential, lint 1 sameness, being itself a genus, especially collects the sum¬ mits of them into one communion. And diflm-ncc particularly measures their divisions and progressions. 1 he communion, thcivlorc, ot the psychical ratios, is every w here 1 exhibited. 1 or it is i it In r all- p< rh 1 1, or alone subsists according to the summits, or according to extensions into multitude.

‘ tor < t bt here, it is nerrssary In r* ait ») be.

1 licit ail of w\>iy in tins jil.nr, il is rcijuisilc to read xn»rax‘>n.

HOOK III]

TIM/EUS or PLATO.

a:i

1 or it is i it In r all- p< rh 1 1, or alone subsists according to the summits, or according to extensions into multitude.

‘ tor < t bt here, it is nerrssary In r* ait ») be.

1 licit ail of w\>iy in tins jil.nr, il is rcijuisilc to read xn»rax‘>n.

HOOK III]

TIM/EUS or PLATO.

a:i hart her still, in tin 1 next place li t us survey, how tin* seven parts 1 are allotted tlu ir livpn-tasis. Tli.- first part then, is most intellectual and the summit of tli<* soul, conjoining it to tht one itself, and to the hvparxis of tin- first essence. IlfiK'f also it is railed one, as having the form of unity, and the number of it proreeding * into multitude, is detained by union. It is likewise analogous to the rauso and centre of the soul. For the soul abides according to this, and does not depart from wholes. And the tetrad indeed, is in the first monads, on arroimt of its stability, and rejoicing in equality and sameness. Hut the ogdoad is m the monads of the second order, on account of diminution, and the prmidrnrc of the soul whirl) extends as far as to the last of things, and that which is most material.’ And the triad is in the monads of the third order, on account of the circumduction to the all-perfect of the multitude w hich it contains. And at the same time, it is evident from these things as from images, that the summit of the soul, though it has the form of unity, yet is not purely one, but this also is an united multitude. Just as the monad, is not indeed without multitude, yet at the same time is unity. Hut the one of tin’ finds is our alone. And the ewe of intellect is more one than multitude, though this also is multiplied. Hut the one of the soul is similarly one and multitude; just as the unity of the natures posterior to it, which are divisible about body, is more multitude than one. And the one of bodies, is not simply one, but the phantasm and image of unitv. Hence the Uean guest, or stranger, sacs that i very tiling corporeal is broki n in pieces, as having an adventitious unity, and never ceasing to be divided. Hut the second part multiplies the part prior to it, by Generative progressions, which the duail indicates, and unfolds all the progressions of essence. Hence it is said to lie double of the first, as imitatin'? the indefinite duad, and the intelligible inlinitv. And the third part again converts all the soul to its principle; and it is the third of it winch is convolved to the principles. This, therefore, is measured by thA first part, as being filled with union from it; but is conjoined more parliallv to the second part. And on this account it is said to be triple of the first, but si-squialter of the second ; being half contained indeed bv the second, as not Inning an equal power with it, but perfectly by the first. Hut again, the fourth part ami 1 resides this the fifth, evince that the soul peculiarly presides over secondary natures. Lor these parts are tin* intellectual causes of the iiirorporenis which are divided about bodies, as they are planes and squares; the former being the square of the second, and the latter of the third part. And the fourth part," indeed, is