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

Indeed the sente requirei tbit addition.

* For porvpot in this place, it it necessary to read yonpot.

* The words ovrvt rj eii caiTijr ewnrrpo^ij, which are omitted in the original, ought to be inserted, conformably to the version of Thomaais,

PllOCLUS ON Tin:

[BOOK Ilf.

p. 80

then* is harmony in the world, anil also in intellect ami in soul, on which account Tiina-us says, that the soul participates of harmony, and is harmony,—hence the world participates of harmony decadically, hut the sou! tetradieally, and hannonv pre-exists in intellect monadically. And as the monad is the cause of the tetrad, hut the tetrad of the derail, thus also, the intellectual harmony, is the supplier of the psychical, and the psy< local of sensible harmony. lienee Tiuucus conceived that the quadruple diapason, is adapted to the harmony of the soul. For the soul is the proximate paradigm of the harmony in the sensible world. Since however, live 1 figures and live centres in the universe, give* oomph-lion to the whole, the harmony diapente also, imparts to the world the symphony which is in its parts. Since, likewise, the universe is divided into nine parts, the sesipiioctave produces the communion of the soul with the world. And In re von may see that the soul comprehends the world, and makes it to he a whole, according to cause, * as one, as consisting of four, and also of five parts, and as divided into nine parts, harmonizing and causally comprehending the whole of it. For the monad, the tetrad, the pentad, and the ennead, 1 procure for u> the whole numlier, according to which all the parts of the world are divided. Hence the ancients assert that the ."Muses and Apollo .Musageles, preside over the universe; the lat»er supplying the one union ol all its harmony ; hut the former connecting the divided progression of this harmony, and rendering their number concordant with the tight Syrens mentioned in the lb public. I bus therefore, in the middle of the monad and the ennead, the universe is adorned tetradieallv and pentadicallv ; tetradieally indeed, at < ordmg to the four ideas of animals, which the para¬ digm comprehends; but pentadicallv, according to the live figures, through which the Deiniurgus distributed all tilings, hinis* If, as Tima-iis says, introducing the tilth idea, and arranging this harmonieallv in the universe.

Again therefore from the lieginiiing, we mav sav, that the Demiiirgus having twofold powers, the one being ellective of sameness, as we learn in the Parme¬ nides, hut the other, of diflcrcnce ; he both divides and hinds the soul. He is also the filial cause ol these, m order that the soul mav become the middle of wholes, being similarly united and divided, two tilings existing prior to it, divine natures as unities, and beings as things united ; and two also being posterior to

He is also the filial cause ol these, m order that the soul mav become the middle of wholes, being similarly united and divided, two tilings existing prior to it, divine natures as unities, and beings as things united ; and two also being posterior to

' tor *in ru In-re ri .nl * or«. 'I tn-M- live li^uri-j arc tin toe regular limlies, viz llir ilmli-c.ilirilron, t lie |i\ r uni I, llir inl.ilntlinn, tin ii ii'.ilitilrmt, .uni llir iiitu- tint I lie loo iililri'i .10 tin- linrtlirrn, smith* 01, 1 .oli 111, nnl hi 'Ii ru r« nlie-i, him I lln «< nfrr nl tin- imivrr>r.

1 rmii lln- n r.inii nl I limn 111 >, it o in.-* i-'>;irv In iii'i-it in tlio tin unriU, ij 4- v \ r J rvr o-oyior wtfin yn, mi n\i ►- mir inrun worn, v, tin ii are wanting in 1 lie nominal.

* l'nr <1 ru lirrr, rt jit iioui

TOOK lll.J

TIM AX’S OF l’LATO.

H7

wtfin yn, mi n\i ►- mir inrun worn, v, tin ii are wanting in 1 lie nominal.

1 rmii lln- n r.inii nl I limn 111 >, it o in.-* i-'>;irv In iii'i-it in tlio tin unriU, ij 4- v \ r J rvr o-oyior

* l'nr <1 ru lirrr, rt jit iioui

TOOK lll.J

TIM AX’S OF l’LATO.

H7

it, viz. those which are divided in conjunction with others.' ami those which are m every respect partilile. or it you are w illin'; prior to the former, the one itself, hut posterior to the latter, matter itself, tlint the efficient causes of these divisions and bonds, are .vow and different , which arc the jm niliarith s of the demiurgic order. And the paradigmatic causes are tin* sections and bonds of the father. For he’ first cuts, and binds with ineffable bonds. These things also, arc obscurely indicated hy thco/ngixfs when they speak if the Saturnian sections and bonds with which the niaKer of tin unirtrst is said In surround himself, and which arc mentioned by Socrates hi the ( latylns. Hut the lonual causes of the divisions indeed, are the numbers, for according to these the parts are distinguished. Hut of tin; bonds, the middles, and flu* ratios which give completion to these, are tin* formal causes. I’or it is impossible to survey concanses which have the relation of matter, in souls which are incorporeal.]* r \ hese things lieinjg premised, it is evident that the Pemiurgus energizing with twofold powers, viz. with such as are of a dividing, and such as are o| a binding nature, he divides (he tnformed essence of the soul, and the tore* told mixture, the whole remaining that which it is, by the primordial causes ot all div ision, and makes the vv hole of it to consist of scv< n parts, and seven niembeis, comprehended in intellectual boundaries. For since tjie Pemiurgus constituted the soul as tin* medium between an impartible essence, and that essence which is divisible about bodies; but the impartible essence is triple, abiding, pro¬ ceeding, and returning he pre-established the similitude of this in three parts. And lie adumbrated indeed, tin; permanency 4 of this essence bv the first part; but the progression of it by the second ; on which account, perhaps, it is said to be double ot the first part. l*or every tiling which proceeds, has permanency pre-existent to its progression. And he adumbrated its regression by the third part. Hence this part is triple of the first. For every thing which returns, lias proceeded and been permanent.

Since, however, the soul produces the essence posterior to itself, it contains the total essences ot it in itself; the whole of the incorporeal essence indeed, but which is inseparable trom bodies, according to the fourth ami fifth part; but the

The words fi'r qAAm? are omitted in the original, but ought to be inserted conformably to the version of Thomarus.

For onniv here, read mnoi. The Chaldean Oracles also sav that the Demmrgus glitters with intellectual sections.