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

All the ratios likewise, arc e\ery where, but after a different manner in first and secondary natures; in the former indeed, intellectually, totally, and unitedly; but in the latter, doxastieally, distributively, and partially. And thus much concerning these particulars.

Concerning this section however, and the two lengths and circles, it is worth while to consider, what tin y must be said to be. For the ditine lainblu lms soars on high, and solicitously investigates invisible natures, viz. the one soul, and the two souls that proceed from it. For of every order an imparticipable monad is the leader, prior to the things participated, and there is a number appropriate to and connascent with impartu ipabh-s. 1 he «luail also is from unitv, in the same manner as in the < bids themselves. Tiuneus therefore, he savs, hav inn through the psychogony fabricat< d in words the one and supermundane soul, from which the soul of the universe and other souls are derived, now produces the duad from this. For the section manifests the demiurgic division, which proceeds in sameness and jierfei lion, generating the same things according to second iiuiul>crs. Hut the division according to length, exhibits to us the progression supernallv proceeding from the Ibmiurgus. 1 hrough these however, two souls arc i;eni rated, alii r the one soul, eai h ot w Inch has the s une ratios, are conjoined to, and arc in each otlur, and are divided front each other. And they likewise preserve alt muiiingled purity, together with union with each other. ! or tin y are united to their own centres, and this is the adaptation of middle to middle, llut since aUo, these souls are intellectual, and participate of a divine intellect, the Demiurgus prior to the p m ration of the universe, bent them into a circle, and comprehended them in a motion according to the same, and in the same, making them to be intellectual, imparting to them a divine intellect, and inserting

SUOK 111 . J

TIM A'. US or PLATO.

11.i tlx-(liiad of souls, in the intollectnul duad, which transcends them essentially [And thus far the divine lamhliclms.]

J

TIM A'. US or PLATO.

11.i tlx-(liiad of souls, in the intollectnul duad, which transcends them essentially [And thus far the divine lamhliclms.]

We therefore admit, that all tin* is well said so far as pertains to the theory of things: for these particulars are prior to the world. Hence also in mundane natures, tin-re is the monad, afterwards the duad, and afterwards the heptad. I'or in tin universe there is one soul, which is that of the universe, lint alter this, there are two souls, which divide the heaven into the circulation of the same' .uid tin* ( in illation ol the different. And after those, there are seven souls, which distribute in an orderly manner the planetary spheres. We conceive it how¬ ever, to he more concordant with the words of Plato neither to understand what is now said, as pertaining to those super-mundane souls, nor to the multitude of mundane souls, hut as asserted of the soul itself of the universe. Plato therefore himself shortly alter, having spoken concerning all the divisions of the soul, says, “ lint when all the composition of the soul was produced coiifonnuhh/ to (he intention of its composing artificer , after this he fashioned within it the hole of a corporeal-formal nature. In which words he di nominates the soul one, and this as no other than the soul of the-universe. I'or it is this soul w hich comprehends the whole of a corporeal-formed nature. Hence the demiurgic divisions, and the two-fold lines and circles, must he assumed in this 1 soul; for in so doin^ we shall not he in want ol arirmm ills. Since therefore, it is the collector of all immoveable and niter-motive natures, of imparlihles and parlibles, of paradigms, and tlje last images, and of lriily-e\i>tini: beings, and such as are not truly beings, tin- nature '•fit is uiv properly two-fold, partly pertaining to more excellent, and partly to subordinate hem-.s. Ih cause however, these are entirely separated from each other, they require after a certain maimer two* media. Vnd m corporeal natures indeed, the two conjoining media an s< parated from each other; hut m incorpo¬ real natur. s it is one Informed essence, which hinds together tin* extremes ; one part ot vvliieh heini; conjoined to iutelhirihh-s, is intellectual, seienlilie, shining " ilh divine w isdom, ana^ome, and < om prebend in;; the causes of things; hut the other part hem”- pro\imate to partible natures, is effective of di lien nee, comes into contact with sensililes, recurs to the providential inspeetion of secondary natures, is artificial, and comprehends such other things as are allied to these. All the ratios iiowevt r, are in ea« h of these. I'or in this, the essence of the soul differs from the inlelh dual essence. I’or the latter indeed, is uniform, and anted -

* Tor uiTd' lierr, it is necessary to read ravriiv.

‘ Instead of »>r’ nvrni'f in tins jil.ur, il is rri|iiis:tc to read (T'nvnjf.

1 I', r trtif lirrc, read t v w.ir,

Tim. rial.

I’or the latter indeed, is uniform, and anted -

* Tor uiTd' lierr, it is necessary to read ravriiv.

‘ Instead of »>r’ nvrni'f in tins jil.ur, il is rri|iiis:tc to read (T'nvnjf.

1 I', r trtif lirrc, read t v w.ir,

Tim. rial.

V(1L. II.

P

TIM/EUS OF PLATO.

' LUOfc. III.

Ill

dently comprehends all forms inoiiadically ; but the former is dyadic, and con¬ tains the same reasons, dianoetically and doxastically; in one way indeed, in the circle of the same, hilt in another in the circle of the different. [And thus the soul imitates it* cause.] 1 For she is both a monad and a duad, as with reference to the monad [.Saturn], the father of the intellectual Gods. And the soul is a monad as with reference to t!ie mi!\er*e, hut a duad, with reference to intellect For in short division itself and multiplication derive their subsistence from this Goddess [Rhea]. The xixifir principle therefore, is the cause of progression, multitude, and multiplication. Hence some philosophers, assimilating to the Go,Is things which are derixed from them, think fit to arrange intellects accord¬ ing to the masculine, but souls according to the feminine genus o! the Gods. For intellect is indix isihle, and of the form of the odd numb* r; but soul is dix isihle and biformed And the former i- analogous to paternal, but the latter to prolific causes. And the one is allied to bound, but the other to infinity. If likew ise, I should lie ashed lioxx the soul is one, and hoxx it is Informed, I should say, that it is one indeefl, as self-motive' for this is common to all psychical life, and to the parts it contains; but that it is biformed according to two-told lixes, viz. the life wInch is conxerted to first natures, and the life which proxidentially attends to secondarv natures. I should also say, that according to the essen¬ tial it ha* one life : for >i If motion is the es-ence of the soul. Rut according to same and different, I should distinguish its txvo-lold lixes.