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

ridiculous to make such a section according to depth, as to divide each of the circles in one part.

'I liese things therefore heiii" premised, we shall further observe. Iiejrinnin:; from the pha iioniena, that since the Mml of the universe possesses the reasons of ail mundane natures, and powers which irive subsistence to them, it is necessary that it vhould not only contain the intellectual causes of man, and horse, and of other animals, hut likewise prior to these, of the w hole-parts of the world ; I mean of the inerralic and plain tary spheres. It is likewise necessary, that from the duad which is in this soul, the heavens should sustain a division into two parts; that prior to the seven planets, there should pre-exist in it the true hebdomad ; and that it should contain the causes of the dissimilitude and similitude of the circles.

1 The words within the hra« Jiels are wanlmp iu lli* original, l>nt art invrlcd fioin the vcru .c >J J lioma »iv

p. 134

PROCLUS ON Till.

[ finoK ill

1 The words within the hra« Jiels are wanlmp iu lli* original, l>nt art invrlcd fioin the vcru .c >J J lioma »iv

p. 134

PROCLUS ON Till.

[ finoK ill

For at our nature generates according to tlve reasons [or productive forma] in it, tvro eyes, five lingers, and seven viscera; for it antecedently comprehends the niimlwrs of these parts, on which account it always produces after the same manner, and "enemies the same form, when the impediments arising from matter do not prevent the generation accorvliii" to nature from taking place; and as tie* one sense in us, possessing the causes of these live senses, generates secondarily from itself, tlie powers which are distributed about the body; after the same manner also, the circle of the different, < omprt bends in itself the primordial causes of the seven cireles [or spheres,] according to which they are adorned, and dis¬ tributed in an orderly manner. For all heaven participates of both the circles; but the iuerratic sphere participates more of the em le of the same, and the plane¬ tary sphere, more of the circle of the different. Hence the former is indeed un¬ divided, hut the latter is divided. The hu im r ilso is moved from the east, hut the latter from the west. For the one indeed imitates the uniform [and intellectual power of the soul, hut the oilier its multiform powers,'] in consequence of re¬ joicing m motion and variety, though the inerratic sphere also is comprehensive of many divine animals. The circle of the same, likewise, comprehends the causes of all things, but it is without section ; because all the multitude in it is connascent with itself through union, and it is vanquished by the bond of sameuess. Hence also the intrratic sphere is mined with one lation. lint each of the seven spheres, comprehends a multitude of powers, some o< which are more total, but others are more partial. Now, however, Tim am s delivers the unities, and the fnM comprehensions of them; hut omits the inexplicable decrements of the divine reasons. For the circle [or sphere } of cm h, is a plenitude of appropriate life, which is ti ther of a connei tediy containing, or dividing , or binding, or anagogic, or (j smne o thcr such-like peculiarity. Many powers likewise contribute to its perfection, some of which are generative of primary and secondary Gods, but others of dan.ons, and ot/m s of partial souls.

\\ hy however, some one may say, did not the l)emiur"iis produce a peculiar circle of essence, as well as of sameness and dilference T We reply, Ix-cause these arc opposed to each other, but essence is common to the whole soul Hence ac¬ cording to tins the whole soul is one, hut is Informed according to those; just as of the rii,ht lines, one precedes the two. Here likewise the monad precedes* the l.< bduruad, just as the impartible of the soul, is the leader of the division into

Here likewise the monad precedes* the l.< bduruad, just as the impartible of the soul, is the leader of the division into

’ Here also llie wurds within ihe brackets are wanting in the original, and are supplied born the vei-ion of I'homsus; so that in the original after pioeotdr), the «*ords »a« n/tpne nji iwapi*, tl t» lirafun roust be supplied.

1 l'or tt)v riji tpfopaNji tene in this place, it is necessary to read vpo ryt tplopalot «<m> r* no k hi.]

p. 1

i zr, seven parts. But the division of the hebdomad into jour and three, has a ssesqnitertian ratio, bein^ t!ie first of the symphonies, ami has also the first nmnle rs of the even ami the odd. Of the three [circles] however, one [that of the Sun] fs analogous to truth; another [that of Venus] to beauty; and the third, [that of Mercury ] to symmetry : these three monads, as «e learn from the Philelius, l>ein:r situated in the \estibules of the good. But of the other four circles, one [that of Saturn] which is most stable, is analogous to permanency; another, [that of the Moon] which is moved with the greatest facility, is analogous to motion; another, [that of Jupiter,] which is of the most excellent temperature, to sameness; and an¬ other [that of Mars,] which is of a most dividing nature, to difference. \\ hv also*, it may Im> said, did not the Detniur^us place partial forms in the soul of the urnverse, but only the genera of all-various forms? We reply, because it pertains to total fabrication, to effect the latter. For a distribution of reasons into numerous parts, is the province of partible production. For this receiving each soul divided into the common genera of all beings, pjives a distinct subsistence to the variety in them, according to the divine dividing art, ami produces the division of each, as far as to individual forms. Hence also, this fabrication is said to be partible, and to be secondary to the total fabrication. A division, therefore, adapted to the total genera of souls is delivered, and likewise a mixture of wholes adapted to the fabrication which is the subject of discussion, and is 1 total. These things, how¬ ever, are manifest.

But why, it may l>e said, do we make the division into the inerratir and plane¬ tary spheres alone, or rather into the paradigmatic causes of these, and not into the four elements ? For the soul of the universe, contains these also hv its powers, and leads them by its motions. In answer to tins, therefore, it is said by some, that all the quadruple order of the elements, is comprehended in the circle [or sphere] of the moon. F'or that which is material is but small as with reference to the universe, and is as it were a certain bottom of the world. For thus in the Re¬ public, Plato divides the w hole world, into eijrht whirls, comprehendin''