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

But this is an indication of the self-motive nature of the soul. For it generates and multiplies itself, and is at one and the same time a heptad, and a manlier proceeding from the heptad.

* Afpo<hr»j* m omitted in the original, but both the verdon ofTliomicus and the vnx of the passage require it should be inserted.

Tim. Plat.

Vol. II.

S

p. 130

PHOCLUS ON THE

[book in.

Again, the psychical circles proceeding in a direction contrary to each other manifests that these powers proceed every where, are prolific of all things, and are tin* causes of the difference which is distributed every where, and of the contra¬ rieties which subsist about generation. For contraries exist in the soul, in the heavens, and in matter. But of material contraries indeed, generation consists. These contraries, however, derive their subsistence from the psychical through the celestial reasons, l'or some things have the relation o fjrvtn which , others that of through which, ami others that of hi/ which,' in the things which are generated bv them. Moreover the bimditude of the three and the dis¬ similitude of the four circles, are assumed appropriately to the numbers. For the triad indeed is perfective, and converlue to the same form. But the tetrad is piohtie, and tin* cause of all multitude. All the numbers therefore, \iz.

the monad, duad, triad, tetrad, pentad, he\ad, and lieptad, are entirely in the r-sence of the soul ; and aflt r all these, the square from the heptad. 1 All these likewise termin ite in the hept id. Hence, the essence ol the bcuil, is on all sides In hdomadie. And the circle uithc some indeed, is a monad; but the circle of the tlif/crent is, as wo have said, a lieptad. Fur the Juraicr is intellect in motion, but the hitter is a light occuriling tu intellect; in the same manner as the heptad, accord¬ ing to the Pythagoreans. The one also is impartible, analogous to intellect, but the other is partible; though it also consists of the impartible essence, and of the essence which is divisible about bodies. [The partible nature however is redun¬ dant]’ in it : for difference has dominion in it. Hence, the one is monadic, but the other licbdoiuadic ; not only because the lieptad |>ei tains to the essence of the soul through its similitude to the viiilic Goddess ; 4 (for she is a monad compre¬ hensive of two triads, which she contains in herself') but also because the primary distribution of the soul into parts is hehdomndic as has bet n before shown, l’or things which are distributed into parts from one impartible power, have the first number hebdomadie. The number also which is derived from the heptad, is adapted

* l'or a<g w Iu.-r»\ it i» requisite to read ur.

The number also which is derived from the heptad, is adapted

* l'or a<g w Iu.-r»\ it i» requisite to read ur.

* The double amt triple iutersaU that arc fillrtl with the arithmetical ami harmonical middles, are (he iiuiiiIhts (i. S. y. 12. 10. 18 2 -I. 27- 32. 3<>. IS. .St. 81. 10S. 102. And the double and triple inter¬ vals that are till* d hoth wilh the abuse-mentioned middles, and with sesquioctavesand leimnius, are the numbers, 3st. 4J0. ISO. 512. 570. 6 18. 7'-’}). 7<>b. 8bl. 072. H>2i. 1152. l'jyti. 1158. 15 10. 172s. lytt. COtS. 23ot. ‘2502. -jylb. 3072 . 3156'. 3.sS8. 437 t. 4bos. 51 St. 5832. 6l tt. by 10. 777<». S7ts. 9210 10308. And lire sum of the number of the leriiio of both these series, is ty, which is the square of 7.

1 It appears to me that the words w\eora£et to /iepurov, ought to be inserted in the original, after the words uXA‘ tv awf.

* viz. to llliea.

DOOK III.]

TIM.T1US OF PLATO.

13D to tli\idince powers, in the same manner as the heptad. The latter, however, pertains to supermundane, [hut the former to mundane powers.]'

* viz. to llliea.

DOOK III.]

TIM.T1US OF PLATO.

13D to tli\idince powers, in the same manner as the heptad. The latter, however, pertains to supermundane, [hut the former to mundane powers.]'

If however, it be requisite to refer all the composition of the soul, to the divine orders, for it has the images of all of them, the beginning of the reference, must be assumed from the former part of this dialogue, in which it is said, that the soul was fabricated, not as we say junior to the body, but both in generation and virtue prior to and more ancient, as the mistress and ruler of it. For Tima us thence beginning to speak concerning it, gives to it a superior dignity with respect to the generation of the whole corporeal composition. It must be said, therefore, that its progression, so far as it rules, and i" the mistress of the body, must be referred to the principle of all things. Hut so far as it is allotted a triple and united hv pos¬ tals we must refer it to the summit* of intelligible.*; and as generated from essence, same and different, to the whole of the truly intelligible breadth ; of which essence and being possess the summit ; but eternity which isthe cause to all things of permanency in the same, the middle; and intelligible animal, which causes itself to l>e different in its progressions to intelligible animals, the end. For the w hole there, as the Parmenides teaches us consists of dissimilar parts. This triple whole therefore [the soul], w hich is a mixture of dissimilar elements, is a thing of this kind. Hut so far a* tin* soul is a self-begotten and intelligible num¬ ber, we must refer it to the summit of tbe intelligible and at tbe same time intel¬ lectual orders. For there the first niimlx r subsists in conjunction with difference. For as theologists say, wo must survey that first order, as hi jug 1 the cause of tin* series of things, [and of other co-ordinations]* which are divided according to numl»er. Hut there also, Parmenides gives subsistence to the whole of number, ami from thence unfolds all things into light. And so tar as the soul is a whole consisting of three elements, we must refer it to the intellectual wholeness, whit h connectedly contains wholes and parts. For the three middles arc derived from those connectedly containing Gods. One [i. e. the geometric middle] proceeding from the first of these Gods, w ho comprehends the rest, and collects all tilings ac¬ cording to one reason, into one world, and one union. But another [i. e. the hariuofitOif.

* Tin* words within 1 lie brackets, are wanting in llie original, but arc supplied from tbe version of Tlimir.rus. Hence it is requisite to add in tbe original afier vwrpKoefuau, the words orroi tr ran tycoir-

* For ravTorrjrn here, 1 read neporijra: for the summit of intelligible*, which consists of bound, infi¬ nity, and that ich'uh u mixed, is the first triple and at llie same time unites! Iivpost-isis.