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

Hence it is common to both of them to conceal the light.

“ And collecting middle to middle, lie co-harmonizctl them to each other."

1 Iustead of to yap in tins place, it o necessary to read cv yap.

* For pcrci\i here, read ,

4 Instead of in tins place, it it requisite to read Hpaiffreion.

BOOK III.]

TIMvEUS OF PLATO.

1 h r »

Porphyry, understanding by iniilcllc the physical part of the soul, endeavours to co-adapt it to the middle of the universe, though Plato does not here even in words, assume that which is physical. It, however, vve wish to interprt t what is now said more ngreahly to the meaning of Plato, we must say that the Pcmiurgns placed in the soul, which has a middle order h< tween intellect and hotly, the middle of the world ; and not simply in the soul, hut in its most middle part.

For this is to rolled middle to middle. But that this is his meaning is evident from what follows, in which he says that the soul was every way (Mended from the middle to the extremities of the universe. Prom these things therefore, we may assume, that the whole ot a corporeal nature is every way similarly animated, and that the w hole of the mundane soul is on all sides exempt from the hotly, in order that it may imitate the whole Deiniurgus, who is present to all things, and separate from all. We may also assume, that the corporeal nature being the middle of the soul, makes the animation of it to proceed everyway similarly.

J'or if the extremes of the universe wen* conjoined to the middles themselves, some things would he more reunite from, but others neart r to the soul. It is ne¬ cessary however, that all things should remain as it were rooted in, and filled with life from it. But the adaptation of middle to middle, shows that the soul is similarly exempt from all things, and is equally distant from all Forifit was dis¬ tant from some things more, but from others less, we must ascribe to it a habi¬ tude to secondary natures. Kach of the assertions therefore is true, that body is the middle, and that it is adapted to soul, which is also a middle. Moreover,

“ to collect," exhibits the demiurgic union, and the bond according to which the universe is perpt tual. But to co-harinoni/e, indicates the harmonious association of the body with the soul; the latter performing w hat pertains to itself, and the former preserving its proper order, and neither divtiUing, nor drawing downw ard the mt< lleetion of a divine essence. For this is the harmonious form of commu¬ nion. If however, in the association of the less and the more excellent nature, either the former or the latter falls off from its perfection, and causes perturbation m the t nergies of the more excellent nature ;—in this case, such a communion is iinharmonious, 1 disorderly, and confused. Hence the soul subsists according to harmonic ratios, and the w hole of a corporeal-formed nature, is seen to be in »

Hence the soul subsists according to harmonic ratios, and the w hole of a corporeal-formed nature, is seen to be in »

friendship with it through analogy, and is harmoniously composed. What bonds therefore, can be more indissoluble, more perpetual, or more divine than these?

None, except it should l>c said the will itself of him, by whom the soul is bound, and which is exempt from the things that arc hound.

1 For €Kipfntwrei here, it n necessary to read nvnpfj ovrai.

Vou II.

Tim. Plat.

T

p. 140

PROCLUS ON T11E

[book III.

“ But the soul being every way interwoven from the middle to the very extremities of the universe, and circularly covering it as with a veil, at the same time herself revolving in herself, gave rise to the divine commencement of an unceasing and wise life, through the whole of time."

The mode of animation according to conversion or regression, beginning, as we have ln-fore said, from lx m ath, proceeds to tilings on high, anil from the last, ends in the summits of things ; and such is the mode now assumed by Plato, for the soul proceeding from oil liigli, as far as to the last recesses of the earth, and illuminating all things with the light of life, the world being comerted to it, beginning from the last of tilings, is animated both according to its middle, and the whole of its interval. Besides this also, it external!) enjoys the intellectual illumination of soul. Hence, the soul is said to oci npv the middle of the universe, as placing in it the powers of itself, and a symbol ot its proper presence. It is likewise said to extend itself to the extremities of the universe, as vivifying it on all sides ; ami to circularly eovt r it as with a veil, in consequence of leaving powers ext nipt from partible masses ; in so doing, all but projecting the agis of .Minerva, from w hit li

A luu.illtd golden ornaments depend. 1

Through this likewise, it externally surrounds the whole world. And if it lx 1 re¬ quisite to s|R\ik the truth, Plato through these words ( loses the mouths of those who fancy that the figure of the sou! is truly circular, and thus possesses interval. For how is it possible for a < ircle to be interwoven with a hotly, and being extended equally to cover it with list If as with a veil, and thus be adapted to it, according to all the interval of the world 7 '1 his therefore immediately manifests, that the imagination is false of those who apprehend the soul thus to subsist.

In addition to this also, it is necessary tosiirvtv that which we before asserted, that the being interwoven with, and circularly covering the universe as with a veil, assimilates the soul to the inlellet tual life, which prior to this Plato said, surrounds the two circles of the soul For as this life comprehends the soul, so the soul comprehends the universe. And farther still, it must be conside red how the soul is assimilated to those Gods, to whom Parmenides attributes the similar and dis-

And farther still, it must be conside red how the soul is assimilated to those Gods, to whom Parmenides attributes the similar and dis-

* This vtrst i$ front the Iliad, hut it has suffered much from the transcribers, l or in the Commen¬ tary of Proclus it is rrji tiaroy yjjvaavot yovotot tjtfitflot rui, whereas it ought to be,

1 qs tear ot Ovaanji to) \uvaioi ijeptbotTO.

Iliad, lib. li. 443.

BOOK III.]

TIM/EL'S OF PLATO.

p. 117