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

• 11. 409.
• * For xoAny here, it is necessary to read χωλην,

Tim. Plat. το α, te

p. 58

unapt and incongruous recipient. And thus much has been said in common respecting the men, But if you wish to speak, proceeding to paradigins, the demiurgic genus, which is total and intellectual, remains to be arranged according to a providential attention to wholes. Let us, however, survey separately every particular.

“ For Timzus here of Locris, an Italian city, governed by the best of laws, exclusive of his not being inferior to any of his fellow-citizens in wealth and nobility, has obtained in his own city the greatest honours, and the highest posts of government; and, in my opinion, has arrived at the summit of all philosophy.”

What testimony, therefore, can be more admirable than this, or what praise can be greater? Does it not, in the first place, evince that Timiwus was a political character; in the second place, that he possessed intellectual knowledge {ina most eminent degree], by saying, that he had arrived at the summit of all phuilosophy; and adding, in my opinion, which places a colophon on all the panegyrics ? What other image also than this among men, is more carable of being assimilated to the one Demiurgus? For, in the first place, by the poutical and the philosophic, the image is Jovian. In the next place, by asserting that Timiwus belonged toa city governed by the best of laws, it imitates the god who was nurtured in the intellizible by Adrastia. And by Timwus excelling in nobility of birth, it adumbrates the total, intellectual, and unical nature of the god. For all these the Demiurgus possesses, by participating of the fathers prior to himself. By asserting also that Timwus had obtained the highest posts of government, it represents to us the royal power of the Demiurgus, and which has dominion over wholes ; his sceptre, according to theologists, consisting of four and twenty measures. But to add likewise that he had enjoyed the greatest honours, presents us with an image of that transcendency which is exempt from wholes, both in dignity and power. It is the Demiurgus, therefore, who also distributes honours to others. And it may be said, that the assertion that Timius had arrived at the summit of philosophy, assimilates him to the god, who at once perfectly contains all knowledge in himself. So that, from all that has been said, you may apprehend, as from imases, who the Demiurgus of the universe is; that he is an intellect comprehensive of many intellects, and arranged among the intellectual Gods ; that he is full of

p. 59

So that, from all that has been said, you may apprehend, as from imases, who the Demiurgus of the universe is; that he is an intellect comprehensive of many intellects, and arranged among the intellectual Gods ; that he is full ofp. 59 the first intelligibles ; and that he has a royal establishment, as surpassing in dignity the other demiurgic gods. If, however, Plato calls the city of Timaus Locris, it not being usual with the Greeks thus to denominate it, but to call it Locri only, in order to distinguish it from the Locris opposite to Eubcea, we must not wonder. For Plato changes many things for the purpose of signifying in a clearer manner the thing proposed. But that the Locrians were governed by the best laws is evident ; for their legislator was Zaleucus.

“ Besides, we all know that Critias is not ignorant of any of the particulars of which we are now speaking.”

Critias, indeed, was of a generous and grand nature. He likewise engaged in philosophic conferences, and was called, as history informs us, an ideot among philosophers, but a philosopher among ideots. He tyrannized also, being one of the thirty. Itis not, however, just to accuse Socrates on this account, because he now thinks him deserving of a certain praise. For, in the first place, we should attend to the manner in which he praises him. For he says, that “ he is not ignorant of any of the particulars of which we are now speaking,” both on account of his natural disposition, and his association with philosophers. In the next place, we should observe, that the tyrannical character is an argument of an excellent nature, as we learn from the fable in the [10th book of the] Republic, which particularly leads souls descending from the heavens to a tyrannical life. For being accustomed there to revolve with the Gods, and to govern the universe in conjunction with them, in these terrestrial regions also, they pursue apparent power ; just as those who possess the remembrance of intelligible beauty, embrace visible beauty. That Critias, however, pertains, according to analogy, to the middle fabrication of things, may be learnt, in the first place, from his succeeding to the discourse of Socrates ; in the next place, from his narrating the Atlantic history, the Atlantics being the progeny of Neptune; and, in the third place, from his own proper life, Bor the ruling peculiarity, and that which extends to many things, are the characteristics of this life. Power, likewise pertains to media, and therefore he possesses the middle place in the encomiums. For to assert of him, that he was not one of the vulgar, but a partaker of the prerogatives of Timeus, shows his inferiority to the first person of the dialogue. But that he was not entirely removed from him, indicates his alliance to him,

p. 60

For to assert of him, that he was not one of the vulgar, but a partaker of the prerogatives of Timeus, shows his inferiority to the first person of the dialogue. But that he was not entirely removed from him, indicates his alliance to him,

p. 60

“ Nor is this to be doubted of Hermocrates, since a multitude of circumstances evince that he is, both by nature and education, adapted to 411 such concerns.”

Hermocrates was a Syracusan general, desirous of living conformably to law. Hence also he participates, in a certain respect, of the political science and philosophy. He must be * referred, therefore, according to analogy, to tle third fabrication * of things. For the command of an army is a power allied to the god, who arranges the last and most disorderly parts ΟΥ̓ mundane fabrication ; and fo be testified by a multitude of circumstances, indicates an analogy to the power that produces fabrication into all multitude, and an ultimate division. We therefore make this arrangement, in order that the men may have an analogy to the things. But others arrange Critias as inferior to Hermocrates ; though the absent person was neither adapted to speak nor to hear, and of those that are present Lat a conference], he who is an auditor, indeed, but is silent, is secondary to lim who is both an auditor and a speaker, and in this respect: imitates those that are about Socrates and Timwus. In the next place, this also must be considered, that Socrates gives the preference to Critias, in what he says, praising him immediately after Timewus. There are likewise those who attribute such an order as the following to these persons, viz. they arrange Timanus according to the paradigmatic cause, Socrates aceording to the efficient, and Critias according to the formal cause; for he Jeads into energy those that have been rightly educated ; but: Hermocrates according to the material cause. Hence also he is adapted indeed to hear, but not to speak. For matter receives productive powers externally, but is not naturally adapted to generate. And this arrangement indeed will be found to be very reasonable, if we abandon the former conceptions [relative to the analogy of the men].

* Instead of So καὶ πολιτικῆς πως pererxe, καὶ φιλοσοφιαι evexey οὖν «κ᾿ A., iL is Necessary to read διο και πολιτικὴς ἴων μετειχέ καὶ φιλυσυφιαι. ενεέγκεν οὖν K. A,

* Timeus is analogous to Jupiter, the Demiurgus of the universe; but Socrates, Critias, and Hermocrates, are analogous to the three ruling fathers, or demiurgi, Jupiter, Neptune, and Pluto, who form the summit of the supermundane order of Gods. For, according to the arcana of the Grecian theology, there is a twofold Jupiter; one being the Demiurgus, and existing at the extremity of the intellectual order; but the other being the first of the supermundane demiurgic triad. See the oth Book of my translation of Proclus on the Theology of Plato.

ORAS Os < AMO βε"