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

This al>o Plato suilieiently indicates, by saying that the Demiurgus in conscrpience of being delighted, endeavoured to render the universe still more

1 For Cwt; here, it is obviously nccessarv lo read fuoji.

1 For rrX*i>rut here, read riNr-rrm. 'I hr tctriUr were imlulorv into the my Meries, an<l were theur~ gifts, or capable of performing divine operation'. Tins thrurgi/, ill whieh these initiators were deeply •lulled, formed the fast part of the sacerdotal science. See an interesting account of it, from a very rare Greek MS. of Psellus, On Ijeemont according lo the Dogmas of tkt Grceki, in the Notea to my Pausamas, Yol. 3. p. 32*.

p. 180

l»ROCIA!S ON 'I'llli

[ ROOk IV.

similar to its paradigm. For he was primarily delighted indeed, through the inward intellection of himself, comprehending and Iwnevolentlv receiving the intelligible universe, with a simple, unimpeded, and collected embrace, through permanence in, and a perfec t union with it. But he was delighted secondarily, ,f ,t !m* lawful so to speak, on account of the aptitude of the natures which receive the supplv of good, externally proceeding trom him.

\„,l here you .., how Plain deliver* the three causes of the participation of .o.o.l; proceeding into this world from the father. One indeed, and the first, is that which proceeds from the /.«ur of the • th elive cause. For it is the /). miur^us who now generates time; through his nvv„ u.ienvy.ng and prolific abundance desiring to till all things with tiiM, middle, and last goods. But tin second cause, is that wl.i, h iris, s from the aptitude of the receiv ing thing. For the communicator of good is then .h light, d. win n that whirl, receives .«, is aptly dispoM.l to its reception. And the third rat.*.-. that which proceeds from the symm ,n h and as ,t r, e c<>n>p» at,on and symphony of both p„u cr and apt dude 1 or on acrount of this, though the < mds always extend to all things good co-ordinate to their essences, v rt it is not alw ays received by all of us ; because we are not adapted to Us reception, and lrav, not always a subsistence commensurate to Us pow.r If however, we wish that divinity should rejoice u, us,* as he ,s naturally !h.p„M d to rejoice, and he delighted on our account, though he alvv ays possesses an invariable sameness of subsistence, we must render ourselves adapted to the ■ ti. „ Of the good which is extended by him ; in order that thcg.lt ot d,vanity, mav not vv ill. respect to us he iiicllicacious, though In is not nnpeded l,y any thmg. These things therefore it .s the business of another d.s. i.ssioi, to survey more fully. .

Nmv liowrvor, l.-t us l.ow .iwrso lire,.non mor.- Mm.lurlo Us para-

, 1 ,..,,, h It,.- linra.iim of tin,.-. JSnna. the paru.l.a-.n 1l.rroti.rr is pr.- rn-trilv ,'I.TU ,1. if llio so.i.ihlo wnrhl ili.l r- < < •> "eoii.lary I" n» U is

,. vi ,|o'„l to i vory.. tin,I itwonhl ho in a loss .1. eroo assini.'nlo...II.-

JSnna. the paru.l.a-.n 1l.rroti.rr is pr.-

rn-trilv ,'I.TU ,1. if llio so.i.ihlo wnrhl ili.l r- < < •> "eoii.lary I" n» U is

,. vi ,|o'„l to i vory.. tin,I itwonhl ho in a loss .1. eroo assini.'nlo...II.-

„il,lo. \ml ,t ilkoois, IS ,11,1 ilillioull porooiio, III,.l llio .Iiituro which has Us

'moral. m mulati...,, if It "oro sopanitoil from timo. wmil.l !«• so l.ir from

.por,a t...il, that I. woul.l no. la- possil.lo for ,t to romai.i for a momoiu.

Ill nro, a oorlain |aTpoluily moos.uy ... Ilia, which is lo he ... a-till greater

• InUea.l of cro^au iu 1»„> place, ,1 » nectary to f-ail ceara V ,.

, lf | f w „|, rrimf l,o luiuluct .Humi.uUo.o, for iI«k arealvvavs cite.,d-d, after ll.e

„.a.r.br.aosr, a. lW.ioh.ias JMoil, . an »...ialilc a™ »lo,n.,.cr.

. 1 ,.., .r mi or .lie pad. .hid. hr |..,|n,nalli ■» ns, hr ... lo hr Jrh 5 h.rd. In.

<Kligtit indicalini: our paper reception of tlm K'“.it.

H*iOK I V j

TIM.l-IL'S «>1 PI, \ lo.

in i degree assimilated to the intelligible. But to that which is perpetual indeed, yet has not the perpetuity at once present with it, in the same manner as the intelli¬ gible, the whole extension of time is necessary. Moreover, he who considers the nature of time, will more clearly know' how time not only contributes to the perpetuity of the whole world, and to the great parts of the world, hut also to the perfection and felicity of each of them, and comprehends all these at once; which in the course of the interpretation we shall endeavour to manifest, by investigating the plep.litudes of time.

“ The nature indeed of animal itself was eternal, and this it is impos¬ sible to adapt perfectly to that wliicn is generated. lienee lie formed the design of producing a certain moveable * image 1 of eternity ;* and in consequence of this, while he was adorning the universe, lie made this eternal image proceeding according to number, of eternity abiding in one, and which we denominate time.”

'That animal itself is the plenitude of the multitude of intelligible animals, and that it possesses an invariable sameness of subsistence, is a thing frequently and fully asserted, and i-- not considered as at all dubious by the Platon it philosophers. But what eternity is, and the moveable time which imitates it, are tilings perfectly difficult to understand, and to explain sufficiently to others. At the same time however, if i> requisite to narrate the mole elegant opinions of the ancients about it, and to add, n we are able, anv thing which may contribute to the elucidation, and distinct consideration of the things to he discussed.

At the same time however, if i> requisite to narrate the mole elegant opinions of the ancients about it, and to add, n we are able, anv thing which may contribute to the elucidation, and distinct consideration of the things to he discussed.

The multitude therefore, have a conception and co-sensation of time, in conse¬ quence of looking to the suhlun try and celestial motions, and are of opinion that time i> something pertaining to motion, such for instance as the inimlx r, or exten¬ sion ot motion, or something else of the like kind. But the more excellent ot these, proceeding to the consideration * of eternity, and perceiving that there is not simply motion, hut a perpetual and orderly motion in the universe, and which circulates with inv aruifile sameness,—conceived from hence, that this invariable sameness, was inherent in moveable natures, from a certain other cause, and imt

1 I or «<r,r.n here, it is requisite to read narrat.

’ lor oiirroi here, rout •ro,;r,;>.

* And for oiw read nso m

* Tor niwi'n likewise, it m iieeessarv to read mwim.

Instead of rfiranr in this |dare, it w requisite to read irifraor

IMfOC'LL-S ON Tilt

[book it.

i«-i from themselves. This cause therefore, will cither lx.» immoveable, or moved. And if indeed, it is moved at a certain time only, how will it be the cause of that which always is invariably the same ? Hut if it is moved always, this perpetuity of its mo¬ tion must again he derived from something else, and either 1 tins will be the case ad infinitum, or there will l*e something immoveable, which is the cause of perpe¬ tual motion, to things which are always moved. And the energy ol this being immoveable, is no longer according to time, but is eternal. For the jveculiarity of tilings winch subsist accord mg to time, is to be always m generation, or becoming to It, but of eternal natures, to exist always. For common conception opines, that etc mity is denominated from (.listing always, just as it thinks that time derives its ap[M‘llation !rom dancing [jt agx rr ( v y'wn%»~\ be ing a measured motion, and which has its cxMt nee in generation. On tins account, it appears to me that the multi¬ tude assumed the fust conception ot time, but the wise ot eternity, hy tin* funner directing the ir attention to tin- nature which is always moved, and the latter to the nature* which isalwavs stable. It must now howeve r be* shown vv hat each of these i-, and m a manner most eouformahle to the doctrine ol IMato.