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

It is not however, allied in all respects to any one being. For it is necessary that the measure of wholes should be in a certain respect similar and allied to all things, but should not be the same with any one of the natures w hich it measures.

The motion therefore of time proceeds, evolving and dividing impartible and abiding power, and partihl v unfolding it into light. For just as a certain numl»er 1 receives divisible all the form* of the monad, ami converts, and circularly leads them to itself; thus also, the motion of time, proceeding according to the mea¬ sures in the temporal monad, conjoins the end to the beginning, and this infi¬ nitely ; having indeed itself a divine order, yet not an arranged, as the philoso¬ pher lamMichus also says, hut an arranging order, nor an order which follows precedanrous natures, but which is the primary leader of things which are jx*rfectlv effected. At the same time however, it is measured by nothing that lias interval, l or it would be ridiculous to say, that things which have a more ancient nature and dignity, are measured by such as are of post* nor origin. But the motion of time is alone measured by the temporal monad, which the progres¬ sion of time is said to evolve, and by a much greater priority, by the Deminrgns, and eternity itself, of which it is said to lx* the image, and with reference to which it is made to be moveable. With reference to eternity therefore, which is perfectly immoveable, time is said to lx* moveable; just as if some one should sav, that soul, as with relation to intellect, in partible about bodies. iSot that it is this alone, but that when compared with intellect, it may appear to lx* a thing of this kind ; though it is impartible, with reference to the partible < sseiice. Thus also time, though it is naturally eternal, y»t is said to Ik- moveable, as with ref* n nee to eternity itself. On account of the order lihevvi e of it, and the continuity in its progression, it is by no means proper to think that the prior and posterior in it are such as some apprehend them to lx*. For it must not 1 m> d* finitely surveyed, cither alone according to the mutations of motions, as in the < * lesti d motions ; nor in the evolutions of lives, as in the soul ; nor according to the gradual progres¬ sions of corporeal generations, as in nature; nor according to any tiling else of the like kind : (for these an* the peculiarities of the orders posterior* to it) but it must be* surveyed according to a precedency of causes, and connexion in the continuity

• i. e. The «t Cl ad.

* Instead of jut vrmv here, it is necessary to read pur

BOOK IV.]

TIMXl'S OF PLATO.

p. 201

of its progeny, and accord in;; to a primordial energy, and a power etlicacious uf all-various motions.

e. The «t Cl ad.

* Instead of jut vrmv here, it is necessary to read pur

BOOK IV.]

TIMXl'S OF PLATO.

p. 201

of its progeny, and accord in;; to a primordial energy, and a power etlicacious uf all-various motions.

Time therefore is moveable, uot by itself, [or essentially'], but according to the partici¬ pation of it which is apparent in motions, and by a Inch motions arc measured and defined' Just as if some one should say, that the soul is divisible about bodies, so far as there is a Certain divisible participation of it about bodies, of which the soul compre¬ hends the cause. For thus also time is moveable, as possessing the cause of the energy proceeding from it, and which is partibly seen in motions, and is cc-divided together mth them. 1I< ■nee, as motions become temporal through participation, so like¬ wise lime is moveable, through being participated by motions ; to which physio¬ logists only looking, think that lime is that w hich is numbered of motion, not In’ing able to perceive the cause of tin*.

In the first place then fore, it must Ini said, th it n< ither does the universe alone subsist in motion, but it is necessary that something of it should entirely remain, m order that this being permanent, it may be moved. It is demonstrated therefore, in the Thea-tetus, that it is impossible for an} tiling to be entirely moved in all respects. Hence it is necessary that something should remain prior to the time which is in participation, ami subsets in motion, in consocpicncc of being coextended with motion. And that this indeed, should be inedicacious is impos¬ sible. Hut if it is etlicacious, and is moved, it w ill again be in want of another thnig, which may measure its motion. If lane ever, it energizes immoveabhj, this will be (he true peculiarity of time. In the second place, we are persuaded from common conceptions, that the Seasons are Goddesses, and that Month is a God, both which we worship in temples. We likewise say, that Day and Night are divinities, of whom also we possess invocations, imparted by the Gods them¬ selves. Much more therefore, is it necessary that time itself should he a God, since it is comprehensive of .Month, and the Seasons, of l)«iv and Night. In the third place, it time is something unmhered ; but it is necessary that prior to that which is numbered, that which numbers should exist, so that prior to that which is nunilMTod in capacity, there should be that which numbers in capacity, ami that which nmnlicrs in energy, prior to th.it which is numbered in energy ; if this Ik* the case, that is time m reality, which is the number itself, of all periods, and which numbers each of them. In the fourth place, whatever participates of soul, participates also ot time, but not vice versa: for inanimate natures participate ot time. It must be admitted therefore, that time is beyond soul, lint soul is prior

In the fourth place, whatever participates of soul, participates also ot time, but not vice versa: for inanimate natures participate ot time. It must be admitted therefore, that time is beyond soul, lint soul is prior

1 For ^crHowni' aett opyiiovoav in tins |>Iucc, reaii fitrpovrray aut rtftzoviray.

Tim. Plat. You II.

2 C

OQ2 PROCLUS ON THE [book nr.

to its participants, itself by itself. Much more therefore is time itself by itself beyond the participants of time.