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

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.

How then will a tiling of this kind 1 m* the image of eternity? For attain it must Im* discussed, on account of the difficulty with which tin* knowledge of the things is attended. Because, says the divine Iamblichus, it exhibits the infinity of eternity, (which is now being, is at once all, abides in the now, and is the unmea¬ sured measure of intelligibles,) in a circular evolution, in continuity, and in that which is successive; and also in separating iM'ginnings, midilles, and ends, and not deserting any one of the things comprehended by it. And as it is not simply moveable, but is moveable as with reference to eternity, so neither is it simply an image, but the whole of this may 1 m justly said to be the image of i ternity. For being a true essence, and in short, measuring, comprehending, and restoring motions to their pristine state, it is at the same time said to be an eternal image. It apptars also, that it is the Jirst of images, l or all perfect intellect is not pro- )H-rlv said to Ik* the image of the first cause*. For what can be assimilated to that which is entirely w ithout form ? But time will be the first participant of intellect and an impartible nature between all perfect intellect, and sensibles. And m short, if it is necessary that image should belong to things which participate ; for it wishes to preserve the form of anotli* r more ancient and venerable nature, from which it receives the peculiarity of its idea; it is requisite, tit it image should neither be in the liist essences; (for they being first, do not participate, but rather, they are participated by other things, not being ingenerated in their participants, But after another manner, being converted to themselves;) nor in sensibles alone. For middle also participate of first natures, and not sensibles alone, which' are a similated to first, through the representations of middle natures. Time there¬ fore, is said to be the image of eternity, and the whole world, of animal itself, according to soul, and according to body, lienee, if as Porphyry, and some other Platonists thought, sensibles alone participate of truly-existing beings, vve must investigate images in them alone. But if, as Amelins writes, and prior to Amelins, ISumenius, there is also participation in intelligibles, there will likewise be images in them. If however according to the divine Plato, images are neither in the first of beings, nor in sensibles alone, Iamblit bus, who nearly surpasses all philosophers in all things, will in these also be victorious, by exhorting us to survey participations, in the middle, and in the last of 1 m ings. And thus much may sutlice at present concerning eternity, and the image of eternity , w hich is at

‘ "A is oiDilti-il in llie original.

HOOK IV.]

And thus much may sutlice at present concerning eternity, and the image of eternity , w hich is at

‘ "A is oiDilti-il in llie original.

HOOK IV.]

TIM XUS OF PLATO.

p. 203

once moveable, anti always subsists with invariable sameness, anil which proceed¬ ing according to intellectual forms, the father of wholes established in his fabrica¬ tions; as they were not able to sustain the all-perfect measure of eternity. Let us therefore, now turn to the investigation of the following words.

“ Me likewise contrived the generation of days and nights, and months and years, which had no subsistence prior to the universe, but which were constituted together with it. Jiut all these are parts of time,' and t\as and will he, were generated species of time.”

That prior to the generation of the universe (but 1 now speak of the universe, as surveyed in conjunction with soul, and the whole life ol the world; there w,»s »n impartible essence abiding in eternity, in the same manner as eternity abides in one, and that it was no part of proceeding and participated time, is perfectly manifest. But what day and night, and month and year are, and how these indeed, are parts of time, but was and trill be are said to be species, and not parts of time, will require a more abundant discussion, and a more profound considera¬ tion. If therefore, we should say that day is air illuminated by tin- sun, in the first place, we shall speak of something which takes place in the day, and not that which day is. For when we say a long, and a short day, we do not predi¬ cate an increase or diminution of the air. In the next place, it is dillicolt to devise how this will be a part of time. But if we should say that day is the temporal interval, according to which the sun proceeds from cast to west, we shall perhaps avoid indeed the former objections, but we shall fall into more impervious difficulties. For if we survey the interval itself without habitude to the sun, and say that it is day, it will appear to be dubious, how the same interval Im ing every where according to the same, day is not every where. But if we survey it in connexion with the solar motion, and this merely so, day will always lie in the heavens, and there will not he night. And how is it possible that a part of time should not he every where. For it is here clearly said, that night, day, and month, are parts of time. If however, we do not merely connect the interval with the circulation of the sun, but say that day is the motion of the sun from cast to west, and night the motion of it from west to east, the universe will neither have days nor nights, which are said to he parts of time. And it is also evident that neither will they have months, nor years. We conceive however that time both according to the

1 I he worth, rovra £c trarra /itpai ire through the fault of the tnnicnlxn omitted id the text of 1'roclus.

PROCLUS ON THE

[book it.

p. 204

And it is also evident that neither will they have months, nor years. We conceive however that time both according to the

1 I he worth, rovra £c trarra /itpai ire through the fault of the tnnicnlxn omitted id the text of 1'roclus.

PROCLUS ON THE

[book it.

p. 204

whole of itself w hich abides, and according to every part of its progression, is pre¬ sent to die whole world. For one and the same now is every where the same. It is necessary therefore, that day, and such other things as we say are parts of time, dioiild he every where the same, though they are participated partibly and with dis¬ persion by sensible fabrications; to which also some looking, adopt the more usual rather than the more accurate signification of names.