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

I»r all these beeonie continual according to time, and tin punnt through tune is dismissed to the :. as, s» as not even that to be hurried away to t/mi hit h in tn> tisjnvt whatever crisis, but on account of tunc, isaJUt a let tan titamu r co-arranged , ith beings.

II..w tin n fore, in Generated natun s, can the was, and the will be, be filly said to 1 m- speeies of tune ' May wt not say, that the species of time arc one thin"; for temporal progressions alone, and the mienals which measure wholes, are mure simple; but tlie things which are arranged in the natures generated in time, another f I-’or time was, and the war was, are not the same thin-; as neither is tin downward of plan-, the same as tin-downward of tin-earth. Hut the lonnei is simple and one, hut tin latter- rumposit. and twofold. Ami the one eoniprehends, but the ..tiler is t oiiipn luiuleil. Hills also ill tin was, the t< mporal indeerl, comprehends and measures, and is simple, but th .t wl.ieli is assumed in the -ell. ration win. h is in linn , is eoinpreh. Tided, and uu astir, d, and p irtieipat. s ot time, but is mil time. 'I’hat all -.-aeration bow ever, is compi.-li.-nd.-d by time, just is lime Its, || is by u.t. tli"iDl« s, is ev id. lit. And time Is said to proceed from intelli-ibles according to number, as making Us progression according to the

HOOK I\.]

TIM.Ill'S or PLATO.

•213 forms anil measures llial an- in them. Hut gem ration is saiil to proceed in tilin', as bring nirasiiri <1 anil |n lireI**i 1 by limr. Again, time, on account of its imitation ot eternity, is saiil to circulate (ju^l as the heaven on account ot its imitation of intellect, i> saiil to In- of a spherical form) anil to have as sjn cics the has, ami the uill be, ami sm h tilings as arc allied to tlicsc ; anil i» is evnli nt that these are simple, and the primary leaders of the natures that arc home along in Generation, l or that which has the measures of all Gen, ration in itself, inserts the images and impressions of them, in the things which proceed according to it. (ieneration then fore, loses its vigour, and on this account requires the renovating aid of time. It also is imperfect at first, and is m want of time, to make it more perfect, and older. Dut the intelligible is always perfect, and always flourishing, and always has an invariable sameness of subsistence ; whence also something which is older subsists there.

Hut Jove was horn tlie first, and likewise that which is younger,

IK bo august, iur them the nectar pours.

Dut the intelligible is always perfect, and always flourishing, and always has an invariable sameness of subsistence ; whence also something which is older subsists there.

Hut Jove was horn tlie first, and likewise that which is younger,

IK bo august, iur them the nectar pours.

Yet these are not present with them through time. This also is very accurately aihh d by Plato, that it is not lit the mb lligibie should become e ither older or younger through time, nor in short, that the unbegotten should be generated, or hate been generated, or will he generated. And in one word, generation indeed, though it i» not essence, y, t participates of essence ; but it is by no mi ans lawful that essence should be filled with generation. Hence, neither is it right to intro¬ duce to truly-existing beings, things which are adapted to generation through time.

“ And m addition to these things also, we assert that a tiling which tax generated, is generated ; that what subsists in becoming to be, is gene¬ rated ; that what will he, is to he ; and that ww-bcing is non-being : no one of w liicli assertions is accurate. Perhaps however, a perfect discussion ol these things, is not adapted to the present discourse."

Previously to tins, Plato lihunutl the custom of the (Irecks, for introducing to Iruly-exi-ling In ings words adapted to tilings in generation ; but now lie arcuses the multitude ot eo-;uiauging with generation, that which is adapted to iutclligibles. For their illegality, is either twofold, or is entirely one and great. For when they say that a tiling which u as generated, is generated, and that will be, is to l>e, they erroneously adapt the peculiarity of eternal essences, to generated

p. 214

I’ROCLUS ON THE

[book IV.

For their illegality, is either twofold, or is entirely one and great. For when they say that a tiling which u as generated, is generated, and that will be, is to l>e, they erroneously adapt the peculiarity of eternal essences, to generated

p. 214

I’ROCLUS ON THE

[book IV.

natures. Fur this is, pertains to siq>erie)r divine lieings; just as to l>e generated, or sidisist in Irecotnmg to lie, pertains to sensihles. They likewise erroneously confound the parts of time, and subvert the order which is in it, bv making the turn', or the present time, the same as the past. Rut when they say, that what subsists in Itccomin" to be, is, tin y fill into the former error alone. Though this however, is an error of the greatest c<niseijuence, yet, if it be lawful so to speak, it is a still greater error to say that mm-lieing is, For if generation is a medium 1*1 we e n non-being and Iwing, it is a less error, to introduce the pecu¬ liarities o! he-ing to generation, than to mm-licing. One apologv however, *or these things, may he made eonforniablv to nature. For in consequence of non-being participating in ge ne ration of being, in the same manner as every tiling temporal ap|»ears to participate of eternitv, it is usual to refer these to e lernity and truly-existiii” being, w!m h are e\i nipt from all iutiTva! and distribu¬ tion into parts. And again, it i» usual to preserve mil detain generation, which is borne along in motion, and e\i-ts in time. It is not at all wonderful tin refore, it tit **11 wishing to detain union" beings, that which has alreadv been generated, should say th.it it is generated ; and aUu being willing to eo arrange witli things ill cMstence, that wliieh is not \el generated, tin v should sav, it is to be gene¬ rated. For through tins,- two things, non-being is iuaeeitaiii respect able to arcade to, and be co-airanged with brings; vi/ through the pailic*ipulicm of being, and through the? present temporal interval, both which may appear to intrudin' existence. And hence indeed, the frequent m.- of tin se words in this sense was assumed. Nevertheless tin* transposition of tliis perturbation has not any tiling las Plato sa\s] accurate and scientific, by which he sigmlie as far as is adapted to the present speculation, which is more physical, that a more abundant investi¬ gation of these things, pertains to another discussion, which, as most of the inter¬ preters think, is logical. I’m* in logical discussions, it is usual to inquire whethe r non-being is the ohjcct of opinion. As lauihlieliiis says however, and 1 am per¬ suaded, it is theological I or in the Sophi-ta, muc h is said about all-various non being, and likewise in tin Parmenides, the speculation of which, Tuna-iis alsoevinees to be appropriate. Now however, as he separates and distinguishes things from each other, vi/., into that which isalwavs bring, and that which is generated and perishes, into invade and paradigm, the eternal and the temporal, thus also, he wishes to give; appellations adapted to eaeli of these, so as neither to transfer things whic h pertain to generation through time, to more simple and divine essence's, nor to mingle the traiisci ncleiit goods uf more excellent natures, with things which arc home along in motion and imitation. Rut he refers to more appropriate opportunities, the* more* profound investigation <»f these particulars. For this was usual both with Plato himself, and prior to Plato, with the Pytha-