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

Hence, the secondary lime, if it is iuiivcr*allv apparent, is very projM-rly said to proceed from the demiurgic reason, which receives as it were its progression from intellect ; reason indeed, manifesting the* cause, but dunwm, the

* 1 or ntfnCo^€njt lure, rt ad /nine

* Utanoia, as lias Ixm In-lure observed, when ascribed to the Dennurgus, indicates a distributive cause of tilings, or a cause, as Procluj expresses it, winch divides union into multitude.

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TIM.LLS OT PLATO.

2I!> knowledge in I hi' Dcmiurgus, which is of a Informed nature. Truly-existing time also, [or I hi' lir>t time] which is the inimher of all the jvcriods ia the universe, is mir tiling; hut the time which llmvs from this, and proceeds accord¬ ing to aiimhi r, i> another.

Tart In r still, truly -existing time compreheads all measures uniformly, accordin'; to which also the periods hoth of souls and bodies are accomplished, and the one measure of the whole apocataslasis. Tor tin re is a period of that which is divinely generated, which a perfect number eumpn hemls, as .Socrates says in the Repub¬ lic. Rat secondary time distinguishes and guards the measures in souls and corporeal natures. Tor it distributes measures adapted to each of these. And by this indeed, it divides the umcal power of the first time, but guards the measure pertaining to each soul, and each corporeal nature. Conformably to this likewise it makes apocatastases. Tor there is one measure of the solar period, another of the lunar, and another of the period of the meteors. Tor in th« ’se also, there is a certain circle, adumbrating the celestial circle. Of dill* rent animals likewise, there is a different period. Tor of these there are periods, and measures of life, as also the da-mouiacal Aristotle says. Such therefore aie the conclusions which may he now assumed from these things, concerning the dilSi-r* lire of these times.

Of dill* rent animals likewise, there is a different period. Tor of these there are periods, and measures of life, as also the da-mouiacal Aristotle says. Such therefore aie the conclusions which may he now assumed from these things, concerning the dilSi-r* lire of these times.

it appears likewise, that Tiato does not in vain say, “ in order (hat lime might be gnu ruled, hut fur the purpose of manifesting, that invisible time was antece¬ dent, being a whole, and one, and an inti Ue< tuul number, prior to the time which is p uImpaled, and vvhn h proceeds according to number. Tverv thing then fore, which is generated, is prior to its generation, invisibly established in its cause. Hence generation signifies a progression into participants, according to which time untidils into light diflereut forms, 1 primarily and scrnndarilv. It likewise signifies that time proceeds 1 mm more total to more partial natures, as far as to the last of things, as tor instance, animals and plants. To us however, the whole of time becomes known from partial but orderly measures. Tor the whole is dillicull to lie known, and that which is disordi rly cannot In come the measure of other things. Rut since, as we have said, the period of the plain ts, and particularly the solar circle, contributes to the generation of secondary tune, or rather, to the comprehension of the many measures contained in it, through which I icing differ¬ ent, as for instance months and years, we are accustomed to measure the whole of time,—hence, Plato says, that the sun and moon, and the live planets, were first generated by the Deiniurgus, though each of the fixed stars likewise, being

1 For ttfrj here, it u necessary to read td*r.

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*220

PllOCI.l S ON Till

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*220 spherical, performs its period about it*. o\\ u centre, accordin'.; to a certain temporal measure. To Us however, 1 1 it-so measures an* not known, as those of tin; planets ale, arronlint; to uhieli thev make their periods about tin* /oiliar. For in tlio ti \cil •'t.ir>, «i do mil know tin- periods ol tin in about tin* ir proper re litres, l’lato ilien ton , >|M-aks concernin'.; the plain t-, and says they w« re generated, m order that tbex liliulit eo-o|ierate III the piodiietiull ol \i**lble time; Uldoldill'4; a dillerelit nn aMire of dilli n lit timin'-, the >1111 In inn alluded ,1 primordial and ruling dignity, and particularly aceiirdilii; to the "t uelatioli ol time. llem'i*, be is called lime ot time In llicolo-i't-, as imfnldiii:; into Ii" 1 11 tin- lust time ; and tin* period of tin- mm-oiis is accoinpli-'bi d accordin'.; to biin. lint the moon lias tin* second older, a> pro\imati !y nn»\in*_f, in< rcasiii"', and duniiiisbiu^, *•'< r\ tiling in lifiicralioii, l*\ licr powers. 1 It nee, as the miii is said to change lus foriie e\ 1 ry bour, and in c;ii li m^h ol tin /odiat so die moon < bailees ber I01111 every day ; so lli.it as tbc tin (ilo^ist sa\s, >ln- midi 1401 s as many t liaii^i s in a month as tin- miii hi 1 n tr. Hut tin- other plaints bv their various umtioiis, tonneet in a regular series, tin tliv ei sity ol geiu ration I 01 dilleivut 1 lh i is lot low inn 11 tin* aporatast.i'is ot dilli n lit plain ts, whit li aeeordmu to dillen lit lm .I'lin s, lining tin ir own li\ 1 -s to » pi mnl.

'son e howt ver, the plain ts revolve with ulie t onimiied, • ipiable, and uneeasin^' motion,but tin* order «U tin m, and tin 1 ipi ibihtv and saniein ss ot 11 it n motions, an* t item, on aeeonnt ot tin ir apparently advancing, ret eilin^, and breuniiiu; stalionarv, 1*11 this account, I Mato sa\ s, tin y have tin* appi 1 kill on ot planets. lienee, von ni.iv assume, that it is (lie stars, and not tin* spin n-s in w hit It the stars ail v a nee and li et th , that sutler "in h tilings .is, these, anil whit h ale iiiovi d upward and downward, antecedently containin'.; e t rderly paia lrjuiis, the al!-\arioiis distil-