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

essence, life, and intellect, and that each of the Gods partic ipale of these three, but that a different peculia¬ rity predominates in difii rent, divinities, and also that the energy is different of different Gods, and that the elevation is through different media. 1

1 he divine Jamhlichus however, neither admits the introduction of epicycles, as Ireing mechanical, and for* ign from tin* meaning of Plato ; nor the conception arising front life [essence and intellect] as vainly employing such like disjunctions, ingressions, egressions, and complications, as in a dream, and in no resjtect conformable to Plato. For where doe s Plato assert, that the elevation to essence is through life, intellect, and essence * M here also, does he arrange Saturn according to essence, but Jupiter according to intellect, and Mars according to life? Rejecting therefore' tlio-.e assertions, lie delivers a more simple theory, and says that the Moon first is arranged in the place 1 about the earth, as having the relation of nature and a mother to generation. For all things are convolved by licr, are co-increased when she increases, and are diminished when she is dimi¬ nished. But that the Sun is [the next] above the Moon, Irecause it evidently fills the Moon with powers,and has the relation of a father to generation. But above

* Instead of it uWmv (ntnjv here, read ft f..U*i |Kwr.

* Instead of cm ror yn r ko yor here, it u necessary to read cm roe wtpt yv y rower.

22n

IMtOCLUS ON THE

[book iv.

the Sun nre Venus and Mercury, these planets lieing solar, and fabricating in conjunction with the Sun, and also contributing together with him to the infec¬ tion of w holes. Hence their course is equally swi,t t!,at of tl,e S ‘ ,n * 311,1 revolve about him, as communicating with him in the production of things. They are however, contrary to him ; not only according to the lation in their epicy cles, as we have 1 m- fore observed, and a> mathematicians say ; nor so far as the one is the cause of the evolution into light of things concealed, but the other is the cause of concealment, as astrologers strenuously assert, For they are so on these accounts, and abo on account ol the divine power its* If,’ who h we have before mentioned. Tor there is a certain admirable and transeendant power of the Sun; and on this account it is of itself incommensurate. But the powers of \ entis and Mercury impart by illumination symmetry, and good temperament, and in consequence of always revolving in conjunction with the "miii render the s..lar motion harmoni¬ ous, l-'or both are the causes of communion ; Mercury !m mg < oiiimoii m diurnal and nocturnal productions, and possessing both a masculine and feminine power; and \ finis possessing a binding power, and which co-adapts things that are s. par.ited from each other.

par.ited from each other.

You in ly also s.*\, that Im cause the Sun neither uses ablations, nor additions of motions, nor becomes stationary, but Mercury and Venus, employ advancing and receding motions, and are at times stationary, they are allotted according to npjiearanco, powers contrary to the Sun, and not so tar as tin v proceed analo¬ gous to the first three mon ids, which are in the vestibules of the good, as we have U-fore observed. For the Sun, as w* learn in the Republic, gives subsistence to light, will! li is the image of truth But \ mils is the cause of beauty to general* *1 natures, which is the imitation of intelligible beauty. And Mercury is tin. cause of symmetry to all things, subsisting as reason to things in generation, lor all symmetry proceeds according to one ratio, and according to number, of which this < iod is the giver. Those monads then-fore, subsisting analogously to, and in conjunction with cadi other, these planets very properly desire to he with each other, and revolve together. On this account also, they comprehend and are comprehended, through producing and co-operating with each other in demiurgic works. But if at one time they are moved swifter, ami at another slower, and when one* is moved swifter the others are not, nor when on* is moved slower, the r*>t are also slower in tln ir motions; it this 1 m- the case, those that are moved swifter, are very properly said to comprehend those that are moved slower, and

J For qitoi here, read avnj>.

1 Instead of i>« §T€fjoi here, il i» rfcjuuilc to rend o €rcpo%.

HOOK IV.]

TIM.EUS OF l’LATO.

22U

1 Instead of i>« §T€fjoi here, il i» rfcjuuilc to rend o €rcpo%.

HOOK IV.]

TIM.EUS OF l’LATO.

22U vice versa, tlie latter are said to hr comprehended hy the former. And there is one period indeed, of all things ; Imt the parts <>j tin* periods differing in sw iltness and slowness, cause some of these at one time and some at another, to comprehend and l>e coinpri bended hy each other, according to different parts of their periods. Hence, through these things, and trom what has liecn before said, we mav collect, that according to I’lato, the motion of the inerratir sphere is one and equable, 1 hut that tiie motions of the seven planets are in themselves equable, hut with reference to each other anomalous ; except that three of them are equally swift in their course. For before he produced the seven planets, he said that their cir¬ cles were equally swift. But that the motion of each of them is equable, Socrates in the Republic manifests, when he says, that a Syren presides over the eight circles, uttering one voice in one tone ; so that an equable motion is common to them. The seven stars however are moved about their own centres, and also through the depth of their spheres. And both the other four planets, and the three, comprehend, and are comprehended hy each other, on account of the inequality of their jwculiar motions. For if as spheres they were cquablv moved, they would never at any time stiller tin*-, hut they would alwavs he similarly separated Iroin each other. 1 lus therefore, I’lato also says, that thev proceed through tin* heavens, having mutations m tinir motions.

Hence, above this triad, which is thus harmonious, in consequence of \ rims uniting, and leading to communion the .Mercurial production, which is of a remitted nature, and the solar fabrication w hieh possesses intensity of povvi r. there is another triad, consisting of Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars. \nd Saturn and Mars indeed, are the extremes, and are contrary to each otln r, si far as the one is the cause of connexion, hut tin* other of division; and the one of cold, hut the other of Ik at. But Jupiter is arranged in the middle, and leads the demiurgic productions of Saturn and Mars into an excellent temperament. If however, \ou wish to survey the* middle arrangement of the Sun, after another manner, conceive two pentads on each side of him, la*ncath the Moon, and the tetractys of the* elements ; m order that you may understand the etherial nature to have something different from what is properly called air, or that you may also comprehend with it the nature of sublunary lire, which co-admiuisters the natures of all the elements, moves all tilings, and excites their productions. For whatever is destitute of lire is dead, refrigeration Wing contrary to life. But above the Sun are the governors of the