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

For whatever is destitute of lire is dead, refrigeration Wing contrary to life. But above the Sun are the governors of the

* Ik the original hrre, there is nothing more linn gumyayvfitv o-i tara 11 larwrn i) fiia *a i n^iaXiy, but the sense requires lint we should read, conformably lu ibe above translation, ovrayayufitr *r« mam I IXarwra, *j rtf • avXarcti mirtfou, fita *a< o/iaAi).

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whole ofgenemtion, li:i> in^ all of them in common, what neither the Sun, nor the Moon have, \iz. advancing and receding motions; through which the nature of sublunary substance is all-variously changed, by additions and ablations, accessions and remissions of jiroduetive powers, of hie, and ot the whole ot their essence. Hut the Sun is entirely extended from the middle. Anil of the Gods indeed prior to him, he perfects the production*; but excites, resuscitates, and variously changes the powers that are posterior to him. lit net the t biologist calls him the guardian of the universe, and leaves about him, demiurgic, undefiled, elevating , perfective, and many other eat hart ie and separating txneeraccording to which, revolving perpetually, he adorns the universe.

“ lint with respect to the other stars, it anyone should think fit to investigate the causes, through which the Demiurgus established all ot them, the labour would be greater than that of the discourse itself, for the sake of which they were introduced. These things therefore, may perhaps hereafter be discussed by us at our leisure, in such a way as they deserve.”

Uy the Other stars it is evident that Plato means Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Cut the word established, exhibits to us their jierpelual and incorruptible fabrica¬ tion. If however, as we find in some copies, you read they established,' this read¬ ing will a fibril von an indication, that the universe was generated and adorned by the Dennurgus, and by other causes. Tor a little lx fore, Plato said that the diwmty distributed in an orderly manner the seven bodies, ami the period of the circle of the different ; and in addition to this the peculiar souls of the stars, which he denominated circulations. Cut these are said [according to this read¬ ing] to have Iw en established by all the causes, in conjunction with which the Dennurgus fabricated them severally, making the whole world a statue, and establishing in it the statues of the partial («ods. It is here however necessary to call to mind, what we are accustomed to say concerning the order ot all mun¬ dane natures; viz. that the inerratic sphere is the cause to all things of ail invariable sameness of subsistence; but that of the triad under it, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars, the first is the cause of connexion, the second of symmetry, and the third of separation. Anti again, the Moon indeed is a monad, the cause of ail generation and corruption ; hut the elements in generation, form a triad under

1 lu tbe original ro.

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Anti again, the Moon indeed is a monad, the cause of ail generation and corruption ; hut the elements in generation, form a triad under

1 lu tbe original ro.

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TIM/FA'S OF PLATO.

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this monad. The media between this triad of planets and tin* Moon, are the planets that revolve with evpial celerity. And tin* Sun indeed unfolds truth into light, as we have frequently said. But Venus unfolds hcautv ; and Mercurv, the symmetry of reasons, according to the analogy ' of the monads in the vestibules of the good. If you are w illing also, y on may say, that of the beneficent planets, the Moon is the cause to mortals of nature, lieing herself tin? visible statue of fontal nature. But the Sun is the Demiurgus of every tiling sensible, in consequence of being the cause of sight and visibility. Mercury is the cause of the motions of the phantasy : for of the phantastic essence itself, so far as sense and phantasy are one, the Sun is the producing cause. But \ enus is the cause of epithy metic appetites; and Mars of the irascible motions which an* according to nature. Of all vital powers however, Jupiter is the common cause; but of all gnostic powers Saturn. Tor all the irrational forms are divided into these. The causes therefore of these, are antecedently comprehended in celestial natures.

Of all vital powers however, Jupiter is the common cause; but of all gnostic powers Saturn. Tor all the irrational forms are divided into these. The causes therefore of these, are antecedently comprehended in celestial natures.

Some one however, may reasonably doubt from what has been said, where Plato constitutes the soul of the inerratic sphere, In ing afraid lest he should make the soul of the world t>* be the same with the soul of tint sphere; as Aristotle did afterwards. For we have tlx peculiar souls of the stars, through the lielbre inf illumed circulations, and a little farther on, Plato speaks concerning them. For lie says, th.it hi mg hound with animated bonds, they became animals. May we not say tber« lore, that as be plaees in the whole soul ot the universe, twofold circles, and twofold circulations, lie gives subsistence together with them to two¬ fold souls, that fit the inerratic sphere, and that of the whole planetary sphere, as one circulation? And again, assuming in the virile of the tiijf'crcnt, seven circles, he had fog« tlier with them mm ii souls, carried as in vehicles in the seven spheres. For tip* animation just now delivered was not of tin* spin res themselves. Hence in what he said ol the iiierr.itir sphere, he made mention of the animation of the stars, omitting the animation of the w hole spheres, as being comprehended in the circles ot the whole soul. For on account ol the form of diM us-umi usual with the ancients, he omits the subtile elaboration ot various animation. For universal animation is one thing; tb.it which is posh rior to this, and is universal partial animation, is another; partial universal animation is another; and the last of all, is partial animation. According to all the forms of animation like¬ wise, the whole world and the parts of it are animated. May it not be said also, that Timaus having on the preceding day heard Socrates suhtiiy discussing these animations, conceived that the peculiar elaboration of them would Lie supeilluous.

1 There in an oiuusion in ihc original here of tar’ uvaXayutr.

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Socrates therefore placet! souls which lie railed Syrens, over the eight whirls [or spheres]. And again, he places one soul over the inerratic portion of the world; one, over the whole planetary region ; and one over the whole heaven ; unfolding the peculiar souls of all these, and animating the inerratic sphere in a twofold respect, both as one circle, having a division opposed to that of the seven circles, and as comprehending the multitude ot the fixed stars, and being itself a world universal and at the same time partial. And thus much in answer to tins doubt. But the reason why IMatu makes the discussion of the -tars to 1m- superfluous, is evident. 1 'or the thing proposed by bun was to show what secondary time is, ami how, ami whence it is consummately ellected.