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

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.

“ When therefore, each ot the natures necessary’ to a joint fabrication of lime, had arrived at a local motion adapted to its condition, and they became animals through the connecting power ot vital bonds, they then learned their prescribed order.

AN liat the animation is of the bodies of the seven cosviocrators, and w hat the order, has been shown through what has been already said. But how each of them is an animal, and is suspended fioin a more divine soul, and what each contributes to the |»erfoctioii of the universe, Plato delivers in these words, to those who are able to perceive his meaning. For each of them is allotted an appropriate life and motion, l or since the demiur¬ gic sacred law distributes to each of the mortal natures that which is adapt¬ ed to it, what will 5011 say concerning the leaders and rulers of the universe? ]\I us t it not he this, that they p-c« ive from the father that which is adapted to them ami is their good, and that being resplendent with beairty they not only co-operate with the father in the generation of time, hut also lead and govern the whole world ? And how is it possible that thus shaking concerning them, we should not speak rightly ? I 11 addition to these things also, they not only receive from the demiurgic moir.ul the beautiful and the good, hut being self motive, impart these to themselves, and begin from themselves the donation of good ; which Plato indicating, says “ that each of than arrived at a local motion adapted to its condition ,” as defining to itself the measure of the life and order and motion which it is allotted in the universe. Since however, each of them, I mean ear h of the seven bodies, lias a twofold life, the one inseparable, hut the other separable; anti the one intclh dual and established in itself in a leading and ruling manner, but the other distributed about body, which it connectedly contains, and moves ; and since according to the latter, each is an animal, but according to the former

ROOK IV ]

TIM ITS or PLATO.

p. 233

p. 233

a find;—this being the ease, Plato sepurating both these, ami considering the di¬ vine and intellectual soul, and which do«*s not depart from intelligible*, as nm> tiling, iuit tin 1 animal which is suspended from this, has its life from, and is the intake of it, as another, lie says “ that being bound xrith vital bonds, they became unimals , and baron/ their prescribed order." l or a divine soul learns the demiur¬ gic will, and understands the works of the father. 1 It also co-operates with hint in the production of mundane natures, hy intellectually perceiving him, and being tilled hv him with divine powers, lor it i" not possible for either intellect or soul, to provide for wholes in an e>« nipt manner, in any other way than by the participation of deitv, and through a div inc|y-in>pired life.

Then co-operating therefore, in the production of time, manifests that they are allotted a secondary powi r, in the fabrication of it; the father of them possessing a primordial power. I or he indeed generates the wholeness of time; but they produce, together with him, the parts of which time consists. For the periods of these are the parts of the whole of time; just as they were generated the parts of the world. But the animal bound with vital bonds, is the animated bodv, which has life from the soul allotted to it, according to the demiurgic allotments. For if with us, the animal is different from the man, and the visible Socrates is one thing, but the true Socrates another, much more are the Sun and Jupiter [different from the visible orbs of them] which consist of body and soul. ll« nee Socrates in the Pir.edrus bluim s those, who assert that a div ine animal consists of body and soul. " For ignorantly, and without sufficiently understanding, says he, we feign a (Jod to be an immortal animal, hav ing a soul, and having a body, and these connasccnt with each other through the whole of time.” And if it be requisite to speak w hat appears to me to be the truth, the unity which is in each and which is the inef¬ fable participation of the fountain of whole unicul numlw rs, is primarily a find. But secondarHi/ intellect, which contains every thing stably, 1 uniformly, and inflexibly. And in the third place soul, being filled from intellect, and unfolding the one compre¬ hension of it. The first of these also, is truly a < iod ; tin* second is most div ine ; and the third, is likewise divine, but illuminates the animal w ith the peculiarity of deity. According to this also, the animal is divine, lining bound with vital bonds, which you may say arevivitic, demiurgic, and indissoluble bonds, as Timams says farther on. Fur the divine bodies, are wholly bound in souls, and are comprehended by, and established in them. The binding likewise, indicates the stable and immutable comprehension of the bodies in the souls, and the undis-

1 For row rnrroi lure, it is nfifi'arv to read row mrpo.

Fur the divine bodies, are wholly bound in souls, and are comprehended by, and established in them. The binding likewise, indicates the stable and immutable comprehension of the bodies in the souls, and the undis-

1 For row rnrroi lure, it is nfifi'arv to read row mrpo.

* Instead of e£>tr r '7/ i(,b ' > in lius plat c, it is necessary to read mt.

* Tor cftârvftHt here, it is requisite to read ^on^wi.

'Jtm. Plat. Vol. II. 2 d

p. 234

PKOCLIS ON TI1E

[book IV.

joined communion of thorn with souls; Divine bodies however, living such, co¬ operate with the Domiurgus in the production of time, call forth the one and invisible power of time, and afford to it a progression into the world, w hich unfolds into light many temporal measures, lienee through this the whole of tune de¬ rives its completion, imitating the time which consists in mwilnring, since it consists itself in being numbered, and in short becomes what it is from many numbers, in ordr r that it may be similar to that which is truly total time, and is comprehensive of all apocatastalie numbers. 'I he joint fabrication tin rcfore, indicates production proceeding to the end, and a p< rlect energy.

“That according to the oblique latiou of the circle of the different t which moves in subjection to the circle ot the mine, these orbs should by their revolution, partly form a greater, and partly a less circle; and that the orb which formed a less circle should revolve swifter, but that which produced a greater, more slow.”