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

And in the words before us, lie gives to it tlie third form of w li.>lem*ss. For it is necessary that each part of it should Irecome a whole, and that it should have all

* Instead of fi aXoyiai in tins it is ubwousl) necessary to read fi araXoytaf

p. 254

EROCLUb ON THE

[book IV.

things appropriately in itself; viz. the heavens celestially, the air aerially, and the earth terrestrially. For tins is the whole in a part, and through this, it is in a greater degree assimilated to its paradigm, which is comprehensive of all animals. For that is both a monad and number. And it is necessary that the world should contain all animals in itself, in order that it may liecome jverfeetly similar to the all ness of it* paradigm ; by not only receiving the whole plenitudes of the world, and subsisting' a whole of wholes, hut also comprehending in itself, the partial animals, through which every part of the world derives its completion, and all the divine, demoniacal, and mortal orders. For thus the most perfect similitude of the world to animal itself will be eflected. And this is the tenth gift imparted by the Deiniurgus to the world, and is the greatest of all. e do not however say, that the Deiniurgus brought the world to a similitude of the intelligible, from dissimili¬ tude; for thus the ini|H‘rfect would precede the perfect, in the demiurgic genera¬ tion of things ; hut the order of the discussion delivers the precedency in forms, and a dominion causally antecedent to the s« coud and third goods wliii li ale im¬ parted,* in order that the world may as much as possible lie impressed as by a seal with all the evolved forms of intelligibles. Since therefore, the paradigm was monadic, and comprehensive of all intelligible animals, it is necessary that the world should not be alone only begotten, and a whole of wholes, hut likewise that it should be comprehensive of all sensible animals Here therefore, the dis¬ cussion of vivification proceeds, filling all the parts of the universe with appro¬ priate genera of animals; adorning all the genera with proper numbers; and ge¬ nerating all numbers according to a similitude to the paradigm.

“ Whatever ideas therefore, intellect perceived in that which is animal itself, such and so many it dianoctically conceived it to be necessary for this universe to contain.”

•••••• i And the third wholeness is imparted to the w orld through fabrication, weaving together parts with wholes, and numbers 4 with monads, and making each part of the universe a world, anti that which is in a part, a whole and all.

* For aftorafitros liere, it is necessary to read vyurra/ecyot.

1 i. e. The order of the discussion, delivers tlie whole prior to parts, before the whole which consists of parts, and this latter, before the whole which is in a part.

* For aftorafitros liere, it is necessary to read vyurra/ecyot.

1 i. e. The order of the discussion, delivers tlie whole prior to parts, before the whole which consists of parts, and this latter, before the whole which is in a part.

1 The beginning of lliis cornraeulary is wanting io the original ; and by an unaccountable error this pari of it that is extant, instead of immediately following the test inp. 27’, is insetted in p. C(i(i, as if ■t belonged to the Commentary on tbe words, “ Night therefore and Day t cert thus gtntr.itrd, ' Sfc.

* For rou uptown here, it is necessary to read rcri npS^ov t

HOOK -V.J

TIM/ELS OF l>LATO

For the world is allotted tins through a similitude to animal itself; because tii at also is an entire monad and number. It is likewise an all-perfect intelligible intellect, and a plenitude of intelligible causes, which it generates so that they may abide eternally in itself, l'or the multitude which abides in its cause is of one kind, and that which proceeds and is distributed into parts, of another. For the Dcmiiirgus himself indeed, constitutes some pen era of Gods in himself, but produces others from himself, into second and third orders. And the father of the Demiurgus [i. e. Saturn] generates some paradigmatic causes of fabrication to abide in himself, but he produces others, as demiurgic causes themselves, that have an arraugi incut prior to wholes. Ilis grandfather also Heaven, retains some causes in himself, but leads others forth 1 into a separation from himself. And theologies manifest these things by mystic appellations, denominating them either concealment, or absorption, or nurture in Fate. Much prior therefore to these, does intelligible intellect the father of w holes, generate some causes in himself, and unfold them into light, but produce others from himself, and constitute the orders of the Gods posterior to him;* containing indeed, uniform, whole, and all-peiTect causes within the comprehension of himself; hut producing into other orders, those whi< h are mulliplit d, and distributed into parts through difference. II nice, since every paternal order constitutes after this manner, this world also, being an imitation of the intelligible orders, and suspended from them, possesses one allncsx prior to partial animals ; but another, deriving its completion from them, and together with ihe former receives the latter, in order that it may be most simi¬ lar to its demiurgic and paradigmatic cause. Such therefore, is the mode in which this takes place.

Such therefore, is the mode in which this takes place.

Hut the words, “ in that which is animal itself ,we have before explained, and shown what animal itself is, according to our opinion. And now also we sav, that of the intelligible breadth, one part is the summit, is united, and occult; but another part, is the power of the summit, and proceeds, and at the same time abides; and another part, unfolds itself into light through energy, and exhibits in itself intelligible multitude. Of these likew ise, the first indeed, is intelligible lieing, the second, is intelligible life, and the third, is intelligible intellect. The first lieing itselt however, cannot he animal itself: for multitude is not there, nor the tetrad of ideas; but through its onlvuess, and iucilahic union, it is denominated «nc by Plato. And in short, animal itself is s.ud to participate of eternity, hut the first

Instead of r-«« it, ri jy atf tnurov ftarptrtr in tins place, ll is ro'pimlc to read row it, rpncnytt ttt cnifm, itatfttmr.

* For r«i« ptlf tnirrvy raltaiy vfiirry/rt rwr Qtw in lliis place, ll i» necessary to read rni fttff «oi tv* f«;«i rwr Otvt,

PROCLLS ON THE

[book IV.

25ti