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

For it is similar to its paradigm, and all-pcifect, through imitating the tour ideas ot animal lKell.

If, on the contrary, some one should say, that these genera comprehend Gods and mortals, how shall we accord vv ith Plato, who alter the lubrication of t ie celestial animals sa\s, “ Hut to .speak concerning the other (/anions, and to know tat generation of them, exceeds our ability” having aUo mentioned the Gods that pro¬ ceed into the sublunary world. For lu re indeed aftt r the aerial, he airanges t ie uquatii . and afn r thi", the pedestrious g» mis. In the gem-ration however, * * • mor¬ tal animals, he no longer preserv. s tliis ord< r, but generating all of t.n in t uougli tin human soul, lu- leads it into the p. destrioiis g. mis, after the polity ot it m the heavens, in outer that he may consummately produce man; and alter the human soul has acted erroneously, he again conducts it to the winged, pedestrious, and sav age genus, and aft. i wards to the aquatic tribe, lienee it set ins, that the three genera are not only the causes* of mortal natures, hut that they are the causes ot

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I I M l. Us OF PLATO.

2(13 2i wards to the aquatic tribe, lienee it set ins, that the three genera are not only the causes* of mortal natures, hut that they are the causes ot

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I I M l. Us OF PLATO.

2(13 these prior to other things, in which tlu* same order of the three ideas are preser¬ ved, secondary natures proceedin'.: from those prior to them through diminution. v‘ is necessary therefore, that all things should he generated through these ideas, vi both the dome and mortal genera; and that the intelligible ideas, as being m - ’otal, should give subsistence to all genera. It is likewise necessary to sm < the words before us appropriately accordin'.; to each order: as lor instance, the g mis of (toils in one way, in those that are properly called finds, and m anotIn r way, in the p’liera superior to us, and which are arr ingeel ii the heavens. I’or we say that there are celestial angels, ihemoiis, and hemes, and that all thesi are railed fouls, because the divine peculiarity predominates over their own peculiarity. Again, the winded and air-wandering genus, subsists in one wav in the aerial f ouls. in another, in aerial ihemons, and in another m at rial mortal animals. For the inb Hectical peculiarity of these fouls, is denominated winded ; but the providenti d peculiarity is called air-wandering, as extending through all the sphere of the air, and connectedly' containing the whole of it. ltut in d.rmoiis the united is significant *of rapidity of energy ; and the on uaiulcrin g, manifests the 1 m’iii; every where present without impediment, and proceeding through all things. And in mortal natures, the u nited manifests iiiotitiii through one organ, which alone employs things that surround; hut the air wandering, the all-various motion through hodies. I'or nothing hinders hut that partial souls, which live in the air, may wamh r through the air Farther still, the aquatic in divine natur«s, indicates a providential inspection and government, ui'< parahle from water, lienee also the Oracle call* ihe»e (bids watcr-u allurs.' But m the genera that follow the (>ods, it signifies that whic h connectedly contains the moist nature?. Moreover, the pedestrious, in one place signifies that which contains the last seat, and proceeds through it, as the terrestrial, and which slahlv governs it, and gives perfection to it, through all-various powers and lives. Hut in another place, it indicates that which govern* and regulates at dillereiif tiim *, different parts of the; earth through its own proper motion. And tints much conceriimg the names.

From these* things however, it may he assumed, that intelligible animal itself, is entirely dill’erent from that which is in the Demiurgus. For the former does net contain the* separate ideas of mortal animals. For the Demiurgus made mortal

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