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

J a„<ar.

* The Okie Gods are those that form that order of divinities which is immediately situated above the tnunduHr Gods 'these Cods w ho are called a ionic by the Chaldean, are denominated lilt ratal by the Greek theologists. According to tin former likewise, Serapis, Bacchus, and the scries of Osiris, ami ot Apollo, arc azonic Gods

HOOK IV.]

TIM .BUS OF PLATO.

*27.0 does not do tins, because the discussion of them is secondary to that of the fixed t stars, through the variety of their motion.’ It is common therefore, both to the fixed stars and the planets, that all of them are divine animals. For this is r clearly asserted of both. And of the fixed stars indeed it is peculiarly asserted, that tliev are moved with a proper motion in the same, anil about the same things ; but of thi‘ planets, that proceeding through the heavens, they have revolu¬ tions; just as he now says, that they have a revolving motion. Hence he is evidently of opinion, that the planets become through themselves, more remote from, and nearer to the earth, ami that their revolutions according to breadth, are made by their own progressions, and not through being carried by other things, such as evolvents, or epicycles. That this likewise arises from the one nature of them, possessing both one, and a various motion, through which they advance and recede, being transformed in their revolutions, in a spiral and all¬ various manner. Hence the lation of them is triple; one being that by which together with licing moved about their centres, they are also moved according to breadth and depth; another through which they are convolved in a circle by their proper spheres, * to the left hand; and another, by which they are moved, through the lation of the circle of the same vanquishing that of all the circle of the dillerent. And thus much ronreming these particulars, which are specula¬ tions peculiar to the philosophy of Plato.

And thus much ronreming these particulars, which are specula¬ tions peculiar to the philosophy of Plato.

If however you should inquire what the nature is of the planets, both of the stars themsi lves, and the whole spheres, and whether that of the former is the same as the nature of the latter, or dillerent, we reply by recurring to the Platonic principles, that all heaven consists of all the elements; but that in one place, fire in conjunction with earth has dominion, but in another, fire in conjunction with the summit of water, and in another, fire with the summit of air; and that through each of these, the variety is most abundant. Hence, some things in the heavens are more visible than others; and these are such as have fire in conjunction with solidity. But others are loss visible,’ and these are such as have fire in conjunc¬ tion with transparent splendor, and the diaphanous. And on this account indeed it is possible to sis" the bodies which are m the higher region in the same manner as bodies can be seen through the air. But the bodies which have fire in con¬ junction with transparency, darken our sight [through excess of splendor]. If

* For knu r]arm lure, read Ktt rjirrut,

* In tlir original is omitted, but ought evidently to be inverted.

* Instead of epar*rrrf*a here, it is necessary to read aiyarwrrps.

IMiOCIAJS UN THK

[book IV.

*_»RO

however, 1 these 1 limb's art* ri^litlv asserted by ns, the spheres indeed of the stars ha\e very projierly a more attenuated ami diaphanous, hut the stars, a more solid e—ence. lint lire every where predominates, and all heaven is characterized by ils power. The lire however, wiiii li is there, is neithi r caustic, (since this is not even the ease w illi the first of the siilihitiary elements, w hich Aristotle is arcus* tnmrd to call liery-formed,’) nor eorruptivc of any tiling, nor contrary to earth, hilt is resplendent w1111 vivilic heat and illuminative power, with purity and transparent splendor. For the vein inent is one tiling, and the pure another, as Socrates shows in the Philebiis. lienee, the lire which is there is li^Iit ; and it is not proper to di.-tiuh the discu-sion ol it, hy dm etm^ our attention tothe^russ and dark lire of the sublunary region \fn r tin-maiim r therefore, the sjieeilla¬ tion of the planets will he adapted to wliat lias lie* n before said.

lienee, the lire which is there is li^Iit ; and it is not proper to di.-tiuh the discu-sion ol it, hy dm etm^ our attention tothe^russ and dark lire of the sublunary region \fn r tin-maiim r therefore, the sjieeilla¬ tion of the planets will he adapted to wliat lias lie* n before said.

There are liowt ver, other do me animals 1 |<>|!ow ino the eireulations ol the planet-, tin* leader- of whu li are the se\en planet - ; all w hich Plato eomprelu nils m what i- here said. For these also revolve, and have a wandering ot such a hind as that which he a little before, mentioned of the seven planets. Fur they revolve >:i conjunction with, and make their apocatastases together with their principles, ueta.s the lived stars are governed 1 >v the whole circulation [of the inerratic sphere]. These planetary bodies therefore, wliieh were produced conformably to the lived stars, he savswen made for the sake of the generation of time, in order that they mi^ht eo-operale in it- pioduction, leading forth into the world different temporal measures, through their anomalous and perpetual motion; of which the one time is comprehensive, possessing one periodic number, which mutants all-various periodic numbers in itself. Hut when hr asserts that the lived -tars arc moved about their centres, in conjunction with an advancing mo¬ tion, he does not also -a\ that thev co-operate in tin* prodiu lion ol tune, t)io111411 they have a periodic nuuiher of their proper apocata-tasis, according to which the whole of time is measured ; hut speaking about t!it- planets in a way adapted to ph\siolo^v, he particularly mentions tliose things in which he had sense a- a witness of the different motion of the planets. For we cannot assume any tiling from sense, respecting the dillerent niiuihers of the motion of the lived -tar-, and of the jicriods which th« v make in their revolution-, lie particularly therefore, makes mention of this, v i/. that the planets were venerated for the sake of time, tliroiejh the evidence, wliieh we derive from -eiise, a- he himself reminds us.

1 I <>r n fti lirrc, il 11 reijuiMle lo rr.nl n f'n-

1 Amt I lie -c, jswc have ticfure «>lm rveil, arc wlut (lie moderns nil satrllttes.

HOOK IV ]

TIM KlIS OF PLATO.

2HI