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

Earth therefore, is the fabricator of both these, producing both in conjunction with the Sun ; the Sun indeed, lieing in a greater degree the cause of dav, hut the earth of night.

Being however, the fabricator, she is also the guardian of them, preserving their boundaries and contrariety with reference to each other, and a'so their augmenta¬ tions and diminutions, according to a certain analogy, llencc, some denominate her Isis, as equalizing the ineipialitv, and bringing to an analogy the increase and decrease of both day and night. But others looking to her prolific power call her Ceres, as Plotinus, who denominates the intellect of the Earth, ^ csta, hut the soul ot it, Ceres. We however sav, that the lir^t causes of these divinities are intellectual, ruling ‘ and lilierated ; hut that from these causes illuminations and powers extend to the Earth. Hence there is a terrestrial Ceres and \ esta, ami a terrestrial Isis, in the same manner as there is a terrestrial Jupiter, and a terrestrial Hermes; these terrene deities being arranged ahout the one divinity ot the earth; just as a multitude of celestial Cods proceeds ahout the one divinity of the heavens. For there are progressions and terminations ot all the celestial

1 For fai/iontai lit re, it i* necessary to rod ijyf/iorirai.

Yol. II. 2 O

Tim. Plat,

I'ROCLUS ON THE

[book IV.

*2f*>

(iods into Karth; and all tilings are in her terrestrially, which are contained in the heavens celestially. For the intellectual Karth receives the paternal powers of Heaven, and contains all things alter a "eii« lative tnanner. Thus therctore, we sav that there is a terrestrial Hacchus, and a terrestrial Apollo, who is the source of prophetic * waters in many parts of the earth, and of openings w hich predict future events. Hut the Puotiian* and judic ial powers which procet d into it, render other places of it of a purifying or ineiliciuat nature. All the other powers of Karth however, it is impossible to enumerate, l or divine powers are indeed inexplicable. Hut the orders of angels and d emons tli.it follow these powers are still more numerous, ami are circularly allotted the whole earth, and dance round its one divinity, its one inti licet, and one soul.

Hut the orders of angels and d emons tli.it follow these powers are still more numerous, ami are circularly allotted the whole earth, and dance round its one divinity, its one inti licet, and one soul.

It remains in tin: next place, that we should survey how I.arth is said to he the most ancient, and the tirst of the (iods within the heavens. for this will he taken literally by those who are accustomed to look only to its material, "toss, and dark hulk Hut we indeed, uranl them that there is somethin" ot such a kind m the hulk of the Karth as they say there is ; hut we think it proper that they should likewise look to the other minds of the Karth thion-h which it sur¬ passes the prero"ntives ol the other « lenient>, viz its stability, its "cm rative power, its concord with the heavens, and its position in the centre of the universe. I or the centre has "real power in the universe, as heiii" connective of every circulation. Hence also, the Pvth;i"oreans call the centre the tower ot Jupiter, in conseipuru e of containing m itself a deimurmc " iiard. We shall likewise remind our opponents of the Platonic hypotheses concerning the earth, mentioned by Socrates in the Pint do, w here he sav s that the pi aee of our abode is hollow and dark, and hound by the sea ; hut that there is another true earth, cniitamiii" the receptacles of the (iods, and possessin" a beaut v rrsemblin" that of the hea v ens. \\ e oil" lit not l lu ref ore to wonder, if now the Karth is said to lie the most ancient and the first of the ( iods vv itlun the heavens, since she possesses so "Teat an altitude, and such a surpassing beauty, and as Socrates afterwards says was fashioned by the I)eiuiur"us resemhliu" a sphere covered with twelve skins, just as the heaven accord ill}; to 1 ima-iis was painted bv the l)emiur"iis similar to a dodeealiedroii. We must likewise under¬ stand that tin* I)cmmr"us "av e to Karth ah mi* union" the elements, to have all the elements separate!v, causin" her to he wholly a world, variegated anala"oiis to the heavens. For she contains a liver ol lire, of air, and of vvati r, and of another earth, which has the same relation to her, which she has to the universe, as

1 Ilu>n«u is erroneously punted m the original for pa it tea.

’ For uiunu, it is evidently necessary to read in this place »uiw»<o«.

it on it n.]

TIM XUS or PLATO.

20 1

Socrates says in tin* Pha-do. lint if this l>c the rase, she very much transcends the other elements as imitating the heavens, and possessing every thing in herself terrestrially, which is celestially' contained in the heavens.

it on it n.]

TIM XUS or PLATO.

20 1

Socrates says in tin* Pha-do. lint if this l>c the rase, she very much transcends the other elements as imitating the heavens, and possessing every thing in herself terrestrially, which is celestially' contained in the heavens.

To this ds.» we mav add, that the Demiurgus produced these two elements the first, earth and lire; hut the others for the sake of these, m order that they might hare the ratio of bonds with respect to them. And that the four elements are both in the heavens, and in the sublunary region; but in the former indeed, according to a fiery characteristic, since lire there predominates, as Plato says, but in the latter according to a terrestrial peculiarity. For the profundity of air, and the hulk of water are spread round the earth, and possess much of an earthly property, on which account they are in their own nature dark. In the heavens therefore, there is a predominance of lire, but in the sublunary region of earth. Since however, generation is connasccntly conjoined with the heavens, the end of the latter is earth [i. e. is the moon], so far as earth is in the heavens, but the beginning of generation is lire, considered as subsisting in gi iteration. For it is usual to call the moon Earth, as having the same ratio to the Sun, which Fourth has to tire. “ lint [the DeiniurgiisJ says Orpheus fabricated another infinite earth, which the immortals call Selene , but terrestrials Menc." And it is usual to deno¬ minate the summit of generation lire, which Aristotle also does, when he rails ether tire. In another place however, he does not think it proper to call ether lire, hut liiTV-formed, as we have freipieiitly observed. Hence, the end o( the heavens is not entirely destitute of mutation, m consequence of its propinquity to generation; hut the beginning of generation is moved in a circle, imitating the heave ns.

Farther still, this likewise must he considered, that we ought not to judge of the dignity of things from places, but from powers and essence, as we have else¬ where demonstrated. By w hat peculiarities therefore, are we to form a judgment of transcendencies ? Bv w hat others than those which the divine orders exhibit l For transcendency truly so called is with the <»ods. From the divine orders therefore, we must assume the monadic, the stable, the n/l-perjtcl, the prolific, the connective, the ftcr/cctivc, the even/uay ci tended, the rivi/ic, the adorning, the assimilative, and the comprehending power. For these are the |>eculiarities of all the divine orders. According to all these however, Earth Surpasses the other elements, so that she may justly be called the most ancient, and the first oi the Gods.

Again, a twofold nature of things may In? surveyed, the one indeed, according to progression, which always makes things that have a secondary arrangement subordinate to those that arc prior to them; but the other according to conversion.