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

And thus much concerning each of these divinities Ocean and Tethys.

Since however as we have said, the generation of these, is from the prior divinities Heaven and Farth, but is not ellected either by a copulation such as that which is in sensible*, nor according to such a union as that of Night and Phanes in intelligible*, it very properly follows that their progeny are separated from each other, an dogously to their parents, and that eat h receives a similitude to both. For Ocean indeed, as being the male, is assimilated to the paternal cause II eaven ; but as the supplier of motion, to the maternal cause Farth, w ho is the cause of progressions. And Tethys indeed, as the female, is assimilated to the prolific cause; but as producing a firm establishment 1 of her progeny in their proper lives, she is assimilated to the fabricating cause. Fur the male is analo¬ gous to the monadic; but the female to the dyadic. Anil the stable is adapted to the former; but the motive to the latter. A dtiad therefore, proceeding from a duad, ar.d being assimilated according to the whole of itself to the duad which is generative of it, defines and distinguishes the causes of itself, ami all the number posterior to itself; in order that every where we may ascribe that which dt fines and separates, to the order of Ocean and Tethys. For on this account also, many' Oceans are delivered to u* by theologists. *

Here however, it may be doubted, why the generation of these Gods, is from Heaven ami Farth, and not from the soul of the universe. For Plato nowhere gives a peculiar soul to the heavens. The solution of these doubts is this. It must he said that the soul which .subsists from the psychogony, is the mundane soul of all the parts of the universe. Fur Plato says, that the divinity fabricated the whole of a corporeal nature within tins soul, and not only the heaven*. Being however, the soul of the universe, it illuminates the heavens primarily, and noox v.]

* Plato in lilt lOlli book of tlie Laws distinguish!» the genus of motions into ten species, viz. circu¬ lation about an immoveable centre, local transition, condensation, rarefaction, increase, decrease, generation, corruption, mutation or alteration produced in another by another, and a mutation produced from a thing itscll, both m itself, and in another, 'this last is the motion of an essence separate from bodies, and is the motion of soul.

1 For yovifwv here, it is necessary to read fionpoy.

1 Here also unfortunately the part that immediately follows in the original, is in so mutilated a state, at to be perfectly unintelligible.

TIMAX'S Ol' PLAIT),

p. 323

1 For yovifwv here, it is necessary to read fionpoy.

1 Here also unfortunately the part that immediately follows in the original, is in so mutilated a state, at to be perfectly unintelligible.

noox v.]

TIMAX'S Ol' PLAIT),p. 323 vivifies the sublunary region, as suspended from the heavens. Hence this soul is primarily celestial. Ami of tins, you may assume a sullicient example from the human soul. For Plato says, that this which governs the whole animal of us, is at the same time allotted the head for its place of abode, as from thence ruling over the whole body, and deducing as through a channel, >cnse to every part of the corporeal frame. As .Socrates therefore, had on the preceding day establish¬ ed the Fates over the inerratic and planetary spheres, Plato does not now intro¬ duce a peculiar animation to each of them, but as having already employed them, constitutes these circulations of the whole soul. But to the stars themselves con¬ tained in the spheres, he distributes peculiar souls, because Socrates had said nothing about them in the Republic, and the peculiar animation of them was not known to his auditors. For it was proper to extend such particulars as were unknown to them, but not to discuss with prolixity, such as are apparent. *

“ Hut from Ocean and Tetliys, Pliorcys, Saturn and Rhea, and such as subsist together with these were produced.”

In the former progeny, a duad, generative, and motive, was produced from a terminating and definitive duad; viz. Ocean and T< thvs, from Heaven and Earth; but m the second progeny, a multitude converted to its causes through the triad, is generated Irom the duad ; indicating likewise an all-perfect progres¬ sion. For this multitude also is divided, into the analogous to bound, and the co-ordinate to infinity. For the triad is the bound in this multitude; but the nameless munlur is the infinity in it. And of the triad itself likewise, one thing is analogous to the monad and bound, but another to the duad and infinity. And in the former progression indeed, the progeny alone proceeded according to bound and the int< llectual ; but in this there is also a mixture of the indefinite. But afte r the boundary from the triad, Plato adds, “ Ami.such as subsist together mth these," indicating the entire progression and separation of tlic-e triple orders ; so that the progeny of this progression is triadic through the peculiarity of con¬ version, and dyadic through the intervention of the infinite and indefinite.

Since however, these differ according to their intellectual causes, in the same manner as the before-mentioned orders; but in them Ocean and Tetliys were said to be the brethren, and not the fathers * of .Saturn and Rhea; for the pro¬ gression to these was from Heaven and Earth, and all theTitannic order is thence

* Five linn in the original of the above Paragraph are likewise illegible, in conserjueuce of being in •uch a mutilated state.

* florpei is erroneously printed instead of xnrtptt.

PROCUJS ON THE

[book v.

derived ; let us see on what account lMato here gives subsistence to Fhorcy#, .Saturn and Rhea, from Ocean and Tethys. For he mny appear to say tins not conformably to the Orphic principles. For “ Karth latently bore from Heaven, as the theologist savs, seven pure Ireautiful virgins with rolling eyes, and seven sons that were kings with line long h.ur. And the daughters, indeed, were Themis, ami the joyful Tethys, Mnemosyne w ith thick-curled hair, and the bless¬ ed Thea. She likew ise bore Dione, having a very graceful form, and Phoebe, and Khea, the mother of king Jupiter. But the venerable Karth brought forth those celestial youths, who are called by the appellation of Titans, because they re¬ venged the mighty starry Heaven. And she also bore ( 'u-iis, the great Cru?us, and the strong Phorcys, and likewise Saturn, and Ocean, Hyperion and lap« tns.” These things then having been written by the theologist prior to Plato, how is it that Tima-us produces Saturn and Ultra from Ocean ami I'ethys? In answer to this ; * as we have before nrrangi d Oct an and I • thys ahovc Satinn and Bhea, as In ing the media between these and the fathers, ami guardians of the Itoumlaries of both, as it is usual to n lebrate them ; we must say in the first place, indeed, that it is not wonderful that the same divinities should be brothers, and yet through transcendency of dignity should lie called the fathers of certain (iods. For such tilings as are first, when they proceed liom their causes, province ill con¬ junction with those causes, the natures posterior to themselves. Thus all souls indeed, are sisters, according to one demiurgic c uisr, and according to the vivific principle and fountain from which they proceed; at the same time div ine souls produce partial souls, together with the Demiurgus and vtvific causes, in conse¬ quence of first proceeding into light, and abiding in their wholeness; receiving the power of fabricating natures similar to themselves. Besides, in the (iods themselves, all the offspring of Saturn are brethren, according to the one genera¬ tive monad bv which they were produced ; yet at the same time Jupiter is called father, in the divine poet Homer, both by Juno and Neptune :

One word permit me thimd ring failier Jove ;*

And,

\\ tiat mortal now in all the boundless earth,

O latlu r Jove, will counsel to th’ immortals give.’

For in the former verse Juno, and in the latter Neptune, calls Jupiter father.

So that it is not at all w onderful if Ocean and 1»thys are culled both brethren

* For irwk here, it i» necessary to read wpvi.

* Iliad. 19 . v. KM.

Iliad 7. »’ -H”. Blit ill Proclus for !!/>«, read 5 (***•

BOOK V.]

TIM/EUS OF PLATO.

p. 326

and fathers of Saturn and Rhea; in consequence of preserving as among bre¬ thren the paternal peculiarity. In the first place, therefore, the doubt may after this manner he solved.