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

For the sublunary elements are four; tin* seasons according to which veneration is evolved arc tour; and the centres are four. And in short, there is an abundant dominion of tin* tetrad in veneration.

\\h y however, it may be said, does Plato comprehend all the multitude of the fouls that fabricate generation, in this ennead ? I answer, because this enneail gives completion to all the fabrication of generation. For in the sublunary realms there are bodies and natures, souls and intellects, and this both totally and par¬ tially. And all these are m both respects in each of the elements. 1 because wholes and parts are consubsistent with each other. Heaven and iv.irth however gene¬ rate the unapparent essences of these, i. e. of wholes and parts, the former indeed according to union, but tho latter according to multiplication ; and the former according to bound, but the latter according to infinity, being the leaders of essence to all things. But Ocean and Tethys give perfection to both the common and divided motion of them. There is how ever a diflorent motion of different things, vi/.. of total intellect, of total soul, and of total nature, and in a similar manner in such of these as are partial. The sublunary wholes therefore, being thus adorned and distributed, Saturn indeed, divides partial from total natures, but intellectually ; Kheacalls forth tins division from intellectuals into all-various pro¬ gressions, 4 as far as to the last forms of life, being a vivilic deity; but Phorcys produces the Titannic s< paration, to physical productive principles. After these three are the fathers of composite natures. And Jupiter indeed, adorns sensihlcs totally, according to an imitation of Ilcaven. For the Jupiter in the intellectual order, proceeds analogous to the intellectual Heaven, in the royal series. But Juno moves wholes, fills them with powers, and evolves according to every pro-

1 Viz. Heaven and Earth; Ocean and Tethvs; Jupiter and Juno. And this last duad rank* as tbc fourth progression, because prior to it, is the triad Phorcys, Saturn and Ithca.

1 For (tat here, it is republic to read rponm.

1 Tins rnnrad in each of the elements is as follows, viz, total and partial bodies, total and partial natures, total aud pailial souls, and total and partial intellects, and the monad which contains these, viz. the elementary sphere il*e)f.

* Hpcc^ow is omitted in the original.

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gTession. And the (lods posterior to these fabricate the partial works of sensibles, some according to one, but others according to another peculiarity, either demiurpic, or vivific, or jxrfective, or connective, hemp evolved and dividing them selves, as far as to the last of things, analogously to tin* Saturnian order. For the divid¬ ing j>eculiaritv originates from die Saturnian dominion.

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For the divid¬ ing j>eculiaritv originates from die Saturnian dominion.

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“ When therefore, all such finds as visibly revolve, and such its become visible when they please, were ir< nerated, lie wlni produced tins universe thus addressed them."

Plato having compreheiuh d in what he has said, all tin* mundane finds, hoth those in the heavens, and those that preside over generation, and having produced them from the demiurgic monad, some monailicallv, hut others hehdomadieally, and others according to the numher of the ennead, a^ain converts them to the demiurgic cause, collects them about tin- one father, through whom they are all allied to each other, and fills them with demiurgic intellections; in order that t lie \ mav imitate the providence of the latlier. And this indeed, will he hereafter manifest. Now however, it is evident that he calls the celestial Cods those that visibly revolve. For their Vehicles are solar-form, and imitate intellectual splendor.

But why does Plato denominate the sublunary deities" such as l>econie appa¬ rent when they please.” Shall we say it is because these material elements are hurled fiirth before them as veils 1 of the splendor of the ethereal vehicles which are proximati ly suspended from them * l'ur it is eviih nt that heinp i tin.dam* th«*y must also necessarily have a mundane starrv vehicle. The li^ht of them however, shines forth to the view, when they are about to lxmetit the places that receive their illumination. But if Plato says that they heroine v isilde when they please, it is necessary that this appearance of them should either he an evolution into lipht of the incorporeal powers whic h they contain, or of the bodies which are entirely spread under them. But if it is an evnluti *u of their incorporeal powers, this is aUo common to the visible (imls. l'or thev are not always apparent liy their incorporeal powers, hut only .sometimes, and whi n tlu-y please. It is not proper therefore to divide the sublunary oppositely to the visible (.oils, accord ini; to that which is common to both, hi t so far as they have entirely somethin*.; peculiar. But if they produce a luminous evolution of certain bodies when they please, they must necessarily use other bodies prior to these mate rial elements ; and which then

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TIMJEUS OF PLATO.

p. 353

But if they produce a luminous evolution of certain bodies when they please, they must necessarily use other bodies prior to these mate rial elements ; and which then

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TIMJEUS OF PLATO.

p. 353

liecniiie visible to us, when it seems fit to the powers that use them. Hence, other bodies more divine than such as are apparent, are spread under the invisible Gods ; and accemliug to these, they are said to lie, and are mundane. Through these aho as media, they rule in and gene rn these elements. For they impart to them as much ot ihemsehes as they are able to receive, and contain the forms and tin? natures of them in their powers. l ; or since no one of these is au object of sense, and it is necessary that the vehicles of rational souls should lie things of this kind, it is evident that they must use other vehic les prior to these visible bodies. Farther still, if in short, no body is susjM iided from them, it would be wonderful, since the celestial souls use bodies, that these divine sublunary souls should be exempt from all bodies, and this though the y are mundane*. But if they also have* something corporeal, the y either have these visible bodies, or other bodies prior to tlu-se*. And il the former, how is it possible they can ascend into [or be* immediately ronnecle'd with] bodies which are generated and corruptible? For it these bodies have a sensible perception of the 1 preternatural disposition in the in, in eeui't epieiie e' of pereeiv ing the* life of the powe rs that use them, they will not sutler them to remain unemployed. But if thev have not,* they will not he- animals. For eve ry animal is se ii'itive', ac cording to Plato. lienee also, he imparts te> plants a si ruse of the' last kind, and calls them animals. But that every thing which is suspended from soul, is animated and an animal, is also again asserti'd by Plato. 1 1 tbeie'feire*, such bodies as are* the* objea ts of sense, are [illime-diate'ly ] susjH'Peie'd Ireiin tbe* divine sublunary semis, it is dubious bow this is possible. 1 hey have therefore.*, otln*r bodies prior to tlie'se. And this is vvliat Plato manifests when h<* says, “ that they become apparent when tiny please ," at other times being invisible to us. And thus much concerning the words of the te*xt.