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

It is, however, analogous to the one vivific fountain of all divine life, and, in visible natures, to the celestial triangle which is connective of all generation, heing proximate to the ram, which the Egyptians particularly honor, on account

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of Ammon having the face of a ram, and also because the ram is the principle of gencration, and is moved with the greatest celerity, as being among the constellations established about the equinoctial. The mention, therefore, of Delta is here very appropriate τ since the triangle, as we shall learn in what follows, is the principle of the hypostasis of the mundane elements. But the Nile is to be arranged analozous to the zodiac, as being situated under it, having an inclination similar to it, and imitating, through its divisions, the obliquity of it, and its division about the equinoctial points, The Nile also ts a symbol of the life which is poured on the whole world. Moreover, the two sides of the Nile, which ran into the sea from the summit fof Delta], may be, ina certain respect, assimilated to the two co-ordinations, Which proceed from one root as far as to generation, and of which generation is the recipient. So that a triangle is produced from them and their common receptacle, into which they conjointly flow. But the Saitic province, which forms agreat part of Delta, participates also of a great portion of the celestial regions. Sais, therefore, must be sacerdotally referred to the constellation called the Bear, not becanse it is situated under it, nor on account of its coldness, but as participating of a certain peculiar ettlux of the God [who presides over that constellation]. Hence likewise Sais is not shaken by earthquakes, in consequence of receiving a firm establishment on account of the place about the pole.

“ Of this provinee, the greatest city is Sais, from which also king Amasis derived his origin. The city has a presiding divinity, whose name is, in the Egyptian tongue, Neith, but in the Greek Athena, or Minerva. The inhabitants of this city were very friendly to the Athenians, to whom also they said they were after a certain manner allied.”

The word νομὸς, or province, derived its appellation from the distribution of land. For thus the Egyptians called divisions of the great parts of Egypt. But from the city the whole province was denominated Saitic, just as Sebennytic is denominated from Sebennetus, and Canobic from Canobus. Amasis, however, is now assumed analogous to Solon. For he paid attention to wisdom and justice beyond all the {other Egyptian) kings. He is therefore conjoined with Solon, and has the same relation to him, which the city has to Athens ; in order that we may survey the cities and the men adomed by the Goddess [Minerva] as from one monad, and secondary natures always perfected from such as are more per-

Tim. Plat. Vou. I. L

. 82 PROCLUS ON THE [BooK 1.

Plat. Vou. I. L

. 82 PROCLUS ON THE [BooK 1.

fect. Callisthenes, however, and Phanodemus relate, that the Athenians were the fathers of the Saite. But Theopompus, on the contrary, says, that they were acolony of them. The Platonic Atticus says, that Theopompus altered the his- _ tory through envy. For, according to him, some of the inhabitants of Sais came to renew their alliance with the Athenians. But Plato only says thus much concerning them, “that the Suite were very friendly to the Athenians, and after a certain manner allied to them.” \t is possible, however, that he might say this on account of the tutelar Goddess of the city being the same with the Minerva of the Athenians.

With respect, however, to this Goddess the guardian of the two cities, itis requisite to know, that proceeding from intelligible and intellectual causes through the supercelestial orders, to certain parts of the celestial regions and) terrene distributions, she is allotted places adapted to herself; not imparting an adventitious government of herself, but antecedently comprebending the essence and form of it, and thus possessing this allotment in a manner adapted to herself, “Phat the government, however, of this Goddess extends supernally as far as to the last of things, the Greeks manifest by asserting that she was venerated from the head of Jupiter, But the Egyptians relate, that in the adytum of the Goddess there Was this inscription, Zam the things that are, that will be, and that have been. No one has ever laid open the garment by which Tam concealed. The fruit which I brought forth was the sun. Che Goddess, therefore, being demiurgic, and at the same time apparent and unapparent, has an allotinent in the heavens, and tlluminates generation with forms. Lor of the signs of the sudiac, the ram ts ascribed to the Goddess, and the equinoctial circle itself, where especially a power motive of the universe is established. She is very properly, therefore, called by Plato a lover of wisdom, and a lover of war, and he now denominates her the leader of these allotments in the earth. In the tirst place, Iykewise, he honours the Goddess in the language of his country. For the Athenians dcnominate the tutelar Goddess of the city cIrchevetes, or the leader, celebrating her surname, and her presiding power. Jn the next place, he indicates the uniform: preestablished comprehension in herself, of the allotments which are governed by her. And besides this he clearly represents to us, that it is possible for the same

* The former part of this inscription is to be found in Plutarch’s treatise on Isis and Osiris; but the latter part of it, viz. the fruit which 1 brough! forth was the sun, is only to be found in these

Commentaries of Proclus. The original of this part is, ov eyw καρπὸν erexoy ἡλίὸς Eyevero.

p. 83

the fruit which 1 brough! forth was the sun, is only to be found in these

Commentaries of Proclus. The original of this part is, ov eyw καρπὸν erexoy ἡλίὸς Eyevero.

p. 83

things to be signitied through many words, since words are images of the things signified by them. For many statues may be formed of one thing froin different materials; so that the Ezyptians preserve the analogous,” because they call the Goddess by a name which has the same signification with that of the Greeks. Nor is it at all wonderful that both should denominate her rightly, in consequence of establishing the name according to one science. If, therefore, there is one tutelar Goddess of the two cities Sais and Athens, the inhabitants of Sais are very properly said to be lovers of the Athenians, as being ina certain respect allied to them: for the aflinity is not wholly perfect. For some may participate more and others less of the same providence. And some may participate of one, but others of another power contained in the Goddess. Jur again, it ts likewise necessary to hnow this, that a variation is produced in different nations from the places which they severally inhabit, from the temperature of the air, from habitude to the heavens, and sll more partially from spermatic productive powers, But you may say, that they especially differ according to the gregal government of the Gods, and the diversities of the tutelar powers, from which you will find a difference in colour, figure, voice, and motion, in different places. So that those who migrate into other countries

Srequently chanse, by dielling in those countries, their colour and voice; just as plants are changed together with the quality of the region, when they are transplanted ina foreign land,

* Tn this country Solon, on his arrival thither, was, as he himself relates, very honourably received. And on his inquiring about ancient affairs of those priests who possessed a knowledge of such particulars superior to others, he perceived that neither himself, nor any one of the Grecks (as he himself declared), had any knowledge of things of this kind.”

Solon, on account of his political wisdom, and on account of the dignity and worth of his city, justly appeared to be deserving of honor to the priests of Sais. But he found, with respect to memory and history, among the Greeks, that neither himself, nor any other Grecian, had any knowledge of very ancient transactions. The remembrance, however, of such transactions, contributes indeed to political virtue, and also contributes to the theory of the mundane

* For &weovew ἀπολογον in this place, I read σωδσυσιν avadoyor.

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