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

.^uch therefore, and so many being the opinions on this subject, there is an explanation of it, which immediately preserves the mortal nature, and accords

' la the text of Proclu*, tiptu is erroneously printed for v/mu.

* Here also for Oarary, read afarary.

3 m

PROCLUS ON THE

[BOOK V .

with things themselves, and all the Platonic dogmas. For that Plato in of opi¬ nion, that the irrational life is preserved, after the corruption of the material body, he renders evident by delivering to us the soul punished in Hades, through anger and desire, though it does not require any punishment, .so far as it is liberated I rum all passion. For it was pure reason, and prior to body, in its elections of lives, chose through voracity such as are tyrannical, and through the desire of glory, sophistical and popular lives. And these things happen to the soul in its tlr-1 descent from the heavens, and to the soul that has been recently perfected. Hut that lit* preserves the vehicle of the soul perpetual, is evident from his repre¬ senting souls using their vehicles in Hailes. For ascending into their vehicles, as Socrates says in tin* Plnedo, they pass over the river. ISow also, he generates the vehicle from the Demiurgus. For it is he who causes the soul to ascend into its vehicle, according to the similitude of divine souls. For how could it be possible tor the soul to be mundane, except by having a vehicle in the universe? l or ev ery thing mundane has a seat and order in the world, and gives comple¬ tion to a part of it. \\ licther therefore, will a partial soul be better prior to the suspension of a vehicle from it, or worse? For if lietter, it will be more divine than total souls, to which the Demiurgus gave vehicles, lint if worse, how is if, that the I)i iniurgus iunnediati ly alter it was gi in rated, caused it to ascend into a vehicle ? l or things that are perpetual, do not begin lioin a preternatural, lint bom a natural condition of being. It is evident therefore, that these things are eonlormable to the opinion of Plato.

l or things that are perpetual, do not begin lioin a preternatural, lint bom a natural condition of being. It is evident therefore, that these things are eonlormable to the opinion of Plato.

■Since however, lichen* clearly calls th.it which is woven together by the mun¬ dane (iods, mortal, is therefore that vvhicb is asserted bv some true, that lie says the life w liich is in the vi hide is woven by the junior (iods ; that In* denominates it mortal, because it is cnrpureal-furmt d, and is conversant with tin* mortal na¬ ture; and that in a certain place, he calls that which is woven bv tliejunior Gods immortal, in order that we may apprehend the mortal nature which is here men¬ tioned to be a thing ot this hind ? Ibit bow does lie deliver to us universally, that the Demiurgus is tin* cause of immortal natures, and that the generation of mortals is eominitti d to the junior (bills ? Ib nee, after the delivery of fabrication, the junior (iods are alone the Demiurgi of mortal nauires. Is therefore that true, which is asserted by some, that the vehicle and the irrational soul both re¬ main and are dissolved, through being analysed into tin* spheres from which tlicv were derived; and that on this account they are mortal, and yet not mortal ? This however, is of itself absurd, for when the union is dissolved, bow can wc any longer say that the same thing remains ? For the irrational soul is not a coacervatiun of animals, but one multiform life. In addition also to these things, it must

BOOK V.]

TIM/EL’S Ol’ PLATO.

p. 307

bo admitted, that at one time something is taken away from, and at another, somethin;; is added tn the celestial bodies, which is entirely foreign from their nature. Is the irrational soul therefore corruptible, and shall we admit that this life is dissipated together with the body ? But if this be the case, how will there be punishments, how will there be purifications, how will there be elections of lues, some according to the phantasy, others according to anger, ami others according to desire, and also the ingressinns ' into irrational animals? For die contact with the analogous is through analogy,*just as the contact with intellect, is through intellect.

For die contact with the analogous is through analogy,*just as the contact with intellect, is through intellect.

V\ ill it not tin n fore be better to say with our preceptor, that the spirit, [or pneu¬ matic part of the soul,] comprehends the summits of the irrational life, and that these exist perpetually, togethi r with the vehicle, as being produced by the Demiurgus? And that these being extended and distributed into parts, make tins life which is woven by the junior (bids, and which is mortal, because it is necessary that the soul should lay aside this distribution, when having obtained purification it is restored to its pristine state of felicity ? This life however, is of longer dura¬ tion than the life of the presi nt body ; and lienee the soul when in Ilades, and choosing dif'eii nt li\es, lias a life of this kind, lor through its pro pi nsity, or incli¬ nation [to luuLj, it n reives this mortal life from the junior (bids. If therefore, this be admitted, tin: IViniurgus constitutes the summit of the irrational life, hut does not constitute the life itself. For in producing du nums, he evidently pro¬ duces likewise the irrational life which i> la them, but not this life, which the junior (bids wea\e in us. For this is alone adapted to souls that fall into generation. The mundane ( bids th reforc, ha\ ing themselves intellectual souls, illuminate their vehicles with ralinnal-fnruied lives. But ihemons, who are peculiarly defined ac¬ cording to reason, employ irrational powers, our \\hich they have dominion. And our souls have much more a life in the vehicle which is irrational, as with reference to them. But in this, they exceed <1 vinous, that they receive another irrational lif-, which is a departure from the life in the spirit, and which is woven by the junior (bids. Ileure, all that is immortal, which it possesses according to an imitation of w holes ; but the addition pertains to a second, or mortal-formed life. If tin n fore, in the i therealj vehicle, there is one impassive life, this will gene¬ rate in the pneumatic u hide, one passive sense ; and this latter will generate in the testaceous [or this outward] body, many and passive senses. The orectic power likewise, in the ethereal vehicle will produce many orectic powers in the pneuma-

1 t'orhuni litre, it it nocr*sary to read ttafvvru.

* Instead of rwi it aXoytai yap ui tins place, it is necessary to read h avaXoytai yap.

p. 368

PROCLUS ON THE

[book v»