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

From an order likewise, which is above Fate, they an distributed under the laws of Fate, and travel through the Fates, under the throne of .Necessity.

II hat however, must the first gent ration be said to be, which the philosopher now delivers, and wlm li the Demiurgus proclaiming the laws of Fate, announces to souls? Fur there is not one opinion only concerning it Hut the divine famhlit Inis indeed, c alls the seiiiin itiou of the vt hit It s 11 it- first generation ; and what follows favours his asset tint). 1 or Plato atlds, as continuous with this, “ lint it mis ntcissarij that haring disseminated t/um, t Sr." /V certain other pi rson however, interprets the first generation of souls to be, the one descent of them. For it is requisite that t acli of these souls should be eiitin !y eonvt rsant w ith gt ite¬ ration; since this is the peculiarity of them. lie therefore, simply determines that there is one certain ilesci nt of each soul. Hut the solution ih livered by our preceptor, is more accurate. For he says, that to every partial soul one descent is defined, not simply, but according to each period of the dirineh/ generated nature. For it is not probable that any nm partial soul, either of those that are called undefib.-d, or of those that are capable of being contaminated vv it h vice-, and of vv andering, should for every period abide on high. For the soul vv liich is able to abide on high for one whole period, immutably and without inclining to generation, cannot de¬ scend into generation, in another period. For it has preserved its* If free-from guilt, during the evolution of all the figures of the universe. Hut there areaheaj/s the same figures again and again. Farther still, the life of a partial soul, is less extended than the period of the universe. Hence, if if is sufficiently aide to remain 1 on high, through the whole of this period, it is allotted an immutable intellectual power. For it w ill live w ith invariable sameness through the whole of time. So that if the whole of time in its evolution, effects nothing new in this soul, it is one of the beings that always abide in a condition conformable to nature. II* nee, it is necessary that every partial soul should make one descent in each

1 For bicivofirjv here, it is necessary lo read tiajiorijy.

nnoK v.]

TIM/EUS or PLATO.

p. 401

period ; l»ut some souls a greater number of descents than others, in consequence of employing an abundant freedom of will. But Plato calls this descent the first generation. And this j>, evident from his adding, when speaking of the allotments after the first generation, “ that the depraved soul should, in the second generation, be changed into the nature of a woman." Hence lie calls the first generation, the descent from the intelligible. But since the first takes place, after the semination of the vehicles, according to which souls first become subject to Fate, on this account he adds:

But since the first takes place, after the semination of the vehicles, according to which souls first become subject to Fate, on this account he adds:

“ But it was necessary, having disseminated them severally into the instruments of time] adapted to each, that the most pious of animals should be born.”

loir this was necessary, after the semination into appropriate stars ; and this is the first law of Fate, that every partial soul in each mundane period, should associate with generation. For it is nercssary that the period of this soul '•hnuld lie less extended than tin' period of the universe, and that (his should lie common to all partial souls. But tin *e souls di/f< r from each other, according to the empire of the (bids; for different herds of souls are arranged under tin* dominion of different finds; and also, according to tin* reasons which they exert. For of the souls which are under the government of the same divinity, some choose a life adapted to them, but others dn not. And some partake of the same divinity, according to a different power, but others also according to a diflerent order. For what, if some of the souls which are suspended from the prophetic power of the Sun, should exert a medical, or teh.-stic 1 life, hut others a Mercurial, and others a Lunar life? For there is not the same mode of variation in both. Farther still, souls likewise differ according to their drlilierate choice. For though two souls should choose a telestic 1 life, it is possible for one to be con¬ versant with it with rectitude, hut the other in a distorted manner. For each life rec« ive> the well and the ill. So that if it be requisite to speak summarily, they arc < itlier under the dominion of the same power, choose the same life, and live after the same manner ; or being under the same power, they do not choose the same life, and live similarly ; or they are neither under the same power, nor choose the same life, nor live after the same manner. For this is the last difference of all of them. So many therefore, are the inodes of differences. For as there are three, we must either deny all, or affirm all; or deny two, but affirm one; or

* Instead ufrcXnoi' in llns|tlaee, it is necessary to read rcXeffrwot'.

* Here also, for rrXcior, read rtXr/rriKor.

Tim. Plat. Vol. II. 3 E

p. 402

PROCLUS ON THE

[noon v.

vice versa, and this in a three-fold respect: viz. the extremes, of the midde ; or the first and second, of the last ; or the remaining two, of the first. Hence it is necessary that there should he so many differences 1 at first, of the choice and life of the soul.

vice versa, and this in a three-fold respect: viz. the extremes, of the midde ; or the first and second, of the last ; or the remaining two, of the first. Hence it is necessary that there should he so many differences 1 at first, of the choice and life of the soul.

As we have said however, one descent in each period is common to all these souls, lest, as he says, a certain soul should be allotted by the Demiurgus, a less portion of generation than another, being alone l»esides others, frequently coin|H-lled to descend. That which is in our power therefore, is in these souls mingled with necessity'. For by how much the more partial free-will becomes, by so much the more is it diminished according to power. Hut in divine and da*- moniacal souls, the life is liberated, unrestrained, and ca-^y, and exempt from all necessity. Hence souls make from themsehes their first descent, and are led by l ate. And in these, the freedom of the will is more abundant, because destiny also is essential to souls. For if the law of Fate in them, leads them to the first generation, much more will this be cflei ted by the law which is in the universe, and by the power of Fate. Hut they make their first descent, or are disseminat¬ ed altouf the \isible (>ods, in ordi r that they may ha\e these as their saviours, in thtir wandering about generation, and that they may m\oke them as their proper curators. Since however, not only animals are constituted on the earth through souls of this kind, hut likew ise in the other elements ; nor man alone, for this is known to us, hut other animals more dome indeed, yet at the same time generat¬ ed; for that which liies for the shortest time, does not immediately subsist after eternal animals, hut that which h\cs for a more * \tended period ; and it is neces¬ sary' th.it those rational animals which live for the longest time should exist prior to those that are most obnoxious to death since this is the ease, Plato compre¬ hends all these in common, by saying, “ it ud* nicmurt/ that the most pious of ani¬ mals should be bornT For this is adapted, as 1 mav say, to all the participants of intellect, and to those animals that are capable of being converted to the («ods. Hut in what follows, he speaks concerning the human nature.

“ Since how ever, the human nature is twofold, be showed them that the more excellent genus was that which would a Iter wards be called man.’* rhe human species indeed, has heen already constituted, and every mortal nature, according to the demiurgic intellections; hut the discourse dividing what has been constituted, first gives subsistence to that which is more excellent, ami

1 For tiafepar id this place, read ftafopat.

hook v

TIM^l S OF PLATO.

p. 403