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

And the first of these indeed, pertains to the first vehicle ; the second, pertains to. the irrational life; and the third, to the animation of the body.

* For litre, it it Decenary to read reeXov.

1 For avroil liere, read avnji.

10H

PROCLUS ON THE

[book V .

After sense, however, Plato arranges desire. 1 But tliis is life indeed, anti cor¬ poreal funned, always rew caving the hotly, ami alleviatin';: its wants; about which als<», pleasure and pain are surveyed, por these passions are likewise present with the other parts of the soul. For both in reason, and in anger, you may assume pleasures anti pains. Corporeal pain am! pleasure, however, are gem-rated according to desire. For of the body tin path to that which is preternatural, and the privation of life, produce pain; but the return to that which is conformable to nature, and the adaptation to life, produce pleasure. And that which in these passions is assuaged, or exhilarated,* is the cfiif/n/iiitlu part. Since however, these two passions arc primordial, and the fountains of the other passions, as Plato says in the l'hiUbus, and in the Laws, hence through the mixture of these, he gives a g« iteration to the other pa-shms, and denominates love a mixture ut plea¬ sure and pain. For love p< rtaiiis to all things. And so far indeed as the object of love is in its view, love is accompanied with pleasure; but >o tar as it is not vet present with it m energy, hive i< mingled with pain. Plato a >o < haracterizes the whole life of th sire through love, because this passion is most vehement about it.

In the third place tin re fore, lie eiiuiuerati s anger. But anger is a life, n mov mg every thing which pains anti disturbs the body ; oil which account also the fear of the corruption of the body disturbs it. Lxcess however, anil deticieiicy' are surveyed about it, such as audacity and timidity, ami the attendants on these, ambition, contention, and all such effects as are produced from astonishment* about mortal concerns; the superior soul employing tins life, in order to the motion of the body. And these three geiiesiurgie powers indeed, have the follow¬ ing order. The body, as soon as it is born, according to the progression of ge¬ neration, participates of sense. I or it would not be an animal, nor would it possess appetite, unless it were generated sensitive. For appetites imh-d, are accompanied with sense, but senses* are not entirely accompanied w ith appe¬ tites. Hence, the animal is in a greater degree characterized by the sensitive, than * by the orectic. But after the participation of sense, the hotly apfs ars to

For appetites imh-d, are accompanied with sense, but senses* are not entirely accompanied w ith appe¬ tites. Hence, the animal is in a greater degree characterized by the sensitive, than * by the orectic. But after the participation of sense, the hotly apfs ars to

■ Drain Is admirable dciiued t»y the l’y thagorcaiis to be a certain tendency, impulse and appetite of the soul, in order to be idled with somethin", <>r In enjoy something present, or to be disposed accord¬ ing to some sensitive inerts ; or ol’ the cut nation and absence, anil tnill-ptTCcpliuli of certain things. See ui\ translation of lamlihcliUs* l.ileol Pythagoras, p lib.

1 Instead off uf*y/irioe m this pl.iee, it appears to me to he requisite to read t.(yvfincr.

1 I or irtau* here, it is necessary to read xrcuii.

4 The wools ui ft uorfiijofn are wanting in the ojigiual, but ought evidently to be inserted.

5 Instead of o ry iptiruy in this place, it is necessary to read ij ry cyecTny.

HOOK V.]

TIM/EL'S ()!■ PLATO.

HW

he pleased and pained. Ami it is contracted indeed, l»y the external cold, hut relreslied liy the swaddling hands, and hd to a condition conformable to nature. Hut alter desire, as an increase of years accedes, it exerts the passion of amrer. l or anger is now the power of a more rohust and vigorous nature. Hence also ■ of irrational animals, such as are more material, live according to desire alone and participate of pleasure and pain ; hut such as are more perfect, are allotted a more irascible hie. Prior however to these appetites, as we have said respectin'* - sense, there is a certain summit of them in the pneuma or spirit of the soul. And this summit is a certain impulsive power, which is motive indeed of the spirit, hut guards and connectedly contains the essence of it; at one time being extended, and distributing itself into parts ; but at another, being led to bound and order, and regulated by reason.

“ And that such souls as subdue these would live justly, but such as arc vanquished by them, unjustly."

“ And that such souls as subdue these would live justly, but such as arc vanquished by them, unjustly."

IIow tl lerefore can souls suhdue these corporeal lives, except by possessing the causes of them ? For through these they render them more concordant [with rea¬ son]. For every thing which naturally has dominion over the passions, contains in itsi It the reason [or productive principle] of them ; in order that hy looking to this, it may define the measures of their motions. Thus the anger in the breast was suppressed by l lysses ; for it bad been already disciplined by him. But the soul also adorns ext» rnal anger, in order that its motion may be just. If however, this inward angi r in him had committed itself to passion and material motion, it would have entirely corrupted the other well-ordered disposition of his soul. Hi •nee when souls subdue material passions, and adorn their inward lives, they live justly; lmt vv lien they are subdued by them they imperceptibly fall into injus¬ tice. For following the immoderate appetites of the body, their powers liecome inordinate, and unadorned, anil are exti nded about generation, in a greater de¬ gree than is lit. lint how do they at one time follow justice, and at another not ? For it was before said of them, “ Of those that arc always willing to follow justice and you'* May it not be said, that they are always indeed willing to follow jus¬ tice and the Gods, but that they do not always follow them, for the reasons as¬ signed in the Gorgias, which distinguish true will from the opinion which is governed hy appearances? Or may it not be said, that souls follow justice and

■IF

Tim. Plat.

* For litre, read vpr. VOL. II.

p. 410

PROCLUS ON THE

[BOOK V.

the Gods, in consequence of a divine nature presiding in them? For he who wishes that which is good, wishes to follow justice. For this is what was said in the lieforo cited passage, viz. “ that a divine nature has dominion in those that arc alnays a iilnn' toJolloxr justice and the Gods." For the divine part of us naturally follows justice; but the irrational forms of life follow the div me nature which is in us.

“ That he also who lived well during the proper time [of his abode on the earth ' again proceeding to the habitation of his kindred star, should enjov a happy life.'