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

There are also many other powers in tin m besides these, which are inexplicable by our conceptions.

“ He ’ikewise commanded them to govern as much as possible in the l»est and most bea iliful manner the mortal annual, that it might not become the cause of evil to itself.'

Of all that the one Demiurgus delivers to the junior Gods, it must he admitted that there are three most beautiful boundaries, the boniform will of him that

' tor iiv ruiian i, il is nrtcssjry to roait

* l or \itiji, it is fo rtml Xnsijt

BOOK V]

TIM. EL'S OF PLATO.

42ft delivers, the perfect power of the re< ipirnls. anil tin* symmetry of both these with each other. Of the demiurgic production however, of the junior God* t!iemse|ves, three elements, and these the greatest, must l>e again surveved, vi/.. a reduction to the a conversion to intelligible beauty, and a liberated power sufficient to rule over all the subjects of its government. For as Plumes ‘ himself, the Demiurgn* of wholes, rendered the whole world as much as possible the most Iseautiful and the best, thus also he was w illing that the second fabricators should govern the mortal animal in a way the most iM-autiful and the l»est; pouring on them indeed from intelligibles, Itcauly, but tilling tjietn with that bouiforin power am Will, which he himself possessing fabricated the whole world. For thus g« ner tion also will participate of beauty and goodness, as far as it is naturally adapt'd to such participation, if the Ciods, by whom it is connected and contained, adorn it, since they are themselves transcemlently decorated with beauty and good.

For thus g« ner tion also will participate of beauty and goodness, as far as it is naturally adapt'd to such participation, if the Ciods, by whom it is connected and contained, adorn it, since they are themselves transcemlently decorated with beauty and good.

If however, the second Demiurgi have such n nature as this, nothing evil o* pri ternatural is generated from the celestial Gods ; nor is it proper to divide the Gods in the heavens after this manner, as many do, viz. into the In neticent and malignant; for being Ciods this is impossible. Hut the mortal animal is the cause of evil to itself. For neither disease, nor poverty,* nor any thing else of this kind is evil; hut the depravity of the soul, intemperance, timidity, and every vice. Of these things however, we are the causes to ourselves. For though Iteing im¬ pelled bv others to these vices we are badly affected, yet again it is through our¬ selves; since we have the power of associating w ith the good, and separating our¬ selves from the bad. According to Plato therefore, we must not think that of the Gods some are malignant and otlu rs beneficent, but we must admit that all of them are the sources to mortals of all the good which they are aide to receive ; and that things which arc truly evils are not produced, but are only signified by them, as we have Ivefore observed. For they extend terrific appearances and signs to those who are able to sec and read the letters in the universe, which the framers of mortal natures during their revolutions write by their configurations. And though some one should derive a certain evil from the motions of the celestial Gods, so as to become timid or intemperate, yet they operate in oneway, and tlicir iidluenres are participated by souls in another. For the efflux ot intellect, says Plotinus, liecouies craft in him who receives the efflux badly ; the gift ol an elegant life liecoines intemperance through a similar cause ; and in short, while

1 i. f. Jupiter, who is so railed in tins place by rroclus,-because lie contain! M himself by partiripation the I’liiun or 1 ’rologonuf, alio is Ihc paradigm of the unieerse.

* For *ari|p<«, it is necessary to read vena.

p. 430

PHOCIX'S ON Till*.

[book V.

f. Jupiter, who is so railed in tins place by rroclus,-because lie contain! M himself by partiripation the I’liiun or 1 ’rologonuf, alio is Ihc paradigm of the unieerse.

* For *ari|p<«, it is necessary to read vena.

p. 430

PHOCIX'S ON Till*.

[book V.

they prod urn ftciieficeiiflv, their gifts art* participated by terrestrial natures, after a contrary manner. Hence the givers who Im .nIow beneficently are not to lw> ac¬ cused as the authors of evil, hot the recipients who pervert their gifts l»v their own inaptitudes. Thus also Jupiter in Homer Illumes souls as in vain nreusimr the hods, while they themselves are the causes ot evils. I’or tlse Gods are the sour¬ ces of •rood, and the suppliers of intellect and life, hut are not the causes of any evil; since even a partial nature is not the cause of evil to its offspring. What therefore ought we to think concerning the thirls themselves ’ Is it not, that they are mm a more the cans* s ot good to their productions ; since with them then* is power, with them there is a self-perfect nature, with them there is universal goodiips.s, to all which evil is contrary * Tor in its own nature it is powerless, imper¬ fect, and without measure.

“ At the same time he who orderly disposed all these particulars, re¬ mained in his own accustomed maimer."

Plato every where, after having employed many words, .summarily comprehends die multitude of them in the conclusion. Tor he knew that in the Deniimgus, one intellectual pern ption comprehends the multitude of intellectual conn ptioiis, that one power connects many powers, and that a uniform cause collects into one union divided causes. Hence the words [prior to these] “ I faxing therefore instructed &viils in all tlusc particulars" and the words before us, “ //<■ u / l0 orderly disposal all t first particulars, had the distinct energy of the Deniim-gus to an united cause. Farther still, the word alt, manifests that which is consummated from all its appropriate boundaries, lint the words orderly disposal, indicate the order pervading through all beings, which the I>« miur-us introduced to the mun¬ dane Gods, and to partial souls; demonstrating the former to he Demiiirgi, but inscribing in the latter the laws of Tate. Moreover, the word remained, does not manifest station, and inth xible intellection, hut an establishment 1 in tin one. Tor according to this the Deiniurgus is exempt from wholes, ami is separated from the beings that intellectually perceive him. Put this establishment itself is eter¬ nal, ami always invariably permanent. These things then fore, are also indicated by the words iieciistunnd and manner; the one exhibiting sameness of permanency ; hut the other the peculiarity of the demiurgic stability. Tor manner is indicative of peculiarity ; since connective is different from immutable, and both these from demiurgic permanency.

' For dp vat, it is nfCfssary to nad dfn/et y.

BOOK V .]

TIM.EUS OF PLATO

p. 431