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

For the soul carries the hody, inspiring it with the power

3 K

Tim. JPlat.

* For ro Grrjroy lirrr, it is neerssary to read row rov.

VOL. II.

44*2

IMIOCLUS ON THE

[book V, of motion; but is carried by it through sympathy, to a genesiurgic nature. Hence he very properly says, that the whole animal is moved. For the body is moved through the soul, and the soul losing its own life, lues the life of the composite [of body and soul]. The whole animal therefore is moved. And after another manner also you may say that Plato asserts the uhvle is moved, in order to dis¬ tinguish it from the ntiivt-rso, For this, as we have before olisi rved, is not moved according to the whole of itself, hut only lit its parts Since liowrn r the stars are moved w ith an advancing motion [or in unlccedenliaj, each is moved according to the whole, and not according to the parts only ; yet they are moved in an orderly maimer, ami not as vve are: for they follow the universe. Hut Plato adds, disorderly ; indicating by this, that the motion is material, and all-variously anomalous, and that it .#egins from the subordinate nature, the order being inverted. It is necessary however, in the same manner as in divine natures that the motion should originate from the more exet llent nature. 'I he expression likewise casually, signifies the rash and unstable nature of the motion; and the word proctetls, indicates the departure of souls from themselves; all which parti¬ culars are posterior to divine animals, in whom intellect is the cause* of energy, and each proceeds and at the seme time abides. The word irrationally follows also in a becoming manner. For where order fails there 1 lie irrational secretly enters. For reason is the cause cf order and measure, and of the participation of good.

The word irrationally follows also in a becoming manner. For where order fails there 1 lie irrational secretly enters. For reason is the cause cf order and measure, and of the participation of good.

Moreover, the multitude of motions Incomes apparent in these, anti the number ol all tin* motions of the mortal aniin d. For as bodies have three dimensions, anti are mingled from contraries, contrariety In mg a tlnad,' and assuming the triad, produces this number of motions. For it is necessary that there should he only a triple interval, or dimension, In-cause interval is reason lor a productive principle], proceeding from the impaitible into matt r, and investing it with vturphe. Ami the imparlihle indeed is muiiidie ; hut progression is dyadic; and morphe triadic. For that which has proceeded, returning, or being * i.averted to its principle, lias hound and morphe. lint it is necessary that there should he contrariety in the motions, according to position. For the extremities of every right line are opposed to each other. Hence of tin three dimensions, the opposi¬ tion according to the extremities will be the upward and downward, the right hand ami the left, lnforc anti behind. The complication therefore of contrariety, with the triad of dimensions, products the six motions; anti tins number is adapted to the animated hotly. For according to the Pythagoreans, the monad

1 I lie word airwi is omitted here in 1 lie original, but evidently ought to be inserted.

* For hut here, read bar

HOOK V.]

TI.MXCS OF FLAK).

p. 443

For according to the Pythagoreans, the monad

1 I lie word airwi is omitted here in 1 lie original, but evidently ought to be inserted.

* For hut here, read bar

HOOK V.]

TI.MXCS OF FLAK).

p. 443

is analogous to a point; the duad, to a line; the triad, to a superficies; the tetrad, to a body; the pentad, to a body endued with a certain rpiahtv ;' and the hexad, to an animated body. This number of motions therefore, is appropriately attributed to mortal animals, whose generation proceeds from the even 1 numln-r, and a formless nature. It is not proper however, to wonder, that animals should have so many motions, but inanimate natures only one motion; as that a clod of earth should only have a motion downward, but fl ime, a contrary motion. For we shall find by inspection, that frequently the extremes are more simple than the media, hui the media more various than the extremes. 1 Thus for instance, we see, that nature and matter are more simple than body, and the irrational life and intel¬ lect, than the rational soul. Hut intellect indeed, is more simple, according to that which is more, ami irrationality according to that which is less, excellent. It lives however, without deliberate choice, and conformably to nature. If there¬ fore, in motions, we see that divine animals and inanimate bodies have a more simple motion, but the media abundantly wander, and are nmltiformlv borne alone;, what occasion is there to wonder 7 For the simplicity indeed of divine motion, is more excellent than the variety in mortal natures ■ but the simplicity of inanimate lx'in^s is less excellent ; just as divine bodies are essentially' simple, according to that w hich is better than composite natures, but the inanimate parts of the de¬ ments are more simple than concrete masses, according to that which is less excel¬ lent,* as not having the proper life of living lieings.

/ ' ^ C

“ For though the inundating and effluxivc waves, which afford nutri¬ tion to the animal, pour along with impetuous abundance, yet a still greater tumult and perturbation is produced, through the passions arising from external impulsions ; either when the body' is disturbed by the sud¬ den incursion of external fire, or by the solid mass of earth, or is agi¬ tated by the whirling blasts of the air. For from ail these, through the medium of the body, various motions are hurried along, and fall with molestation on the soul/'

’ Instead ««f in tins place, it is requisite lo read, trrrm^riy.

1 For aypioK litre, it is necessary lo read aprtnv.

1 The original is defective here, for there is nothing more than ra fe fjrtra weir , 0 0 m . This defi¬ ciency however, ruay be supplied by reading, conformably lo the above translation, ra hr ptwa weir, U rrpn rwr arpwr.

* The word x , ‘P or * 11 wanting here in the original.

p. 444

PHOC1XS ON THE

[book V,