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

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* Twofold ignorance is, when a man is not only ignorant, but is ignorant that he is ignorant. And this is the disease of the multitude.

HOOK V.]

TIM i; IN or I* LA YU.

p. 447

in the doxastic part. l or lli.it w lufli is nothing more Ij an a falsi* suspicion of knowledge, is tins. Ami ignorance indeed. i>« only tin* privation of intelhct in tlianoia lettered,' and concealing its productive powers ; lint «nr l «ri > -, or a I 'a 1st* suspicion of knowledge, is the privation of intellect in opinion, being a certain (Iistortioii of it. I or In mg false, it injures its possessor. Iui uhut ini is in action, thiil the fal*c is in

I or In mg false, it injures its possessor. Iui uhut ini is in action, thiil the fal*c is in

I lie period in the circle of the .same therefore, i» alone letti red, and resembles those that are in captivity, and on this account, are prevented from energizing. This circulation however, remains in the souls that are hound without h. ini; dis¬ torted . 1 lint the period of the circle of the t/Jf ruit is agitated, being tilled with false dogmas. For the proximity ol this circle to irrationality, causes it to receive a certain passion from externals. From these things however, we are impelled to speak freely in opposition to Flotmus and the great Thcndnrus, who preserve in us something impassive, and which always perceives intellectually. For Plato assumes only two circles in the essence of the soul, one of which is according to him fettered, hut the other is agitated ; and it is not possible for either that vv Inch is fettered, or that which is agitated, to energize intellectually. Ilightly therefore, does the divine lamhlichus contend against those who adopt this opinion. For what is it, that is faulty in us, when we recur to an intemperate imagination, through the excitation of the irrational nature? Is it not our deliberate choice? And how is it possible it should not he this ; since according to this, we differ from those who imagine precipitately? But if the deliberate choice is faullv, how can the s ( ,ul he guilth ss ? W hat also is it which makes the whole of our life to he happv * Is it not Iwcansr* reason possesses its proper virtue? W e say enlirelv so. But if when that which is most excellent in us is perfect we are uholh / happv, what hinders all of us from lie ini; now happy, if the summit of our nature al wavs perceives intellectually, and is always with the (jiods ? For if this summit is [wholly] intellect, it is nothing to* the soul; hut if it is a part of the soul, the rest of the soul also will lx* happy. Who likewise is the charioteer of the soul ? Is it not that which is most delightful to us, and as some one may say most capital 1 And how i« it possible not to admit this, if it is the charioteer who governs the whole of our essence, who raises Ins head to, and surveys the supercelestial place, and is assimilated to the gr< at leader [Jupiter], who drives a winged chariot, and is the first charioteer that proceeds into the heavens? But if that which is the summit in us is the charioteer, and he, as it is said in the Pha*drus, at one time

1 Instead of here, it is nrrejyary to rrad

* For attairrprxjHHt here, read aharrpo^wi.

4 48

IMtOCl.l N ON THE

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sublimely tends to the place beyond the heavens, at another time enters into the heavens, and at another Incomes lame, an I sutlers a drthixion of his wm?i, it evidently follows, that the summit of our nati re subsists differently at different times. This therefore, the reader will find elsewhere more copiously discussed.

This therefore, the reader will find elsewhere more copiously discussed.

If however, these things are true, it i> very propeilv said, that the period ot the circle of tin mint, as it «uveriis and proceeds, is lettered. 1 or having a twofold perfection, prartir and theoretic, it is deprived id each. For it is neither aide to rule over the natures subject to ifs eommaml, thr«»ii”!i their unstable motion, nor to proceed, i. e. to perceive intellectually. For to proceed is the eiienry ot a circu¬ lation, and to proceed diauoetically, is the energy ot dianoetie natures. I lie senses therefore, strike against this circulation, and tinning in a direction contrary to it, as tending inwardlv from outward ohjects, they impede tin intellectual energy. II. •nee the- period of the c ircle ot the mint is deprived both of ac tion and conte mplation. \\ hat then, someone may s.iv, is it immovealde } .And how can the soul Iw immovealde' May we not sav in answer to this, that it is moved indeed by itself, but neither with a corporeal motion, tor it is incorporeal; nor with a phanta-tic motion, fur it is imligured ; nor with a gnostic motion, for it is i ,r noraut of itself; but with an essentially vital motion. For as to perceive intellectually, is the energy of intellect, and to exist is the energy of being ; thus also to live, i> the energy of life, l’or it dews not possess an adventitious energy of *ife, hut ch lives it from itself. For it is life generating itself, and producing its. It. 13ut all life is motion. So that if every thin- which lives is moved, that which lives from itself will he- moved, and that whie li always lives will always he move d, vitally, hut not intellectually. II. nee the soul is always moved, and yet not always. For it it intellect in ctijmcity, hit hfe iu energy. And another third tiling i. e. matter is in capac ity only, but is not in energy. Since the relbre, there is a triple order in us, v i/. according to e ssence, according to power, and according to energy, our I'scnce indeed, remains entirely the same, as being essence, as living, and *~s intellectual. For being the [first] image cd intelh*el, it is intellectual ; just as the first image of .soul is animated. Hut tlw powers indeed, of dianoia are lettered, and those of opinion are agitated. And since the powers are analogous to tin* live s, the power of one of the lives [viz. of the intellectual life] is r. strained, hut another is shaken. For the* essential hfe is always in motion. M ith respec t to the* energies however, those of dianoia are taken away, hut those ot opinion an* distorted. And as these are analogous to that whic h is intellectual, it is evident that the soul is pre¬ vented from perceiving intellectually. 1 he essence ol tin; soul therefore, is per-

1 For cuv'o licre, it is ne cessary to read caery.

nook \.]

T1M.LUS OJ PLATO.

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