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

It also sonmtiums happens m addilion to these things, that there is a ntditeducation ; of which he says as tollmvs:

“11c therefore, who rcct ives eriidilioii, in conjunction with proper nutriment, will lie perfectly entire and same, and will avoid the greatest disease."

we

'l lm natural path of souls to wisdom, I- d< scribed through the ;,hn\e-nmnlinn< d words. Hut 1’lalo connects wall this political educalinn, which |s pe motive of phy sical aptitude, and which through proper nutriment, imparls to the irrational nature, the liahit of ;;ood conduct, and a liie conformahlc to rijjit opinion ; hut

IMtOClXS ON IIIi:

[book V.

through erudition nourishes tin* ration.il essence, l»y discipline* and dialectic. Fur it w uen-MMiry that (lie irrational | mi it should lie iu*triirled by morale, hut rea-on liv discipline*, in order that I In* Inrun r nmv lie oliedient to (lie ratioiml !de, lint the latter recurring to intellect, may survey the nature of being*. For •liex* tiling* taking place, the soul is rendered entire and same; entire indeed, u> having nil its powers unencumbered, and the circle of the same hl»erated from Its feller* ; hut mute, as having npplieil a remedy to the distorted |>eriod ol the circle ot the itif/i rent, and restored it to an nntractured, and unohlhjiie condition. <>i it may he said, that the soul is entire, as pursuing wholes instead of parts, as raising hersell from the astonishment produced h\ things lieluw, exciting hersell to intellect, and surveying from on high, and shaking olf troni herself, the hrius waters «*t tin* mm o| generation ; hut same , .is returning to her own natural order, and running Iku k to science. For ignorance is the great¬ est disease of the soul, biirxing and blinding its [intellectual j eve.

“ Hut lie who neglects this, will, tliiougli proceeding along the path of lite m a lame condition, again pass into Hades impelled, and destitute of intelligence.”

The philosopher manifests through these things, that something is ctfected by

.. ol ,l *‘" r ‘* a "d politieal erudition. For he calls him imperfect, who 3ol ,l *‘" r ‘* a "d politieal erudition. For he calls him imperfect, who does not obtain right nutriment ami erudition Fur like one whose feet are injured, he w alks indeed, yet not well ; and is neither entirely depriied of motive pails, mu uses sin li as are entire and perfei I. Alter the same manner tlu refore, lie who in-fleets himself; ami he is one who looks downward, dismissing the know ledge of himself; will proceed through the path of hie in a lame comhlion, as alone ha\mg made a protmem y so far as he has hern inmnl |,y nature. Hence I Into says, that he will again puss into Hades imperfect and destitute of intelligence, not being able to gi\e perfection to his intellect; Im cause the living are from the dead. And the passing into II ides, m mifesls the piuceeding into that wIm Si is dark, and without splendour. I or tlu* departure to these, is not according to the good and wise find [Pluto], through the downward leading mouth into the subterranean place. For lie who has not purified himself, cannot know that whieh is wholly pure and incorruptible.* Hence, he is sent to

• For nmflufirn* in (ills |»l.icr, it to me to be urermary lo read u«i^*arri .

that place, in which he will he purified ; and he who has alone lived according to l ate, will In* directed into the right path hy Tate in orderly |»eriods of time.

“ 1 iiesc are particulars however, which take place afterwards ; hut it > 4 ^ is requisite to discuss more accurately the tilings which arc now proposed to he considered."

The discussion of the composition of the body, both of the whole and the parts of it, and also of the irrational life, hut not of the allotments of the soul, is consequent to the consideration of the incarnation of the soul. Tor the accurate discussion of the allotments is to be found in the speculations in the Republic; converting souls through it to a prudent and wise life, ltul it pertains to the physiologist to give perfection to the discussion of the animal. The philosopher therefore, very properly dismisses ethical speculations, but is traiisfi rred to the physical doctrine. Hence, lie »,ivs, that llic-c particulars, viz. the allotments of souls take place po^terim to those things which are now proposed to be more accurately discussed. \nd the sentence indeed, appears to he somewhat diffi¬ cult ; Imt al the same tune, lie says, that ill that lias now been asserted, will take place beiealiei ; and tbit it is ivquisiii to speak ol thos< particulars, which are now proposed h\ us to be discussed, and these are sin h as pertain to the life of the body. Of Ini's lio\\e\er, transposing the words, lor the sake of perspicuity, w rite, lf ix m< t xsm if tu ni.u usx more nnttcli/ the things non proposed to he ~'mlidcred. Lint what follows is adverse to this transposition.