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

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.

“ Prior to these therefore, it is requisite to speak about bodies, accord¬ ing to 11 it* parts' of ilicir generation, and about the soul, and to show by especially adhering to probable reasons, through what causes ami provi¬ dence of the (iods they were generated. Tor thus, and to those that proceed conformably to these tilings, it is requisite to discuss the parti¬ culars that remain.”

In what is here said, Plato defines the scope of what is about to i>c delivered.

1 i. r. To h)>crIi of the general too of the parts, of bo«lie».

p. 401

1'Koci.Ub os mi;

[uuul r.

vi/. (lmt it is about fli** gem-ration of bodies, and alwmt (lit- soul. For it was plainl% said, that it was his intention to speak, concerning both, and to show from wliat particulars the second Demiurgi constituted the soul and the body. lJut conformably to this, be hud In-lore asserted, that in constituting soul and body it was requisite to inlroduee the (locks, and to t-flecl tilings consequent ti> these, \iz. the du isions of the soul, and a more minute discussion of the parts of the body. For thus in the unit else, alter a eonruon discussion of the whole, he spuki about the parts which it c ontains. lb at also which is the pec uliarity ol tlie l'latomc pbilosopbv, to suspend all generation fro**: .be ( Joels, lie now dots, by plaem^ in tbetiods tin primordial causes ol mortal bodies, anil (l | the 111 se| i.i l.11 ill* forms ol bti . .Not tli.it tin ie me di finite n huis [or productm: | tow i I s ] ol | i.i 111 .i I li aim e«, a ml o| pal I |i dial s, and I lilli^s i m nipt ibb in tin ( mils ; |o|- a ill V llie llat ill * Is \ei \ 11 Inoli limn p ii I lal l.ibi leal imi ; lmt t b it I In >

.Not tli.it tin ie me di finite n huis [or productm: | tow i I s ] ol | i.i 111 .i I li aim e«, a ml o| pal I |i dial s, and I lilli^s i m nipt ibb in tin ( mils ; |o|- a ill V llie llat ill * Is \ei \ 11 Inoli limn p ii I lal l.ibi leal imi ; lmt t b it I In > preside n\t i i;i 11<1 .it< d ii.ilm't s in an llldn goth n in min r, and o\i i mail mil lia tines iinmateliallv, < on;li u.illli'4 linili til.iliy partial and pinxmiale causes, tint which is partial in i Heels through perpetual motions, am tbroii^b well arranged and multiform causes. For as tbe first |)i minibus delivers [llu- production of mortal natures] to tbe junior finds, so Ilk ewise tbe providence ol lliese, proceeds lluoii-^li da moils is far as lo malerial and individual principle-, using as adjutois, ib finite natuics, and tile several peeuliar motions of (Inst winch dilh r in tlu-ir powers, and likew ise employing all tbe proximate causes of gene¬ rated beings; from wliuli, tli.it winch is ^cm-ralcd, ileiius its cmnplcliou, is fabricated a partial nature instead ol being tbe whole, ami receives an hypostasis, circumscribed dilli-rc-nlly, and by ililleonl pei uliai itie.s. Mere I ben tore, it is leipiisile In spi ak about tbe body according to purls; as lor uisiatice, about the In .id, llu then ix, and tin- b and ill < at b of tin -i , about llu- palls i uiil.nin d III them ; lor llu sc ate organic. It is nl-.o i< ipusile to sp* ak about llu- nioilal hold, wbn b logi llu I with (be body makes the nioilal animal, ibis being tin* lain ii aluili ol (III juuioi (imU; ami likew ise about ibe puiU of if, bulb llie gnnslie* and tin nicelic. For if we pmpcilv iippicluud these by u reasoning pm* ess, w e shall have w II disc m> a cl w bat pi i tail is to man

Ills necessary Itmuut lli.it man in tin- s.iun- manlier as tbe whole world should lie considered pi-rlec lly , l*i c lllse mail Is a microc osm. 1 or lie lias intellect and n usiin, a divine and a mental body, in tin* same manner as the universe, and lie i» die ided analogously to tin- unn el se. Ib nee also, some are accustomed to say, that Ills intellectual part is arranged analogous to the sphe re of the; fixed stars", lmt that of reason, that which is theoretic, is analogous to Saturn, and

LOOK V.]

TIM /HUS or l'LATO.

Ki5

that which is political, to Jupiter. Of (hr irrational part likewise, the irascible nature i< analogous to Mars; that which is endued w ith the faculty of speech, to Memi -v ; that which is epithvmetie, to \ enus ; that which is sensitive, to the ' «in ; and that which is vegel itive, to the Moon. The luciforin Vi hide likewise, is analogous to the heavens; hut this mortal body, to the sublunary region. In ordi r therefore, that you may perceive the universe partially, the discourse about man is co arranged with all physiology. And thus much as to this particular.

The luciforin Vi hide likewise, is analogous to the heavens; hut this mortal body, to the sublunary region. In ordi r therefore, that you may perceive the universe partially, the discourse about man is co arranged with all physiology. And thus much as to this particular.

llul how are the causes and providential energies of the Gods to be divided 1 Is it not, that the former are hvpostatic, or the sources of subsistence, but the latter are of a guardian nature ; the former are the suppliers of essence, but the latter of good ; and the former are «tl’cctive of mortal natures, but the latter arc the saviours of immortal souls? 1 'or the Gods providentially attend to these, receive them when they descend [into the realms of generation], and again, when they are w iliing to ascend, extend (heir hands, and impai l tin pity which dwells with them. Since however both the cause and the providence o» the junior Gods, are multi¬ plied and united ; for whence could union be imparted from them to generated natures, unless those that produce them were by a much greati r priority united to each other? on this account, l*lato rails their demiurgic powers, the providence and causes of them. For there are many Peiniurgi, and the production of each is multiform. And again, he unites the multitude of the Gods. For union and uniform power accede to all beings, and by a much greater priority to the Gods themselves, from the divine peculiarity; just as intelligence is present with wholes, and in a much greater degree with the intellectual orders them¬ selves, from intellect. Hut when, in short, lie reft rs the cause nt generated natures to the providence of the (iods, he gives to them a first progression into existence, ineffable, ami better than knowledge. lienee, lamblii hus rightly says, that it is not possible to collect syllogistically, how the Gods produce body, anti the hie which is in it, and how they connect both with each other. For these things are unknown to us. And indeed, we strenuously assert, that all things are constituted by the Gods, in consequence of looking to their goodness; but we are not able to know how they proceed from thence. The cause however, of this is, that to energize providentially, and to generate, arc the prerogatives of a div ine by parvis, and possess an unknown transcendency. It has been shown therefore, what the subject is of the present discussion; but he again reminds us what the mode of it is, that it is mingled with probability. For so far as it is connected with nature, and the fabrication of mortals, ho far it is accompanied with probability; but so far as it recurs to a divine intellect Tim. Plat. Vol, II. 3 N

4 M PLOCLUS OS THE TINLEU 5 OF PLATO. [book v.