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

Por in seed teelf, there are productive powers, and a subject. And the former are derived fourm the στ οὐ Valeans, but the Jatter from earth, Por by earth, we must now understand every nraterial cause; not that the Athenians sprang from the carth; but because it is usual to

' Ttamust be carefully observed, that defects when ascribed to divine natures adumbrate Gounseenden. cies: just as those whose eves are filled with the solar light, are said to be incapable of perceiving mundane objects; for this incapacity is nothing more than transcendency of vision, In like mauner, the lameuess of Vulcan, symbolically indicates his exemption from any defective progression,

Ce a ea

BOOK 1.] TIMUS OF PLATO. me 0} call all generation earth, and every thing material, earthly. Fire, therefore, is a Vulcanian instrument; but earth is matter, which is excited and vivified through fire, since itis of itself lifeless. Hence also, in consequence of this being filled, the material order is now assumed in conjunction with Vulcan. And on this account it is said that the seed of Vulcan, together with earth, gave subsistence to the generation of the Athenians. For according to the fable also, Vulcan being in love with Minerva, emitted his seed on the earth, and from thence the race of the Athenians blossomed forth. In short, therefore, Vulcan is always in love with Minerva, imitating her intellectual nature, in the fabrication' of sensibles. But Minerval souls, according to this energy of Vulcan, especially receive vehicles from him, and are introduced into bodies from the productive powers of Vulcan, and the hypostasis* of earth; the productive powers receiving Minerval impressions. For this God, prior to nature, is the perfecter of bodies, inserting in different bodies, different symbols of the divinities.

For this God, prior to nature, is the perfecter of bodies, inserting in different bodies, different symbols of the divinities.

What however are the thousand years, according to which the Athenians are prior to the inhabitants of Sais? This, therefore, may be said historically. But it seems also to signify the temporal priority of the life of the Athenians, and in short, that itis necessary their life should be more elevated than that of the Saitans, For as in the invisible orders of things, many genera are suspended from the same leader, some indeed more proximately, but others more subordinately ; after the same manner also, of Minerval souls descending into generation, some are assimilated to Minerva, according to the hizhest degree of excellence; but others subsist proximately after these. A thousand years, therefore, signify this excellence. For they are the measure of a perfect genesiurgic period, on account of a thousand being a cubic number, Hence this number is very properly adapted to a life superior according to generation, and which is in a greater degree assimilated to _ the {tutelar Goddess. If also you wish to transfer these things to the universe, you may there behold all the visible fabrication which is Vulcanian, and adorning causes and adorned eflects ; some of which are more total, but others more partial. And some being analogous to the Athenians, but others to the Saitans. For

* Instead of ro γοερὸν aurns των αἰσθητων pipovperos in this place, which is evidently defective, I read τὸ νοερὸν aurns εν τῇ δημιουργιᾷ των αιἰσθητων μιμουμενος.

* For τὴς γῆς νποστασιν των λόγων, αθηναΐκα συγθηματα λαβοντων, it seems necessary to read rns γης: vrooracews, τῶν λόγων αθηναΐκα, «. A.

Tim. Plat, Vou. I. | Q

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nothing hinders, but that the same things may be surveyed analogously, in demiurgic causes, 1n the universe, and in an historical narration,

A.

Tim. Plat, Vou. I. | Q

p. 122

nothing hinders, but that the same things may be surveyed analogously, in demiurgic causes, 1n the universe, and in an historical narration,

The divine Iamblichus however doubts, how the gods are said to be allotted certain places, according to definite times ; as for instance, Minerva was. first allotted Athens, and) afterwards Sais. For if, their allotment commences from acertain time, it will also αἱ ἃ certain time cease. Por whatever is measured by time, is a thing of this kind. Farther still, with respect to the place which they are allotted at a certain time, was it without a ruler, w hen it fell to their lot, or was itunder the dominion of other Gods ? For if, indeed, it was without a ruler, how is it possible that any thing belonging to the universe can be perfectly destitute of divinity? How, in short, can any place remain without the guardian protection of more excellent natures? Or how, if itis sutlicient: to the preservation of itself, can it afterwards become the allotment of some one of the Gods? But if it is under the dominion of another leader, it will also fall to the allotment of another God, and thus an absurdity will ensue. For the second God does not divulse the prefecture and allotment of the former divinity. Nor do the Gods alternately receive the places of each other; nor do dawmons change their allotments. Tamblichus having thus doubted, dissolves the doubts by saying, that theallotwents of the Gods are perpetually established, but that the participants of them, atone time derive advantage from the guardianship of the rulers, and at another time reap no benefit from it. Ele adds, that these are the participations which are measured hy time, and which sacred institutions frequently call the birthdays of the Gods. Wt has however been observed by us, that this resembles that which happens about souls, ΓῸΓ every soul has entirely a tutelar God. And certain souls choose lives adapted to other Gods. Thus, therefore. every place ts the allotment ofa certain God, and there is atime when it becomes the allotment of some other divinity, who renders it adapted through a certain period, or through certain mystic rites established by men. For allotment is twofold, the one being essential, but the other subsisting according to habitude. Bat let us direct our attention to what follows.

“ But an account of the transactions of this our city, during the space of eight thousand years, is preserved in our sacred writings.”

The priest assigns to the Athenians the number nine thousand, receiving this

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