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

By virtue’s worthy uame she’s called, says Orpheus. It is evident, however, that things which are more divine in the universe, may be called the progeny and pupils of the Gods, For they derive

Fl IN IIE ti Hn

ον οί

Seu sient

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their subsistence and are perfected, or rather they are always perfect, through the fabrication of the Gods, and the undefiled production of Minerva. Every thing, therefore, which is suspended and originates from the Gods, and is converted to them, exhibits transcendent virtue. But this, also, is in wholes ; since it must be admitted that there is divine virtue in the universe. And it is likewise in human lives, according to a similitude to wholes. Henee what is now said is applied to the Athenians, But making the lite of the Athenians to be one and continued, it conjoins Solon to the ancient inhabitants of Athens. Vor it says, they “inhabited this region.” For the paradigm of them is one, and in continuity with itself; since the whole of the Minerval series being one, extends as far as to the last of things, and originates supernally from the supermundane orders.

“ Many,and mighty deeds, therefore, of your city are recorded in our temples, and are the subject of admiration; yet there is one which surpasses all of them in magnitude and virtue.”

The priest having promised summarily to relate the laws and deeds of the Athenians, he delivered, indeed, their laws according toa division of genera; and it, therefore, remained for him to celebrate their deeds, through which an encomiuin is passed on the city, and the tutelar Goddess is praised. Since, however, of deeds there is a number, and there is also one unity comprehensive of them, according to which the whole form of the polity is exhibited, he announces that he shall narrate the greatest deed, and which surpasses all the rest in virtue ; this deed not being one of the many, but one prior to the many. For such a method of narration subsists appropriately with reference to the universe, in which wholes accomplsh, and connectedly contain one life, and collect many contrarieties into one union with the Goddess. Hence, as there were many and great deeds of the city, the priest very properly relates one deed which was recorded in the temples. For there is, also, an intellectual paradigin of it, so far as it is surveyed in the world, and which transcends in’ magnitude and virtue; transcendency according to magnitude presenting to our view that which is fotal, but according to virtue that which is intelectual. For wholes and the more divine of mundane natures have. many energies of the greatest magnitude, and accomplish one life and polity, conformably to which

. fighting under Minerva, they vanquish all subordinate beings. After this

* For pepuas here, it is necessary to read μεγίστας.

p. 144

many energies of the greatest magnitude, and accomplish one life and polity, conformably to which

. fighting under Minerva, they vanquish all subordinate beings. After this

* For pepuas here, it is necessary to read μεγίστας.

p. 144

manner, therefore, we must explain what is said. Porphyry, however, by great and admirable deeds, understands such as are accomplished by souls against matter, and material modes. But he calls demons material modes. For, according to him, there are two species of dwmons, of which the one consists of suuls, but the other of modes: and these are material powers, which are noxious to the soul. For these dogmas, however, he is corrected by the interpreter that came after him.'

“ Por these writings relate, what a mighty power your city once tamed, which rushing from the Atlantic sea, spread itself with hostile fury overall Europe and Asia.”

Plato in what is here said, neither omits any thing of encomiastic «augment, if the war of the Athenians against the Atlanties is considered as a mere history 5 nor fails in theological accuracy in Conjunction with caution, ifany one is) willing to pass from partial natures to wholes, and to proceed from images to paradigms. As itis usual, therefore, in Panathenaic orations to celebrate most amply the Persian expedition, and the victories of the Athemians both by land and sea, with which more recent orators fill their orations 3 Plato in praising the Athenians, neither delivers the Persian invasion nor any other similar deed, but introducing the Atlantic war against the parts inhabited by us, and which rushed from. the ex<ternal sea with a force capable of entirely destroying these parts, he informs us | thatthe Athenians were victorious, and that they subdued this mighty power. Since, however, the Persian expedition came from the east against the Grecks, and particularly against the Athenians, Plato introduces the Atlantic war from the west, inorder that you may survey the city of the Athenians as from a centre, castgating a Barbaric multitade pouring against ton each side in’ a disorderly manner. “To which may be added, that in the institutes delivered by the ancestors of the Athenians, and also in the mysteries, the Gigantic war is celebrated, and the victory of Minerva over the Giants, because in conjunction with ber father she vanquished these and the Titans, Plato, however, does not think it safe immnediately to introduce war against the Gods; for this is the very thing which he Hlamesintheancient poets; and itwould beabsurd that Critias or’Timwus, who were auditors of what Socrates said against the poets on the preceding day, should

ἐν ον By the divine Jamblichus.

ἥ

ERE φπδν FNRI S PO ES ih

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ἥ

ERE φπδν FNRI S PO ES ihp. 145 again ascribe wars and seditions to the Gods. But through the analogy of human to divine concerns, he delivers this Atlantic war prior to the fabrication of the world, assuming the Athenians instead of Minerva and the Olympian Gods, and the Atlanties instead of the Titans and Giants. For it is possible to survey the same things in images as in wholes, And that I] may remind you of the analogy, through thename of the Athenians, he refers his readers to the Olympian co-ordination which fought under the command of Minerva; but through that of the Atlantics, to the Titanic Gods. For the mighty Atlas was one of the Titans. Theologists also after the laceration of Bacchus, which manifests the divisible progression into the universe under Jupiter from the impartible fabrication, say that the other Titans had different allotments, but that-Atlas was established in the weslera parts, sustaining the heavens.

By strong necessity the wide-spread heay'n

In carth’s extremes, by Atlas was sustain’d,

Farther still, the victories of Minerva are eclebrated by the Athenians, and there is a festival sacred to the Goddess, in consequence of her having vanquished Neptune, and from the genesiurgic being subdued by the intellectual order, and those that inhabit this region betaking themselves to a life according to intellect, after the procurement of necessaries. Tor Neptune presules over generation ; but Minerva is the inspective guardian of an intellectual life. The things proposed therefore will contribute in the greatest degree to these analogies. For the Athenians bearing the name of the Goddess, are analogous to her; and the Atlantics through inhabiting an island, and through being called the progeny of Neptune, preserve an analogy to this God ; so that it is evident from these things that tle Atlantic war indicates the middle fabrication, according to which the second father (Neptune) being tilled by Minerva, and the other invisible causes, governs diviner natures ina more powerful manner, and subjects all such things as have a mulliplied, divisible, and more material hypostasis, to intellectual natures. For the Gods themselves, indeed, are eternally united; but the beings which are goyerned by them, are filled with this kind of division. After this manner, therefore, these things must be separately understood, |

In order however that we may pre-assume certain definite forms' of the proposed analysis, it must be admitted, that the habitations within the pillars of Her-

* For rovrovs here, it is necessary to read rvrovs.

Tim. Plat. Vou. I. T

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