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

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distant from the present. Thus, as to the history which I have just now related, I received it from the old man with great pleasure and delight ; who on his part very readily complied with my request, and frequently gratified me with a repetition of it. And hence, as the marks of letters deeply burnt in, remain indelible, so all these particulars became firmly established in my memory.”

That children remember better than men is seen in works, and has many probable causes. One indeed, as Porphyry says, because the souls of children hare not anexperience of human evils. Hence, as they are neither distracted nor disturbed by extemals, their imagination js void of impressions ; but their reasoning power is more sluggish. For experience renders this power more acute. But another cause is this, that the rational life in children is in a greater degree mingled with the phantasy. As therefore, in consequence of the soul being co-passive, and co-mingled with the body, the body becomes stronger and more vital ; after the same manner also, the phantasy is strengthened through the habitude of reason. And being strengthened, it has more stable impressions, from receiving through its own power reason in a greater degree; just as the body is more powerful, in consequence of being more vital, through a more abundant communion with the soul. A third cause in addition to these is, that the same things appear to be greater to the imaginations of children. TIence they are in a greater degree admired by them, so that they are more co-passive with them, and on this account especially remember them. For we deposit in the memory things which vehemently pain, or vehemently delight us. They therefore operate on us ina greater degree. Tlence ἀν that which suffers in a greater degree from fire, preserves fora longer time the heat imparted to it; after the same manner, that which suffers more from the external object of the phantasy, retains the impression ina greater degree, Moreover the imagination of children suffers more, on account of the same things appearing to us to be greater during our childhood, Hence children in a greater degree retain the impression, as suflering in a greater degree from the same things. And it appears to me that Critias indicates this when he says, that he heard this history from the old man with great delight, and that on this account it became firmly established in his memory, like the marks of letters deeply burnt in. But as Socrates in the recapitulation of his polity asserts, that the cause of memory to us is the unusualness ' of the things which

* For αληθειαν here, it is necessary to read αηθειαν.

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But as Socrates in the recapitulation of his polity asserts, that the cause of memory to us is the unusualness ' of the things which

* For αληθειαν here, it is necessary to read αηθειαν.

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we hear, thus Critias, in what is here said, ascribes this cause to the age of children. For every thing that occurs to children at first, appears to be unusual. And perhaps this brings with it an indication, that the prolific fabrication of Gods of the second rank is suspended from the stable sameness of those of the first order ; just as the memory of a boy is the cause of memory to the associates of Critias. If some one however, in addition to these solutions, should adhere to the whole theory of things, let him hear Janublichus asserting, that the memory of children indicates the ever new, flourishing, and stable production of reasons; the indelibility of the letters, the perpetually-tlowing and never-failing fabrication ; and the alacrity of the teacher, the unenvying and abundant supply afforded by more ancient canses to secondary natures. Por these things also have ἃ place in conjunction with the before-mentionced solutions,

“ In consequence of this, as soon as it was day, I repeated the narration to my friends, that together with myself they might be better prepared for the purposes of the present association, But now with respect to that for which this narration was undertaken, IT am prepared, O Socrates, to speak not only summarily, but so as to descend to the particulars of every thing which 1 heard. We shall transfer, however, to reality the citizens and city which you fashioned yesterday as ina fable ; considering that city which you established as no other than’ this Athenian city, and the citizens which you conceived, as no other than those ancestors of ours described by the Egyptian priest. And indeed the aair will harmonize in every respect ; nor will it be forergn from the purpose to assert, that your citizens are those very people who existed at that time. Ilfence, distributing the affair in) common among us, we will endeavour, to the utmost of our ability, to accomplish ina becoming manner the employment which you have assigned us. It is requisite therefore to consider, O Socrates, whether this discourse 15 reasonable, or whether we should lay it aside, and seck after another.”

Before, Critias made his associates partakers of his narration ; but now, he calls on them to accomplish in conjunction with him, the employment assigned them. Because in the paradigms all things indeed are united on high, and fill each other with intellectual powers; but in the demturgie world for in’ the world in the intelleet of the Demiurgas,} they subsist with each other, according to a certain divine and total conspiration ; conformably to which, and through partes πον 5 ν

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which, all things are every where appropriately in each. Hence ἴῃ the heavens the paradigms of generated natures pre-exist, and in generation there are images of celestial natures. Since, however, wholeness every where precedes parts, this also may be seen in the second fabrication. On this account Critias first summarily discusses the war; but afterwards he endeavours to explain more copiously every particular, narrating all the polity of the Atlantics, and the principle of their generation; how they turned to injustice, how the Athenians proceeded to war; from what apparatus, from what legations, through what ways, with whom they were co-arranged, and such things as are consequent to these. The genuine polity, therefore, (of Socrates] is an imitation of the first fabrication. Hence indicating the mystic nature of it, and its pre-existence in pure reason, he says, that it was fashioned as it were ina fable. But the hypothesis of the Athenians has an indication, as in images,’ of the second fabrication; in which that) which is more partial presents itself to the view; and what remains consists of contrariety and motion, and that which is circumscribed in’ place. Since, however, the second is suspended from the first fabrication, and is in continuity with it, hence he says, “ that the affair will harmonize in cwery respect, and that it will not be foreign to the purpose to assert, that the citizens in the Republic of Socrates are the very people who existed at that time.”

“Socrates. But what other, O Critias, should we reccive in _ prefers ence to this? Por your discourse, through a certain affinity, is particularly adapted to the present sacrifice to the Goddess. And besides this, we should consider, as a thing of the greatest moment, ¢hat your relafion is not a mere fable, but a true history of transcendent magnitude. It is impossible, therefore, to say how and from whence, neglecting your narration, we should find another more convenient.”

Socrates approves the narration of Critias, in the first place as adapted to the festival of the Athenians; for the [Atlantic] war is an image of mundane wars; and as a hymn accommodated to the sacrifice to Minerva. For if speech is of any advantage to men, it should be employed in hymns. And besides this, since the Goddess is the cause of both theory and action; through

* For ws exeiswy ostwy in this place, it is necessary to read ws εἰκογων orrwr.

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