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

rated, so far as they partake of motion and mutation, and that soul is the first of generated natures, so far as it ives in time, and time is connascent with its ener-

" The words ro δε aw», are wanting in the original, but must necessaiily be supplied.

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gies. And thus ascending froin beneath, we shall end in soul as the first of things that are generated ; and descending from above, we shall again terminate our progression in soul, as the last of eternal natures. For though a certain person’ rightly says that the heavens always exist, yet their being is always generated by something else; but soul possesses its own essence from itself. Hence also, Socrates in the Phwdrus says, that it is unbegotten, and at the same time self moved, as being indeed the principle of all generation, but generating and vivifying itself. If therefore we say, that itis both unbegotten aud generated, eternal and not eternal, we shall speak rightly. Hence too the Athenian guest® thinks fitto call the soul indestructible, but not eternal, because it is in a certain respect oniy eternal, and not according to the whole of itself, in the same manner as truly existing being. Por it is one thing to de always, and another to be generated always. And the heavens, indeed, are generated always ; for they do not possess being from themselves. Butsoul is always ; for it possesses being from itself. And every thing prior to soul is not venerated from a cause, butiy froma cause, Por generation Is alone in things which derive their subsistence from others. Through these things therefore it will be manifest after what manner there Is a comprehension of all beings in the before-tmmentioned portions of division, and after what manner all beings are not comprehended in thei. There is not a comprehension ofall beings, because that which is eternal only, and that which is generated only, are assumed ; one of which is prior to, but the other is posterior to soul, And there is a comprehension of all beings, because the extremes being assumed, It is possible from these to find the middle, which is at one and the same time both being and that'which is generated. «

«

That these distinctions, however, of that which always is, and of that which is generated, ,are necessarily made prior to all other axioms, it is easy to learn; by observing that this is the first of the problems which it is requisite to consider about the universe in the beginning, i.e. whether it always was, having no bexinning of generation, or whether it was generated, For if this is the first of the things to he investigated, then what that is which is generated, and what that is which is eternal, have very properly the first order in’ the axioms, Por the other axioms follow these, just as the remaining problems follow the problem respecting the geueration of the world. And if it be requisite that resuming the discussion about the hypotheses, 1 should more fully explain what appears to me on the pulyect,

* i.e. Aristotle. > In the 10th book of the Laws.

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Plato in the same manner as georetricians, employs definitions and hypotheses prior to demonstrations, through which he frames his demonstrations, and antecedently assumes the principles of the whole of physiology. For as the principles of music are different from the principles of medicine, and ina similar manner there are diferent principles of arithmetic and mechanics ; thus also there are certain principles of the whole of physiology, which Plato now delivers to us; [and these are as follow :] Zrulu existing being ts that which may be comprehended by intelligence in conjunction with reason. That which is gencrated is to be apprehended by opinion in conjunction with irrational sense. Every thing generated, is generated by a cause. That which does not derive its subststence from a cause, is not generated. That of which the paradigm is eternal being, ts necessarily beautiful. That, of which the paradigm is generated, is not beautiful. Let the universe be called heaven or the world. Vor from these principles he produces all that follows. And it appears to me, that on this account he shows what perpetual being ts, and also whae that is which is generated, but does not show us that each of them is. For the geoees we metrician informs us wat a point is, and what a line is, prior to his demonstra-‘

And it appears

to me, that on this account he shows what perpetual being ts, and also whae that is which is generated, but does not show us that each of them is. For the geoees we metrician informs us wat a point is, and what a line is, prior to his demonstra-‘ tions, but he by no means teaches us ¢hat each of these is. For how can he bea geometrician, if he discusses his own principles? After the same manner also, the physiologist says what perpetual being is, for the sake of the demonstrations he is about to make, but he by ne means shows (fat it is; for in so doing, he would go beyond physiology. But since, as we have before observed, Timeus does not resemble other physiologists, being a Pythagorean physiologist, and Plato exhibits in this dialogne the highest science, hence he afterwards very divinely proves ¢hat truly existing being is. For his present purpose, however, it is sufficient for him to admit (hat itis, preserving the boundaries of physiology. He appears also to investigate the definition of perpetual being and of that which is generated, in order that he may discover the causes which give completion to the universe, viz. form and matter: for that which is generated is in want of these. He assumes, however, the third hypothesis, in order that he may discover the producing cause; butthe fourth, that he may be able to infer that the universe was generated according to a paradigmatic’ cause; and the fifth, which is concerning the name of the universe, in order that he may investigate the participation of the good and the ineffable by the world, as will be shown in what follows.

It appears also to me, that Aristotle in his Physics, imitating Plato, assumes one

* For παραξειγμα airioy here, read παραξειγματικον αἰτιον.

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