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

And in the first place, indeed, it originates as he says from the most proper principle, the final. For from this, the generating cause commences the generation of the world. In the next place, the generation of the i.e. That the cause is different from the effect.

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world subsists with reference to the final principle, and as the world is always becoming to be, it is beginning to be generated, and possesses the end of it, through generation in the whole of time. For with respect to the world, if was generated, is not one thing, and iis generated another; as neither is the beginning of it one thing, and the end another. That, therefore, which is generated in a part of time, begins at one time, and is perfected at another; but that which ts gencrated in the whole of time is always beginning, and is always perfect: And it has indeed, a certain principle of generation, which is perfected by something different from itself, but it has not a certain principle, as not having the beginning ofa certain partial time. For since generation is multifarious, the principle also of it is multifarious. So that the generation which subsists through the whole of time ἢ is a certain generation, and this principle is the principle of a certain, and not of all generation. What therefore is this generation? That which has both the beginning * and the end contracted together [so as to be simultaneous]. Because therefore the world is a body, it is generated, and has a principle or beginning of generation. But because intellect is the maker of it, it was generated, and has an end of generation. Through both, however, it is rising into existence, and is perfect according to generation, was generated, is always becoming to be, and is gencrated. For these do not” subsist at one and the same time, in things which are generated in a part of time. Thus for instance the motion of the heavens, not being generated in a part of time, is always, as Aristotle says, in the end ; but this is not the case with motions on the earth.

“It was generated. Tor it is visibie and tangible, and has ἃ body.
But all such things are sensible. And sensibles are apprehended by
Opinion in conjunction with sense, and appear to be things which are
becoming to be, and are generated.”

As the Demiurgus of wholes looking to himself, and always abiding in his own accustomed manner, produces the whole world, totally and at once collectively, and with eternally invariable sameness ; for he does not make at one time, and at another not, lest he should depart from eternity ; after the same manner also 4

• * xpovoy is omitted in the original.
• * apxn also is omitted in this place in the original. ? It is necessary to supply ovy here.

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* apxn also is omitted in this place in the original. ? It is necessary to supply ovy here.

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Timeus, being converted to himself, delivers the whole theory, recurring to intellect from dianoia, and proceeding into a reasoning process from intellect; doubting, therefore, and interrogating himself, he energizes according to the self-motive nature of soul; but in answering he imitates the projecting energy of intellect.. For he first comprehends the dogma in one word γέγονε, it was generated, and proclaims the conclusion prior to the demonstration, directly after the manner of those who energize enthusiastically. For these see the whole collectively, and contract in intellect the end prior to the egress, perceiving all things at once. But syllogizing, he descends from intellect to logical progressions, and the investigation through demonstration of the nature of the world. Hence, in a manner perfectly divine, he shows from the hypotheses the whole form of the universe. For if the world is visible and tangible, and has a body, but that which is visible and tangible, and has a body, ts sensible, and that which is sensible is apprehended by opinion in conjunction with sense, and is generated, the world therefore is generated. fence he shows this demonstratively from the definition, according to a conversion’ of the definition ; since geometricians also use demonstrations of this kind.* And thus much concerning the form of the words. ΐ Since, however, as we have said, he asks whether the universe is eternal, or has a certain principle of generation, he answers, if was generated From this, therefore, itis evident that he gives a certain generation to the world: for this was the other part of the before-mentioned opposition, — If, however, this be the case, he establishes the universe remote from temporal generation ; for if the world has a certain, and not every principle of generation, but that which is generated in time has the principle of every generation, the world was not generated in tume. Farther still, let us also consider the wonderful hypotheses of Atticus, who says that what was moved in ἃ confused and disorderly manner is unbegotten, but that the world was generated in’ time, and let us speak concerning this assertion, “7 was generated.” | Since, therefore, Atticus admits that there is a cause of generation, let us see what the nature of this cause is according to him; for the world is visible and tangible. Whether, therefore, was every thing sensible generated in time, or not every thing? If indeed every thing, then that which was moved in a confused and disorderly manner will be generated in time: for he says that this alsg

* For exirpoxny here, it is necessary to read exwrpogny. > See this explained farther on. 1 Γέγονε is omitted here in the original,

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> See this explained farther on. 1 Γέγονε is omitted here in the original,p. 239 was visible. But if not every thing, then the reasoning of Atticus is unsyllogistic and conclusive of nothing. Unless he should say, indeed, that the world 15 visible and tangible, but that what was moved in a confused and disorderly manner, is not now visible, but was so prior to the fabrication of the world; since Plato also speaks in this manner when he says, “ every such thing as was visible, and was moved in a confused and disorderly manner.” But in the words before us he says, “ for it is visible and tangible, and has a body.” He shows therefore that every thing which is visible and tangible, was generated, but not that which was visible and tangible. Though, therefore, these things should be asserted hy Atticus; for the man is skilful in defending what he advances ; it must be said in answer to him, that there is nothing of this kind in the definition of that which is generated, but it is simply said, that every thing generated is the object of opinion in conjunction with irrational sense. So thatif there is any thing which is entirely sensible, such thing will be generated. But every thing visible is sensible; and therefore that which is moved in a confused and disorderly manner, is generated. In addition to which we may also say ‘that Plato calls this very disorderly thing itself generated, For he says that prior to the generation of the world, there were \ three things, being, place and generation, subsisting in the vestiges of forms. Hence that disorderly nature was generated, as well as that which is visible. It is not proper therefore to say that it was unbegotten according to time, and that the universe was generated ; but either both were generated according to Plato, or both were unbegotten. For both are similarly said by him to be visible and | 4 generated. If however both were generated, the world prior to being generated such as it now is was changed into the confused: for to a contrary, the generation is entirely from a contrary. And if he who made the world is good, how is it possible he should not adapt it in a beautiful manner, or that having beautifully adapted it, he should corrupt it? But if he is not good, how not being good, did he make it to be arranged and adorned? For it is the province of a good being to adorn and arrange other things. If, however, 7 being visible and generated, it is not generated according to time, it is not necessary immediately to make the universe to be generated in time, because it is visible and generated. And thus much against Atticus.

But let us recur to our principles, and discuss the affair as follows: Whether is the world perpetual being, in the same maaner as the eternal, or is it not tf

* For gws here, it is necessary to read payer,

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