Timaeus — Plato

to the perturbed ; and that we, learning them and partaking of the natural truth of reason, might imitate the absolutely unerring courses of God and regulate our own vagaries. The same may be affirmed of speech and hearing : they have been given by the gods to the same end and for a like reason. For this is the principal end of speech, whereto it most contributes.

Moreover, so much of music as is adapted to the sound of the voice ^ and to the sense of hearing is granted to us for the sake of harmony ; and harmony, which has motions akin to the revolutions of our souls, is not regarded by the intelligent votary of the Muses as given by them with a view to irrational pleasure, which is deemed to be the purpose of it in our day, but as meant to correct any discord which may have arisen in the courses of the soul, and to be our ally in bringing her into harmony and agreement with herself ; and rhythm too was given by them for the same reason, on account of the irregular and graceless ways which prevail among mankind generally, and to help us against them.

Thus far in what we have been saying, with small exceptions, the works of intelligence have been set forth ; and now we must place by the side of them in oiu: discourse the things which come into being through necessity — for the 48 creation is mixed, being made up of necessity and mind.

Mind, the ruling power, persuaded necessity to bring the greater part of created things to perfection, and thus and after this manner in the beginning, when the influence of reason got the better of necessity, the universe was created. But if a person will truly tell of the way in which the work was accomplished, he must include the other influence of the variable cause as well.

Wherefore, we must return again and find another suitable beginning, as about the former matters, so also about these. To which end we must consider the nature of fire, and water, and air, and earth, such as they were prior to the creation of the heaven, and what was happening to them in this previous state '^ ; for no one has as yet explained the manner of their generation, but we speak of fire and the rest of them, whatever they mean, as

Timaeus. TiMAEUS. enables us to correct the erring courses of our souls.

Speech, hearing, harmony, and rhythm have the same object in view.

So far we have spoken chiefly of the works of mind ; now we must tell of the works of necessity and of the variable cause.

Thus we arc led to consider the nature of the four elements.

' Reading ^v^ and placing the comma after aKorjv. * Cp. iu/ra, 53 A.

p. 468

Space — the nurse of generation.

Tunaeus. TiMAEUS.

At the beginning of our discourse we assumed two natures : (i) an intelligible pattern ; (2) a created copy. Now we must add a third — (3) the receptacle of all generation, i. e. space.

though men knew their natures, and we maintain them to be the first principles and letters or elements of the whole, when they cannot reasonably be compared by a man of any sense even to syllables or first compounds.

And let me say thus much : I will not now speak of the first principle or principles of all things, or by whatever name they are to be called, for this reason, — because it is difficult to set forth my opinion according to the method of discussion which we are at present employing. Do not imagine, any more* than I can bring myself to imagine, that I should be right in undertaking so great and difficult a task.

Remembering what I said at first about probability, I will do my best to give as , probable an explanation as any other, — or rather, more probable ; and I will first go back to the beginning and try to speak of each thing and of all ^ Once more, then, at the commencement of my discourse, I call upon God, and beg him to be our saviour out of a strange and unwonted enquiry, and to bring us to the haven of probabihty. So now let us begin again.

This new beginning of our discussion of the universe requires a fuller division than the former ; for then we made two classes, now a third must be revealed. The two sufficed for the former discussion : one, which we assumed, was a pattern intelhgible and always the same ; and the second was only the imitation of the pattern, generated and visible.

49 There is also a third kind which we did not distinguish at the time, conceiving that the two would be enough. But now the argument seems to require that we should set forth in words another kind, which is difficult of explanation and dimly seen. What nature are we to attribute to this new kind of being? We reply, that it is the receptacle, and in a manner the nurse, of all generation.

I have spoken the truth ; but I must express myself in clearer language, and this will be an arduous task for many reasons, and in particular because I must first raise questions concerning fire and the other elements, and determine what each of them is ; for to say, with any probability or certitude, which of them ' Putting the comma after iiaXkov f)l\ or, following Stallbaum and omitting the comma, ' or rather, before entering on this probable discussion, we will begin again, and try to speak of each thing and of all.'