The Commentaries of Proclus on the Timaeus of Plato — trans. Thomas Taylor (1820)

It is necessary however, to survey these after another manner; premising, that mini hers which are more simple, and nearer to the monad, ought to he conceived as more primary than those w hich are more composite. For Plato also. Inn ing arranged one part prior to all the rest, refers all of them to this, and > mis in terms which are especially composite and solid. Having therefore premised this, I say that equality and the ratio of equality, has the relation of a monad to all ratios. And what the monad is in quantity perse, that the equal is in relathe quantity. Hence conformably to this, the soul introduces a common measure to all things which subsist according to the same reasons; which measure likewise, brings with it one idea the image of sameness. But according to the suhmultiple, and multiple ratio, it governs all the whole series of things, connectedly comprehend¬ ing them, and exhibiting each total form of mundane natures frequently produced hy itself m all mundane beings. Thus, for instance, U produces the solar, and also the lunar form, in divine souls, in demoniacal and human souls, in irrational ani¬ mals, in plants, ami in stones themselves, and adorns the most universal genera hy the more partial series. And according to the snperparticular and suhsiiper- particular ratios, it adonis such things as are wholes in their participants, and which are participated according to one certain thing contained in them. But according to the buperpartient and subsuperpartient 1 ratios, it adorns such things as are wholly participated by secondary natures, in conjunction with a division into multitude. For of animal indeed, man participates, and the whole of this form is in him, yet not alone, but the whole is in him according to one thing, t it. the human form; so that it is present to its participant with the whole, and one certain thing w hich is a part of it. But what are called common genera, par¬ ticipate of one genus, yet not of this alone, but together with this of many other genera also, which arc parts, ami not a part of that one genus. Thus, for instance, a mule participates of the species from which it has a co-minglcd generation. Each species, therefore, either participates of one genus according to one, and thus imitates the superparticular ratio w hich contains the w hole, and one part of the whole; or it participates that which is common and many things besides, and thus imitates the superpartient ratio, which together with the whole possesses also many parts of the whole. And besides these there is no other participation of

Tim. Plat. •

1 Xwt-rifitptf as omitted in lb* original.

Von. II.

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sjiecies or forms. Looking also to these things, we may be able to assign the specific c uises of those natures which subsist according to one form, as, for in¬ stance, of the sun, the moon, and man ; as likewise of those that subsist according to manv forms, together with that which is common. For there are many things of this kind m the earth, and in the sea; such as animals with a human face and the extremities resembling those of a fish, and animals in the form of dragons, hut with a leonine face; these liming an essence mingled from many things. All these ratios therefore, are \erv properly antecedently comprehended in the soul, as they define all the participations of forms in the universe. Nor ran there be any otlu r ratios of communion besides these, since all things receive a spe< ilic distinction a< cording to tin sc.

Again, tin n fore, the hebdomad of ratios corresponds to the In hdomad of parts. And the soul is wholly through tin whole of itself hehduinatic, in its parts, in its ratios, and in its circles. For if the demiurgic intellect is n monad, hut the soul primarily proceeds trum intellect, it will have the ratio of the hebdomad to it. For the hebilomail is paternal and motherless. \nd jierhaps equality imparts to all tin 1 psychical ratios, a < imiinuiiioii ot the «ipial, in ordef" that all may commu¬ nicate w it h all. lint tin- multiple ratio a thirds an indication of the manner in w Inch th< ratios that are more single, un asure those that are multitudinous, the form* r w hoilv proei eding through the w hole ot the latter ; those* that are impartible mea¬ suring those that are more distributed into parts. The superparlieular how¬ ever, and siihsiijierpaitit ular ratios, indicate the dillerenec according to which whole ratios tin not eoiiimuim at< with whole, hut ha\e indeed a partial habi¬ tude, yet are conjoined affording to one certain most principal part of tin in- selves. And the siiperpaitieiit and siilisiipiipartunl ratios allord an indica- tioii of the last nature, according to w hich there is a certain partible and mul¬ tiple d communion ot the psychical ratios, on account ot diminution ami infe¬ riority. For the mure elevated of these reasons are united wholly to the whole of cat h other. Hut those of the middle rank are conjoined, not through the w hole of themselves, but according to the highest part. And those of the third rank, partibly coalesce according to multituih s. 1 say, for instance, essence communi¬ cates with all the ratios, measuring all their progressions : for nothing in them is unessential, lint 1 sameness, being itself a genus, especially collects the sum¬ mits of them into one communion. And diflm-ncc particularly measures their divisions and progressions. 1 he communion, thcivlorc, ot the psychical ratios, is every w here 1 exhibited. 1 or it is i it In r all- p< rh 1 1, or alone subsists according to the summits, or according to extensions into multitude.

‘ tor < t bt here, it is nerrssary In r* ait ») be.

1 licit ail of w\>iy in tins jil.nr, il is rcijuisilc to read xn»rax‘>n.

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TIM/EUS or PLATO.

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hart her still, in tin 1 next place li t us survey, how tin* seven parts 1 are allotted tlu ir livpn-tasis. Tli.- first part then, is most intellectual and the summit of tli<* soul, conjoining it to tht one itself, and to the hvparxis of tin- first essence. IlfiK'f also it is railed one, as having the form of unity, and the number of it pro- reeding * into multitude, is detained by union. It is likewise analogous to the rauso and centre of the soul. For the soul abides according to this, and does not depart from wholes. And the tetrad indeed, is in the first monads, on arroimt of its stability, and rejoicing in equality and sameness. Hut the ogdoad is m the monads of the second order, on account of diminution, and the prmidrnrc of the soul whirl) extends as far as to the last of things, and that which is most material.’ And the triad is in the monads of the third order, on account of the circumduction to the all-perfect of the multitude w hich it contains. And at the same time, it is evident from these things as from images, that the summit of the soul, though it has the form of unity, yet is not purely one, but this also is an united multitude. Just as the monad, is not indeed without multitude, yet at the same time is unity. Hut the one of tin’ finds is our alone. And the ewe of intellect is more one than multitude, though this also is multiplied. Hut the one of the soul is similarly one and multitude; just as the unity of the natures posterior to it, which are divisible about body, is more multitude than one. And the one of bodies, is not simply one, but the phantasm and image of unitv. Hence the Uean guest, or stranger, sacs that i very tiling corporeal is broki n in pieces, as having an adventitious unity, and never ceasing to be divided. Hut the second part multiplies the part prior to it, by Generative progressions, which the duail indicates, and unfolds all the progressions of essence. Hence it is said to lie double of the first, as imitatin'? the indefinite duad, and the intelligible inlinitv. And the third part again converts all the soul to its principle; and it is the third of it winch is convolved to the principles. This, therefore, is measured by thA first part, as being filled with union from it; but is conjoined more parliallv to the second part. And on this account it is said to be triple of the first, but si-squi- alter of the second ; being half contained indeed bv the second, as not Inning an equal power with it, but perfectly by the first. Hut again, the fourth part ami 1 resides this the fifth, evince that the soul peculiarly presides over secondary natures. Lor these parts are tin* intellectual causes of the iiirorporenis which are divided about bodies, as they are planes and squares; the former being the square of the second, and the latter of the third part. And the fourth part," indeed, is

1 Tlir«r *c\cn parls arc line iiiiiiiIkt» I. C. J. 4. 8, 27.

* 'porev >“••>« i* nmiltcd in (lie original.

’ Tor arfjorarov here, 1 rud «»i\orarv*

PROCLUb ON THE

[dook 111 .

the cause of progression anil generation, but the fifth, of conversion anil per¬ fection. For both are planes; but one is from the second part, subsisting twice from it, anti the other from the third part, thrice proceeding from it.' And it seems, th it the former of these planes, is imitative 1 of the generative natures which are divi¬ sible about bodies; but that the latter is imitalixe of intellectual conversions.* Forall knowledge converts that which knows to the tiling known; just as every nature wislii- to generate, and to make a progression to that which is inferior. And the sixth and seventh parts, contain in themselves, the primordial causes of bodies and solid masses: for these numbers are solids. And the former ol them, indeed, is lmm the second, but the hitter from the third part. But Plato m what he says convert¬ ing the hi>t to the first parts, and the terminations of the soul to its summit, places one part as octuple, but the other as twenty seven times the first. And thus the essence of the soul consists of seven parts as abiding, proceeding, and returning, and as the cause of the progression and regression of the essences divisible about bodies, and of bodies themselves. If, also, you are willing so to speak, Ilecause the soul is allotted an hypostasis between impartildes and p irtibles, she imitates the former through the triad of the terms, but antecedently assumes the latter from the ti trad. But the w hole of her consists oi all the terms, lieeause the xx hole of her is the centre of wholes. It is possible also to dixide these parts according to tin* duple order, if you assume the summit of the soul, and consider the permanency, progression, and regression* of it, and also the i oiixersioii to it of things proximatelv posterior to it, and the last subjection ol solids, or rather the diminution of tlit* cause of them, according to tin* duple ratio. 1 or you xxill find that the xvliole of this co-ordination pertains to the prolific du id. Blit again the regression of itself to itself, and of the natures proximatelv posterior to it, and of those that rank in the third degree from it, to the uniform and collective essence of w holes, subsist according to the triple order. '1 he arithmetical there¬ fore and harmonic middles, give completion to these intervals, xxliicli are essen¬ tial, and Mirvevcil according to existence itself; some of them as xxc haxe said, binding tlit ir samenesses, tint others their difleretit es.

Farther still you m »y al-u say, in a way more proximate to the things them- v< !xes, that the smd according to one part is united to the natures prior to it, and

' The third part i* 3, and J) u c«|ual to 3 + 3 + 3.

1 I or -><» here, it ij tn*i’es***ir\ l»* IT.id

» Iiistiail ef-, 01 .^«/<u> T,)i ir f v.„. v »i if!-** OJI vJo X i}i «iri<Tr,>orruor 111 this pl*ce, il Is

necessary t« n-j.l i uiifuriil.ihly In I In* xcro.in ol'Tliolun-in, ij it r vr tct(>~r twiorpc yi>vr)T«r), except llul hercabo for it is requisite to rtatl /njjFjnci}.

* 1 here is an omission here hi the original, of it

TIM,El'S OF PLATO.