of the soul, the more'total contain the more partial. Since, however, the srsquior- taves are the muses of the mo-t partial symphony, that uhic.li is posterior to them is not undeservedly said to he imp< lied into the la^t order of the univi rse. j\ot that even this is dissonant to the whole itself, since it compels ihe partial rfliuxinns from each of the elements, into the place under the earth. Tor as the elements exist in many places, in the heavens, and in the sublunary region, this biuinia collects the last dregs of them there, and conjoins them to wholes ; so that Imtli together may give completion to the whole harmony of the universe. In short, theretore, the soul is the cause 1 * * 4 of all the harmony in the centres, and hi the elements of the universe. Ilem e also we say, that the harmony of it is entirely intellectual and essential, causally preceding sensible harmony. And Tinueus wishing to indicate this through images,* employs harmonic ratios, and pre-sup- poses in the soul some causes more comprehensive than others, and which subsist prior to every form of the soul ami to all its knowledge. lienee I think it is not proper to discuss any thing of this kind, so as to explain [in a merely mathematical wa\] either tin* parts, or the ratios, or the analogies; hut it is requisite to survey all these essentially, according to the first division itself, and harmony of the soul. It is also necessary to refer all things to the demiurgic and intellectual cause; but to comprehend the sesquioelaves and leimmas in the srsquitertian and si squialter ratios ; tin se in the middles ; and these in one of them which is the most principal of all ; and likewise to reduce the more partial to the more total causes, and sur¬ vey them divided from them. And thus much concerning the harmonic ratios, lint again adducing the text from the beginning, let us endeavour to discuss it more clearly.
“ lie first took one part from the whole. In the next place he took away the double of this. And after this, a third part, which was sesqui- alter indeed of the second, but triple of the first."
We hate before observed, that it is not proper to until rstand what is here said by Plato, lnathematieallv, but phvsicallv, or plul osopbically. For the essence of the soul, does not con.-ist of mathematical numbers ami ratios, but all these numbers and ratios, adumbrate its truly 1 existing essence, ami the demiurgic ami vivific divisions in it. llut of what things the mathematical ratios are images,*
1 The words rj v-i'X’J n,ria e<rn, arc omitted in llic original.
* For rtriruv here, il i>> necessary to read n.i i ui .
1 Instead of cvrwt in this place, it is requisite to read orr*n.
4 For tutorvt here, it if necessary to read #«« occ«.
'J im. Plat.
Ik)
IMIOCLUS ON Ti!li
[hook hi*
am! how they develope tin* essence of iheboid of the universe, it is not easy for those to assign, who do not look to the conception*! of Plato. But this is mani¬ fest from the discord of the interpreters; ami the opposition of the modern to the more iiin'ieiit expositors, e\ Hires the dilliciilt) of tins theory. I or some of them think fit to li ter to the se\eil spheres, the lit st seven terms, to w hull \ve have us- mimeil ns analogous the iiiiiiiIsts that exhibit the whole diagiam. But otlw is
refer tin III to tin* 1 11st allies 11 1 the spheres from the relit re ol the earth, III W 1 1 ii 1 1 place the) arrange the monad. Others again, refer them to the motions of the spheres. [()thers, to the magnitudes of tin* stars. And others adapt them to the xeloeities of the celestial orbs.]’ But others, refer them to other such like expla¬ nations. '1'ln ir interpretations lion ex er, are attended xxitli inanx difficulties, and aiming the rest xxitli this, that they are discordant xxitli the observations of recent astronomers, and to the demonstrations given bx them. lo xxhicli also may he added, that Plato no where defines, either the magnitude, or the distance, or tin* swiftness, or the motion of the stars ; hut admitting that one star is greater than another, he tloes not add how much, and atti r xxliat manner, it i> greater. Anil that the thing proposed by him to be discussed m this part, is psychogony, and not cosmogony. For though it is requisite to eflect the same tilings, in a certain respect, in the soul, and in the world ; vet it is proper first to survey *he powers in tin* soul itself, ami flit* reasons of the things which are eflected external to it. But their explanation of the terms or numbers given by Plato, is especially contrary to them, l'or in the terms, that xxlucli lias the tilth order, is greater than the sixth, as for instance, ft than ».* In what they say, however, the fifth magnitude, or interval, or whatever they wish to call it, is entirely less than the sixth. Their expositions, therefore, do not accord with the Platonic terms.
After these, there is another trilie of interpreters, who give a more important explanation of these partii ulars. l'or Amelins not adopting the opinion,—which he saxs was that of Plotinus, xxas delivered by him, in Ins unwritten or oral con- fercnees, and has been siitlii ieiitl) confuted bx those posterior to him,*—endea¬ vours to explain these terms after anotln r manner. l'or since tin* soul is compre¬ hensive of all mundane natures, as for instance of (_«ods, tla-mons, and men; lie says, that in one wav it comprehends according to the monad, every mundane
* The word* wit inn the hraikets are wauling in the original, ami are inserted from the version of Leitnieus Tlnmiirus.
* Fur w< rrooy here, read irftvrtpoy
* For €i-Tu)ut here, it is necesiar) to read oirahii.
* l lie beginning uf this sentence is wanting in the original, but is supplied from the version of Thoiuicus.
>1 ' M > U Iii ]
TIM.T.US OF PLATO.
"finis of Gods; nor must we wonder, if the soul should lie said to l>e compre- hensive of Gods. This opinion, therefore, some one of those posterior to Ann 1ms refer to him. For find is multifariously predicated, since not only the super- essential and intellect are called Cods, hut likewise dome souls, anil divine bodies. lie is therefore of opinion, that the soul of the universe comprehends according to its unity the divine number; but according to its duad and triad, the d.emomacal genus. For since daemons are suspended from the Cods, and preside out us, this soul, according to the duad, excites the providence of them; but perfects, according to the triad, the conversion of them to the Cods. For, as we have said, the habitude of them is twofold, because they are between the Gods and us. But according to the tetrad and ennead, it providentially attends to all human life. For this also is tw ofold, being divided into the Iretter ami the worse. And by the ennead indeed, it adorns the more excellent, but by the tetrad arranges the subordinate life, lastly, by the oetad and the number twenty-seven, it proceeds to every thin", and as tar a> to the last of things, anti perfects tame animals by the odd, but savage animals bv the even numl>er. For it adorns each thin” by appropriate powers; subordinate natures, every where by ev< nnumbers, but more venerable and powerful natures, and which in a "renter decree are allied to the finds, by odd uumls-rs.
Porphyry, however, after a certain admirable manner, (though these things have been before related) evinces by many arguments, that the soul is harmom/ed, and that it tills the whole world with harmony. Blithe infers this from the soul hein" a multitude. Being however a multitude, it is either witliout arrangement, or is hannoni/.ed. But it is true to assert the latter of it, and not the former. For being the faoricalion of intellect, how can it be inordinate, and unharmonized ? 1 Ie also infers it from this, that the soul conducts every thin" in the world by harmonic reasons, and refers the generation of animals, and the one co-ordination of them, to the universe. What, however, these reasons are, which are st*eii to subsist in the very hy postasis of the soul, he neither teaches, nor thinks them deserving of attention; but says that the essence of the soul possesses m itself harmonic reasons, not as the images of some things, and the principles of others, but as binding together the multitude of powers it contains. For it it is in reality not only impartible, but also partible, it is not only necessary that its csst-nce should l>e vine, but likewise that it should l»e multitudinous. But if multitudinous it must either be innumerable, or numerable. It is impossible, however, that it should lie innumerable. For an innumerable multitude is inordinate. It is therefore numerable. But if numerable, • it either consists of tiuharmoni/cd or of harmonized parts. It is however impossible that it should consist of unbar*
in
IMtOCIX’S ON THE
[book III
nionized parts: for it lias not any thin*; of this himl naturally. It therefore entire¬ ly consists of harmonized parts ; hut if of harmonized parts it must necessarily subsist according to the most excellent harmony, since it is the first of things harmonized. The most excellent harmony however, is that which is according to the diatonic genus: lor this is venerable, abundant, and grand. Hence, the soul is entirely harmonized conformably to this ; so that its essence vvi 11 consist ol parts harmonized according to the diatonic genus. These- things, however, being true, nothing prevents the harmonic ratios from being at the same time images ol certain
divine things ; just as the body of this soul is indeed spherical, yet through its
sphericity, is said to be an imitation ol intellei t, and these things accord w ith each other. And thus far Porphyry, who, in what he here says, allords us an oc< asion of collecting something true concerning the soul
IJnf the divine lauiblichiis celebrates these numbers with all his power, as ex¬ hibitin'' - certain admirable peculiarities. And he calls indeed the monad, the cau-e ofsanieiu» uni union ; the iluad, the supplier of progression and separation; and the triad the leader of the regression of the things that have proceeded. lie aUo >avs, that the te»rad is truly all-harmonic, containing all ratios in its< If, and unfolding in itself the second orderly distribution of things; and that the euuead is effective of true perfection and similitude, being perfeet from pet feet numbers, and participating of the nature ol sameness. But ho calls the ogdoad, the rinse of universal progression, and of pervading through all tilings. Lastly, he says, that the number twenty-seven is ef¬ fective of tin- regression nt tin last of things to the lirst, in order that on ouch side ot the tetrad, there may he permanency, progression, and regression, there primarily, hut here secondarily. For the ennead has ail alliance to the monad, bi > iu ,r it iwu.’ one (*v y!ov c>a a ); hut the ogdoad to the duad, being the cube of it, ami the number twenty-seven, to the triad, through a similar cause. Through the former numbers therefore, the soul imparts to more simple natures, permanencie s, progressions, and regressions, but through the latter it imparts these to more com¬ posite natures. But tlie tetrad being the middle, because indeed, it is a square, lias permanency ; but because it is eveiily-even, lias progression ; and because it is tilled with all ratios from the monad, has regression. 'I In se, however, are symbols of divine and arcane things.
After this explanation, which i v thus admirable, the philosopher I heodorus, proceeding in a certain path peculiar to himsclt, say s, that the soul is tin* third principle after the one principle of all things, one soul lieing fontul, another uni¬ versal. and another the soul of this universe, lie also says, that the lir^t ol these is indivisihle, the second divisible, and that the third possesses all-various divi¬ sions. Since therefore, there is a triple difference of soul, that which is soul itself
TINLFA’b OF PLATO.