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

Through the first part indeed, the one cause of wholes; through the duple pro¬ gression, the Informed principles after the one; through the even and odd num hers, tht' male and female of the Gods; through the triadic division of each, the intelligible triads; and through the hebdomad of terms, the unical and intellec¬ tual hebdomad. Through the first part also the soul makes ’ the world to be a self-perfect God; through the dyadic it exhibits the multitude and variety in it; through the division of even and odd numbers, it divides the whole of the male and female, from the Gods themselves as far as to plants ; according to the duad and triad indeed, the male and female in tli*' Gods, but according to the tetrad and ennead, those which are in the genera superior to us ; and according to the two cubes, [0 and *27] the male and female which proceed as far as to the teries- trial and ultimate * species of life. But through the heptad of terms, it connects and guards all things, provides for them intellectually, and orderly disposes wholes in a becoming manner, stably and invariably. It likewise through this, adorns the parts of these, and the parts of the parts, and whatever there may be among the last of things, which is of itself irrational, and as it were the leinuna of the fabrication of the world. Hence conformably to these conceptions, we may be able to interpret the several words of Plato, and looking to these we may dissolve many doubts. Ijet us therefore from the beginning refer the words of Plato severally to these, according to the explications of our preceptor.

In the first place therefore, not to say that the Demiurgus inserted the parts in the soul, but that he took them away from it as being already* in it, and that having taken them away, he again gave completion to the essence of the soul from them, indicates to us, that this mixture is not as it were the subject of the soul, nor as the matter of it, or that it is similar to that which is invested with figure, ami receives this figure from the artist; but that being a form, it is the plenitude of forms; so that the indefiniteness and the matter, which are said by the more recent interpreters to Im- in intelligibles, have no place in the present theory. Secondly, to co-arrange all the other parts, viz. the terms, 2, 3, 4, 9, 8 and ‘27 with reference to the first part, ascribes the principal dignity to the monad, and does not permit us to conceive it to be such a thing, as the multitude fancy the monad to be, viz. that which is the least in quantity, and having the relation of matter to number, but leads us to consider it as the ruling principle of all the essence of the soul, as the root of the powers contained in it, and the Vesta of the

* Tor KaXn here, it is arrcuan to read rottt.

* Instead of yfcmir in tins place, at ^tp<rai is just before it, I conceive it to be obviously necessary to read re^orwe,

* Instead of ij?*i here, it is necessary to read ifXij.

Tim. Plat. Vol. II.

[book III.

numl*r which gives completion to it. In the next place, does not the expression the double of the first part, accord with what has been said by us ? lor the double is entirely formed by the duad, and is inferior to the hyparxis which is charac¬ terized by unity. It also proceeds into multitude, lieing increased in quantity, but diminished in power. Such also is the mode of the psychical progression. For the soul abiding according to the most divine part of itself, and as Orpheus says, establishing its head in intellect, it proceeds from thence, according to the duad in itself, proceeding into itself, and generating the multitude of reasons, and all-various forms which it contains. II lving proceeded however, it again returns to its principle, thus producing a certain essential circle. Through this regression likewise, it is conjoined to the prolific power in itself, according to which it pro¬ duced itself, and to the monad which establishes it, and causes it to be one. 1 or the perfective and convertive power, is conjoined to both, vi/. to the prolific and to the one-making cause. And it it be rcipiisite to speak concisely, as hie pro¬ ceeds from being, but intellect is conjoined to life, and to being, thus also tin- progression of the soul, is from the prolific cause, but its regression is to both causes; in a sesipiialter manner indeed to the cause which is [immediately] above it; but triplv to the cause which is beyond this. 1 or it is tit that the convertive or regressive form should pursue the whole [of that to whn h it returns] and diminish division, which the ses.piiuller imparts. For the double b. ing vanquished through the whole of itself by the duad, the sesipiialter is indeed analogous to it, but diminisht s the ratio of suhjet lion. 1

Farther still, it is evident that the triple exhibits the third interval in that whit h returns from tin* abiding principle. To which may In* added, th.it the triad fx-mg the first manlier, and primarily a whole, having a beginning, middle and end, is assimilated to the monad, which comprehends all multitude imieally. through this therefore, l*lato shows, that the subject of the soul consisting of three wholes, is again triple. For hi* divides it into the abiding, proceeding, and returning, according to the division of the divine genera. For in them also there is a triple genera, one of which abides, another proceeds, and another is converted, or returns to its principle. And one indeed is the cause of sameness, stable power, and essence; another, is tin* primary leader of generations, progressions, and multiplications; and another, is perfective, and the cause of the elevation of secondary to primary natures. But through the words that follow, he shows how

• Thus 2 to 1 is a ami 3 lo '2 is a sesquialter ratio. But the fatter is analogous to llie former :

for 2 : 1 ::3: ’. The sesquiafter however diminishes the ratio of subjection. For 2 contains 1 twice, but 3 contains 2 only once and one half of 2 besides.

the soul adorns secondary natures, according to the very essence of itself. For prior to the soul imparting powers or energies, he demonstrates that it contains these ratios in itself, from which, and through which it governs, the first partici¬ pants of itself, and such things as are adorned by it, according to a second sepa¬ ration from it; itself indeed, having wholly the relation 1 of a monad, hut the} imitating its* progressions and regressions. For the soul prior to them, proceeds indeed dyadieally, hut is converted triadically. And the whole of it indeed that proceeds, is separated from that which abides: for it is separated doubly. But that which is converted, or returns, is separated by half. 1 For separation is the peculiarity of progression, but sameness and similitude of conversion. For that w hich returns, is made as it were that w hich abides, becoming all instead of one, and instead of a whole prior to parts, a whole consisting of parts. And it appears indeed to be the triple of that which abides; but is less than it in power, and comprehensive of the parts contained in it.

“ Then a fourth part, double of the second, a fifth, triple of the third, a sixth, octuple of the first, and a seventh twenty-seven times the first.”

The all-perfect essence itself of the soul, is comprehended through the above- mentioned numbers; of which one abides in the soul, another, proceeds from, and another, is converted to it. Since, however, it is necessary to survey the parts of it, and the causes of those things that are in it, these also Plato copiously explains, delivering to us, the comprehending and comprehended ideas in it of all things. Through the fourth theretore, and the fitth parts, the soul comprehends the reasons of all its first participants. And it contains indeed, the progression of them through tin* fourth part, but their regression through the fifth. 4 [Hence Plato refers the fourth part to the second, but the fitth to the third, because parts imitate wholes, and subsist analogously to them.’] But through the sixth and seventh parts, it constitutes, as we have before observed, solid masses themselves; gene-

‘ It is necessary here, to supply the wool Anyoc.

1 For in this plarr, it is requisite to rrait nvriji.

1 That which proceeds is separated doubly from that wine h abides : for the duple ratio 2 to 1, or f is doubly separated I'roiu I- But that which is converted, or returns, is separated from the abiding principle by half. For’ differs from 1 by t. So that what proceeds, and also that which returns, are here to be considered according to habitude, i. e. according lo their proximity and alliance, the former to unity iimnerji itely, hut the latter to uuitv through 2 as a medium.

4 riie words, rtjy eiriirrpoyFje Sta rtj« ee/urrj/*, are omitted iii the original.

* file words within the brackets are supplied from the version ofThoinaeut.

[boor hi.

rating them indeed, according to the sixth part, but converting them according to the seventh part. For the total form of it, is terminated by the progression of these. And you may see how the numliers, and the order of the progression, are adapted to the soul. For the lieginning from the monad, gives to the soul a progression from intellect; but the termination in these cubes, evinces the harmony of all the celestial orbs,* for they produce by their composition the celestial harmony. Fach of them likewise is a harmony. For the Pythagoreans are accustomed to call a cube harmony, because it is the only figure that has equal* angles, analo¬ gous to the sides and the superficies.’ And the second* of the terms indeed, have a progression from, and a regression to the monad. Hut again, these remaining as wholes, the third’ of the terms are divided into that which proceeds, and that which returns, and are referred to tlu* tt nils proximately placed above them* And again, the fourth 7 of the terms, are referred to the monad; because of the m aen terms, the monad imitates that which abides; but the middle terms having the form of tlu duad,* imitate that which proceeds ; and the 1 ist terms, that which returns. For both the last tt rms are triadic. lair the octuple itself, is in a certain respect triadic, as proceeding into the third order. We have therefore the one wholeness of the soul in the mixture, the triple 9 of it in the third, and the qua¬ druple of it in the fourth terms; conformably to which also it fabricates wholes according to each form of providence. And in the wholeness indeed, we shall find it comprehending the triple form, but in the triple the tetradic form, and always collecting parts into union through whoh s.

“ Put after these things, he tilled the double and triple intervals, still cutting till* parts lroin thence 1 i. e. troin the whole , and placed them between the intervals."

Theologists say, that in the Deniiurgus there are dividing and connecting '*

• For aofionuy lirrr, it is necessary lo read ovpanwK

* Instrati of in this place, it is requisite lo reud tans.

1 The Pythagoreans railed a cube liarinuny, because it has 8 angle*, 12 sides, or bouudmg lints, and (i superfine*; auil 0, 8, 12 are in harmonic pmjiortion.

4 i e. 2 and 3. 1 i. e. 4 and y.

* For inrvKtifjcvvvt here, rtad virtpiti/iowi.

7 i. e. t> and ‘27, and llitse being tubes, are images of stability.

• y a* util as 1 may be said to have the form of the duad, in consequence of being a square number or the trevnd power

9 For txtxXciy lit rc, it is necessary to read rptxXcvy.

*° Instead of cvmuruui ui this place, its* necessary to read cvrftrruat.

nooK in.]

TIMiEUS OF PLATO.