We must not therefore, disbelieve in Iheologists, who place in the heavens an empyreal essence : for there arc many species of fire. Simply to assert likewise, that the celestial body is a fifth body, is not to assert any thing clear concerning it, except that it is dilferent from the four elements. Plato however, unfolds all the nature of it, leaving in the heavens the summits of the elements. The syllo¬ gism therefore, of those who fancy they can confute the doctrine of Plato con¬ cerning the stars, as having an essence consisting for the most part of fire, is itself confuted, by not admitting one of the propositions which says, that fire tends
* For rp in tint place il u obviously necessary to read yn-
PHOCLL'S ON Tl!K
[BOOK 1 *.
upward. For it is not pro|>or to characterize the nature of fire, from that fire which has a preternatural subsistence, ami which proceeds to a subsistence ac* curding 1 to nature ; hut it must he charm teri/.ed from that which is in a condition conformable to nature. Jhit a tiling of this hind is either fixed or revolves in a circle. The I)< •miurgUH liowrvcr assimilating each of the stars ' to the universe, made each of them to he round, ami to have a twofold similitude, one to its pro- jier wholeness, hut the other, to the paradigm from which it is suspended. The parts of them also have a twofold similitude, om to the whole, hut the other to the idea of tin ir wholeness. 'I hus lik* wise, a partial soul is assimilated to the soul which ranks as a whole, ami to intellect. Hut the soul which ranks as a whole and is one, is assimilated to the one and total intellect. Total nature also is as¬ similated to soul; hut a partial nature to its own wholeness, and to soul. Conformably to this likewise, each of the stars is assimilated to the whole world, and to its proper paradigm. And the similitude is dilli n lit. I or eai li is us.simi- lated to the latter u« eording tolls w lode essence; hut to the former, according to figure, and aecording to motion. For e at !i in lubricated round, jusl as the world is spherical For the universe is primarily a sphere, as in sensible*. Hence through this it imitati * both the Demiurgiis ami the intelligible paradigm. For eai ti of them through converging to itself, constitutes this visible animal [the world]. The coim rgem v wliieli is there however, connects here, excellence of condition with the circle, because the universe expresses as much as possible, all the jieculiarity of the paradigm. And thus much concerning these particulars.
If however, we wish to investigate the cause through which a part of the uni¬ verse was generated similar to the whole, we shall not he m want of arguments to show why it was so generated, bor it is not possible that t ns should li ippi n in all things. For neither would it have been best for the eye to have lx“en generated with a figure similar to that of the whole hotly, nor is the assertion true, of the heart, or of the head.* lint where the wholeness is prior to the parts, it is possible for the parts to he assimilated to the whole, and for good to lie present with tin in, through tins similitude. On the contrary, vvh.m the wholeness is from the parts, here the part dm s not possess exit Hence of condition, through an assimilation to the whole. The universe however, is a thing of tins kind, l or it is a whole prior to parts,* and is complete through containing the partial genera
• Instead of fiitpvr here, it is necessary lo read aorpur, and immediately after it, to supply rat.
* Instead of <iri tj (.uX»), in this place, it is necessary to read, <»» «.«£aXr,».
J The unixi/'C is J while prior to paits, because it is the cause of ull the partial natures contained
in it.
Book Iv,]
TIM XUS or PLATO.
2 Go
of animals, according to the third species of wholeness, 1 as we have l>efore oIh served ; since animal itself also is a whole, ami all-perfert, as a monad, hut com¬ prehends all intelligible animals, through the before-mentioned tetrad.
“ lie placed it also in the wisdom of the most excellent and powerful nature, so that it might follow that which is best, and distributed it in a circle about all heaven ; causing it to l>c a true world, diversified through the whole of itself.”
In what is here said, Plato sjH-aks concerning the position of the st ir-’, that they are on all siih s circularly placed in the revolution of the cm le of the same, and that, as the poets say, they revolve in an orb round the heavens; some of them being arranged in an order different from that of others, and exhibiting an admirable variety. If however, you are willing to s|>ealv more magnificently than this, you may say, that the Deminrgus placed the stars in the divine soul of the inerratic sphere, thus animating them, and imparting to them a proper life and intellect. In like manner, he inserted the planets m the circulations, caused by the period of the circle o l.the different, For being divine animals, it is necessary that they should have an intellectual soul, and a divine intellect. For that they are not alone animated by the soul of the universe, but that each has also a pecu¬ liar soul presiding over it, we may learn by considering, that of the animals which are here, those are more excellent, that together with being animated by the whole soul of the world, have also a peculiar soul, and are illuminated by it with life. Thus for instance, man is superior to such animals as are alone animated bv the whole soul, and are the last of the fabrication of things. Hence, some animals are preserved in a twofold respect, but others are scarcely preserved by the w hole soul of the universe. If however, this is true, and the celestial are more excellent than our bodies, they will in a greater degree Ik* animated both by the mundane and their own peculiar souls; since they are similar to the whole of the heavens in which they' revolve. But if this be the case, all of them arc moved in a circle about their own centres. And if this bo admitted, and every perpetual motion, has also a perpetually moving cause, and as numerous as are the bodies which are perpetually moved, so many likewise are, as Aristotle says, the moving causes; if this Ik* the case, it is necessary that each of the stars should have a peculiar soul by which it is moved. If also they are moved in an orderly manner, it is
1 The third iptcics of wholeness u (hat in which whole tubsish in a part. The partial genera of animals therefor* are wholes, but the partial in them predominates over the total.
1'ltOCI.L'S ON TIIK
fi oow iv.
necessary llmt tlirir roiiI* should Ih- iiitellnrtiinl ; for if limy were moved in u disordtrlv manner, wliieh it is not luwtiil to assert of divine* bodies, their souls would l*c irrational. Hence, it is necessary that each of the stars should have a divine presiding soul; and through intellect Is* united to the intellect which ranks ns a whole. For since mortal bodies [such os oursj participate ot reason and intellect, what ought we to think nf divine bodies themselves 1
I^ach therefore, through its own soul, is inserted m the lation of the circle of the tame which Plato verv properly calls mast excellent and jxnur/ul as nnujuishin" all the circulations, and convolving all of them intellectually 1'or as the genus ot th * stars is convolved by the lation ot the ii.erratic sphere, 1 thus also the souls of them are contained bv the one soul of the circulation o (the mme, and their intellects by the intelh ct of it. For a nail), it i^ necessary that the monad which is co-arranged with multitude, should subsist conformably to the monad which is exempt from multitude. The first of the four ideas therefore, being the exempt monad, the multitude of the stars proceeding from it is comprehended by the inerratic sphere, as a co-arranged monad. In a similar manner likewise, in each of the celestial spheres, the whole sphere has the relation of a monad, but the cosinocra torn are tl,e h aders of the mullitmle ill each. For in each a imiulier analogous to the choir of tin fixed stars, subsists w ilh appropriate eirridatious. It, however, in the lived stars, there is one monad, the wind, ness of them, but in the planets, there is lnitli a wholeness, and each of the planets, is also a leader, it is not wonderful. For as the motion of the revolutions of the circle of the t/ijt rent is more various, thus also there are more lenders than one. For the multitude proceeds to a greater extent. Hut in the sublunary region, there is a '•till gr« atc-r number of leaders. For the monads in the heavens generate mimls-is analogous to them As we have said therefore, the animation of the stars, inserts th< m in their proper souls; hilt it also connects them with the whole soul of the lation of the circle of the same; elevates them to tin mundane soul; and establishes them in the intel¬ ligible paradigm itself. The divine lamhlu bus also, m an eminent degree jverceiv- i„g this to he the case, places the wisdom of that which is most excellent and power- fid, in the paradigm. But the inerratic spin re was generated a true war hi, because it is more properly a world than the sublunary region, which is always in want of foreign arrangement, and is continually changing. The sphere of the fixed stars like¬ wise, is a world so diversified, as to express intellectual variety, which it receives uniformly about, and in the w hole of itself; imitating the beauty of the celestial para-
* For nr# Tijt dK\})i fffxxt in tliis plate, it appear* lo me to be necessary »o read, vro uw\a*ow
fopa f#
Rook Iv.]
TIM.'F.IJS OF PLATO.
digms. 'I’li distribute also, anil to distribute in a circle, are adapted to the fixed stars: for the latter signifies intellectual distribution, hut the former the demiurgic order. On this account likewise, thrologists otahlish Knnomia in the inerratic sjihere, who separates the multitude in it, and always preserves each of the stars in its proper order. Hence too, celebrating % ulcan as the maker of the heavens, they conjoin him with Aglaia, as adorning and giving splendor and hilarity to all heaven, through tin* variety of the stars. And again, of the Seasons, they place Dice over the planetary region, l>ecause it is just that irregularity should he reduced to regu¬ larity according to reason; hut of the Graces, Thalia, as always causing their lives to lie consummately llourishing. They also give the superintendence of the sub¬ lunary region to Irene, as pacifying the war of the elements; hut to Euphrosyne of the Graces, as imparting to each of them facility of energy according to nature.
“ But he adapted to each of them two motions, one being in the same, according to the same things, through which they always dianoetically perceive in themselves, the same* about the'same things; but the other, being an advancing motion, through the domination of the same and similar circulation. lie likewise rendered them immoveable and stable, as to the other five motions, in order that each of them might become as much as possible most excellent."
The discussion of motion is conscipicnt to that of animation. For because carli of the stars is animated, on this account also, each is allotted a peculiar motion. For soul is the principle of motion. The discussion of motion also, is connected with the theory of figure. For that which has an appropriate circular figure, and receives this from the demiurgic cause, must necessarily have an energy and a circular lation, adapted to the figure. For every natural body is moved essentially, and not according to accident; since nature is the principle of motion and mutation, in that in which it is primarily per ac, and not accidentally. The body of the stars however, i.s immoveable according to all other motions, as being jK-rpctual through the whole of time; but is alone capable of receiving local mo¬ tion, and this circular, as being moved in its own place. Farther still, how, as 1 I have before said, can that which does not circulate according to a certain pecu-
* Instead of ravro* here, a* in tbe text of Protlus, all the printed edition* of Plato have ro arm, but erroneously, according to tbe commentary of Proelus on these word*.
1MIOCI..US ON TllK
[rook iv.