to mixture. 1 In partial souls, on the contrary, Plato gives a precedaneous order to mingling, hor he says, "mingling he pound out because in these, division i» more abundant. And Socrates in the Phu*drus says, that the horses and charioteers of other souls are mingled. The expression likewise, he poured out, •s Mgniln ant of a downward progression and an indefinite * elfusion. Hut if you understand the pouring out in such a way, as if spoken of liquid substances, perhaps you will see that this also is adapted to the soul. For moisture is a symbol of life. Hence both Plato, and prior to Plato the Hods, call the soul at one time a drop ot the total vilification, but at another a certain fountain. Moreover, in the words, “ the remainder nf the former things," we must suppose by the former the middle genera are meant. For Plato cannot speak of the mixture which is there, lieciiusc the w hole of this was consumed, in the generation, distribution into parts, and harmony ot the soul of the universe, as he there says. Of the middle genera however, it is eviih lit that some of the natures are supreme, and intellectual, but othc rs media, and others last. Hut analogy makes some to he lir-d, others media, and others to subsist at the extremity. For the extremes being different, between which there are media, it is necessary that the media likewise should analogously differ. II i nee, we before observed that the impartible in each soul is one thing, and that which is divisible about bodies another; just as a different body is suspended from a different soul. The extremes then fore lieuig ililli rent, the media also will be necessarily different. And through things indeed, which rank as the first, the Demiurgiis constitutes divine souls, but through media, da-moniacal souls, and through such as rank in the last place, partial souls. These last therefore, are now called, “ the remainder of the former; because in a certain respect they arc similar, and subordinate to them. For the remainder is entirely assimilated to the whole of w hich it is a part, and is inferior to that which is more perfect, and has a precedaneous order. Hence, we must admit both those who say that these partial souls are the remains of the middle genera, and the divine Iamhhchus, who attributes an exempt transcendency to the genera which give completion to divine souls, and at the same time preserves the similitude and variety of all the middle genera.
“And these after a certain manner indeed were the same, yet were
1 InMea<t of r>jt ptv jj tai tr itpptjfuron ov<nj» rtft harpinvi, ,011 Tijt (uifm >, 111 tlli»
place, I read, rrjt &a«er ttrjprjfjrn tt ovorj i, cai r^i tiaxpivt** twofitrrjn rij«
* For apitfro* here, it is iieceijuj to read arpi&rov.
p. 384
PHOCLUS ON TllF
[book V .
no longer pure and incorruptible similarly, and according to the same, but were of the second and third order.”
Through what is here said, Timaus indicates the similitude of partial souls to those that are total, and their diminution, ami different progression. For lie not only describes the diflereiiees of tin m tog« tlier with their alliance, according to the first and second demiurgic energy, nor alone* according to their union with, and separation from the Crater of life, nor according to the transcendent \, or deficient'v of g» uera, hut also according to tin mode of mixture, which is the same, and yet not the same. For neither the mixture of the genera, nor the non-mixture of difference is similar. 1 or difierence is more abundant in partial souls. Hence in these, one of the horses is good, hut the other had ; and consists ot contraries, as it is said m the IMucdrus, through the predominance of di\crsity. ISc shows therefore, that after a certain manner tin \ are the same, and also according to the jieculiarit v of the whole composition. l - «»r tin* whole mixtures heroine no loiigi r pun* and incorruptible, according to the same, and similarly, hut are of the second and third ranks ; since in these tln-re is diminution and arrangement. What therefore, are tin* natures which he calls pure and incorruptible; tor they are not such as are impassixe onlv * For it would In a small thing, if the dome dillervd from the partial genus ot souls, hi this alone, lor this affection of passivity accedes as the last thing, alter the flight from real being, alter the downward pru|M*nsily and inclination, and aft< r the tit tluxion of the wings; as Socrates also says in the Fha driis. It is la tter therefore to say, that the pure and incorruptible signify, the immutable, tin* iminelmiiig, the inflexible, and the entire and limit filed form of essence, which is neither converted to secondary natures, nor receipt's any mutation, nor diminution of life, ami which is established remote from all mortality, and is exempt from the laws ot Fate. 1-or these things are common to even genus of souls, whit'll always transcend generation, lhit the contraries of these, are adapted to souls w hich are able to desci ml into generation, to change their life from mtt lleetion to action, to become at a certain time subject to the dominion of Fate, and to be mingled with mortal concerns. .Wither therefore is the immoveable present with these* according to the same tilings, since they sometimes proceed into generation; m»r when it is present with them, is it present after the same manner. 1 or that which is always intellectse, is more excellent than that which sonietime*s ih parts from its proper intellectual energy.
'since however, in these souls also there is ail arrangement, or order, and sonic
BOOK V.]
TIM/FUS OF PLATO.
p. 305
of them are undetiled. I win*; conversant with generation, and departing' from their own order, hut for a short time, hut others are involved in all-various flowers, and wander for very extended periods, Plato also indicates the difference of these hv saying, il lhat they were <j the second and third order." For souls that descend, and are defiled with vice, arc very touch separated from those that always abide on high, and are without sin. lint the media Ih‘ tween these, are those souls that descend indeed, vet are not defiled with vice. For the contrary of this is not lawful, viz. to he defiled with vice, and yet abide on high. For evil is not in the <*ods, hut in the mortal place, and in material things. Again therefore, from what has been said, it appears that the first genus of souls is divine. For every where that which is receptive of deity, has a ruling and leading order, in essences, in intellects, in souls, and in bodies. Hut the second genus of souls is that which is always conjoined to the Gods, in order that through this genus the souls which sometimes depart from, may he recalled to the Gods. The third genus is that which descends indeed into generation, hut descends with purity, and exchanges a more divine for a subordinate life, hut is e\< mpt from viee and passions.* For this is in continuity with the genus of souls, which always abides on high, and is always undeiiled. And the fourth and last genus is that which abundantly wanders, who h descends as far as to Tartarus, and is again excited from thence. It likewise evolves all-various forms of life, uses various manners, and at different times different passions, and assumes the various forms of animals, the damiomacal, the human, and the irrational, hut at the same time is governed by Justice, recurs from earth to heaven, and is circularly led from matter to intellect, hut according to certain orderly periods of wholes. The words therefore, “ no lunger pure and incorruptible, similarly, and according to (he same, signify that partial souls are in a certain respect incorruptible, viz. according to essence alone ; and that in a certain resftect they are not incorruptible; viz. that according to energies, they are tilled with all-various fatalities, are horn along* with flowing and mortal beings, and that they do not possess tin se energies always after the same manner, and with undeiiled purity, hut sometimes in a greater, and at others in a less degree, there Iwmg an all-various mnpiality m souls, according
1 For ujiiirrn/jftai here, it iv necessary to read n^iir-u/ifi'oi.
* 'I tns is the heroic genus of souls, vtlmli distends into mortality, partly for the benevolent purpose of leading back to the intelligible world, the fourth aod last genus of souls, and partly in compliance with the law of Fate, which obliges souls of this third class to descend at stated period* uito the rralms of generation.
* For c/ifMitpo/if>'as bere, read
Tint. riot. Vol. II. 3 C
VOL. II.
PROCLl'S ON THE
p. 380
[book t.
to their habitude to the mortal nature, through which they are deprived of purity and incorruptibility according to life.
“ But having constituted the universe, he divided souls equal in number to the stars, and distributed each into each/’
Every order of souls is suspended from these two fountains, the demiurgic, and the vmlic. And the first, the middle, and the last parts of this order, proceed from these, and are defined through these Gods. Since however, in this order, some souls are more total, but others more partial, and some do not depart from their proper principles, but others proceed as far as to matter, and some are leaders, but others have the relation of followers, the Demiurgus placed the former o\er the latter, subjected the more parti d to the more total, distributed the multitude of souls according to genera, under their presiding Gods, and subjected according to herds, different souls to the govt rnment of diflerent leaders. And now indeed, having constituted divine .souls, he makes partial souls the attendants of them ; and shortly after, lie also arranges tin t vehicles when he produces them, under the divine circulations, and parts under wholes. For as soul is to soul, so is vehicle to vehicle, and hoth to both, according to geometrical composition. But of this hereafter. For now, not having yet made tin in to he mundane, lie distributes them about the starry (bids. For the word stars manifests the souls of the starry bodies. lie divides therefore, the multitude of souls, eipial in number to divine souls, and distributes each into each star, having, says Plato, constituted the universe*. Plato however, does not say that he made one mixture, as he did in the soul of the universe, causing it to Ik.* one from three wholes, essence, same, ami tlitlerent, and dividing souls from this by ablation. For he does not immediately from the mixture introduce the distribution of those souls about divine souls, passing by the division into numbers and harmonic ratios, and the doctrine of the vehicle, but lie comprehends at once all tilings, vi/, the mixture, the section into parts, and the possession of figure, m the words, having constituted the universe; trom which likewise, all partial souls were distributed and adorned. But lie constituted the multitude of all these souls. For the generation of each may lx* said to ’le a constitution; | list as he asserted of the soul of the universe, through its completion from many tilings. For he then said, “ .Since oil the constitution of the soul was effected cnnjurmably to the intuition of its composing artificer . Having constituted therefore, all the multitude of souls, lie divided
BOOK \ ,]
TIM/FUS OF PLATO.
p. 387
them equal in number to the stars, separating the former from each other, accenting to the peculiarities of the latter.