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

All harmonic ratios therefore, exist in a partial soul, and exist essentially, and are not a coacervation of posterioi origin. 1'or those things which the first l)e- miurgus produces, these are essentially inherent in heings, viz. tin* seven terms, the three media, the se-sepiialte r, sesquitertian, and sesipiioctuve ratios, and the ieiinmas, which are now called culligatinns. It is evident therefore, that all these are essences. For things which always subsist after the same manner, and those which give completion to essence, are themselves essences. And it is necessary to view these particulars not mathematic.illy, hut physically, l'or the mathema¬ tical ratios and habitudes, vv Inch souls generate, through possessing the above mentioned ratios, are of a elifli cut kind, ltut if all tin* harmonic ratios are essenres.it is evident that they have powers. l’or tin one power, and the one form of the soul, are not generated from things deprived of power, and without quality. How likewise could the harmonic latios operate, and produce other ratios, unless they had a power of generating? And how could they know, and excite other ratios, if they did not antecedently contain gnostic powers, or it these powers were unenergetic ? It is ueeessarv therefore that tin ratios should be essences, and possess powers gnostic o| all harmony ; those indeed in the period of the same, of intelligible; hut those in tin* period of the different, of sensible harmony. It Is likewise necessary that thev should « in rgi/e when they arc- able; some indeed, about inti lligibles; but others about seiisihles. \\ lien however, being badly affected thmegh oblivion, they become- impeded, sense- drawing down the soul to material natures, then, they remain indeed essentially; for thev are pe rpe tual, indissoluble-, and immutable: but ae cording to cuergv, they are turn¬ ed with every possible- kind ed revcdiition. Anel again, ae-e-ording to power, the-y suffer all possible fractures anil distortions. For this is e eunmon to both,' but not through the period of the same; sme-e- that is alone sluggish. But the- circles m the- pi-rie»el of the different, he-mg se-ve-n, anel all eif them having all the- harmonic ratios; for thus it was s.uel ed the* sold of the universe* tlie-y are* turne d anel frae-tun-el. For what is here saiel hy I’lato, is concerning these media anel the

1 Vu to liolh |>o\\er anet energj in tlif circle of thr different.

Iihok v.]

TIM.l-lS or PLATO.

colligation in (hr «irolt* 1 o( the diffirent, a*; sustaining all-various injuries*, l>y the senses ami physical motions ; hut is not concerning those in (he circle of the same. l or this i- alone fettered ; Imt the circle of the different is agitated, and being agi- tated, sidlers sm h things as he mentions.

Socrates therefore, in the Phn-driis, assimilates the powers of the soul to a cha¬ rioteer and horses, and a>sei(s that one of the horses is hi tter than the other. lie also says, that sometimes the horses light w iih each other, and the In tter of the two is victorious; hut that at other times they hurry along irrationally, the better being vanquished and following the intemperate horse, lhit Tinueus binding ihesonl through two media one of which is effective of sameness, Imt tin* other of diTe¬ rence, and one being allied to intelligibles. lint the other to sensihles, says that these media arc at one time discordant, lighting with each otlx r. but at another time are (ructmvd, * the (letter ol the two lieiug vanquished, and an* transferred into an oblique situation ; and at another, are all variously turned, through the lietter In mg m subjection to the worse. l or since the one pertains to sameness, but tiie other to difference, when the soul regul ites each of the media, she then per¬ forms that which is her proper duty, one of these making one from nianv, and knowing the one nt the many ; but the other dividing one into nianv, and possess¬ ing a knowledge of things specifically distinguished. Hut when the soul vacil¬ lates, m the first place, there is a hostile contention in her, respecting what is the same with a certain thing, and what is ilillerent from it; in the next place, the worse medium is victorious, through tending to an all-various partihility, instead of surveying itself; and in the third place, there is a perfect debility of the hotter medium, in consequence of the soul delivering the supreme dominion and ruling authority to the less excellent medium. I or of the two media, as we have before observed, through which the double anil triple intervals collect 1 that which is divided into sesquialtcr, sesqiiitertian, and sesqnioctave ratios, one medium was Collective of the samenesses in all the parts, Imt the other of the differences con- nascent w ith it ; just as the geometric medium was collective of essences. The medium therefore pertaining to sameness, leads the soul to n divine, hut that per¬ taining to dillercnee, to a mortal nature. Hence, the soul heroines irrational after this manner, the media in the circle of dillerence being fractured and turned, and prior to this, dissenting from each other; the turning perfectly drawing down this circle to the passions. For as the circle of the different was erect in the whole

1 For it/trXwr litre, it is oecessary lo rrad mXfi.

* Instead of toXatrOat in tins |L>ce, it is requisite to read sXaofat,

* For rvrt&ei here, it » requisite to read evrayti.

[book V.

sou! of the universe, being perfectly free from any inclination to the subjects of its government, so in a partial soul it is turned, U-ing wholly inclined to matter, fall¬ ing into body, and entering profoundly into it ; the fracture imparting a latino into multitude and variety, and producing a distribution into parts, through impotence and debility. For things that are fractured, fall oil'from their power, and become not one, instead of one. Hut the dissention produces nothing but contrariety and hostility. The turning therefore, entirely injures the erectness ; the fracture makes the one to he many ; and the dissention alone introduces hostility. And the effect indeed, produced by the dissent inn resembles that which happens to one vvho runs, hut does not stand firmly, but the fracture resembU sone w ho has now fal¬ len, through having broken his limbs, and on this account becomes in an oblique position. And the turning is similar to one in a supine position, and who fixes his head in the earth, hut raises his fret as much as possible on high. For an oblique position is a medium between that which stands ereet, and that which is contrary to the erect ; in consequence of the head in this t-itu.ition being down¬ ward hut the feet upward. The doxastic part therefore, becomes through the senses distorted, opines falsely, and is disorderly 1 and erroneous. For this is the circle of the different , as we have before observed, in whieli opinions and belief are produced, as w.is said of the whole soul ot the universe. Hence this part becomes full of false opinion, being co-divided with the senses, and in sedition with itself. All these passions likewise pertain to the powers and energies of the ' soul; hut the essence of the soul is indissoluble, except, as r l iimeus says, by its rolligator. For he antecedently conipri bends in himself, the definite causes of its ratios, and its circles, lint that which is alone dissoluble, by the cause that [ht- pctually connects it, is indissoluble; just as that wliii h is produced by the good alone, is without evil; hut that which is produced by e\ il alone, is deponed ; and that which is produced by cold alone, is without heat. For it is not the province of the cold to impart heat, nor of good to vitiate, nor of that which connects to dissolve. So that the assertion that the soul is alone dissoluble by the Demiur- gus, delivers the incorruptibility of it, though occultly.

“So that they aic scarcely connected with each other, but arc borne along indeed, yet irrationally, at one time in a contrary, at another in an oblique, and at another in a supine position."

The (lissentions of the circles indeed, cause the composition of the ratios to Ur * For *rAt^jrX«f h«rr, il is nrce»s»ry to rrtd

jlOOK V ]

TIM BUS OF PLATO.

moved in contrary directions; hut the fractures cause them to hr moved oblique¬ ly; and the liirum^s, supinely. Ami these triple pulsions are snrveved about the rational soul ; I»iit tiny are also consentaneously seen about tin* irrational part. For wIhmi the rational soul aernrds, and also when it is diseordant with itself, it in a inueli "renter decree liostilelv opposes the irrational soul. For the \irtues fol¬ low each other; the dianoetieal, the ethical; and the ethical, the dianoetical. How therefore : re these three lobe surveyed in the rational part 1 Mav we not sav, that contrariety is to he surveyed, w hen opinion hovtilelv opposes opinion, anti when the better is not subverted by the worse opinion ? But in those that opine falselv there is entirely a cert nil true dogma, from which he who entertains a talse opinion mav lie confuted. For how could Socrates have confuted Tlirasy machus, Callicleas, and others who like these were uiihhisiiingly impudent, unless in them also there was a certain true dogma, from which hems; acknowledged by them in common, the conclusions that follow were deduced? When therefore, the same person savs, that divinity is pood, hut th.it he does not providentially attend to all things, these dogmas' are contrary to each other, though he does not at the same time see, that the contrary to what lie asserts follows Irom the position that fiod is "ood. But the oblique position takes place, when two dogmas are distorted, and are not able to preserve that which is conscqur lit to them; for then thev arc said to lie inconsequent.* And this position is oblique. For at the same time, the whole opinion falls to the ground, and becomes apparent to sense. Hence not one part of it is true, and the other false, but the w hole is laNe. And such are the assertions, that justice is folly, and injustice wisdom. For he who fancies [that justice is follv, and at the same time says] that injustice is depravity, speaks contrary to himself: for at the same time he says, that justice is not lolly. But lie who sav s that justice is folly, and injustice wisdom, accords indeed with himself, hut at the same time asserts both distortedlv. Hence he is confuted with greater ddliciilly, and is more incurable than the other. And the supine position takes place, when the worse opinions entirely vanquish the better, anil the infor¬ mations of sense mi due the conceptions which are drawn forth from within. For in a passion of this kind, things more excellent are enslaved, and liecome subject to things subordinate.

Again, about the irrational part, contrariety may lie surveyed, as for instance, in those that are continent. For in tin se the lietter fights with the worse, the imagination of lieauty with the appetite of deformity. But obliquity is seen

1 For ivty/jara her, rtiJ fwy^iora.

* Here »bo, for aroXo*0a, read urrwoWo.

PROChUS OX THE

[HOOK V.