elevated, as we are atcustomed to assert of liim who lies in a prone position [blit let bis face la* upward]. Anti again, lie will have the east to tla* right hand, hut the west to the left. In order however, that in the way mentioned bv Tinucus he may lie supine, let his feet be raised, but his head be fixed oil the ground, so that his face may be turned from the north. Looking therefore to the smith, he will similarly liaie the light h uni parts to the * ist, but the h ft hand to the west. I In- contrary liovvrvi i, ought to lake plai e. as pi rlmunig to those that stand, and look towards the south. I lei ice, he w ill fancy , since In looks to the south, that things situ ited to the e ist, are on the h it hand, but those situated to the west, on the right hand And the *p« i tutors hkew ise, w ill f mev this to be the case. He w ill therefore fancy things on tin hit tub. on the right hand ; amf things on the right to be on the h It hand ; md this ill coiiseipu lice ot Ills supine po-ition. It is liken ise e\ ideiit, that he will apprehend things pertaining to the end spectator, to subsist vice versa, though the right and h it hand parts will be referred to the same things in both 1 or « u< h looking to the south will fanev that the left hand parts are to the east, but the light hand paits to the west, and will sav that if the one thus subsist, the rest also subsist after the same manner. This however will not Im- hue vv ith respect to him who has his face downward, though he should look to the smith It is vvi II said tin retore, that e.u h will fanrv things pi rtaining to both and not to one of them only, will have a vice versa position.
In the third place, it is re<|ui>i(e to show, how these things in.iv he analogous !\ surveyed mi the soul. I ui the soul burying her reason, hut exciting the phantasy and the irrational powers, heroines rather a plant [than a rational nature', and imitates the life of plants. I or in tin o-, tin head is rooted downward, hut all the rest lends upward, vanquishing the (tetter part. Heine the soul forms a judgment ot things coiitiary to the truth, and in 1 only the soul that is in tins condition, but that also which does not yet sutler this, hut looks to her. It is evident therefore, that lie w ho fixes his head dow nw ard, resembles those that are perfectly distorted ; but that he who stands indeed, in a natural position, hut bv looking at the former, is similarly aflei ted with him, resembles those that are distorted bv others; just as tin* former is similar to those that are distorted by themselves. Heine, the son! imitating a physical life, thinks different things to be the same, and again, the same things to In different For it thinks that pleasure is the same with good, though it is different from it; hut it separates the divine from the good, and virtue from the beautiful, though they are the same. !o consequence therefore, of thus thinking, the soul possesses the last life, departs from In rself, and follows this life. Hence, her opinions are false, and are not only thus affected about same and different, but also about motion and permanency. For
BOOK \ .]
I IM .EL’S <>i PLATO.
4A7 they think that tin* nature which is jk rp' tually iit motion lias stood still, as the multitude i. i*. the Christians nf that limp] do the sun, and also that wlr.it is permanent i> inmcd, as sunn* do tin* « nth. And in many other purl it til irs they survey things changed from what thpy are, 'I'Iipsp passions however hapjtcn about tin* «mercies of tin* circles in tin* period of the different. Hence also he say s, that the seven circulations in tin* circle of tin* dillrrrnt, sutler these, and other such like affections. For one oi tin; circles, viz. the circle o f the same, is fettered, as was helore observed. He therefore alone is endued with intfllfrcL. who uses the circle o (the different rightly, hut liberates the circle of the .same ; ami he will entirely In* one, who loosens the Prometheus of himself, who was hound by Hpimctheus. For through this 1 [i. e. through possessing the last life], the soul beconn s hound to the irrational order, which Kpiinetheus himself is said to adorn.*
“ Atnl in this situation, there is not any one of the circulations which possesses a ruling and leading authority.”
For as there are many periods in the circle of the different, in imitation of the soul of the universe, they are ail of tin m injured, lieconn* distorted and imbecile, and are in servile subjection to the irrational motions, which it is not proper to < all periods, because they hasten m a right line to •generation. For a period is a motif’ll from the same to the same. Hut every irrational know led^e and appetite, hastens from one tiling to another dillcrcnt tiling, brim: extended to that which is external to itself. For both the object of apjvtite, and the object of knowledge are external, the former to tin* irrational appetite, and the latter to irrational knowledge. A"either therefore does the period of the .satin 1 govern ; for it is fi tiered, and resi mbles a kui^ in chains, in eonsiTpienre of hrinjj in the power of his enemies; nor the period of the different; for it is distorted, and r< setnblrs a general who favours the concerns of Ins enemies. Hi lire, this is truly a gigantic n M
1 Iiis|< ad r>l iSn -,n/> njr vpo« m oXny»n Kt’rnllru rn;ie, in lint place, which o evidently erroneous, I read iS« rnrnje, » r. X. But a urtvtt part o| the almve eonunrnt.ir v is vrry oli-curr from 1 1 9 defective state. I have however endeavoured to render the translation ol il as ruui h as jmssililc perspicuous.
* "I he Prometheus in man is llie ruiinn.tl, ami F.pimeliicus is the irralioual part. But considered as divine powers, I’loiiiellieus is llie inspeeiive guardian of the descent of the rational soul, and Epunetlieus is the guardian of the irrjliou.il soul.
1 For ravra here, it ia necessary to read ravrov.
Tim. Plat.
VOL. II.
p. 450
I’KOCLUS ON TIIF
[book *.
war, making the earth-born genera that are in us, to !»e more honourable than the Olympic, aiul not as in wholes, subjecting inferior to more excellent natures.
“ But when certain senses, borne along externally, fall on the soul, and eo-attraet the whole cavity of it, then the circulations which are governed, appear to govern."
It has l>een already asserted, that no one of the periods governs, or is a leader; and that our head is buried m matter, and our feet heroine elevated. Hut through the present words, it is added, that the mortal rule over the immortal natures, for the stuses are externally born? along, lieeause they announce external'; and they fill on the soul, Iwcause their enunciations are accompanied with passion. If therefore, they cit-attmct the cuvity of the soul, viz. the whole of its essence ; for the word x-jTiig, cavity, is asserted as of certain things that an; convolved ; and prepare this * to adopt whatever they assert, they heroine the lead* rs of the whole life of the soul, cause it to speak and think such things as they announce ; and to fancy that which is apprehended hv sense, and vvlicdi a man touches, or eats, or drinks, has a true existence, but the intelligible, and that which is chosen hv phi! osupliv, to lie a non-entity. These therefore, being the leaders, the appetites govern, and the multitude possess the sovereign pow« r. Hut deliberate choice and reason having an arrangement in the p.ut of things subservient, at length administer to the passions. Does therefore sense in reality had and govern? And how is it possible, sinre it is mortal and material, that it should govern? Hut it appears indeed to govern reason, vet it is itself, and deservedly, governed by other tilings. For it is itself dill* rent [or eharaetei ised by difference]; and on this account it is suspended from externals, is vanquished by them, and is differently disposed at dillerent times. Hut the irrational life is the cause to itself of slavery. lienee, it does not in reality govern, not having a ruling power which is incapable of being vanquished; but biing siibserv ient to other things it rules over natures better than itstlf, m consequence of their being deceived.
“ On account of these passions therefore, tlie soul becomes stupid at present, and was so originally when she was first hound in a mortal body.”
Instead of ravra lirre, it seems requisite to read tovtc.
Boll K V. j
H MAX'S or I’f.ATO.
p. 459
I his is 11 io conclusion of aii that has been said concerning tlir incarnation of souls, from "hirl Plato discovers the causes ot their perturbation and tumult arising from generation ; and filially, of the insanity in those that are recently le‘rn. And hence again, it is evident that he conceived the rational soul to exist also in children ; hut that it is fettered and sluggish,' Wing vanquished by other po\v< rs, and does n <>t accede in a certain posterior time, as some fancy it does. I*or he delivers the causes through which though reason is present, yet it i> not [effectively present, and concludin'' the enumeration of these he says, that the sn, *l through these, Wrame stupid originally, "hen she "as first hound in a mortal body, and is so at present, l-or what dillerence is there between Wing juvenile accord in:; to age. and juvenile according to life ? As therefore, in those that arc stupid "Ih ii they have arrived at maturity, reason Win" present, is quiescent, ill the same manner in those that are just born,’ reason indeed is present, but Wing vanquished by stupidity, is sluggish.
“ W lien however, the stream of increase and nutrition flows along with a less abundant, course, the circulations being again restored to tranquillity, proceed in their proper path; in process of time become more regular and steady, and pass into a figure accommodated to their nature, lienee in this case, the revolutions of each of the circles, bcinc according to rectitude, and calling both same and different by their proper appellations, they render him by whom they are possessed, prudent and wise.”
Plato in the Pha-drus, teaches us the felicitous life of the soul, according to which it revolves together with the finds, recurs to the siqierrelestinl place, and surveys Justice lu rsclf, Temperance herself, and each of the iliv iue virtues; and again, he gradually leads it, from supreme felicity, and this blessedness, to at one time raising the head ol the charioteer above the heaven, and at another entering within it; and from this through diminution, to surveying none of these blessed spectacles, yet still following from custom. For the lapse to souls is not directly from an abundant vision ot the intelligible into generation, but proceeds through many media. In what is here said however, tragically describing the passions of the soul falling into generation, its turnings, fractures ami streams, he wishes to
* For ap\«iv in this piact, it is ntetear; to rrad apytiv.
* Instead of non in this place, it u requisite to read rtoytvu.
4«0
PKOCLUS ON Tin;
[book v.