lead it gradually back to an intellectual life, and to a life conformable to its nature. Hut there indeed, a cessation taking place of tilings more excellent, nnd of tin* "nod* imparted by intellect and the (bids, things of a worse nature succeed, vi/. lameness, u dciluxion of l!ie wings of tbe soul, oblivion, Hie meeting with [evil ila-mons] and a gravdating t( ndeiicy downward, lb re however things of a worse nature ce;sni';, and also the impedimi nts arising from matter, immcdialt*- ly the circulations proceed at * ordmg to nature, and things more e\< client present themselves to the view, m/. order, and reason, and a prudent and wise condition of In ing For advancing to maturity of age, we Iwconie more prudent and i misiilerate, and make the progression * of ail oiptublc and orderlv hie, nature being tbi* leader. by' then lore, should tiah u sav, that tin* povva rs of the soul follow the temper.mu nts of the body, and that when the bodv is muM, unstable, and in an all-varimis flux, then the soul is stupid and unstable; but when the parts of the body an* properly adapted to « ich other, so that the w hole is ni sv muietry, tin* soul acts with rectitude, and becomes prudent and wise? And how is it possible we should admit this ? I or as the imuioilal soul i \ists prior to the body, it is not lawful to make it intellei lual through the bodv ; but wo ought rather to say, that the body becomes at one time an impediment to the soul, in its attainment of a well-ordered life; and at another, disturbs it in a less degiee. As therefore, if We should dwell near a trilling and garrulous neighbour, we should not bet ome inure pm rile through him, Imt it is possible for him to hind* r us more or less hum the enjoyment of a ipnet life; alter the same maimer also, the counexioii of the hodv at one time disturbs tin soul, and at another, remits tin* tumult I lie soul however, does not even then become tranquil, till t rudltion accedes. fhe hotly llierclore, is an impeiliineiit indeed, to the attainment of a prudent life, hut is by no means elli t live of it. And tints much as to these particulars.
W illi rcsjH ct however to the words of the U \t severally, it must he said, that “ the stream of increase amt nutrition inauifi t the phv>ical river. For it is necessary, that a greater increase taking place, there sliouhl lie a greater quantity of liutruin lit. Hut the im reast is gn ater, because nature which affords tin iu< rease, is then nmre powertui. l or nature tu those that ale vuiing, flourishes, ami is very robust, hut m those that are .ulvaueed in age, with whom, the soul is more considerate, nature is imbecile. And you mav not only s«-e, that die soul is contra rily aflected by ages, lint also by times. the soul, m those that arc awake, is
* 1 licrt n an lii.uuv hr re in the original'; ami it a| jitars to me that w/woK* i» wanting.
IIUOK V.]
TIM.El'S OF PLATO.
p. 401
more rigorous, but in sleep is in/he. s/mj^isli, but thi n nature cspeeialh/ operates, ami performs her prapi r o ork. 11 1 1 i cry reasonably follow s, tli.it when 1 lit* physical sin mi is diminished, trui"Miillit\ and nidi* I ike ; >1 icr about tin* soul, lint il mii'-t lw said, dial " th t pmh of the iireuia ions" is a progression into prudence, 11 i;il mI ilv. and mill r. Imr those that are advanced in jrais, an* l#»r tin* most part more prudent. more pipinhlr, and mure steady lliiu those tliat are \ ouiilt. \nd tin* several <// U s, areordin;; In w liirli dm pi-rinds nl llm « irele of dilleirnre arc di \ id'al, rev oh ilur " i til >e< til tub , liiiisl I >«• said In Im a mini at ini: I mm fracture, and a perfect restoration to (la* eirrular tunii. 1 nr an iinlirukrn him is a iimdium between a fractured riidit lum ami a cin innfernn e, imilaliu^ dm simplicity, the ecpiahiliiv. and tlm similitude nl a periphery. Hut the tireuiulions themselves, am! same, mul different. an ea/tni In/ their proper nppel/ali"iis, hntli in dianoetie and sensible (‘wnos. For all limits an* nn longer moved iii a puerile mammr ; hut there i< an i*nd« -avour In nmnirt and dmdc each llmu appropriately. It nui'l lihew i<r lie observed, that every w Imre sri«-nci- and luuorance are (It'll HIM I aim'll llm Mime and dilfereii 1 , «'illi r aiTorduu; In aright him, n. a« enrdiu^ to alternation. For we aliirm sniim I hill”-, wbmli we niinbt to diny ; and this is tn rmiri im that w|tieh h difhrmi as il it \\i ie same. \nd urr vifsa, we deny sniim tilings, w hu h we niiulil in aliirm, in miiseipmnee nl Imin^ ignorant nl mm of tlm Iliinus w lui li we deny. I li m «- w Imn llm unnsim jimu i is properly evolved wo denominate all Ilnurs enufomiablv In llmir nature ; assertin'.;, that snnm things are tlw same wiib, bill others di;ldr»-nl Imm, each nllmr. I has then-lore, nnr cirrulatinns |»nmi-«'din^ a< rnrdimj; !•» nailin', irmh i him "Im |ui'>rs>rs dmm piudent anil wise j’laln also, very properly In n* ins llm word yiywwiv, because Im who Ih' t'uums prudrlil Imm thrsi* circulations. is physically mined. It also sonmtiums happens m addilion to these things, that there is a ntditeducation ; of which he says as tollmvs:
“11c therefore, who rcct ives eriidilioii, in conjunction with proper nutriment, will lie perfectly entire and same, and will avoid the greatest disease."
we
'l lm natural path of souls to wisdom, I- d< scribed through the ;,hn\e-nmnlinn< d words. Hut 1’lalo connects wall this political educalinn, which |s pe motive of phy sical aptitude, and which through proper nutriment, imparls to the irrational nature, the liahit of ;;ood conduct, and a liie conformahlc to rijjit opinion ; hut
p. 402
IMtOClXS ON IIIi:
[book V.
through erudition nourishes tin* ration.il essence, l»y discipline* and dialectic. Fur it w uen-MMiry that (lie irrational | mi it should lie iu*triirled by morale, hut rea-on liv discipline*, in order that I In* Inrun r nmv lie oliedient to (lie ratioiml !de, lint the latter recurring to intellect, may survey the nature of being*. For •liex* tiling* taking place, the soul is rendered entire and same; entire indeed, u> having nil its powers unencumbered, and the circle of the same hl»erated from Its feller* ; hut mute, as having npplieil a remedy to the distorted |>eriod ol the circle ot the itif/i rent, and restored it to an nntractured, and unohlhjiie condition. <>i it may he said, that the soul is entire, as pursuing wholes instead of parts, as raising hersell from the astonishment produced h\ things lieluw, exciting hersell to intellect, and surveying from on high, and shaking olf troni herself, the hrius waters «*t tin* mm o| generation ; hut same , .is returning to her own natural order, and running Iku k to science. For ignorance is the greatest disease of the soul, biirxing and blinding its [intellectual j eve.
“ Hut lie who neglects this, will, tliiougli proceeding along the path of lite m a lame condition, again pass into Hades impelled, and destitute of intelligence.”
The philosopher manifests through these things, that something is ctfected by
.. ol ,l *‘" r ‘* a "d politieal erudition. For he calls him imperfect, who does not obtain right nutriment ami erudition Fur like one whose feet are injured, he w alks indeed, yet not well ; and is neither entirely depriied of motive pails, mu uses sin li as are entire and perfei I. Alter the same manner tlu refore, lie who in-fleets himself; ami he is one who looks downward, dismissing the know ledge of himself; will proceed through the path of hie in a lame comhlion, as alone ha\mg made a protmem y so far as he has hern inmnl |,y nature. Hence I Into says, that he will again puss into Hades imperfect and destitute of intelligence, not being able to gi\e perfection to his intellect; Im cause the living are from the dead. And the passing into II ides, m mifesls the piuceeding into that wIm Si is dark, and without splendour. I or tlu* departure to these, is not according to the good and wise find [Pluto], through the downward leading mouth into the subterranean place. For lie who has not purified himself, cannot know that whieh is wholly pure and incorruptible.* Hence, he is sent to
• For nmflufirn* in (ills |»l.icr, it to me to be urermary lo read u«i^*arri .
BOOK V.]
TIM.FL'S OF PLATO.
p. 403
that place, in which he will he purified ; and he who has alone lived according to l ate, will In* directed into the right path hy Tate in orderly |»eriods of time.
“ 1 iiesc are particulars however, which take place afterwards ; hut it > 4 ^ is requisite to discuss more accurately the tilings which arc now proposed to he considered."
The discussion of the composition of the body, both of the whole and the parts of it, and also of the irrational life, hut not of the allotments of the soul, is consequent to the consideration of the incarnation of the soul. Tor the accurate discussion of the allotments is to be found in the speculations in the Republic; converting souls through it to a prudent and wise life, ltul it pertains to the physiologist to give perfection to the discussion of the animal. The philosopher therefore, very properly dismisses ethical speculations, but is traiisfi rred to the physical doctrine. Hence, lie »,ivs, that llic-c particulars, viz. the allotments of souls take place po^terim to those things which are now proposed to be more accurately discussed. \nd the sentence indeed, appears to he somewhat difficult ; Imt al the same tune, lie says, that ill that lias now been asserted, will take place beiealiei ; and tbit it is ivquisiii to speak ol thos< particulars, which are now proposed h\ us to be discussed, and these are sin h as pertain to the life of the body. Of Ini's lio\\e\er, transposing the words, lor the sake of perspicuity, w rite, lf ix m< t xsm if tu ni.u usx more nnttcli/ the things non proposed to he ~'mlidcred. Lint what follows is adverse to this transposition.
“ Prior to these therefore, it is requisite to speak about bodies, according to 11 it* parts' of ilicir generation, and about the soul, and to show by especially adhering to probable reasons, through what causes ami providence of the (iods they were generated. Tor thus, and to those that proceed conformably to these tilings, it is requisite to discuss the particulars that remain.”
In what is here said, Plato defines the scope of what is about to i>c delivered.
1 i. r. To h)>crIi of the general too of the parts, of bo«lie».
p. 401
1'Koci.Ub os mi;
[uuul r.