P 3d Airmr. I'he following amitnl account of the Sirens, is given by Proel i« in his MS. Sehoiia on the (. ratylus. •• 1 ne divine Plato knew that there arc three kinds ol ‘'•rens ; the e< l< Pi.i/, w hich i« under the government of Jupiter; that which is pi ncnurgic, and is iiii ler the government of Neptune; and that which is cathartic, and is under the government of Pluto It is common to all these, to iurline all things through • n harmonic motion to thru ruling Gods, lienee, when the soul is in the he iveii', they arc desirous of uniting it to the divine I Ii- which flourishes there. Hot it is proper that souls living in grncr.it on, should sail hryof.d them, like the Homeric l lyssc% that they may lint he lilurrd hy generation, of which the «ca is an image. And when souls are in Hades, Hie Sirens are desirous ot uniting them through intellectual con¬ ceptions to Pinto, bo that Plato knew-that in the king¬ dom of Hades, there are Grids, danions,and soul«,who danec as it were round Pluto, allured by the Sirens that dwell there ”
P. 3i. Dialectic. The dialectic nf Plato, to which
Proclus here alludes, is not the tame with that dialec¬
tic which is the Mjh|ert ol opinion, and is accurately
investigated in the Topics of Aristotle. For the former
it irrcprclicusible and most expeditious , since it is con¬
nate with tilings themselves, and employs • multitude of i owrrs in ordi r to the atla nment ol truth. It like¬ s' ise imitate intellect, from which it rrceives its prm- < iplcs, ami ascends through well-ordcre I grad itions to being it-clf. It aUo'crininates the wandering of ll e soul about *ensihlrs; and explores every thing by methods which cannot l e confuted, till it arrives at tire intliable principle of tilings. The business like¬ wise ot this first of sciences, is to enrj I >y definitions, divisions, nnaly/ations, anil demonstrations, as pri¬ mary sricnos in the investigation ol causes ; imitating the progression of beings horn trie first principle of things, and their continual conversion to ir, as the ul- tinraie object of desire. l or an ample aerount of this master science, see the notes to my translation of the I’arnirmd.-y < r Plato, and also my translation ot Select
wi rks of Plotinus.
P.43 Pbyucnl \irtnes. The phv s cal virtues are those which are ci rnnion to men and Lrntrv, being mingled with the temperaments, arid f rtlie most part contrary to each other ; or ratnrr, they prrtair to the animal. < »r it m iv lie said that they arc ilhinnnationa from reason, whtii not impeded hy a certain bad tem¬ perament - or th it tliev arc the result of energies in a former life. < >t these, Plato speaks in the Polihcus anil the I-aws. For an aerount ot the other virtues, viz. ol the ethical, the political, the c it I artir, theoretic, and paradigm itir, sec the Notes to my translation of the I’lm do ol Plato, and aim the Additional Notes annried to my transl itiun ol Select Works of Plotinus.
P. nil. Si i pi re oj turnhj-tvur rrcoiura.
The serptre ot Jupiter, ns we arr informed hy Proclus on the Cralyliis, was, according to Orplicn*, twenty- four measures in length; hv wh.ih savs lie, the thco- b gi't *igmfie», the < st.ihlishtncnt of those two divine ord* rs by Jup ti r, the cclesti il, and supr ri elrvtial, and his reigning ovi r two series ot God', each of which is characterized hy the number t«i Ivc.
P. 01. tor the rclatu n whittling among tew, that Phaeton, the ofhpmmc of the Sun, Ac.
The lollowing evplanatirin of the faldc of rhaeton,
is given by Olynipiodorus in his Scholia On the Mete¬
ors of Ari'totlc. “ Phaeton signifies m comet, hy which
considerable parts of the earth are at times destroyed.
Hut he is 'aid to have been the oltspring of the bun,
because a comet is a sublunary body, consisting of a
collection of dry vapours raised, and set on fire by the
Sun. He is likewise said to have dr sued the govern*
ADDITIONAL NOTES,
in. it of the chariot of the Sun, tfiuu a comet .In net to imitate the circular inotiou of the Sun. lie did not keep the track observed by hit parent, because acmnct duct Hut mute- III a dirtillull parallel to tint 111" the *'un. lie was blasted by tl,under through the anger of Jupiter, because tin* ei.inel war rvlingiuslii I by uiuisl vapours On lint uciouit, lie it said tu hate fallen into the river 1 u laim*, be. ausc tin c iint I w is extinguished through inuislure. lb vs a* 1 aim nti d tiy tbc 1 it bade?, because tl t c ape nr print edmg li un l ie clist,dm lull ul the tuliiet timed d unwaids, I r.ng of •i.i a | .all. II i tu re. Hint in I .is n.| eel curri'|i tiding tu teas. lilt lleindi s wcie chaligi tl lulu p»plar tuts, be. a isc a luitc di'tds limn the* pi ir tu e >iiui!.ir In audit r; ambtr In* a f l ie ii spYiidetil, anil gold Is dedicate J 111 the s iiii 1 lie table I lit It bn r, uli'i lire Iv •igitihe s tii.il the | nice ul tie puplartiee is piodtiitil fiuiu iiiui-Iiirr, Miiular to tl.at which was produced by the dissi Imlull ut lbe < unit I *
1* 44. J'ht horu I H.trrjurr,and charioteers PJ the Cods, <1 re all . I than jlimI, Ae.
blit scare bcawiihdly explained liy llerineas in Ins Scholia On ibe I’lu dieis, „s follow s :
What are we tu under'laud by lie charioteer at.d the two horses/ In the I r l plate, this is tu I e tuiisi- lliild re si'ccllug them, whether ll is liefis-ary lu ar¬ range 1 tht m .ctionhiig tu es'inti*, or anuiiling to jiuwt r«, i r ar tuithng lumerghs. bur ll.nc arc d.lfc- rtut ej uiiulis un tins Mihjtct. 1 tv then, that (bey nil st tie airaugcd atcuidin ; tu powers. bur titter ar- rargetutlil taiiiiut be .•cioidiig tu cnergii', since the liuiscs aie rcpiesi nteil cncrgi/mgj lot tin re are rie-t energies of energies; and be, .ni'C tht energies of the soul arc at dilicrint times tlilltrent, hut i,k lu i is are ^ always tin 'aim I ur tin si ul d us nut rtnive dil.’i-- 1 lent lu r • i * at till • 11 lit lime but al w ay * I as I in r.iim '••■I can the ariaii/i im lit he aiemdmg tu tvsinir*, Mliiee et u in uur buiiN, (in es't in i s reuiaui tindc- ldidoillivur I or the • sseiit e tl the suul is Inver vitiated, Sluee it it wtic, it wutill puisli lint the powers ll It beCullie depraved, and (bis is in a muth greater degree the case with Hs t ntrgies. l'lalo him¬ self likewise says, “ that t re ho tut ami c.'iuru-Ut • i ot the f <'oat ure all of them t W, and consist of in i thin: t us are gw f ; hilt cl ours lie says, ** that they hteoiae ihjirui d, and laritr a dijlui un ol the uini't " II therefore, the Cssentc ol u.u suul remains uiidetdtd willi vite, I ut the powtrsol it becoinedistt.ru I, tl c horses and chariotters may Level v properly atraiiged at'euiding tti powers. Hut this alsu 1’iatj 1 im ell clearly prut laiui', w hen lie 'ar s, 44 Ijtt it be ttmi sr to the eonniuctnt i*uuer of er uin^et chiTi.it iihd c hen >Utr. ' Ii iiuwever, suine t ne should say, that the words, 4 *uil if than are good and conutt tj things good," are spoken as signilyillg that these hor'es and eiiariuteers aie derived trum beneficent causes, ihe wuicls that follow will I car witness against ibis interpretation, l or our burses and char ulcers aie from Hungs ibat are good, as from causes ; s that all ot the in according to this will be -uud. Halo, liow - ever, says lhat ours are tlefiletl willi ei c. Hut 1’laio is not the lirst w lio assumes a cl auutccr ai d In rsts : lur prior to bun they were assumed by the ilivint iy ii - ■piled poets lloruer, Orpheus, and i'umicu.dcs. Hy
them however, as being inspired, they are mentioned without a cause : lor they sp. ke enthusiastically. Hut time I'leto ii lioehiris nothing into his philosophy, which he »on Ul not ileiivr limn a rau-e, bl us sliuw why, though he *pt eks with greater dignity leboiil these particulars, he mints tuliiii.lie.il li e t.iusi sul them; m Ibr mean tune ohstivmg, tba' the tlirulu- gl'ts | lu r to h ill, appear to have a mum I ll c eh...■Hi¬ tter and h use-, a* | t il.uiiing to puuj is. 1 nr Jupiter in limner,' n-i s boi-i -, vvh. a Nt|,luiie I. '.ml t,i mi. brace, and be elm s nut dw ivs U'e tticm, but is ri prr- se iite I as s.uni l llus «itlu.g till a thrum . lull it ll c < ssi at e ol .Input r t n- si id in 11 hug in a e h.it ml, and Jiipili r was the aim as the i b.inoli tr, in would ilw.evt iiiic a eiiau. I. N ow tu.wev er, he is it pi i -u nit d as lining other till,.'. H* t e In, r 'Cs and e ll ell-lee r then Ii i<, the dill, in t j owe is t l Jn| tier are 11 b Liat- t 1 In Hit u,rin tune, it 11111 s ( he tibst rv t !, that the a-MHiu .,1 r< spelling a d.v.ne anil liUlliali soul ought
10 be cullilliuii.
I'latu the re lore, in tin limans sivs, that the Demi¬ urges in i uiistilulmg the e-st nee o! tie *mil, assumed & nud lit es'e iitt In in the genera ul being, vie. tioin jilt Hire i gt .eiaj <»itn c, *umr mid a.-/, rent And tins nn i lie nature wimli lie assuiuetl,is a luriliiilii be I w 11 n ill ini pal tilde e sst lit e a lul t Ir* e sseiu e vv b eh is ibvis.ble aboil binl.es lint I he lllatluli.il lllr, lialurt, al, 1 tin p III e >| atiolis id sold by the bod), e salt— blilu’e the e tine w nil Is tliel-dde aboul bodies. .Ai I again, lilt* |)tiiuiirgus as uiiie 1 a miildle* same- lies', w tilth is a mt dun ii be I we eu ini| ail 1 le ' , me ues* and ll.t* sauieiie s s wblt Ii is di v sdile ah-ml hull It *. bhe like also t ike* j■ la- e >.. h n spet t t < ibr middle ti tle- run c. 1 lie I >i in hi rg, i* ! kew i e.s.iy s I’lain, i i ill g ling tin -e ll.rt t, t on-iiiuu I In t ssi meot the 'i ni. 1 lie »e Inul i.i s b ,m si r, in ilitiiu souls, t mi >ist i.| |aut: and
I In of 1 1 1 pi it , pi I it'I a, I i it t b is is Ini'll 14.e III our s ,io s. Hut ,s 1*1 ito s,-,s f ■* the 1 >« iniiiigiis poured Imug.iiig, the re in limit r i I the lorini i luivluie; m a t < 1 1 1 n ie [fit nidi i o',alti r tin- sum- maiiiie r, vet not similarly liuuruiptibli acmnling to the same, initiltli- i"it ut ifuii. tin I r't, in a sett,.ul and tiuid de.,iec. 11 J St A.fees therefore, and the chmntur, ate the youert if thtii thrt', I. nd fa one j air of the i ul, u huh ii f ro¬ ll a. t e I I l/ati thr c lowers, it the idea if the soul. The ( wer lucre lure of being, I. e el .seme, w Im h is one e l H e gene lo, is Ibe tb uiotfe-r; but ibe powe r ol the tame, is ibe 1 etter ol t e two bmsis ; ami the power ot the dujerent, is llic less estelleiil hoi m . Ifeiite, il wc Conceive two hor-es and a charioteer, whu Ii are uiadit to coalesce, then t!, e ore | user wl.ien is si eiative and pr ebietivg ol the charioteer and the liii'i , is the