doubt should be valid, and that the Timeus is not rightly ranked in the second place. If also, all the narrations were devised from hypothesis, it thus would be requisite that such things as are first according to nature, should be first assumed. Bat since the hypothesis of Socrates subsists in words alone, and surveying the universal, applies itself to the nurture and education of men, but the hypothesis consequent to this discusses beings and things in generation, these are very properly conjoined to each other; while the hypothesis of Socrates, as only subsisting in words, and being on this account accurate, has an arrangement prior to the rest. Perhaps, likewise, Plato wished to indicate this to us, that such things as divine (human) souls, and which are ascending to the intelligible, produce, these are some time or other effected on the earth, according to certain prosperous vicissitudes of circulations, As Critias therefore asserts this, bearing testimony to Socrates, we must say that those true ancestors of ours of which the priest spoke, perfectly accord with those citizens which Socrates mentally conceived, and our opinion is not to be rejected that they were those who existed at that time. Ifhowever the Republic is inferior to the Timzus, because it is conversant with that which is partial, and to discuss mortal affairs is to dwell on an image, ἢ yet the universal prevails init. For the same form of life exhibits indeed in the soul Justice, but ina city a polity, and in the world, fabrication,
Farther still, the deliberate choice of virtue is free, but the energy which is di- rected to externals, requires the mundane order, and hence the Atlanticus is pos- terior to the Timaus. But the habit of the citizens shows that virtue is without a master. Plato also manifests through these things, (hat the soul when she is of herself [and does not depend on another] is superior to every physical hypostasis, and runs above Fate ; but when she verges to actions, is vanquished by physical laws, and is in subjection to Fate. In addition also to what has been said, it is requisite to know this, that from the order of human life delivered in the Republic, the con- nexion of these dialogues, may be obtained. For in that dialogue the men are first educated and instructed through disciplines. Afterwards, they ascend to the contemplation of [true] beings ; and in the third place, descend from thence to a providential attention to the city. Conformably to this congruity, the Re- public has an arrangement prior to the Timeus; and the Timaus to the Atlanti- cus. For the men being instructed by the Republic, and elevated according to theory by the Timaus, will, living happily, wisely’ perform such actions, as the
' For exporws bere, 1 read ἐμφρονωε. Tim. Plat. Vou. I. -
170 PROCLUS ON THE ioe.
Atlanticus narrates. After this manner therefore, we dissolve the doubt. The philosopher Porphyry however, not directly for the sake of this doubt, but dis- cussing something else, affords us the following aid in its solution ; that those who wish' to apprehend the whole theory genuinely, ought first to be instructed in the form of it, in order that being similar to the object of intellection, they may be in a becoming manner co-adapted to the knowledge of the truth. This therefore, the order itself of the dialogues demonstrates. For the auditors of the Timaus ought first to have been benefited by the Republic, and having been adorned through it, to attend afterwards to the dogmas concerning the world, evincing themselves to be most similar through erudition to the excellent order of the uni- verse. And thus much in answer to this doubt.
Each particular however of the text must be considered, ‘Timiwus therefore, is now said to be most astronomical, not as directing his attention to the rapidity of the celestial motions, nor as collecting the measures of the courses of the sun,* nor as being conversant with the works of Fate, but as astronomizing above the heavens, conformably to the coryphwus in the Phewtetus, and contemplating the invisible causes which are properly stars. TLenee Socrates does not exhibit the visible man, but the man that is purely essentialized ino reason; and he does this as imitating the whole demiurgus, in) whom the heavens and all the stars subsist, as the theologist says, intellectually, “Timieus begins however, from the generation of the world, and ends in man; because man is a mi- crocosm, possessing all things partially, which the universe does totally, as Socrates demonstrates in’ the Philebus. But there are certain persons educated by Socrates in the most excellent manner, who also educates the whole city, and these are the guardians and auxiliaries. Forin the universe, that) which transcendently participates of intellect is heaven, which also imitates intellect through its motion. The men however, are introduced by Critias, conformably to the law and conceptions of Solon, because Solon narrates, that the Athenians were once thus governed, and established laws how children ought to be intro-
duced into the polity, and into the tribes, and how they ought τὸ be registered 5
* For pevovras inthis place, it appears to me to be necessary to read ἐθέλων ταν,
* Proclus here alludes to the following Chaldaan oracle: ‘ Direct not your attention to the immense measures of the earth; for the plant of truth is not in the earth. Nor measure the dimensions of the sun by means of collected rules; for it revolves by the eternal willof the father, and not for your sake. Dismiss the sounding course of the moon; for it perpetually runs through the exertions of necessity. The advancing procession of the [fixed] stars, was not generated for yoursahe,” Ac. See my collection of these Oracles, in No. XAVII, of the Classical Journal.
ete AEN SRAM δος σον, TL ον
Book 1.] Tim Eus of Plato. 171
and likewise, by what kind of judges, they should be tried, in one place from the tribes, but in another, from other appropriate persons, As Critias therefore admits» that the-men educated by Socrates were Athenians, he follows the conceptions and the law of Solon, conformably to which certain persons are introduced into the polity.
Soc. “ I seem to behold a perfect and splendid banquet of discussion set before me. It belongs therefore, now to you, O ‘Timaus, to begin the discourse; having first of all, as is fit, invoked the Gods according to law.”
The perfection and the splendor of the narration indicate the supernatural pro- duction of things on account of their paradigms, and which takes place universally. And to these the words of Socrates refer. The banquet of discussion indicates the perfect plenitude of demiurgic forms ; but the calling on Timaus, the conversion of partial causes to the whole, and an evocation of the goods thence derived ; and the invocation of the Gods, the fabrication: supernally suspended from intel- ligibles. For the expression according to law, is not such as many of the Ttalic or Attic interpreters suppose it to be, butait has the same meaning as the words usually employed by the Pythagereans, “ [loner in the first place, the immortal Gods, as they are disposed by law.” For law manifests the divine order, accord- ing to which secondary are always suspended from prior causes, and are filled from them. But law thus beginning from intelligibles, extends τὸ the demiurgic cause, and from this proceeds, and is divided about the universe, At the same time, however, Socrates indicates through these things, that the Pythagoric doc- trine requires that physiology should commence from a divine cause, and that it should not be such as that which he reprobates in the Phado, which blinds: the eye of the soul, by assigning airs and wthers as causes, conformably to Anaxa- goras. Por itis necessary that true physiology should be suspended from theo- logy, in the same manner as nature is suspended from the Gods, and is divided according to the total orders of them; so that words may be imitators of the things of which they are significant. For mythologists also narrate that Vulean who presides over nature was in love with Minerva, who weaves the order of intellec- tual forms, and is the supplier of intelligence to all mundane essences. As far as to this therefore, the preface of the Timiwus receives its completion; of which Severus, indeed, did not think fit to give any interpretation; but Longinus does not say that the whole is supertluous, but only such particulars as are introduced
172 PROCLUS ON THE TIM.EUS OF PLATO. [Book τ.
about the Atlantics, and the narration of the Egyptian; so that he is accustomed to conjoin with the request of Socrates, the promise of Critias. I mean, he con- nects with the words, ‘ J now therefore stand prepared to receive the promised feast,” the words, “ But now consider, Socrates, the manner of our disposing the mutual ban- quet of discussion.” But Porphyry and Jamblichus show that this preface accords with the whole design of the dialogue, the one indeed more partially, but the other with more profound intuition ; so that we also shall here finish the book in conformity to Plato, having adopted their order.
BOOK, ἢ.
Tut preface of the Timieus consists of two heads sa recapitulation of the polity of Socrates, and a concise narration of the war of the Athenians against the Atlantics, and the victory which they obtained over them. Each of these, how- ever, contributes in the greatest degree to the consummation of the whole theory of the world. For the form of the [Socratic] polity, considered by itself, is primarily adapted to the orderly distribution of the heavens. But the narration of the war and the victory, becomes a symbol to us of the mundane contrariety. And the former describes in images the first fabrication, but the latter the second. Or, if you are willing, the former describes the formal, but the latter the material cause. For all physiologists make principles to be contraries, and constitute the world from the harmonious conjunction of contraries. And harmony indeed, and order are derived trom form, which in the recapitulation is shown to proceed from
the polity in common, and to extend in an orderly progression to every multitude.
For it is one thing to deliver the polity whichis in the soul, another, that which is inmen, and another, that which is mundane. But the recapitulation of Socrates, describing the form itself of every polity separately, exhibits to us primarily the polity in the universe, to which also it entirely hastens to refer (the polities that rank as] parts,
Farther still, if also you are willing to consider the aflair after another manner, the polity may be arranged as analogous to the heavens, but the war to genera- tion. For the polity extends as far as to the last of things; since all things are arranged conformably to the series which proceeds from the demiurgus as far as to mundane natures. Contrariety also pre-exists after a manner in the heavens;
174 PROCLUS ON TUF. [BooK ιν.
either according to the two-fold circulations of the celestial bodies, viz. to the right hand, and to the left; or according to the two-fold. circles of souls, the circle of sameness, and the circle of difference; or according to the genera of being, permanency ἡ and motion; or according to the divine peculiarities, the male and the female; or according to any other such-like division, “The polity there- fore, is more allied to the heavens, but the war to veneration, Lenee the former is Jovian, but the latter pertains to the allotment of Neptune, After however the theory of parts, it is necessary through images to he extended to the Know- ledge of the whole. And after the survey of images themselves, it 1s requisite to adhere to their paradigms, from small being initiated ino greater [objects of con- templation). Por the former have the relation of things preparatory to initiation, and of small mysteries, exciting the eye of the soul to the comprehension of the whole and the universe, and τὸ the contemplation of the one cause, and the one progression of all inundane natures, For every thing is from: the one, and the universe with having in different: parts of it, more partial presiding powers, proceeds vice versa to the one cause of its subsistence.
Timawus however, prior to entering on the whole discussion, converts himself to the invocations of, and prayers to the Gods, imitating in this the maker of the universe, who prior to the whole fabrication of things, Is said) to have approached to the oracle of night, to have been there filled with divine intellectual concep- tions, to have received: the principles of fabrication, and there to dissolve, if it be lawful so to speak, all his doubts, To night also, who calls on the father, (Jupiter] to enzage in the fabrication of the universe, Jupiter is represented by the theola-
gist as ΒΆΝ ΤΠ,