into two parts, and to have established as one genus, that which is agricultural and that which pertains to the arts, which is called demiurgic τ but that which is belligerent, as another; not that he now recapitulates the military polity, as Longinus says, but because through the word dedligerent, he comprehends the auxiliaries and the guardians. For of these, the former war with their hands, but the latter by their counsels. Just as also among the Greeks, Ajax indeed fights, as being the barrier of the Greeks, and Nestor likewise fights, who is the guardian of the Greeks ; the latter as a defender, repelling the enemy by his counsels ; but the former, by employing his hands. Unless it should be said, that Plato now
' For ro δαιμὸν φυλον in this place, it is necessary to read τὸ δαιμονὼν φυλον. * For yewpyuy, which occurs here by a strange mistake, it is obviously necessary to read ἀρηΐκῃ.
30 PROCLUS ON THE {nook t.
peculiarly makes mention of the military tribe, because he wishes to narrate the warlike actions of a polity of this kind.
“Soc. And when we had assigned to every one that which is accom- modated to his nature, and had prescribed one employment only to each of the arts,’ we likewise assigned to the military tribe one province only.”
In the first place, there is a two-fold reading of these words. For it either is “And when we had prescribed one employment conformable to nature to each of the citizens, in order that each might perform his proper work,” or, “ When we had presenbed to each to pursue an employment conformable to nature, which: is adapted to each according to the present aptitude of his nature.” In the next place, it must be enquired through what cause Socrates makes such a division, or on what account he says, “that each employmentis rightly pursued by hin who ts naturally adapted to it, and who ina becoming manner engages init.” For neither is diligent attention, when deprived of aptitude, able to accomplish with rectitude any thing perfect, nor can dexterity without diligent attention proceed into energy. The end, therefore, is from both. Tf, however, this be the case, it is not possible for him who engages in many works, to be similarly adapted to all of them, or to pay attention similarly to all; in consequence of his ardor being divided about a multitude of things. Hence in this case, the pursuits of the citizens must necessarily appear to be of a viler nature. But if this is not right, one employment should be assigned to each of the citizens, to which he to whom it is distributed is adapted, and he should be ordered to extend all his care and attention to one thing. For he who is properly adapted to this particular life, and pursues it in a becoming manner conformably to nature, will, itis likely, perform in the best way his proper work. In human polities, therefore, it is easy to survey a division of this kind ; for our nature is partible. But how is this true with respect to the Gods?) For a divine nature ts all-powerful and all-perfect. Or may we not say that with the Gods all things are in all of them, but that each is all things according to the peculiarity of himself, and possesses the cause of all things, one after a Solar, but another after a Mercurial manner? For pecu- liarity originating from the divine unities, proceeds through intellectual essences,
through divine souls, and through the bodies of these souls. Hence of these,
* The words exaory τέχνῃ are omitted in the text of Proclus.
iti prpocmnte tienen
PE ASW ee ασα
Bee wane
PER A ARS EE aI
ROOK 1. TIMMUs OF PLATO. 31
some participate of demiurgic, others of prolific, others of connective, and others ofa dividing power. And after this manner they energize about generation, In divine natures themselves therefore peculiarity pre-exists, defining the unities according to the infinity which is there, and the divine duad. But in intellects, difference is pre-existent, which separates wholes) and parts, and = distributes intellectual powers, imparting a different peculiar order to a diflerent intellect, through which the purity of intellects is not confounded. In souls progression and division pre-subsist, according to a different life in different souls, some of them being allotted a divine, others an angelic, others a damoniacal, and others adiflerenthyparxis. But in bodies, interval pre-exists, producing diferent powers in different bodies, For in these, there are ultimate representations of intelligi- bles, according to which this particular body is effective of this thing, but another ofthat. And this body has a sympathy with this thing, but another sympathizes with something else. As, therefore, in this universe, each thing acts according to nature upon that which it was arranged by the fabrication of things to act upon; thus also in the city, the employments of the citizens are divided, and each is arranged to perform that for which he is naturally adapted. What, therefore, the works are of the military tribe, ‘Timaus clearly shows in what follows :
“Ἱ mean that they ought to be only guardians of the city, so as to pro- tect it from the hostile incursions both of external and internal enemies ; but yet in such a manner as to administer justice mildly to the subjects of their government, as being naturally friends, and to behave with war- like fierceness towards their enemies in battle.”
In these words Plato is willing that the euardians and auxiliaries should be judges of those that act ill within the city, but contenders against those that are out of it; in one way the auxiliaries, and in another the guardians, as we have before observed. To be only guardians, however, is not a diminution of power. For when we assert of the first cause that he is one alone, we do not by this diminish him, and entirely enclose him within narrow bounds; since neither is that which is only the most excellent, diminished by being so. But on the con- trary, every addition to a thing of this kind is a diminution ; so that by asserting not only of athing which was such from the beginning, you diminish its excellence. And thus much for such-like particulars.
Again, however, it is requisite to consider how we may survey what is now
/ bal 4 «. γ᾽
42 PROCLUs ON THE [nook 1.
said in wholes. For what is that which is external in the universe?) And how can it be said that the universe does not comprehend all things? May we not reply, that evil has a two-fold subsistence in the world, viz. in souls and i bodies? And it is necessary that those who exterminate confusion and ses from the universe, should extend justice and measure to souls, but should be antagonists to the unstable nature of matter. For some souls, indeed, are naturally adapted to the intelligible, on which account, also, they may be said to be internal, and to belong to the extent of the intelligible umverse ; but others, being material and remote from the Gods, are in a Certain: respect aliens, strangers, and external. Hence, those who are the accomplishers of justice, use the former mildly, as being naturally friends ; but are severe to those that are borne along in bodies in a confused and disorderly manner, as being incommen- surate towards them, and as entirely abolishing their privation of order, and amputating the inexhaustible avidity of matter, For some things, indeed, cannot sustain ornament of this kind, but immediately vanish into non-entitv. But
others whieh are moved confusedly and disorderly, are repressed by the justice
which prevails in the universe, and by the invincible’ strength of the order of
euardian powers. Ifence he now says, that they are severe to those who are hostile to the city. For they are such as cannot endure to behold them. [ἢ short, there are elevating and cathartic powers about souls, and also inspective euardians of judgment and justice. And itis evident, that some of these are analogous to guardians, but others to auailiaries. About bodies, tuo, some are connective, but others dissolving powers : and it is manifest that some of these are analogous to guardians, but others to those that are belligerent. Por these powers expand into the universe, things which are no longer able to remain in their proper series, in order that all things may have an arrangement, and that nothing may be indefinite or confused. If, likewise, you direct your attention to
the Demiurgus himself of wholes,.and to the mmmutable and invariable nature of
the intellects, which divine poetry calls the guards of Jupiter, you will also have in the father (of the universe] the pre-existent cause of these two-fold) genera. For through the demiurgic being which he contains, he adorns all things ; but through the immutable guard which is established in himself, every eternal order remains, all disorder being entirely abolished. You may also see there Justice governing all things in conjunction with Jupiter. For Jastice follows him, being
* For ανταγωνίστεν here, it is necessary to read avavraywrtorov,
aha
noox 1.) TIM.EUS OF PLATO. 33
the avenger of the divine Jaw. At the same time too, you may perceive the armed order with which he arranges the universe, as those assert who have written the wars of the Titans and Giants. These things, however, we shall hereafter discuss,
The words, however, external and internal, may be understood as follows : The confused and disordered tlux of bodies, at one time arises from the impo- tence of the reasons, [or productive principles participated by bodies,] and at another, from the inexhaustible avidity of matter. Reasons, however, are fami- liar and allied to producing causes ; but matter, through the indefiniteness of itself, and the remoteness of its diminution, is a stranger to its adorning causes. Hence, the invincible strength of the Gods, and the immutable guard of fabrication, all-variously subverting its confusion, renovates the reasons of matter, and reme- dies their imbecility; but vanquishes the avarice of matter. Not that matter resists the Gods who produced it, but that because on account of its indefiniteness it flies from ornament, it is vanquished by forms through the demiurgie guard, against which nothing is able to prevail. But itis necessary that all things in the world should be obedient to it, in order that they may perpetually remain, and that the Demiurgus may be the father of eternal natures.
“Soc. For we asserted, I think, that the souls of the guardians should be of sucha nature, as at the same time to be both irascible and philoso- phic in a remarkable degree; so that they might be mild to their friends, and severe to their enemies.”
The philosophic and the irascible comprehend both the genera, viz. the auxiliary, and that which is peculiarly called the guardian genus, just as the epithymetic accords with the third genus, which is called the mercenary. For because Socrates distinguishes the upper from the lower city, he manifests by these two-fold names the differences of the orders contained in the city ; just as if some one having divided the world into heaven and generation, should say that in the former there are dwmoniacal and divine orders, and should call both of them the guardians of generation and the universe. For the universe is suarded by the Gods, and it is also guarded by daemons. By the former indeed totally, unically, and exemptly ; but by the latter partially, multitudinously, and in a Manner more proximate to the natures that are guarded by them. For about every God a multitude of demons is arranged, which divides his one and total
Tim. Plat. Vou. I. Ὁ
54 PROCLUS ON THE ο΄ [RooK 1.
providence. The term philosophic, therefore, pertains to the Gods, so far as they are united to the intelligible, and so far as they are filled with being. But the irascible pertains to diemons, so far as they exterminate all confusion from the universe, and so far as they are the saviours of the divine laws, and of the sacred institutions of Adrastia. Through these causes, however, they are mild to their familiars, aptly applying a remedy to their imbecility, as being allied to them by nature, but severe to those that are external fi. e. to those that are strangers to them} as abolishing the indefiniteness of their nature, in an exempt manner, and
according to supreme transcendency.
“Soc. But what did we assert concerning their education ? Was it not that they should be instructed in gymnastic exercises, in music, and all other becoming disciplines?”