Commentary on the Timaeus of Plato

1 Instead ofrcXu-or io (his place, it is necessary to read rcXcrrucor. * Here also, fur rcXcior, read rcXrimror. Tim. Plat. VOL. II. 3 E 402 PROCLUS ON THE [BOOK r. vice versa, and this in a three-fold respect : viz. the extremes, of the midde ; or the first and second, of the last ; or the remaining two, of the first. Hence it is necessary that there should be so many differences ' at first, of the choice and life of the soul. As we have said however, one descent in each period is common to all these souls, lest, as he says, a certain soul should be allotted by the Demiurgus, a less portion of generation than another, being alone besides others, frequently coni|K-lled to descend. That which is in our power therefore, is in these souls mingled with necessity. For by how much the more partial free-will becomes, by so much the more is it diminished according to power. But in divine and damoniacal souls, the life is liberated, unrestrained, and easy, and exempt from all necessity. Hence souls make from themselves their first descent, and are led by Fate. And in these, the freedom of the will is more abundant, because destiny also is essential to souls. For if the law of Fate in them, leads them to the first generation, much more will this be effected by the law which is in the universe, and by the power of Fate.

Hut they make their first descent, or are disseminat ed about the visible (Joels, in order that they may have tlie>e as their saviours, in their wandering about generation, and that they may invoke them as their proper curators. Since however, not only animals are constituted on the eartli through souls of this kind, but likewise in the other elements ; nor man alone, for this is known to us, but other animals more divine indeed, yet at the same time, generat ed ; for that which lives for the shortest time, does not immediately subsist after eternal animals, but that which Ihes for a more extended period ; and it is neces sary that those rational animals which live for the longest time should exist prior to those that are most obnoxious to death ;— since this is the case, Plato compre hends all these in common, by saying, " it -a us mcasury that the most J>iuus of ani mals should be born" For this is adapted, as I may say, to all the participants of intellect, and to those animals that are capable of being converted to the (jods. But in v. hat follows, he speaks concerning the human nature.

'* Since however, the human nature is twofold, he showed them that the more excellent genus was that which would afterwards be called man.'* The human species indeed, has been already constituted, and every mortal nature, according to the demiurgic intellections; but the discourse dividing what has been constituted, first gives subsistence to that which is more excellent, and 1 For Jiafopax io this place, read £ia^op<u. HOOK >.] TIM^il S OF PLATO. 403 afterwards to th;\t \vhirh is subordinate in this species. For Plato knew that the male is more adapted than the female to the demiurgic intellect and the most di vine of principles, and is more allied to immutable and undefiled souls. Hence he leads souls in their first descent into men. Thus also in the Pha-drus, he leads the soul that knows most, into the generation of a man, and there likewise the second and third, and as far as to the soul of the ninth rank. What then, shall we say, it is impossible for souls that have recently arrived at perfection, to pass into women? , Or is it necessary that the soul that lives apocatastatically, should pass into the life of a man; or shall we say, that it may also lead a life of this kind, when it comes into the nature of a woman? But if we admit the former, and not the latter, how can we any longer .say, that the virtues of men and women are com mon ?

For if the latter never live cathartically, but the former frequently make apocatastatic lives, the virtues will be no longer common to them. To which may be added, the absurdity that Socrates having learned the mysteries of love from Diotima, should be elevated through her ' to the Ix'autiful itself; but that Diotima herself, who elevated him, and who surpassed in wisdom, .should not obtain the same form of life, because she was invested with the body of a uoman. But if we admit that women may live apocatastatically, it is absurd that souls should ascend from this nature, but by no means descend in to it from the intelligible. For >vhen they suffer a defluxion of their wings, they are nearer to a less excellent nature, than when they are winged, and the ascent is through the same things as the descent. This therefore, is also evident from history. For the Sibyll, when she proceeded into light, knew her own order, and manifested that bhe came from the Gods, by saying,

Between (lie (io<is and mm, a mean am I. Such therefore, are the necessary consequences from the things themselves. But Plato delivering the progression and diminution of life according to nature, first leads the soul into the generation of man, afterwards, into the generation of woman, and in the third place, into the brutal nature. For the soul descends from thu undented and pure form of life, into that form which is robust, and retains intellect, but is material. From this it descends into that form of life which is material, and at the same time imbecile, but is receptive of an in tellectual life. And from this form into that which is perfectly destitute of in tellect. Thus also in the Republic, delivering the diminutions of life, he pro duces the timocratic from the aristocratic form of life; from this, the oligarchic ; from the oligarchic, the democratic ; but from this the tyrannic. And it may be said that it is possible for the tyrannic to be generated from the timocratic, and a 1 For bC aw* litre, it it obviously necessary to read it' •in-ifr. PROCLUS ON THE [DOCK v. democracy from an aristocracy ; but Plato describes, a gradually subsiding mu tation of political concerns, and conformably to this be here lends souls descendin"- from the intelligible, into men. For lie makes from them an animal, which would afterwards lw> called uvr.p, man, receiving its appellation Jrom grandeur and ngor of nature ; according to which also, it is more adapted to souls that are now descending. And thus much may sullice, in answer to the before-men tioned doubt concerning the first descent of souls.

From these things therefore, we nviy collect as a corollary, that fabrication and this universe had not a temporal In-ginning. For if the universe was generated from a certain iM-ginnin-, it is also Decenary that the descent of souls should have taken place from a certain beginning, and that there should have been a first soul that descended. Hut the Deiuiurgus leads the lirst descent of each soul into the generation of man. Hence it is necessary that the descent which makes man, should not have been effected through woman, nor proceed into generation through this, the female not yet existing. Neither likewise, does the descent which makes man, impart a generation to woman, since in this case it would be possible Jor the female to be generated, not from the male and funalc, but from a certain male alone. If therefore, these things are impossible, it is impossible that the male and the female [should have had a temporal b.-mnin-.J1 Hut souls always descend into the male »euera, prior to the female, the former not' being generated from the latter., And the. speech of the l)emiururus is addressed to beings which are a!wa\s gene rated in the universe, and not to such as once received a temporal beginning. What then, it may be said, shall we assert of the male and the female? Are they not al>o in souls themselves, so that of these so-ne are of a virile, but others ot an effeminate nature \ And how can it be said, that this is not necessary !

For if these are in the (iods primarily, and in sensibles ultimately, it is also necessary that they should exist in the media. I -'or whence is the progression of them as far as to a sellable nature derived, except through the middle essence ? Farther still, if the Demiurgus by connecting each soul with a vehicle, produces a certain ani mal,1 it is entirely necessary that the difference of male and female in the soul should at the same time be apparent. For this is the division of animal. .Must we not therefore admit that these are in souls \ And how is it possible we should not, since they are assimilated to their leading (Jods \ For as they derive every other form from them, so likewise, they receive from them the peculiarity of the

1 In the original, there is riolhii)i> more than abutaruy ^nv e<m TO Oi;\«/, *ai TO a^xf, and something is> efideiitK Mauling. It aj-pt-ji-. to me therefore, that the addition of the word* TI\V \iioni:>)v ap^l* t\fv, 's iiei'i"»ary. * Mi) is oruitteii beie, in lUr original. ' Instead of TI ^urj* litre, it is obviously necessary to read n £vor. male and the iVmalo. In their generation also, virile and effeminate souls are divided according to the genera of the animals which an: here. But as they change the species' of life, so likewise they change these powers, WHIM- of them being rendered more clleminate, 1ml others descending into a more robust and vigorous form ol'life. For that which has the form of bound in this sensible region, is more infinite than the infinite which is there [i. e. in souls prior to their descent]; so that the lapse will he entirely into that which is less excellent. The lapse, howevrr. to that which is less ex( ellent, is at one time, to that which is nearer to ihe more excellent, and at another, to that which is more remote from it, but is analogous to what is there arranged. Thus also it is said, that a Lunar soul descended into the nature of man, in becoming the soul of Mnsa-us, and that an Apolloniacal soul became the soul of the .Sibyl. The fable of Aristophanes likewise, in the Hairnet, manifests that souls an; divided according to the male and female, and that which is common from these [or that which is of the common gender]. It is also evident, that masculine souls do not entirely proceed into the generation of men, nor feminine into the generation of women, by Tiiim-tw sayin", that every soul makes its f.rst descent into men; and that this is natural to ^"'because in females, the cause is comprehended, as we have before observed, of the male in animals.

« And as souls arc from necessity implanted in bodies, and one thing accedes to, but another departs Iroin, these bodies." Souls while they abide on l.i-h with the father, and are tilled with intelligence, from intellectual natures, are not at all in want of the mortal-formed hie. lor they use immaterial, pure, and starry-form organs, revolve together with the Gods and Uovern in conjunction with them the whole world. Hut when they descend mto Generation, become connected with a nvatcrial body, and are allotted an inrtuxive and etlluxive nature, the colligation of the mortal life, «hirl, derives Us subsistence from souls themselves, becomes necessary, because souls antecedently compre hend the summits of this' life in the spirit. For this which is the principle of sense derives its subsistence both from souls themselves' and from the junior Gods' From souls indeed. Ix-eaus, they have dominion over the whole ol the irrational life, which they likewi.se adorn; but they would neither gov 1 For rjS/ IKTC, rc;ul r^n- ' For uvrur here, it i» nccc««ry to lead UIT»J«. > ,„ lhe or*,.* .I- word, «. -.p. r-r ^ are ountted, but from wh.t .nmcd.ately foil w,, ,« , evident they ought to be inserted.

406 PROCLUS ON THE [BOOK v. adorn it, unless they were causally the leaders of its essence. But it also derives its subsistence from the Gods, because parts energize together with wholes, and fecundity is present with partial souls, through a co-arrangement with wholes. If therefore, when souls were implanted in bodies, then the junior Gods produced the mortal life, and made another mortal animal, it follows, that the animation of the material body is one thing, whether it subsists in simple vestments, or in such as are composite and testaceous,1 and the animation in the vehicle of the soul another. And the latter indeed, being immortal, the Demiurgus constitutes, but the former, which is mortal from the beginning, derives its subsistence from the junior Gods, because it is inseparable from material bodies. The peculiar life also of the vehicle diners from the rest, in the same manner as the immortal from the mortal-formed life. But tire life which subsists in simple vestments, difl'ers from the life in the composite body, In-cause the latter follows the temj>erament of the body, but the former may be disciplined, and is able to predominate, over the corporeal temperaments. The vehicles therefore are triple:' for they are either simple1 and immaterial; or simple and material; or composite and material. Of these also the lives are three; the first, immortal; the second, more lasting than the body ; and the third, perishing with the body. And thus much for this particular. But the word iinpUnittil, manifests genesiurgic semination, together with at the same time signifying that the form of life is self-perfect ; just as a plant is ingrafted into another nature. The addition also of the words from necessity, manifest that the semination is material, but not divine and celestial.

' He declared to them that in the first place, one connascent sense", pro duced l>y violent passions, was necessary to all ; in the second place, love mingled with pleasure and pain ; and in addition to this, fear and anger, and such other things as are either consequent to these, or naturally dis cordant from being of a contrary nature." The Demiurgus comprehended all the material and mortal-formed life in three boundaries, and inserted the causes of this in souls, in order that they might rule over and subdue it. Tor dominion is not derived from any other source than essential precedency. The irrational life therefore, subsists intellectually in the Demiurgus, but rationally in souls. Nor is this at all wonderful, since body sub- 1 Instead of avrpt'irt,* here, it it necessary to read oorpt'irot. * For rpira here, read rptwXa. 1 lustead of arXoi in this place, it is obviously necessary to read av\ovr. v.] TIM;KUS OF PLATO. sisLs incorporeally in the intclli-ible causes of all things. What else however, can we say that each of these powers is, tU'.i a corporeal-formed and material1 life, which is gnostic of things that fall on it externally, produces this knowledge through organs, is not dependant on itself, hut on the things which it uses, is mingled with material masses, and knows that which it knows accompanied with passion ? For not every passion which is produced in the animal, imparts to us a sensation of itself, but that which effects much agitation, as Socrates says in the Philebus.

For it is necessary that a Certain agitation should \tc produced about the sensoria. For neither are all the motions in the soul distributed as far as to the body, but there are some, such as the intellectual, which pertain to the soul itself1 by itself. ?s'or do all the motions about the body extend as far as to the soul, but then- are some which through their obscurity, are unable to move the soul. Sense therefore is produced, not from all passions, but from those that are violent, which cause much agitation. And the mortal-formed sense indeed is par tible, is mingled with passions in its decisions, and is material. But there is a.iotlitr sense prior to this, in the vehicle of the soul, which is, as with reference to this, immaterial and pure, and an impassive knowledge itself subsisting by itself, yet not liberated fro 11 morphe; because it also is corporeal-formed, as being allotted its hypostasis iit body. And this sense indeed, has the same iii'.turewith the phantasy. For one essence is common to both ; yet externally proceed ing, it is called sense ; but remaining within, and beholding morplr.r and figures in the spirit, it is denominated the phantasy. So far likewise, as it is divided about the spirit, it is sense. Farther still, opinion indeed, is the basis of the rational life, but the phantasy is the summit of the second [or irrational] life.

And opinion and the phantasy are conjoined to (Mich other, and the irrational is filled with powers from the more excellent life. Hut the middle of the irrational life is unreceptive of suj)ornal forms, but is alone receptive of such as are exter nally situated. And at the same time, it is common, and knows that which is sensible passively. But the material sense is alone perceptive of things which fall on it externally, and move it, not !x>ing able to retain the sj>cctacle* in itself, in consequence of being partible, and not one. For it is divided about the sensoria. The impassive therefore and common sense is one thing ; the sense which is common but passive another; and that which is distributed and passive another. And the fir>t of these indeed, pertains to the first vehicle ; the second, pertains t<x the irrational life ; and the third, to the animation of the body.

1 For tt-vlpov here, it i» Decenary lo re«J t*ir\ov. ' For HITCH* litre, read avrrji. FKOCLUS ON THE [BOOK v. After sense, however, Plato arranges tit-sire.1 But this is life indeed, and cor poreal-formed, always reweaving the body, and alleviating its wants; about which also, pleasure and pain are surveyed. For these passions are likewise present with the other parts of the soul. Tor both in reason, and in anger, you may assume pleasures and pains. Corporeal pain and pleasure, however, are generated according to desire. For of the body the path to that which is preternatural, and the privation of life, produce pain; but the return to that which is conformable to nature, and the adaptation to life, produce pleasure. And that which in these passions is assuaged, or exhilarated,' is the t'/iit/n/iHclic part. Since however, these two passions are primordial, and the fountains of the other passions, as IMato says in Ihe Thili bus, and in the Laws, hence through the mixture of these, he gives a generation to the other pa-sio us, and denominates love a mixture of plea sure anil pain. For love pertains to all things. And so far indeed as the object of love is in its view, love is accompanied with pleasure; but so far as it is not yet present with it in energy, lo\e is mingled with pain. IMato also characterizes the whole life of desire through love, because this passion is most vehement

In the third place therefore, he enumerates anger. Hut anger is a life, removing every thing which pains and disturbs the body ; on which account also the fear of the corruption of the body disturbs it. Excess however, and deficiency are surveyed about it, such as audacity and timidity, and the attendants on these, ambition, contention, and all such effects as are produced from astonishment' about mortal concerns ; the superior soul employing this life, in order to the motion of the body. And these three genesiur^ic powers indeed, have the follow ing order. The body, as soon as it is born, according to the progression of ge neration, participates of sense. For it would not be an animal, nor would it possess appetite, unless it were generated sensitive. For appetites inde-'d, are accompanied with sense, but senses4 are not entirely accompanied with appe tites. Hence, the animal is in a greater degree characterized by the sensitive, than » by the orcctic. But after the participation of sense, the body apfx-ars to • Dttirc is admirably defined by I lie Pythagoreans to be a certain tendency, impulse and appetite of the soul, in order to be tilled with sunietliiiii;, <-r to enjoy something present, or to be disposed accord ing to some sensitive energy ; ><r of the evaluation and absence, and nnii-perception of certain things. See my trau-lalion of lainhliclm*' Lifeof I'jlliajjoran, p. 140.

1 Instead of .Su^o^no*- in this place, it appears to me to be requisite to read liatrxvfitror. J For iruiuv here, it is necessary to read *rc«if. * The \\oids u( ?< a,at)>iatn are wanting in the ojigiual, but ought evidently to be inserted. 5 Instead of IK ry cpco-ity in this place, it is necessary to read it ry ojXkTuy. ""OK v.l TIM/EUS OF PLATO. ioy he pleased and pained. And it is contracted indeed, by the external cold, but refreshed by the swaddling bands, and led to a condition conformable to nature. But after desire, as an increase of years accedes, it exerts the passion of anirer. For anger is now the power of a more robust and vigorous nature. Hence also • of irrational animals, such as are more material, live according to desire alone, and participate of pleasure and pain ; but such as are more perfect, are. allotted a more irascible life. Prior however to these appetites, as we June said respecting sense, there is a certain summit of them in the pneuma or spirit of the soul. And this summit is a certain impulsive power, which is motive indeed of the spirit, but guards and connectedly contains the essence of it ; at one time bein"- extended, and distributing itself into parts ; but at another, being led to bound and order, and regidated by reason.

" And that such souls as subdue these would live justly, but such as are vanquished by them, unjustly." How therefore can souls subdue these corporeal lives, except by possessing the causes of (hem ? For through these they render them more concordant [with rea son]. For every thing which naturally has dominion over the passions, contains in itself the reason [or productive principle] of them; in order that by lookiii" to this, it may define the measures of their motions. Thus the anger in the breast was suppressed by Ulysses; for it had been already disciplined by him. But the soul also adorns external anger, in order lh;;t its motion may be just. If however this inward anger in him had committed itself to passion and material motion, it would have entirely corrupted the other well-ordered disposition of his soul. Hence when souls subdue material passions, and adorn their inward lives, they live justly; but when they are subdued by them they imperceptibly fall into injus tice. For following the immoderate appetites of the body, their powers become inordinate, and unadorned, and are extended about generation, in a greater de gree than is lit. But how do they at one time follow justice, and at another not ? For it was before said of them, " Of lliose that arc always Killing to follow justice and you."1 May it not be said, that they are always indeed willing to follow jus tice and the Gods, but that they do not always follow them, for the reasons as signed in the Gorgias, which distinguish true will from the opinion which is governed by appearances? Or may it not be said, that souls follow justice and

' For YI(HV litre, read v^iir. Tim. Plat. VOL. II. .IF 4ie PROCLUS ON THE [BOOK v. the Gods, in consequence of a divine nature presiding in them? For lie who wishes that which id good, wishes to follow justice. For this is what was said in ilu» Ix-fore cited passage, viz. " that a divine nature has dominion in those tlittt are alu-ayswiillHg to follow justice and I lit Gods." For tlie divine part of us naturally followsjustice; but the irrational forms of life follow the divine nature which is in us. "That he also who lived well during the proper time [of his abode on the earth I a^ain proceeding to the habitation of his kindred star, should enjoy a happy lite." Again, these things are likewise effected by souls themselves. For being self-motive, they arrange themselves in an appropriate place. But they are also effected by Fate. For this power defines the appropriate allotments of each soul, and coadapts them to the proper forms of life. And in the third place, they are effected by the Cods, who dispose in an orderly manner the parts of the universe. For t!iey distribute to all things that which is according to desert; and on this account it is said, that Justice proceeding to the universe from the middle sphere of the Sun governs all tilings according to rectitude. As in wholes, however, Justice following Jupiter, is the avenger of ihose that des.-rt the divine law, thus also, the energy of Justice about souls, adorns tlio>e that forget the laws of Fate, and exchange for a more excellent, a subordinate life. And thus much in common as to these particulars.

But what is the proper time, what the kindred slur, and what the happy life ? The proper time therefore, is such as that which I'lato defines in the Plia-drus, to the souls which are circularly led rrom hence, after the first generation, viz. a thousand years, or some other period of this kind. For as this time pertains to those that choose a philosophic life, so another period more or le.>s extended, is adapted to those that make a diflercnt choice, this time not subsisting monadically, but being defined according to the form of life. Hut the kindred star, is that about which the di>tribulion of .souls and their vehicles is made. So that if there are some souls, which from the lh>t, have their allotment about theearth, these after the first life, follow ing Justice, and the Cods, will return to the ethereal vehicle o*'the whole earth, relinquishing the terrestrial bulk. And in this establishing themselves, and the oru:an connascent with tln-m, [i. e. their ethe real vehicle,] they will themselves be tilled willi intellectual life, but will till their vehicles with divine light, and demiurgic power. If also, there are certain souls that proceed about the Sun, these returning to their wholeness, will together with it dispose wholes in an orderly manner, being allotted through a co-ordination

HOOK v.] TIM.EUS Or PLATO. with it, a po\vrr of such a kind, as not to depart from the intellection of them selves, in their pro\ idential attention to the universe. And f/ic happy life, is that life which is defined according to the peculiarity of the leading powers. For these are in the order of demons, having partial souls in their possession, and elevating them to the intelligible, in the same manner as the leaders of tin- liberated Gods. Ileneealso, Plato elsew here, calls these souls happy, as being suspended from these leaders \vho are haj)py (s-joa^uovmi/ ovrn»v), i. c. who are lieneficent da-mons. For every where, that which is proximately established above the nature which is thought deserving: of its pro\idential care, has the order of a beneficent dit-mon with respect to it. It is requisite also to survey the uninterrupted connexion of the theorems. For Plato constituted souls from the demiurgic and \ivil\c cause, and after their gene ration, arranged different partial, under dinVrent divine souls, making the pro gression and distribution of them to be supermundane. After these divine .souls also, lie introduces partial souls into the universe, gives them vehicles, and dis tributes them about the stars. In tin- next place, he leads them into generation, and imparts to them the mortal form of life ; and after these thiu-s, divides the lives of them, and distributes allotments adapted to their lives. For the progres sion to them, is from supermundane natures into the world ;

but their descent from total life, is into generation. IN'ow therefore, since he speaks of souls that are restun d to their kindred star, after their first generation, and says, that leaving the body they obtain a happy life, how can we show that these things accord with what is asserted in the Pha-drus ? For there he who chooses a philosophic life, is restored to his pristine perfection, through three lives. Or may we not say that the allotment which is here deliver* d, is not into that from whence each soul ori ginally came; for that is effected through three periods, each of which consists of a thousand years ; but is a return to the star, under which it was essentially arranged, and in conjunction with which, it possesses a common life? For it is possible for souls that have not led a philosophic life, to be elevated by Justice to a certain place in the heavens, and there to receive the reward of the life which they passed in the human form. For this i» asserted in the Piia-drus of the souls of those that are not philosophers. For the apocatastasis into the same situation again, is one thing, but the ascent to the kindred star another. For the former requires three periods ; but the latter may be effected through one jx-riod. And the former elevates the soul to the intelligible, from whence it descended ; but the latter leads it to a subordinate form of life. For there are different1 measures of felicity, and the return is two-fold, one of ascending souls, but the other, of

1 The word £<af>opa is omitted liere in the original. those that have ascended. So that it is possible for the soul that arrives at its kindred star, either to.be co-arranged with the mundane powers of its (Jod, or to proceed still higher. Its reeurreney however, to the intelligible itself, requires a |>eriod of three thousand years. For through this, the highest winged condition is effected. " But that he whose conduct was depraved, should in the second gene- t ration, be changed into the nature of a woman." We have liefore observed, that Plato does not call the semination of souls the first generation, but the one descent from the intelligible, common to all partial souls. lie calls therefore, the second descent, the second generation, and makes the second descent to be, into the nature of a woman ; just as the third is into the brutal nature, indicating by this, the well-ordered diminution of life. Tims also in the Pha-drus, he denominates all the lives successively after the first generation, conformably to the second lives. "That both these, at the expiration of a thousand years, should return to the allotment and choice1 of a second life ; each soul receiving a life conformable to its choice. And that in this election, the human soul should pass into the life of a brute."

Plato here exhibits another order of life, and leads the soul from a more pow erful to a more imbecile nature, and from an intellectual life, to one deprived of intellect. For why is it necessary that the soul should not descend from the first generation into the nature of a woman ? For if the female genus subsisted through an aberration from the male, it would U; necessary that souls recently perfected, should begin from that which is according to nature [i. e. should In-gin from the male only]; since that which is preternatural is every where posterior and adven titious. But since the female nature is also in the Gods, what should prevent souls, in this respect imitating their proper leaders, from not only choosing lives adapted to them,1 but also the nature of animals allied to them ? It is not how ever wonderful, that alternations should take place, as we before observed. For that the male and the female not onlv subsist in mortal natures, but also in the 1 For mOiy litre, read aiptoiv. ' Instead of avrrjt Lere, it is necessary to read ai/ro<f. nooKv.J TIM/EUS OF PLATO. 413 impartible1 lives themselves of Minis, maybe inferred by again recollecting what was before asseited, v i/. that these sexual differences are both in the natures prior, and posterior to partial souls. It is not proper however, to be incredulous, if in total souls, the vehicles are connascently conjoined to them, but in partial souls, they are sometimes conjoined, and sometimes not.

For in the former the colligation is essential, but in the latter, is the efleet of deliberate choice. Hence in the former, the division of the vehicles is annexed. to the essence of the souls, but in the latter, to the differences of their choice. And this may be inferred from what is asserted in the Banquet, in the fable of Aristophanes. For there, as we have before observed, the divisions of souls according to these vehicles, and the alternations of choice in these, about the mortal life, are clearly delivered. If therefore, you understand in what is said, that the nature of woman is immediately implied, I should thus interpret the words. But if every form of life, which is im becile, effeminate, and verging to generation, is symbolically signified through woman, as some prior to us, and these no casual persons, have thought, the words will not at all require such a solution as the above. But you may adopt either of these explications; though at the same time, it must be observed, that Plato stu diously conceals many things through symbols. Whichever of these solutions therefore is adopted, it is evident that the soul in its first descent, is not implanted in the female nature.

From this also, I assume that according to Tima-us, the soul, man, and in short the universe, are unbeirotten. For if the soul was generated, and descended at a certain time into the first generation, it would impart the life of a man. But this man being entirely generated, would be generated from a female; and this female would have a soul, which is either the first that has descended ; and if this be the case, the assertion of Tima-us is false, who leads the soul in its first descent into the male; or it is not the first, and prior to this fi-niale, it is neces sary that the soul of a male should have generated the soul which is in it. But again this male must have been generated a nude from a female; or if this is not admitted, its existence must be from chance. If however this l>e the case, it will be in vain, a female not existing, from which and in which, the male mav gene rate.- This female likewise, in the same manner as the male, must either be from chance, and have a soul which is the first that descended, and was gen. rated with it; or must be generated from the male. But this is impossible. Hence, neither of these was once generated, nor does the soul, and much less does thte universe, pertain to generated natures.

' Instead of fttptirrtui £wau m tins place, it if necessary to read a/irpirrau ~«a... PROCLUS ON THE [BOOK r. " And tliat in case vice should not even then cease in these, but should remain according to a similitude of the mode of gene.ation, then the soul should always be changed into a brutal nature correspondent to its disposition." It is usual to investigate what the descent of souls into irrational animals, must be said to be. And some- indeed think, that what are call, d brutal lives, are assimilations of men to brutes. For it is not possible that a rational essence shonhi heroine the soul of a brute. Hut others admit, that it may he immediately introduced into irrational animals. Fur they say that all souls are of a similar form, so that they may become wolves and leopards, and the marine fishes called jmeumones. The true answer however to the inquiry is this, that the human sou! may ent.-r into brutes, but so as to possess its proper life, the inserted soul riding as it were on, ami being bound by sympathy, to the brutal nature. And this indeed, is demonstrated by us through many arguments, in our Commentaries on thePha-drus; in \\hieh we have also shown that this is the only mode of inser tion. If therefore it be requisite to remind the reader that this doctrine is Platonic, it may also IK- observed that in the Republic, the soul of Thersites is .said to have been invited with \\wnature, and not the body, of an ape;

and in the Pha-drus, the soul is said to dex-end into a brutal I iff, but not into a brutal botly. For the life is in conjunction with the proper soul. And here, Tima-us says, that the soul is changed into a brutal ,utnrc. For the brutal nature is not the brutal body, but the life of the hrute. And this, as we ha\e said, may be assumed from our "Commentaries on the Pha-drus. Hut that it is impo.s>ible lor a recently perfected soul to become the soul of a brute, we may recollect from this, that brutality is something beyo.-d all human vice, as Aristotle also says. Hence, it is necessary first to have human vice, and thus afterwards the vice adapted to brutes. For it is not possible from the most contrary forms of life to have their perfect contraries. Hence Tima-us says, " And in ane vice should not even then cease in these," by then sonifying in the descent into women ; according to which mode of descent, becoming depraved, they are changed into a brutal nature of this kind. Tor from the first and more intellectual' forms of life, the more irrational are produced through diminution ; from the fo.ms that are more remote from habitude, those that subsist MI habitude ; and the more imbecile, from the more robust. Since however, vice is multiform, the brutal nature may be survey-

1 I or fiurrpw bere, it is necessary to read t-otpvrtpuv. B<'U* v.] TiM/EUS 01- PLATO. 4|5. ed in each ; and on account of this, the soul may be connected with similar animals, as Plato shows in the Pha-do. For the brutal1 nature in injustice, renders men wolves ; in timidity sta^s ; and in gluttony asses. For each of these entirely possesses a certain transcendency, which departs from human depravity '* And that it should not be freed from the allotment of labours, till following the revolution of that same and similar nature contained in its essence, it vanquishes those abundantly turbulent passions, tumultuous and irrational, adhering to it externally1 afterwards from fire, water, air, and earth, and returns to the form of its first, and most excellent habit." The one salvation of the soul herself, which is extended by the Demiur^us, and which liberates her from the circle of generation, from abundant wandering, and an inefficacious life, is her return to the intellectual form, and a flight from every thing which naturally adheres to us from generation. For it is necessary that the soul which is hurled like seed into the realms of generation, should lay aside the stubble and hark, as it were, which she obtained from being disseminated into these fluctuating realms; and that purifying herself from every thins circum jacent, she should become an intellectual tlower and fruit, delighting in an intel lectual lile, instead of doxastic nutriment, and pursuing the uniform IMK!

simple energy of the period of sameness, instead of the abundantly wandering motion of the period which is characterized by dilierence. F\>r she contains each of these circles, and two-fold powers. And of her horses one is good, hut the other the contrary. And one of these leads her to generation, but the other from genera tion to true being. The one also leads her round the genesiurgic, but the other round the intellectual circle. For the period of the same and the similar, elevates to intellect, and an intelligible nature, and to the first and most excellent habit. But this habit is that according to which the soul being winged, governs the whole world, becoming assimilated to the Gods themselves. And this is the universal form of life in the soul, just as that is the partial form, when she falls into the last body, and Incomes something belonging to an individual, instead of belonging to the universe. The middle of these also, is the partial

1 Instead of Orwpta here, it is necessary to read Orjptulta. • Jn all the printed editions of the Tin,™,, t|le word ci«(W is wanting in this place. For it is evident from the Commentary of Proclus, that it ought to be inserted. Hence, inMead of ror «XAV, (legc iroW) oxAor, «cu u<rr^r wpoa^rTo, K. \. we must read, ror »oA*x o&or, ,4*0,, ,«, *<*<(*,* *pof<f>vrra, t, \. 416 PilOCLUS ON THE [BOOK v. universal, when slie lives in conjunction with her middle vehicle, as a citizen of generation. Dismissing tlierefore, her first 'habit which subsists according to an alliance to the whole of generation, and, laying aside the irrational nature which connects her with generation, likewise governing her irrational part by reason, and extending opinion to intellect, she will IK.' circularly led to a happy life, from the wanderings about the regions of sen*e ; which life those that are initiated by Orpheus in the mysteries of Hacchus and Proserpine, pray that they may obtain, together with the allotments of the sphere, and a cessation1 of evil. But if our soul necessarily lives well, when living according to the circle of sameness, much more must this be the case with divine souls. It is, however, possible lor our soul to live according to the circle of sameness, when purified, as Plato says. Cathartic virtue, therefore, alone must IM? called the salvation of souls; since this cuts oil', and vehemently obliterates material natures, and the passions which adhere to us from generation;

separates the soul and leads it to intellect ; and causes it to leave on earth the vehicles with which it is invested. For souls in descending, receive from the elements different Vehicles, aerial, aquatic, and terrestrial; and thus at last enter into this! gross bulk. For how, without a medium, could they proceed into this body from immaterial spirits? Hence before they come into this body, they possess the irrational life, and its vehicle, which is prepared from the simple elements, and from these they become invested with tumuli, [or the genesiurgic body,] which is so called as bein-forei-n to the connate vehicle of souls, and as composed of all-various vest-

inents, and causing souls to become heavy. The word adhering likewise, manifests the external circumposition of a vehicle of such a kind as that of which he is speaking, and the colligation to the one nature contained in it; after which this last body, consisting of things dissimilar and multiform, is suspended from souls. For how is it possible, that the descent should l>e [immediately] from a life which governs the whole world, to the most partial form of life ? For this particular and indivisible outward man cannot be connected with the universe, but a prior descent into a medium between the two, is entirely necessary ; which medium is not a certain aniiMa!, but the supplier of many lives. For the descent does not directly produce the life of a certain man, but prior to this and prior to the generation of an individual, it produces the life of universal' man. And as the lapse is from that which is incorporeal into body, and a life with body, according to which the soul lives in conjunction with iis 1 For amirfvout here, it u necessary to read avavavoai. * It appear* lo me, iliat tbe word taOoXuuv i» hrre wanting.

celestial vehicle; so from this, the descent is into a gcnesiurgic body, according to which the soul is in generation ; and from this, into a terrestrial body, according to which, it lives with the testaceous body. Hence, before it is surrounded with this last body, it is invested with a body which connects it with all generation. And on this account, it then leaves this body, when it leaves generation. But if this be tincase, it then received it, when it came into generation. It came however, into gene ration, prior to its lapse into this last body. Hence prior to this last body it received that vehicle, and Detains the latter after the dissolution of the former. It lives there fore, in this vehicle through the whole of the genesinrgic [x-riod. On this account, Plato calls the adhering tumult, the irrational ' form of life in this vehicle; and not that which adheres to the soul in each of its incarnations, as being that which circularly invests it from the first. The connascent vehicle therefore, makes the soul to be mundane; the second vehicle, causes it to be a citizen of generation ; anil the testaceous vehicle makes it to be terrestrial. And as tin? life of souls is to the whole' of generation,* and the whole of generation to the world, so are vehicles to each other. With respect to the circumposition also of the vehicles, one is perpetual, and always mundane ;

another is prior to this outward body, and posterior to it ; for it is both prior to, and subsists posterior to it, in genera tion ; and a third is then only, when it lives a certain partial life on the earth. Plato therefore, by using the term adhering, and by suspending the irrational nature from the soul, according to all its lives, distinguishes this irrational nature from this outward body, and the peculiar life of it. lint by adding the words citfrnalty, and aftcnctirds, he distinguishes it from the connascent vehicle in which the Deriyurgns made it to descend. Hence, this vehicle which causes the soul to be a citi/.en of generation, is a medium between both.

Timajus therefore, knew the vehicle of the irrrational life, which adheres to us prior to this outward body. For that this irrational and tumultuous crowd, which adheres to us, from lire, earth, air, and water, does not pertain to the first vehicle, is evident. For again, this must l>e urged, in consequence of some of the inter preters not fathoming the depth of the theory of Plato concerning the psychical vehicles. Hence, some of them destroying the [first] vehicle are complied to make the soul to be sometimes out of all body. But others preserving it, are forced to immortalize the vehicle of the irrational life ; neither of them separating 1 For \ofov here, it is necessary to r»ad aXoyo*. 1 The original, which is evidently corrupt and defective in thi* place, u, tat wi c^fi fx-i" *pot ri)f yerrinv V\TJ»-. Instead of whitb, I read, cai wi cx'« 1 £•"» ^mc*"" »P°« T1" r**™11' o^l"- Tim. Plat. You II. 3 G 418 PROCLUS ON THE [BOOK v. the connate from the adherent vehicle, the prior from the posterior, and that which was fashioned by the one Demiurgiw, from that which was woven to the soul by the many Demiurgi, though these are clearly distinguished l>y Plato. It is evi dent therefore, that this irrational crowd is not in the connate vehicle of the soul, into which the Dcmiiirgus caused the soul to ascend, for Plato clearly says, that 11 it adhered to the soul afterwards" It is likewise manifest, that neither is it the life in the testaceous body.

For if it were, how is it that he says, that the soul in changing it* bodies, will not l,e freed from the allotment of labours, till it subdues the tumultuous and irrational crowd, which afterwards adhered to it ? lie savs therefore, that the soul exchanges one life for another, and that the irrational crowd adhered to, but is not connate with it. For this woidd be to change that which is appropriate and allied to it. Hence, in each of the lives of the soul, there is not a tr.utation of the irrational life, as there is of bodies. This life there fore, is dillerent from the ctitelfc/tcin, which is one in each body, and inseparable from it. For the one is 'nherent, descending with us into the realms of genera tion ; but the other is changed together with bodies, from which it is inseparable. Hence, Tima'iis knew, that the irrational life is dillerent from the life of the first vehicle, and from the life of the last body. It is different from the former, because he calls it posterior, and from the latter, In-cause it is not changed in conjunction with the outward body. For it is necessary that the soul should subdue it, when it is present with it. For the soul is separated from the entcUc/iein of the, body, and changing its bodies between the life of the ethereal vehicle, and the life of the testaceous body, it accomplishes the genesiurgic period.

It is however, disturbed by the irrational life. But to the rejection of such vehicles as these, which are mentioned by Plato, who particularly names each of the elements, the philoso phic life indeed, as he says, contributes ; but in my opinion, the telestic art is most efficacious for this purpose ; through divine tire obliterating all the stains arisiii"- from generation, as the Oracles teach us, and likewise every thing foreign, which the spirit and the irrational nature of the soul have attracted to themselves.

\ ' But having legislatively promulgated [oi*5ur[j.o3!Trl<r*i] all these tilings to souls, in order that he might not be the cause of the future depravity of each." In what is here said, Plato gives completion to the doctrine of the first fabrica tion, but is established at the In-ginning of the second ; preserving indeed the former, liberated, monadic, exempt, umlefiled, and unmingled with subordinate natures ; hut suspending the latter from it, and delivering all the measures, the arrangement, and the boundaries of production, as the consequence of the latter, In ing perfected and governed by, and receiving all these, from the former. Such therefore, is the scojie of the proposed words. Directing our attention how ever, to the demiurgic sacred law, we must not say, that it resembles the law of a city, which a human legislator establishes, as energizing only according to exist ence. For the demiurgic will precedes the energy which is alone established in existence, for in a subsistence according to being ;] and in short, it is not lawful to consider human as the same with divine concerns. For the former, though they are sometimes assimilated to a divine nature, yet are partibly assimilated, so as in one respect to imitate the stability, in another the efficacy, and in another the perfective power, of divine natures. Nor must we admit, that a sacred law of this kind is ambiguous ; as for instance, that if some one should make tlicae things,

those will follow, but if not, the opposites to these, will IK- the result, according to a dissimilar' intellection. For the father of wholes causally comprehends in himself, all effects ; not apprehending them by indefinite, but by stable genera uniformly, and perceiving generated natures in an unbegotten manner, things con tingent necessarily, and partibles impart ibly. For time and place, were generated together with the universe. The Demiurgus therefore, of the universe, estab lished in himself the principles of all things, without time, and without interval. Hence, it is necessary to admit, that the demiurgic thcsmos, is the intellectual order, contained in the divine thcsmo*, which pervades through all things, is present with all things without impediment, and guards all things with purity. For I think that ihcxmos possesses something more than law, so far as deity also is more excellent than intellect. For we say that law is the distribution of intel lect, but tlicstiios, divine order, and a uniform boundary. And thus much as to these particulars. Proceeding however, to the words of the text, in the first place we shall demonstrate that IMato comprehends all the laws of Fate through the dccad ; because the decad also is connate with the demiurgic cause. For such goods as the Demiurgus imparts to the world, end in this number, all~uf them being ten. For the decad is mundane, as the I'ylhagoric hymn says ; which calls it the uni versal recipient, ancient and venerable, placing bound about all things, and which is denominated the immutable and unwearied decad. All the above-mentioned laws of Fate therefore pertaining to souls are ten. For it is necessary that souls

1 Instead of oiwxoi iicrc, it is necessary to ivad, am/ioior. 420 PROCLUS ON THE [BOOK v. should be disseminated ;that there should be one common descent to nil of them in each j>eriod ; that the soul descending in the first generation, should descend into a pious animal ; that the soul descending info the human nature, should first pass into the seed of man ; that the soul which is in body, should produce partible and material lives; that the soul which vanquishes the material life, should be just, but the soul which is vanquished by it, unjust; that the just soul should return to its kindred star ; that the offending soul, should again descend in the second genera tion, into the nature of woman ; that the soul which was in the second generation, should in the third descent, pass into the nature of a brute; and in the last place, the tenth is the demiurgic law, which is the one saviour of the soul, l>eing the life which elevates it to the period of the same and the similar, and causes the circle of its wandering in generation, to cease. All the above-mentioned laws there fore, are comprehended in the decad, because the 1'ythagoreans consider the decad as adapted to the Demiurgus, and to Fate. And these laws are dissemi nated in souls, in order that they may lead themselves; since the Gods wish to rule over self-motive natures, as self-motive ;

and likewise in order, that they may be to themselves the causes of the evils which may afterwards be fa I them, and not the Demiurgus. For unless they antecedently comprehended the laws of Fate, if indeed, they were always superior to Fate, they would not descend into genera tion ; but if they are sometimes to be under its dominion, how could they be accused of deviations from rectitude, when they had not previously learned the punishment ordained for such deviations ! In order therefore, that the Demiurgus might not IK.- accused as the author of the guilt of souls, he established in their essences the laws of Fate.

Hence, the nature of evils must not In? referred to dninity : for it is here said, that the maker of the whole world, is not the cause of them. And not only is this asserted of the Demiurgus in this place, but in the Republic also, the prop!iet who proclaims the decree of Laehe.sis says, " that the electing soul is the cause [of l lie ceil which may befal it] but (iud is blameless? So that divinity is neither the antecedent cause, nor at all the cause, of evils, but is blameless. For as it was said prior to this, divinity was willing that depravity should, as much as possible, have no existence. Kvil therefore, must not be referred to a divine nature, nor must it be said, that it is without a principle. For if it is without a principle, it will be unadorned and indefinite, and \\ill injure the whole fabrication of things. For what will be able to adorn it, if it has no principle in beings ? Nor must a principle be given to it, but this total. For nothing that ranks as a whole, is re ceptive of evil. But all vt holes perpetually preserve the same nature, undefiJed, and free from evil. Hence, it is evident that evil subsists from a partial principle.

HOOK v.] TIM/HUS OF PLATO. 421 And after what manner does it subsist from this ? Shall we say, according to a prccedaneous liypostasis ? By no means. For things which thus subsist are bounded, and liave an end, and are according to nature to their generator. Evil therefore, is implanted in souls according to parypostasis, or a deviation from sub sistence, eitherthrou^h a privation of symmetry, or through commixture, or in some other way. And Plato knowing this says, " in order that the Dcmiurgus might not be the cause of the future depravity of each." For the term future, manifests the liypostasis of depravity to be adventitious, foreign, and externally implanted. But what is the legislative promulgation ? For evils have prior to this been discussed. May we not say, that it signifies the one comprehension in the Demiurgus of all the laws of Fate ? For thesmos is comprehensive of all laws. And the thesmon indeed in Adrastia comprehends the Saturnian and Joviau laws, and also the laws of Fate ; but the ihcmns in the Demiurgus, both comprehends, and gives subsistence to, mundane natures. The promulgation however with the addition* [of the words, " all these things to .VOM/.V,"] signifies that the dominion of this thcsmos is extended with all things, and that its providential inspection pervades to the last of things.

" lie disseminated some of them into tlic earth, others into the moon, and others into the other instruments of time. It must not be supposed that this semination of souls was effected casually. For where in things which subsist perpetually with invariable sameness is it pos sible that the indefinite should intervene? Nor must it be thought to be a mere distribution of the generator. For the.things which are disseminated, are neither alternative, nor such as act without deliberate choice. But this semination is supernally accomplished, comformably to the demiurgic intellect, and with which the will of souls themselves concurs. For each of them both knows and chooses its proper order, and establishes its vehicle in appropriate parts of the universe ; each not being the same with the Gods about whom it is disseminated, as some say it is; thus making a part to be the same as the whole. For if this were admit ted, the arrangement of leaders and followers would be confounded, and the order of uudefded souls, and of those that are not such, would be subverted. Aor does each of theso souls connect itself with foreign parts, one with thtsc, but another with those parts of the universe. For essential similitude precedes a semination of this kind. For what may some one a»ign as the cause of llus di vision ? Is it that partial ought to IKJ without co-arrangement With total souls,

I Instead of wpoOtvfvt here, it ii iwccisary to read 422 PROCLUS ON THE [BOOK v. and that their vehicles ought to be separated from total circulations? This, how ever, is impossible, for parts everywhere follow wholes. Is it, therefore, l»eci»use souls differ from each other? And how, in short, do they differ from each other, since they subsist in immaterial forms ? Snail we say then, that they differ from each other, but were not distinguished conformably to the precedaneous measures of divine souls? And how in this case, is ascent and perfection inserted ' in them through divine souls? We must say therefore, that this semination is entirely1 defined, conformably to a divine and jn-rfect intellect. Anil thus much as to this particular. But let us in the next place, connect with this, a survey of the words severally. The semination of souls therefore, with their vehicles about the junior (jods, pre cedes every other fabrication of these (Jods. For it is necessary that they should have leaders not only as souls, but as mundane natures ; and that as being allot ted the government of animals, they should l>e arranged under some of the divine circulations. The semination however, exhibits through the very name of it, the partible allotment of the veliicles; the power which is comprehensive in the invi sible of all partial in total isouls : and the prolific energy of divine bodies, accord ing to which they fill .from their own life, partial vehicles, with the peculiarity of themselves.

For every thing that is sown receives something from its subject earth. Hence, from all that has been said, this is in the first place evident, that there is no dissemination about the soul of the universe. For it is not proper to oppose the semination about this soul, to that about other souls, nor the whole world to its parts. For if it were possible for a partial soul to remain on high, during the whole period of the universe, it would be possible ' for a semination of souls to take place, about the soul of the universe. Hut this soul indeed, is arranged in the world us a monad. For it is flic co-arranged monad of the mundane souls, that distribute* the powers of it. For with each of the divine bodies, a power of the soul of the universe is present. About this number however, the genera, that are superior to us and partial souls, are divided, these having the order of attendants. And in the second place, there is a semination of souls in each of the sublunary elements, and in the celestial spheres, and the stars. We have however before .shown what the natures are about which the distribution of souls takes place; so that the semination also, is about the

1 For a$>n.tv Lcrr, I read np^cr. Instead ofrayru in 1 Its |»luio, it ibiiet»s>ai v to read WUITJJ. 1 T- I • . • • • . Instead ofvarru in 1 lu |»luio, it MH c r^ai \ to 1 For aivnaro? licre, it is requisite lo read Iviaror. * ln»tead ot kuTarn/iuftinn in tbij plate, it 11 obvi lously ucii »:ti v to read <ara> ei/^u/jo < BOOK v.] TIM/F.US ()1; PLATO. 423 vehicles of them. For nil of them contribute to the generation of time, some by themselves, but others together with wholes, in the same manner as the stars. And all of them are the instruments of time. For all the fixed stars, and every mundane (Jod, being circularlv moved, have entirely periods of time, according to which, the whole time of the mundane life is measured ; and they have likewise apocatastuses, in common with this life, and with each other. lint Plato only makes mention of those instruments of time, the apocatastatic periods of which may he obtained from sense. Dividing the. whole world however, into heaven and generation, he assumes the moon, and the earth, as the extremes of these according to position, and is satisfied with these, because he is speaking of the division of the last souls, and the semination of tin; most partial vehicles, which are naturally adapted to mutation, and to approximate, and enter into the most gross corporeal masses.

After these particulars also, it is worth while to know in tho third place, that vehicles are likewise disseminated about the fixed slars. For every part of the world is full of partial souls, who are spread under their saviour Gods, and fol low the da-mons that are suspended from them, lint whether any one of these partial bodies, is elevated above the Saturnian sphere;1 or whether all of them are arranged in the planetary spheres according to an alliance with the fixed stars, deserves to !M> considered. For of the planets themselves, it is said by those who are skilled in these affairs, that different planets are allied to different signs of the zodiac. It is not therefore at all wonderful, if tin; vehicles of souls being in the planetary spheres, different vehicles should revolve in conjunction with diffe rent fixed stars. For some one may conceive this to be more rational, than to make them situated above the Saturnian sphere ; since this place [i. e. the plane tary sphere] is more adapted to variety of life, to a tendency to generation, and to a nature mingled from bodies that have a circular, and bodies that have a rec tilinear, motion. It is better however to say, that there is a semination about the fixed stars, and that the vehicles which are purified, starry-form, and imincumbered, having a simple life, and a motion about intellect, and wisdom, and fol lowing the period of the same, ascend as far as to the inerratic sphere. For it would be ridiculous, that souls should be distributed about the fixed stars, and that there should be a semination of their vehicles about another thing. For as soul is to soul, so is vehicle to kindred* vehicle. It is better therefore to admit this,

1 There is an omisMon in this place in the original, of (he word ffatpnt, which evidently ought to be inserted. * Instead of <rv/j/jt>ei here, I read <rvyymi. 424 PROCLUS ON THE [BOOK v. than to assert that souls are disseminated there, hut that their vehicles ' do not ascend as far as to the vehicles of the fixed stars ; since everywhere parts hasten to whole1*, when they suhsist according; to nature, unless they happen to he dis solved hy things foreign to the natures to which they tend; the psychical vehicles being indissoluble, and immortal, through their generation from the one Demiur gus. These assertions therefore, are rather to IK? admitted than the former, re specting the semination and distribution of souls and their vehicles, both of them l»eing effected by the Demiurgus. Since also, the semination is of souls with their vehicles, and not of souls only, as was the case with the former distribution, Plato very properly says, that the Demiurgus disseminated some of them into the earth, but others into the moon, indicating that tuc/i of these souls is now man, and thejirst man ; the definition here likewise prevailing, that man is a soul using a body, and the immortal man an immortal body. It is also necessary to separate this immortal from every mortal body, in order that man may In-come that which he was prior to his lapse into generation: for the semination is now of men, but not of souls.

Very properly therefore is it said, that some of them were disseminated into the earth, but others into the moon. Hence these things must be observed together with what has l»een before said, and likewise that souls will never have a supermundane situation, not even according to those who admit, that there are other spheres beyond the fixed stars ; though the highest and most simple of the vehicles participate of ethe real splendor. But the distribution is different from the semination. For the former, is of souls alone ; but the latter, in conjunction with \ eludes. Hence in s|>eaking of the former, Plato says, the Demiurgus distributed each soul into each star ; but here, that he disseminated, some into the earth, but others into the moon, because now they exert the human characteristic: property. For there, [i. e. in the stars,] man is a soul using an immortal m body, and the man there is perpetual. The distribution therefore, is different from the semination, and the former is said to be, into tl»e stars, but the latter, into the instruments of time. Hence it may seem, that each of these is into diflererit places. For the earth is not a star, so that there will not be a distribution of souls about it; nor are the fixed stars said to be instruments of time, so there \\\\\ not be a semination about them. jJut the planets alone, are both stars, and instruments of time; so that alxmt these, there will be both a distribution and a semination. It is manifestly absurd however, that both these should not take place about the earth p.nd the

1 There ii an onii^bion in this place in the origiii.il of ru 1 The word nflaiary is omitted in the original. BO(>K »•.] TIM/KUS or PLATO. 4-2.5 fixed slurs. For if it is the Demiurgus who both distributes and disseminates, both those are essentially inherent in souls ; and if this IK; the case, it is necessary that both should l><; about the same tiling; in order that the apocatastasis of every soul may be into one thin^ and that it may not through the distribution make its apocatastasis into its kindred star, but l>e compelled to make it into something else, through a semination into something different from its kindred star. For that which is sown, is allied and adapted to that in which it is essen tially disseminated. If therefore, these things are true, the earth also, must be said to l>e a star, not according to iU visible bulk, but according to its ethereal and starry-form vehicle; since our vehicle likewise is a thing of this kind. It must also be admitted, that the fixed stars co-operate in the production of time. Hence these, so far as they have periods, though unknown to us, entirely mea sure the whole of time, some in one, and others in a different way. For there is not the same apocatastasis of all the fixed stars ; but we have no certain indica tion from sense of their circulation, as we have of the revolutions of the planets.

All the parts of the world therefore, receive disseminated partial souls, and every mundane God is the prefect of partial Cods and souls,1 distributed and disseminated about him, conformably to the demiurgic intellect. But Plato says, that the one peculiarly takes place about the stars, and the other, about the last of wholes, the moon and the earth; indicating by this, the proper dignity of each, viz. that the one is more divine, for it is incorporeal; but the other sub ordinate, for the semination is with bodies. This however, is evident from the precedaneous causes of the distribution and the semination, l>eing mentioned by him separately at different times, each being into the same things; by which he manifests the difference of them with reference to each other. Hence, though there is a distribution of the soul about the earth, yet it is so far as the earth possesses something starry-form and incorporeal. And though there is a disse mination of it about a star, yet it is so far as it has something allied to earth; but this is corporeal. The earth and the moon likewise, were assumed in the semina tion, through their alliance to each other: for it is common to them, to produce shadow. And what the earth is in wholes, that the moon is among the celestial bodies; so that there will be an apocatastasis into the earth of the souls that were originally disseminated into it, and allotments of them in it But it is not wonder ful, if Plato says in the Phaedrus, that the better allotments are celestial, but the last, subterranean. For there, it was solely his intention to speak of the extremes, neither mentioning the aerial, nor the terrestrial fortunate allotments. Hence,

if omitted in Ibc original. Tim. Plat. VOL. II. 3 H when IIP mentions those that are last, he do«-s not pimply say that they irv t.»rrestrial, but manifests what they are from I he tribunals nii'h'r the earth ; tin divine allotments in the earth, so far as the earth is a divinity, Item.: different from those of a pimisiiing Characteristic. As we have said however, the distribntion mu^t l>e distinguish* .1 fiom the M-minalmu. Fur semination especiallv pertains to certain corporeal natures ; hut distribution, heiiitr a separation according to foi m, (and not like semination, the placing ' of some things in others,) transcendent!)' per tains to incorporeal natures. lint since the asseriiuii that the Demiurgns disseminated some souls into the earth, but others into the moon, has a reference, as we have said, to men, it may be assumed from the Politico*, that Plato knew man that i* an immortal soul, using an immortal vehicle. For he there sa\s, that souls were men in the Saturnian period, according to which the immortal part alone of us lives. That he al>o knew another man, viz. the soul, which uses the middle \chicle, is evident from the Pha/do, w here he says, that men dwell on the hiimmit of the earth, who live for a ninch longer time than the men that are here. .Moreover, he likewise' knew the last man, who lives in con junction with this outward body. And every where man according to him is soul using a body; but either an immortal, or the second, or a composite body. Hence, by adding the dilli rcnce of body, and of that which uses it, we shall bo able to define man.

" But then after this semination, he delivered to the junior Gods." What the semination is, whence it accedes to souls, that it IB different from the distribution, ami that it it> the peculiarity of partible fabrication, has been fre quently mentioned by ns, in what has been U-foro said, lint it must now IHJ shown who the junior Gods are. For it w evident that the mundane are called junior Gods. They appear however, to l*> thus denominated by Plato, either through comparing them with the ancient and venerable nature of the invisible fabrication, and the transcendency of power, and perfection of intelligence1 con tained in it. For that which is more intellectual in the Gods is more ancient : Hut Jove was burn (lie firit, and more lie knows, says Homer. Or they arc thus denominated, because they always make genera tion to be new; and when it becomes old and itnltccih: through its biibject nature, again recall it to a subsistence according to n iture by their motions, bending into it effluxions of all-various productive principle and powers, and thus render it jwrpetually new. Or, they are thus called, because having intellectual essences For 0to«t hrrf, it it n'c«»?ary to read Q*»n.

»()"K v.] TIM.I-rS OF JM,\TO. 127 suspended from them, they eternally energi/e with the acme of intellectual vigor. Tor, as the poets say, Hebe pours out their wine, and they drink nectar, and survey the whole sensible world. Hmployiug therefore immutable and undeviating intellections, they fill all thin-s with their demiur-ic providence. Or they have this appellation, because Curetic deity is present with them, [or deitv belonging to the order of the Ci.retes,] illuminating their intellectual conceptions with purity, their motion with inflexibility, and supplying the whole of them with rigid power, through which they govern all things without departing from the cha racteristics of their nature. Or, which is the truest reason of all the preceding, thev are thus denominated, because the monad of them is caller1 "' recoil God. For theologists give this appellation to Bacchus, who is the ir . of all the second fabrication. l;or Jupiter established him the king of all mundane (iods, and distributed to him the fir>t honours, '1 In.' joiiiiu ilic Ciod, ami but nil inl'.mt purst.1 On this account also, theologists are accustomed to call the sun a recent GoJ, ' and Ileraclitus says that the sun is // diurnal youth, as participating of J)ionysiacal • power. Or, fur a reason most appropriate to Platonic principles, they are thus denominated, because bodies which have generation are suspended from them ; and the essence of these is not allotted a subsistence in eternity, but in the whole of time. They are junior therefore, not as once l»eginning to exist, but as being always generated, and, as we have before observed, subsisting in becoming to lx% or perpetually rising into existence. Tor every thing which is generated has not the whole of what it possesses present at once, nor a simultaneous infinity, but an infinity which is perpetually supplying. Tims therefore they are called junior, as having a subsistence co-extended with time, and always advancing into existence, and as possessing a renovated immortality.

' The province of fashioning mortal bodies, and besides this to rule over whatever else rrmaincd necessary to the human soul, and over every thing consequent to their fabrications." The delivery of the first fabrication is a communication and generation of demi urgic powers, exempt from every thing which the second fabrication produces proximatcly, a progression of production from the unapparcnt into the apparent, and a division of uniform power into the multiplied government of the world. But the 1 In th« original, and doubtlnt from Orpheus, Kai»»p rn»Ti f»y, roi ri 428 1'ROCLUS ON THE [BOOK r. formation of bodies assimilates the junior Cods to the unapparent fabrication. For that was the cause of boJies that rank as wholes, just as they are the causes of partial bodies, at the same time exhibiting a diminution of power. For of the body, of which they are the makers and formers, the Demiurgus also is the cause; but they are the formers of partial bodies, which are I todies endued with certain qualities. Hence body indeed is simply unbegotten as from time, and incorruptible, as was also the opinion of Aristotle. For, sa\s he, there would be a vacuum if body could be generated external1 »o the body of the uni verse. But this particular body is corruptible, as being of a partial nature; for the wholes of the elements derived their subsistence from total fabrication. The accession however of the human soul which remained1 to be generated, assimilates the mundane Gods to the paternal power. For it is the province of a father to generate life; hince the first father, and every father is the cause of life; the

intelligible father indeed, of intelligible, but the intellectual of intellectual, and the supermundane of supermundane life. And hence, the mundane Gods who gene rate corporeal life are fathers. The fabrication however, adapted to these Godx, produces the nature of partial animals. For this partial animal, which is sus pended from the immortal soul, consists of soul and body. The fabrication also of other things regards this : for parts are generated for the sake of the whole. But the dominion which the Demiurgus gave the junior Gods, excites their provi dential inspection, their connective power, anil their guardian comprehensions. For without these, the bodies that are fashioned, and the mortal-form of life, would rapidly vanish into non-entity. Prior therefore, to the generation of these, the Demiurgus made their ruling Gods to be the guardians and saviours of them. In the junior Gods therefore, there are demiurgic powers, according to which they invest generated natures with forms; vivilic powers, according to which they give subsistence to a secondary life ; and perfective powers, through which they give completion to what is deficient in generation. There are also many other [towers in them besides the>e, which are inexplicable by our conceptions. " He 'ikewise commanded them to govern ns much as possible in the ,

• l>est and most beautiful manner the mortal animal, that il might not become the cause of evil to itself." Of all that the one Demiurgus delivers to the junior Gods, it must be admitted that there are three most beautiful boundaries, the boniform will of him that * For »£ <j\i avfjani, il is nctebSjrv to rrad »{« ov^nrfii. ' lor XuwTjf, il is requisite lo rt»<l ,\r>itr|t. BOOK v.] TIM/EUS OF PLATO. 42f> delivers, the perfect power of the recipients, and the symmetry of both these with each other. Of the demiurgic production however, of the junior Gods themselves, three elements, and these the greatest, must l>e again surveyed, viz. a reduction to the "nod, -A conversion to intelligible beauty, and a liberated power sufficient to rule over all the subjects of its government. For as I'hanes ' himself, the Demiurgtis of wholes, rendered the whole world as much as possible the most In-auliful and the Ivest, thus also he was willing that the second fabricators should govern the mortal animal in a way the most l>eautiful and the l>est ; pouring on them indeed from intelligible*, Itcauty, but filling tjieni with that boniform power am will, which he himself possessing fabricated the whole world. For thus grner.- tion also will participate of beauty and goodness, as far as it is naturally adapt* .d to such participation, if the Gods, by whom it is connected and contained, adorn it, since they are themselves transcendently decorated with beauty and good.

preternatural is generated from the celestial Gods; nor is it proper to divide the Gods in the heavens after this manner, as many do, viz. into the Ix-ncliccnt and malignant ; for In-ing Gods this is impossible. But the mortal animal is the cause of evil to itself. For neither disease, nor poverty,* nor any thing else of this kind is evil ; but the depravity of the soul, intemperance, timidity, and every vice. Of these things however, we are the causes to ourselves. For though l>eing im pelled by others to these vices we are badly affected, yet again it is through our selves ; since we have the power of associating with the good, and separating our selves from the bad. According to IMato therefore, we must not think that of the Gods some are malignant and others beneficent, but we must admit that all of them are the sources to mortals of all the good which they are aide to receive ; and that tilings which are truly evils are not produced, but are only signified by them, as we have In-fore observed. For they extend terrific appearances and signs to those who are able to see and read the letters in the universe, which the framers of mortal natures during their revolutions write by their configurations. And though some one should derive a certain evil from the motions of the celestial Gods, so as to become timid or intemperate, yet they operate in oneway, and their influences are participated by souls in another. For the efflux of intellect, says Plotinus, Incomes craft in him who receives thcefllux badly; the gift of an elegant life Incomes intemperance through a similar cause ; and in short, while

1 i. f. Jupiter, who i« M> cillnl in Iliis plac* by Proclm, -b«-iatt« lie contains in bimwlf by parti- .cipition the Pliaurs or Prologonui, who i« Ihc paradigm of lh« 1 For ••Knpin, it a neecsMry to read »cn«. 430 PROCLL'S ON' TI1K [BOOK v. they produce* hviioficently, their «;ifts are participated by terrestrial natures, nfler a contrary manner. Hence the stivers who Ix-stow beneficently are not to he ac cused as the authors of evil, hut the recipients \\lio pervert their gills by their own inaptitudes. Thus also Jupiter in Homer blames souls as in vain accusing j|)(> Gods, while they themselves are the causes of evils. For the Gods are the sour ces of good, and the suppliers of intellect and life, but are not the causes of any evil; since even a partial nature is not the cause of e\il to its oflVpring. What therefore ought we to think concerning tin; Gods themselves ? Is it not. that they are much more the. causes of -rood to their productions; since with them there is porter, with them there is a sell-perfect n.itnre, with them there is universal good ness, to all which e\il i> contrary ' For in it« own nature it is powerless, imper fect, and without measure.

"At the same time he who orderly disposed all these particulars, reniained in his o\vn accustomed manner." Plato every where, after having employed many words, summarily comprehend* ihe multitude of them in the conclusion. For he knew that in the Pemiurgus, one intellectual perception comprehends the multitude of intellectual conceptions, that one power connects many powers, and that a uniform cause collects into one union divided causes. Hence the words [prior to these] " Haium; therefore instructed wulx in all these particulars" and the words before us, " He ^//0 orderly disposed all these particulars" had the distinct energy of the Pemiurgns to an united cause. Farther still, the word all, manifests that which is consummated from all its appropriate boundaries. Hut the words orderly dixpox^d, indicate the order pervading through all being-,, which the Pemiurgus introduced to |h<- mun dane Gods, and to partial souls; dcmon>lrating the fonner to be Demiur^i, but inscribing in the latter the laws of Fate. Moreover, the word remained, does not manifest station, and inflexible intellection, but an estahlishment ' in tin an,-. For according to this the Pemiurgtis is exempt from wholes, and is separated from the beings that intellectually perceive him. But this establishment itself is eter nal, and always invariably permanent. These things therefore, are also indicated by the words accustomed and manner ; the one exhibiting sameness of permanency ; but the other the peculiarity of the demiurgic stability. For manner is indicative of peculiarity ; since connective is different from immutable, and both these from demiurgic permanency.

For tlpvar, it is nrcessary lo irad Apvair. BOOK v.] TIM/KUS OF PLATO. 4-H " Hut in consequence of his abiding, as soon as liis chiltlrcn under stood the order ol their lather, they became obedient to it." When the Peminrgus speaks, then the junior Gods have the order of hearers. When In' intellectually perceives, then they It-urn; for learning is dianoetic. \\ lien lit- abides according t«> union itself, then his children intellectually perceive. For they always receive from him an inferior order. And as filled indeed from him, they preserve the analogy of hearers with reference to him; hut as evolving his one power, tliey are analogous to learners. For he who learns evolves the intellect of his preceptor. A* being deified however by him, they have the ana logy of those that |>erceive intellectually. Fur intellect becomes deilic, by its con tact ' with (In- one. The father therefore abiding, his children very properly intel lectually perceive. For they are intellects participated by divine souls, that ride in the vehicles of Undetiled bodies. But they intellectually perceive the order of the father pre.siibsisting in him prior to the arranged e fleets, according to which order he became all things. For what Orpheus says of the monad of the junior Gods,

Tliou-li all tlun;:* bv tlio fatlitr Jove \\crc torin'd, ^ ct tlicir completion llicy to IVacchus o\\e ; this also must he said of the junior Gods, vi/. that they pive perfection to the fa brication, which the father constituted by intellection itself ; just as the [ChaUhean] Oracle likewise says, " These things the father understood, and the mortal nature became animated for him." .Mortal natures therefore, were fashioned and aniirated by the demiurgic intellection alone. But the junior Gods untold his total production, through their own manifest fabrication, being filled from the demiur gic monad. "And receiving the immortal principle of mortal animal, in imitation of their artificer, they borrowed from the world the parts of tire and earth, water and air, as things which they should restore back again ; and conglutinated the received parts together, but not with the same indissoluble bonds as those by which they wore connected." Plato indicates to us, the separation of the second from the first fabrication, ' La^p u crroo«ou»ly priulcd for >f p. 432 PHOCMJS ON THK [BOOK v. through in;iny words and steps.1 For if the Demiurgus orderly disposes, but tho junior God* are olicdient to Ins mandate*, the former by merely commanding is the cause of generated natures, but the latter being excited by tlie Demiurgux, re ceive from thence tlie boundary of the whole of their fabrication. And if indeed, he abides in himself, but they are moved about him, it is evident that he is eter nally the cause of things which suhsi>t in time, but that they, being tilled from him, energize according to the whole of time. And ii he perfectly establishes himself in his own accustomed manner, but they proceeding from him, unfold into light this united and hit-liable disposition of himself, they derive from him secondary measures of fabrication.

Moreover, he is said to l.ave a paternal dignity, but they are denominated hi* children, as expressing his prolific power, and his single goodness. And he in deed, is celebrated as delivering from his exalted abode the principles of fabri cation ; but they are celebrated as receiving the immortal principle contributing to the orderly distribution of mortals. He is said to have the fountain of the vivification of perpetual natures ; but they are the causes of the subsistence of mortal-formed animals. And he indeed, extends himself as a paradigm to the many Gods; but they are said to imitate the demiurgic intellect. He is said to produce the whole world, and the plenitudes of it ; but they are said to borrow parts from the fabrications of their father, in order to the completion of their proper works. And he indeed, employs all incorporeal powers; but they also employ such as are corporeal. He gives subsistence to indissoluble bonds ; but they to such as are dissoluble. And he indeed, is said to insert a union more ancient than the natures which it unites ; but they are said to introduce an adventitious union, and which is of an origin posterior to this, to the beings that consist of many contrary natures. And he is said to produce all things impartibly ; but they with division, minutely distributing the subsistence of mortal natures into small and invisible nails. From these filings therefore, the separation of the two fabrications may be assumed ; but the union and contact of them may be sun-eyed from the words In'fore us. For here a contact is efiected of the second with the first fabrication ; of apparent with unapparent, and of divided with mo nadic production.

Hence it is necessary that the lowest part of the first and unapparent fabrica tion, should coalesce with the summit of the second. For thus also the heavens are conjoined with generation [or the sublunary region,] the lowest of the celestial bodies exhibiting the principle of mutation ; but the summit of the essence of 1 For im finQtvY, it \» orccssarr lo read KM sublunary natures, In-ing moved in conjunction with the heavens. Hence too, here also the rational soul is conjoined with the mortal form of life; viz. the lowest and most partial of the productions of the father with the highest of the matures generated by the junior Gods. For they indeed, as being certain fathers produce lives ; but as fabricators, bodies. And they imitate indeed Vulcan by tbe fabrication of bodies, but Juno by verification. But through both these they imitate the whole Uemiurgus. For lie is maker and father ; but they fashion bodies by borrowing [tarts from wholes. For every where parts derive their composition from wholes. VUien, however, the vt holes are incorporeal, they remain undiminishcd by the subsistence of the parts ; but when they are corporeal, the parts that are generated from them diminish the wholes. Hence an ablation always taking place, but the parts always remaining, the wholes perish. And thus ireneration will no longer exist, and the works of the first fabrication will all

vanish through the second, which it is not lawful to assert. That nothing of this kind therefore may take place in the universe, the composite parts are again dis solved, in order to till up their wholes. And the generation of one thing is the corruption of another; but the corruption of one thing is the generation of anothtr; in order that generation and corruption may always remain. For if generation existed at a certain time only, it would at a certain time stop, in conse quence of consisting of finite things, and these being consumed. But these perishing, corruption also would stop, all things being destroyed. Hence if it is necessary that one of these should exist, the other also vtill exist. Every thing therefore vthich is generated from the second fabrication, is a composite and dissoluble, and deriving its composition from time, will also in time be again dissolved. The junior Gods therefore, are very properly said to borrow parts, which are again to be restored to their wholes. But they borrow them from the universe.' For that which they borrow is fire, earth, water, and air; and they again restore them to the universe.1 The father then fore wishes the wholes to remain which he generated and arranged. And thus much concerning all the fabrication of the junior Gods.

I^t us however, direct our attention to each of the words of Tima-us. The word rcccii-im; therefore, indicates how the junior Gods receive the immortal soul descending in its first vehicle : for he calls the whole "the immortal principle." It also indicates, that everywhere, our concerns are providentially attended to by the Gods, above indeed, by the father, but beneath, by his children, if it bo ' Forirarpoi, it \» ofccssary to rrad warrot. 1 Ilrrt »l»o for rarpit it i» Decenary to read ram. Tim. Plat. VOL. II. 3 I requisite to speak in a divided manner. For our soul, at one time lives accord ing to the characteristic of Jupiter, and at another according to (hat of Bacchus; but in its arrangement [on the earth,] it lives Titannically.' The • Thii is admirably explained by OUmpiodorus, in his MS. commentary on that part of llie I'hxdo where Plito speaks of the prohibition of suicide iu the arrppijra : " Tlie argument," says he, H which Plato employs in tlii-i place against suiciile is derived from the Orphic mythology, in which four kingdoms are celebrated : the first of Ileatcn, whom Saturn assaulted, cutting off the genitals of his father. But after Saturn, Jupiter succeeded (o the government of the world, having hurled In, father into Tartanu. And after Jupiter, Hacchui rose to light, who, according to report, was, through the stratagems of Juno, torn in piece* by the Titans, by whom lie was surrounded, and who afterward* tailed In* flesh :

word principle however, does not simply manifest, that which is first in the composition of man. l>nt that which is the leader and ruler of secondary natures. For this is that w hirh is arenrdin- to nature, and for this purpose it was produced by the Cods. As then-fore, the Dt-miunrus constituted the soul of the universe to rule over the body of it, so likewise, the many Demiurin established our soul as the principle in the mortal animal. If however, we do not rule over the mortal nature, the* power which gave this arrangement to our soul is not the cause of this, hut the indolence of that which is arranged. But the word immortal com prehends every nature which the Drmiurgus constituted, both that which is in the vehicle, and th«> rational soul itself, which was perfectly produced by the father, who disseminated the whole of it, and from whom it originated. Again, how ever, Tima,-us shows, that the junior Gods are the vivific causes and fabricators of///e mortal animal, but that they are each of these, in conjunction with motion, in order that their fabrications mav be mortal. Moreover, the words, "in imitation of their artificer? are appropriate. For the junior Gods fabricate bodies, imitating the demiurgic characteristic of the father. And as he constituted the universe a whole from the wholes of the elements, so likewise they fashion partial bodies from partial bodies, in order that together with the imitation, diminution may be preserved, and that they may remain Demiurgi, but the Demiurgi of a partial fabrication.

The expression also, they borrowed, manifests, that the parts in us arc more the property of wholes, and of things above us, than tiny are our property. But if this be the case why should men trrieve when they die ? And why is dissolution :lr"adful ? But how is it possible it should not IK- -rood, if the urmerse receives what is its own? For it is easy to percehe, that the parts in us belong in a greater degree to the universe than to us. For the places of all these are in wholes, and not in us. But " the conglutination of the received parts together," evinces that the union in mortal natures is of pos terior origin, and adventitious. For in the universe the whole precedes the parts, and the one, multitude. But in us, many things, and which are naturally sepa-

" But they gave them a tenacious adherence from thick set nails, invi sible through their smallness; fabricating the body of each, one from the composition of all [the elements] ; and binding the periods of the immortal soul in intluxive and eflluxivc body/' Because in what is here said, in the same manner as l>efore, Plato constitutes the first vehicle of the soul that is a body,' from the elements, it is evident that neither is this body indivisible, ns being generated from things which are to be returned. But it is not immanife^t, that as that vehicle is one, this testaceous body likewise is in a similar .natuier generated one. The former however, has indeed a more simple union of simple vestments; but the latter a more various union, a* being of a more composite nature. Hence there indeed, that which was composed of fire and water, air and earth, being analogous to a crowd, mani fested we said, the second vehicle, and the life contained in it. Hut in what is now said, the testaceous body* is signified. For Plato in speaking of it, is not hatislied with things of a simple nature, but adds such as are adapted to an orga nic body. For it is not po>>ible that thU should alone consist of simple elements.' Beginning therefore, from things more imperfect and material, and producing things consisting of similar parts, and from the.se the organic body, he gives it to participate of soul.

For the junior (jlods borrowing parts from wholes, assumed such parts as are .simple, and made the vehicles of irrational souls, which he before denominated, a tumultuous and irrational crowd, composed of fire and earth, air and water. But conglutinating these, they generated things of .similar parts, the composition of which is from the four elements. And causing the things generated to adhere through thick set nails, they gave completion to the organic body. For this it is, which, as Ii2 says, is in want of all small and invisible nails,

' i.e. The aerial \eliicli-; for this is the first \i-liicle of the soul that is a body, the ethereal or per petual vrhule, not having three dimensions, but being a superficies, in consequence of its attenuated •nd immaterial nature. Hence aKo the Chaldiran Oracle exhorts, not to give depth to a superficies, and cause it to be terrestrial and humid, through an impure life. * In the original in this place, there is an omission of TO ovrptubti ; but I have no doubt this word ought to be inserted. ' There is aii hiatus here in the original, which renders the two lines that immediately follow it unin telligible, and which I Lave not therefore attempted to translate. through its composition from dissimilar natures; and of thick set nails, through the facility with which tin- composition may be dissolved. We say therefore, that the thick set and innsiblc units ire the insertions of small and invisible elements, in the solid parts' of the body. But the colliquefaction* is adapted to Vulcanian works ; lire producing through rarefaction1 in the collique faction, a procession of all things through each other; just as in things which are melted together, the smaller enter into the larger parts, in the melting, and thus the mixture is ejected. Hence it follows, that by conglutinating the things received, the junior Cods produce a body, not consisting of indissoluble bonds, but of parts which tenaciously adhere to each other, through thick set, small, and invisible nails.

For liquefaction,4 and conglutination' are necessary to the gene ration of things of similar parts, the latter of which, moisture imparts,* and the former, heat. For every tiling is liquefied by fire, but conglutinated by water. Soul therefore accedes, after the union of many things of a dissimilar nature. And in the l'u>t place, the soul which is entirely mortal accedes. For through this, the eflluxive body subsists, viz. through the physical, sensitive, and orective life. But in the second place, the immortal soul accedes. For this does not enter simply into body, but into an intluxive and etlluxive body. And the former indeed, is generated with the body ; hut the latter, enters into the body. This therefore, is the order of fabrication, and is attended with a reason consentaneous to truth. For all generation begins from the imperfect, and regularly proceeds to the perfect. And in the universe indeed, fabrication proceeds from intellect and soul, as far as to bodies: for the generation is without time. [But in mortal natures, fabrication is in conjunction with body,7] for it is temporal. Everything however, which is generated in time, commences the generation from the imper fect. So that if there is any thing which does not begin from the imperfect, that thing was not generated in time.1 Hence *he universe was not generated in time. For the Demiurgic did not first constitute body but soul, as we have before observed; which manifests, that what is called generation, is when ap-

* For ron ^cXo/io'f-rrrpon here, as there i« no *uch word in the Greek language, I read, roti fttXtvi rrtptott. * Instead of ervi-raltv hrrr, it is necessary to read vvrr^n'. 1 For aprwrrwf in tin* place, read apatttaivt. 4 For ra^rut hrrr, read riji'w*. * And for i-aXXqwwi, rrud toXXrjertwt. * Instead of raprn^trai ill lliii j)ljce, it is necessary to read rapr-^tTai. 1 The wortli within the bracket* are omitted in the original ; but I have DO doubt ought to be in* sorted. So that there is wauling in the original, «»• fr r*r OvrfTuy, fitra TO* rw/jaroi. ' For ovx ox/"0*"' 'n 'h'1 P'icc» '' '* otcttiny to read ov rar plied to the universe, an unbegotten and simultaneous composition. And in the universe indeed, the whole subsists prior to the parts, and the one, to multitude; but in mortal natures the many are generated prior to the one ; and these l>eing liquefied through thick set nails, give completion to one thing. For simple bodies are liquefied, but the liquefied bodies are nailed, the nailed bodies are vivified, and the vivified bodies are co-adapted to the i-nmortal soul. From these things also, it is evident, that it must be said, the insertion of the soul according to Plato takes place at the time that the infant proceeds out of the womb : for then the foetus i.s perfect, but not before. For nature would not in vain detain it in the womb, if it was perfect.

When therefore the fu.'tus be come* one and a \\hole, then the immortal soul enters profoundly into it. But the fu'tus In-comes one when it is perfect, and is |>erfect when it has proceeded into light. For while it remains \\ithin, ii is a part of another thing. The soul therefore, is not bound to the .seed by the (Jod>, nor is it, as some think, emitted together with the heed, but when the body is now generated, the periods of the soul are connected \\ith it.* For \\here in the seed is there a body gene rated from ' "jny and thick set nails ? Hence, when the instrument is rendered i perfect, then the Gods bind to it the soul that is to use it. And thus much as to ' thi-. particular.

But Plato culls the periods of the soul, the energies of it, which proceed into the animal and the twofold powers of the lame and the dijfercnt. All the soul therefore descends according to IMato. For he alone gives toil two circles anil two peri ods, and leads downward both of them. So that what IMotinus says, who con tends that the whole soul does not descend, is a more novel assertion. With respect how -ever, to the thick set nails, some suppose them to signify the conjunc tion of the triangular elements; but according to lamblichus, they indicate the communion of physical productive powers, just an the colliqiicfaction1 signifies the demiurgic connection and union of them. Hut we have shown what the nails, the conglutinations, and the col liquefactions are, and what the theory is, which is adapted to the nature of all these. " These however, being bound in a vast river, neither vanquish, nor are vanquished." Plato conjoining the soul to the body immediately, omits all the problems 1 In tlie origm.il there is an hiatus here. Tor (lie original it, rtXtiov br, orcir errXftij*** ptrov yap aXAor fupvi tarty. This deficiency huwevrr, may be supplied by reading, conformably tolheubuve Ujii-lation, rtXriox bi, way iw»XO/j rn ^u/i. finny yap «» <vu»', aXXor (Irgf aXXov) ftrpoi tarty.

* 1 or HI re !i here, it ii necessary to read avry. 3 Instead of ovrraliy in tins place, rend rvrnflir. pertaining to the descent of the soul, the proplirt, the allotments, the lives, the elections, the dajrnon, the erection of tents in the plain of Lethe, the thunder and lightning, and all such particulars as the fal»le in the [tenth Hook of the] Repub lic discusses. Neither does he here deliver those things which take place after the exit of the soul from the present life, vi/. the terrors, the rivers, Tartarus, those savage and fiery d.rmons. the thorns, the Inflowing mouth, the triple path, and the judges, in which we are instructed, by the fable in the Republic, in tliu (jor^ia.s, and in the l'h;rdo. What then, some one may Hay, is the cause of ihi* omission? I reply, because1 1'lato preserves that which is adapted to the design of the dialogue, and because he here assumes so much of the theory of the soul as is physical, delivering the association of the soul with the body. And Aristotle also, emulating Plato, in his treatise On the Soul, in consequence of discussing it physically, neither mentions the descent of the soul, nor its allotments, but in his Oialogues he separately speaks of these,' and makes them the leading sub jects c. consideration. And thus much as to these particulars.

This however, is to be investigated from the beginning, why the soul descends into bodies?" And the answer is, because it wishes to imitate the providential energy of the Cods, and on this account, dismissing contemplation, descends into generation. i;or .since divine perfection is twofold, the one being intellectual, but the other providential, and the one sub-i.«tiiv^ in permanency, but the other in motion ; the soul adumbrates, the stable.1 intellectual, and unalterable energy of the Gods, through contemplation, but their providential and motive energy, through a genesiurgie life. And as the intelligence of the soul is partial, so like wise is its providential energy; but being partial, it is conversant with a partial body. Farther still, its descent contributes to the perfection of the world. For it is necessary, that there should not only be immortal and intellectual animals, such as are with the Gods, nor alone mortal and irrational animals, such as are the last of the fabrication of things, hut likewise, such as subsist between these, viz. which are by no means immortal indeed,4 but are able to participate of reason and intellect. There are however, many such animals as these, in many parts of the world. For man is not the only rational mortal animal ; but there are many other such like genera, some of which are of a more dacmoniacal nature, but others are more proximate to our essence. The descent likewise of a partial soul, contri butes to the composition of all animals that are at one and the same time mortal

1 For rrrpi aurov licrc, it n Dcccswry to read wtpt ovrvr. These Dialogue! of Arutolle are uofortanately lost. * See my translation of Plotinus, On the Descent of the Soul. For ycufinv here, read finrifim . * Toe original in this place is a (War OK ucr ov^autii £c orra ; but l< ought evidently to be eipungcd. 440 PHOCLUS ON THE [BOOK v. and rational. Why therefore, are partial souls when they descend into generation, filled with such great material perturbation and so many evils ? It is through the propensity arising from their free wilj; through their vehement familiiirily with body ; through their sympathy with the image of soul, which is called animation; through their total mutation from the intelligible to the sensiltle world, and from a quiet energy to one entirely conversant with motion; and through a disordered condition of being innately produced from the composition of dissimilar natures, \iz. of the immortal, and the mortal, <>t' the intellectual, and that which is deprived of intellect, of the impartible, and thai which is endued with in terval. For all these become the cause to the soul, of this mighty tumult and labour in the realms of generation ; since we are disturbed by the abundant muta tions, and sympathies which take place about the essence that is in continual mo tion. For we pursue a perpetually Hying mockery. And the scud, by verging [to a material life,] kindles indeed, a light in the body, but becomes herself situated in darkness;

and by giving life to the body, destroys both herself, and her own intellect [in as great a decree as these are capable of receiving destruction]. Fur thus the mortal nature participates of intellect, but (lie intellectual part of death, and the whole, a*. IMato observes in the Laws, becomes a prodigy, compos ed of the mortal, and the immortal, of the intellectual, and that which is deprived of intellect. For this physical law [which binds the soul to the body,] is the death of the immottal life, but vivifies the mortal body. IMato therefore, delivers in the 1'ha-drns the causes of descent arising from the soul, \i/. oblivion, the dcillixion of (he wings, and such things as are consentient to these. 15ut here he delivers to us the causes derived from the CJods. For these are they who conjoin the soul to the body. Hut he does not add at present, the manner' in which the soul apostatizes [from the. orb of light], and through what forms of life, she proceeds [into the realms of generation]. Ami in the Republic he delivers the causes arising both from tin? soul herself and the (jods. For there the prophet and the Fates, the da'inon, and the lots, the paradigms and the elections of lives, are assumed. These particulars therefore, must IK- explored in those dialogues.

What however is here asserted, must be considered, vi/. w hat the rhcr, the binding, and the vast are; fur this river is said to be vast : and also what it is for soul:*, neither to vanquish, nor he vanquished. The river therefore signifies, not the human body alone, but the whole of generation, with which we are externally surrounded, through its rapid, impetuous, and unstable flux. Tims also, in the i Republic, Plato calls, the whole geiiesiurgtc nature, ihe river of Lethe ; in which are contained, as Dmpedocles says, Oblivion, and the meadow of Ate; the { I Fur evr«i here, it i* necessary to read owm. HOOK v.] TIM/HIS C)I: PLATO. 141 voracity of matter, and the lighl-hating world, as the Gods say; and the winding streams, under which many arc drawn down, as the [Chaldean] Oracles assert. But the binding signifies, a co-impeded life, and a life which lias arrived at the extremity. For then, beincc hound, it is prevented from proceeding, and being no longer ahle lo proo-ed, it becomes situated at the end of its motion. l»ut the soul, by communicating its powers to the body, obtains the end of ils descent. A^ain, tlie runt indicates the multiplied, and in every respect divisible finx of generation, lint the neither vanijulshiHg, nor being vanquished, signify, that each of the ess* nces that come together, preserves ils own nature. I'or the congress of thi! soul and body is not effected by a mutual corruption, as in things that are mingled.

For the body is not transferred to I lie essence of the soul, nor the soul to the peculiarity of the body ; since in this case, neither would assimilate the other to itself. Hence neither is the houl vanquished by the body; for it does not In-come inanimate, nor does it vanquish the body, for it does not make it incorporeal. In another respect however, the soul subdues the body, as connectedly containing it; but is subdued by it, as being im|>eded by it in its intellection. 1'lalo however, rather denies than affirms each of these, in order that we may conceive the peculiarity of each in the communion, and the unminsled union of them in the mixture.

" But they carry and are carried with violence, so that the whole animal is moved indeed, yet in a disorderly manner. Tor it proceeds casuallv and irrationally, 'having all the six motions. Hence it is moved backward and forward, and again, to the right hand and the left, upward and downward, and wanders every where, according to the six differences of place." That the genesiurgic river, according to the whole of it disturbs the soul, but is especially ample in youth, in consequence of the influx and efllux being copious, has I think become evident through what has been said. Since however, the body he inn heavy, terrestrial, and cadent, is corrected by the soul, and the soul, which has an intellectual nature, is rendered destitute of intellect, through its communion with the body, hence he says, that souls carry and are carried vilh violence ; the ntilcncc indicating the foreign and renovated nature of the vivification of the mortal' animal ; but the carrying and being carried, the action of the body and soul on each other. For the soul carries the body, inspiring it with the power 1 For TO OtriTtiv here, it is necessary to read row 0» Tjrov. Tim. Plat. VOL. II. 3 K

443 1MIOCLUS ON THE ' [BOOK v, of motion; but is carried by it through sympathy, to a genesiurgic nature. Hence he very properly says, that the whole animal is moved. For the body is moved through the soul, and the soul losing its own life, lives the life of the composite [of body and soul]. The whole animal therefore is moved. Ami after another manner also you may say that 1'htto asserts the u-liolt is moved, in order to dis tinguish it from the universe. For this, as we have before observed, is not moved according to the jc/n>le of itself, but only in its parts Sinre however the stars are moved with an ad\ancing motion [or in antecedentiaj, each is moved according to the whole, and not according to the parts only ; yet they are moved in an orderly manner, and not as we are: for they follow the universe. But Plato adds, disorderly ; indicating by this, that the motion is material, and ailvariously anomalous, and that it ,/egins from the subordinate nature, the order being inverted. It is necessary however, in the same manner as in divine natures that the motion should originate from the more excellent nature. The expression likewise casually, signifies the rash and unstable nature of the motion; and the \\ovdprocteds, indicates the departure of souls from themselves; all which parti culars are posterior to divine animals, in whom intellect is tin; cause' of energy, and each proceeds and at the s;«me time abides. The word irrationally follows also in a becoming manner. For where order fails there the irrational secretly enters. For reason is the cause of order and measure, and of the participation of good.

Moreover, the multitude of motions In-comes apparent in these, and the number of all the motions of the mortal animal. For as bodies have three dimensions, and are mingled from contraries, contrariety being a duad,' and assuming the triad, produces this number of motions. For it is necessary that there should be only a triple interval, or dimension, In-canse interval is reason [or a productive principle], proceeding from the impartible into matter, and investing it with inoifilic. And the impartible indeed is monadic ; but progression is dyadic; and morplie triadic. For that which has proceeded, returning, or being converted to its principle, has bound and inorphe. But it is necessary that then: should be contrariety in the motions, according to position. For the extremities of every right line are opposed to each other. Hence of the three dimensions, the opposi tion according to the extremities will be the upward and downward, the right hand and the left, !>efore and behind. The complication therefore of contrariety, with the triad of dimensions, produces the six motions; and this number is adapted to the animated body. For according to the Pythagoreans, the monad ' Tlie word atrwi is omitted here in the original, but evidently ought to be inserted. 1 F<>r iv«ii herr, read ^i/ai.

HOOK T.I TIM.-El'S OF 1>LATO. 443 is analogous to a point; the duad, to a line; the triad, to a superficies; the tetrad, to a body; the pentad, to a body endued with a certain quality ;' and the hexad, to an animated hody. This number of motions therefore, is appropriately attributed to mortal animals, whose generation proceeds from the even1 niimlx-r, and a formless nature, it is not proper however, to wonder, that animals should have so many motions, but inanimate natures only one motion; as that a clod of earth should only have a motion downward, but flame, a contrary motion. For we shall find by inspection, that frequently the extremes are more simple than the media, b^i the media more various than the extremes.1 Thus for instance, we see, that nature and matter are more simple than body, and the irrational life and intel lect, than the rational soul. But intellect indeed, is more simple, according to that which is more, and irrationality according to that which is less, excellent. It lives however, without deliberate choice, and conformably to nature. If there fore, in motions, we see that divine animals and inanimate bodies have a more. simple motion, but the media abundantly wander, and are multiformly borne along, what occasion is there to wonder? For the simplicity indeed of divine motion, is more excellent than the variety in mortal natures ; but the simplicity of inanimate lyings is less excellent ; just as divine bodies arc essentially simple, according to that which is better than composite natures, but the inanimate parts of the ele ments are more simple than concrete masses, according to that which is less excel lent,4 as not having the proper life of living beings.

" For though the inundating and effluxivc waves, which afford nutri tion to the animal, pour along with impetuous abundance, yet a still greater tumult and perturbation is produced, through the passions arising from external impulsions ; either when the body is disturbed by the sud den incursion of external fire, or by the solid mass of earth, or is agi tated by the whirling blasts of the air. For from all these, through the medium of the body, various motions are hurried along, and fall with molestation on the soul." ' Instead "f rcrnnj^ny in tint place, it ii requiiite lo read, vfntvpoy. 1 For aypiov litre, it is necessary to read apnov. 1 The original i» defective here, for there in nothing more than TO. *« ptm wom* * •. Thii defi ciency however, may b« iupplwd by reading, conformably to the above tranilation, r« *e pti rrpa rwc arpw. * The word ^tiper, ii wanting here in the original. In what is liere said, the philosopher refers to two causes all this tumult, viz. to the nutritive ami sensitive life. Hut these causes are that which is orectie, and that which is gnostic, in the whole of the irrational nature; into which also, we are accustomed to divide all the powers of tin- soul, asserting that some of them are vital, hut others gnostic. For the nutritive life, verging to bodies, produces an abundant llux in ihem ;

through their moisture indeed, emitting an abundant material etllux, but through \ivifu: heat, receiving an influx of other things. But the sensitive life Millers l>y ttie bodies of fire, earth, air, and \\ater, falling on it. Conceiving likewise all these passions to be great through the vileness of its life, it occasions tumult and perturbation in the soul. And to those indeed, who have arrived at maturity, all these have become habitual; but to .such as have been recently born, the smallest things, through being unusual, Ix-come the causes of astonishment. For what a great tire is to the former, that the snuff of a candle M to the latter. \\ hat the magnitude likewise of very lofty mountains is to the former, that the smallest of stones is to the hitter. For this is sufficient to give them pain, and by imjK.-ding tlu-ir energies, to cal! forth their tears. And what stormy winds, and streams of water from the heavens, are to adults, that a small motion of the air, or a slip through a little moisture, is to infants. For sense In-ing agitated through the percussion of all these, astonishes the soul of those that are recently born, and leads it into difliculty and tumult. These therefore, are in short, the causes of the perturbation of souls, \i/. the motion of the nutritive power, and the percussions of sense. \Ve must not however, fancy that the soul sutlers any thin/r through these.

For as if some one standing on the margin of a river, should be hold the image and form of himself in the floating stream, he indeed will preserve his face unchanged ; but the stream bring ail-variously moved, will change the image, so that at different times it will appear to him different, oblique, and erect, and jH.-rhaps divulsed and continuous. I^-t us suppose too, that such a one, through In'ing unaccustomed to the spectacle, should think that it w.is himself that suffered this distortion,1 inconsequence of surveying his shadow in the water, and thus thinking, should be afHicted and disturbed, astonished and impeded. After the same manner, the soul, beholding the image of herself in body, borne along in the river of generation, and variously disposed at dilli-rent times through inward passions and external impulses, is indeed herself impassive, but thinks that she suffers; and being ignorant of, and mistaking her image for, herself, is disturbed, astonished, and perplexed.1 This passion however particularly exists

There is mi hialu, lure in the original, which may be filled up by addiu- after rov ia<rxo>ra the words cv«i<rro<.<;.i/i ruici/i. For n aTcpow titrf, it-ad tvmtif>v. in children recently born ; hut it also exhibits itself in dreams in adults. Tims when some OIK-, in consequence of nature being fatigued in the concoction ol the fond, fancies in a dream that lie is weary, thai lie is jonrneyinir throu-h a difficult road. Ilial lie is carryiiii: Imrdens, or sutlers something else of tlie like kind, then this passion becomes apparent. And it is possible from tliese things to survey the nature of the passions of children.' And thus much may suffice at present as to these particulars. It is requisite however, to proceed to the words of Plato and to say, that the rrtf/r.v manifest not the externally blowing wind, as some assert, lint the congregated folk ' exi-tin^in youth, and the abundant influx and elllux. lint the inunnation signifies, in the first place, that the pneumatic vehicle is agitated and made heavier; for it is this, which exhibits in itself stains and vapours; and in the se cond place, the soul, for it is disturbed by congregated impulses.

" And on this account all these \verc then, and are still now denominat ed senses." According to Plato, the senses receive their appellation from passion. If therefore, we should say, that the senses are motions placed inwardly, the asser tion would be attended will, much' accusation, from grammatical* observation. But if we should say, that the senses are mingled from inward motions and pas sion, perhaps ancient usage would testify in favour of the assertion. For sense (aio-^irii,-) with four syllables, is a certain a*<r$r(Ti£, O {' i3;yyi* 5'j-j.w aifui (lt'£C a'"f*uiv},i says Homer. Hut the word -XI'T^TIC, will be from a»<r«»v,* and ^ITIJ ;T sensible objects indeed being moved externally, but the motions tending through the body to the soul, and producing as Plato says, sensations. Very properly therefore, did those who first perceived the nature of the passion, and those in the present period, who did not entirely perceive it, thus denominate the senses. And those who now still give this appellation to the senses, do it because there is similarly ' In<tc;ul of Tf.*w>' in llii j)lacc, it is necessary to read *ait*v. * F«r afnnrj'nr licrc, it is requisite to rea«l a^po^ffir. 1 For iroXXni'j here, it it nccr«siiiy to rcatl ro\vt.

4 For ynn fiftikrn litre, ri'inl y/>u^/inricrji. 5 i.e. " HcgroaiiM, and breathed his last." II. xvL v. 468. 6 The verb ai'trnr, is from aiv, which not only signifies to Lear, uui to blow away, but ai*o to uu dcntand and know. 7 i. e. Petition. a complication in them of passion ami judgment, or of motion ami position. For the motion of the soul itself alone, is impassive; hut that which pervades from the body to the soul, is accompanied with passion. "And these indeed, both then and at present, receiving1 the most abundant and greatest motion, and being moved together with that incessantly flowing stream, and vehemently agitating the circulations of the soul, they entirely fetter the circulation of ///e mine, flowing in a direc tion contrary to it, and restrain its energies, as it rules and proceeds ; but aitate the circulation of the (J Sense is of the present, in the same manner as memory is of the past, hut hope of the future. Hence both then, and at present, sense moves the soul, in con junction with the nutritive power, which through infiuxions, a (lords a remedy to the elThixions of the body, and again combines what it had analyzed, conforma bly to the \%eb of I'enelope. For this is " the incessantly Jlwing stream" which is \ery properly called a stream, Ixjcause it is a part of the whole- river of genera tion, \\hich, as was before observed, is abundant.

Together w ith this therefore, sense disturbs, and causes a tumult in the periods or circulations of the immortal soul ; and fetters indeed the period of the circle of the saint, but agitates the jteriod of the circle of the different. For as there are twofold circles in it, in imi tation ol 'divine souls, ttie circle which surveys intelligible*, and which is the dianoetic circle, is only restrained in its energy, but sustains no distortion. But the doxa*lic circle is distorted, and this follows very properly. For it is possible to opine not rightly, but it is not possible to know scientifically, falsely. If how ever someone should say, that the dianoetic part of the soul may be ignorant in a twofold respect, and that the thing which sutlers this will l>e distorted, let such a one learn from us, that twofold ignorance ' does not simply pertain to tlianoia, but l>cgins indeed from thence, and is implanted in the doxastic part. For twofold ignorance, so far as it is ignorance, and a privation of science, so far, in consequence of being an immobility of the scientific power, it originates from dianoia. For ignorance subsists about t!iat, about which science subsists. But so far as this ignorance also adds a false suspicion of knowledge, it subsists

1 In the prinird tdition* of the Tima-ii* we find wapc^oftrt-ai in tins place ; bul it evidently ought to be, at iu tin- t«-\t ol PMK In-, rapab(\opcKii. 1 Twofold ignorant* i>. when * man is not only ignorant, but is ignorant that he i» ignorant. And lliib u the disease of the multitude. HOOK v.] TlM.i:US OF I' LA JO. 447 in the do\asiic part. For licit winch is nothini: more than a false suspicion of knowledge, is this. And ignorance indeed, is only llie privation of intell.ct in dianoia lettered,1 and concealing its productive powers ; lint -iir,Ti>, «>r a false suspicion of knowledge, is tlie privation of intellect in opinion, being a certain distortion of it. For being false, it injures its possessor, i'uruhdl cnl is in action, (hat thejulsc is in knowledge. The period of the circle of the same therefore, is alone lettered, and resembles those that arc in captivity, and on this account, are prevented from energizing. This circulation however, remains in the souls that are bound without being dis torted.1 But tin1 period of the- circle of I tic ilffirmt is agitated, In ing tilled with false dogmas. For the proximity of this circle to irrationality, causes it to receive a contain passion from externals. From these things however, we are impelled to speak freely in opposition to Plotinus and the, great Theodorus, who preserve in us something impassive, and which always perceives intellectually. For Plato assumes only two circles in the essence of the soul, one of which is accordin"- to