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Plato: Timaeus
    Click to Expand/Collapse Option Complete text
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionTitle
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionPreface
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionDramatis Personae
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionIntroduction
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionSpeech of Timaeus
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionThe soul of the world
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionTime
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionGods visible and generated
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionCreation of the souls
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionBody and sense perceptions
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionNecessity
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionThe triangles
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionThe forth genera
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionMovement and stillness
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionForms of the genera
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionThe forms of the earth
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionSense perceptions
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionPleasure and weaknesses
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionPowers of the soul
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionOn the rest of the body
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionIllnesses of the body
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionIllnesses of the soul
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionOrigination of the other living beings
Click to Expand/Collapse OptionConcluding remarks
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(δημιουργία τῶν ψυχῶν) Ταῦτ’ εἶπε, καὶ πάλιν ἐπὶ τὸν πρότερον κρατῆρα, ἐν ᾧ τὴν τοῦ παντὸς ψυχὴν κεραννὺς ἔμισγεν, τὰ τῶν πρόσθεν ὑπόλοιπα κατεχεῖτο μίσγων τρόπον μέν τινα τὸν αὐτόν, ἀκήρατα δὲ οὐκέτι κατὰ ταὐτὰ ὡσαύτως, ἀλλὰ δεύτερα καὶ τρίτα.  συστήσας δὲ τὸ πᾶν διεῖλεν ψυχὰς ἰσαρίθμους τοῖς ἄστροις,  ἔνειμέν θ’ ἑκάστην πρὸς ἕκαστον,  καὶ ἐμβιβάσας ὡς ἐς ὄχημα τὴν τοῦ παντὸς φύσιν ἔδειξεν, νόμους τε τοὺς εἱμαρμένους εἶπεν αὐταῖς,  ὅτι γένεσις πρώτη μὲν ἔσοιτο τεταγμένη μία πᾶσιν, ἵνα μήτις ἐλαττοῖτο ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ,  δέοι δὲ σπαρείσας αὐτὰς εἰς τὰ προσήκοντα ἑκάσταις ἕκαστα ὄργανα χρόνων φῦναι ζῴων τὸ θεοσεβέστατον,  διπλῆς δὲ οὔσης τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως, τὸ κρεῖττον τοιοῦτον εἴη γένος ὃ καὶ ἔπειτα κεκλήσοιτο ἀνήρ.  ὁπότε δὴ σώμασιν ἐμφυτευθεῖεν ἐξ ἀνάγκης, καὶ τὸ μὲν προσίοι, τὸ δ’ ἀπίοι τοῦ σώματος αὐτῶν,  πρῶτον μὲν αἴσθησιν ἀναγκαῖον εἴη μίαν πᾶσιν ἐκ βιαίων παθημάτων σύμφυτον γίγνεσθαι, δεύτερον δὲ ἡδονῇ καὶ λύπῃ μεμειγμένον ἔρωτα,  πρὸς δὲ τούτοις φόβον καὶ θυμὸν ὅσα τε ἑπόμενα αὐτοῖς καὶ ὁπόσα ἐναντίως πέφυκε διεστηκότα·  ὧν εἰ μὲν κρατήσοιεν, δίκῃ βιώσοιντο, κρατηθέντες δὲ ἀδικίᾳ.  καὶ ὁ μὲν εὖ τὸν προσήκοντα χρόνον βιούς, πάλιν εἰς τὴν τοῦ συννόμου πορευθεὶς οἴκησιν ἄστρου, βίον εὐδαίμονα καὶ συνήθη ἕξοι,  σφαλεὶς δὲ τούτων εἰς γυναικὸς φύσιν ἐν τῇ δευτέρᾳ γενέσει μεταβαλοῖ·  μὴ παυόμενός τε ἐν τούτοις ἔτι κακίας, τρόπον ὃν κακύνοιτο, κατὰ τὴν ὁμοιότητα τῆς τοῦ τρόπου γενέσεως εἴς τινα τοιαύτην ἀεὶ μεταβαλοῖ θήρειον φύσιν,  ἀλλάττων τε οὐ πρότερον πόνων λήξοι, πρὶν τῇ ταὐτοῦ καὶ ὁμοίου περιόδῳ τῇ ἐν αὑτῷ συνεπισπώμενος τὸν πολὺν ὄχλον καὶ ὕστερον προσφύντα ἐκ πυρὸς καὶ ὕδατος καὶ ἀέρος καὶ γῆς, θορυβώδη καὶ ἄλογον ὄντα,  λόγῳ κρατήσας εἰς τὸ τῆς πρώτης καὶ ἀρίστης ἀφίκοιτο εἶδος ἕξεως.  διαθεσμοθετήσας δὲ πάντα αὐτοῖς ταῦτα, ἵνα τῆς ἔπειτα εἴη κακίας ἑκάστων ἀναίτιος, ἔσπειρεν τοὺς μὲν εἰς γῆν, τοὺς δ’ εἰς σελήνην, τοὺς δ’ εἰς τἆλλα ὅσα ὄργανα χρόνου·  τὸ δὲ μετὰ τὸν σπόρον τοῖς νέοις παρέδωκεν θεοῖς σώματα πλάττειν θνητά, τό τ’ ἐπίλοιπον, ὅσον ἔτι ἦν ψυχῆς ἀνθρωπίνης δέον προσγενέσθαι,  τοῦτο καὶ πάνθ’ ὅσα ἀκόλουθα ἐκείνοις ἀπεργασαμένους ἄρχειν, καὶ κατὰ δύναμιν ὅτι κάλλιστα καὶ ἄριστα τὸ θνητὸν διακυβερνᾶν ζῷον, ὅτι μὴ κακῶν αὐτὸ ἑαυτῷ γίγνοιτο αἴτιον.  Καὶ ὁ μὲν δὴ ἅπαντα ταῦτα διατάξας ἔμενεν ἐν τῷ ἑαυτοῦ κατὰ τρόπον ἤθει·  μένοντος δὲ νοήσαντες οἱ παῖδες τὴν τοῦ πατρὸς τάξιν ἐπείθοντο αὐτῇ,  καὶ λαβόντες ἀθάνατον ἀρχὴν θνητοῦ ζῴου, μιμούμενοι τὸν σφέτερον δημιουργόν, πυρὸς καὶ γῆς ὕδατός τε καὶ ἀέρος ἀπὸ τοῦ κόσμου δανειζόμενοι μόρια ὡς ἀποδοθησόμενα πάλιν,  εἰς ταὐτὸν τὰ λαμβανόμενα συνεκόλλων, οὐ τοῖς ἀλύτοις οἷς αὐτοὶ συνείχοντο δεσμοῖς, ἀλλὰ διὰ σμικρότητα ἀοράτοις πυκνοῖς γόμφοις συντήκοντες,  ἓν ἐξ ἁπάντων ἀπεργαζόμενοι σῶμα ἕκαστον, τὰς τῆς ἀθανάτου ψυχῆς περιόδους ἐνέδουν εἰς ἐπίρρυτον σῶμα καὶ ἀπόρρυτον.  αἱ δ’ εἰς ποταμὸν ἐνδεθεῖσαι πολὺν οὔτ’ ἐκράτουν οὔτ’ ἐκρατοῦντο, βίᾳ δὲ ἐφέροντο καὶ ἔφερον,  ὥστε τὸ μὲν ὅλον κινεῖσθαι ζῷον, ἀτάκτως μὴν ὅπῃ τύχοι προϊέναι καὶ ἀλόγως, τὰς ἓξ ἁπάσας κινήσεις ἔχον·  εἴς τε γὰρ τὸ πρόσθε καὶ ὄπισθεν καὶ πάλιν εἰς δεξιὰ καὶ ἀριστερὰ κάτω τε καὶ ἄνω καὶ πάντῃ κατὰ τοὺς ἓξ τόπους πλανώμενα προῄειν.  πολλοῦ γὰρ ὄντος τοῦ κατακλύζοντος καὶ ἀπορρέοντος κύματος ὃ τὴν τροφὴν παρεῖχεν, ἔτι μείζω θόρυβον ἀπηργάζετο τὰ τῶν προσπιπτόντων παθήματα ἑκάστοις,  ὅτε πυρὶ προσκρούσειε τὸ σῶμά τινος ἔξωθεν ἀλλοτρίῳ περι τυχὸν ἢ καὶ στερεῷ γῆς πάγῳ ὑγροῖς τε ὀλισθήμασιν ὑδάτων, εἴτε ζάλῃ πνευμάτων ὑπὸ ἀέρος φερομένων καταληφθείη,  καὶ ὑπὸ πάντων τούτων διὰ τοῦ σώματος αἱ κινήσεις ἐπὶ τὴν ψυχὴν φερόμεναι προσπίπτοιεν·  αἳ δὴ καὶ ἔπειτα διὰ ταῦτα ἐκλήθησάν τε καὶ νῦν ἔτι αἰσθήσεις συνάπασαι κέκληνται.  καὶ δὴ καὶ τότε ἐν τῷ παρόντι πλείστην καὶ μεγίστην παρεχόμεναι κίνησιν,  μετὰ τοῦ ῥέοντος ἐνδελεχῶς ὀχετοῦ κινοῦσαι καὶ σφοδρῶς σείουσαι τὰς τῆς ψυχῆς περιόδους,  τὴν μὲν ταὐτοῦ παντάπασιν ἐπέδησαν ἐναντία αὐτῇ ῥέουσαι καὶ ἐπέσχον ἄρχουσαν καὶ ἰοῦσαν, τὴν δ’ αὖ θατέρου διέσεισαν,  ὥστε τὰς τοῦ διπλασίου καὶ τριπλασίου τρεῖς ἑκατέρας ἀποστάσεις καὶ τὰς τῶν ἡμιολίων καὶ ἐπιτρίτων καὶ ἐπογδόων μεσότητας καὶ συνδέσεις,  ἐπειδὴ παντελῶς λυταὶ οὐκ ἦσαν πλὴν ὑπὸ τοῦ συνδήσαντος,  πάσας μὲν στρέψαι στροφάς, πάσας δὲ κλάσεις καὶ διαφθορὰς τῶν κύκλων ἐμποιεῖν, ὁσαχῇπερ ἦν δυνατόν,  ὥστε μετ’ ἀλλήλων μόγις συνεχομένας φέρεσθαι μέν, ἀλόγως δὲ φέρεσθαι, τοτὲ μὲν ἀντίας, ἄλλοτε δὲ πλαγίας, τοτὲ δὲ ὑπτίας·  οἷον ὅταν τις ὕπτιος ἐρείσας τὴν κεφαλὴν μὲν ἐπὶ γῆς, τοὺς δὲ πόδας ἄνω προσβαλὼν ἔχῃ πρός τινι,  τότε ἐν τούτῳ τῷ πάθει τοῦ τε πάσχοντος καὶ τῶν ὁρώντων τά τε δεξιὰ ἀριστερὰ καὶ τὰ ἀριστερὰ δεξιὰ ἑκατέροις τὰ ἑκατέρων φαντάζεται.  ταὐτὸν δὴ τοῦτο καὶ τοιαῦτα ἕτερα αἱ περιφοραὶ πάσχουσαι σφοδρῶς,  ὅταν τέ τῳ τῶν ἔξωθεν τοῦ ταὐτοῦ γένους ἢ τοῦ θατέρου περιτύχωσιν, τότε ταὐτόν τῳ καὶ θάτερόν του τἀναντία τῶν ἀληθῶν προσαγορεύουσαι  ψευδεῖς καὶ ἀνόητοι γεγόνασιν, οὐδεμία τε ἐν αὐταῖς τότε περίοδος ἄρχουσα οὐδ’ ἡγεμών ἐστιν·  αἷς δ’ ἂν ἔξωθεν αἰσθήσεις τινὲς φερόμεναι καὶ προσπεσοῦσαι συνεπισπάσωνται καὶ τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς ἅπαν κύτος, τόθ’ αὗται κρατούμεναι κρατεῖν δοκοῦσι.  καὶ διὰ δὴ ταῦτα πάντα τὰ παθήματα νῦν κατ’ ἀρχάς τε ἄνους ψυχὴ γίγνεται τὸ πρῶτον, ὅταν εἰς σῶμα ἐνδεθῇ θνητόν.  ὅταν δὲ τὸ τῆς αὔξης καὶ τροφῆς ἔλαττον ἐπίῃ ῥεῦμα, πάλιν δὲ αἱ περίοδοι λαμβανόμεναι γαλήνης τὴν ἑαυτῶν ὁδὸν ἴωσι καὶ καθιστῶνται μᾶλλον ἐπιόντος τοῦ χρόνου,  τότε ἤδη πρὸς τὸ κατὰ φύσιν ἰόντων σχῆμα ἑκάστων τῶν κύκλων αἱ περιφοραὶ κατευθυνόμεναι,  τό τε θάτερον καὶ τὸ ταὐτὸν προσαγορεύουσαι κατ’ ὀρθόν, ἔμφρονα τὸν ἔχοντα αὐτὰς γιγνόμενον ἀποτελοῦσιν.  ἂν μὲν οὖν δὴ καὶ συνεπιλαμβάνηταί τις ὀρθὴ τροφὴ παιδεύσεως, ὁλόκληρος ὑγιής τε παντελῶς, τὴν μεγίστην ἀποφυγὼν νόσον, γίγνεται·  καταμελήσας δέ, χωλὴν τοῦ βίου διαπορευθεὶς ζωήν, ἀτελὴς καὶ ἀνόητος εἰς Ἅιδου πάλιν ἔρχεται.  ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ὕστερά ποτε γίγνεται·  περὶ δὲ τῶν νῦν προτεθέντων δεῖ διελθεῖν ἀκριβέστερον, τὰ δὲ πρὸ τούτων, περὶ σωμάτων κατὰ μέρη τῆς γενέσεως καὶ περὶ ψυχῆς, δι’ ἅς τε αἰτίας καὶ προνοίας γέγονε θεῶν,  τοῦ μάλιστα εἰκότος ἀντεχομένοις, οὕτω καὶ κατὰ ταῦτα πορευομένοις διεξιτέον. 
Haec ille dixit; deinde ad temperationem superiorem revertit, in qua omnem animum universae naturae temperans permiscebat superiorisque permixtionis reliquias fundens aequabat eodem modo ferme, nisi quod non ita incorrupta ut ea quae semper isdem, sed ab iis secundum sumebat atque etiam tertium.  Toto igitur omni constituto sideribus parem numerum distribuit animorum  et singulos adiunxit ad singula  atque ita quasi in currum universitatis imposuit commonstravitque leges fatales ac necessarias et ostendit  primum ortum unum fore omnibus eumque moderatum atque constantem nec ab ullo inminutum;  satis autem et quasi sparsis animis fore uti certis temporum intervallis oreretur animal quod esset ad cultum deorum aptissimum.  Sed cum duplex esset natura generis humani, sic se res habebat ut praestantius genus esset eorum qui essent futuri viri.  Cum autem animis corpora necessitate insevisset cumque ad corpora [necessitate] tum accessio fieret tum abscessio,  principio necesse erat sensum exsistere unum communemque omnium vehementiore motu excitatum coniunctumque naturae, deinde voluptate et molestia mixtum amorem,  post iram et metum et reliquos motus animi comites superiorum et his etiam contrarios dissidentes.  "Quos qui ratione rexerit, iuste vixerit, qui autem iis se dederit, iniuste.  Atque ille qui recte atque honeste curriculum vivendi a natura datum confecerit ad illud astrum quocum aptus fuerit revertetur;  qui autem inmoderate et intemperate vixerit, eum secundus ortus in figuram muliebrem transferet,  et si ne tum quidem finem vitiorum faciet gravius etiam iactabitur et in suis moribus simillimas figuras pecudum et ferarum transferetur  neque terminum malorum prius aspiciet quam illam sequi coeperit conversionem quam habebit in se ipse eiusdem et uni similis innatam et insitam: quod tum eveniet cum illa quae ex igni anima aqua terra turbulenta et rationis expertia insederint  ratione depulerit et ad primam atque optimam affectionem animi pervenerit."  Quae cum ita designasset seseque, si quid postea fraudis aut vitii evenisset, extra omnem culpam causamque posuisset, alios[que] in terram alios in lunam alios in reliquas mundi partes, quae sunt [ad] spatiorum temporis signa et notae constitutae, spargens quasi serebat.  Post autem eam sationem dis ut ita dicam iunioribus permisit ut corpora mortalia effingerent, quantumque esset reliquum ex humano animo quod deberet accedere,  id omne et quae consequentia essent perpolirent et absolverent, deinde ut huic animanti principes se ducesque praeberent vitamque eius quam pulcherrime regerent et gubernarent, quatenus non ipse bene factus sua culpa sibi aliquid miseriae quaereret.  Atque is quidem qui cuncta conposuit constanter in suo manebat statu;  qui autem erant ab eo creati, cum parentis ordinem cognovissent, hunc sequebantur.  Itaque cum accepissent inmortale principium mortalis animantis, imitantes genitorem et effectorem sui particulas ignis et terrae et atque et animae a mundo, quas rursus redderent, mutuabantur  easque inter se copulabant, haud isdem vinclis quibus ipsi erant conligati, sed talibus quae cerni non possent propter parvitatem crebris quasi cuneolis inliquefactis  unum efficiebant ex omnibus corpus atque in eo influente atque affluente animi divini ambitus inligabant.  Itaque illi in flumen inmersi neque tenebant neque tenebantur, sed vi magna tum ferebant tum ferebantur.  Ita totum animal movebantur illud quidem, sed inmoderate et fortuito, ut sex motibus veheretur:  nam et ante et pone et ad laevam et ad dextram et sursum et deorsum, modo huc modo illuc....[lacuna]...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ... 
Haec dixit et demum reliquias prioris concretionis, ex qua mundi animam commiscuerat, in eiusdem crateris sinum refundens eodem propemodum genere atque eadem ratione miscebat, nec tamen eadem exoriebatur puritas serenitasque prouentuum nec tam immutabilis perseverantiae sed secundae ac tertiae dignitatis;  coagmentataque mox universae rei machina delegit animas stellarum numero pares  singulasque singulis comparavit  easdemque uehiculis competentibus superimpositas uniuersae rei naturam spectare iussit legesque immutabilis decreti docuit ostendens,  quod prima quidem generatio uniformis in omnibus eiusdemque ordinis esset futura, ne cui competens iustum aliqua ex parte a se minueretur.  Oportebat porro satas eas certis legitimisque temporum uicibus piae nationis animalium quaeque praeter caeteras animantes deum suspiciant afferre frugem,  esse autem naturam hominis geminam, cuius quod melius sit genus censendum fore viri nomine.  Cumque necessitate decreti corporibus inserentur corporeaque supellex varie mutabitur quibusdam labentibus et aliis invicem succedentibus membris,  primo quidem sensum ex violentis passionibus excitari, post quem mixtam ex voluptate tristitiaque cupidinem nasci,  tum uero metum atque iracundiam caeterasque pedissequas earum perturbationes diverso affectu pro natura sua permoventes;  quas quidem si frenarent ac subiugarent, iustam his lenemque uitam fore, sin vincerentur, iniustam et confragosam.  Et victricibus quidem ad comparis stellae contubernium sedemque reditum patere acturis deinceps vitam veram et beatam,  victas porro mutare sexum atque ad infirmitatem naturae muliebris relegari secundae generationis tempore;  nec a vitiis intemperantiaque desciscentibus tamen poenam reiectionemque in deteriora non cessare, donec instituto meritisque congruas immanium ferarum induant formas,  pausamque malorum non prius fore quam consecuta eas rata et eadem semper volucris illa mundi circumactio cuncta earum vitia ex igni et aqua terraque et aere contracta omnemque illuviem deterserit inconsultis et immoderatis erroribus ad modum rationis temperiemque redactis,  quo positis sordibus expiatae purificataeque demum ad antiqui uultus honestatem pertingere mereantur.  Quibus cunctis fatalium legum promulgationibus in istum modum patefactis et expositis, ne qua penes se deinceps ex reticentia noxae resideret auctoritas, sementem fecit eius modi deus, ut partim in terra, partim in luna generis humani iacerentur exordia, partim in caeteris quae instrumenta sunt temporis.  Ea porro officia quae sementem sequuntur factis a se diis iniunxit, ut dixeram, maximeque formandorum corporum curam mortalium; ac si qua pars etiam tunc hominis animae residua superesset,  cuius constitutioni nauanda opera videretur, caeteraque omnia consequenter aggrederentur hortatus est, quae operis perfectio rerumque ordo deposceret proque viribus eniterentur, ut quam optime mortalis natura regeretur exceptis improsperitatibus, quarum esset auctoritas et causa penes ipsos.  Quibus in istum modum digestis omnibus cum in proposito rerum creator maneret,  intellegentes iussionem patris filii iuxta mandatam  informationem immortali sumpto initio mortalis animantis ex mundi materiis igni terraque et aqua cum spiritu faenus elementarium mutuati, quod redderetur cum opus foret,  ea quae acceperant conglutinabant non isdem quibus ipsi nexibus, sed aliis ob incomprehensibilem brevitatem invisibilibus gomphis.  Itaque apparata materia circuitus immortalis animae circumligabant inriguo fluidoque corpori;  circuitus porro ut torrenti rapido defluoque obligati neque tenebant neque tenebantur, sed ita vi ferebant et inuicem ferebantur,  ut totum quidem animal moueretur, praecipiti tamen et inordinata iactatione, quippe cum sex sine ratione raptaretur motibus,  ultro citro, dextrorsum sinistrorsum et item sursum deorsumque pergens atque oberrans.  Immenso quippe inrigante et immoderate effluente gurgite, ex quo cibus et alimenta comparabantur, multo maior extrinsecus turba conflicta tioque vexabat,  cum corpus aliquod in raptatu incurrisset ignis offensionem uel etiam terrenam complosionem, similiter aquae lubricas uiolentasque uentorum procellas  hisque interpellationibus omnibus per corpus ad animam commeantibus stimulate mens aestuaret;  qui quidem aestus propterea et initio et nunc usque sensus cognominantur.  Maximos violentosque motus cientes cum naturali derivatione  iugiter et sine intermissione effluente circuitus animae quasi quibusdam turbinibus simul quatiunt, ilium quidem prouidum eius consultumque motum,  scilicet eiusdem circuli, cuius est orbiculata circumuolutatio, statuentes et contra quam illa mouetur operantes imperiumque eius respuentes, at uero diuersi circuli diuersis motibus incertisque famulantes  usque adeo ut -- quia limites duplicis illius et triplicis quantitatis et item interualla terna per utrumque latus epitritorum sescuplorumque et epogdoorum medietatibus confirmata  dissolvi a nullo quam ab eo solo qui iunxerat poterant,  omni tamen iactationis genere diuexarent adversis sibi inuicem motibus animam, totem eius substantiam diverse distrahentes,  ut una quidem feratur cum confirmationis suae nexibus, verum sine ratione utpote discordantibus motibus et depravante rectum iter sensuum illecebra. Propterea varias inclinationes existere obliquae, contraries et item resupinis casibus similes,  ut si quis naturalem memoris regionem mutans caput pro pedibus solo figat, pedes in altum pro capite sustollat;  tunc, opinor, tam eius qui patitur quam eorum qui spectant dextrae quidem parses sinistrae, sinistrae vero dextrae videntur invicem.  Id ipsum animae quoque circuitus patiuntur  proptereaque errant in eiusdem diversique generis contemplatione, cum quod diversum idem, et quod est idem diversum imbecillitate discernendi autumant  estque haec eorum plena erroris et falsitatis opinio orta ex depravatione sensuum nec habet ullum certum ducem talis peragratio;  cumque extra positi sensus pulsaverint animam vehementius omnemque eam possederint, tunc illa subiugata et serviens pontificium aliquod potestatemque retinere falso putatur  eademque passionibus aegra et initio, cum incorporata est, et quamdiu perinde afficietur amens erit.  At postquam incrementi nutricationisque tenui iam rivo meatus effluet animaeque circuitus tranquilliore motu viam suam peragent processuque temporis sedatiores erunt,  utpote qui a naturae suae competenti motu minime exorbitent,  facile iam diversae naturae vitia bonitatemque et honestatem semper eiusdem cum alterius appetitu, alterius vero detestatione secernent hominemque ita institutum plena et incolumi prudentia tuebuntur.  Ac si ad hunc statum accedat auxiliatrix eruditionis honestae moderationisque diligentia, immunis omni perturbatione atque aegritudine ducet aevum;  si negleget, claudum iter vitae serpens cum familiari demum stultitia revocabitur ad inferna.  Sed haec quidem novissime provenient meritis iam vitae locatis;  nunc vero divinae providentiae spectari pensum convenit ex membrorum rationabili conformatione, quae suscipiendo vitali vigori caelestis apparabat prospicientia.  . 
Haec fatus, in eodem rursus (43) cratere, in quo mundi totius animam permiscens temperaverat, superioris temperatio(44)nis reliquias miscendo perfudit, modo quodam eodem, non tamen perfectas similiter, sed (45) et secundo et tertio gradu a primis deficientes.  Denique cum universum constituisset, a(46)stris parem numerum distribuit animarum,  singulis singulas adhibens,  eiusque tanquam vehi(47)culo impositis monstravit universi naturam, ac leges fatales edixit:  ostendens quidem pri(48)mam omnibus generationem ordine quodam unam fore, nequis ab eo minis aliquid for(49)tiatur.  Satis autem et quasi sparsis animis per singula singulis convenientia temporum in(50)strumenta, fore ut animal nasceretur, quod omnium animalium maxime esset divino cul(51)tui deditum.  Esse autem naturam hominis geminam: cuius id genus fore praestantius quod (52) viri nomine sit appellandum.  Cum vero animae corporibus necessitate quadam insertae fu(53)erint, et corporalibus earum accesserit aliquid vicissimque abscesserit,  primum utique necessa(54)rio sensum unum omnibus intimum, et naturae coniunctum illic violentis passionibus (1) excitari, deinde voluptate et dolore mixtum amorem,  post haec metum et iram, et quae(2)cunque vel ista sequuntur, vel ab istis ut contraria dissident.  Haec qui superaverint, eos iu(3)ste victuros, iniuste vero qui ab his fuerint superati.  Atque illum qui recte curriculum(4) vivendi a natura datum confecerit, ad illud astrum cui accommodatus fuerit, reversum (5) beatam vitam acturum.  Contra vero agentem cogi in ortu secundo sexu mutato fieri mu(6)lierem.  Et qui ne tum quidem finem peccandi faciet, quatenus depravatur, eatenus in (7) brutorum naturam suis moribus similem permutari:  nec prius a mutationibus labori(8)busque cessare, quam illam sibi infitam eiusdem ipsius similsue naturae conversionem se(9)curus ipse, eique subiiciens turbulentos multiplicesque affectus postea ex igni, aqua, aere, (10) et terra contractos,  ratione sedaverit, et ad primum optimumque sui habitum iam redie(11)rit.  Quae cum illis ita designavisset, nequa penes se futurae pravitatis causa esset, alios in (12) terram, alios in lunam, alios in alia temporis instrumenta spargens quasi ferebat.  Post hu(13)iusmodi sementem, quod reliquum erat, diis iunioribus agendum mandavit, ut corpora (14) mortalia fingerent, quantumque esset humanae animae quod reliquum huic deberet acce(15)dere,  id omne et quae consequentia essent, adiungerent regerentque, et quam optime et (16) pulcherrime fieri posset mortalis animalis animalis naturam gubernarent, nisi ipsum sibimet ma(17)lorum causa esset.  Atque is quidem qui haec cincta disposuit, rite in suo habitu permane(18)bat.  Quo quidem permanente, eius filii cum parentis ordinem cognovissent, eum pro(19)tinus sequebantur.  Itaque accepto ab illo mortalis animantis immortali principio, sui (20) effectorem imitati, ignis, aeris, aquae, terrae particulas, quas rursus redderent, a mundo (21) mutuebantur:  easque inter se copulabant, haud iisdem illis indissolubilibus vinculis, quibus (22) ipsi fuerant colligati, sed talibus quae propter parvitatem cerni non possent: crebrisque hu(23)iusmodi clavis coniunctis  unum ex omnibus corpus efficiebant, atque in hoc ipsum tum (24) influente, tum effluente corpore animae divinae, circuitus illigabant.  Itaque hi circuitus (25) in profundum flumen immersi, neque tenebant neque tenebantur, sed vi ferebantur, at(26)que ferebant.  Ex quo factum est, ut totum animal moveretur, sine ordine tamen, et for(27)tuita quadam iactatione. Cui quidem sex pervagari motibus contingit undique per sex (28) loci differentias progrediendo,  videlicet ante et retro, ad dexteram et laevam, sursum at(29)que deorsum.  Cum vero plurimus inundaret fluctus atque deflueret unde animal nutri(30)retur, multo etiam maior a passionibus extrinsecus illatis turba sequebatur,  cum corpus (31) aliquod ignis exterioris incurrisset offensionem, vel a terra soliditate, aut aquae humore, (32) aut aeris flatu laesum esset.  Porro ab iis omnibus per corpus motus usque ad animam (33) transeunt,  qui propterea et initio et nunc sensus cognominati sunt.  Hi quidem ab initio (34) continue multos et maximos motus cient,  rivo illo iugiter fluente, atque his fluctibus (35) vehementer animae circuitus quatiunt.  Et circuitum quidem illum eiusdem similisque (36) naturae in ipso cursu prorsus impediunt: alterius vero circuitum distrahunt:  usqueadeo (37) ut dupla illa et tripla utrinque disposita intervalla tria, medietatesque et colligationes ses(38)quitertia, sesquialtera, sesquioctava ratione interiectas,  quae dissolvi a nullo nisi ab eo qui (39) coniunxit possunt,  omni revolutionis genere torqueant, omnesque anfractus et varietates (40) orbium, quotcunque contingere queunt, inducantia  ut ambitus ipsi vix sibi invicem (41) connexi, ferantur quidem, sed sine ratione ferantur, tum contra, tum ex obliquo, tum re(42)supina quadam dispositione,  ceu siquis caput pro pedibus humi figat, pedes vero pro ca(43)pite tollat in altum.  Tunc arbitror tam eius qui sic affectus est, quam eorum qui spectant, (44) dextrae partes sinistrae, et contra sinistrae dexterae sibi invicem esse videntur.  Itaque cum (45) hoc ipsum ceterave huiusmodi animi quoque ambitu maxime patiuntur,  si tunc extrinse(46)cum aliquid eiusdem ipsius vel alterius generis inciderint, falso quid idem alicui sit, quid(47)ve alterum ab aliquo iudicant.  Ideoque mendaces tunc dementes sunt, nec ullus princeps (48) et dux in eis tunc est circuitus.  Cumque extra positi sensus pulsaverint animam vehemen(49)tius, totamque possederint, tunc illi subiugati quidem et servientes dominari videntur.  (50) Quas ob res ab initio anima cum mortalis corporis vinculis includitur, amens efficitur.  (51) At postquam nutritionis et augmenti rivus lenius minusque fluit, animaeque circuitus tran(52)quilliore motu iter suum peragunt, processuque temporis sedatiores fiunt,  et in figuram na(53)turae congruam restituuntur:  tunc singulorum circulorum directae conversiones, eius(54)dem et alterius naturam probe discernunt, hominemque sic institutum prudentem efficiunt.  (1) Quod si quis educationi rectaeue nutritioni quoque et eruditionem conve(2)nientem adiunxerit, morbo gravissimo devitato fanus et integer prorsus evadet:  sin au(3)tem neglexerit, claudum vitae iter ingresus, tanquam mancus et omnino inutilis rursus (4) ad inferos decidit.  Sed haec quidem post ortum contingunt.  Nunc vero de prima homi((5)nis compositione exactius differendum, ac probabili ratione monstrandum, qua cau(6)sa et providentia deorum singula membra corporis ad singula animae officia sint accom(7)modata.  . 
[He makes the human soul of the same elements as the universal; and having distributed it into souls equal in number to the stars, sets one soul in each star and reveals to them their future life on the planets, when they will have mortal bodies.
Those who then live well will return to their original star; those who live badly will take a lower form at their next birth.]
Thus he spake, and once more into the cup in which he had previously mingled the soul of the universe he poured the remains of the elements, and mingled them in much the same manner; they were not, however, pure as before, but diluted to the second and third degree.  And having made it he divided the whole mixture into souls equal in number to the stars,  assigned each soul to a star;  and having there placed them as in a chariot, he showed them the nature of the universe, and declared to them the laws of destiny,  according to which their first birth would be one and the same for all, — no one should suffer a disadvantage at his hands;  they were to be sown in the instruments of time severally adapted to them, and to come forth the most religious of animals;  and as human nature was of two kinds, the superior race would hereafter be called man.  Now, when they should be implanted in bodies by necessity, and be always gaining or losing some part of their bodily substance,  then in the first place it would be necessary that they should all have in them one and the same faculty of sensation, arising out of irresistible impressions; in the second place, they must have love, in which pleasure and pain mingle;  also fear and anger, and the feelings which are akin or opposite to them;  if they conquered these they would live righteously, and if they were conquered by them, unrighteously.  He who lived well during his appointed time was to return and dwell in his native star, and there he would have a blessed and congenial existence.  But if he failed in attaining this, at the second birth he would pass into a woman,  and if, when in that state of being, he did not desist from evil, he would continually be changed into some brute who resembled him in the evil nature which he had acquired,  and would not cease from his toils and transformations until he followed the revolution of the same and the like within him, and overcame by the help of reason the turbulent and irrational mob of later accretions, made up of fire and air and water and earth,  and returned to the form of his first and better state.1   Having given all these laws to his creatures, that he might be guiltless of future evil in any of them, the creator sowed some of them in the earth, and some in the moon, and some in the other instruments of time;  and when he had sown them he committed to the younger gods the fashioning of their mortal bodies, and desired them to furnish what was still lacking to the human soul,  and having made all the suitable additions, to rule over them, and to pilot the mortal animal in the best and wisest manner which they could, and avert from him all but self-inflicted evils.  [The created gods provide for the human soul bodies compounded of earth, air, fire and water. The courses of the soul, when placed in them, are so disturbed by the ebbing and flowing stream of nutriment and by external sensations, that the revolution of the same is stopped, and the mean terms which unite the sphere of the other are disordered. Thus at first the soul does not attain to truth and wisdom.] When the creator had made all these ordinances he remained in his own accustomed nature,  and his children heard and were obedient to their father’s word,  and receiving from him the immortal principle of a mortal creature, in imitation of their own creator they borrowed portions of fire, and earth, and water, and air from the world, which were hereafter to be restored —  these they took and welded them together, not with the indissoluble chains by which they were themselves bound, but with little pegs too small to be visible,  making up out of all the four elements each separate body, and fastening the courses of the immortal soul in a body which was in a state of perpetual influx and efflux.  Now these courses, detained as in a vast river, neither overcame nor were overcome; but were hurrying and hurried to and fro,  so that the whole animal was moved and progressed, irregularly however and irrationally and anyhow, in all the six directions of motion,  wandering backwards and forwards, and right and left, and up and down, and in all the six directions.  For great as was the advancing and retiring flood which provided nourishment, the affections produced by external contact caused still greater tumult  — when the body of any one met and came into collision with some external fire, or with the solid earth or the gliding waters, or was caught in the tempest borne on the air,  and the motions produced by any of these impulses were carried through the body to the soul.  All such motions have consequently received the general name of ‘sensations,’ which they still retain.  And they did in fact at that time create a very great and mighty movement;  uniting with the ever-flowing stream in stirring up and violently shaking the courses of the soul,  they completely stopped the revolution of the same by their opposing current, and hindered it from predominating and advancing; and they so disturbed the nature of the other or diverse,  that the three double intervals [i. e. between 1, 2, 4, 8], and the three triple intervals [i. e. between 1, 3, 9, 27], together with the mean terms and connecting links which are expressed by the ratios of 3 : 2, and 4 : 3, and of 9 : 8,  — these, although they cannot be wholly undone except by him who united them,  were twisted by them in all sorts of ways, and the circles were broken and disordered in every possible manner,  so that when they moved they were tumbling to pieces, and moved irrationally, at one time in a reverse direction, and then again obliquely, and then upside down,  as you might imagine a person who is upside down and has his head leaning upon the ground and his feet up against something in the air;  and when he is in such a position, both he and the spectator fancy that the right of either is his left, and the left right.  If, when powerfully experiencing these and similar effects,  the revolutions of the soul come in contact with some external thing, either of the class of the same or of the other, they speak of the same or of the other in a manner the very opposite of the truth;  and they become false and foolish, and there is no course or revolution in them which has a guiding or directing power;  and if again any sensations enter in violently from without and drag after them the whole vessel of the soul, then the courses of the soul, though they seem to conquer, are really conquered.  [As the stream of nutriment abates, the courses of the soul regain their proper motions, and the man becomes a rational creature. True education renders him perfect.] And by reason of all these affections, the soul, when encased in a mortal body, now, as in the beginning, is at first without intelligence;  but when the flood of growth and nutriment abates, and the courses of the soul, calming down, go their own way and become steadier as time goes on,  then the several circles return to their natural form, and their revolutions are corrected,  and they call the same and the other by their right names, and make the possessor of them to become a rational being.  And if these combine in him with any true nurture or education, he attains the fulness and health of the perfect man, and escapes the worst disease of all;  but if he neglects education he walks lame to the end of his life, and returns imperfect and good for nothing to the world below.  This, however, is a later stage;  at present we must treat more exactly the subject before us, which involves a preliminary enquiry into the generation of the body and its members, and as to how the soul was created,—for what reason and by what providence of the gods;  and holding fast to probability, we must pursue our way. 
So sprach er und goß wiederum in dasselbe Mischgefäß, in welchem er zuvor die Seele des Alls zusammengemischt hatte, die Überreste derselben Bestandteile hinein und vermischte sie zwar ungefähr auf die gleiche Weise, nahm sie aber nicht von derselben gleichmäßigen Reinheit, sondern vom zweiten und dritten Range.  Und nachdem er aus ihnen ein Ganzes gebildet hatte, verteilte er dies in Seelen von gleicher Zahl mit den Sternen  und teilte je eine einem jeden zu,  und nachdem er sie so auf dieselben wie au fein Fahrzeug gesetzt hatte, zeigte er ihnen die Natur des Alls und verkündete ihnen die vom Schicksal verhängten Gesetze,  daß nämlich die erste Geburt auf die gleiche Weise für sie alle bestimmt sein werde, auf daß keine von ihnen in Nachteil durch ihn gesetzt würde,  und daß sie auf die einzelnen, einer jeden entsprechenden Werkzeuge der Zeit verpflanzt, zu demjenigen aller lebendigen Geschöpfe werden sollten, welches am meisten die Götter verehre;  und da die menschliche Natur eine zwiespältige sei, so solle das edlere von beiden Geschlechtern mit einer solchen Beschaffenheit vorgebildet werden, wie sie hernach mit dem Namen Mann verbunden sein sollte.                                                                                             
 
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Enhet: Det humanistiske fakultet   Utviklet av: IT-seksjonen ved HF
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