timaeu-第12章

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mixtures　the　colours　derived　from　these　are　made　according　to　the

rules　of　probability。　He；　however；　who　should　attempt　to　verify　all

this　by　experiment；　would　forget　the　difference　of　the　human　and

divine　nature。　For　God　only　has　the　knowledge　and　also　the　power　which

are　able　to　combine　many　things　into　one　and　again　resolve　the　one

into　many。　But　no　man　either　is　or　ever　will　be　able　to　accomplish

either　the　one　or　the　other　operation。

　　These　are　the　elements；　thus　of　necessity　then　subsisting；　which　the

creator　of　the　fairest　and　best　of　created　things　associated　with

himself；　when　he　made　the　self…sufficing　and　most　perfect　God；　using

the　necessary　causes　as　his　ministers　in　the　accomplishment　of　his

work；　but　himself　contriving　the　good　in　all　his　creations。

Wherefore　we　may　distinguish　two　sorts　of　causes；　the　one　divine　and

the　other　necessary；　and　may　seek　for　the　divine　in　all　things；　as　far

as　our　nature　admits；　with　a　view　to　the　blessed　life；　but　the

necessary　kind　only　for　the　sake　of　the　divine；　considering　that

without　them　and　when　isolated　from　them；　these　higher　things　for

which　we　look　cannot　be　apprehended　or　received　or　in　any　way　shared

by　us。

　　Seeing；　then；　that　we　have　now　prepared　for　our　use　the　various

classes　of　causes　which　are　the　material　out　of　which　the　remainder　of

our　discourse　must　be　woven；　just　as　wood　is　the　material　of　the

carpenter；　let　us　revert　in　a　few　words　to　the　point　at　which　we

began；　and　then　endeavour　to　add　on　a　suitable　ending　to　the　beginning

of　our　tale。

　　As　I　said　at　first；　when　all　things　were　in　disorder　God　created

in　each　thing　in　relation　to　itself；　and　in　all　things　in　relation

to　each　other；　all　the　measures　and　harmonies　which　they　could

possibly　receive。　For　in　those　days　nothing　had　any　proportion

except　by　accident；　nor　did　any　of　the　things　which　now　have　names

deserve　to　be　named　at　all…as；　for　example；　fire；　water；　and　the

rest　of　the　elements。　All　these　the　creator　first　set　in　order；　and

out　of　them　he　constructed　the　universe；　which　was　a　single　animal

comprehending　in　itself　all　other　animals；　mortal　and　immortal。　Now　of

the　divine；　he　himself　was　the　creator；　but　the　creation　of　the　mortal

he　committed　to　his　offspring。　And　they；　imitating　him；　received

from　him　the　immortal　principle　of　the　soul；　and　around　this　they

proceeded　to　fashion　a　mortal　body；　and。　made　it　to　be　the　vehicle

of　the　so　and　constructed　within　the　body　a　soul　of　another　nature

which　was　mortal；　subject　to　terrible　and　irresistible

affections…first　of　all；　pleasure；　the　greatest　incitement　to　evil；

then；　pain；　which　deters　from　good；　also　rashness　and　fear；　two

foolish　counsellors；　anger　hard　to　be　appeased；　and　hope　easily　led

astray…these　they　mingled　with　irrational　sense　and　with　all…daring

love　according　to　necessary　laws；　and　so　framed　man。　Wherefore；

fearing　to　pollute　the　divine　any　more　than　was　absolutely

unavoidable；　they　gave　to　the　mortal　nature　a　separate　habitation　in

another　part　of　the　body；　placing　the　neck　between　them　to　be　the

isthmus　and　boundary；　which　they　constructed　between　the　head　and

breast；　to　keep　them　apart。　And　in　the　breast；　and　in　what　is　termed

the　thorax；　they　encased　the　mortal　soul；　and　as　the　one　part　of

this　was　superior　and　the　other　inferior　they　divided　the　cavity　of

the　thorax　into　two　parts；　as　the　women's　and　men's　apartments　are

divided　in　houses；　and　placed　the　midriff　to　be　a　wall　of　partition

between　them。　That　part　of　the　inferior　soul　which　is　endowed　with

courage　and　passion　and　loves　contention　they　settled　nearer　the　head；

midway　between　the　midriff　and　the　neck；　in　order　that　it　might　be

under　the　rule　of　reason　and　might　join　with　it　in　controlling　and

restraining　the　desires　when　they　are　no　longer　willing　of　their　own

accord　to　obey　the　word　of　command　issuing　from　the　citadel。

　　The　heart；　the　knot　of　the　veins　and　the　fountain　of　the　blood　which

races　through　all　the　limbs　was　set　in　the　place　of　guard；　that　when

the　might　of　passion　was　roused　by　reason　making　proclamation　of　any

wrong　assailing　them　from　without　or　being　perpetrated　by　the

desires　within；　quickly　the　whole　power　of　feeling　in　the　body；

perceiving　these　commands　and　threats；　might　obey　and　follow　through

every　turn　and　alley；　and　thus　allow　the　principle　of　the　best　to　have

the　command　in　all　of　them。　But　the　gods；　foreknowing　that　the

palpitation　of　the　heart　in　the　expectation　of　danger　and　the　swelling

and　excitement　of　passion　was　caused　by　fire；　formed　and　implanted

as　a　supporter　to　the　heart　the　lung；　which　was；　in　the　first　place；

soft　and　bloodless；　and　also　had　within　hollows　like　the　pores　of　a

sponge；　in　order　that　by　receiving　the　breath　and　the　drink；　it

might　give　coolness　and　the　power　of　respiration　and　alleviate　the

heat。　Wherefore　they　cut　the　air…channels　leading　to　the　lung；　and

placed　the　lung　about　the　heart　as　a　soft　spring；　that；　when　passion

was　rife　within；　the　heart；　beating　against　a　yielding　body；　might

be　cooled　and　suffer　less；　and　might　thus　become　more　ready　to　join

with　passion　in　the　service　of　reason。

　　The　part　of　the　soul　which　desires　meats　and　drinks　and　the　other

things　of　which　it　has　need　by　reason　of　the　bodily　nature；　they

placed　between　the　midriff　and　the　boundary　of　the　navel；　contriving

in　all　this　region　a　sort　of　manger　for　the　food　of　the　body；　and

there　they　bound　it　down　like　a　wild　animal　which　was　chained　up

with　man；　and　must　be　nourished　if　man　was　to　exist。　They　appointed

this　lower　creation　his　place　here　in　order　that　he　might　be　always

feeding　at　the　manger；　and　have　his　dwelling　as　far　as　might　be　from

the　council…chamber；　making　as　little　noise　and　disturbance　as

possible；　and　permitting　the　best　part　to　advise　quietly　for　the

good　of　the　whole。　And　knowing　that　this　lower　principle　in　man

would　not　comprehend　reason；　and　even　if　attaining　to　some　degree　of

perception　would　never　naturally　care　for　rational　notions；　but　that

it　would　be　led　away　by　phantoms　and　visions　night　and　day…to　be　a

remedy　for　this；　God　combined　with　it　the　liver；　and　placed　it　in

the　house　of　the　lower　nature；　contriving　that　it　should　be　solid

and　smooth；　and　bright　and　sweet；　and　should　also　have　a　bitter

quality；　in　order　that　the　power　of　thought；　which　proceeds　from　the

mind；　might　be　reflected　as　in　a　mirror　which　receives　likenesses　of

objects　and　gives　back　images　of　them　to　the　sight；　and　so　might

strike　terror　into　the　desires；　when；　making　use　of　the　bitter　part　of

the　liver；　to　which　it　is　akin；　it　comes　threatening　and　invading；　and

diffusing　this　bitter　element　swiftly　through　the　whole　liver　produces

colours　like　bile；　and　contracting　every　part　makes　it　wrinkled　and

rough；　and　twisting　out　of　its　right　place　and　contorting　the　lobe　and

closing　and　shutting　up　the　vessels　and　gates；　causes　pain　and

loathing。　And　the　converse　happens　when　some　gentle　inspiration　of　the

understanding　pictures　images　of　an　opposite　character；　and　allays　the

bile　and　bitterness　by　refusing　to　stir　or　touch　the　nature　opposed　to

itself；　but　by　making　use　of　the　natural　sweetness　of　the　liver；

corrects　all　things　and　makes　them　to　be　right　and　smooth　and　free；

and　renders　the　portion　of　the　soul　which　resides　about　the　liver

happy　and　joyful；　enabling　it　to　pass　the　night　in　peace；　and　to

practise　divination　in　sleep；　inasmuch　as　it　has　no　share　in　mind

and　reason。　For　the　authors　of　our　being；　remembering　the　command　of

their　father　when　he　bade　them　create　the　human　race　as　good　as　they

could；　that　they　might　correct　our　inferior　parts　and　make　them　to

attain　a　measure　of　truth；　placed　in　the　liver　the　seat　of　divination。

And　herein　is　a　proof　that　God　has　given　the　art　of　divination　not

to　the　wisdom；　but　to　the　foolishness　of　man。　No　man；　when　in　his

wits；　attains　prophetic　truth　and　inspiration；　but　when　he　receives

the　inspired　word；　either　his　intelligence　is　enthralled　in　sleep；

or　he　is　demented　by　some　distemper　or　possession。　And　he　who　would

understand　what　he　remembers　to　have　been　said；　whether　in　a　dream

or　when　he　was　awake；　by　the　prophetic　and　inspired　nature；　or　would

determine　by　reason　the　meaning　of　the　apparitions　which　he　has

seen；　and　what　indications　they　afford　to　this　man　or　that；　of　past；

present　or　future　good　and　evil；　must　first　recover　his　wits。　But；

while　he　continues　demented；　he　cannot　judge　of　the　visions　which　he

sees　or　the　words　which　he　utters；　the　ancient　saying　is　very　true；

that　〃only　a　man　who　has　his　wits　can　act　or　judge　about　himself　and

his　own　affairs。〃　And　for　this　reason　it　is　customary　to　appoint

interpreters　to　be　judges　of　the　true　inspiration。　Some　persons　call

them　prophets；　they　are　quite　unaware　that　they　are　only　the

expositors　of　dark　sayings　and　visions；　and　are　not　to　be　called

prophets　at　all；　but　only　interpreters　of　prophecy。

　　Such　is　the　nature　of　the　liver；　which　is　placed　as　we　have

described　in　order　that　it　may　give　prophetic　intimations。　During

the　life　of　each　individual　these　intimations　are　plainer；　but　after

his　death　the　liver　becomes　blind；　and　delivers　oracles　too　obscure　to

be　intelligible。　The　neighbouring　organ　＇the　spleen＇　is　situated　on

the　left…hand　side；　and　is　constructed　with　a　view　of　keeping　the

liver　bright　and　pure…like　a　napkin；　always　ready　prepared　and　at　hand

to　clean　the　mirror。　And　hence；　when　any　impurities　arise　in　the

region　of　the　liver　by　reason　of　disorders　of　the　body；　the　loose

nature　of　the　spleen；　which　is　composed　of　a　hollow　and　bloodless

tissue；　receives　them　all　and　dears　them　away；　and　when　filled　with

the　unclean　matter；　swells　and　festers；　but；　again；　when　the　body　is

purged；　settles　down　into　the　same　place　as　before；　and　is　humbled。

　　Concerning　the　soul；　as　to　which　part　is　mortal　and　which　divine；

and　how　and　why　they　are　separated；　and　where　located；　if　God

acknowledges　that　we　have　spoken　the　truth；　then；　and　then　only；　can

we　be　confident；　still；　we　may　venture　to　assert　that　what　has　been

said　by　us　is　probable；　and　will　be　rendered　more　probable　by

investigation。　Let　us　assume　thus　much。

　　The　creation　of　the　rest　of　follows　next　in　order；　and　this　we　may

investigate　in　a　similar　manner。　And　it　appears　to　be　very　meet　that

the　body　should　be　framed　on　the　following　principles：…

　　The　authors　of　our　race　were　aware　that　we　should　be　intemperate

in　eating　and　drinking；　and　take　a　good　deal　more　than　was　necessary

or　proper；　by　reason　of　gluttony。　In　order　then　that　disease　might　not

quickly　destroy　us；　and　lest　our　mortal　race　should　perish　without

fulfilling　its　end…intending　to　provide　against　this；　the　gods　made

what　is　called　the　lower　belly；　to　be　a　receptacle　for　the　superfluous

meat　and　drink；　and　formed　the　convolution　of　the　bowels；　so　that

the　food　might　be　prevented　from　passing　quickly　through　and

compelling　the　body　to　require　more　food；　thus　producing　insatiable

gluttony；　and　making　the　whole　race　an　enemy　to　philosophy　and

music；　and　rebellious　against　the　divinest　element　w