timaeu-第4章

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framer。

　　Now　the　creation　took　up　the　whole　of　each　of　the　four　elements；　for

the　Creator　compounded　the　world　out　of　all　the　fire　and　all　the　water

and　all　the　air　and　all　the　earth；　leaving　no　part　of　any　of　them

nor　any　power　of　them　outside。　His　intention　was；　in　the　first

place；　that　the　animal　should　be　as　far　as　possible　a　perfect　whole

and　of　perfect　parts：　secondly；　that　it　should　be　one；　leaving　no

remnants　out　of　which　another　such　world　might　be　created：　and　also

that　it　should　be　free　from　old　age　and　unaffected　by　disease。

Considering　that　if　heat　and　cold　and　other　powerful　forces　which

unite　bodies　surround　and　attack　them　from　without　when　they　are

unprepared；　they　decompose　them；　and　by　bringing　diseases　and　old

age　upon　them；　make　them　waste　away…for　this　cause　and　on　these

grounds　he　made　the　world　one　whole；　having　every　part　entire；　and

being　therefore　perfect　and　not　liable　to　old　age　and　disease。　And

he　gave　to　the　world　the　figure　which　was　suitable　and　also　natural。

Now　to　the　animal　which　was　to　comprehend　all　animals；　that　figure　was

suitable　which　comprehends　within　itself　all　other　figures。

Wherefore　he　made　the　world　in　the　form　of　a　globe；　round　as　from　a

lathe；　having　its　extremes　in　every　direction　equidistant　from　the

centre；　the　most　perfect　and　the　most　like　itself　of　all　figures；

for　he　considered　that　the　like　is　infinitely　fairer　than　the

unlike。　This　he　finished　off；　making　the　surface　smooth　all　around　for

many　reasons；　in　the　first　place；　because　the　living　being　had　no　need

of　eyes　when　there　was　nothing　remaining　outside　him　to　be　seen；　nor

of　ears　when　there　was　nothing　to　be　heard；　and　there　was　no

surrounding　atmosphere　to　be　breathed；　nor　would　there　have　been　any

use　of　organs　by　the　help　of　which　he　might　receive　his　food　or　get

rid　of　what　he　had　already　digested；　since　there　was　nothing　which

went　from　him　or　came　into　him：　for　there　was　nothing　beside　him。　Of

design　he　was　created　thus；　his　own　waste　providing　his　own　food；

and　all　that　he　did　or　suffered　taking　place　in　and　by　himself。　For

the　Creator　conceived　that　a　being　which　was　self…sufficient　would

be　far　more　excellent　than　one　which　lacked　anything；　and；　as　he　had

no　need　to　take　anything　or　defend　himself　against　any　one；　the

Creator　did　not　think　it　necessary　to　bestow　upon　him　hands：　nor　had

he　any　need　of　feet；　nor　of　the　whole　apparatus　of　walking；　but　the

movement　suited　to　his　spherical　form　was　assigned　to　him；　being　of

all　the　seven　that　which　is　most　appropriate　to　mind　and　intelligence；

and　he　was　made　to　move　in　the　same　manner　and　on　the　same　spot；

within　his　own　limits　revolving　in　a　circle。　All　the　other　six　motions

were　taken　away　from　him；　and　he　was　made　not　to　partake　of　their

deviations。　And　as　this　circular　movement　required　no　feet；　the

universe　was　created　without　legs　and　without　feet。

　　Such　was　the　whole　plan　of　the　eternal　God　about　the　god　that　was　to

be；　to　whom　for　this　reason　he　gave　a　body；　smooth　and　even；　having

a　surface　in　every　direction　equidistant　from　the　centre；　a　body

entire　and　perfect；　and　formed　out　of　perfect　bodies。　And　in　the

centre　he　put　the　soul；　which　he　diffused　throughout　the　body；

making　it　also　to　be　the　exterior　environment　of　it；　and　he　made　the

universe　a　circle　moving　in　a　circle；　one　and　solitary；　yet　by

reason　of　its　excellence　able　to　converse　with　itself；　and　needing

no　other　friendship　or　acquaintance。　Having　these　purposes　in　view

he　created　the　world　a　blessed　god。

　　Now　God　did　not　make　the　soul　after　the　body；　although　we　are

speaking　of　them　in　this　order；　for　having　brought　them　together　he

would　never　have　allowed　that　the　elder　should　be　ruled　by　the

younger；　but　this　is　a　random　manner　of　speaking　which　we　have；

because　somehow　we　ourselves　too　are　very　much　under　the　dominion　of

chance。　Whereas　he　made　the　soul　in　origin　and　excellence　prior　to　and

older　than　the　body；　to　be　the　ruler　and　mistress；　of　whom　the　body

was　to　be　the　subject。　And　he　made　her　out　of　the　following　elements

and　on　this　wise：　Out　of　the　indivisible　and　unchangeable；　and　also

out　of　that　which　is　divisible　and　has　to　do　with　material　bodies；

he　compounded　a　third　and　intermediate　kind　of　essence；　partaking　of

the　nature　of　the　same　and　of　the　other；　and　this　compound　he　placed

accordingly　in　a　mean　between　the　indivisible；　and　the　divisible　and

material。　He　took　the　three　elements　of　the　same；　the　other；　and　the

essence；　and　mingled　them　into　one　form；　compressing　by　force　the

reluctant　and　unsociable　nature　of　the　other　into　the　same。　When　he

had　mingled　them　with　the　essence　and　out　of　three　made　one；　he

again　divided　this　whole　into　as　many　portions　as　was　fitting；　each

portion　being　a　compound　of　the　same；　the　other；　and　the　essence。

And　he　proceeded　to　divide　after　this　manner：…First　of　all；　he　took

away　one　part　of　the　whole　＇1＇；　and　then　he　separated　a　second　part

which　was　double　the　first　＇2＇；　and　then　he　took　away　a　third　part

which　was　half　as　much　again　as　the　second　and　three　times　as　much

as　the　first　＇3＇；　and　then　he　took　a　fourth　part　which　was　twice　as

much　as　the　second　＇4＇；　and　a　fifth　part　which　was　three　times　the

third　＇9＇；　and　a　sixth　part　which　was　eight　times　the　first　＇8＇；　and　a

seventh　part　which　was　twenty…seven　times　the　first　＇27＇。　After　this

he　filled　up　the　double　intervals　＇i。e。　between　1；　2；　4；　8＇　and　the

triple　＇i。e。　between　1；　3；　9；　27＇　cutting　off　yet　other　portions

from　the　mixture　and　placing　them　in　the　intervals；　so　that　in　each

interval　there　were　two　kinds　of　means；　the　one　exceeding　and　exceeded

by　equal　parts　of　its　extremes　＇as　for　example　1；　4/3；　2；　in　which　the

mean　4/3　is　one…third　of　1　more　than　1；　and　one…third　of　2　less　than

2＇；　the　other　being　that　kind　of　mean　which　exceeds　and　is　exceeded　by

an　equal　number。　Where　there　were　intervals　of　3/2　and　of　4/3　and　of

9/8；　made　by　the　connecting　terms　in　the　former　intervals；　he　filled

up　all　the　intervals　of　4/3　with　the　interval　of　9/8；　leaving　a

fraction　over；　and　the　interval　which　this　fraction　expressed　was　in

the　ratio　of　256　to　243。　And　thus　the　whole　mixture　out　of　which　he

cut　these　portions　was　all　exhausted　by　him。　This　entire　compound　he

divided　lengthways　into　two　parts；　which　he　joined　to　one　another　at

the　centre　like　the　letter　X；　and　bent　them　into　a　circular　form；

connecting　them　with　themselves　and　each　other　at　the　point　opposite

to　their　original　meeting…point；　and；　comprehending　them　in　a

uniform　revolution　upon　the　same　axis；　he　made　the　one　the　outer　and

the　other　the　inner　circle。　Now　the　motion　of　the　outer　circle　he

called　the　motion　of　the　same；　and　the　motion　of　the　inner　circle

the　motion　of　the　other　or　diverse。　The　motion　of　the　same　he

carried　round　by　the　side　to　the　right；　and　the　motion　of　the

diverse　diagonally　to　the　left。　And　he　gave　dominion　to　the　motion

of　the　same　and　like；　for　that　he　left　single　and　undivided；　but　the

inner　motion　he　divided　in　six　places　and　made　seven　unequal　circles

having　their　intervals　in　ratios　of　two…and　three；　three　of　each；

and　bade　the　orbits　proceed　in　a　direction　opposite　to　one　another；

and　three　＇Sun；　Mercury；　Venus＇　he　made　to　move　with　equal

swiftness；　and　the　remaining　four　＇Moon；　Saturn；　Mars；　Jupiter＇　to

move　with　unequal　swiftness　to　the　three　and　to　one　another；　but　in

due　proportion。

　　Now　when　the　Creator　had　framed　the　soul　according　to　his　will；　he

formed　within　her　the　corporeal　universe；　and　brought　the　two

together；　and　united　them　centre　to　centre。　The　soul；　interfused

everywhere　from　the　centre　to　the　circumference　of　heaven；　of　which

also　she　is　the　external　envelopment；　herself　turning　in　herself；

began　a　divine　beginning　of　never　ceasing　and　rational　life　enduring

throughout　all　time。　The　body　of　heaven　is　visible；　but　the　soul　is

invisible；　and　partakes　of　reason　and　harmony；　and　being　made　by　the

best　of　intellectual　and　everlasting　natures；　is　the　best　of　things

created。　And　because　she　is　composed　of　the　same　and　of　the　other

and　of　the　essence；　these　three；　and　is　divided　and　united　in　due

proportion；　and　in　her　revolutions　returns　upon　herself；　the　soul；

when　touching　anything　which　has　essence；　whether　dispersed　in　parts

or　undivided；　is　stirred　through　all　her　powers；　to　declare　the

sameness　or　difference　of　that　thing　and　some　other；　and　to　what

individuals　are　related；　and　by　what　affected；　and　in　what　way　and　how

and　when；　both　in　the　world　of　generation　and　in　the　world　of

immutable　being。　And　when　reason；　which　works　with　equal　truth；

whether　she　be　in　the　circle　of　the　diverse　or　of　the　same…in

voiceless　silence　holding　her　onward　course　in　the　sphere　of　the

self…moved…when　reason；　I　say；　is　hovering　around　the　sensible　world

and　when　the　circle　of　the　diverse　also　moving　truly　imparts　the

intimations　of　sense　to　the　whole　soul；　then　arise　opinions　and

beliefs　sure　and　certain。　But　when　reason　is　concerned　with　the

rational；　and　the　circle　of　the　same　moving　smoothly　declares　it；　then

intelligence　and　knowledge　are　necessarily　perfected。　And　if　any　one

affirms　that　in　which　these　two　are　found　to　be　other　than　the　soul；

he　will　say　the　very　opposite　of　the　truth。

　　When　the　father　creator　saw　the　creature　which　he　had　made　moving

and　living；　the　created　image　of　the　eternal　gods；　he　rejoiced；　and　in

his　joy　determined　to　make　the　copy　still　more　like　the　original；

and　as　this　was　eternal；　he　sought　to　make　the　universe　eternal；　so

far　as　might　be。　Now　the　nature　of　the　ideal　being　was　everlasting；

but　to　bestow　this　attribute　in　its　fulness　upon　a　creature　was

impossible。　Wherefore　he　resolved　to　have　a　moving　image　of

eternity；　and　when　he　set　in　order　the　heaven；　he　made　this　image

eternal　but　moving　according　to　number；　while　eternity　itself　rests　in

unity；　and　this　image　we　call　time。　For　there　were　no　days　and

nights　and　months　and　years　before　the　heaven　was　created；　but　when　he

constructed　the　heaven　he　created　them　also。　They　are　all　parts　of

time；　and　the　past　and　future　are　created　species　of　time；　which　we

unconsciously　but　wrongly　transfer　to　the　eternal　essence；　for　we

say　that　he　〃was；〃　he　〃is；〃　he　〃will　be；〃　but　the　truth　is　that　〃is〃

alone　is　properly　attributed　to　him；　and　that　〃was〃　and　〃will　be〃　only

to　be　spoken　of　becoming　in　time；　for　they　are　motions；　but　that　which

is　immovably　the　same　cannot　become　older　or　younger　by　time；　nor　ever

did　or　has　become；　or　hereafter　will　be；　older　or　younger；　nor　is

subject　at　all　to　any　of　those　states　which　affect　moving　and　sensible

things　and　of　which　generation　is　the　cause。　These　are　the　forms　of

time；　which　imitates　eternity　and　revolves　according　to　a　law　of

number。　Moreover；　when　we　say　that　what　has　become　is　become　and

what　becomes　is　becoming；　and　that　what　will　become　is　about　to　become

and　that　the　non…existent　is　non…existent…all　these　are　inaccurate

modes　of　expression。　But　perhaps　this　whole　subject　will　be　more

suitably　discussed　on　some　other　occasion。

　　Time；　then；　and　the　heav