timaeu-第5章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


suitably　discussed　on　some　other　occasion。

　　Time；　then；　and　the　heaven　came　into　being　at　the　same　instant　in

order　that；　having　been　created　together；　if　ever　there　was　to　be　a

dissolution　of　them；　they　might　be　dissolved　together。　It　was　framed

after　the　pattern　of　the　eternal　nature；　that　it　might　resemble　this

as　far　as　was　possible；　for　the　pattern　exists　from　eternity；　and

the　created　heaven　has　been；　and　is；　and　will　be；　in　all　time。　Such

was　the　mind　and　thought　of　God　in　the　creation　of　time。　The　sun　and

moon　and　five　other　stars；　which　are　called　the　planets；　were

created　by　him　in　order　to　distinguish　and　preserve　the　numbers　of

time；　and　when　he　had　made…their　several　bodies；　he　placed　them　in　the

orbits　in　which　the　circle　of　the　other　was　revolving…in　seven

orbits　seven　stars。　First；　there　was　the　moon　in　the　orbit　nearest　the

earth；　and　next　the　sun；　in　the　second　orbit　above　the　earth；　then

came　the　morning　star　and　the　star　sacred　to　Hermes；　moving　in

orbits　which　have　an　equal　swiftness　with　the　sun；　but　in　an

opposite　direction；　and　this　is　the　reason　why　the　sun　and　Hermes

and　Lucifer　overtake　and　are　overtaken　by　each　other。　To　enumerate　the

places　which　he　assigned　to　the　other　stars；　and　to　give　all　the

reasons　why　he　assigned　them；　although　a　secondary　matter；　would

give　more　trouble　than　the　primary。　These　things　at　some　future

time；　when　we　are　at　leisure；　may　have　the　consideration　which　they

deserve；　but　not　at　present。

　　Now；　when　all　the　stars　which　were　necessary　to　the　creation　of　time

had　attained　a　motion　suitable　to　them；…and　had　become　living

creatures　having　bodies　fastened　by　vital　chains；　and　learnt　their

appointed　task；　moving　in　the　motion　of　the　diverse；　which　is

diagonal；　and　passes　through　and　is　governed　by　the　motion　of　the

same；　they　revolved；　some　in　a　larger　and　some　in　a　lesser　orbit…those

which　had　the　lesser　orbit　revolving　faster；　and　those　which　had　the

larger　more　slowly。　Now　by　reason　of　the　motion　of　the　same；　those

which　revolved　fastest　appeared　to　be　overtaken　by　those　which　moved

slower　although　they　really　overtook　them；　for　the　motion　of　the

same　made　them　all　turn　in　a　spiral；　and；　because　some　went　one　way

and　some　another；　that　which　receded　most　slowly　from　the　sphere　of

the　same；　which　was　the　swiftest；　appeared　to　follow　it　most　nearly。

That　there　might　be　some　visible　measure　of　their　relative　swiftness

and　slowness　as　they　proceeded　in　their　eight　courses；　God　lighted　a

fire；　which　we　now　call　the　sun；　in　the　second　from　the　earth　of　these

orbits；　that　it　might　give　light　to　the　whole　of　heaven；　and　that

the　animals；　as　many　as　nature　intended；　might　participate　in

number；　learning　arithmetic　from　the　revolution　of　the　same　and　the

like。　Thus　then；　and　for　this　reason　the　night　and　the　day　were

created；　being　the　period　of　the　one　most　intelligent　revolution。

And　the　month　is　accomplished　when　the　moon　has　completed　her　orbit

and　overtaken　the　sun；　and　the　year　when　the　sun　has　completed　his　own

orbit。　Mankind；　with　hardly　an　exception；　have　not　remarked　the

periods　of　the　other　stars；　and　they　have　no　name　for　them；　and　do　not

measure　them　against　one　another　by　the　help　of　number；　and　hence　they

can　scarcely　be　said　to　know　that　their　wanderings；　being　infinite

in　number　and　admirable　for　their　variety；　make　up　time。　And　yet　there

is　no　difficulty　in　seeing　that　the　perfect　number　of　time　fulfils　the

perfect　year　when　all　the　eight　revolutions；　having　their　relative

degrees　of　swiftness；　are　accomplished　together　and　attain　their

completion　at　the　same　time；　measured　by　the　rotation　of　the　same

and　equally　moving。　After　this　manner；　and　for　these　reasons；　came

into　being　such　of　the　stars　as　in　their　heavenly　progress　received

reversals　of　motion；　to　the　end　that　the　created　heaven　might

imitate　the　eternal　nature；　and　be　as　like　as　possible　to　the

perfect　and　intelligible　animal。

　　Thus　far　and　until　the　birth　of　time　the　created　universe　was　made

in　the　likeness　of　the　original；　but　inasmuch　as　all　animals　were

not　yet　comprehended　therein；　it　was　still　unlike。　What　remained；

the　creator　then　proceeded　to　fashion　after　the　nature　of　the　pattern。

Now　as　in　the　ideal　animal　the　mind　perceives　ideas　or　species　of　a

certain　nature　and　number；　he　thought　that　this　created　animal　ought

to　have　species　of　a　like　nature　and　number。　There　are　four　such；

one　of　them　is　the　heavenly　race　of　the　gods；　another；　the　race　of

birds　whose　way　is　in　the　air；　the　third；　the　watery　species；　and

the　fourth；　the　pedestrian　and　land　creatures。　Of　the　heavenly　and

divine；　he　created　the　greater　part　out　of　fire；　that　they　might　be

the　brightest　of　all　things　and　fairest　to　behold；　and　he　fashioned

them　after　the　likeness　of　the　universe　in　the　figure　of　a　circle；　and

made　them　follow　the　intelligent　motion　of　the　supreme；　distributing

them　over　the　whole　circumference　of　heaven；　which　was　to　be　a　true

cosmos　or　glorious　world　spangled　with　them　all　over。　And　he　gave　to

each　of　them　two　movements：　the　first；　a　movement　on　the　same　spot

after　the　same　manner；　whereby　they　ever　continue　to　think

consistently　the　same　thoughts　about　the　same　things；　the　second；　a

forward　movement；　in　which　they　are　controlled　by　the　revolution　of

the　same　and　the　like；　but　by　the　other　five　motions　they　were

unaffected；　in　order　that　each　of　them　might　attain　the　highest

perfection。　And　for　this　reason　the　fixed　stars　were　created；　to　be

divine　and　eternal　animals；　ever…abiding　and　revolving　after　the

same　manner　and　on　the　same　spot；　and　the　other　stars　which　reverse

their　motion　and　are　subject　to　deviations　of　this　kind；　were

created　in　the　manner　already　described。　The　earth；　which　is　our

nurse；　clinging　around　the　pole　which　is　extended　through　the

universe；　he　framed　to　be　the　guardian　and　artificer　of　night　and　day；

first　and　eldest　of　gods　that　are　in　the　interior　of　heaven。　Vain

would　be　the　attempt　to　tell　all　the　figures　of　them　circling　as　in

dance；　and　their　juxtapositions；　and　the　return　of　them　in　their

revolutions　upon　themselves；　and　their　approximations；　and　to　say

which　of　these　deities　in　their　conjunctions　meet；　and　which　of　them

are　in　opposition；　and　in　what　order　they　get　behind　and　before　one

another；　and　when　they　are　severally　eclipsed　to　our　sight　and　again

reappear；　sending　terrors　and　intimations　of　the　future　to　those　who

cannot　calculate　their　movements…to　attempt　to　tell　of　all　this

without　a　visible　representation　of　the　heavenly　system　would　be

labour　in　vain。　Enough　on　this　head；　and　now　let　what　we　have　said

about　the　nature　of　the　created　and　visible　gods　have　an　end。

　　To　know　or　tell　the　origin　of　the　other　divinities　is　beyond　us；　and

we　must　accept　the　traditions　of　the　men　of　old　time　who　affirm

themselves　to　be　the　offspring　of　the　gods…that　is　what　they　say…and

they　must　surely　have　known　their　own　ancestors。　How　can　we　doubt

the　word　of　the　children　of　the　gods？　Although　they　give　no　probable

or　certain　proofs；　still；　as　they　declare　that　they　are　speaking　of

what　took　place　in　their　own　family；　we　must　conform　to　custom　and

believe　them。　In　this　manner；　then；　according　to　them；　the　genealogy

of　these　gods　is　to　be　received　and　set　forth。

　　Oceanus　and　Tethys　were　the　children　of　Earth　and　Heaven；　and　from

these　sprang　Phorcys　and　Cronos　and　Rhea；　and　all　that　generation；　and

from　Cronos　and　Rhea　sprang　Zeus　and　Here；　and　all　those　who　are

said　to　be　their　brethren；　and　others　who　were　the　children　of　these。

　　Now；　when　all　of　them；　both　those　who　visibly　appear　in　their

revolutions　as　well　as　those　other　gods　who　are　of　a　more　retiring

nature；　had　come　into　being；　the　creator　of　the　universe　addressed

them　in　these　words：　〃Gods；　children　of　gods；　who　are　my　works；　and　of

whom　I　am　the　artificer　and　father；　my　creations　are　indissoluble；

if　so　I　will。　All　that　is　bound　may　be　undone；　but　only　an　evil

being　would　wish　to　undo　that　which　is　harmonious　and　happy。

Wherefore；　since　ye　are　but　creatures；　ye　are　not　altogether

immortal　and　indissoluble；　but　ye　shall　certainly　not　be　dissolved；

nor　be　liable　to　the　fate　of　death；　having　in　my　will　a　greater　and

mightier　bond　than　those　with　which　ye　were　bound　at　the　time　of

your　birth。　And　now　listen　to　my　instructions：…Three　tribes　of

mortal　beings　remain　to　be　created…without　them　the　universe　will　be

incomplete；　for　it　will　not　contain　every　kind　of　animal　which　it

ought　to　contain；　if　it　is　to　be　perfect。　On　the　other　hand；　if　they

were　created　by　me　and　received　life　at　my　hands；　they　would　be　on

an　equality　with　the　gods。　In　order　then　that　they　may　be　mortal；

and　that　this　universe　may　be　truly　universal；　do　ye；　according　to

your　natures；　betake　yourselves　to　the　formation　of　animals；　imitating

the　power　which　was　shown　by　me　in　creating　you。　The　part　of　them

worthy　of　the　name　immortal；　which　is　called　divine　and　is　the　guiding

principle　of　those　who　are　willing　to　follow　justice　and　you…of　that

divine　part　I　will　myself　sow　the　seed；　and　having　made　a　beginning；　I

will　hand　the　work　over　to　you。　And　do　ye　then　interweave　the　mortal

with　the　immortal；　and　make　and　beget　living　creatures；　and　give

them　food；　and　make　them　to　grow；　and　receive　them　again　in　death。〃

　　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；　and　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　here　after　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　t