timaeu-第6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！


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。　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。

　　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　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。

　　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。

　　First；　then；　the　gods；　imitating　the　spherical　shape　of　the

universe；　enclosed　the　two　divine　courses　in　a　spherical　body；　that；

namely；　which　we　now　term　the　head；　being　the　most　divine　part　of　us

and　the　lord　of　all　that　is　in　us：　to　this　the　gods；　when　they　put

together　the　body；　gave　all　the　other　members　to　be　servants；

considering　that　it　partook　of　every　sort　of　motion。　In　order　then

that　it　might　not　tumble　about　among　the　high　and　deep　places　of　the

earth；　but　might　be　able　to　get　over　the　one　and　out　of　the　other；

they　provided　the　body　to　be　its　vehicle　and　means　of　locomotion；

which　consequently　had　length　and　was　furnished　with　four　limbs

extended　and　flexible；　these　God　contrived　to　be　instruments　of

locomotion　with　which　it　might　take　hold　and　find　support；　and　so　be

able　to　pass　through　all　places；　carrying　on　high　the　dwelling…place

of　the　most　sacred　and　divine　part　of　us。　Such　was　the　origin　of

legs　and　hands；　which　for　this　reason　were　attached　to　every　man；

and　the　gods；　deeming　the　front　part　of　man　to　be　more　honourable

and　more　fit　to　command　than　the　hinder　part；　made　us　to　move　mostly

in　a　forward　direction。　Wherefore　man　must　needs　have　his　front　part

unlike　and　distinguished　from　the　rest　of　his　body。

　　And　so　in　the　vessel　of　the　head；　they　first　of　all　put　a　face　in

which　they　inserted　organs　to　minister　in　all　things　to　the　providence

of　the　soul；　and　they　appointed　this　part；　which　has　authority；　to

be　by　nature　the　part　which　is　in　front。　And　of　the　organs　they

first　contrived　the　eyes　to　give　light；　and　the　principle　according　to

which　they　were　inserted　was　as　follows：　So　much　of　fire　as　would

not　burn；　but　gave　a　gentle　light；　they　formed　into　a　substance　akin

to　the　light　of　every…day　life；　and　the　pure　fire　which　is　within　us

and　related　thereto　they　made　to　flow　through　the　eyes　in　a　stream

smooth　and　dense；　compressing　the　whole　eye；　and　especially　the　centre

part；　so　that　it　kept　out　everything　of　a　coarser　nature；　and

allowed　to　pass　only　this　pure　element。　When　the　light　of　day

surrounds　the　stream　of　vision；　then　like　falls　upon　like；　and　they

coalesce；　and　one　body　is　formed　by　natural　affinity　in　the　line　of

vision；　wherever　the　light　that　falls　from　within　meets　with　an

external　object。　And　the　whole　stream　of　vision；　being　similarly

affected　in　virtue　of　similarity；　diffuses　the　motions　of　what　it

touches　or　what　touches　it　over　the　whole　body；　until　they　reach　the

soul；　causing　that　perception　which　we　call　sight。　But　when　night

comes　on　and　the　external　and　kindred　fire　departs；　then　the　stream　of

vision　is　cut　off；　for　going　forth　to　an　unlike　element　it　is

changed　and　extinguished；　being　no　longer　of　one　nature　with　the

surrounding　atmosphere　which　is　now　deprived　of　fire：　and　so　the　eye

no　longer　sees；　and　we　feel　disposed　to　sleep。　For　when　the　eyelids；

which　the　gods　invented　for　the　preservation　of　sight；　are　closed；

they　keep　in　the　internal　fire；　and　the　power　of　the　fire　diffuses　and

equalises　the　inward　motions；　when　they　are　equalised；　there　is

rest；　and　when　the　rest　is　profound；　sleep　comes　over　us　scarce

disturbed　by　dreams；　but　where　the　greater　motions　still　remain；　of

whatever　nature　and　in　whatever　locality；　they　engender

corresponding　visions　in　dreams；　which　are　remembered　by　us　when　we

are　awake　and　in　the　external　world。　And　now　there　is　no　longer　any

difficulty　in　understanding　the　creation　of　images　in　mirrors　and

all　smooth　and　bright　surfaces。　For　from　the　communion　of　the　internal

and　external　fires；　and　again　from　the　union　of　them　and　their

numerous　transformations　when　they　meet　in　the　mirror；　all　these

appearances　of　necessity　arise；　when　the　fire　from　the　face

coalesces　with　the　fire　from　the　eye　on　the　bright　and　smooth　surface。

And　right　appears　left　and　left　right；　because　the　visual　rays　come

into　contact　with　the　rays　emitted　by　the　object　in　a　manner

contrary　to　the　usual　mode　of　meeting；　but　the　right　appears　right；

and　the　left　left；　when　the　position　of　one　of　the　two　concurring

lights　is　reversed；　and　this　happens　when　the　mirror　is　concave　and

its　smooth　surface　repels　the　right　stream　of　vision　to　the　left　side；

and　the　left　to　the　right。　Or　if　the　mirror　be　turned　vertically；　then

the　concavity　makes　the　countenance　appear　to　be　all　upside　down；

and　the　lower　rays　are　driven　upwards　and　the　upper　downwards。

　　All　these　are　to　be　reckoned　among　the　second　and　co…operative

causes　which　God；　carrying　into　execution　the　idea　of　the　best　as

far　as　possible；　uses　as　his　ministers。　They　are　thought　by　most　men

not　to　be　the　second；　but　the　prime　causes　of　all　things；　because　they

freeze　and　heat；　and　contract　and　dilate；　and　the　like。　But　they　are

not　so；　for　they　are　incapable　of　reason　or　intellect；　the　only

being　which　can　properly　have　mind　is　the　invisible　soul；　whereas　fire

and　water；　and　earth　and　air；　are　all　of　them　visible　bodies。　The

lover　of　intellect　and　knowledge　ought　to　explore　causes　of

intelligent　nature　first　of　all；　and；　secondly；　of　those　things　which；

being　moved　by　others；　are　compelled　to　move　others。　And　this　is

what　we　too　must　do。　Both　kinds　of　causes　should　be　acknowledged　by

us；　but　a　distinction　should　be　made　between　those　which　are　endowed

with　mind　and　are　the　workers　of　things　fair　and　good；　and　those　which

are　deprived　of　intelligence　and　always　produce　chance　effects　without

order　or　design。　Of　the　second　or　co…operative　causes　of　sight；

which　help　to　give　to　the　eyes　the　power　whi