timaeu-第7章

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which　help　to　give　to　the　eyes　the　power　which　they　now　possess；

enough　has　been　said。　I　will　therefore　now　proceed　to　speak　of　the

higher　use　and　purpose　for　which　God　has　given　them　to　us。　The　sight

in　my　opinion　is　the　source　of　the　greatest　benefit　to　us；　for　had

we　never　seen　the　stars；　and　the　sun；　and　the　heaven；　none　of　the

words　which　we　have　spoken　about　the　universe　would　ever　have　been

uttered。　But　now　the　sight　of　day　and　night；　and　the　months　and　the

revolutions　of　the　years；　have　created　number；　and　have　given　us　a

conception　of　time；　and　the　power　of　enquiring　about　the　nature　of　the

universe；　and　from　this　source　we　have　derived　philosophy；　than

which　no　greater　good　ever　was　or　will　be　given　by　the　gods　to

mortal　man。　This　is　the　greatest　boon　of　sight：　and　of　the　lesser

benefits　why　should　I　speak？　even　the　ordinary　man　if　he　were　deprived

of　them　would　bewail　his　loss；　but　in　vain。　Thus　much　let　me　say

however：　God　invented　and　gave　us　sight　to　the　end　that　we　might

behold　the　courses　of　intelligence　in　the　heaven；　and　apply　them　to

the　courses　of　our　own　intelligence　which　are　akin　to　them；　the

unperturbed　to　the　perturbed；　and　that　we；　learning　them　and　partaking

of　the　natural　truth　of　reason；　might　imitate　the　absolutely

unerring　courses　of　God　and　regulate　our　own　vagaries。　The　same　may　be

affirmed　of　speech　and　hearing：　they　have　been　given　by　the　gods　to

the　same　end　and　for　a　like　reason。　For　this　is　the　principal　end　of

speech；　whereto　it　most　contributes。　Moreover；　so　much　of　music　as

is　adapted　to　the　sound　of　the　voice　and　to　the　sense　of　hearing　is

granted　to　us　for　the　sake　of　harmony；　and　harmony；　which　has

motions　akin　to　the　revolutions　of　our　souls；　is　not　regarded　by　the

intelligent　votary　of　the　Muses　as　given　by　them　with　a　view　to

irrational　pleasure；　which　is　deemed　to　be　the　purpose　of　it　in　our

day；　but　as　meant　to　correct　any　discord　which　may　have　arisen　in

the　courses　of　the　soul；　and　to　be　our　ally　in　bringing　her　into

harmony　and　agreement　with　herself；　and　rhythm　too　was　given　by　them

for　the　same　reason；　on　account　of　the　irregular　and　graceless　ways

which　prevail　among　mankind　generally；　and　to　help　us　against　them。

　　Thus　far　in　what　we　have　been　saying；　with　small　exception；　the

works　of　intelligence　have　been　set　forth；　and　now　we　must　place　by

the　side　of　them　in　our　discourse　the　things　which　come　into　being

through　necessity…for　the　creation　is　mixed；　being　made　up　of

necessity　and　mind。　Mind；　the　ruling　power；　persuaded　necessity　to

bring　the　greater　part　of　created　things　to　perfection；　and　thus　and

after　this　manner　in　the　beginning；　when　the　influence　of　reason　got

the　better　of　necessity；　the　universe　was　created。　But　if　a　person

will　truly　tell　of　the　way　in　which　the　work　was　accomplished；　he　must

include　the　other　influence　of　the　variable　cause　as　well。

Wherefore；　we　must　return　again　and　find　another　suitable　beginning；

as　about　the　former　matters；　so　also　about　these。　To　which　end　we　must

consider　the　nature　of　fire；　and　water；　and　air；　and　earth；　such　as

they　were　prior　to　the　creation　of　the　heaven；　and　what　was

happening　to　them　in　this　previous　state；　for　no　one　has　as　yet

explained　the　manner　of　their　generation；　but　we　speak　of　fire　and　the

rest　of　them；　whatever　they　mean；　as　though　men　knew　their　natures；

and　we　maintain　them　to　be　the　first　principles　and　letters　or

elements　of　the　whole；　when　they　cannot　reasonably　be　compared　by　a

man　of　any　sense　even　to　syllables　or　first　compounds。　And　let　me

say　thus　much：　I　will　not　now　speak　of　the　first　principle　or

principles　of　all　things；　or　by　whatever　name　they　are　to　be　called；

for　this　reason…because　it　is　difficult　to　set　forth　my　opinion

according　to　the　method　of　discussion　which　we　are　at　present

employing。　Do　not　imagine；　any　more　than　I　can　bring　myself　to

imagine；　that　I　should　be　right　in　undertaking　so　great　and

difficult　a　task。　Remembering　what　I　said　at　first　about

probability；　I　will　do　my　best　to　give　as　probable　an　explanation　as

any　other…or　rather；　more　probable；　and　I　will　first　go　back　to　the

beginning　and　try　to　speak　of　each　thing　and　of　all。　Once　more；

then；　at　the　commencement　of　my　discourse；　I　call　upon　God；　and　beg

him　to　be　our　saviour　out　of　a　strange　and　unwonted　enquiry；　and　to

bring　us　to　the　haven　of　probability。　So　now　let　us　begin　again。

　　This　new　beginning　of　our　discussion　of　the　universe　requires　a

fuller　division　than　the　former；　for　then　we　made　two　classes；　now　a

third　must　be　revealed。　The　two　sufficed　for　the　former　discussion：

one；　which　we　assumed；　was　a　pattern　intelligible　and　always　the　same；

and　the　second　was　only　the　imitation　of　the　pattern；　generated　and

visible。　There　is　also　a　third　kind　which　we　did　not　distinguish　at

the　time；　conceiving　that　the　two　would　be　enough。　But　now　the

argument　seems　to　require　that　we　should　set　forth　in　words　another

kind；　which　is　difficult　of　explanation　and　dimly　seen。　What　nature

are　we　to　attribute　to　this　new　kind　of　being？　We　reply；　that　it　is

the　receptacle；　and　in　a　manner　the　nurse；　of　all　generation。　I　have

spoken　the　truth；　but　I　must　express　myself　in　clearer　language；　and

this　will　be　an　arduous　task　for　many　reasons；　and　in　particular

because　I　must　first　raise　questions　concerning　fire　and　the　other

elements；　and　determine　what　each　of　them　is；　for　to　say；　with　any

probability　or　certitude；　which　of　them　should　be　called　water

rather　than　fire；　and　which　should　be　called　any　of　them　rather　than

all　or　some　one　of　them；　is　a　difficult　matter。　How；　then；　shall　we

settle　this　point；　and　what　questions　about　the　elements　may　be　fairly

raised？

　　In　the　first　place；　we　see　that　what　we　just　now　called　water；　by

condensation；　I　suppose；　becomes　stone　and　earth；　and　this　same

element；　when　melted　and　dispersed；　passes　into　vapour　and　air。　Air；

again；　when　inflamed；　becomes　fire；　and　again　fire；　when　condensed　and

extinguished；　passes　once　more　into　the　form　of　air；　and　once　more；

air；　when　collected　and　condensed；　produces　cloud　and　mist；　and　from

these；　when　still　more　compressed；　comes　flowing　water；　and　from　water

comes　earth　and　stones　once　more；　and　thus　generation　appears　to　be

transmitted　from　one　to　the　other　in　a　circle。　Thus；　then；　as　the

several　elements　never　present　themselves　in　the　same　form；　how　can

any　one　have　the　assurance　to　assert　positively　that　any　of　them；

whatever　it　may　be；　is　one　thing　rather　than　another？　No　one　can。

But　much　the　safest　plan　is　to　speak　of　them　as　follows：…Anything

which　we　see　to　be　continually　changing；　as；　for　example；　fire；　we

must　not　call　〃this〃　or　〃that；〃　but　rather　say　that　it　is　〃of　such　a

nature〃；　nor　let　us　speak　of　water　as　〃this〃；　but　always　as　〃such〃；

nor　must　we　imply　that　there　is　any　stability　in　any　of　those　things

which　we　indicate　by　the　use　of　the　words　〃this〃　and　〃that；〃　supposing

ourselves　to　signify　something　thereby；　for　they　are　too　volatile　to

be　detained　in　any　such　expressions　as　〃this；〃　or　〃that；〃　or　〃relative

to　this；〃　or　any　other　mode　of　speaking　which　represents　them　as

permanent。　We　ought　not　to　apply　〃this〃　to　any　of　them；　but　rather　the

word　〃such〃；　which　expresses　the　similar　principle　circulating　in　each

and　all　of　them；　for　example；　that　should　be　called　〃fire〃　which　is　of

such　a　nature　always；　and　so　of　everything　that　has　generation。　That

in　which　the　elements　severally　grow　up；　and　appear；　and　decay；　is

alone　to　be　called　by　the　name　〃this〃　or　〃that〃；　but　that　which　is

of　a　certain　nature；　hot　or　white；　or　anything　which　admits　of

opposite　equalities；　and　all　things　that　are　compounded　of　them；　ought

not　to　be　so　denominated。　Let　me　make　another　attempt　to　explain　my

meaning　more　clearly。　Suppose　a　person　to　make　all　kinds　of　figures　of

gold　and　to　be　always　transmuting　one　form　into　all　the

rest…somebody　points　to　one　of　them　and　asks　what　it　is。　By　far　the

safest　and　truest　answer　is；　That　is　gold；　and　not　to　call　the

triangle　or　any　other　figures　which　are　formed　in　the　gold　〃these；〃　as

though　they　had　existence；　since　they　are　in　process　of　change　while

he　is　making　the　assertion；　but　if　the　questioner　be　willing　to　take

the　safe　and　indefinite　expression；　〃such；〃　we　should　be　satisfied。

And　the　same　argument　applies　to　the　universal　nature　which　receives

all　bodies…that　must　be　always　called　the　same；　for；　while　receiving

all　things；　she　never　departs　at　all　from　her　own　nature；　and　never　in

any　way；　or　at　any　time；　assumes　a　form　like　that　of　any　of　the　things

which　enter　into　her；　she　is　the　natural　recipient　of　all　impressions；

and　is　stirred　and　informed　by　them；　and　appears　different　from　time

to　time　by　reason　of　them。　But　the　forms　which　enter　into　and　go　out

of　her　are　the　likenesses　of　real　existences　modelled　after　their

patterns　in　wonderful　and　inexplicable　manner；　which　we　will　hereafter

investigate。　For　the　present　we　have　only　to　conceive　of　three

natures：　first；　that　which　is　in　process　of　generation；　secondly；　that

in　which　the　generation　takes　place；　and　thirdly；　that　of　which　the

thing　generated　is　a　resemblance。　And　we　may　liken　the　receiving

principle　to　a　mother；　and　the　source　or　spring　to　a　father；　and　the

intermediate　nature　to　a　child；　and　may　remark　further；　that　if　the

model　is　to　take　every　variety　of　form；　then　the　matter　in　which　the

model　is　fashioned　will　not　be　duly　prepared；　unless　it　is　formless；

and　free　from　the　impress　of　any　of　these　shapes　which　it　is　hereafter

to　receive　from　without。　For　if　the　matter　were　like　any　of　the

supervening　forms；　then　whenever　any　opposite　or　entirely　different

nature　was　stamped　upon　its　surface；　it　would　take　the　impression

badly；　because　it　would　intrude　its　own　shape。　Wherefore；　that　which

is　to　receive　all　forms　should　have　no　form；　as　in　making　perfumes

they　first　contrive　that　the　liquid　substance　which　is　to　receive

the　scent　shall　be　as　inodorous　as　possible；　or　as　those　who　wish　to

impress　figures　on　soft　substances　do　not　allow　any　previous

impression　to　remain；　but　begin　by　making　the　surface　as　even　and

smooth　as　possible。　In　the　same　way　that　which　is　to　receive

perpetually　and　through　its　whole　extent　the　resemblances　of　all

eternal　beings　ought　to　be　devoid　of　any　particular　form。　Wherefore；

the　mother　and　receptacle　of　all　created　and　visible　and　in　any　way

sensible　things；　is　not　to　be　termed　earth；　or　air；　or　fire；　or　water；

or　any　of　their　compounds　or　any　of　the　elements　from　which　these

are　derived；　but　is　an　invisible　and　formless　being　which　receives　all

things　and　in　some　mysterious　way　partakes　of　the　intelligible；　and　is

most　incomprehensible。　In　saying　this　we　shall　not　be　far　wrong；　as

far；　however；　as　we　can　attain　to　a　knowledge　of　her　from　the　previous

considerations；　we　may　truly　say　that　fire　is　that　part　of　her

nature　which　from　time　to　time　is　inflamed；　and　water　that　which　is

moistened；　and　that　the　mother　substance　becomes　earth　and　air；　in

so　far　as　she　receives　the　impressions　of　them。

　　Let　us　consider