The Timaeus of Plato

37 A] TIMAIO2.
double and triple intervals severally, each being three in number;
and he appointed that the circles should move in opposite
directions, three at the same speed, the other four differing
in speed from the three and among themselves, yet moving in a
due ratio.
IX. Now after that the framing of the soul was finished to
the mind of him that framed her, next he fashioned within her
all that is bodily, and he drew them together and fitted them
middle to middle. And from the midst even unto the ends
of heaven she was woven in everywhere and encompassed it
around from without, and having her movement in herself
she began a divine beginning of endless and reasonable life for
ever and evermore. Now the body of the universe has been
created visible ;
but she is invisible, and she, even soul, has part
in reason and in harmony. And whereas she is made by the
best of all whereunto belong reason and eternal being, so she is
existence : for when, by the circle of the
Other she deals with sensibles, she forms
sure opinions and beliefs ;
but when by
the circle of the Same she apprehends
intelligible being, then knowledge and
reason, which soul alone possesses, are
made perfect in her.
5. Kara, vovv] Probably, as in Phaedo
97 D, there is a double meaning in these
words ' to his mind ', and ' according to
reason '.
6. (itrcL TOUTO] TO dt pera. TOVTO n$i
XpoviKov 77-0X0/377$,
dXXa Tdews arj/jLavri-
KOV, says Proklos very rightly.
7. fit'crov n&nj] Soul, being immaterial,
has of course no centre. The
phrase simply means that the whole
sphere of material nature from centre to
circumference was instinct with the indwelling
vital force. iravT-g SiaTrXa/ceiera,
i.e. she interpenetrated its every particle,
being everywhere present in her two
modes of Same and of Other.
9.
Ka>9v irpiKoXm|/av act rt OVTWV] It is very
significant that the drj/juovpybs is identified
with the object of reason, voCs
with vorjTov.
Here then we have another
token that the S^ioup'yos is merely a
mythological representative of universal
vo\h which evolves itself in the
form of the /cieryuoy. Still more remarkable
is the use of XaytffTiK&v below in
37 c. There is no other passage in
Plato where XoyiffTiK&v is contrasted with
al