Page:Works of Plato his first fifty-five dialogues (Taylor 1804) (Vol 2 of 5) (IA Vol2worksofplato00plat).pdf/438

 428

INTRODUCTION TO THE TIM1US.

Again, with reſpect to their number—“ about every planet there is a num¬ ber (of fatellites) analogous to the choir of the fixed Bars, all of them fubfifling with proper circulations of their own 1

—Eg-ti

yap kccQ' l-naa-rviv upiQ^og

cttja.Xoyov tcc toov acrrpuv yopaj, crvvvIpsa-Tog raig oiKstaig 7npitpopoug.—And

if it fhould be

inquired why, with refpefl to the fixed ftars, there is one monad, the wholenefs (oAorijc) of them ; but among the planets there is both a oXorvig, wholenejs or totality, that is the fphere of each, and a leader befides in each, that

is the apparent orb ; he anfwers in the fame place, that as the motion of the planets is more various than that of the fixed ftars, fo their pofteflion of government is more abundant, for they proceed into a greater multitude. He adds—But in the fublunary regions there is Bill a greater number of governors; for the monads (that is, totalities) in the heavens generate a num¬ ber analogous to themfelves.

So that the planets being fecondary to the

fixed ftars, require a twofold government; one of which is more total and the other more partial. But with refpedt to the fatellites, the firft in order about every planet are Gods ; after thefe, daemons revolve in lucid orbicular bodies ; and thefe are followed by partial fouls fiuch as ours, as the following beautiful paffage abundantly evinces.

<£ But that in each of thefe (the planetary fpheres)

there is a multitude coordinate to each, you may infer from the extremes. For if the inerratic fphere has a multitude coordinate to itfelf, and earth is, with refpedt to terreftrial animals, what the inerratic fphere is to fuch as are celeftial, it is neceffary that every wholcnefs fhould poffefs certain partial animals coordinate to itfelf, through which alfo the fpheres derive the appel¬ lation of wholenejfes.

But the natures fituated in the middle are concealed

from our fenfe, while, in the mean time, thofe contained in the extremes are apparent ; one fort through their tranfcendently lucid effence, and the other through their alliance to ourfelves. But if partial fouls are difteminated abou t thefe fpheres, fome about the fun, fome about the moon, and others about each of the remaining fpheres 3 ; and if prior to fouls there are daemons filling up the herds of which they are the leaders; it is evidently beautifully faid that each of the fpheres is a world.

And this is agreeable to the doc¬

trines of theologifts, when they teach us that there are Gods in every fphere
 * Page 275.


 * This Plato himfelf afferts in the following dialogue.

prior