Page:Works of Plato his first fifty-five dialogues (Taylor 1804) (Vol 2 of 5) (IA Vol2worksofplato00plat).pdf/456

 INTRODUCTION TO THE TIM JE US.

446

time more diſtant from and at another nearer to the earth.

And this

motion, indeed, very properly belongs to them, from their middle pofition, as it is a medium between the right-lined motion of the elements and the circular motion of the inerratic fphere : for a fpiral is mixed from the right line and circle.

Add too, that there are feven motions in the heavens; the

circular, before, behind, upwards, downwards, to the right hand, and to the left.

But the fpheres alone poftefs a circular motion.

And the ftars in the

inerratic fphere revolve about their centres ; but at the fame time have an advancing: motion, becaufe thev are drawn along; towards the weft by the fphere in which they are fixed. five motions.

But they are entirely deftitute of the other

On the contrary, the planets have all the feven.

For they

revolve about their own centres, but are carried by the motions of their fpheres towards the eaft.

And betides this, they are carried upwards and down¬

wards, behind and before, to the right hand and to the left.

Every ftar, too,

by its revolution about its own centre, imitates the energy of the foul which it contains about its own intellect ; but by following the motion of its iphere, it imitates the energy of the fphere about a fuperior intellect.

We may

likewife add, that the uniformity in the motions of the fixed ftars confers union and perfeverance on inferior concerns; but that the manifold and oppofite motions of the planets contribute to the production, mingling and governing of things various and oppofite. And here, as the reader will doubtlefs be defirous of knowing why earth is called by Plato the firft and moft antient of the Gods within the heavens, I doubt not but he will gratefully receive the following epitome of the beau • tiful account O g;iven bv Proclus of the earth in his ineftimable commentaries j

on this venerable dialogue.—“ Earth (fays he) firft proceeds from the intel- tigible earth which comprehends all the intelligible orders of the Gods, and from the intellectual earth which is co-ordinated with heaven.

For our

earth, being analogous to thefe, eternally abides, as in the centre of heaven; by which being every way comprehended, it becomes full of generative power and demiurgic perfection.

The true earth, therefore, is not this cor¬

poreal and grofs bulk, but an animal endued with a divine foul and a divine body.

For it contains an immaterial and feparate intellect, and a divine foul

energizing about this intellect, and an ethereal body proximately depending on this foul; and, laftly, this viftble bulk, which is on all fides animated and filled