the six enneads-第32章
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hapeless； for in its very consciousness of objects that have taken shape and size it knows them as compounds ＇i。e。； as possessing with these forms a formless base＇ for they appear as things that have accepted colour and other quality。 It knows； therefore； a whole which includes two components； it has a clear Knowledge or perception of the overlie ＇the Ideas＇ but only a dim awareness of the underlie； the shapeless which is not an Ideal…Principle。 With what is perceptible to it there is presented something else： what it can directly apprehend it sets on one side as its own； but the something else which Reason rejects； this； the dim； it knows dimly； this； the dark； it knows darkly； this it knows in a sort of non…knowing。 And just as even Matter itself is not stably shapeless but； in things； is always shaped； the Soul also is eager to throw over it the thing…form； for the Soul recoils from the indefinite； dreads； almost； to be outside of reality； does not endure to linger about Non…Being。 11。 〃But； given Magnitude and the properties we know； what else can be necessary to the existence of body？〃 Some base to be the container of all the rest。 〃A certain mass then； and if mass； then Magnitude？ Obviously if your Base has no Magnitude it offers no footing to any entrant。 And suppose it sizeless； then； what end does it serve？ It never helped Idea or quality； now it ceases to account for differentiation or for magnitude； though the last； wheresoever it resides； seems to find its way into embodied entities by way of Matter。〃 〃Or； taking a larger view； observe that actions； productive operations； periods of time； movements； none of these have any such substratum and yet are real things； in the same way the most elementary body has no need of Matter； things may be； all； what they are； each after its own kind； in their great variety； deriving the coherence of their being from the blending of the various Ideal…Forms。 This Matter with its sizelessness seems； then； to be a name without a content。〃 Now； to begin with： extension is not an imperative condition of being a recipient； it is necessary only where it happens to be a property inherent to the recipient's peculiar mode of being。 The Soul； for example； contains all things but holds them all in an unextended unity； if magnitude were one of its attributes it would contain things in extension。 Matter does actually contain in spatial extension what it takes in； but this is because itself is a potential recipient of spatial extension： animals and plants； in the same way； as they increase in size； take quality in parallel development with quantity； and they lose in the one as the other lessens。 No doubt in the case of things as we know them there is a certain mass lying ready beforehand to the shaping power： but that is no reason for expecting bulk in Matter strictly so called； for in such cases Matter is not the absolute； it is that of some definite object； the Absolute Matter must take its magnitude； as every other property； from outside itself。 A thing then need not have magnitude in order to receive form： it may receive mass with everything else that comes to it at the moment of becoming what it is to be： a phantasm of mass is enough； a primary aptness for extension； a magnitude of no content… whence the identification that has been made of Matter with The Void。 But I prefer to use the word phantasm as hinting the indefiniteness into which the Soul spills itself when it seeks to communicate with Matter； finding no possibility of delimiting it； neither encompassing it nor able to penetrate to any fixed point of it； either of which achievements would be an act of delimitation。 In other words； we have something which is to be described not as small or great but as the great…and…small： for it is at once a mass and a thing without magnitude； in the sense that it is the Matter on which Mass is based and that； as it changes from great to small and small to great； it traverses magnitude。 Its very undeterminateness is a mass in the same sense that of being a recipient of Magnitude… though of course only in the visible object。 In the order of things without Mass； all that is Ideal…Principle possesses delimitation； each entity for itself； so that the conception of Mass has no place in them： Matter； not delimited； having in its own nature no stability； swept into any or every form by turns； ready to go here； there and everywhere； becomes a thing of multiplicity： driven into all shapes； becoming all things； it has that much of the character of mass。 12。 It is the corporeal； then； that demands magnitude： the Ideal…Forms of body are Ideas installed in Mass。 But these Ideas enter； not into Magnitude itself but into some subject that has been brought to Magnitude。 For to suppose them entering into Magnitude and not into Matter… is to represent them as being either without Magnitude and without Real…Existence ＇and therefore undistinguishable from the Matter＇ or not Ideal…Forms ＇apt to body＇ but Reason…Principles ＇utterly removed＇ whose sphere could only be Soul； at this； there would be no such thing as body ＇i。e。； instead of Ideal…Forms shaping Matter and so producing body； there would be merely Reason…Principles dwelling remote in Soul。＇ The multiplicity here must be based upon some unity which； since it has been brought to Magnitude； must be； itself； distinct from Magnitude。 Matter is the base of Identity to all that is composite： once each of the constituents comes bringing its own Matter with it； there is no need of any other base。 No doubt there must be a container； as it were a place； to receive what is to enter； but Matter and even body precede place and space； the primal necessity； in order to the existence of body； is Matter。 There is no force in the suggestion that； since production and act are immaterial； corporeal entities also must be immaterial。 Bodies are compound； actions not。 Further； Matter does in some sense underlie action； it supplies the substratum to the doer： it is permanently within him though it does not enter as a constituent into the act where； indeed； it would be a hindrance。 Doubtless； one act does not change into another… as would be the case if there were a specific Matter of actions… but the doer directs himself from one act to another so that he is the Matter； himself； to his varying actions。 Matter； in sum； is necessary to quality and to quantity； and； therefore； to body。 It is； thus； no name void of content； we know there is such a base； invisible and without bulk though it be。 If we reject it； we must by the same reasoning reject qualities and mass： for quality； or mass； or any such entity； taken by itself apart； might be said not to exist。 But these do exist； though in an obscure existence： there is much less ground for rejecting Matter； however it lurk； discerned by none of the senses。 It eludes the eye； for it is utterly outside of colour： it is not heard； for it is no sound： it is no flavour or savour for nostrils or palate： can it； perhaps； be known to touch？ No： for neither is it corporeal； and touch deals with body； which is known by being solid； fragile； soft； hard； moist； dry… all properties utterly lacking in Matter。 It is grasped only by a mental process； though that not an act of the intellective mind but a reasoning that finds no subject； and so it stands revealed as the spurious thing it has been called。 No bodiliness belongs to it； bodiliness is itself a phase of Reason…Principle and so is something different from Matter； as Matter； therefore； from it： bodiliness already operative and so to speak made concrete would be body manifest and not Matter unelaborated。 13。 Are we asked to accept as the substratum some attribute or quality present to all the elements in common？ Then； first； we must be told what precise attribute this is and； next； how an attribute can be a substratum。 The elements are sizeless； and how conceive an attribute where there is neither base nor bulk？ Again； if the quality possesses determination； it is not Matter the undetermined； and anything without determination is not a quality but is the substratum… the very Matter we are seeking。 It
