timaeu-第23章

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intercourse；　contriving　in　man　one　animated　substance；　and　in　woman

another；　which　they　formed　respectively　in　the　following　manner。　The

outlet　for　drink　by　which　liquids　pass　through　the　lung　under　the

kidneys　and　into　the　bladder；　which　receives　then　by　the　pressure　of

the　air　emits　them；　was　so　fashioned　by　them　as　to　penetrate　also　into

the　body　of　the　marrow；　which　passes　from　the　head　along　the　neck

and　through　the　back；　and　which　in　the　preceding　discourse　we　have

named　the　seed。　And　the　seed　having　life；　and　becoming　endowed　with

respiration；　produces　in　that　part　in　which　it　respires　a　lively

desire　of　emission；　and　thus　creates　in　us　the　love　of　procreation。

Wherefore　also　in　men　the　organ　of　generation　becoming　rebellious

and　masterful；　like　an　animal　disobedient　to　reason；　and　maddened　with

the　sting　of　lust；　seeks　to　gain　absolute　sway；　and　the　same　is　the

case　with　the　so…called　womb　or　matrix　of　women；　the　animal　within

them　is　desirous　of　procreating　children；　and　when　remaining

unfruitful　long　beyond　its　proper　time；　gets　discontented　and　angry；

and　wandering　in　every　direction　through　the　body；　closes　up　the

passages　of　the　breath；　and；　by　obstructing　respiration；　drives　them

to　extremity；　causing　all　varieties　of　disease；　until　at　length　the

desire　and　love　of　the　man　and　the　woman；　bringing　them　together　and

as　it　were　plucking　the　fruit　from　the　tree；　sow　in　the　womb；　as　in

a　field；　animals　unseen　by　reason　of　their　smallness　and　without　form；

these　again　are　separated　and　matured　within；　they　are　then　finally

brought　out　into　the　light；　and　thus　the　generation　of　animals　is

completed。

　　Thus　were　created　women　and　the　female　sex　in　general。　But　the

race　of　birds　was　created　out　of　innocent　light…minded　men；　who；

although　their　minds　were　directed　toward　heaven；　imagined；　in　their

simplicity；　that　the　clearest　demonstration　of　the　things　above　was　to

be　obtained　by　sight；　these　were　remodelled　and　transformed　into

birds；　and　they　grew　feathers　instead　of　hair。　The　race　of　wild

pedestrian　animals；　again；　came　from　those　who　had　no　philosophy　in

any　of　their　thoughts；　and　never　considered　at　all　about　the　nature　of

the　heavens；　because　they　had　ceased　to　use　the　courses　of　the　head；

but　followed　the　guidance　of　those　parts　of　the　soul　which　are　in

the　breast。　In　consequence　of　these　habits　of　theirs　they　had　their

front…legs　and　their　heads　resting　upon　the　earth　to　which　they　were

drawn　by　natural　affinity；　and　the　crowns　of　their　heads　were

elongated　and　of　all　sorts　of　shapes；　into　which　the　courses　of　the

soul　were　crushed　by　reason　of　disuse。　And　this　was　the　reason　why

they　were　created　quadrupeds　and　polypods：　God　gave　the　more　senseless

of　them　the　more　support　that　they　might　be　more　attracted　to　the

earth。　And　the　most　foolish　of　them；　who　trail　their　bodies　entirely

upon　the　ground　and　have　no　longer　any　need　of　feet；　he　made　without

feet　to　crawl　upon　the　earth。　The　fourth　class　were　the　inhabitants　of

the　water：　these　were　made　out　of　the　most　entirely　senseless　and

ignorant　of　all；　whom　the　transformers　did　not　think　any　longer　worthy

of　pure　respiration；　because　they　possessed　a　soul　which　was　made

impure　by　all　sorts　of　transgression；　and　instead　of　the　subtle　and

pure　medium　of　air；　they　gave　them　the　deep　and　muddy　sea　to　be

their　element　of　respiration；　and　hence　arose　the　race　of　fishes　and

oysters；　and　other　aquatic　animals；　which　have　received　the　most

remote　habitations　as　a　punishment　of　their　outlandish　ignorance。

These　are　the　laws　by　which　animals　pass　into　one　another；　now；　as

ever；　changing　as　they　lose　or　gain　wisdom　and　folly。

　　We　may　now　say　that　our　discourse　about　the　nature　of　the　universe

has　an　end。　The　world　has　received　animals；　mortal　and　immortal；　and

is　fulfilled　with　them；　and　has　become　a　visible　animal　containing　the

visible…the　sensible　God　who　is　the　image　of　the　intellectual；　the

greatest；　best；　fairest；　most　perfect…the　one　only　begotten　heaven。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　…THE　END…

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