timaeu-第5章
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becoming first and last； and the first and last both becoming means；
they will all of them of necessity come to be the same； and having
become the same with one another will be all one。 If the universal
frame had been created a surface only and having no depth； a single
mean would have sufficed to bind together itself and the other
terms； but now； as the world must be solid； and solid bodies are
always compacted not by one mean but by two； God placed water and
air in the mean between fire and earth； and made them to have the same
proportion so far as was possible （as fire is to air so is air to
water； and as air is to water so is water to earth）； and thus he bound
and put together a visible and tangible heaven。 And for these reasons；
and out of such elements which are in number four； the body of the
world was created； and it was harmonised by proportion； and
therefore has the spirit of friendship； and having been reconciled
to itself； it was indissoluble by the hand of any other than the
framer。
Now the creation took up the whole of each of the four elements； for
the Creator compounded the world out of all the fire and all the water
and all the air and all the earth； leaving no part of any of them
nor any power of them outside。 His intention was； in the first
place； that the animal should be as far as possible a perfect whole
and of perfect parts： secondly； that it should be one； leaving no
remnants out of which another such world might be created： and also
that it should be free from old age and unaffected by disease。
Considering that if heat and cold and other powerful forces which
unite bodies surround and attack them from without when they are
unprepared； they decompose them； and by bringing diseases and old
age upon them； make them waste away…for this cause and on these
grounds he made the world one whole； having every part entire； and
being therefore perfect and not liable to old age and disease。 And
he gave to the world the figure which was suitable and also natural。
Now to the animal which was to comprehend all animals； that figure was
suitable which comprehends within itself all other figures。
Wherefore he made the world in the form of a globe； round as from a
lathe； having its extremes in every direction equidistant from the
centre； the most perfect and the most like itself of all figures；
for he considered that the like is infinitely fairer than the
unlike。 This he finished off； making the surface smooth all around for
many reasons； in the first place； because the living being had no need
of eyes when there was nothing remaining outside him to be seen； nor
of ears when there was nothing to be heard； and there was no
surrounding atmosphere to be breathed； nor would there have been any
use of organs by the help of which he might receive his food or get
rid of what he had already digested； since there was nothing which
went from him or came into him： for there was nothing beside him。 Of
design he was created thus； his own waste providing his own food；
and all that he did or suffered taking place in and by himself。 For
the Creator conceived that a being which was self…sufficient would
be far more excellent than one which lacked anything； and； as he had
no need to take anything or defend himself against any one； the
Creator did not think it necessary to bestow upon him hands： nor had
he any need of feet； nor of the whole apparatus of walking； but the
movement suited to his spherical form was assigned to him； being of
all the seven that which is most appropriate to mind and intelligence；
and he was made to move in the same manner and on the same spot；
within his own limits revolving in a circle。 All the other six motions
were taken away from him； and he was made not to partake of their
deviations。 And as this circular movement required no feet； the
universe was created without legs and without feet。
Such was the whole plan of the eternal God about the god that was to
be； to whom for this reason he gave a body； smooth and even； having
a surface in every direction equidistant from the centre； a body
entire and perfect； and formed out of perfect bodies。 And in the
centre he put the soul； which he diffused throughout the body；
making it also to be the exterior environment of it； and he made the
universe a circle moving in a circle； one and solitary； yet by
reason of its excellence able to converse with itself； and needing
no other friendship or acquaintance。 Having these purposes in view
he created the world a blessed god。
Now God did not make the soul after the body； although we are
speaking of them in this order； for having brought them together he
would never have allowed that the elder should be ruled by the
younger； but this is a random manner of speaking which we have；
because somehow we ourselves too are very much under the dominion of
chance。 Whereas he made the soul in origin and excellence prior to and
older than the body； to be the ruler and mistress； of whom the body
was to be the subject。 And he made her out of the following elements
and on this wise： Out of the indivisible and unchangeable； and also
out of that which is divisible and has to do with material bodies；
he compounded a third and intermediate kind of essence； partaking of
the nature of the same and of the other； and this compound he placed
accordingly in a mean between the indivisible； and the divisible and
material。 He took the three elements of the same； the other； and the
essence； and mingled them into one form； compressing by force the
reluctant and unsociable nature of the other into the same。 When he
had mingled them with the essence and out of three made one； he
again divided this whole into as many portions as was fitting； each
portion being a compound of the same； the other； and the essence。
And he proceeded to divide after this manner：…First of all； he took
away one part of the whole ＇1＇； and then he separated a second part
which was double the first ＇2＇； and then he took away a third part
which was half as much again as the second and three times as much
as the first ＇3＇； and then he took a fourth part which was twice as
much as the second ＇4＇； and a fifth part which was three times the
third ＇9＇； and a sixth part which was eight times the first ＇8＇； and a
seventh part which was twenty…seven times the first ＇27＇。 After this
he filled up the double intervals ＇i。e。 between 1； 2； 4； 8＇ and the
triple ＇i。e。 between 1； 3； 9； 27＇ cutting off yet other portions
from the mixture and placing them in the intervals； so that in each
interval there were two kinds of means； the one exceeding and exceeded
by equal parts of its extremes ＇as for example 1； 4/3； 2； in which the
mean 4/3 is one…third of 1 more than 1； and one…third of 2 less than
2＇； the other being that kind of mean which exceeds and is exceeded by
an equal number。 Where there were intervals of 3/2 and of 4/3 and of
9/8； made by the connecting terms in the former intervals； he filled
up all the intervals of 4/3 with the interval of 9/8； leaving a
fraction over； and the interval which this fraction expressed was in
the ratio of 256 to 243。 And thus the whole mixture out of which he
cut these portions was all exhausted by him。 This entire compound he
divided lengthways into two parts； which he joined to one another at
the centre like the letter X； and bent them into a circular form；
connecting them with themselves and each other at the point opposite
to their original meeting…point； and； comprehending them in a
uniform revolution upon the same axis； he made the one the outer and
the other the inner circle。 Now the motion of the outer circle he
called the motion of the same； and the motion of the inner circle
the motion of the other or diverse。 The motion of the same he
carried round by the side to the right； and the motion of the
diverse diagonally to the left。 And he gave dominion to the motion
of the same and like； for that he left single and undivided； but the
inner motion he divided in six places and made seven unequal circles
having their intervals in r
