贝壳电子书 > 英文原著电子书 > timaeu >

第7章

timaeu-第7章

小说: timaeu 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



in the likeness of the original; but inasmuch as all animals were

not yet comprehended therein; it was still unlike。 What remained;

the creator then proceeded to fashion after the nature of the pattern。

Now as in the ideal animal the mind perceives ideas or species of a

certain nature and number; he thought that this created animal ought

to have species of a like nature and number。 There are four such;

one of them is the heavenly race of the gods; another; the race of

birds whose way is in the air; the third; the watery species; and

the fourth; the pedestrian and land creatures。 Of the heavenly and

divine; he created the greater part out of fire; that they might be

the brightest of all things and fairest to behold; and he fashioned

them after the likeness of the universe in the figure of a circle; and

made them follow the intelligent motion of the supreme; distributing

them over the whole circumference of heaven; which was to be a true

cosmos or glorious world spangled with them all over。 And he gave to

each of them two movements: the first; a movement on the same spot

after the same manner; whereby they ever continue to think

consistently the same thoughts about the same things; the second; a

forward movement; in which they are controlled by the revolution of

the same and the like; but by the other five motions they were

unaffected; in order that each of them might attain the highest

perfection。 And for this reason the fixed stars were created; to be

divine and eternal animals; ever…abiding and revolving after the

same manner and on the same spot; and the other stars which reverse

their motion and are subject to deviations of this kind; were

created in the manner already described。 The earth; which is our

nurse; clinging around the pole which is extended through the

universe; he framed to be the guardian and artificer of night and day;

first and eldest of gods that are in the interior of heaven。 Vain

would be the attempt to tell all the figures of them circling as in

dance; and their juxtapositions; and the return of them in their

revolutions upon themselves; and their approximations; and to say

which of these deities in their conjunctions meet; and which of them

are in opposition; and in what order they get behind and before one

another; and when they are severally eclipsed to our sight and again

reappear; sending terrors and intimations of the future to those who

cannot calculate their movements…to attempt to tell of all this

without a visible representation of the heavenly system would be

labour in vain。 Enough on this head; and now let what we have said

about the nature of the created and visible gods have an end。

  To know or tell the origin of the other divinities is beyond us; and

we must accept the traditions of the men of old time who affirm

themselves to be the offspring of the gods…that is what they say…and

they must surely have known their own ancestors。 How can we doubt

the word of the children of the gods? Although they give no probable

or certain proofs; still; as they declare that they are speaking of

what took place in their own family; we must conform to custom and

believe them。 In this manner; then; according to them; the genealogy

of these gods is to be received and set forth。

  Oceanus and Tethys were the children of Earth and Heaven; and from

these sprang Phorcys and Cronos and Rhea; and all that generation; and

from Cronos and Rhea sprang Zeus and Here; and all those who are

said to be their brethren; and others who were the children of these。

  Now; when all of them; both those who visibly appear in their

revolutions as well as those other gods who are of a more retiring

nature; had come into being; the creator of the universe addressed

them in these words: 〃Gods; children of gods; who are my works; and of

whom I am the artificer and father; my creations are indissoluble;

if so I will。 All that is bound may be undone; but only an evil

being would wish to undo that which is harmonious and happy。

Wherefore; since ye are but creatures; ye are not altogether

immortal and indissoluble; but ye shall certainly not be dissolved;

nor be liable to the fate of death; having in my will a greater and

mightier bond than those with which ye were bound at the time of

your birth。 And now listen to my instructions:…Three tribes of

mortal beings remain to be created…without them the universe will be

incomplete; for it will not contain every kind of animal which it

ought to contain; if it is to be perfect。 On the other hand; if they

were created by me and received life at my hands; they would be on

an equality with the gods。 In order then that they may be mortal;

and that this universe may be truly universal; do ye; according to

your natures; betake yourselves to the formation of animals; imitating

the power which was shown by me in creating you。 The part of them

worthy of the name immortal; which is called divine and is the guiding

principle of those who are willing to follow justice and you…of that

divine part I will myself sow the seed; and having made a beginning; I

will hand the work over to you。 And do ye then interweave the mortal

with the immortal; and make and beget living creatures; and give

them food; and make them to grow; and receive them again in death。〃

  Thus he spake; and once more into the cup in which he had previously

mingled the soul of the universe he poured the remains of the

elements; and mingled them in much the same manner; they were not;

however; pure as before; but diluted to the second and third degree。

And having made it he divided the whole mixture into souls equal in

number to the stars; and assigned each soul to a star; and having

there placed them as in a chariot; he showed them the nature of the

universe; and declared to them the laws of destiny; according to which

their first birth would be one and the same for all;…no one should

suffer a disadvantage at his hands; they were to be sown in the

instruments of time severally adapted to them; and to come forth the

most religious of animals; and as human nature was of two kinds; the

superior race would here after be called man。 Now; when they should be

implanted in bodies by necessity; and be always gaining or losing some

part of their bodily substance; then in the first place it would be

necessary that they should all have in them one and the same faculty

of sensation; arising out of irresistible impressions; in the second

place; they must have love; in which pleasure and pain mingle; also

fear and anger; and the feelings which are akin or opposite to them;

if they conquered these they would live righteously; and if they

were conquered by them; unrighteously。 He who lived well during his

appointed time was to return and dwell in his native star; and there

he would have a blessed and congenial existence。 But if he failed in

attaining this; at the second birth he would pass into a woman; and

if; when in that state of being; he did not desist from evil; he would

continually be changed into some brute who resembled him in the evil

nature which he had acquired; and would not cease from his toils and

transformations until he followed the revolution of the same and the

like within him; and overcame by the help of reason the turbulent

and irrational mob of later accretions; made up of fire and air and

water and earth; and returned to the form of his first and better

state。 Having given all these laws to his creatures; that he might

be guiltless of future evil in any of them; the creator sowed some

of them in the earth; and some in the moon; and some in the other

instruments of time; and when he had sown them he committed to the

younger gods the fashioning of their mortal bodies; and desired them

to furnish what was still lacking to the human soul; and having made

all the suitable additions; to rule over them; and to pilot the mortal

animal in the best and wisest manner which they could; and avert

from him all but self…inflicted evils。

  When the creator had made all these ordinances he remained in his

own accustomed natu

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的