Stephanus 27

27a keeping silence, to listen in return.

Critias: Look, then, at the arrangement of the feast of strangers we have devised for you, Socrates. It seemed to us that Timaeus, being the best astronomer among us and having most knowledge of the nature of the whole, should speak first, beginning from the birth of the cosmos and ending with the nature of man; 27b and that I should follow him, having received from him, in his speech, men as they came to be, and from you, their education to a marked degree in some of them—and that, according to the word and law of Solon, I should introduce them, setting us up as their judges, and make them citizens of this city, as though they were the Athenians of that day whom the report of the sacred writings showed to be hidden from view; and that for the rest we should carry on the discourse as of citizens and Athenians indeed.

Socrates: It seems I am to be repaid for my feast of speeches most perfectly and most splendidly. So the task after this falls to you, Timaeus, as it appears: you are to speak, having invoked the gods according to law.

27c Timaeus: Yet all who share even to a small degree in soundness of mind, Socrates, call upon a god always, at the outset of every undertaking, small or great; and we, who are about to make speeches about the whole—how it came to be, or whether it is unbegotten—must, unless we are to miss the mark altogether, call on gods and goddesses and pray that everything we say be said first to their mind, and in consequence 27d to ours. So much, then, for our invoking of the gods; our own must follow, in whatever way you would most easily learn, and I most clearly set forth what I have in mind about the matters before us.

Timaeus: So then, in my judgment, we must first make this division: what is that which always is and has no becoming, and what is that which is always

27a keep quiet and listen to you in return.

Critias: Look, then, Socrates, at how we have set up the feast for you. It seemed right to us that Timaeus should speak first. He is the best astronomer among us, and he has made it his work to know most about the nature of the whole. He will begin from the birth of the world, and he will end with the nature of man. I am to speak after him. From his speech I will receive men as already come to be, and from you as trained with special care—27b some of them, at least. Then, following the account and the law of Solon, I will bring them in as citizens of this city, as if into a court with us as judges, on the ground that they are the Athenians of that time. The report of the sacred writings showed them to us, though they were hidden. The speeches after that we will make as about citizens and Athenians who already exist.

Socrates: It looks as if I am to be repaid in full measure and in splendor for my feast of speeches. Your task, then, Timaeus, it seems, will be to speak next, after you have called on the gods according to law.

27c Timaeus: Well, Socrates, all who have even a small share of good sense always call on a god at the start of every undertaking, small or great. And we, who are about to make speeches about the whole—how it came to be, or whether it had no birth at all—must call on gods and goddesses and pray, if we are not to miss the truth completely. We pray that everything we say be above all according to their mind, 27d and then in keeping with ours. Let that be our prayer about the gods. And now we must call on our own powers, so that you may learn most easily, and so that I may show my own thought as clearly as I can about the matters before us.

Timaeus: In my judgment, then, we must first make this division: what is that which always is and has no coming-to-be, and what is that which is coming to be

27a keep silence in my turn and hearken.

Critias: Consider now, Socrates, the order of the feast as we have arranged it. Seeing that Timaeus is our best astronomer and has made it his special task to learn about the nature of the Universe, it seemed good to us that he should speak first, beginning with the origin of the Cosmos and ending with the generation of mankind. After him I am to follow, taking over from him mankind, already as it were created by his speech, and taking over from you 27b a select number of men superlatively well trained. Then, in accordance with the word and law of Solon, I am to bring these before ourselves, as before a court of judges, and make them citizens of this State of ours, regarding them as Athenians of that bygone age whose existence, so long forgotten, has been revealed to us by the record of the sacred writings; and thenceforward I am to proceed with my discourse as if I were speaking of men who already are citizens and men of Athens.

Socrates: Bounteous and magnificent, methinks, is the feast of speech with which I am to be requited. So then, it will be your task, it seems, to speak next, when you have duly invoked the gods.

27c Timaeus: Nay, as to that, Socrates, all men who possess even a small share of good sense call upon God always at the outset of every undertaking, be it small or great; we therefore who are purposing to deliver a discourse concerning the Universe, how it was created or haply is uncreate, must needs invoke Gods and Goddesses (if so be that we are not utterly demented), praying that all we say may be approved by them in the first place, and secondly by ourselves. Grant, then, that we have thus duly invoked the deities; 27d >ourselves we must also invoke so to proceed, that you may most easily learn and I may most clearly expound my views regarding the subject before us.

Now first of all we must, in my judgement, make the following distinction. What is that which is Existent always