Stephanus 30

30a accepting it from men of wisdom. For the god, wishing that all things be good and, so far as was possible, nothing base, took over all that was visible—not in quiet, but moving in discord and disorder—and brought it from disorder into order, holding the latter in every way better than the former. For it was not lawful then, nor is it now, for the best to do anything but the most beautiful. 30b Taking thought, then, he found that, of the things visible by nature, nothing without intelligence would ever be, as a whole, more beautiful than the work of one that has intelligence; and that intelligence cannot come to be present in anything apart from soul. For this reason, setting intelligence in soul and soul in body, he wove the whole together, that his work might be the most beautiful and best by nature. So then, according to the likely account, we must say that this cosmos came to be a living creature endowed with soul and mind, through the providence 30c of the god.

This being so, we must say next, in its turn, after what living thing its composer composed it in likeness. Let us not think any of the partial kinds worthy of the comparison—for nothing incomplete could ever turn out beautiful, being what it is like—but let us lay it down that it is most like that of which the other living things are parts, each in itself and by kind. For the intelligible living creature embraces within itself all intelligible things, just as this 30d cosmos here embraces us and all the other visible creatures that have been composed.

Timaeus: For the god, wishing to make it most like the most beautiful of intelligible things and in all ways most complete, composed one visible living creature, holding within itself all

30a one would most rightly accept, taking it from wise men. God wanted all things to be good, and nothing bad, so far as was possible. So he took all that was visible. It was not still. It was moving without measure and without order. He brought it from disorder into order, for he judged that this was in every way better than that. It was not right then, and it is not right now, for the best to do anything but the most beautiful. 30b So he reasoned, and he found that of the things visible by nature, nothing without intelligence could ever be, as a whole more beautiful than a whole, than that which has intelligence. And again, intelligence could never come to anything apart from soul. Because of this reasoning, he put intelligence in soul, and soul in body, and so he wove the whole together. He did it so that the work might be, by its nature, as beautiful and as good as possible. So, by the likely account, we must say that this world became, through the providence of God, 30c a living thing with soul and with intelligence, in truth.

This being so, we must say next what living thing the maker made it like. Let us not stoop to compare it with any living thing whose nature is that of a part. Nothing like an unfinished thing could ever become beautiful. The other living things are parts, each after its kind, of one. Let us say that the world is most like that one. For all the intelligible living things are held within that one, just as this 30d world holds us and all the other visible creatures it has put together.

Timaeus: For God, wanting to make it most like the best of the intelligible things, the one complete in every way, made it one visible living thing, holding within it all

30a For God desired that, so far as possible, all things should be good and nothing evil; wherefore, when He took over all that was visible, seeing that it was not in a state of rest but in a state of discordant and disorderly motion, He brought it into order out of disorder, deeming that the former state is in all ways better than the latter. For Him who is most good it neither was nor is permissible to perform any action save what is most fair. As He reflected, therefore, He perceived that of such creatures as are by nature visible, 30b none that is irrational will be fairer, comparing wholes with wholes, than the rational; and further, that reason cannot possibly belong to any apart from Soul. So because of this reflection He constructed reason within soul and soul within body as He fashioned the All, that so the work He was executing might be of its nature most fair and most good. Thus, then, in accordance with the likely account, we must declare that this Cosmos has verily come into existence as a Living Creature endowed with soul and reason owing to the providence of God. 30c

This being established, we must declare that which comes next in order. In the semblance of which of the living Creatures did the Constructor of the cosmos construct it? We shall not deign to accept any of those which belong by nature to the category of parts; for nothing that resembles the imperfect would ever become fair. But we shall affirm that the Cosmos, more than aught else, resembles most closely that Living Creature of which all other living creatures, severally and generically, are portions. For that Living Creature embraces and contains within itself all the intelligible Living Creatures, just as this Universe contains us and all the other visible living creatures 30d that have been fashioned.

Timaeus: For since God desired to make it resemble most closely that intelligible Creature which is fairest of all and in all ways most perfect, He constructed it as a Living Creature, one and visible, containing within itself all the living creatures which are by nature akin to itself.