Stephanus 37

37a harmony, the best of things begotten, born of the best of things that forever are and are intelligible. And because she was compounded of the nature of the same, of the other, and of being—these three portions blended together, then divided in due proportion and bound—and because she circles round upon herself, whenever she touches anything whose being is scattered abroad, or anything that is indivisible, she, moved throughout herself, tells what any given thing is the same as and what it is 37b other than, and in what relation, where, how, and when it happens, both for the things that come to be, each toward each in being and in being affected, and for the things that keep forever to the same state. And reason, true reason, arising within her as she moves and is carried along by herself, without voice or sound, concerning what is other and concerning what is the same—when it arises concerning the things of sense, and the circle of the other, going straight, announces it through the whole soul, then opinions and convictions arise, firm and true; 37c but when it arises concerning the rational, and the circle of the same, running smooth and true, reveals it, then intelligence and knowledge are of necessity the result. And if anyone says that that in which these two arise is anything other than soul, he will say anything rather than the truth.

And when the father who had begotten it saw it move and live, a crafted image of the everlasting gods come to birth, he rejoiced, and in his delight he thought to make it still more like its model. 37d And since that model is an everlasting living thing, he set out to make this all, too, such a thing, so far as might be. Now the nature of that living thing is eternal, and to attach this fully to it was not possible; so he thought to make a moving image of eternity: and, as he ordered the heaven, he made of eternity that abides in oneness an eternal image moving according to number—and this image we have named time. 37e For days and nights and months and years were not before the heaven came to be; but he contrived the birth of these along with it, as it was being framed. And all of these are parts of time, and "was" and "will be" are forms of time that have come to be; and we unthinkingly carry them along and apply them, and so miss the mark, when we speak of the everlasting being.

Timaeus: For we say that it was and is and shall be, though only "is" befits it, according to the

37a harmony. It is a soul. It was made by the best of the intelligible things that always are, and it is the best of the things that have been born. It was blended from the nature of the same, from the nature of the other, and from being—three portions—divided in due proportion and bound together. It turns upon itself, and whenever it touches something whose being is scattered, or something indivisible, it is stirred through all of itself, and it says what each given thing is the same as and what it is 37b other than: what it is most of all, and where, and how, and when it happens—both about the things that come to be, what each thing is and what it undergoes in relation to each thing, and about the things that always hold the same state. And the account—the true statement that comes to be about the other and about the same—is carried along in the soul as it moves under its own motion, without voice or sound. When it arises about what the senses take in, and the circle of the other, going straight, announces it through the whole soul, then sure and true beliefs come to be. 37c But when it arises about what reasons, and the circle of the same, running smooth and true, reveals it, then intelligence and knowledge necessarily come to be. And if anyone says that what these two arise in is anything other than soul, he will say anything rather than the truth.

And when the father who had made it saw it move and live—an image of the everlasting gods—he delighted in it and rejoiced, and he planned to make it still more like its model. 37d Now the model itself is an everlasting living thing. So he tried to make this universe too like it, to the limit of its capacity. The nature of that living thing was eternal. It was impossible to attach that fully to anything born. So he planned to make a moving image of eternity. While he put the heavens in order, he made an image of eternity that stays one, an everlasting image going by number—and that is what we have called time. 37e Days, nights, months, and years did not exist before the heavens came to be. He planned their birth together with the heavens' construction. All of these are parts of time, and "was" and "will be" are forms of time that have come to be. We turn them onto everlasting being without noticing, and that is not correct.

Timaeus: For we say that it was, and is, and will be; but only "is" fits it by the true

37a having come into existence by the agency of the best of things intelligible and ever-existing as the best of things generated. Inasmuch, then, as she is a compound, blended of the natures of the Same and the Other and Being, these three portions, and is proportionately divided and bound together, and revolves back upon herself, whenever she touches anything which has its substance dispersed or anything which has its substance undivided she is moved throughout her whole being and announces what the object is identical with 37b and from what it is different, and in what relation, where and how and when, it comes about that each thing exists and is acted upon by others both in the sphere of the Becoming and in that of the ever-uniform. And her announcement, being identically true concerning both the Other and the Same, is borne through the self-moved without speech or sound; and whenever it is concerned with the sensible, and the circle of the Other moving in straight course proclaims it to the whole of its Soul, opinions and beliefs arise which are firm and true; and again, when it is concerned with the rational, 37c and the circle of the Same, spinning truly, declares the facts, reason and knowledge of necessity result. But should anyone assert that the substance in which these two states arise is something other than Soul, his assertion will be anything rather than the truth.

And when the Father that engendered it perceived it in motion and alive, a thing of joy to the eternal gods, He too rejoiced; and being well-pleased He designed to make it resemble its Model 37d still more closely. Accordingly, seeing that that Model is an eternal Living Creature, He set about making this Universe, so far as He could, of a like kind. But inasmuch as the nature of the Living Creature was eternal, this quality it was impossible to attach in its entirety to what is generated; wherefore He planned to make a movable image of Eternity, and, as He set in order the Heaven, of that Eternity which abides in unity He made an eternal image, moving according to number, even that which we have named Time. 37e For simultaneously with the construction of the Heaven He contrived the production of days and nights and months and years, which existed not before the Heaven came into being. And these are all portions of Time; even as Was and Shall be are generated forms of Time, although we apply them wrongly, without noticing, to Eternal Being.

Timaeus: For we say that it is or was or will be, whereas, in truth of speech, is alone