Stephanus 38

38a true account, and "was" and "will be" should be said of the becoming that moves along in time—for these two are motions; but what keeps forever to the same state cannot rightly become older or younger with time, nor ever came to be, nor has now come to be, nor will hereafter be; and in general nothing of what becoming attaches to the things carried in the realm of the senses belongs to it—rather these are forms time has brought to birth, as time imitates eternity and turns in its circle by number. And there is this further point besides: 38b to say that what has become has become, and what is becoming is becoming, and what will come to be will come to be, and that what is not is not—of none of these do we speak with exactness. But perhaps this is not the moment to pursue such niceties now.

Time, then, came to be together with the heaven, so that, born together, they might, if ever a dissolution should come upon them, be dissolved together; and it was made on the pattern of the everlasting nature, that it might be as like 38c to that pattern as might be. For the model is a being that lasts through all eternity, while the heaven has been, is, and shall be, through all time. Such being the god's purpose and thought for the birth of time—that time might be born—the sun and the moon and five other stars, the ones called wanderers, came to be, to mark off and to guard the numbers of time. And when the god had made a body for each of them, he set them in the circuits in which the revolution of the other was traveling, seven bodies in seven 38d circuits: the moon in the circle first about the earth, the sun in the second above the earth, and the morning star and the one called sacred to Hermes in the circle that runs with the sun in equal speed, though they hold within it a power contrary to his—which is why the sun, the star of Hermes, and the morning star overtake and are overtaken by one another in their turn. As for the others, and the reasons for which he set them where he did, if one were to go through them all, the account, 38e being only incidental, would give a greater labor than the purpose for which it is spoken. Perhaps these things, taken at leisure later, would deserve a telling worthy of them.

Timaeus: And when each of the beings that had a part in bringing time to completion had come to the motion proper to it, and their bodies, bound with living bonds, had been born as living creatures, and had learned the task commanded them, in the motion of the other

38a true account. "Was" and "will be" are rightly said of the becoming that moves in time. For those two are motions. But what always holds the same state cannot move at all. It is not right to say that it becomes older or younger through time, or that it ever came to be, or has just now come to be, or will be again. In general, none of the things that becoming attached to what moves in our senses belongs to it. Those forms came to be when time, imitating eternity, circled by number. And besides these, there are still points like these: 38b that what has come to be "is" what has come to be, and what is becoming "is" what is becoming, and that what will come to be "is" what will come to be, and that what is not "is" not-being. We speak none of these accurately. Perhaps now is not the right moment to sort out such things exactly.

Time came to be along with the heavens, so that, born together, they may also come apart together, if ever they do come apart. It was made on the pattern of the everlasting nature, so that it would be as like it as possible. 38c For the model is a living thing that is for all eternity, while the heavens have come to be and are and will be through all time. So, by this reasoning and this plan of the god for the birth of time—so that time might be born—he made the sun and the moon and five other stars, called "wanderers," to set apart and guard the numbers of time. He made the body of each one and set them in the circles that the circle of the other traveled, seven in number—38d seven bodies in seven circles. The moon went into the circle closest to the earth, the sun into the second above the earth, and the morning star and the star called sacred to Hermes into the circle that runs at the same speed as the sun. But those two hold a power opposite to his. That is why the sun and the star of Hermes and the morning star overtake one another and are overtaken, each in turn. Why the god set up the rest where he did, and for what reasons—if someone went through all of it, the account, being a side matter, would cause more trouble than the purpose it is told for. 38e These things, perhaps, might get the full telling they deserve later, at leisure.

Timaeus: And when each of these bodies had come to the motion proper to it, so that time was completed together with all the things that had to be worked along with it—then, since their bodies were bound fast with bonds of soul, they became living creatures, and they learned the order given to them, moving in the motion of the other

38a is the appropriate term; was and will be, on the other hand, are terms properly applicable to the Becoming which proceeds in Time, since both of these are motions; but it belongs not to that which is ever changeless in its uniformity to become either older or younger through time, nor ever to have become so, nor to be so now, nor to be about to be so hereafter, nor in general to be subject to any of the conditions which Becoming has attached to the things which move in the world of Sense, these being generated forms of Time, which imitates Eternity and circles round according to number. And besides these we make use of the following expressions,— 38b that what is become is become, and what is becoming is becoming, and what is about to become is about to become, and what is non-existent is non-existent; but none of these expressions is accurate. But the present is not, perhaps, a fitting occasion for an exact discussion of these matters.

Time, then, came into existence along with the Heaven, to the end that having been generated together they might also be dissolved together, if ever a dissolution of them should take place; and it was made after the pattern of the Eternal Nature, to the end that it might be as like thereto as possible; for whereas the pattern is existent through all eternity, 38c the copy, on the other hand, is through all time, continually having existed, existing, and being about to exist. Wherefore, as a consequence of this reasoning and design on the part of God, with a view to the generation of Time, the sun and moon and five other stars, which bear the appellation of planets, came into existence for the determining and preserving of the numbers of Time. And when God had made the bodies of each of them He placed them in the orbits along which the revolution of the Other was moving, seven orbits for the seven bodies.. 38d The Moon He placed in the first circle around the Earth, the Sun in the second above the Earth; and the Morning Star and the Star called Sacred to Hermes He placed in those circles which move in an orbit equal to the Sun in velocity, but endowed with a power contrary thereto; whence it is that the Sun and the Star of Hermes and the Morning Star regularly overtake and are overtaken by one another. As to the rest of the stars, were one to describe in detail the positions in which He set them, and all the reasons therefor, 38e the description, though but subsidiary, would prove a heavier task than the main argument which it subserves. Later on, perhaps, at our leisure these points may receive the attention they merit.

Timaeus: So when each of the bodies whose co-operation was required for the making of Time had arrived in its proper orbit; and when they had been generated as living creatures, having their bodies bound with living bonds,