Stephanus 39

39a which runs aslant, passing beneath the motion of the same, which both governs it and leads it, they went round now in a greater circle and now in a lesser—those in the lesser circle more swiftly, those in the greater more slowly. And by the motion of the same, those that circled most quickly appeared to be overtaken by the slower ones and to overtake them in their turn; for the motion of the same twisted all their circles into spirals, because each went forward at once in two 39b opposite directions: so the one that left its own place most slowly seemed to keep nearest to it, though it was in truth the swiftest. And that there might be a clear measure of their slowness and speed in relation to one another, and that they might run their courses, eight in all, the god kindled a light in the second circuit from the earth—the one we now call the sun—so that it might shine through the whole heaven as far as might be, and that living things might share in number, so far as was fitting for each, learning it from the revolution of the same and 39c like. Night and day, then, came to be thus and for these reasons—the period of the one and wisest circuit; and the month, whenever the moon, having run round her own circle, overtakes the sun; and the year, whenever the sun runs round his own circle. But the periods of the others, human beings have not thought about—few, indeed, of the many have—and they neither name them nor measure them one against another by numbers; so that, 39d so to speak, they do not know that these wanderings of theirs are time—wanderings that wear away a measureless plenty and are marvelously adorned. And yet it is none the less possible to perceive that the perfect number of time completes the perfect year at that moment when the relative speeds of all the eight circuits, having run their courses together, come round once more to their head, measured by the circle of the same that goes uniformly. And for reasons such as these, then, were begotten those stars that make their journey through the heaven and have their turnings, so that this world 39e might be as like as possible to the perfect and intelligible living thing, in its imitation of the everlasting nature.

By that point he had finished everything else, down to the birth of time, into the likeness of the model after which he shaped it; but it still fell short in this one way: it did not yet contain all the living things born within itself. This, then, this remaining lack, he set out to remedy, stamping the world after the nature of the model. And just as intelligence beholds the ideas present in the true living thing—of what kinds they are, and how many—of just such kinds and just so many he resolved that this world too must hold.

Timaeus: Now there are four kinds: one, the heavenly race of gods; a second,

39a which is slanted. Since the motion of the same was going on and ruling through it, some of the stars ran around the larger circle and some around the smaller. The ones on the smaller circle went around faster, and the ones on the larger circle more slowly. Under the motion of the same, the fastest ones seemed to be overtaken by the slower ones. That motion bent all their circles into a spiral, because their motion went two ways at once, in opposite directions. 39b And since that motion was itself the fastest, it showed the star that drew away from it most slowly as the nearest. And so that there might be some clear measure of slowness and speed among them for the eight circuits, the god lit a light in the second circle from the earth—the one we now call the sun—so that it might shine through all the heaven as much as possible, and so that living things might share in number, as many as it was right for, learning it from the 39c rotation of the same and the like. Night and day came to be in this way, then, and for this reason: they are the period of the one and wisest turning. The month comes whenever the moon, having gone around her own circle, overtakes the sun; the year, whenever the sun has gone around his own circle. But people have not grasped the circuits of the others; only a few out of the many have. They do not name them, and they do not measure them against one another by numbers. The result is that, so to speak, 39d they do not know that these wanderings are time—wanderings countless in number and wonderfully varied. And yet it can still be understood well enough that the perfect number of time fulfills the perfect year at that moment when the relative speeds of all eight circuits, completed together, come to a head, measured against the circle of the same, which moves in like manner. It was for these reasons, then, that the stars were begotten which travel through the heavens and have their turnings—so that this universe might be as like as possible 39e to the perfect and intelligible living thing, in its imitation of the everlasting nature.

And by then he had finished everything else, down to the birth of time, in the likeness of the thing he modeled it on. But it was still unlike its model in one way: it did not yet hold all the living things inside itself. This remaining part he now worked out, stamping it from the nature of the model. The forms that intelligence sees within the living thing that truly is—what kinds they are, and how many—of just those kinds and that number he decided this universe too must have.

Timaeus: There are four kinds. One is the heavenly race of gods; another

39a and had learnt their appointed duties; then they kept revolving around the circuit of the Other, which is transverse and passes through the circuit of the Same and is dominated thereby; and part of them moved in a greater, part in a smaller circle, those in the smaller moving more quickly and those in the greater more slowly. And because of the motion of the Same, the stars which revolved most quickly appeared to be overtaken by those which moved most slowly, although in truth they overtook them; 39b for, because of their simultaneous progress in two opposite directions, the motion of the Same, which is the swiftest of all motions, twisted all their circles into spirals and thus caused the body which moves away from it most slowly to appear the nearest. And in order that there might be a clear measure of the relative speeds, slow and quick, with which they travelled round their eight orbits, in that circle which is second from the earth God kindled a light which now we call the Sun, to the end that it might shine, so far as possible, throughout the whole Heaven, and that all the living creatures entitled thereto might participate in number, learning it from the revolution of the Same and Similar. 39c In this wise and for these reasons were generated Night and Day, which are the revolution of the one and most intelligent circuit; and Month, every time that the Moon having completed her own orbit overtakes the Sun; and Year, as often as the Sun has completed his own orbit. Of the other stars the revolutions have not been discovered by men (save for a few out of the many); wherefore they have no names for them, nor do they compute and compare their relative measurements, so that they are not aware, as a rule, 39d that the wanderings of these bodies, which are hard to calculate and of wondrous complexity, constitute Time. Nevertheless, it is still quite possible to perceive that the complete number of Time fulfils the Complete Year when all the eight circuits, with their relative speeds, finish together and come to a head, when measured by the revolution of the Same and Similarly-moving. In this wise and for these reasons were generated all those stars which turn themselves about as they travel through Heaven, to the end that this Universe might be as similar as possible to the perfect and intelligible Living Creature in respect of its imitation of the Eternal 39e Nature thereof.

Now in all other respects this World had already, with the birth of Time, been wrought in the similitude of that whereunto it was being likened, but inasmuch as it did not as yet contain generated within it the whole range of living creatures, therein it was still dissimilar. So this part of the work which was still undone He completed by molding it after the nature of the Model. According, then, as Reason perceives Forms existing in the Absolute Living Creature, such and so many as exist therein did He deem that this World also should possess.

Timaeus: And these Forms are four,—one the heavenly kind of gods;