Stephanus 70

70a into a dwelling for women, and one for men apart, and setting the midriff between them as a partition wall. The part of soul that shares in courage and spirit, being fond of victory, they settled nearer the head, between midriff and neck, so that, hearing the word of reason, it might with it hold down by force the tribe of appetites, whenever these would in no way willingly obey the command and the word from the citadel. And the heart, 70b as the knot of the veins and the spring of the blood that courses violently through all the limbs, they established in that escort's quarters, so that when the fury of spirit boiled up, and reason sent round word that some wrong was being done from without, or that some desire from within was at work, all that is sensitive in the body, perceiving the encouragements and the threats swiftly through all the narrow channels, might become obedient and follow everywhere, and so let what is best rule 70c over them all. Foreseeing, too, from the heart's leap in expectation of fears and the upsurge of spirit, that all such swelling was to come about through fire in the heated, and contriving its relief, they planted the form of the lung: soft and bloodless first, then riddled within with passages like the holes of a sponge, so that, taking in breath and damp, 70d and cooling, it might give breath and relief amid the heat. For this reason they cut channels from the windpipe to the lung, and set the lung about the heart like a poultice, so that when spirit burns at its height in the heart, it may leap into this yielding, be soothed and cooled, strain less, and serve reason the better with its spirit.

And the part of soul that desires food and drink, and whatever else it feels the want of through the body's nature, this they 70e settled in the region between the midriff and the boundary toward the navel, building in all that place, as it were, a manger for the food of the body; and there they tethered such a creature—wild, yet of necessity fastened and fed there, if ever the mortal kind was to exist at all.

Timaeus: So that it might feed forever at its manger and dwell as far as might be from the place of counsel, making the least tumult and outcry,

70a a women's dwelling, and one for men, kept apart, with the midriff set between them as a dividing wall. The part of the soul that shares in courage and spirit—the part that loves to win—they housed nearer the head, between the midriff and the neck. There it could listen to reason and, together with reason, hold down the desiring kind by force whenever that part would not in any way willingly obey the command and the word coming down from the citadel. The heart 70b they stationed at the knot of the veins, as the spring of the blood that surges hard through every limb, in the quarters where it keeps guard—so that, when the force of spirit boils up, reason having given word that some unjust act is being done by someone outside or by some desire within, the heart would then sense quickly, through all the narrow passages, everything in the body that can be sensed, hear the encouragements and the threats, obey, and follow reason everywhere. In this way the best part is allowed to rule over 70c all the rest. They also knew in advance that the heart's pounding, when fearful things are expected and spirit rises, would be a swelling caused by fire. So they contrived a helper for it: they planted the lung there—soft and without blood at first, then with hollow channels inside, pierced through like a sponge. Taking in breath and drink, 70d cooling them, the lung provides breathing and relief in the heat. That is why they cut channels from the windpipe to the lung and wrapped the lung around the heart like a soothing poultice. Then, when spirit blazes at its height inside the heart, the heart leaps against something that gives way, is cooled, strains less, and can serve reason with its spirit all the better.

The part of the soul that desires food and drink, and whatever else the body's nature leaves it lacking, they housed 70e in the space between the midriff and the boundary at the navel. Through that whole region they built a kind of manger for the body's food. And there they chained up that part like a wild beast. Tethered, it had to be fed, if any mortal race was ever going to exist at all.

Timaeus: The point was that it should feed at its manger always and dwell as far away as possible from the part that plans, making as little disturbance and outcry as possible,

70a as if to fence off two separate chambers, for men and for women—by placing the midriff between them as a screen. That part of the soul, then, which partakes of courage and spirit, since it is a lover of victory, they planted more near to the head, between the midriff and the neck, in order that it might hearken to the reason, and, in conjunction therewith, might forcibly subdue the tribe of the desires whensoever they should utterly refuse to yield willing obedience to the word of command from the citadel of reason. And the heart, 70b which is the junction of the veins and the fount of the blood which circulates vigorously through all the limbs, they appointed to be the chamber of the bodyguard, to the end that when the heat of the passion boils up, as soon as reason passes the word round that some unjust action is being done which affects them, either from without or possibly even from the interior desires, every organ of sense in the body might quickly perceive through all the channels both the injunctions and the threats and in all ways obey and follow them, thus allowing their best part 70c to be the leader of them all. And as a means of relief for the leaping of the heart, in times when dangers are expected and passion is excited—since they knew that all such swelling of the passionate parts would arise from the action of fire,—they contrived and implanted the form of the lungs. This is, in the first place, soft and bloodless; and, moreover, it contains within it perforated cavities like those of a sponge, so that, when it receives the breath and the drink, it might have a cooling effect and furnish relief and comfort 70d in the burning heat. To this end they drew the channels of the windpipe to the lungs, and placed the lungs as a kind of padding round the heart, in order that, when the passion therein should be at its height, by leaping upon a yielding substance and becoming cool, the heart might suffer less and thereby be enabled the more to be subservient to the reason in time of passion.

And all that part of the Soul which is subject to appetites for foods and drinks, and all the other wants that are due to the nature of the body, they planted in the parts midway between the midriff and the boundary 70e at the navel, fashioning as it were a manger in all this region for the feeding of the body; and there they tied up this part of the Soul, as though it were a creature which, though savage, they must necessarily keep joined to the rest and feed, if the mortal stock were to exist at all.

Timaeus: In order, then, that this part, feeding thus at its manger and housed as far away as possible from the counselling part, and creating the least possible turmoil and din, should allow the Supreme part to take counsel in peace