Dialogue Text

Timaios: I have previously discussed how the eyes, in acquiring their current abilities, functioned as an auxiliary. Next, we must speak of the greatest benefit they have brought us. In my opinion, sight is the cause that has given us the greatest benefits. For if we had not seen the stars, the sun, and the heavens, no one would have spoken of the discussions about the cosmos that are now being discussed. By allowing us to see day and night, and by revealing the cycles of months and years, as well as the equinoxes and solstices, they brought forth numbers. Furthermore, they gave us a sense of time and an endeavor to explore the nature of the universe.

Timaios (Continued) From this, we obtain philosophy. Among all the gifts that the gods bestowed upon the mortal race, there is nothing greater than this, nor will there ever be. This is the greatest good that sight can bring. Shall we now extol other, lesser benefits that sight provides? For those who do not love philosophy, even if they lose their sight and lament it, it is futile. Let us direct this explanation of sight towards this greatest good. The gods found us and gave us sight so that we might observe the order of things in the heavens, and from there, regulate the revolutions within our own minds. For the revolutions within our minds are akin to those heavenly movements, but they are disordered.

Timaios (Continued) If we learn the movements of the heavens, acquire the natural correctness in reasoning, and imitate the unerring order of the divine workings in every respect, then we will be able to harmonize the disordered elements within ourselves. The same holds true for voice and hearing; these too were given by the gods for the same purpose. Speech serves that very purpose and contributes most effectively to it. And the voice, which is useful for music, was given for the sake of hearing, with the aim of harmony.

Timaios (Continued) Harmony possesses a movement akin to the workings of our soul and the motions of kin. For someone who uses intelligence along with the arts of the Muses, harmony is not for pleasure that lacks reason, as it is currently thought to be. The Muses have given us harmony as an aid to order the disharmonious movements within our souls and to bring ourselves into harmony with ourselves.

Timaios (Continued) Furthermore, the same gods have given us rhythm as a means of correcting our excessive and ungraceful states.