Dialogue Text

Timaeus: The creation of this universe came about through the combination of necessity and intelligence. Intelligence governs necessity, and by persuasion, it guided most of what was created towards the best possible state. Therefore, necessity yielded to the persuasiveness of intelligence, and in this way, the entire cosmos was initially assembled.

Timaios (Continued). Therefore, if we truly want to speak of the nature of generation, we must also explain the causes that lead to wandering, namely those that are inherently prone to wandering. So, let us return to our discussion and establish a different starting point suitable for these matters, and begin anew from the beginning. Just as we did before with those things, now we will do so with these. We must observe the nature of fire, water, air, and earth before their generation, and what state they were in before that. For no one has yet revealed how they came to be generated. Yet, people speak as if they know what fire is, and what each of them is, and consider them principles of the universe, elements.

Timaios (Continued) However, even to compare them to mere syllables would be unsuitable for anyone with a modicum of reflection. Let us proceed in our explanation as follows: We will not now discuss whether there is one or multiple principles governing all things, nor what those principles might be. This is because, apart from anything else, the current method of exposition makes it difficult to express my thoughts clearly. Therefore, you should not expect me to address these matters. I myself cannot convince myself that undertaking such a vast task would be appropriate.

Timaios (Continued). However, while preserving the power of the "plausible explanation" that I mentioned earlier, I will attempt to describe each individual matter and the entirety of things once again, in a way that is no less plausible, or rather even more plausible than before.

Timaios (Continued): Then, let us begin again. Let us invoke the gods to guide us, so that they may lead us safely from strange and unfamiliar explanations to views that are more reasonable, and let us once again begin our narration.

Timaios (Continued) The second one is a copy, an image of the visible forms. Regarding the third one, we had not distinguished it before, because we thought that two were sufficient. But now, the discussion seems to be urging us to reveal its elusive and ambiguous form through words. What power and nature should we attribute to it? We must consider it as something that receives all generation, in a sense, as its nurturer. I have already stated the truth, but I need to speak more clearly about this.

Timaios (Continued) This is a difficult matter. In the first place, in order to discuss it, we must have previously posed questions about fire and things related to fire. It is difficult to describe what each thing actually is, and whether something called "water" should truly be called water, or perhaps fire, or what name should be given to it, and this must be clarified with reliable and certain explanations. Then, what can we plausibly ask and discuss about them? First, the things that we call "water" solidify into stone or earth when observed by us.

Timaios (Continued). When it melts and separates, it becomes the same thing as breath or air. Air, when burned, turns into fire, and conversely, if fire gathers again and disappears, it returns to the form of air. Also, when air gathers and concentrates, it forms clouds or fog, and when these are further compressed, they become flowing water. From water, soil and stones emerge once more. In this way, generation is cyclical, and it appears that everything transforms into each other.

Timaios (Continued) Such things never appear in the same form. Therefore, if one were to take any of them and claim, "This is this, and nothing else," as something unchanging, would that not be shameful? No, there is a much more accurate way to speak about these things. If what we are always observing takes on different forms each time, then instead of saying, "This is fire," we should say, "Something like fire." Instead of saying, "This is water," we should always say, "Something like water." We must not assert anything as possessing a certain and fixed existence.

Timaios (Continued) We try to indicate something using words like "this" or "that thing," but such things do not accept expressions like "this," "that thing," or "things like that," which attempt to fix them as entities, and they escape from them. Therefore, we should not call individual things by those names, but always refer to them while circling around them, calling them "such things" that are similar to each other and to the whole. Fire is always such a thing. Everything that has generation is such a thing.

Timaios (Continued): Those things that constantly appear within it and then disappear from it, only the space itself should be called "this" or "that thing." On the other hand, whether it is something hot or white, or any other substance with opposing qualities, nor anything derived from them, none of those can be called "the space itself." Let me try to explain this again, more clearly. For example, suppose someone makes various shapes out of gold and constantly transforms what they have made into different forms.

Timaios (Continued) If you were to point at one of them and ask, "What is this?" the most certain answer, in terms of truth, would be, "It is gold." Regarding the triangles and other shapes that are made there, you should not say that they exist as forms themselves. This is because even while being given a form, they change. At best, if you accept it as a certain way of speaking to call them "such things," then you should be satisfied with that. The same can be said about the nature that receives all objects. It must always be given the same name, because it never deviates from its own nature and constantly accepts everything while taking on no form similar to anything that enters it, something it has never received before.

Timaios (Continued) It exists there, in its essence, as the form of all things, and it is moved by what enters into it, changing shape in various ways. And for these reasons, it appears to be different at each time. What enters and exits from there are always likenesses of that which eternally exists. They are stamped upon the original thing in a way that defies expression and is astonishing. We will revisit this later. For now, we must consider three kinds: what generates, what happens within it, and what is generated by being made like something from within it.

Timaios (Continued) It is appropriate to compare what is received to the mother, what arises from it by imitation to the father, and the nature that lies between them to the child. If one wishes to see various patterns with all kinds of impressions, then whatever is imprinted must be well-arranged. However, regarding everything that will come in from somewhere, it must remain formless. For if what is received resembles any of what comes into it, when it receives forms or natures opposite to itself, or entirely different ones, it cannot imitate them properly, but instead reveals its own appearance there.

Timaios (Continued). Therefore, that which contains all kinds must be separate from every form. Just as those who craft fragrant ointments make the liquid that will receive the fragrance as odorless as possible. Similarly, those who try to impress a shape onto a soft material ensure that no trace of the original form remains and smooth it out beforehand as much as possible.

Timaios (Continued) The same applies to that which constantly strives to receive into itself, repeatedly and thoroughly, the likeness of all existing things. It must be inherently formless. Therefore, let us not call it earth, air, fire, or water; nor shall we call it the mother or receptacle of those things that are produced from it, nor say that they came from it. Rather, if we were to describe something invisible and shapeless, which receives everything within itself, and possesses all intellectual qualities in a most elusive way, then this would not be an exaggeration.

Timaios (Continued) From what has been said, and speaking as closely as possible to the truth of the matter, it would be most appropriate to say this: The parts that burn manifest themselves as fire at each moment, and the moist parts manifest themselves as water. And earth and air appear insofar as they receive their likenesses. These things must be further clarified through discussion and examination. In the first place, does fire itself exist in its own being? And do all the things of which we always speak exist individually by themselves?

Timaios (Continued). Or, are only the things we see and the other sensations that pass through our bodies truly real, and is there nothing else anywhere? If so, has it always been futile to speak of forms that can be grasped by intellect? Was that merely words? It would not be appropriate to leave this problem unresolved and unjudged, claiming with certainty that this is what must be believed. Nor should we add unnecessary lengthy discussions or digressions.

Timaios (Continued) If I can briefly state the definition of a major issue, that would be most appropriate. Therefore, I will define my judgment as follows: If we assume that intellect and true thought are two distinct types, then they exist completely independently and are forms that cannot be grasped by our senses but only understood through thought. However, if true thought is not at all different from intellect, as some people believe, then everything we perceive through the body must be considered to be the most certain things.

Timaios (Continued) Since these two things arise separately and have different natures, they must be described as distinct types. True opinion arises within us through persuasion, while intelligence arises through instruction. True opinion is unaccompanied by speech, whereas intelligence always involves truthful speech. The former changes through persuasion, but the latter cannot be moved by persuasion. We should say that all people possess true opinion, but only gods and a very few among humans possess intelligence.

Timaios (Continued) If these things are so, then one is always of the same form, ungenerated and indestructible, not receiving anything from without but remaining complete with itself, and never passing into another place or state, but being invisible and unaffected by any other means. And it is this that thought observes. A second thing bears the same name as this, but is perceived through the senses, generated, constantly in motion, arising somewhere and then disappearing again, and apprehended by willing opinion. The third kind is what we always call "space," which receives all things that are generated and gives place to everything.

Timaios (Continued). It itself is not perceived, but rather grasped through a kind of non-orthodox reasoning, and it is something to be distrusted. While observing this, we say that everything exists as if in a dream, and that inevitably everything must be somewhere, occupying some place. And that nothing exists which is neither on the earth nor anywhere in the heavens. Regarding all such things, and those related to them, and also concerning the true nature that truly exists without sleeping, we cannot distinguish truth from falsehood while awake, but only speak of it for the sake of this dream.

Timaios (Continued): The image is not of the thing itself, but always a representation of something else. Therefore, it must originate within something else and come into existence through some interaction with that "something," or otherwise, it would be nothing at all. In contrast, discourse that accurately describes truth aids in the understanding of what truly exists. Because if one thing is this and another is that, then neither can arise from the other; they cannot simultaneously be both the same single entity and two separate entities.

Timaios (Continued). Therefore, based on my own judgment and after a brief consideration, I will present this explanation for now as follows: The three things – existence, place, and generation – are each distinct entities that existed before the heavens were created.