Dialogue Text
Timaios (Continued) Next, it is important to understand that there are many kinds of fire. For example, there is flame, which emanates from fire and does not burn but gives light to the eyes, and there is what remains in red-hot objects after the flame has gone out. Similarly, there are different types of air; the purest is called aether, while the most turbid is called mist and darkness. There are also unnamed forms that arise from the triangular inequality. Water can be divided into two kinds: one that flows and one that dissolves. The flowing kind belongs to the smaller and unequal parts of water, so it moves easily both by itself and from external sources due to its heterogeneity and form.
Timaios (Continued): On the other hand, water that is composed of large and uniform elements tends to be more stable, heavier, and solidified. This is due to its uniformity. However, when fire enters it and decomposes it, it loses this uniformity. When it loses uniformity, it acquires more movement and becomes easier to move. Furthermore, being pushed by the surrounding air, it is drawn downwards towards the ground. The process of a mass becoming smaller is called "melting," and the process of being drawn downwards is called "flowing." These names are given to each state.
Timaios (Continued) When the fire retreats again, it does not go out into an empty space, but rather pushes the nearby air. And that air is pushed into the place where the fire was located, which is still a fluid mass, and mixes with it. The collected water then returns to its uniform state. This is because the fire, which created the inhomogeneity, has left, returning it to the same state as itself. When the fire separates, this is called "cooling," and when the matter that gathers and solidifies after the fire leaves, it is named "a type of solidification."
Timaios (Continued): The water, which we called "soluble," is the most subtle and uniform of all. From this, a certain kind of aggregation arises, possessing a shining yellow hue. This substance filters through stone and solidifies, becoming gold, the most valuable of possessions. Among the branches that separate from gold, those with high density are the hardest and darkest, called "adamant." Possessing components similar to gold but containing more than one form, and having a higher density than gold while also including small amounts of fine soil, making it even harder, and possessing large voids within, this substance solidifies as a kind of shining congealed water, becoming copper. Copper and the soil mixed with it tend to separate again over time. When that soil becomes clearly visible on its own, it is called "rust."
Timaios (Continued) Regarding other such matters, there is no need to discuss further details in order to follow a plausible narrative. Setting aside the discussion of things that exist eternally, those who contemplate what is created for rest will find enjoyment without regret from a plausible story. And in life, they will engage in play with moderation and wisdom.
Timaios (Continued) Following this approach, let us set aside what has been said so far and proceed with a plausible explanation of the same matter as follows: Of waters mixed with fire, those whose particles are fine and which flow due to movement and the path they take on the ground are called "fluids." Furthermore, their bottom surface is not as firm as that of earth, but yields when pressed, making them soft. When this water separates from fire and is surrounded by air, it becomes more uniform, and solidifies under pressure from what flows towards it. Of these solidified substances, those which receive the strongest influence above the ground are called hail, while those formed on the ground are called ice. Those that receive a weaker influence and are still partially solidified are called snow if they form above the ground, and frost if they condense densely from dew on the ground.
Timaios (Continued) Most types of water are mixed with each other. Of the whole, what has been filtered through plants growing on land is called "liquid." By mixing together, they acquire different properties and produce many unnamed kinds. Among those that possess the nature of fire, four particular transparent ones have names. The one that warms both the soul and the body is wine. The smooth kind that clarifies vision and makes things appear bright, seeming to contain oil, are oily types such as pine resin, castor oil, oil, and other substances with similar properties. The kind that loosens the connections around the mouth to a natural state and gives sweetness through its power has been appropriately named honey. Furthermore, the bubbling type that softens and separates meat is separated from all liquids and called tree sap.
Timaios (Continued): Among the types of soil, those that have been filtered through water become stone masses in this way. The mixed water, when broken during mixing, transforms into the form of air. When it becomes air, it jumps to its own place. There was absolutely no space outside. Therefore, the mixed water pushed aside the nearby air.
Timaios (Continued). On the other hand, because of its heaviness, this air wraps around and envelops the mass of earth, strongly compressing it and pushing it towards the place where new air rises. The earth that is compressed by the air becomes rock, inextricably bound to water. Rocks made from equally smooth and transparent parts are more beautiful; conversely, those not so formed appear inferior.
Timaios (Continued) The substance, having had all its moisture removed by the speed of fire, and becoming more brittle and hardened than before, became what we call pottery. When some moisture remains, the earth can sometimes melt from the heat of the fire and become black stone when it cools.
Timaios (Continued). The two types also separate from the mixture containing a large amount of water, in much the same way. Because they are composed of finer particles of earth, they have salinity and become semi-solid, dissolving again in water. The type that cleans oil and soil becomes washing soda, while the other salt harmonizes well with combinations related to taste in the mouth, and [according to regulations], it became a substance beloved by the gods.
Timaios (Continued). Substances made from both earth and water do not dissolve in water, but they do melt in fire. The reason for this solidification is as follows: Earthy substances are insoluble in both fire and air. Fire or air particles pass through the voids within the structure of the earthy substance because these particles are smaller than the gaps. They pass through without forcing their way into the wide spaces, leaving the earth behind and keeping it in a solid state. In contrast, water particles are originally large and force their way through, breaking down the earth and dissolving it.
Timaios (Continued): Only water can loosen earth that has not been solidified by force. Nothing other than fire can loosen earth once it has hardened. There is no other way to enter, except for fire. Regarding the binding of water, while fire alone loosens the most strongly bound substances, air can also disperse those that are more weakly bound. Air passes through voids, and fire enters from triangular surfaces. Air that has been solidified by force cannot be loosened by anything other than actions consistent with its elemental composition. Only fire can dissolve air that has hardened without receiving any external force.
Timaios (Continued). Now, in objects composed of earth and water, if the water fills the voids within the earth, and they are forcibly compressed together, then particles of water coming from outside cannot enter. Those particles flow around the entire mass, remaining undissolved. In contrast, particles of fire can enter the spaces between the water molecules, exerting a similar effect on the water as water does on earth [producing air], and this is the only cause for the overall mass to dissolve and flow. Such objects contain more earth than water, such as glass or anything called "soluble stone." Conversely, there are those that contain more water and solidify as waxy substances or materials used for incense.
Timaios (Continued) Regarding the various forms that are shaped by the connections and mutual changes between different shapes, I have roughly explained them up to this point. Next, let us clarify what causes these properties arise.
Timaios (Continued). First, everything I am stating here must always be accompanied by sensation. On the other hand, I have not yet discussed the generation of physical matter and things related to it, nor the mortal part of the soul.
Timaios (Continued). However, in reality, these cannot be adequately discussed without considering the various qualities related to sensation, and those qualities also cannot be adequately discussed without them. It is almost impossible to discuss both simultaneously. Therefore, we must first assume one side and then return to it later. In order to continue explaining the generation of qualities, let us begin by discussing matters relating to the body and soul.
Timaios (Continued). Let us now consider, keeping in mind the separation and division that fire causes around our bodies, how we call fire "hot."
Timaios (Continued) Almost everyone feels that this action is sharp. But we must consider its shape, recalling the form of fire, and think about its thinness on one side, the sharpness of its corners, the smallness of its particles, and the speed of its movement. This shape possesses all these qualities, and thereby has a powerful cutting property, always sharply severing whatever it encounters. Because this quality of shape more than any other finely divides and breaks up our bodies, we have given the name "heat" to this action and consider it appropriate.
Timaios (Continued) These actions are clearly opposite, but I will still explain them without omitting anything. A large portion of the fluid surrounding the body enters and pushes out a smaller portion. The larger portion cannot enter the space occupied by the smaller portion, thus compressing our moisture. In this way, through uniformity and compression, something that was moving irregularly is transformed into a state of stillness and solidification. What has been gathered against its nature resists according to its nature, pushing itself in the opposite direction. This resistance and fluctuation give rise to what we call tremors and chills. And this entire action, along with whatever causes it, are all called "cold."
Timaios (Continued) Our flesh yields to what is hard, and gives way towards the softer parts. The same applies in both directions. To yield means to move slightly under pressure. On the other hand, shapes formed from a square base are very stable and therefore offer the greatest resistance. When they are most closely joined together, their resistance is also at its strongest.
Timaios (Continued) The heavy and the light, when considered together with what are called the upper and lower natures, can be most clearly demonstrated. It is entirely incorrect to think that there are two places within nature that divide the whole into two opposing regions. There is a "lower" region where all things possessing physical bulk are carried, and on the other hand, an "upper" region where everything tends against its own will. Since the entire cosmos is spherical, points on the outer edge, equidistant from the center, are equally at the periphery. Because the center is equidistant from all the edges, it must be considered to face them all. In a universe of this kind, would it not be inappropriate for those who call one place "upper" and another "lower"? The central location should neither be called "lower" nor "upper," but simply "middle." The periphery is not in the middle, nor is any part closer to either the center or its opposite than other parts. How can we say that we are speaking correctly when we apply opposing names to things that stand equally in all directions?
Timaios (Continued) If a solid object is placed at the center of an entire sphere, equidistant from all edges, then the points on the edge will resemble each other equally in every direction, so it should never be carried to any one end. However, if someone moves it by drawing a circle around it, and stands on the opposite side each time, they will call the same thing "down" or "up." Since the whole is spherical as mentioned before, it is not rational to call one place "down" and another place "up." We must agree on the following premise regarding where these names originated, how the habit of calling things in certain places arose, and how the entire sky is divided and spoken about accordingly. Within the entire universe, fire has the greatest proportion assigned to it, and if someone enters a place where fire tends to gather and exerts force there, it is clear that a smaller amount can be more easily moved than a larger one when weighed and pulled into air of a different kind by force. When lifting both simultaneously with the same force, the smaller one will be drawn out more strongly, while the larger one not so much, because both are being drawn according to that force. Therefore, the larger one is called "heavy" and something that is carried down, while the smaller one is called "light" and something that is carried up. We must observe this same thing from what we do on earth. We stand on the ground, divide types of soil, and sometimes even pull the very soil itself into air of a different kind by force, against its nature. Both cling to things of their own kind, but when forced into something foreign, the smaller one will more easily follow the larger one. Therefore, we call it "light," and the place where we forcibly draw it is called "up." The opposite action is called "heavy" and "down." Therefore, these things must have different relationships to each other because a large number of objects of each kind occupy places that are opposed to each other. [63e: The following passage lists correspondences between locations in terms of "light/heavy" and "up/down," but is omitted due to unclear relationships.] Thus, they will be found to arise and exist as opposites, diagonally positioned, and different in every respect. However, there is one thing that must be understood about all of these: when something is carried along a path towards things of its own kind, it becomes "heavy" and the place where it is being carried goes "down." For anything with a relationship opposite to this, the reverse is true. We will leave the causes of these properties as described so far.
Translation Note
Static state: Burnet's printed text reads "not moving." In the collation column, there is a reading that can be interpreted as "always in motion," which is also recorded. This translation follows the printed text.