VII. With Chalcidius as Translator.

L ...two hundred forty-four against two hundred fifty-six original: "ducentis xliiii aduersus ducentos lvi"; these numbers refer to the mathematical ratios (leimmas) used to tune the scale of the World Soul. And now almost that entire kind of essence was mixed together: it had been consumed by these kinds of sectional divisions. Then he cut this very series lengthwise and made two series out of one. He constrained them middle to middle in the shape of the Greek letter X original: "x gręcę literę"; the letter Chi, representing the intersection of the celestial equator and the ecliptic; and he managed them into circles until their ends met each other. He intertwined one circle with the other so that one would rotate in a direct path and the other in an oblique circuit. And the motion of the outer circle, indeed, he named "The Same," which was a kinsman to that same nature. The motion of the inner circle, however, he named "The Diverse." And he bent the outer circle, which we said was named "The Same," from the right region through the left side all the way back to the right. But he rotated "The Diverse" diagonally toward the left side, giving power and authority to that same and similar circulation. Indeed, he left the one as it was, undivided; but the inner one he split six times, and he fashioned seven unequal circles according to the intervals of the double and the triple referring to the Pythagorean series 1, 2, 4, 8 and 1, 3, 9, 27. He ordered these circles themselves to be carried in contrary motion. Of these seven, three move with equal velocity; but four are carried with a motion unequal and dissimilar both to themselves and in comparison to the others, yet moving according to a rational proportion.

M Therefore, when the entire substance of the rational soul was born according to the will of the Father, he fashioned all that is corporeal within its embrace shortly thereafter: and applying center to center, he joined them with a fitting harmony. But she the Soul, embracing the furthest reaches of heaven and poured around the same from the outer embrace, covering it with her own circumference and turning back into herself, inaugurated a divine origin of a tireless and wise life without intermission. And the body of the heaven, or the world, was made visible; but she herself, though invisible, yet possessing reason and harmony, was made more excellent than all visible things by the most excellent Author.

N Thus, as she is augmented from the nature of "The Same" and "The Diverse" mixed with essence, returning into herself with an unceasing motion and circular revolution: whenever she encounters either a dissolvable substance or an indivisible one, she easily recognizes what is of the same nature, what is indivisible, and what is likewise of a diverse and dissolvable nature; and she sees the causes of all things that come to pass. And from those things which happen, she measures what will be in the future. Her rational motion is without voice and without sound when it looks upon what is sensible; and the circle of the "Diverse" kind is carried without error, announcing with truthful sense and certainty: all the right opinions and worthy beliefs of the soul are born. Furthermore, when she beholds the indivisible kind, which is always the same: with the intimate motion faithfully announcing those things which are, intellect and knowledge grow strong. It is clear that all these things happen in the soul and are marked upon her. When her Parent noticed her moving and living—an image of the immortal divinity made by himself—he was greatly gladdened: and he decided that another specimen should be devised to emulate that likeness according to its example. Therefore, just as she is immortal and everlasting, so he established the sensible world as an immortal living being: but one that would equal the nature and eternity of the "General Living Being" the Ideal Form of Animal as much as possible. For it seemed least fitting for a created and born work to be associated with eternity. Therefore, God associated a moving image of eternity, creeping along according to number, with the machine he had made—that which is called Time—while eternity remains untouched and in singularity. For days and nights, and months and years, which did not exist before the celestial adornment, he then ordered to exist at the birth of the world: all of which are parts of time.

O And we assign these things to eternity original: "æuo", that is, to the solitary nature; but we do not rightly fashion parts of an indivisible thing. For we say, "it was," "it is," "it will be." But to that [eternity], only "it is" belongs according to true and pure reason. To have been and to be about to be, in turn, do not belong to it. For these are properly the births of time. For there are motions, one of the passing and the other of the imminent: not of eternity, but of time. Indeed, of eternity...