Chalcidius's Commentary on Plato's Timaeus

In c. 154, Republic 617 E is cited. He touches upon the various modes of cognition, as developed in Republic 533 D ff., not only in c. 231 but also—in greater detail—in c. 342. In c. 233, with explicit reference to Republic 439 D, he compares the justice of individuals with the proper order in states. Finally, in order to present Plato's view on the origin of dreams, he quotes Republic 571 B—572 B verbatim (253).

From the Phaedrus, the passage regarding the self-motion, ungenerated nature, and imperishability of the soul is quoted verbatim in c. 57 (p. 245 C—246 A). Chapter 228 also refers to this same passage. Furthermore, when Chalcidius remarks in c. 306: "Certainly, as Plato says, once the beginning is lost, neither it itself will be recreated from anything else, nor anything else from it," he is referring to that very same citation. In c. 122, he applies the words (Phaedr. 247 A): "For Vesta remains alone in the divine dwelling" to the Earth, whereas according to c. 178, Vesta is meant to signify the World Soul.

The Laws (Leg. 666 A) are drawn upon to prove that children are irrational due to an excess of heat and moisture (c. 206). Chapter 262, in which the various types of motion are discussed, is also based on Plato's Laws ¹). In c. 128 and 254, a work by Plato is cited under the title "Philosophus" philosopher. Since c. 254, which deals with the origin of dreams, refers to the Epinomis (985 A) by that title, one might assume that the same work is cited in the first-mentioned passage (c. 128). However, I have searched in vain in the Epinomis for a parallel passage regarding the view on the origin of belief in gods, which Chalcidius allegedly cites from that work in this chapter. ²) On the other hand, it is correct that the

¹) Cf. Leg. 894 C: "Let there be, then, one motion that is capable of moving other things but is itself incapable of moving itself. And another, different motion, one that is capable of moving both itself and other things, through combinations and divisions, through growth and its opposite, and through births and destructions; this is yet another motion distinct from all the others."

²) In the Epinomis, one finds only 984 C: "Let us, then, posit the gods, Zeus and Hera and all the others, in such a way as one wishes, according to the same law, and let this argument remain firm." — 988 A: "a long and..."