Chalcidius's Commentary on Plato's Timaeus

demonology, which Chalcidius treats in the following chapters, is derived almost exclusively and, for the most part, verbatim from Epinomis 984 B ff. ¹).

"it holds something beautiful, at the time when the first human thoughts about the gods were formed, how they came to be, what they were like, and whence they came, and what kinds of deeds they performed, so that these things might not be spoken in a way contrary to the understanding of the wise." — Perhaps Chalcidius means the same work that Aristotle cites in De Anima I, 2, p. 404 b 18 with the words: "likewise, it was also defined in those things said 'on philosophy'." Dyroff holds the same view (in Blätter für das bayerische Gymnasialwesen XXII 18—27, "On an alleged Philosophus of Plato"). — Incidentally, the view cited by Chalcidius agrees with Platonic statements; cf. Rep. II 377 D, E; Leg. XII 941 B; Crat. 397 D. — The clades publica public disaster/calamity which Chalcidius mentions also appears in Critias 111 A—C, 112.

¹) The agreement extends even to insignificant words. For example, I. c. 130 W.: "Nevertheless, it behooves us, even if not altogether correctly, to explain briefly their account, which is of this nature." — Epin. 984 B: "to attempt to speak according to a reasonable opinion of how it happened."

II. Chalcidius, l. c.: "The same Plato says that there are five regions or places in the world, capable of [containing] living beings, having some difference of position among themselves... For he says the highest place is of serene fire; next to this is the ethereal [place], whose body, he says, is also fire, but somewhat thicker... then the air, after that the humid substance... but the lowest and last place is that of the earth." Cf. Epin. 981 C: "Since there are five bodies, one must say there is fire, and water, and a third, air, and a fourth, earth, and a fifth, aether; and in the governance of each of these, a great and varied living being is brought to completion." 984 B: "Let us place the aether after fire."

III. Regarding c. 131, cf. Epin. 981 D (especially: "one must believe again that the genera of living beings in the heavens—which one must call the entire divine genus of the stars—have obtained the most beautiful of bodies, and a soul that is most blessed and excellent"). 982 A, B; 983 B, C (at the latter place... "it is not" [in Chalcidius: "it is absurd"] "that the earth and the heavens and all the stars and the masses from these things altogether should exist without a soul being present in or among each of them, and then proceed into the precision of a year in this way"). 984 A.

IV. c. 133: "they are useful to us (the demons) interpreting..." 984 E: "for the sake of interpretation."

V. c. 134: "Now the discourse is about that genus which Plato says has a certain admirable prudence and memory, and a happy docility, because it knows all things and sees into [our] thoughts: and it delights exceedingly in the good, but hates the wicked, being touched by a sadness which is born from the hatred of the displeasing: for God alone, as being of full and perfect divinity, is not touched by either sadness or pleasure." — 984 E: "partaking of admirable prudence, as it is a genus that is teachable and mindful, let us say that it knows our entire thought... and that it wonderfully embraces at once both our good and noble [side] and hates the very wicked one, as it already partakes of pain." 985 A: "that God, who holds the end of the divine portion, is outside these things, of pain and pleasure, but has partaken of understanding and knowing in all things" (cf. Philebus 33 B).