timaeu-第14节

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force；　then　no　smell　filters　through；　but　the　air　without　the　smell

alone　penetrates。　Wherefore　the　varieties　of　smell　have　no　name；　and

they　have　not　many；　or　definite　and　simple　kinds；　but　they　are

distinguished　only　painful　and　pleasant；　the　one　sort　irritating　and

disturbing　the　whole　cavity　which　is　situated　between　the　head　and　the

navel；　the　other　having　a　soothing　influence；　and　restoring　this

same　region　to　an　agreeable　and　natural　condition。

　　In　considering　the　third　kind　of　sense；　hearing；　we　must　speak　of

the　causes　in　which　it　originates。　We　may　in　general　assume　sound　to

be　a　blow　which　passes　through　the　ears；　and　is　transmitted　by　means

of　the　air；　the　brain；　and　the　blood；　to　the　soul；　and　that　hearing　is

the　vibration　of　this　blow；　which　begins　in　the　head　and　ends　in　the

region　of　the　liver。　The　sound　which　moves　swiftly　is　acute；　and　the

sound　which　moves　slowly　is　grave；　and　that　which　is　regular　is

equable　and　smooth；　and　the　reverse　is　harsh。　A　great　body　of　sound　is

loud；　and　a　small　body　of　sound　the　reverse。　Respecting　the

harmonies　of　sound　I　must　hereafter　speak。

　　There　is　a　fourth　class　of　sensible　things；　having　many　intricate

varieties；　which　must　now　be　distinguished。　They　are　called　by　the

general　name　of　colours；　and　are　a　flame　which　emanates　from　every

sort　of　body；　and　has　particles　corresponding　to　the　sense　of　sight。　I

have　spoken　already；　in　what　has　preceded；　of　the　causes　which

generate　sight；　and　in　this　place　it　will　be　natural　and　suitable　to

give　a　rational　theory　of　colours。

　　Of　the　particles　coming　from　other　bodies　which　fall　upon　the　sight；

some　are　smaller　and　some　are　larger；　and　some　are　equal　to　the

parts　of　the　sight　itself。　Those　which　are　equal　are　imperceptible；

and　we　call　them　transparent。　The　larger　produce　contraction；　the

smaller　dilation；　in　the　sight；　exercising　a　power　akin　to　that　of　hot

and　cold　bodies　on　the　flesh；　or　of　astringent　bodies　on　the　tongue；

or　of　those　heating　bodies　which　we　termed　pungent。　White　and　black

are　similar　effects　of　contraction　and　dilation　in　another　sphere；　and

for　this　reason　have　a　different　appearance。　Wherefore；　we　ought　to

term　white　that　which　dilates　the　visual　ray；　and　the　opposite　of　this

is　black。　There　is　also　a　swifter　motion　of　a　different　sort　of　fire

which　strikes　and　dilates　the　ray　of　sight　until　it　reaches　the

eyes；　forcing　a　way　through　their　passages　and　melting　them；　and

eliciting　from　them　a　union　of　fire　and　water　which　we　call　tears；

being　itself　an　opposite　fire　which　comes　to　them　from　an　opposite

direction…the　inner　fire　flashes　forth　like　lightning；　and　the　outer

finds　a　way　in　and　is　extinguished　in　the　moisture；　and　all　sorts　of

colours　are　generated　by　the　mixture。　This　affection　is　termed

dazzling；　and　the　object　which　produces　it　is　called　bright　and

flashing。　There　is　another　sort　of　fire　which　is　intermediate；　and

which　reaches　and　mingles　with　the　moisture　of　the　eye　without

flashing；　and　in　this；　the　fire　mingling　with　the　ray　of　the　moisture；

produces　a　colour　like　blood；　to　which　we　give　the　name　of　red。　A

bright　hue　mingled　with　red　and　white　gives　the　colour　called

auburn。　The　law　of　proportion；　however；　according　to　which　the　several

colours　are　formed；　even　if　a　man　knew　he　would　be　foolish　in　telling；

for　he　could　not　give　any　necessary　reason；　nor　indeed　any　tolerable

or　probable　explanation　of　them。　Again；　red；　when　mingled　with　black

and　white；　becomes　purple；　but　it　becomes　umber　when　the　colours　are

burnt　as　well　as　mingled　and　the　black　is　more　thoroughly　mixed　with

them。　Flame　colour　is　produced　by　a　union　of　auburn　and　dun；　and　dun

by　an　admixture　of　black　and　white；　pale　yellow；　by　an　admixture　of

white　and　auburn。　White　and　bright　meeting；　and　falling　upon　a　full

black；　become　dark　blue；　and　when　dark　blue　mingles　with　white；　a

light　blue　colour　is　formed；　as　flame…colour　with　black　makes　leek

green。　There　will　be　no　difficulty　in　seeing　how　and　by　what

mixtures　the　colours　derived　from　these　are　made　according　to　the

rules　of　probability。　He；　however；　who　should　attempt　to　verify　all

this　by　experiment；　would　forget　the　difference　of　the　human　and

divine　nature。　For　God　only　has　the　knowledge　and　also　the　power　which

are　able　to　combine　many　things　into　one　and　again　resolve　the　one

into　many。　But　no　man　either　is　or　ever　will　be　able　to　accomplish

either　the　one　or　the　other　operation。

　　These　are　the　elements；　thus　of　necessity　then　subsisting；　which　the

creator　of　the　fairest　and　best　of　created　things　associated　with

himself；　when　he　made　the　self…sufficing　and　most　perfect　God；　using

the　necessary　causes　as　his　ministers　in　the　accomplishment　of　his

work；　but　himself　contriving　the　good　in　all　his　creations。

Wherefore　we　may　distinguish　two　sorts　of　causes；　the　one　divine　and

the　other　necessary；　and　may　seek　for　the　divine　in　all　things；　as　far

as　our　nature　admits；　with　a　view　to　the　blessed　life；　but　the

necessary　kind　only　for　the　sake　of　the　divine；　considering　that

without　them　and　when　isolated　from　them；　these　higher　things　for

which　we　look　cannot　be　apprehended　or　received　or　in　any　way　shared

by　us。

　　Seeing；　then；　that　we　have　now　prepared　for　our　use　the　various

classes　of　causes　which　are　the　material　out　of　which　the　remainder　of

our　discourse　must　be　woven；　just　as　wood　is　the　material　of　the

carpenter；　let　us　revert　in　a　few　words　to　the　point　at　which　we

began；　and　then　endeavour　to　add　on　a　suitable　ending　to　the　beginning

of　our　tale。

　　As　I　said　at　first；　when　all　things　were　in　disorder　God　created

in　each　thing　in　relation　to　itself；　and　in　all　things　in　relation

to　each　other；　all　the　measures　and　harmonies　which　they　could

possibly　receive。　For　in　those　days　nothing　had　any　proportion

except　by　accident；　nor　did　any　of　the　things　which　now　have　names

deserve　to　be　named　at　all…as；　for　example；　fire；　water；　and　the

rest　of　the　elements。　All　these　the　creator　first　set　in　order；　and

out　of　them　he　constructed　the　universe；　which　was　a　single　animal

comprehending　in　itself　all　other　animals；　mortal　and　immortal。　Now　of

the　divine；　he　himself　was　the　creator；　but　the　creation　of　the　mortal

he　committed　to　his　offspring。　And　they；　imitating　him；　received

from　him　the　immortal　principle　of　the　soul；　and　around　this　they

proceeded　to　fashion　a　mortal　body；　and。　made　it　to　be　the　vehicle

of　the　so　and　constructed　within　the　body　a　soul　of　another　nature

which　was　mortal；　subject　to　terrible　and　irresistible

affections…first　of　all；　pleasure；　the　greatest　incitement　to　evil；

then；　pain；　which　deters　from　good；　also　rashness　and　fear；　two

foolish　counsellors；　anger　hard　to　be　appeased；　and　hope　easily　led

astray…these　they　mingled　with　irrational　sense　and　with　all…daring

love　according　to　necessary　laws；　and　so　framed　man。　Wherefore；

fearing　to　pollute　the　divine　any　more　than　was　absolutely

unavoidable；　they　gave　to　the　mortal　nature　a　separate　habitation　in

another　part　of　the　body；　placing　the　neck　between　them　to　be　the

isthmus　and　boundary；　which　they　constructed　between　the　head　and

breast；　to　keep　them　apart。　And　in　the　breast；　and　in　what　is　termed

the　thorax；　they　encased　the　mortal　soul；　and　as　the　one　part　of

this　was　superior　and　the　other　inferior　they　divided　the　cavity　of

the　thorax　into　two　parts；　as　the　women's　and　men's　apartments　are

divided　in　houses；　and　placed　the　midriff　to　be　a　wall　of　partition

between　them。　That　part　of　the　inferior　soul　which　is　endowed　with

courage　and　passion　and　loves　contention　they　settled　nearer　the　head；

midway　between　the　midriff　and　the　neck；　in　order　that　it　might　be

under　the　rule　of　reason　and　might　join　with　it　in　controlling　and

restraining　the　desires　when　they　are　no　longer　willing　of　their　own

accord　to　obey　the　word　of　command　issuing　from　the　citadel。

　　The　heart；　the　knot　of　the　veins　and　the　fountain　of　the　blood　which

races　through　all　the　limbs　was　set　in　the　place　of　guard；　that　when

the　might　of　passion　was　roused　by　reason　making　proclamation　of　any

wrong　assailing　them　from　without　or　being　perpetrated　by　the

desires　within；　quickly　the　whole　power　of　feeling　in　the　body；

perceiving　these　commands　and　threats；　might　obey　and　follow　through

every　turn　and　alley；　and　thus　allow　the　principle　of　the　best　to　have

the　command　in　all　of　them。　But　the　gods；　foreknowing　that　the

palpitation　of　the　heart　in　the　expectation　of　danger　and　the　swelling

and　excitement　of　passion　was　caused　by　fire；　formed　and　implanted

as　a　supporter　to　the　heart　the　lung；　which　was；　in　the　first　place；

soft　and　bloodless；　and　also　had　within　hollows　like　the　pores　of　a

sponge；　in　order　that　by　receiving　the　breath　and　the　drink；　it

might　give　coolness　and　the　power　of　respiration　and　alleviate　the

heat。　Wherefore　they　cut　the　air…channels　leading　to　the　lung；　and

placed　the　lung　about　the　heart　as　a　soft　spring；　that；　when　passion

was　rife　within；　the　heart；　beating　against　a　yielding　body；　might

be　cooled　and　suffer　less；　and　might　thus　become　more　ready