Vitae philosophorum

Diogenes Laertius

Diogenes Laertius. Hicks, R. D., editor. Cambridge, MA.: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd., 1925.

For that maker contains the other living things, and this universe the shapes of

V1_341
them all.[*](A perversion of Tim. 33 b. To that which is to comprehend all animals in itself that shape seems proper which comprehends in itself all shapes. Diogenes Laertius opposes, not universe and its shape, but maker and universe.) It is smooth and has no organ all round because it has no need of organs. Moreover, the universe remains imperishable because it is not dissolved into the Deity.[*](Cf. Plato, Tim. 33 a-d; 34 b; 32 c; 63 a.) And the creation as a whole is caused by God, because it is the nature of the good to be beneficent,[*](Cf. Plato, Tim. 32 c, 33 a; 38 b; 41 a, 43 d.) and the creation of the universe has the highest good for its cause. For the most beautiful of created things is due to the best of intelligible causes[*](Cf. Plato, Tim. 29 e-30 a; 42 e.); so that, as God is of this nature, and the universe resembles the best in its perfect beauty, it will not be in the likeness of anything created, but only of God.

The universe is composed of fire, water, air and earth; of fire in order to be visible; of earth in order to be solid; of water and air in order to be proportional.[*](Cf.Tim. 31 b-33 a. It would be more correct to say in order that the bonds, the inserted terms (air and water), which unite fire to earth, may be proportional. For the best of bonds is that which makes itself and the things which it binds as complete a unity as possible; and the nature of proportion is to accomplish this most perfectly (Tim. 31 c).) For the powers represented by solids are connected by two mean proportionals in a way to secure the complete unity of the whole. And the universe was made of all the elements in order to be complete and indestructible.

Time was created as an image of eternity. And while the latter remains for ever at rest, time consists in the motion of the universe. For night and day and month and the like are all parts of time; for which reason, apart from the nature of the universe, time has no existence. But so soon as the universe is fashioned time exists.[*](Cf. Plato, Tim. 37 d-38 b.)

And the sun and moon and planets were created

V1_343
as means to the creation of time. And God kindled the light of the sun in order that the number of the seasons might be definite and in order that animals might possess number. The moon is in the circle immediately above the earth, and the sun in that which is next beyond that, and in the circles above come the planets. Further, the universe is an animate being, for it is bound fast in animate movement.[*](Cf. Plato, Tim. 38 c-39 d.) And in order that the universe which had been created in the likeness of the intelligible living creature might be rendered complete, the nature of all other animals was created. Since then its pattern possesses them, the universe also ought to have them. And thus it contains gods for the most part of a fiery nature; of the rest there are three kinds, winged, aquatic and terrestrial.[*](Cf. Plato, Tim. 30 c-31 b; 39 c-40 a; 41 b, c.)

And of all the gods in heaven the earth is the oldest. And it was fashioned to make night and day. And being at the centre it moves round the centre.[*](Cf. Plato, Tim. 40 b, c.) And since there are two causes, it must be affirmed, he says, that some things are due to reason and others have a necessary cause,[*](Cf. Plato, Tim. 46 d, e; 47 e; 48 a; 68 e; 69 a.) the latter being air, fire, earth and water, which are not exactly elements but rather recipients of form.[*](Cf. Plato, Tim. 49 a sqq.; 50 b-51 b; 52 a, b.) They are composed of triangles, and are resolved into triangles. The scalene triangle and the isosceles triangle are their constituent elements.[*](Cf. Plato, Tim. 53 c-55 c.)

The principles, then, and causes assumed are the two above mentioned, of which God and matter are the exemplar. Matter is of necessity formless like the other recipients of form. Of all these there is a necessary cause. For it somehow or other receives the ideas and so generates substances, and it moves because its power is not uniform, and, being in

V1_345
motion, it in turn sets in motion those things which are generated from it. And these were at first in irrational and irregular motion, but after they began to frame the universe, under the conditions possible they were made by God symmetrical and regular.