I - The Eighth Gift of the Demiurge: Time

Summary

THE EIGHTH GIFT OF THE DEMIURGE: TIME

The transition to eternity: Tim. 37c6–d2

When the Father who generated the universe regarded (noein) it as

something in motion and alive, an image of the eternal gods, he was delighted and rejoiced in it, and then gave some thought to what could be done in order to make it even more like its paradigm. So in as much as its model was itself an eternal living being, he thus set about to produce a universe that had the same character to the extent that this was possible. (Tim. 37c6–d2)

General discussion

The single [Creator] who invariably (kata tauton) creates the things that are wholes all at once (athrôos) both generates and brings about the reversion of his products upon himself, and both perfects and assimilates them to their paradigms. [This happens] either via one and the same power which is both generative and such as to call creations back to

their cause (anaklêtikos), as well as perfective and assimilative – a view pleasing to some among the older [interpreters] – or via different ones, according to other [interpreters]. It is as if the intermediate position amid the disagreement and opposition between these menwere nothing of any moment, for neither would those who are for unifiying [these functions] be willing for the one [Creator] to be without a trace of plurality, nor can those who distinguish [among the Creator's powers] bring themselves

to say that the number of these powers is irregular or such that one could be left out, and the latter party would instead willingly declare that [the number of powers] is comprehended by its own proper monad and unified by it. As a result, some of them say that these powers are a ‘tetradic monad’, while others say that on the contrary it is a ‘unified tetrad’ or, if

you like, a ‘monadified tetrad’. Now it is clear since theDemiurge under discussion here is also a single one, it is obvious that he implants all in one go (homou men) the assimilative power in the junior creators who come after him when he directs them to imitate his own power with respect to their own creation.