e Timaeus, including the soul of the world, the
conception of time and space, and the composition of the elements: (4)
in the fourth section I shall consider the Platonic astronomy, and the
position of the earth. There will remain, (5) the psychology, (6) the
physiology of Plato, and (7) his analysis of the senses to be briefly
commented upon: (8) lastly, we may examine in what points Plato
approaches or anticipates the discoveries of modern science.

Section 1.

Socrates begins the Timaeus with a summary of the Republic. He lightly
touches upon a few points,--the division of labour and distribution
of the citizens into classes, the double nature and training of the
guardians, the community of property and of women and children. But
he makes no mention of the second education, or of the government of
philosophers.

And now he desires to see the ideal State set in motion; he would like
to know how she behaved in some great struggle. But he is unable to
invent such a narrative himself; and he is afraid that the poets are
equally incapable; for, although he pretends to have nothing to say
against them, he remarks that they are a tribe of imitators, who can
only describe what they have seen. And he fears that the Sophists, who
are plentifully supplied with graces of speech, in their erratic way of
life having never had a city or house of their own, may through want of
experience err in their conception of philosophers and statesmen. 'And
therefore to you I turn, Timaeus, citizen of Locris, who are at once
a philosopher and a statesman, and to you, Critias, whom all Athenians
know to be similarly accomplished, and to Hermocrates, who is also
fitted by nature and education to share in our discourse.'

HERMOCRATES: 'We will do our best, and have been already preparing; for
on our way home, Critias told us of an ancient tradition, which I
wish, Critias, that you would repeat to Socrates.' 'I will, if Timaeus
approves.' 'I approve.' Listen then, Socrates, to a tale of Solon's,
who, being the friend of Dropidas my great-grandfather, told it to my
grandfather Critias, and he told me. The narrative related to ancient
famous actions of the Athenian people, and to one especially, which I
will rehearse in honour of you and of the goddess. Critias when he told
this tale of the olden time, was ninety years old, I being not more than
ten. The occasion of the rehearsal was the day of the Apaturia called
the Registration of Youth, at w