
TIMAEUS - by Plato - Translated by Benjamin Jowett
INTRODUCTION AND ANALYSIS.
Section 1.
Section 2.
Section 3.
Section 4.
Section 5.
Section 6.
Section 7.
Section 8.
In this ancient dialogue, a cosmological thinker attempts to map the whole of nature using a blend of geometry, myth, and early science. The speaker, Timaeus, guides listeners from the motions of the heavens down to the structure of the human body, proposing that the same rational patterns shape both the stars and our flesh. He moves fluidly between numbers, forms, and everyday experience, offering a vision of a universe ordered by a guiding intelligence. Though his arguments feel distant to modern ears, they reveal a mind striving to bridge sense and abstraction.
The work’s lasting power lies in its rich tapestry of ideas that later philosophers, theologians, and scientists have drawn upon for centuries. Listeners will hear the early attempts to explain creation, the notion of a purposeful cosmos, and the interplay of material and ideal realms. As a window into the intellectual climate of its time, the dialogue invites reflection on how our own search for meaning balances observation with deeper speculation.
Language
en
Duration
~7 hours (407K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
Dec 1, 1998
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

-428–-348
One of the central figures of ancient philosophy, he wrote vivid dialogues that explore justice, knowledge, love, and the best way to live. As Socrates’ student and Aristotle’s teacher, he helped shape the course of Western thought for centuries.
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by Plato

by Plato

by Plato

by Plato

by Plato

by Plato

by Plato

by Plato