Diotimos Library · Greek Antiquity Collection · Bilingual Edition
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Facing Pages · Branch 554 of 879
Book I Chapter 49 · I.49.25a.6–I.49.25a.7
Ancient Greek
p. 110425a.6
Διακριτέον οὖν τάχα ἐκ τοῦ πολλοῦ ταράχου θέντας ὅρον γνώσεως μερικῆς διαφορᾶς καὶ ἀδιαφορίας καὶ πάλιν δυνάμεων πρὸς μέρη καὶ πρὸς ἀλλήλας, εἶτ᾽ ἀνωτέρω οὐσιῶν εἰ καὶ πλείους ἐν ἑνὶ εἶεν. Ὡς ἐκ τούτου γὰρ γνώριμον ἔσται, εἰ καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ ἐν ζῴῳ οὖσα πολυμερὴς ἢ μόνον πολυδύναμος, καὶ πότερον συγχωρητέον τοῖς μίαν μὲν ψυχὴν εἰς τὸν ἄνθρωπον κατακλείουσι πολυμερῆ δὲ ταύτην, ἢ καθ᾽ αὑτὴν ἢ καὶ ἐν τούτῳ λέγουσι γίγνεσθαι· ἢ πλειόνων ψυχῶν ἦν σύνοδος καὶ ἐῴκει ὁ ἄνθρωπος μάλιστα χορῷ συνᾴδοντι καὶ κατὰ τοῦτο ἔχοντι τὸ ἓν κατὰ τὴν τῶν συμπληρούντων τὸ ὅλον συμφωνίαν, ἢ ἑνὸς ἦν κατ᾽ οὐσίαν τὸ διάφορον πλῆθος.
25a.7
Ῥητέον οὖν, ὡς δύναμις καὶ μέρος καὶ κατασκευὴ ἐπὶ τῆς ψυχῆς ταύτῃ διενήνοχε· μέρος μὲν γάρ ἐστιν ὃ καὶ τῷ ὑποκειμένῳ καὶ τῷ εἴδει καὶ ταῖς ἐνεργείαις ἄλλου μέρους διαφέρει· κατασκευὴ δὲ ἡ πρὸς ὃ πέφυκε τῶν μερῶν οἰκεία ἐπιτηδειότης· δύναμις δὲ τῆς κατασκευῆς ἕξις ἀφ᾽ ἧς ἐνεργεῖν δύναται, καθ᾽ ὃ κατεσκεύασται ἕκαστον. Ἔνιοι δὲ τὴν αὐτὴν ἔφασαν εἶναι κατασκευήν τε καὶ δύναμιν.
Stobaeus, Volume I: Book I Chapter 49
p. 110525a.6 · A criterion for distinguishing the accounts
Perhaps, then, we must sort out this great confusion by setting a criterion for recognizing difference and lack of difference in respect of parts; then for distinguishing powers from parts and from one another; and then, at a higher level, substances, asking whether several could exist in one. This will make it possible to know whether the soul in a living creature has many parts or only many powers. We can then decide whether to agree with those who confine one soul within the human being but say that it has many parts, either in itself or when it comes to be within that human being; or whether there was a conjunction of several souls, and the human being most resembled a choir singing together, possessing unity through the concord of those who make up the whole; or whether the differentiated plurality belonged to something one in substance.1374
25a.7 · Part, constitution, and power
We must therefore explain that power, part, and constitution differ in the case of soul as follows. A part is what differs from another part in its underlying subject, its form, and its activities. Constitution is the fitness proper to the parts for that to which they are naturally suited. Power is a state of that constitution enabling activity in accordance with the way each thing is constituted. Some, however, have said that constitution and power are the same.1375
Socrates
Reading Stobaeus, Volume I · Book I Chapter 49 · I.49.25a.6–I.49.25a.7
Ask about a concept, passage, contradiction, or connection.
Socrates will begin with this book and its sources.About This Reading Edition
Stobaeus gathered Greek philosophy and poetry for his son Septimius. Volume I presents the dedication testimony, On Arithmetic, Book I through chapter 60, and the ancient contents of all four books. This complete bilingual edition includes an introduction and 2,117 explanatory notes.
Historical Text and Translation
The Greek follows Curt Wachsmuth’s 1884 Volume I, checked against the supplied scan. Gaps, lost-chapter headings, and uncertain attributions remain visible. Chapter 2 includes a labeled proposed reconstruction. The appendix outlines Books I–IV; the full texts of Books II–IV are outside this volume. Reader pages preserve the companion PDF’s numbering.
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