§8τὸ δὲ κατὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν σφαιρῶν τῆς αἰτίας μείζονα ζητεῖ λόγον· οὐ γὰρ ὅ γε τῶν ἀστρολόγων.
The explanation of the cause according to the number of the spheres requires a larger discussion; for that of the astronomers is indeed not sufficient.
ἄπορον δὲ καὶ πῶς ποτὲ φυσικὴν ὄρεξιν ἐχόντων οὐ τὴν ἠρεμίαν διώκουσιν ἀλλὰ τὴν κίνησιν.
It is also a puzzle how on earth, when they possess a natural desire, they do not pursue rest but motion.
τί οὖν ἅμα τῇ μιμήσει φασὶν ἐκεῖνο ὅσοι τε τὸ ἓν καὶ ὅσοι τοὺς ἀριθμοὺς λέγουσιν;
What then do those who speak of the One and those who speak of numbers mean by this "imitation"?
καὶ γὰρ αὐτοὶ τούς ἀριθμούς φασι τὸ ἕν.
For they themselves say that numbers are the One.
εἰ δὴ ἔφεσις, ἄλλως τε καὶ τοῦ ἀρίστου, μετὰ ψυχῆς. εἰ μή τις λέγοι καθ᾽ ὁμοιότητα καὶ διαφορὰν ἔμψυχα εἶναι τὰ κινούμενα.
If, then, there is desire, and especially of the best, it must be accompanied by a soul, unless one were to say that the moving things have souls according to similarity and difference.
ψυχὴ δ᾽ ἅμα δοκεῖ καὶ κίνησις ὑπάρχειν ζωὴ γὰρ τοῖς ἔχουσιν, ἀφ᾽ ἧς καὶ αἱ ὁρέξεις πρὸς ἕκαστον, ὥσπερ καὶ τοῖς ζώοις, ἐπεὶ καὶ αἱ αἰσθήσεις καίπερ ἐν τῷ πάσχειν οὖσαι δι᾽ ἑτέρων ὅμως ἔμψυχοι γίγνονται.
And soul and motion seem to coexist, for to those that have it, it is life, from which also arise the desires for each thing, just as in animals; since senses too, although being in a state of passion through other things, nevertheless become ensouled.
§9εἰ δ᾽ οὖν τῆς κυκλικῆς αἴτιον τὸ πρῶτον οὐ τῆς ἀρίστης ἂν εἴη· κρείττων γὰρ ἡ τῆς ψυχῆς καὶ πρώτη δὴ καὶ μάλιστα ἡ τῆς διανοίας ἀφ᾽ ἧς καὶ ἡ ὄρεξις.
But if the first is the cause of the circular motion, it would not be the cause of the best motion; for that of the soul is better, and indeed that of thought is prior and most of all, from which also desire arises.
τάχα δὲ καὶ τοῦτ᾽ ἄν τις ἐπιζητήσειε διὰ τί τὰ κυκλικὰ μόνον ἐφετικὰ, τῶν δὲ περὶ τὸ μέσον οὐθὲν καίπερ κινητῶν ὄντων, πότερον ὡς ἀδύνατα ἢ ὡς οὐ διικνουμένου τοῦ πρώτου.
And perhaps one might also ask this: why only the circular things are desirous, while none of those around the center, although being movable, are so—whether because they are incapable, or because the first does not reach them.
ἀλλὰ τοῦτό γ᾽ ἄτοπον εἰ δι᾽ ἀσθένειαν· ἰσχυρότερον γὰρ ἄν τις ἀξιώσειε τοῦ Ὁμήρου Διὸς ὅς φησιν
"αὐτῇ κεν γαίῃ ἐρύσαιμ᾽ αὐτῇ τε θαλάσσῃ. "
ἀλλὰ λοιπὸν ὥσπερ ἄδεκτόν τι καὶ ἀσύνθετον εἶναι.
But this at least is absurd if it is due to weakness; for one would claim that it is stronger than Homer's Zeus, who says, "I could drag up the earth itself and the sea itself." Rather, it remains that they are, as it were, unreceptive and incompatible.
§10τάχα δὲ πρότερον ζητήσειεν ἄν τις πῶς ἔχει, πότερα μέρη ταῦτα ἢ οὐ μέρη τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ εἰ μέρη, πῶς μέρη.
But perhaps one should first ask how the matter stands: whether these are parts or not parts of the heaven, and if they are parts, in what way they are parts.
νῦν γὰρ οἷον ἀπεωσμένα τῶν ἐντιμοτάτων οὐ μόνον κατὰ τὰς χώρας ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἐνέργειαν, εἴπερ ἡ κυκλικὴ τοιαύ1η.
For now they are, as it were, thrust out from the most honorable things, not only in terms of their locations but also in their activity, if indeed the circular motion is of such a kind.
συμβαίνει γὰρ οἷον κατὰ συμβεβηκὸς ὑπὸ τῆς κυκλικῆς περιφορᾶς καὶ εἰς τοὺς τόπους καὶ εἰς ἄλληλα τὰς μεταβολάς.
For it happens, as it were accidentally, that changes both into places and into one another occur because of the circular revolution.
εἰ δὲ καὶ τὸ ἄριστον ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀρίστοῦ κάλλιον ἄν τι παρὰ τοῦ πρώτου δέοι τῆς κυκλοφορίας, εἰ μὴ ἄρ᾽ ἐκωλύετο τῷ μὴ δύνασθαι δέχεσθαι.
And if the best comes from the best, there ought to be some more beautiful motion from the first than the circular revolution, unless indeed it was prevented by the inability to receive it.
τὸ γὰρ δὴ πρῶτον καὶ θειότατον πάντα τὰ ἄριστα βουλόμενον.
For the first and most divine wishes all things to be best.
τάχα δὲ τοῦτο μὲν οἷον ὑπέρβατόν τι καὶ ἀζήτητον.
But this is perhaps something excessive and not to be sought after.
ἀξιοῖ γὰρ ὁ τοῦτο λέγων ἅπανθ᾽ ὅμοια, καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀρίστοις εἶναι μικράν τινα ἢ μηδεμίαν ἔχοντα διαφοράν.
For he who says this claims that all things are similar, and that among the best things there is little or no difference.
§11τόδε δ᾽ ἄν τις ἴσως ἀπορήσειε πρὸς αὐτὸν τὸν πρῶτον οὐρανὸν ἀναφέρων πότερον ἡ περιφορὰ τῆς οὐσίας ἐστὶν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἅμα τῷ πεπαῦσθαι φθείροιτ᾽ ἂν, ἢ εἴπερ ἐφέσει τινὶ καὶ ὀρέζει κατὰ συμβεβηκὸς· εἰ μὴ ἄρα σύμφυτον αὐτῷ τὸ ὀρέγεσθαι καὶ οὐδὲν κωλύει τοιαῦτ᾽ ἄττα τῶν ὄντων ὑπάρχειν.
And perhaps one might be puzzled, referring to the first heaven itself, whether the revolution is of its substance and it would perish as soon as it ceased, or, if indeed it is due to some desire and craving, it is accidental; unless indeed desiring is innate to it, and nothing prevents some such things from existing among beings.
ἴσως δ᾽ ἂν εἴη καὶ ἀφελόντα τὴν ὄρεξιν ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς τῆς κινήσεως ἀπορεῖν εἰ ἀφαιρεθεῖσα φθείροι τὸν οὐρανόν.
Or perhaps one might, even after removing desire, raise a puzzle concerning the motion itself, whether, if removed, it would destroy the heaven.
καὶ τοῦτο μὲν ὥσπερ ἑτέρων λόγων.
And this indeed belongs, as it were, to other discussions.
ἀπὸ δ᾽ οὐν ταύτης ἢ τούτων τῶν ἀρχῶν ἀξιώσειεν ἄν τις.
In any case, from this or these principles one would make a claim.
τάχα δὲ καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ἄλλων ἀρχῶν ἄν τις τιθῆται τὰ ἐφεξῆς εὐθὺς ἀποδιδόναι καὶ μὴ μέχρι του προελθόντα παύεσθαι· τοῦτο γὰρ τελέου καὶ φρονοῦντος, ὅπερ Ἀρχύτας ποτ᾽ ἔφη ποιεῖν Εὔρυτον διατιθέντα τινὰς ψήφους.
And perhaps, even if one posits other principles, one would expect to render the successive steps immediately and not stop after proceeding up to a certain point; for this is characteristic of a perfect and thoughtful person, which Archytas once said Eurytus did when arranging certain pebbles.
λέγειν γὰρ ὡς ὅδε μὲν ἀνθρώπου ὁ ἀριθμὸς, ὅδε δὲ ἵππου, ὅδε δ᾽ ἄλλου τινὸς τυγχάνει.
For he said that this is the number of man, this of a horse, and this happens to be of some other thing.
νῦν δ᾽ οἵ γε πολλοὶ μέχρι τινὸς ἐλθόντες καταπαύονται.
But now, at any rate, the many stop after going up to a certain point.