[139]. This city is mentioned by Plato in the Timæus, who represents Critias as saying “that there is a certain region of Egypt, called Delta, about the summit of which the streams of the Nile are divided, and in which there is a province called Saitical.” He adds, “of this province the greatest city is Saïs, from which also King Amasis derived his origin. The city has a presiding divinity, whose name is, in the Egyptian tongue, Neith, but in the Greek Athena, or Minerva.” It is singular that Gale, who is not deficient in philology, though but a smatterer in philosophy, should have omitted to remark in his notes this passage of Plato.
[140]. Proclus, in MS. Comment, in Alcibiad. cites one of the Chaldean oracles, which says,
——πορθμιον ουνομα το δ’ εν απειροις
Κοσμοις ενθρωσκον.
i. e. “There is a transmitting name which leaps into the infinite worlds.” And in his MS. Scholia in Cratyl. he quotes another of these oracles, viz.
Αλλα εστιν ουνομα σεμνον ακοιμητῳ στροφαλιγγι,
Κοσμοις ενθρωσκον, κραιπνην δια πατρος ενιπην.
i. e. “There is a venerable name with a sleepless revolution, leaping into the worlds through the rapid reproofs of the father.”
[141]. For εχεται in this place, I read περιεχεται.
[142]. Gale, in his translation of this part, has entirely mistaken the meaning of Iamblichus, which he frequently does in other places. For the words of Iamblichus are, οταν γαρ δη τα βελτιονα των εν ημιν ενεργῃ, και προς τα κρειττονα αναγεται αυτης η ψυχη; and the version of Gale is “quando enim pars nostri melior operari incipiat, et ad sui portionem meliorem recolligatur anima.” For τα κρειττονα is not the better part of the soul; but when the better parts of the soul energize, the soul is then intimately converted to itself, and through this conversion is elevated to superior natures.