Calcidius on Plato's Timaeus: Greek Philosophy, Latin Reception, and Christian Contexts

This study examines Calcidius' fourth-century Latin commentary on Plato's Timaeus, exploring the authorial voice, purpose, key themes, and its relation to Stoicism, Aristotle, potential sources, and the Christian tradition. It was a significant channel for transmitting Plato's legacy to the Christian Latin West, establishing a connection between Plato's cosmology and Genesis.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 253 pages
Publication date: 23 September 2021
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

This groundbreaking study is the first to comprehensively analyze the fourth-century Latin commentary on Plato's Timaeus by the enigmatic Calcidius, delving into various aspects of his Latin translation. The first section explores the commentator's authorial voice and the overarching purpose of the work, while the second section offers a comprehensive overview of the key themes addressed. The third section reassesses the commentary's relationship with Stoicism, Aristotle, potential sources, and the Christian tradition, highlighting its significance in transmitting the legacy of Plato and Greek philosophy to the Christian Latin West. Moreover, the text establishes a fascinating connection between Plato's cosmology and Genesis, representing a unique cultural encounter between the Greek and Roman philosophical traditions and between non-Christian and Christian currents of thought.

This commentary was one of the primary means through which the legacy of Plato and Greek philosophy was transmitted to the Christian Latin West.

The text, which also establishes a connection between Plato's cosmology and Genesis, thus represents a distinctive cultural encounter between the Greek and the Roman philosophical traditions, and between non-Christian and Christian currents of thought.

Weight: 380g
Dimension: 151 x 228 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781108430517
Edition number: New ed