Proclus: Commentary on Timaeus, Book 5 (Procli Diadochi, In Platonis Timaeum Commentaria)

The Oxford Classical Texts, or Scriptorum Classicorum Bibliotheca Oxoniensis, is a critical text edition of the only surviving ancient commentary on Plato's Timaeus, written by Proclus. It encompasses seven centuries of philosophical reflection on Plato's cosmology and provides a unique access way to Proclus's Neoplatonic views on cosmology, theology, physics, and metaphysics. The edition is based on a thorough re-examination of the manuscript tradition and includes digitally enhanced UV photos of the Paris palimpsest BNF Supplément grec 921.

Format: Hardback
Length: 432 pages
Publication date: 13 October 2022
Publisher: Oxford University Press

The Oxford Classical Texts, also referred to as Scriptorum Classicorum Bibliotheca Oxoniensis, are a renowned collection of ancient texts that offer authoritative, clear, and reliable editions. Comprising five volumes, this remarkable work presents a new critical text edition of the sole surviving ancient commentary on Plato's Timaeus. Authored by Proclus, this commentary spans seven centuries of philosophical reflection on Plato's cosmology, making it an invaluable source for many authors within the Platonic tradition. For late Neoplatonic thinkers like Proclus, writing commentaries on Plato's works was a means to present their own highly original philosophical doctrines. Beyond its significance in the historiography of philosophy, this commentary on the Timaeus provides a unique avenue to explore Proclus's Neoplatonic views on cosmology, theology, physics, and metaphysics.

This new edition is the result of a meticulous re-examination of the entire manuscript tradition, which has resulted in a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between all extant manuscripts, including the Paris palimpsest BNF Supplément grec 921, belonging to the so-called "collection philosophique" (9th century). Through digitally enhanced UV photos, the scriptio inferior of this palimpsest, containing parts of books IV and V, was made nearly fully accessible. The study of the manuscript tradition and the apparatus fontium have spanned over a century of research into this circumstantial text.

The edition of the text is preceded by a substantial introduction, providing valuable background information and insights. Following each book, the edition includes the edition of the scholia to the text, offering additional commentary and scholarly analysis. The final volume also includes an edition of the remaining fragments of the lost part of the text, including an Arabic fragment, edited by Rüdiger Arnzen.

The Oxford Classical Texts, with their meticulous scholarship and comprehensive approach, continue to be a cornerstone of ancient text studies and philosophical inquiry. This new edition of Proclus's commentary on the Timaeus is a testament to the enduring value of classical texts and the ongoing exploration of philosophical ideas.

Weight: 498g
Dimension: 133 x 193 x 31 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780192856074