Διότι
because
Translated by Marcelo Boeri13 Nov 1999Vetting: high6 revisions
Translation
There are occasions when [this word] stands for o(/ti ["since"]. Amongst the many who [treat it] so is Hierocles.1
We consider2 the word "since" clearer in three ways. According to the first one, we use "since" rather than "because" for it is clearer to us and first in order of knowledge. For since we have a soul and since it is immortal, for many it is more apt for intelligible understanding3 than to concede and pay attention to the argument trying to prove these things. Secondly, the universal is also something composed of the particular and of what has been distinguished; for example, to know without qualification that this is a body, or that it is a body of such a kind, i.e. a celestial or a terrestrial body, or that it is blended one way or another. Thirdly, what is first to us but posterior by nature. For the more composed things are more knowable than the more simple things, which are first to us by nature.4
We consider2 the word "since" clearer in three ways. According to the first one, we use "since" rather than "because" for it is clearer to us and first in order of knowledge. For since we have a soul and since it is immortal, for many it is more apt for intelligible understanding3 than to concede and pay attention to the argument trying to prove these things. Secondly, the universal is also something composed of the particular and of what has been distinguished; for example, to know without qualification that this is a body, or that it is a body of such a kind, i.e. a celestial or a terrestrial body, or that it is blended one way or another. Thirdly, what is first to us but posterior by nature. For the more composed things are more knowable than the more simple things, which are first to us by nature.4