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The six books of Proclus, the Platonic successor, on the theology of Plato (vol. 1 of 2) : $b translated from the Greek, to which a seventh book is added, in order to supply the deficiency of another book on this subject, which was written by Proclus, but since lost, also, a translation from the Greek of Proclus' Elements of theology, to which are added a translation of the treatise of Proclus, On providence and fate, a translation of extracts from his treatise, entitled, Ten doubts concerning — John Shaqi

Philosophy

The six books of Proclus, the Platonic successor, on the theology of Plato (vol. 1 of 2) : $b translated from the Greek, to which a seventh book is added, in order to supply the deficiency of another book on this subject, which was written by Proclus, but since lost, also, a translation from the Greek of Proclus' Elements of theology, to which are added a translation of the treatise of Proclus, On providence and fate, a translation of extracts from his treatise, entitled, Ten doubts concerning

Name: The six books of Proclus, the Platonic successor, on the theology of Plato (vol. 1 of 2) : $b translated from the Greek, to which a seventh book is added, in order to supply the deficiency of another book on this subject, which was written by Proclus, but since lost, also, a translation from the Greek of Proclus' Elements of theology, to which are added a translation of the treatise of Proclus, On providence and fate, a translation of extracts from his treatise, entitled, Ten doubts concerning
Author: Proclus

Proclus

Neoplatonism -- Early works to 1800; Plato -- Early works to 1800; Theology -- Early works to 1800

I rejoice in the opportunity which is afforded me of presenting the
_truly_ philosophic reader, in the present work, with a treasure
of Grecian theology; of a theology, which was first mystically
and symbolically promulgated by Orpheus, afterwards disseminated
enigmatically through images by Pythagoras, and in the last place
scientifically unfolded by Plato and his genuine disciples. The
peculiarity indeed, of this theology is, that it is no less scientific
than sublime; and that by a geometrical series of reasoning originating
from the most self-evident truths, it developes all the deified
progressions from the ineffable principle of things, and accurately
exhibits to our view all the links of that golden chain of which deity
is the one extreme, and body the other.

That also which is most admirable and laudable in this theology is,
that it produces in the mind properly prepared for its reception the
most pure, holy, venerable, and exalted conceptions of the great cause
of all. For it celebrates this immense principle as something superior
even to being itself; as exempt from the whole of things, of which it
is nevertheless ineffably the source, and does not therefore think
fit to connumerate it with any triad, or order of beings. Indeed, it
even apologises for attempting to give an appropriate name to this
principle, which is in reality ineffable, and ascribes the attempt to
the imbecility of human nature, which striving intently to behold it,
gives the appellation of the most simple of its conceptions to that
which is beyond all knowledge and all conception. Hence it denominates
it _the one_, and _the good_; by the former of these names indicating
its transcendent simplicity, and by the latter its subsistence as the
object of desire to all beings. For all things desire good. At the same
time however, it asserts that these appellations are in reality nothing
more than the parturitions of the soul which standing as it were in the
vestibules of the adytum of deity, announce nothing pertaining to the
ineffable, but only indicate her spontaneous tendencies towards it, and
belong rather to the immediate offspring of the first God, than to the
first itself.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

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