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 Proclus
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
Proclus
Neoplatonism -- Early works to 1800; Plato -- Early works to 1800; Theology -- Early works to 1800
After all this, I appeal to every intelligent reader, whether the
religion of the Heathens, according to its genuine purity as delineated
in this Introduction, and as professed and promulgated by the best
and wisest men of antiquity, is not infinitely preferable to that of
the Catholics? And whether it is not more holy to reverence beings
the immediate progeny of the ineffable principle of all things, and
which are eternally centered and rooted in him; and to believe that in
reverencing these, we at the same time reverence _the ineffable_,
because they partake of his nature, and that through these as media we
become united with him,[51] than to reverence men, and the images of
men, many of whom when living, were the disgrace of human nature? The
Church of England as we see prefers the Pagans to the Papists; and I
trust that every other sect of Protestant Christians will unanimously
subscribe to her decision. And thus much in defence of the theology of
Plato, and the religious worship of the Heathens.
It now remains that I should speak of the following work, of its
author, and the translation. The work itself then is a scientific
developement of the deiform processions from the ineffable principle
of things, and this, as it appears to me in the greatest perfection
possible to man. For the reasoning is every where consummately
accurate, and deduced from self-evident principles; and the conclusions
are the result of what Plato powerfully calls geometrical necessities.
To the reader of this work indeed, who has not been properly
disciplined in Eleatic and Academic studies, and who has not a genius
naturally adapted to such abstruse speculations, it will doubtless
appear to be perfectly unintelligible, and in the language of critical
cant, nothing but jargon and revery. This, however, is what Plato the
great hierophant of this theology predicted would be the case, if ever
it was unfolded to the multitude at large. “_For as it appears to me,
says he, there are scarcely any particulars which will be considered
by the multitude more ridiculous than these; nor again, any which will
appear more wonderful and enthusiastic to those who are naturally
adapted to perceive them._”[52]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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