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
The present discourse, therefore, will first of all be divided by
me into three parts. In the beginning, considering all those common
conceptions concerning the Gods, which Plato summarily delivers,
together with the power and dignity every where of theological axioms;
but in the middle of this work, speculating the total orders of the
Gods, enumerating their peculiarities, defining their progressions
after the manner of Plato, and referring every thing to the hypotheses
of theologists; and, in the end, speaking concerning the Gods which are
in different places celebrated in the Platonic writings, whether they
are supermundane or mundane, and referring the theory respecting them
to the total genera of the divine orders.
In every part of this work, likewise, we shall prefer the clear,
distinct, and simple, to the contraries of these. And such things as
are delivered through symbols, we shall transfer to a clear doctrine
concerning them; but such as are delivered through images, we shall
transmit to their exemplars. Such things too as are written in a more
affirmative way, we shall examine by causal reasonings; but such as
are composed through demonstrations, we shall investigate; and besides
this, explain the mode of truth which they contain, and render it
known to the hearers. And of things enigmatically proposed, we shall
elsewhere discover perspicuity, not from foreign hypotheses, but from
the most genuine writings of Plato. But with respect to the things
which immediately occur to the hearers, of these we shall contemplate
the consent with things themselves. And from all these particulars,
one perfect form of the Platonic theology will present itself to our
view, together with its truth which pervades through the whole of
divine intellections, and the one intellect which generated all the
beauty of this theology, and the mystic evolution of this theory. Such,
therefore, as I have said, will be my present treatise.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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