The six books of Proclus, the Platonic successor, on the theology of Plato (vol. 2 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 pProclus
Philosophy
The six books of Proclus, the Platonic successor, on the theology of Plato (vol. 2 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 p
Proclus
Neoplatonism -- Early works to 1800; Plato -- Early works to 1800; Theology -- Early works to 1800
These things, therefore, being thus determined, we may see how in the
Timæus, the demiurgus and father of this universe, at one and the
same time impartibly constitutes the world, gives to it essence, and
supplies it with existence, fashioning bodies, generating souls in
the middle of an impartible and partible essence, and constituting
intellects ingenerably [i.e. without generation] and indivisibly,
from the first genera. And farther still, besides these things, he
distributes different motions to souls and bodies, divides each of them
all-variously, according to harmonic reasons, binds them by analogies,
and converts them to himself, and his own will. How, therefore, can we
any longer rank such a demiurgus as this in the same order with one
of these three fathers. For those things which they are said to give
to the universe divisibly, he constitutes impartibly from himself. Nor
does he produce some things precedaneously, and others according to
accident, but by his very being he generates essence, supplies motions,
and extends the divisions of mundane forms, and after the progression
of other things, converts all things to himself, abiding in his own
accustomed manner.
In the second place, therefore, we say that the three demiurgi differ
from each other, because the first paternally comprehends the rest, and
is the father of this whole triad. But the second is the power of the
triad, and participates of the extremes according to the peculiarity of
powers. And the third is the intellect of the triad, and contains the
paternal, and intellectual power [by participation]. And in short, the
first is the father of both; but the second is the power of both; and
the third is the intellect of both. How, therefore, can the demiurgus
of wholes be the same with one of the above mentioned fathers? For he,
as Timæus says, is the father of all the world, and is allotted in
himself a paternal power and divine intellect, converting all things to
the watch-tower of himself. Again, therefore, we find that the partible
peculiarities of the three demiurgi, pre-exist in him impartibly and
uniformly. And as the demiurgic triad participates of union with him,
on account of the uncircumscribed transcendency of the monad, thus
also the monad antecedently and occultly comprehends in itself the
triad, according to the power of cause. Nor is it proper to confound
these with each other, but it is requisite to exempt the monad from
the triad, and to suspend the triad from the monad. And neither ought
we to make the three fathers, the rulers of total fabrication, nor to
rank the first of them in the same order with the one demiurgus. For
a co-ordinated entirely differs from an exempt cause. And that which
produces all things according to comprehension perfectly differs from
that which is similarly present to all things, and is equally distant
from all things. Besides this also, multitude is every where suspended
from its proper monad.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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