The philosophical and mathematical commentaries of Proclus on the first book of Euclid's elements (Vol. 1 of 2) : $b To which are added, A history of the restoration of Platonic theology, by the latter Platonists: And a translation from the Greek of Proclus's Theological elements — Plato — John Shaqi
The philosophical and mathematical commentaries of Proclus on the first book of Euclid's elements (Vol. 1 of 2) : $b To which are added, A history of the restoration of Platonic theology, by the latter Platonists: And a translation from the Greek of Proclus's Theological elements
Plato · en
But to
omit other numbers, and their conformity with the soul, the quinary,
and septenary numbers are especially attributed to the soul. The
quinary, because the soul is composed from the five genera of things,
we have previously explained; and because five particulars merit a
principal consideration in the soul; first, her essence; secondly,
the harmony of her reasons; thirdly, the species arising from the
concord of her parts or reasons; fourthly, her virtue; and, lastly, her
energies: and on this account, Proclus observes, the consideration
of the soul ought to receive a quintuple distribution. Besides, as
the soul consists from a divisible and indivisible nature; so the
quinary is composed from the first even and the first odd number.
Lastly, as the soul is the connecting medium of the universe; so the
quinary obtains the middle situation in universal number, that is in
the decad. But the septenary number belongs to the soul, because, as
Plato shews, in his Timæus, all harmonical reasons are contained in
the seven numbers, 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 8, 27; and from these the soul is
composed. Hence Proclus elegantly observes, that the septenary number
is dedicated to Apollo, the parent of all harmony; because in one, two,
and four, from which the septenary results, the first bisdiapason is
found. Besides, the writers on harmony affirm that all the difference
of voices proceeds as far as to the seventh degree. So that Plato uses,
with great propriety, the septenary number for the composition of the
soul. Again, in these numbers of the soul, every medium is found in
a convenient proportion; in these the geometric medium is contained,
corresponding to the right institution of laws; of which Plato, in his
Republic, says, that by this cities are properly governed: there is
found too, an harmonical medium, which is the similitude of justice:
and lastly, we may discover an arithmetical medium, which is called
the illustrious symbol of peace. After this manner, therefore, Plato,
with a wonderful fecundity of significations, affirms that the soul is
composed from numbers. He likewise considers the figures she contains,
I mean the circle and triangle; because as the soul is the first
nature which verges to body, so these are the first of all figures, as
well rectilinear as curvilinear. Besides, an orbiculation agrees to
the soul, through intellect; but progression and rectitude according
to her own proper nature; and on this account she contains both a
straight and circular figure. I omit other correspondencies of a circle
and triangle with the soul, as they are exhibited in the following
Commentaries; and particularly by Proclus, in the third book of his
Commentaries on the Timæus: it is sufficient to the design of this
Dissertation, just to have mentioned this analogy, that the nature of
the numbers and figures may appear, which are considered by Plato in
the composition of the soul.