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
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There are also in them uniform comprehensions of causes; but
multiform progenies of things caused. And all things, indeed, are
consubsistent in each other; but the mode of subsistence is various.
For some things as replenishing subsist prior to secondary natures;
but others, as being filled aspire after more perfect natures, and
participating of their power become generative of things posterior to
themselves, and perfective of their hyparxis.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Looking to these things, therefore, we may unfold what is said of
paternal causes, and of the prolific powers of mothers in fables. For
every where, we may suppose that the cause of a more excellent and
more uniform nature is paternal;[133] but we may say that the cause
of a more subordinate and partial nature preexists in the order of a
mother. For with the Gods a father is analogous to the monad, and the
cause of bound; but a mother, to the duad, and to the infinite power
which is generative of beings. The paternal cause, however, is with
Plato uniform, and is established in a more elevated order than the
natures which proceed from it, and subsists prior to its progeny in
the allotment of the desirable. Again, the maternal cause has the form
of the duad; and at one time presents itself to the view in fables as
more excellent than its progeny, but at another time as essentially
subordinate to it; as in the Banquet, Plato calls Poverty the mother
of Love. And this is not only the case in fabulous figments, but also
in the philosophic theory of beings, as is evident in the Timæus. For
there Plato calls being the father, but matter the mother and nurse of
generation. The powers, therefore, which are prolific and perfective of
secondary natures, and the suppliers of life and causes of separation
are mothers, being established above the natures produced by them. But
the powers which receive the natures that proceed into light, which
multiply their energies, and extend even the subordinate allotment of
the progeny, are also themselves called mothers. Again, however, the
progeny of such like causes, at one time indeed, proceed according
to union from their proper principles, and are filled from both the
paternal and maternal cause; but at another time they contain the bond
of them, being arranged in the middle, conveying the gifts of the
fathers to the maternal bosoms, and converting the receptacles of them
to the completions of primary causes. But of the natures which subsist
from twofold preexisting principles, some are assimilated to the
paternal cause; and such like genera of Gods are productive, defensive,
and comprehensive. For to produce, to contain, and to defend, pertain
to the cause of bound. But others are assimilated to the maternal
cause, and are prolific, and vivific, and the suppliers of motion, of
the multiplication of powers, of variety and progressions. For all
these are the progeny of infinity and the first multitude.