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
Plato · en
intellect; but not every thing which enjoys intellectual efficiency,
is also adapted to participate of soul. For of soul rational animals
only participate; since we say that the rational soul is truly soul.
For Plato in the Republic says, that the work of soul is to reason and
survey beings. And every soul [i.e. every rational soul] is immortal,
as it is written in the Phædrus; the irrational soul being mortal,
according to the demiurgus in the Timæus. And in short, it is in many
places evident that Plato considers the rational soul to be truly
soul, but others to be the images of souls, so far as these also are
intellectual and vital, and together with whole souls produce the lives
that are distributed about bodies. Of intellect however, we not only
admit that rational animals participate, but also such other animals as
possess a gnostic power; I mean such as possess the phantasy, memory
and sense; since Socrates also in the Philebus refers all such animals
to the intellectual series. For taking away intellect from the life
which is according to pleasure, he likewise takes away not only the
rational life, but every gnostic power of the irrational life. For all
knowledge is the progeny of intellect, in the same manner as all reason
is an image of soul.
Moreover, all things which participate of intellect, by a much greater
priority participate of life, some things indeed more obscurely, but
others more manifestly. But all living beings do not participate of
intellectual power, since plants indeed are animals, as Timæus says,
but they neither participate of sense, or phantasy; unless some one
should say that they have a co-sensation of what is pleasing and
painful. And in short, the orectic powers every where are lives, and
the images of the whole of life, and the last productions of life;
but they are of themselves destitute of intellect and without any
participation of the gnostic power. Hence also, they are of themselves
indefinite, and deprived of all knowledge.