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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that which is mixed, essence, life, and intelligible intellect. But
the whole triad subsists according to being, and is the intellect of
the first triad. For the first triad is an intelligible God primarily.
But the triad posterior to it is an intelligible and intellectual God.
And the third triad is an intellectual God. These three deities also,
and triadic monads, give completion to the intelligible genera. For
they are monads according to their deities; since all other things are
suspended from the Gods, and also powers and beings. But they are
triads according to a separate division. For bound, infinity, and that
which is mixed, have a threefold subsistence; but in one place indeed,
all things are according to bound; in another, all things are according
to infinity; and in another, all things are according to that which is
mixed. And in one place, that which is mixed is essence; in another,
it is intelligible life; and in another, intelligible intellect. In
this last therefore, forms subsist primarily. For the separation of
intelligibles, unfolds the order of forms; because form is being, but
is not simply being. Hence that which is primarily being, is being
itself, and is that which is being. But that which is the second being,
is power, proceeding indeed from the first being, and existing as it
were a duad generative of the multitude of beings, but not yet being
multitude. And that which is the third being, is itself the multitude
of beings; being there existing with separation. For being is the
exempt cause of those things which forms constitute divisibly. And of
the things of which being is productive collectively, of these, forms
are the cause in a way attended with separation. Because forms indeed,
are causes productive of separation in their effects, and also because
forms are called the paradigms of beings. Being however, is the cause
of all things posterior to itself, but is not the paradigm of them. For
paradigms are the causes of things which are separated according to
existence, and which have different characters of essence. After _the
one_ therefore which is prior to beings, that which is one-many
occultly, and the united subsists. On this account, it is that which
is divided into multitude, and which tends from the uniform to the
splendid. But the last of intelligibles, is that from which a certain
distribution into parts originates, and which is comprehensive of
intelligible multitude.
CHAPTER XV.