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
The intelligible and at the same time intellectual Gods therefore
are, as I have said, triply divided. And essence indeed is that which
ranks as first in them, but life is the middle, and intellect the
extremity of them. Since however, each of these three is perfect, and
participates of the intelligible monads, I mean of the essence which is
there, of intelligible life, and of intelligible intellect, they are
tripled according to the participation of primarily efficient causes.
And the intelligible of life indeed possesses essence, intellect,
and life intelligibly; but the intelligible and intellectual of it,
possesses essence, life and intellect, intelligibly and at the same
time intellectually; and the intellectual of it possesses these
intellectually and intelligibly.[210] And every where indeed, there is
a triad in each of the sections, but in conjunction with an appropriate
peculiarity. Hence three intelligible and at the same time intellectual
triads present themselves to our view, which are indeed illuminated by
the divine unities, but each of them contains an all-various multitude.
For since in intelligibles, there was an all-powerful and all-perfect
multitude, how is it possible that this multitude should not in a much
greater degree, be evolved and multiplied, in the Gods secondary to the
intelligible order, according to the prolific cause of them? Each triad
therefore comprehends in itself a multitude of powers, and a variety
of forms, producing intelligible multitude into energy, and unfolding
into light the generative infinity of intelligibles. And we indeed,
being impelled from the participants, discover the peculiarity of the
participated superessential Gods. But according to the order of things,
the intelligible and intellectual monads generate about themselves
essences, and all lives, and the intellectual genera. And through
these, they unfold the unknown transcendency of themselves, preserving
by itself the preexistent cause of the whole of things. There are
however, as we have said, three intelligible triads. And there are also
three triads posterior to these, which appear to be tripled from them,
according to their prolific perfection.