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 — John Shaqi
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
participate of the celestial circulation. Hence they are converted
indeed, through the subcelestial arch; but they receive a vigorous
intellectual perception from the celestial order; and they are filled
with intelligible goods from the supercelestial place. It is evident
therefore, that the supercelestial place is allotted an intelligible
summit; but the circulation of the heaven, the middle breadth; and
the arch, the intelligible extremity. For all things are in it. And
intellect indeed is convertive, but the intelligible is the object
of desire. But divine intelligence gives completion to the middle,
perfecting indeed the conversions of divine natures, and binding them
to such as are first, but unfolding the tendencies to intelligibles,
and filling secondary natures with precedaneous goods. I think however,
that through these things we have sufficiently reminded the reader of
the order of these three.
CHAPTER VIII.
Perhaps however, some one may ask us, why we here characterize the
whole progression of the intelligible and at the same time intellectual
Gods, according to the middle, and why we call one of the extremes
supercelestial, but the other subcelestial, from their habitude to
the middle, indicating the exempt transcendency of the one, but the
proximate and connected diminution of the other. Perhaps therefore,
we may concisely answer such a one, that this whole genus of the
intelligible and at the same time intellectual Gods, binds together
both the extremes, being to the one the cause of conversion, but to
the other of becoming unfolded into light, and being present with
secondary natures. As therefore, we denominate all the intelligible
Gods paternal and unical, characterizing them from the summit, and as
we say that they are the boundaries of the whole of things, viz. those
that are effective of essence, those that are the causes of perpetuity,
and those that are the sources of the production of forms, after the
same manner we unfold these middle Gods as the leaders of all bonds,
from the middle which is in them. For the whole of this middle order
is vivific, connective and perfective. But the summit of it indeed,
unfolds the impressions of intelligibles, and their ineffable union.
The termination of it converts intellectuals, and conjoins them to
intelligibles. And the middle collects into, and fixes in itself as in
a centre the whole genera of the Gods. For to the extremes also through
reference to the middle we attribute the habitude of transcendency and
diminution, calling the one above, but the other under the middle.
CHAPTER IX.