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
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appropriate and foreign to its being, has certainly derived an efflux
and portion of that wisdom, which, as Heraclitus says, considers how
both itself, and the universe is governed. Hence the divinity is not
worse represented in these animals, than in the workmanships of copper
and stone, which in a similar manner suffer corruption and decay, but
are naturally deprived of all sense and consciousness. This then I
consider as the best defence that can be given of the adoration of
animals by the Egyptians.
“With respect however to the sacred vestments, those of Isis are of
various hues; for her power is about matter, which becomes and receives
all things, as light and darkness, day and night, fire and water, life
and death, beginning and end; but those of Osiris are without a shade
and have no variety of colours, but have one only which is simple and
luciform. Hence when the latter have been once used, they are laid
aside and preserved; for the intelligible is invisible and intangible.
But the vestments of Isis are used frequently. For sensible things
being in daily use and at hand, present us with many developements and
views of their different mutations: but the intellectual perception
of that which is intelligible, genuine, and holy, luminously darting
through the soul like a coruscation, is attended with a simultaneous
contact and vision of its object. Hence Plato and Aristotle call this
part of philosophy epoptic or intuitive, indicating that those who
have through the exercise of the reasoning power, soared beyond these
doxastic, mingled and all-various natures, raise themselves to that
first, simple, and immaterial principle, and passing into contact with
the pure truth which subsists about it, they consider themselves as
having at length obtained the end of philosophy.[44] And that which
the present devoted and veiled priests obscurely manifest with great
reverence and caution is that this God is the ruler and prince of
the dead, and is not different from that divinity who is called by
the Greeks Hades and Pluto, the truth of which assertion not being
understood, disturbs the multitude, who suspect that the truly sacred
and holy Osiris dwells in and under the earth, where the bodies of
those are concealed who appear to have obtained an end of their being.
But he indeed himself is at the remotest distance from the earth,
unstained, unpolluted, and pure from every essence that receives
corruption and death. The souls of men however, being here encompassed
with bodies and passions, cannot participate of divinity except as
of an obscure dream by intellectual contact through philosophy. But
when they are liberated from the body, and pass into the invisible,
impassive, and pure region, this God is then their leader and king,
from whom they depend, insatiably beholding him, and desiring to survey
that beauty which cannot be expressed or uttered by men; and which
Isis, as the ancient discourse evinces, always loving, pursuing, and