The six books of Proclus, the Platonic successor, on the theology of Plato (vol. 2 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 p
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through a union with that intellect which ranks as a whole, as being
itself intellect, and as it were of the same colour with it. But soul
as being reason, and not intellect itself, requires appropriately
to its essence the energy of reason, and a rational conversion to
the intelligible.[73] To these, therefore, as being essentially
rational, and as being essentialized in reasons, the demiurgic speech
proceeds. And it is adapted to them in a twofold respect; first, as
being participated by bodies; for they are Gods of those Gods; and
secondly, as participating of intellects; for they are Gods of [viz.
derived from] intellects which are also Gods. And they participate of
intellects, and are participable by bodies. Hence the assertions that
they are generated, and that they are not entirely immortal, and every
thing else in the speech, are appropriately adapted to them, so far as
they have a certain co-ordination and connexion with mundane natures,
and so far as they are participated by them. But the mandates “learn
and generate,” and every thing else of this kind which is more divine
than generated natures, are adapted to them as intellectual essences.
Let us in the next place attend to the meaning of the words, “Of
whom I am the demiurgus and father, whatever is generated by me is
indissoluble, such being my will in its fabrication.” Plato then
appears to give a triple division to the energy of the one demiurgus
in his production of the junior Gods, viz. a division into the deific,
into that which imparts connexion and into that which supplies a
similitude to animal itself. For the address of the demiurgus evinces
those to be Gods that proceed from him. But the assertions respecting
the indissoluble and dissoluble, by defining the measure of a medium
between these, impart a distribution and connexion commensurate to
the order of the mundane Gods. And the words calling on them to
the fabrication of mortal natures, cause them to be the sources of
perfection to the universe, and the fabricators of secondary animals,
conformably to the imitation of the paradigm. But through these three
energies the demiurgus elevates his offspring to all the intelligible
Gods, and establishes them in the intelligible triads. In the one being
indeed, [or the summit of these triads] through the first of these
energies; for that is primarily deified, in which _the one_ is deity,
but _being_ is the first participant of it. For _the one itself_ is
alone deity, without habitude to any thing, and is not participable;
but _the one being_ in which there is the first participation is God
of God. And being is deity as the summit of all things; but _the
one_ of it is deity as proceeding from _the one_ itself, which is
primarily God. But through the second of these energies the demiurgus
establishes his offspring in the second of the intelligible triads,
i.e. in eternity itself. For eternity is the cause of this indissoluble