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 — Plato — John Shaqi
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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permanency to every thing which continues perpetually undissolved.
Hence all mundane natures are bound according to the demiurgic will,
and have something of the indissoluble through the participation of
him; the natures which are primarily indissoluble being different from
these, and those that are truly immortal subsisting for his sake.
And he establishes them in all-perfect animal [or the third of the
intelligible triads] through the third of these energies. For to this
the vivific assimilates the mundane Gods, and inserts in them the
paradigms of animals which they generate. And this, indeed, will be
one scope of generation, the converting and perfecting the proceeding
multitude of the Gods. But after the one there will be a triple design,
which establishes them in the three intelligible orders.
This second demiurgic intelligence, therefore, after the first which
is deific, illuminates the mundane Gods with a firm establishment, an
immutable power, and an eternal essence, through which the whole world,
and all the divine allotments subsist always the same, participating
through the father of an immutable nature and undecaying power.
For every thing which is generated from an immoveable cause, is
indissoluble and immutable; but all the progeny of a moveable cause
are moveable. Hence among mundane natures, such as proceed from the
demiurgic cause alone, in consequence of being generated according to
an invariable sameness are permanent, and are exempt from every mutable
and variable essence. But such as proceed both from this cause, and
from other moveable principles, are indeed immutable so far as they
proceed from the demiurgus, but mutable so far as they proceed from
the latter. For those natures which the demiurgus alone generates,
these he fabricates immutable and indissoluble, both according to their
own nature, and according to his power and will. For he imparts to
them a guardian and preserving power, and he connects their essence
in a manner transcendent and exempt. For all things are preserved in
a twofold respect, from the power which he contains, and from his
providential goodness, which is truly able and willing to preserve
every thing which may be lawfully perpetually saved. The most divine of
visible natures therefore, are, as we have said, from their own nature
indissoluble; but they are likewise so from the demiurgic power which
pervades through all things, and eternally connects them. For this
power is the guard and the divine law which connectedly contains all
things. But a still greater and more principal cause than these is the
demiurgic will which employs this power in its productions. For what
is superior to goodness, or what bond is more perfect than this, which
imparts by illumination union, connects an eternal essence, and is
the bound and measure of all things; to which also the demiurgus now
refers the cause of immutable power, saying, “such being my will in its