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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The divine number therefore, has its proper boundary and end, and is
perfect. But it is also necessary that the mortal nature should exist,
and have an appropriate limit; and this triply, aerially, aquatically
and terrestrially. For celestially, is impossible, because the summit,
and the first genus of every order is undefiled and perpetual, in
consequence of being assimilated to the cause which is prior to it. As
therefore, the first of intellectuals is intelligible, and the first
of angels is a God, thus also the first of sensibles is perpetual and
divine.
When however the demiurgus says, “Yet if these are generated and
participate of life through me they will become equal to the Gods,”
he confirms what has been before asserted, that every thing which
is produced by an immoveable cause is unbegotten and immutable; but
that every thing which is produced indeed by an immoveable cause, yet
through the medium of a cause that is moved, is partly unbegotten, and
partly mutable. For from the immoveable cause indeed it receives unity,
but from the moveable cause multitude. And from the former it derives
being and form, but from the latter individuality, and a flowing
existence; through which the form or species is preserved, but the
individual is destroyed.
CHAPTER X.
After this, the demiurgus says, “That mortal natures therefore may
subsist, and that the universe may be truly all, convert yourselves
according to nature to the fabrication of animals, imitating the power
which I employed in your generation.” A twofold scope of fabrication,
says Proclus, is here delivered, one indeed providential, but the
other assimilative; the one being more proximate, but the other more
total. For to fabricate for the sake of giving subsistence to mortal
natures, indicates providence, and the perfection[86] of power. For
all super-plenitude of power is prolific of other things subordinate
to itself. But to fabricate for the sake of giving completion to the
universe, indicates an energy according to assimilative power, in order
that this universe may be rendered similar to all-perfect animal,
in consequence of being adorned with all the numbers of divine and
mortal animals. For if all things were immortal, the most divine[87]
of sensible natures would be unprolific. And if the universe was
not filled with all the forms of life, it would not be perfect, nor
sufficiently similar to all-perfect animal. That neither of these
defects therefore might happen, the first demiurgus excites the second
fabrication supernally from his own exalted place of survey. He also
pours on the mundane Gods vivific and demiurgic power, through which
they generate from themselves secondary essences, fill them with life,
and give them a specific distinction. For the peculiarity of vivific
deity is to vivify, but of demiurgic deity to be productive of form.
The expression therefore “_convert yourselves_” is of an exciting