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 · en
If, however, he says that he follows those who are divinely inspired,
but they speaking concerning the supercelestial Gods, he adopts a
similar Theogony, though discoursing of the sub-celestial divinities,
we must not consider this as wonderful. For he knew that all the
orders of the Gods, proceed as far as to the last of things, from the
arrangement which is the principle of their progression, every where
generating series from themselves analogous to the superior deities
from which they proceed. Hence, though the orders of these Gods which
are celebrated by theologists, are above the world, yet they subsist
also in the sensible universe. And as this visible heaven is allied
to that which is supermundane, so likewise our earth is allied to the
earth which is there, and the orders subsisting from the one to the
orders proceeding from the other. From these things too, this also
may be assumed, that according to Plato as well as according to other
theologists, first natures as they proceed, produce things subordinate
in conjunction with the causes of themselves. For these sublunary Gods
proceeding from the demiurgus, are also said to be generated from
Heaven and Earth that first proceed from him. The demiurgus therefore
says to all of them that they ought to fabricate mortal natures,
imitating his[131] power about their generation. Hence all of them
proceed from one producing cause, though those of a secondary order
proceed likewise from the Gods that are prior to them. It follows
therefore from this, that not every thing which is produced by the
junior Gods is mortal, since some of these proceed from other junior
Gods; but the contrary alone is true, that every thing mortal is
generated by these divinities. And again, it follows from this, that
the junior Gods produce some things according to the immoveable, but
others according to the moveable hyparxes of themselves. For they would
not be the causes of immortals, if they produced all things according
to moveable hyparxes; if it be true that every thing which subsists
from a moveable cause, is essentially mutable.