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
Such, therefore, being the nature of this duad, there are also other
demiurgic powers which triply divide the apparent[158] world of
generation; one of these being allotted the government of air; another,
that of water; and another that of earth, conformably to demiurgic
allotments. Hence they are said to be the brothers of these, because
they also preside over the visible fabrication. And farther still,
there are others the progeny of these; which is the last progression
of the divinities mentioned in this place by Plato. Hence, they are
delivered anonymously; Plato by this indicating the diminution of it
as far as to the last division: For as in the Gods that are above the
world, the partible proceeds from the total fabrication, and the series
of kings terminates in this; after the same manner also among the
sublunary Gods, the progeny of Jupiter proceed from the Jovian order;
among which progeny, likewise, is the choir of partible fabrication.
For the before-mentioned demiurgi producing sensibles totally, it is
necessary that those deities should have a subsistence who distribute
different powers and peculiarities to different natures, and divide the
sublunary generation into multitude. Hence Plato alone denominates them
_others_, and does not employ the expressions _such as_, and
_all_, because they associate with all-various diversity.
With respect, therefore, to this ennead of Gods, Heaven terminates,
Earth corroborates, and Ocean moves all generation. But Tethys
establishes every thing in its proper motion; intellectual essences in
intellectual; middle essences in psychical; and such as are corporeal
in physical, motion; Ocean at the same time collectively moving all
things. Saturn alone divides intellectually; Rhea vivifies; Phorcys
distributes spermatic productive principles; Jupiter perfects things
apparent from such as are unapparent; and Juno evolves according
to the all-various mutations of visible natures. And thus through
this ennead all the sublunary world derives its completion, and is
fitly arranged; divinely indeed from the Gods, but angelically, as
we say, from angels, and dæmoniacally from dæmons; the Gods indeed
subsisting about bodies, souls and intellects; but angels exhibiting
their providence about souls and bodies; and dæmons being distributed
about the fabrication of nature, and the providential care of bodies.
But again, the number of the ennead is adapted to generation. For
it proceeds from the monad as far as to the extremities without
retrogression;[159] which is the peculiarity of generation. For reasons
(i.e. productive principles) fall into matter, and are unable to
convert themselves to the principles of their existence. Moreover, the
duad is triadic; for three dyadic orders were assumed; viz. Heaven and
Earth; Ocean and Tethys; Jupiter and Juno. And this last duad ranks
as the fourth progression, because prior to it, is the triad Phorcys,