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
Saturn, and Rhea; which manifests the complication here, of the perfect
and the imperfect, and of bound with infinity. For all celestial
natures are definite, and as Aristotle says, are always in the end. But
things in generation proceed[160] from the imperfect to the perfect,
and receive the same boundary indefinitely. Besides this, the tetrad
arising from the generation of these divinities is adapted to the
orders of the fabricators of the sublunary region; in order that they
may contain multitude unitedly, and the partible impartibly; and also
to the natures that exist in generation. For the sublunary elements are
four; the seasons according to which generation is evolved are four;
and the centres are four. And in short, there is an abundant dominion
of the tetrad in generation.
Why, however, it may be said, does Plato comprehend all the multitude
of the Gods that fabricate generation, in this ennead? I answer,
because this ennead gives completion to all the fabrication of
generation. For in the sublunary realms there are bodies and natures,
souls, and intellects, and this both totally and partially. And all
these are in both respects in each of the elements. This ennead in each
of the elements, is as follows, viz. total and partial bodies, total
and partial natures, total and partial souls, and total and partial
intellects, and the monad which contains these, viz. the elementary
sphere itself; because wholes and parts are consubsistent with each
other. Heaven and Earth, however, generate the unapparent essences
of these, i.e. of wholes and parts, the former indeed according to
union, but the latter according to multiplication. And the former
according to bound, but the latter according to infinity; being the
leaders of essence to all things. But Ocean and Tethys give perfection
to both the common and divided motion of them. There is, however, a
different motion of different things, viz. of total intellect, of
total soul, and of total nature; and in a similar manner in such of
these as are partial. The sublunary wholes, therefore, being thus
adorned and distributed, Saturn, indeed, divides partial from total
natures, but intellectually; Rhea, calls forth this division from
intellectuals, into all-various progressions,[161] as far as to the
last forms of life, being a vivific deity; but Phorcys produces the
Titannic separation, to physical productive principles. After these
three, are the fathers of composite natures. And Jupiter indeed,
adorns sensibles totally, according to an imitation of Heaven. For
the Jupiter in the intellectual order, proceeds analogous to the
intellectual Heaven, in the royal series. But Juno moves wholes, fills
them with powers, and evolves, according to every progression. And the
Gods posterior to these fabricate the partial works of sensibles, some
according to one, but others according to another peculiarity, either
demiurgic, or vivific, or perfective, or connective, being evolved and