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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when they are called by the names of Jupiter, Apollo, and Hermes, &c.
as expressing the peculiarity of their proper deities. And from these,
mortal natures also participate of divine influxions. And thus animals
and plants are fabricated, bearing the images of different Gods; dæmons
proximately imparting to these the representations of their leaders.
But the Gods in an exempt manner supernally preside over dæmons; and
through this last natures sympathize with such as are first. For the
representations of first are seen in last natures; and the causes of
things that are last are comprehended in primary beings. The middle
genera, too, of dæmons give completion to wholes, the communion of
which they bind and connect; participating indeed of the Gods, but
participated by mortal natures. He, therefore, will not err who asserts
that the mundane artificer established the centres of the order of
the universe in dæmons; since Diotima also assigns them this order,
viz. that of binding together divine and mortal natures, of deducing
supernal streams, elevating all secondary natures to the Gods, and
giving completion to wholes through the connexion of a medium.
Hence, we must not assent to their doctrine, who say that dæmons are
the souls of men that have changed the present life. For it is not
proper to consider a dæmoniacal nature _according to habitude_, as
the same with a nature essentially dæmoniacal; nor to assert that the
perpetual medium of all mundane natures consists from a life conversant
with multiform mutations. For a dæmoniacal guard subsists always the
same, connecting the mundane wholes. But soul does not always thus
retain its own order, as Socrates says in the Republic; since at
different times it chooses different lives. Nor do we praise those who
make certain of the Gods to be dæmons, such as the erratic Gods, [i.e.
the planets] according to Amelius. But we are persuaded by Plato, who
calls the Gods the rulers of the universe, but subjects to them the
herds of dæmons. And we shall every where preserve the doctrine of
Diotima, who assigns the middle order, between all divine and mortal
natures, to a dæmoniacal essence. Let this then be the conception
respecting the whole of the dæmoniacal order in common.
CHAPTER XLIII.