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 — John Shaqi
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
And as _the one_ precedes the total orders
of things, so likewise each order of the Gods has its progression from
a monad; since also each God is allotted a union which antecedes the
multitude he contains. But if the whole genus of the Gods, and each God
proceed after the same manner, it is also necessary that each of the
divided orders should have the same mode of subsistence.
In the third place we say that both Plato and the ancient theology
of the Greeks assert, that these three demiurgi divide the uniform
kingdom of their father Saturn. And that one of these three every
where arranges and adorns the first of wholes, another the middles,
and another the extremities of wholes; and that each is allotted this
order, not in fabrication only, but also in the providence of partial
souls. For of these, some indeed are arranged and perfected under
the first, prior to generation; but others, that give completion to
generation, are arranged under the second; and others, that require
purification after generation, are perfected under the third. Moreover,
the first demiurgus, as it is written in the Timæus, produces the whole
world. For he constitutes the circulation of the _same_, and
arranges and adorns the circulation of the _different_, and all
sublunary natures as far as to the earth, which he fabricated to be the
guardian of night and day, being immoveably fixed about the axis which
is extended through the poles of the universe. He also fills the whole
parts of the world with their proper numbers, and gives generation to
all of them, both to those that revolve manifestly, and to those that
become manifest when they please. Again, he defines the whole period
to partial souls, the measures of their descent into generation, the
vicissitudes of the present life, and their restitutions to their
kindred star,[12] and he is also said to unfold to them all the laws
of Fate, and to point out to them the nature of the universe. Hence,
he is not one[13] of these three fathers, nor is he co-arranged with
them, but is perfectly exempt from the triad. According likewise to the
proper prerogative of his empire, he is expanded separately above each,
and in common above all of them. And the operations indeed, of these
fathers, are divided about him, and are distinguished by more partial
boundaries. But his fabrication is uncircumscribed, is one whole, and
is impartible.
CHAPTER VIII.