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
But how is it that at one time the Gods are said to have connexion with
mortal females, and at another time mortal females with the Gods? We
reply, that the communion of Gods with Goddesses gives subsistence to
Gods or dæmons eternally; but heroic souls having a two-fold form of
life, viz. _doxastic_ and _dianoëtic_, the former of which is called by
Plato in the Timæus _the circle of difference_, and the latter, _the
circle of sameness_, and which are characterized by the properties of
_male_ and _female_;--hence these souls at one time exhibit a deiform
power, by energizing according to the masculine prerogative of their
nature, or _the circle of sameness_, and at another time according to
their feminine prerogative, or _the circle of difference_; yet so as
that according to both these energies they act with rectitude, and
without merging themselves in the darkness of body. They likewise know
the natures prior to their own, and exercise a providential care over
inferior concerns, without at the same time having that propensity to
such concerns which is found in the bulk of mankind. But the souls
which act erroneously according to the energies of both these circles,
or which, in other words, neither exhibit accurate specimens of
practical, nor of intellectual virtue--these differ in no respect from
_gregarious_ souls, or the herd of mankind, with whom the circle of
sameness is fettered, and the circle of difference sustains all-various
fractions and distortions.
As it is impossible therefore, that these heroic souls can act with
equal vigour and perfection, according to both these circles at once,
since this is the province of natures more divine than the human, it is
necessary that they should sometimes descend and energize principally
according to their doxastic part, and sometimes according to their
more intellectual part. Hence, one of these circles must energize
naturally, and the other be hindered from its proper energy. On this
account heroes are called _demigods_, as having only one of their
circles illuminated by the Gods. Such of these therefore, as have the
circle of sameness unfettered, as are excited to an intellectual life,
and are moved about it according to a deific energy,--these are said
to have a God for their father, and a mortal for their mother, through
a defect with respect to the doxastic form of life. But such, on the
contrary, as energize without impediment according to the circle of
difference, who act with becoming rectitude in practical affairs, and
at the same time _enthusiastically_, or in other words, under the
inspiring influence of divinity,--these are said to have a mortal for
their father, and a Goddess for their mother. In short, rectitude
of energy in each of these circles is to be ascribed to a divine
cause.[184] Hence when the circle of sameness has dominion, the divine
cause of illumination is said to be masculine and paternal; but when
the circle of difference predominates, it is said to be maternal.