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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In the next place, let us direct our attention to the words, “But
placing soul in the middle of the world, he extended it through the
whole; and besides this, externally surrounded the body of the universe
with soul.” Divinity, says Proclus, at once and eternally produces
all things. For according to his very being, and according to the
eternal intellection of wholes, he generates all things from himself,
supermundane and mundane beings, intellects, souls, natures, bodies,
and matter itself. And indeed, an at-once-collected subsistence in a
greater degree belongs to the demiurgic progeny, than to the solar
illumination; though in this the whole light proceeds simultaneously
with the sun. But it is evident that the sun imitating the father of
the universe through visible fabrication is inferior to eternal and
invisible production. All things, therefore, as we have said, being
produced from the invisible fabrication at once and eternally, at the
same time, the order of the effects is likewise preserved. For all
things proceed collectively together with their own proper order.
For in the producing cause, there was also an eternal intellection,
and order prior to the things that were arranged. Hence, though all
things proceed at once from one cause, yet some have a first, and
others a diminished dignity. For some things proceed in a greater, but
others in a less degree. And some are co-arranged with the demiurgus
according to union, others according to contact, and others according
to participation. For intellect is able to be connascent with intellect
through union; but soul is naturally adapted to be conjoined with
intellect; and bodies participate of it only, just as things in the
profundity of the earth participate of the splendour of the sun. All
these, therefore, subsisting in the world, viz. intellect, soul, and
body, and all these being produced at once, and at the same time, there
being an order in these proceeding from the demiurgus, language at
one time beginning supernally according to progression, ends at the
boundaries of fabrication, but at another time being incited[192] from
things last, according to conversion, recurs to the summits of the
universe, conformably to things themselves. For all things proceed, and
are converted to the cause and principle from which they proceeded; in
so doing exhibiting a certain demiurgic circle.