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
With respect, however, to the position of soul in the middle of the
universe, it is differently explained by the different interpreters of
Plato. For some call the centre of the earth the middle, but others
the moon, as being the isthmus of generated and divine natures. Others
again say that the sun is the middle, as being established in the place
of a heart [in the world], others the inerratic sphere, others the
equinoctial, as bounding the breadth of the universe, and others the
zodiac. And some indeed place the governing principle in the centre
of the universe, others in the moon, others in the sun, others in the
equinoctial, and others in the zodiac. And the power of the centre
testifies in favour of the first of these, since it is connective of
every circulation; the motion of the moon, in favour of the second,
since it variously changes generation; the vivific heat of the sun,
in favour of the third; the facility of the motion of the equinoctial
circle, of the fourth; and in favour of the fifth, the circulation of
the stars about the zodiac. Porphyry, however, and Jamblichus, oppose
all these interpretations, and reprobate them as understanding the
middle in a way accompanied with interval, and enclosing in a certain
part the soul of the whole world, which is every where similarly
present, which rules over all things, and leads all things by its own
motions. Of these divine men, however, Porphyry assuming the soul to
be the soul of the universe, interprets the _middle_ according
to the psychical essence; for soul is the middle of intelligibles and
sensibles. This interpretation, however, does not appear to say any
thing as with reference to the words of Plato. But if we assume this,
that the universe derives its completion from intellect, soul and
body, and that it is a psychical and intellectual animal, we shall
find in this system that soul is the middle. This, therefore, Plato
had before asserted; and now he will appear to say nothing else, than
that the soul of the world is extended through the universe, being
allotted a middle order in it. But the philosopher Jamblichus thinks
that by _soul_ we should understand the exempt, supermundane, and
liberated soul, and which has dominion over all things. For according
to him, Plato does not here speak of the mundane soul, but of the
soul which is not participated by body, and which is arranged as a
monad above all mundane souls. For the first soul is of this kind,
and the _middle_ is asserted of this, as being similarly present
to all things, because it does not belong to any body, has no manner
of habitude whatever, similarly animates all things, and is equally
distant from all things. For it is not distant from some things in
a less, and from others in a greater degree, since it is without
habitude; but it is alike distant from all things; though all things
are not after the same manner distant from it. For in its participants
there is the more and the less.