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 Timæus, or rather Plato adds, “And causing circle to
revolve in a circle, he established heaven (i.e. the world) one, only,
solitary nature;” on which Proclus observes as follows: The philosopher
Porphyry well interprets the meaning of circle revolving in a circle.
For it is possible, says he, for that which is not a circle to be moved
in a circle, as a stone when whirled round; and also for a circle to
be moved not in a circle, as a wheel when rolled along. But it is the
peculiarity of the world, that being circular it is moved in a circle,
through harmoniously revolving about the centre. In a still greater
degree however, the divine Jamblichus well interprets the meaning of
these words. For he says that the circle is twofold, the one being
psychical, but the other corporeal, and that the latter is moved in
the former. For this is conformable to what has been before said, and
accords with what is afterwards asserted. For Plato himself shortly
after moves the corporeal nature according to the psychical circle, and
renders the twofold circulations analogous to the periods in the soul.
Moreover, to comprehend the whole blessedness of the world in three
appellations, is most appropriate to that which subsists according to
a triple cause, viz. the final, the paradigmatic, and the demiurgic.
For of the appellations themselves, the first of them, viz. _one_,
is assumed from the final cause; for _the one_ is the same with _the
good_. But the second, viz. _only_, is assumed from the paradigmatic
cause. For the _only-begotten_ and _onlyness_ (μονωσις) were, prior
to the universe, in all-perfect animal. And the third, viz. the
_solitary_, is assumed from the demiurgic cause. For the ability of
using itself, and through itself governing the world, proceeds from
the demiurgic goodness. The world therefore is _one_, so far as it is
united, and is converted to _the one_. But it is _only_, so far as it
participates of the intelligible, and comprehends all things in itself.
And it is _solitary_, so far as it is similar to its father, and is
able to save itself. From the three however, it appears that it is a
God. For _the one_, the _perfect_, and the _self-sufficient_, are the
elements of deity. Hence, the world receiving these, is also itself a
God; being _one_ indeed, according to hyparxis; but _alone_, according
to a perfection which derives its completion from all sensible natures;
and _solitary_, through being sufficient to itself. For those that
lead a solitary life, being converted to themselves, have the hopes
of salvation in themselves. And that this is the meaning of the term
_solitary_, will be evident from the following words of Plato: “Able
through virtue to converse with itself, indigent of nothing external,
and sufficiently known and friendly to itself.” For in these words,
he clearly manifests what the solitariness is which he ascribes to
the world, and that he denominates that being solitary, who looks to