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
For if being is beyond intellect and life, as has been demonstrated,
and if it is also after _the one_ the cause of the greatest number
of effects, being will be the highest deified nature. For it is more
single than life and intellect, and is on this account entirely more
venerable. But there is not any thing else prior to it except _the
one_. For prior to unical multitude what else can there be except
_the one_? But being is unical multitude as consisting of bound
and infinity. And in short, the superessential one[269] is prior
to essence. Since also in the illuminations which are imparted to
secondary natures, _the one_ alone extends beyond being. But being
is immediately posterior to _the one_. For that which is being in
capacity, but is not yet being, is nevertheless according to its own
nature one. And that which follows the being that is in capacity is
now being in energy. Hence, in the principles of things, non-being is
immediately beyond being, as something more excellent, and no other
than _the one itself_.
PROPOSITION CXXXIX.
All things which participate of the divine unities, originate indeed
from being, but end in a corporeal nature.
* * * * *
For being is the first of participants, but body the last; for we say
that there are divine bodies. For the highest of all the genera of
bodies, souls and intellects, are attributed to the Gods, that in every
order, things analogous to the Gods may connect and preserve secondary
natures, and that each number may be a whole, containing all things
in itself, according to the whole which is in a part, and possessing
prior to other things the divine peculiarity. The divine genus,
therefore, subsists corporeally, psychically, and intellectually. And
it is evident that all these are divine according to participation.
For that which is primarily divine subsists in the unities. Hence, the
participants of the divine unities originate indeed from being, but end
in a corporeal nature.
PROPOSITION CXL.
All the powers of divine natures, having a supernal origin, and
proceeding through appropriate media, extend as far as to the last of
things, and to places about the earth.
* * * * *