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
Again, resuming [the same subject,] let us discuss in common such
things as Parmenides delivers to us concerning the whole order of
Gods that are called assimilative rulers and leaders. For it is
necessary, as we have before observed, to refer the whole divided
theory [respecting the Gods] to the common and one mystic doctrine of
Parmenides. For there we shall find the connexion of the divine orders,
and their common powers delivered to us by Plato in a continued series.
The same and the different, therefore, define for us the peculiarity of
the demiurgic order. And according to these, we have unfolded in what
has been before said, the paternal and prolific cause of the demiurgus,
his unpolluted fountain, and the separative power in him, conformably
to which he divides his own kingdom from that of Saturn. Since,
however, the whole order of the assimilative Gods, is suspended from
the demiurgic monad, subsists about, is converted to, and perfected
by it, it is indeed necessary to refer the signs of this order to the
demiurgic signs, and to give to the former a well-ordered generation
proceeding in measures from the latter. For thus the coherence of the
divine genera with each other, will become more apparent, and the
evolution into light of secondary from more ancient natures, will
through these very things become perfectly known to us.
What, therefore, are the peculiarities of this order, which is
celebrated as of a ruling and leading nature by others,[30] but is
demonstrated by arguments to be of an assimilative nature? Every thing
then which is assimilative, imparts the communication of similitude,
and of communion with paradigms to all[31] the beings that are
assimilated by it. Together with the similar, however, it produces and
commingles the dissimilar; since in the images [of the similar] the
genus of similitude is not naturally adapted to be present, separate
from its contrary. If, therefore, this order of Gods assimilates
sensibles to intellectuals, and produces all things posterior to itself
according to an imitation of causes, it is indeed the first-effective
cause of similitude to natures posterior to itself. But if it is the
cause of this, it is also of the dissimilitude which is co-ordinate
with similitude. For it is necessary that all things which participate
of the similar, should also participate of the dissimilar. And this
order of Gods indeed imparts the similar in a greater degree than the
dissimilar to the progeny that are more proximate to their principles;
but it constitutes the essence of things that proceed farther from
their principles, according to dissimilitude rather than similitude.