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
The liberated leaders, therefore, being such as we have shown them to
be, let us survey the multiform orders of them adapted to this order.
Some of them, therefore, we call _transporters_, and these are such
as unfold to secondary natures, the progressions of the assimilative
genera. But others are _elevators_, who draw upward the mundane orders,
to a separate energy. Others are _colligators_, who administer equally
the communion of the extremes. Others are _undefiled_, and these are
such as entirely obliterate matter, and impart by illumination the
disencumbered to the providential energies of secondary natures.
Others are _perfective_, and these are such as are the suppliers of
perfection to mundane natures. And others are _prolific_, who multiply
the progressions of subordinate essences. For according to these, and
far more numerous powers, incomprehensible by our conceptions, they
preside over the Gods in the world, and give completion to the divine
genera which subsist between the Gods that are exempt, and those that
are co-arranged with the parts of the universe.
Moreover, we must assign to them energies in symphony with their
powers, viz. such energies as are disencumbered, every where apparent,
amputating every thing material, and corporeal-formed, emitting an
idea undefiled, without contact, and incorporeal, and converting all
secondary natures to themselves, and extending them to intellectual
light. And farther still, we must ascribe to them energies that unfold
the exempt principles of the universe, and also energies more excellent
than these, which draw upward to the intellectual Gods, and others
still more elevated which conjoin themselves with the intellectual
Gods, and exhibit an essence uncoloured, unfigured, and without
contact. Again, according to another mode, [we must admit] that some of
their energies operate about the secondary Gods, and are collectors of
their divine unities to a union prior to the world. But others operate
about the mundane intellects, and extend the intellections of them from
co-ordinate intelligibles to such as are first, and exempt from the
universe. Others again, are elevators of souls to the one fountain of
them. And some of their energies, indeed, are the leaders of divine
souls themselves; but others preside over the genera that are more
excellent than us. And others convolve the multitude of intelligible
[souls[45]] to an undefiled life. For being as it were certain leaders
of herds, they ascend supernally into all the natures in the world, and
as dæmon Gods, they proximately rule over Gods, and are the leaders of
the progression to the intelligible, to some in one, and to others in a
different way, according to the order which is adapted to the elevated
natures. For every thing [mundane] participates of the liberated Gods.
But the participation is different. For it is either according to
the divine, dæmoniacal, and partible, or according to the uniform,
intellectual, and psychical.