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
We say, therefore, that Necessity who is called the mother of the
Parcæ, first subsists in the intellectual Gods, analogous to the
intelligible and intellectual monad of Adrastia; and that thence
being unfolded into light in the ruling orders, she generates this
triad of the Parcæ. For that which is total in providence, energy,
and the convolution of wholes by the very being itself of that which
convolves them, are indications of intellectual transcendency. To
extend, likewise, impartibly production to all things, is coequalized
with demiurgic dominion. And this Goddess appears to me to illuminate
all the progeny of the demiurgus with an ineffable guard. As likewise
he is the generator of wholes impartibly, thus too Necessity guards
inflexibly all things in herself, and comprehends them monadically,
preserving indissoluble the order which proceeds from the demiurgus
into the world. Necessity, therefore, being allotted such an authority
and kingdom in wholes, the triad of the Parcæ rules over the universe
in a liberated manner. For it comes into contact with the heavens, and
for a time relinquishes the contact, as Socrates says. And through
contact indeed, it is co-arranged with the bodies that are moved, and
is connascent with them; but through a retention of energies, it is
without contact, is separate from the things governed, and is exempt
from them. Being, however, at one and the same time allotted both these
peculiarities, it exists in the liberated Gods. For to touch, and
not to touch, to move and not to move, as the fable relates, are not
according to a part in the Gods, but are coexistent, and subsist with
each other at once. For divine natures do not change their energies
according to time, nor like partial souls, do they at one time energize
separately, and at another providentially attend to secondary natures;
but abiding in them selves they are every where present, and being
present to all things, they do not depart from the watch-tower of
themselves. At one and the same time, therefore, the being without
contact, and the coming into contact with the celestial periods, are
present with the Parcæ, and they also comprehend that which is exempt
and liberated from sensibles, according to one peculiarity, and that
which is co-arranged with, and allied to them. And on this account,
they possess a liberated order with reference to the whole heaven.