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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He therefore who surveys this visible image of the Gods (the world)
thus united in itself, will be ashamed to have a different opinion
of the Gods the causes of it, and to introduce in them divisions,
obstructions, and corporeal circumscriptions. For if there is no ratio,
no habitude of symmetry, no communion of essence, no connexion either
according to power or energy, between the adorning cause and adorned
effect; if this be the case, in the former there is neither a certain
extension according to interval, nor any local comprehension, or any
partible interception, nor any other similar innate equalization in
the manner in which the Gods are present. For in things which are of
a kindred nature either according to essence or power, or which are
in a certain respect similar in species, or homogeneous, a certain
mutual comprehension or retention may be perceived; but what coercion,
or transition through the universe, or partible circumscription, or
local comprehension, or any thing else of the like kind can there be in
natures perfectly exempt from the whole of things? For the participants
indeed of the divinities are such, that some of them participate
etherially, others aerially, and others aquatically of a divine
nature. And this the ancients perceiving, employed in their divine
operations, adaptations and invocations, conformably to a division of
this kind. And thus much concerning the distribution of the Gods in the
world.[68]
CHAPTER IV.
If, however, the mundane as well as the supermundane Gods are
incorporeal, it may be asked how the visible celestial orbs can be
Gods? To this we reply, that the celestial Gods are not comprehended
by bodies, but that they contain bodies in their divine lives and
energies; that they are not converted to body, but that the body
which is suspended from their essence is converted to a divine cause;
and that body is no impediment to their intellectual and incorporeal
perfection, and is not the cause of any molestation to them by its
intervention. Hence it does not require an abundant care and attention,
but spontaneously and after a certain manner self-motively follows
the divinities with which it is connected, not being in want of any
manuduction, but by its elevation to the one of the Gods, is also
itself uniformly raised by itself.