The Theology of Plato, in six books — trans. Thomas Taylor

which are imitations of intellect, as it were to sportive souls, and through these excited our gnostic and dianoetic power to the contemplation of forms. For every artificial production is effective of form, and adorns the matter which is the subject of it. The fable also adds, that Prometheus providentially attending to the arts gave them to souls, and that he received them from Vulcan and Minerva. For in

CHAP. XXIV. OF PLATO. 377

these Gods the cause of all arts is primarily comprehended ; Vulcau. primarily imparting the fabricative power of them ; but Minerva supernally illumiuating their guostic and intellectual power. Not only however, is the invention of arts necessary to souls in generation, but also a certain other science, the political, which is more perfect than the arts, and which is able to arrange and adorn tliem, aod to lead souls through virtue to a life according to intellect. But as Prometheus was unable to impart this life to us, because the political science is primarily with the mighty Jupiter, but it was not possible (says the fable) for Prometheus to enter latently into the tower of Jupiter, (for the guards of Jupiter are terrible, defending him exempt from aJl partial causes,) — hence Jupiter sent the messenger Hermes to men, who brought with him prudence and shame, and in short the political science. Jupiter also ordered Hermes to imparl similarly to all men these virtues, and to distribute to all souls the knowledge of things just, beautiful, and good, but not in a divided manner, as different arts are distributed to different persons. Aod some men indeed are judges of these things; but others are ignorant either of all, or of some of the arts.

In what is here said, therefore, Plato primarily refers to Jupiter the paradigm of the political science, as is evident from the words themselves. But he produces the progression of this science, and the communication and participation of the Hermaical series, aud extends its essential presence, which we participate in common, to all souls. For to distribute to all of them, is to insert in souls essentially a science of this kind. Tltese things, therefore, being laid down, let us consider to whom we must say ihe political science especially pertains, and who it is that primarily established a polity in the universe, that formed divine to govern mortal natures, divided wholes from parts, and produced self-motive and intellectual natures more aocient than those thut are deprived of the presence of intellect.

and who it is that primarily established a polity in the universe, that formed divine to govern mortal natures, divided wholes from parts, and produced self-motive and intellectual natures more aocient than those thut are deprived of the presence of intellect. Is it not the demiurgns, who is the cause to us of all these goods, who governs the whole world according 60 rectitude, binds it by the best analogies, ebtablishea every polity in it, possesses and comprehends the laws of Fate, and extends the sacred law6 of Adrastia, as far as to the last of tilings, and arranges and adorns by justice Froc. Vol. I. 3 B

p. 378

ON THE THEOLOGY

BOOK V.

all celestial and sublunary natures ? For he who introduces partial souls into the universe as into their habitation, and imparts to them a total polity which is the best of all polities, and is governed by the most excellent laws, is he who denominates these laws the laws of Fate, who defines the measures of Justice, and legally institutes all things, as Timseus says. Is it not therefore superfluous to endeavour to prove that he who possesses the first paradigm of the political science* is according to Plato the demiurgus?

If, however, these things are true, and according to the fable in the Protagoras it must be admitted that the political science first subsists in Jupiter, it is evident from what has been said, that the demiurgus of the universe is Jupiter. For to what other cauee can we grant the primary form of the political science to belong, than to that which arranges and adorns the universe ? If the polity ia the heavens is the first and most perfect of all polities, as Socrates in the Republic says k is. Who likewise is he that produces all things, and co-arranges them when produced to each other, in order to the elegant disposition of the universe ? If, therefore, the first and most perfect demiurgus of the universe is political,, but the political science first subsists with Jupiter, being established with him on a sacred foundation, proceeds from thence to all secondary natures, and adorns and arranges both wholes and parts according ft> intellect, it is evidently necessary that the demkirgus of wholes should be the same with Jupiter, and that there should be one byparxis of both, which administers every thing in the world according to rectitude, and ' circularly leads every thing confused and disorderly into order. For, says Timaeus, it is not lawful for that which is best to effect any thing else than that which is most beautiful.

th, which administers every thing in the world according to rectitude, and ' circularly leads every thing confused and disorderly into order. For, says Timaeus, it is not lawful for that which is best to effect any thing else than that which is most beautiful. How therefore is it possible that he who adorns and arranges wholes through Themis, and together with ber produces all things, should not essentially possess in himself the whole of the political science ?

How is it possible likewise that he should not be the first Jupiter, who definitely imparts to ail things that which is divine, and weaves one polity from all things, but is exempt from all partial causes and the Titannic genera, and is guarded by his own undefiled powers, beyond the whole

CHAP. XXV.

OP PLATO.

p. 379

world ? For the guards which surround him, obscurely signify his immutable order, and the undeviating defence of fabrication, through which being firmly established in himself, he pervades through all things without impediment, and being present to all his progeny, is according to supreme transcendency expanded above wholes. Moreover, the citadel of Jupiter, according to the rumours of theologists, is a symbol of intellectual circulation, and of the highest summit of Olympus, which all the wise suspend from the intellectual watch tower of Jupiter, to which he extends all the mundane Gods, imparting to them from thence intellectual powers, divine light, and vivific illuminations, and compressing all the profundities of the worlds by one most simple circulation, through which the summit also of the apparent worlds is denominated the period of sameness, and the most prudent and uniform circulation, as Timeeus says, expressing the unical intellectual power of demiurgic conversion, and being allotted the same transcendency with respect to all the sensible world that the supreme summit of Jupiter possesses with respect to all the arrangement of the firmaments. These things may also be assumed by us as subservient to the proposed investigation, from the fabulous fictions in the Protagoras.

RAPIER XXV.

Wb may, however, approach still nearer to the truth, and assume in the present discussion, the fable in the Politicus. For in this it will appear that Plato in a remarkable manner considers the demiurgus of the universe to be the same with Jupiter, and even as far as to the very names asserts the same things a6 Timaeus. The Elean guest, therefore, as we have before observed, assigns £in this dialogue] twofold circulations

p. 380