The Commentaries on the Timaeus of Plato — trans. Thomas Taylor

Hence diemons abide on high, but partial souls sometimes descend, divid¬ ing themselves about bodies, as l»eing more adapted to these. I*or if in partial souls, the genus of ditlerence is redundant, which makes them unable always to

* Instead of evr here, it is necessary to read w*r.

VOL. II.

Tim. Pint.

3D

p. 394

PROCLUS ON THE

[book V.

energize according to all their powers, it necessarily follows, that they must l»e more familiarized with the life, which is di\isihle about body, ami !>e more remote from an impartible essence, and thus preserve the analogous to each of the ex¬ tremes; just a> the most divine of souls, through a similitude to intellect, are more exempt 1 from partible natures, ami are more united to the impartible essences above them, from which they are oonuasceiitU suspended ; ami also establish an intellectual order in souls. It appears likewise, that the intellect of each da-moil, as In mg a whole and one, is the intellect of the ihemou that proximately partici¬ pates it, but coinprctn mis also, the nuinbt r ot the souls th.it are under it, and the intellectual paradigms of them.* Kaeh partial soul therefore, w ill have, as an im¬ partible essence, the proper paradigm ot its» It contained in this mti llect, and not simplv the whole intellect, ill the same manner as the d.eiuou who is essentially the leader ot these souls. \\ e sa\ therefore, that tin impartible of each partial soul w hit !i is abuv i it, may be more accurately di lined to lie, the I or ill of it, w Inch i*i comprehended in the one intellect that is allotted the government of the il.emoniacal series, under which each partial soul is arranged. \ud thus both the asser¬ tions are true, that the intelhs t alone ot i*ach is established lit the u itures winch always exist on high, and that each is a medium, between the impaitible above, and the partible nature posterior to it And thus much concerning these parti¬ culars.

\ud thus both the asser¬ tions are true, that the intelhs t alone ot i*ach is established lit the u itures winch always exist on high, and that each is a medium, between the impaitible above, and the partible nature posterior to it And thus much concerning these parti¬ culars.

Itut after what manner does the Deiniurgus point out to these souls, the nature of the universe ? Is it by conveiting them to the world, and preparing them to survey the reasons contained in nature 1 'This however, is to make them less excellent, and to convert them from separate reasons to such as are inseparable from sensible*. But the Deiniurgus, on the contrary, elevates souls to the intelli¬ gible, converts them to himself, separates them from matter, and tills them with divine powers and demiurgic intellec tions. May it not lie said then-lure, that having the cause of nature in himself, he converts souls to himself? For every one who points out, entirely looks to that which he indicates. But the Deiniurgus alone looks to things prior to himself, and to himself, lie beholds therefore the nature, which he indicates to souls, in himself. For he contains the unical prin¬ ciples of all things, and pre-established in himselt powers effective ol the gene¬ ration both of other Brings, and of nature. And as he antecedently contains bodies incorporeally, thus also, he comprehends nature siiperuaturally. I liese things therefore arc* rightly asserted, it is necessary however to speak after hook V.]

* tor tiwTtioOai here, tl is necessary to read

1 Instead of avrov til tins place, it is uecessary to lead avrut ,

Tl.M/EUS OF PLATO.

p. 395

I liese things therefore arc* rightly asserted, it is necessary however to speak after hook V.]

* tor tiwTtioOai here, tl is necessary to read

1 Instead of avrov til tins place, it is uecessary to lead avrut ,

Tl.M/EUS OF PLATO.

p. 395

another manner, not only placing idea in the Demiurgiis philosophically, hut likewise, as thcnlngists teach, surveying Nature primarily, pre-existing intellec¬ tually in the vivihe deity. Lor hem" suspended from thence, she governs this visible world, assimilates material to immaterial reasons, am 1 refers corporeal to primordial motions, lint it is necessary, to survey Nature secondarily, accord¬ ing ' to the mundane order of the vivific (ioddess, conformably to what the Drat les say, that immense Xafure is suspended from the back o) the Goddess. From her primary subsistence however, in vivilic dcitv, she proceeds into the demiurgic intellect. It is likew ise requisite that souls should survey the fountains and roots ol Nature in orderthat they may liehold their ow n dignity ami the total series from whence they are suspended, and that adhering to this, they should contemplate the universe. For by directing their view to Nature herself, they co-arrange them¬ selves * with Fate. As therefore, the Demiurgiis himself, by antecedently com¬ prehending the paradigm of Nature, governs tiie universe, thus aI>o he is desirous that souls looking to the first and intellectual cause of Nature, should revolve on high, and conduct the whole world. For this is the highest allotment of souls. The Demiurgiis therefore, points out to souls, that fontal Nature, which pre¬ exists in the whole vivilic Cioddess, conformably to that oracle itself of the (iods, which they delivered to their genuine mystics. Hut since souls have second and third lives, the Demiurgiis also gives to them the reasons, or productive principles of these.

“ lie also announced to them the Laws of Fate.”

That this is the second speech of the Demiurgiis, again proceeding to souls through words adapted to souls, is evident. The former speech however, of the Demiurgiis, is immediately addressed to the junior (iods, as (iods of (iods. Hut the second speech 1 indicates that the Demiurgiis tills also these souls with words or reasons, hut not immediately as he does the junior (iods. And the scope indeed, in the former speech, comprehends a representation* of providential reasons, hut in the latter, of the laws of Fate. Having therefore premised thus much, w e say, 1m taking ourselves to the things which are the subject of conside¬ ration, that Fate must not 1m* said to he a partial nature, as some of the lVripa-

* The word-* frvrrpvt *nrn, arc omitted in this place in the original, but ought to be inserted.

* For ent/rnn In fC, read inorni.

1 The words i} <V ttvrrpa, arc also in this place erroneously omitted.

4 I or here, read t^^xxeiv.

p. 306

IMtOCLUS ON THE

[book V.