time, but to another the future pertains, [as to the
accomplishment of the decrees of fate]. The des¬
tiny, indeed, of the intellect which is prior to the
world, is to remain in the intelligible region, and
from thence to impart something [to the sensible
universe]. And particulars, falling under the uni¬
versal law, are from thence sent hither. For in
each, that which is universal is inherent. This law,
also, does not receive its perfective power exter¬
nally, but is imparted so as to be in the natures that
use it, and to be carried about with them. When
the time, likewise* arrives [which the law decreed]*
then that is effected which it wished to be effected*
by those who possess this law. Hence, they them¬
selves accomplish the law which surrounds them*
and becomes strong through being established in
them ; oppressing them as it were with its wreight*
and producing in them a promptitude and veher
merit desire of arriving at that place, to which the
law within them announces they should come.
XIV* These things* therefore* thus subsisting,
this world having many lights* and being illustrated
by souls* Is adorned by other prior worlds* deriving
a different gift from a different world ; both from
those Gods themselves, and from other intellects*
through whom souls are imparted to the universe·
And it is probable* that this is obscurely indicated
by the fable, in which it is said that Prometheus
having fashioned a woman* the other Gods also
contributed to her embellishment. It is likewise
said, that he mingled earth with water* and inserted
the human voice ; that he gave her a form resem¬
bling that of the Goddesses ; that Venus and the
Graces imparted something to her; and that a
different divinity bestowed on her a different gift
And lastly, that from the gift, and all the givers,
she was called Pandora. 1 For all the Gods gave
something to this figment, which was produced by
a certain providence.1 But what else is signified
E The recondite meaning of this fable, is thus beautifully unfolded· by Olympiodorus in his MS. Scholia, On the Gor- gias of Plato : “ Prometheus is the inspective guardian of the descent of rational souls : for to exert a providential energy is the employment of the rational soul, and prior to any thing else to know itself. Irrational natures, indeed, perceive through percussion, and prior to impulsion know nothing; but the rational nature is able, prior to information from ano¬ ther, to know what is useful. Hence, Epimetheus is the in¬ spective guardian of the irrational soul, because it knows
.... , . i t * r
through percussion, and not prior to it. Prometheus, there¬ fore, is that power which presides over the descent of rational souls. But the fire which he stole from heaven, signifies the rational soul itself ; because as fire tends upward, so the ra¬ tional soul pursues things on high. But you will say, why is this fire said to have been stolen ? I answer, that which is stolen is transferred from its proper place to one that is foreign. Since, therefore, the rational soul is sent from its proper place of abode on high, to earth as to a foreign region, on this
account the fire is said to be stolen. But why was it con-
cealed in a reed ? Because a reed is cavernous, and therefore signifies the fluid body in which the soul is carried. Why, however, was the fire stolen, contrary to the will of Jupiter?
- , ·' r* t ■ ■' .. - * · '
Again, the fable speaks as a fable. For both Prometheus and Jupiter are willing that the soul should abide on high ; but as it is requisite that she should descend, the fable fabricates par^· ticulars accommodated to the persons. And it represents, in·
.** r*4*' f
deed, tt*c superior character, which is Jupiter, as unwilling ;
by Prometheus warning his brother Epimetbeus,
not to accept the gift4 [Pandora], than that the
choice of that which is in the intelligible, is more
excellent [than of that which is in the sensible
world ?] The maker, however, Prometheus, was
afterwards bound, because in a certain respect he
comes into contact with the thing generated by
for he wishes the soul always to abide on high : but .the jnfe» rior character, Prometheus, obliges her to descend, Jupiter, therefore, ordered Pandora to be made9 And what else is this than the irrational soult which is of a feminine characteristic f For as it was necessary that the soul should descend to these lower regions, but being incorporeal and divine, it was impos¬ sible for her to be conjoined with body without a medium ; hence she becomes united with it through the irrational souL But this irrational soul was called Pandora, because each of the Gods bestowed on it some particular gift» And this signi·» iies that the illuminations which terrestrial natures receive, take place through the celestial bodies/* 3
a Fieinus, in what is here said of Prometheus, appears to have entirely mistaken the meaning of Plotinus, and also not to have attended to what is asserted in the fable itself. For the translation of Ficinus is : “ Quod a lit, cm Epimetbeus ei donum dederit nullum/* But the Greek is : o Se π γομηθεν$ €ΐ7τοποιονμςνο$ το Βωρον αυτόν & See the Works and Days of Hesiod.
s For the irrational soul is an immaterial bodyr or in other words, vitalized extension , inch as the mathematical bodies which we frame in the phantasy or imagination ; and the celestial bodies are of /this·· kind, „
him. A bond, also* of this kind is external, and
the solution of it is by Hercules ; because he
possesses a liberating power* Of these things,
however, any one may form whatever opinion he
pleases* But it is evident that the gifts imparted
to the world are indicated by this fable, and that it
accords with what has been before said.
XV. Souls, therefore, fall from the intelligible
world, in the first place indeed, into the heavens,
and there receiving a body, they now proceed
through it into more terrene bodies, so far as their
progressions are more extended in length. And
some of them indeed, proceed from the heavens
into inferior bodies, but others pass from certain
bodies into others ; these being such as have not a
power sufficient to raise themselves from hence, on
account of the great weight and oblivion which they
have attracted, and which draw them downward
by their oppressive influence. But souls become
different from each other, either through the diver¬
sity into which they are introduced, or through the
difference of their fortunes and educations ; or
again, they have a difference from themselves ; or
they differ in all these respects, or in some of them.
And some of them, indeed, entirely fall under the
dominion of the fate which is here ; but others, at
one time are subject to fate, and at another are
dependent only on themselves* Others again grant
that such things as are necessary must indeed be
endured, but that such things as are their own
works belong to themselves, and that living accord»
ing to another legislation which comprehends in
itself all beings, they give themselves to another
more sacred law* This legislation, however, is a
contexture consisting of all the reasons and causes
that are here, of psychical motions and the laws
derived from thence· It also accords with these,
thence receives its principles, and weaves together
with them whatever is of a consequent nature·
And such things indeed, as are able to save them¬
selves according to their proper habit, it preserves
unshaken ; but it conducts other things to that con¬
dition of being to which they are naturally adapted,
so as to be the cause in their descent of the different
situations of different things.
XVI. The punishments, therefore, which are
inflicted with justice on the wicked, it is proper to
refer to the order which leads every thing in a be-
coming manner. Such things* however, as happen
to the good without justice, as punishments, or
poverty, or disease, may be said to take place
through offences committed in a former life. For
these things are woven together, and are pre-signi-
fied, so that they are also produced according to
reason. Or shall we say that these are not effected
according to physical reasons, nor to he ranked
among things which have a precedaneous subsist¬
ence* but among such as are consequent to them ?
As if some edifice should fall, the animal upon
which it falls would be killed, whatever it might
be. Or as if two certain things moving with an
orderly motion, or even one thing thus moving, that
which happens to fall at the time, should be broken
or trampled on. Or it may be said, that this un¬
just circumstance is not an evil to him who suffers
it, and is useful to the connexion of the whole of
things. Or that neither is it unjust, things having
a just retribution from antecedent transactions.
For it is not proper to think that some things are
co-ordinated, but that others are to be referred to
the impulse of arbitrary will. For if it is necessary
that things should be generated according to causes
and physical consequences, and according to one
reason and one order, it is also necessary to think
that the smallest things are co-ordinated, and woven
together. Hence the unjust conduct of one man
towards another, is indeed unjust to the doer, and
the agent is not without blame, yet being co-ordi¬
nated in the universe, it is not unjust with reference
to it, nor to him who suffers the injury, but it was
thus fit that it should take place. But if he who
is injured is a worthy man, the end of these things
is good to him.® For it is necessary to think, that
this co-ordination of things is not without divinity,
and is not unjust, but is accurate in the retribution
of that which is appropriate ; but that it has im ma¬
nifest causes, and on this account is the occasion of
blame to the ignorant.
XVII. That souls, however, first descend from
< Conformably to this, it is divinely said by Plato in the Republic : u Whatever comes from the Gods to the man who is beloved by the Gods, will all be the best possible, unless he has some necessary ill from former miscarriage. Hence, if the just man happens to be in poverty, or disease, or in any other of those seeming evils, these things issue t© him in some» thing good either whilst alive or dead. For never at any time is he neglected by the Gods, who inclines earnestly to endea¬ vour to become just, and practises virtue, as far as it is pos·» sible for man to^resemble God.”
the intelligible into the heavens, may be rationally
inferred from the following considerations. If the
heaven is in the sensible place that which is most
excellent, it will be proximate to the extremities of
intelligibles. Hence, the celestial bodies are first
animated from thence, and participate of them, as
being more adapted to participation. But a ter¬
restrial body is the last of bodies, is naturally
adapted to participate of soul in a less degree, and
is more remote from an incorporeal nature. All
the celestial souls indeed illuminate heaven, and
impart as it were much of themselves, and the first
procession from themselves to it, but other things
become fulgid through posterior natures. The
souls, however, which descend below the heavens,
illuminate another inferior nature, but their condi¬
tion is not ameliorated by proceeding to a greater
extent. For there is something which is as it were
a centre ; but after this is a circle shining from the
centre ; and after this, another circle, which is a
light emanating from a light. External to these,
however, there is no longer another circle of light,
but that which is posterior to them is indigent of
its proper light, through the want of a foreign
splendor. But let this be a rhombus, or rather a
sphere, of such a kind as to participate of the
second of these circles, to which it is the next in
order, and through proximity to which it becomes
resplendent. The great light, therefore, [i. e. in¬
tellect] illuminates abiding, and the light which
emanates from it proceeds according to [or is cha¬
racterized by] ’reason. But the other things co¬
illuminate, some indeed abiding, but others being
abundantly attracted by the splendor of that which
is illuminated. In the next place, since the illu¬
minated natures require much guardian attention,
like ships in a storm at sea, the pilots of which
incessantly watch over them, and neglecting their
own concerns, forget that they are frequently in
danger of perishing together with the ships ; thus
also these souls are abundantly hurried away from
their own concerns, and afterwards are detained in
the bonds of enchantment, being held in durance
through their attention to nature. But if each
animal was such as the universe, having a body suf¬
ficient and perfect, and free from the danger of
passivity, in this case, the soul which is said to be
present with body, would not be present with it,
but entirely abiding on high would impart life to
the body [which is suspended from it].
XVIIL Again, shall we say that the soul em¬
ployed the discursive energy of reason, before she
came into body, and will also after her departure
from it ? Or shall we say that a reasoning process