presence of both these, comprehends the prolific energy, the quiet mo- tion, and the stable intellection of intelligibles. But the celestial pro- fundity, is the one continuity of the whole triad, and the middle deity ■which conjoins the whole' celestial order, proceeding indeed from the intelligible comprehension, but ending in the celestial arch, which defines the boundary of the whole of the heaven. There is therefore, one union and connexion of all this triad, and an indissoluble progression from the back as far as to the arch, through this middle deity which is connasccnt with both the extremes, and which unfolds indeed the connective mul- titude, but on each side is bounded by the extremes ; one of which comprehends it supernally, but the other from beneath bounds its pro- gression.
The celestial arch therefore remains, which is the boundary beneath of the triad, and this is also the case with the intellect which is in it, being filled indeed by life, but united by the intelligible, and converting all the triad to its principle. For the arch also is similar to the back of the heaven, though according to interval it is less. Through subjection therefore it is diminished ; but through similitude it is converted to the celestial summit. And this is the celestial intellect which is the proxi- mate sunochem* of the subcelestial arch. Hence each1 arch is called the intellectual boundary of the intelligible and intellectual Gods. The whole connective triad therefore, is allotted such a division as this ; the back (to wbtoh) according to the intelligible (xar* to, wijtwO ; the profun- dity according to life ; and the arch according to intellect. But the whole of it is one and continued, because that which connects all other things, ought much more to be connective of itself. For each peculiarity of the Gods begins its energy from itself ; the peculiarity indeed, which is collective, fixing itself collectively in the highest union ; that which is convcrtive of wholes, converting itself to the principle ; and that which is undefiled preserving itself prior to other things pure from matter. Hence the connective peculiarity also, prior to its parti-
' For tmk tkm it is necessary to read n)» eAqn.
* i. e. That which connectedly contains.
' For nm$» I read t*xTt$*} in order that it may agree with
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BOpK IV.
ci pants, connects itself intelligibly and intellectually, and through this connexion the nature of the heaven is asserted to be one and continued. For all the triad converges to itself, and preserves its proper wholeness united, and most similar to itself according to nature. And the arch indeed, proximately connects all intellectuals, and compresses *t hem on all sides. But prior to this, the celestial profundity itself, which also comprehends the arch, binds together the whole orders. And prior to these, the celestial back uniformly comprehends according to one ambit of simplicity, all the celestial kingdom itself, and all things that are con- tained under it, and binds them to themselves, by connective power and hyparxis. For in the things also that are apparent to sense, the concave circumference of the heavens, proximately compresses the elements, and does not suffer them in their indefinite motions on all sides, to be dissipated and blown away. And still prior to these, the celestial bulk strongly compresses and impels all things to the middle, and leaves no void place. But there is one comprehension of all these, viz. the back of the heavens, which is the cause to the heavens of similitude, and to the elements of contact with the heavens. For the smooth and equable nature of the back of the heavens as Timaeus says, makes the whole of heaven similar to itself ; and always the natures which comprehend are connective of the natures that arc comprehended. It is necessary therefore from things that arc apparent, to transfer the similitude to the father of the intellectual Gods, Heaven, and to survey how he is both one and triple, supernal ly indeed, and beneath, possessing the intelligible and intellect; but according to the middle possessing life, which being the cause of progressions and intervals, and generative powers, we have properly arranged according to interval under the celestial profundity since Plato himself also 'calls the summit the back. " For those," says he, " that are called immortals, when proceeding beyond the heaven they arrive at the summit, stand on the back of the heaven." lie calls therefore, the summit of the celestial order, and beyond, the back of the heaven ; which things are in a remarkable manner the prerogatives of
1 Viz. m forming the celestial profundity.
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Chap, Xxii. of Plato. 269
the first of the Synoches. For connectedly containing all things in the one summit of his hyparxis, according to the Oracle, he wholly exists beyond, and is united to the supercelestial place, and to the ineffable power of it, being enclosed on all sides by it, and shutting himself in the uniform comprehension of intelligibles. For what difference is there between saying that the first of the Synoches is shut in the intelligible place of survey, and evincing that it is proximately comprehended by the supercelestial place, which was intelligible, but expanded in intel- lectuals ? If however, that which is beyond is the first, the summit is evidently coarranged with the rest, and is exempt from them. But if the first is a thing of this kind, being established according to the intelligible summit, and imparting by illumination to the other Gods, contact with the intelligible, and with the paternal port, it is indeed necessary that there should be a middle and an extremity, the one according to the celestial profundity, but the other according to the termination of the whole circulation. If however the circulation of the whole of the heaven is one and continued, the peculiarity of this order must be assigned as the cause of this. For being connective of the whole orders of the Gods, and prior to other things of itself, and being as it were the centre and bond of the divine genera, it in the first place binds and connects itself, and extends itself to one life. The heaven therefore is one and at the same time triple, and proceeds into three monads, being both unapparent and apparent, and that which is between these, and imitating the intelligible Gods who subside into intelligible triads.
Is you are willing however from what is written in the Cratylus, to see the peculiarity of this order, in the first place, let this be considered
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by you as an argument of the Synoche established in the middle, that a twofold habitude of it is delivered, one, towards intelligibles, but the other towards intellectuals. For it is said to see the things above, and to generate a pure intellect. Hence, of intelligibles it is the intelligence, but of intellectuals the intelligible. For the cause of intellect subsists prior to an intellectual cause, and that which is at once both these, especially gives completion to the middle order of intelligibles and intellectuals. For the collective deity, perceiving intelligibles, or rather being united to them, does not primarily give subsistence to a divine intellect. And the perfective deity, producing together with the middle divinity intellectuals, proximately perceives intellectually the celestial order, and not the intelligibles prior to the heaven. But the middle divinity alone, occupying the intelligible and intellectual centre, equally indeed extends to both, but perceiving intelligibles intellectually, it is the cause of intellectuals intelligibly. Since however, habitude to its causes precedes the power* in it which is generative of intellectuals, Socrates beginning from this habitude, delivers also a second power as suspended from it. But sight directed to things above is very properly assigned the appellation of celestial, as seeing the things above. This therefore, perfectly defines for us a habitude more ancient than the connectedly-containing order, jointly assuming it to be intellectual as with reference to intelligibles, and sight as with reference to the objects of sight, though it intellectually perceives itself, and is intelligible in itself. But the intelligible of it, as with reference to that which is primarily intelligible, is allotted an intellectual order. What follows however, unfolds the habitude of this middle to intellectuals. (For Socrates adds,) " Whence also, O Hermogenes, those who are conversant with things on high say that Heaven generates a pure intellect, and that this name is properly assigned to it." The order therefore, of the Heaven is expanded as a middle in the middle intellectual and intelligible Gods, compre- hending at once the intelligible and intellectual in one impartible connexion, subsisting similarly with respect to each of these, and being
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CHAP. XXII.
equally distant from the first intellectuals, and the unical intelligible*. Hence it is said to perceive intellectually the things above, and thus to produce (a pure) intellect.
Assuming this therefore, in the first place from what has been laid down, in the next place we should attend to this, that the celestial order being triple, and the whole of it intellectually perceiving intelligibles, and producing intellectuals, the first monad indeed in an eminent manner intellectually perceives intelligibles. For it mingles itself with intelligibles, knows intelligible intellect, is united to the natures prior to itself, and is impartible as in iropartibles, super-expanding itself towards intelligible simplicity. But the third monad is especially generative of intellectuals; since it is the intellect of the whole connective triad. And with the Orphic theologists also, Heaven the father of Saturn is the third. But the middle monad produces together with the third the intellectual order of the Gods ; but is conjoined together with the first to intelligibles, and is filled indeed with intelligible union from the first, but fills the third * with prolific powers. Do you not see therefore, how Plato through the peculiarity of the extremes, unfolds to us the whole celestial order? Conjoining indeed, the intelligible hyparxis of it to intelligibles ; but its intellectual hyparxis to intellectuals ; and affording us the means of collecting its hyparxis which is the middle of both these, and which proceeds according to a common peculiarity. For if you likewise wish to assume this from what has been said, the celestial light is conjoined to the light of intelligibles. For sight is nothing else than light. The middle order therefore, by its own light, and by the divine summit of itself is conjoined to the first natures ; but by an intellectual nature, and the boundary of the whole triad, it generates intellect, and all the unpolluted- deity of intellectuals. For it does not produce intellect by itself, but in conjunction with purity. For this Socrates himself asserts : " Whence also, they say, that a pure intellect is gene- rated by it." Hence I he celestial order is the first-efficient cause of the intellectual hyparxis, and of undefilcd power. If however it is necessary
' For Jjamtv it it necessary to read rf.njy
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272 ON THE THEOLOGY BOOK IV.
that purity should not be inherent in intellect from accident, it is the deity of those beings thai are exempt from secondary natures, and is the supplier of immutable power, which the mighty Heaven producing in conjunction with intellect, is at the same time the efficient cause of the Gods who are the sources of purity, and of the intellectual fathers. These indications therefore of the truth concerning the connective Gods, may also be assumed from the Cratylus.
CHAFFER XXIII.
It remains therefore that in conformity to what is written in the Phaedrus, we should survey the subcelestial arch, and the peculiarity of the Gods that are there. Before however we begin the doctrine con- cerning it, I wish to premise thus much, that some of the most celebrated of the interpreters prior to us, conceiving that this subcelestial arch is a divine order arranged under the heaven, have thought fit to rank it immediately after the first God, calling the first God Heaven. But others have arranged both the heaven, and the subcelestial arch in the breadth of intelligibles. For the Asineean philosopher indeed [Theodoras] being persuaded by Plotinus, calls that which proximately proceeds from the ineffable, the subcelestial arch, as in his treatise concerning names he philosophizes about these things. But the great Iamblichus conceiving the mighty heaven to be a certain order of the intelligible Gods, (and in one place he considers it to be the same with the deraiurgus,) asserts that the order proximately established under the heaven, and as it were begirding it, is the subcelestial arch. And these things he has written in his Commentaries on the Phaedrus. Let no one therefore think that we make any innovation concerning the theology of this order, and that we