Other secondary seven hebdomads, however, are to be considered under this, which produce as' far as to the last of things, the monads of this heptad. For each monad is the leader of an intellectual hebdomad conjoined with it, and extends this hebdomad from on high, from the summit of Olympus, as far as to the last, and terrestrial orders. I say, for instance, the first paternal monad, indeed, constitutes seven such monads. But the second again constitutes seven vivific monads. And the third, seven demiurgic monads. Each likewise of the un defiled monads constitutes a number equal to that produced by the fathers. And the monad of separation constitutes seven [separative monads]. For all these causes proceed in conjunction with each other. And aa the first triad of the fathers subsists together with the uudefiled triad,, and the divisive monad, after the same manner also, the second triads are allotted seven coordinate undefiled triads, and separative monads* Whence, therefore, does so great a number of intellectual Gods present itself to our view ? It is evident, indeed, from what has been said. For the first hebdomad, indeed, the cause of the second hebdomads, and which has the relation of a monad to them, and which u little before wc denominated an intellectual sphere, subsists according to the intelligible breadth, imitating the paternal nature of it through the paternal triad ; but the eternity of its power, through undefiled sameness; and the multitude shining forth in its extremities, through the monad which is divisive of wholes. The remaining hebdomads, however, which are derived from this, proceed according to the intelligible and intellectual genera. For each monad, conformably to the summits of those genera, constitutes a monad co-arranged with the multitude proceeding from it ; since every summit is uniform [i. e. has the form of the onc,J as we have before demonstrated. But according to the middle and third progressions of those genera, each monad generates two triads. For the separation of them was apparent in the middle and ultimate progressions, as we have before observed. As, therefore, the intelligible*
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and at the same time, intellectual genera, prodaccd the intelligible breadth, which is of a unical nature, into a triad ic multitude, after the same manner also the intellectual monads call forth the intelligible, and at the same time intellectual triads, into intellectual hebdomads. And they constitute indeed the monads which are coarranged with the hebdomads, according to the summits of the triads ; but the two triads, according to the second and third decrements of those triads. Hence every hebdomad has the first monad indeed intelligible ; but the second after this, and which is triad ic, intelligible and intellectual; and the third triad, which is the next in order, intellectual. All these likewise subsist as in intellectuals. For they are characterized according to the peculiarity of the constitutive monad.
In short, the intellectual powers proceed according to the intelligible orders ; but they constitute these seven hebdomads according to the first intellectual orders. For it is indeed necessary that exempt causes should he assimilated to the intelligible Gods ; but that co-arranged causes, and which proceed every where, should be assimilated to the intelligible, and at the same time, intellectual Gods ; since these also are the first that divide the worlds triadically, and pervade as far as to the last of things, connectedly containing and perfecting all things. But the intelligible Gods contain the causes of wholes uniformly, and occultly. You may also say, that the intelligible Gods produce all things uniformly ; for numbers subsist in them monadically. But the intelligible and intel- lectual Gods produce all things triadically. For the monads in these are divided according to number. And what the monad was in the former, that number is in the latter. And the intellectual Gods produce all things hebdomad ically. For they evolve the intelligible, and at the same time, intellectual triads, into intellectual hebdomads, and expand their contracted powers into intellectual variety ; since they define multitude itself and variety by numbers which are nearest to the monad. For the numbers of the partial are different from the numbers of the total orders in the Gods. And the whole of this intellectual number is indeed more expanded than the natures prior to it, and is divided into more various progressions, yet it docs not desert its alliance with the
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Chap. Iii. of Plato. 317
monad. For hebdomad ic multitude has an abundant affinity with the nature of the monad ; since it is measured according to it, and primarily subsists from it. And the Pythagoreans, when they denominate the heptad light according to intellect, evidently admit its hyparxis to be intellectual, and on this account suspended from the monad. For the unical, which light manifests, is inherent from this in all the divine numbers. And thus much concerning the division of these intellectual Gods.
It follows in the next place, that we should adapt the theory of Plato to this order, and show that he does not dissent from any of the theological dogmas concerning it. Since, therefore, we have demonstrated, that the celestial order, which wc find in the Cratylus perfectly celebrated, possesses the middle bond of the intellectual, and at the same time, intelligible Gods, but that under this another order of Gods is imme- diately arranged, as Socrates shows in the Pheedrus, called the subce- lestial arch, and which we have considered as not divided from the heaven, — this being the case, what order is it which divides itself from the kingdom of the heaven, but is the leader of the intellectual order of the Gods, and is primarily the supplier of intellect, according to the doctrine of Plato, as Socrates says in the Cratylus, except that which the mighty Saturn comprehends ? For he calls this God the first and most pure intellect. This God, therefore, is the summit of a divine intellect, and, as he says, the purest part of it ; separating himself indeed from the celestial order, but reigning over all the intellectual Gods ;
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because he is full of intellect, but of a pure intellect, and is a God extended to the summit of the iutellectual hypostasis. Hence also, he is the father of the mighty Jupiter, and is simply father. For Ue who is tlie father of the father of all things, is evidently allotted in a much greater degree the paternal dignity. Saturn, therefore, is the first intellect; but the mighty Jupiter is also an intellect, containing, as Socrates says in the Philebus, a royal soul, and a royal intellect.
And these Gods are two intellects, and intellectual fathers ; the one* indeed, being intellectual ; but the other intelligible, iu intellectuals. For the Saturn ian bonds which Socrates mentions in the Cratylus, are unific of the intelligence of Jupiter about the intelligible of his father* and fill the Jovian intellect with the all-perfect intelligence of the Saturnian intellect. And this I think is likewise evident from the analogy of souls to Pluto. For as he binds souls about himself, filling them with wisdom and intelligence, thus also Saturn being the object of desire and love to Jupiter, contains him in himself by indissoluble bonds.. And these things Socrates indicates in the Cratylus, jesting, and at the same time being serious in what he says. The object of desire therefore* and the intelligible to Jupiter, is Saturn. But the mighty Jupiter himself is a divine and demiurgic intellect. Hence, it is necessary that there should be a third other intellectual cause, generative of life. For Jupiter indeed is the cause of life, as Socrates says, but intellectually- and secondarily. But we say that life is every where arranged prior to intellect. Hence, we roust say that the queen Rhea, being the mother of Jupiter, but subordinate to the father Saturn, gives completion to this middle, existing as a vivific world, and establishing in herself the causes of the whole of life. These three paternal orders, therefore, have appeared to us in intellectuals : one of them indeed subsisting according to the intelligible power of intellectuals;' but another according to divine and intellectual life; and another according to intellectual intellect. For we celebrate the middle deity, herself by herself, as the mother of the demiurgus, and of wholes. When, however, we survey
' It appears from the version of Porta*, that the words o pr» tuna rr/t yoynjv twafui rm ntfm, are omitted in the original. Indeed, the sense requires that they should be inserted.
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her together with the extremes, we denominate her a paternal cause, as being comprehended in the fathers ; and as generating some things together with Saturn, but others in conjunction with Jupiter.
Moreover, Plato following Orpheus, calls the inflexible and undefiled triad of the intellectual Gods Curetic, as is evident from what the Athe* nian guest sajs in the Laws, celebrating the armed sports of the Curetes, and their rythmical dance. For Orpheus represents the Curetes who are three, as the guards of Jupiter. And the sacred laws of the Cretans, and all the Grecian theology, refer a pure and undefiled life and energy to this order. For ro x«p«* to koron, indicates nothing else than the pure and incorruptible. Hence, we hare before said, that the mighty Saturn, as being essentially united to the cause of undefiled purity, is a pure intellect. The paternal Gods therefore are three, and the undefined Gods also are three, Hence it remains that we should survey the seventh monad.
If, therefore, we consider the fabulous elections, both the Saturn ian and the Celestial, of which Plato makes mention, and thinks that such like narrations should always be concealed in silence, that the arcane truth of them should be surveyed, and that they are indicative of mystic con- ceptions, because these things are not fit for young men to hear,— [if we consider these] we may obtain from them what the separative deity is, who accomplishes the divisions, and segregates the Saturnian genera indeed from the Celestial, and the Jovian from the Saturnian, and who separates the whole intellectual order from the natures prior and posterior to it, disjoins the different causes in it from each other, and always im- parts to secondary natures, secondary measures of dominion. And let not any one be disturbed, or oppose me on hearing these things. How therefore does Plato reject exertions* bonds, and the tragical apparatus of fables ? For he thinks that all such particulars will be condemned by the multitude and the stupid, through ignorance of the arcana they con- tain ; but that they will exhibit to the wise certain admirable opinions. Hence, he indeed does not admit such a mode of fiction, but thinks it proper to be persuaded by the ancients who were the offspring of the Gods, and to investigate their arcane conceptions. As therefore he
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rejects the Saturnian fables, when they are narrated to Euthyprhon, aud the auditors of the Republic, yet at the same time admits them in the Cratylus, placing about the mighty Saturn and Pluto, other secondary bonds, — thus also, I think he forbids exections to be introduced to those who know only the apparent meaning of what is said, and does not admit that there is illegal conduct in the Gods, nnd nefarious aggressions of children against their parents, but he opposes, and confutes as much as possible such like opinions. He assents however to their being narrated to those who arc able to penetrate into the mystic truth, and investigate the concealed meaning of fables, and admits the separation of wholes, whether [mythologists] are willing to denominate them exections for the purpose of concealment, or in whatever other way they may think fit to call them. For bonds and exections are symbols of communion and se- paration, and each is the progeny of the same divine mythology. Nor is there any occasion to wonder, if from these things we endeavour to confirm the opinion of Plato; but it is requisite to know how the philosophy of Plato admits all such particulars, and how it rejects them, and in what manner he apprehends they may be the causes of the greatest evils, and of an impious life to those that hear them. The seven intellectual Gods, therefore, will through these, conceptions appear to have been thought worthy of being mentioned by Plato.
It is, however, 1 think, necessary syllogistically to collect the progres- sion of them according to hebdomads, from images. The demiurgus therefore, [in the Timaeus] fabricates the soul of the universe an image or all the divine orders, in the same manner as he fabricates this sensible