surveyed, together with the vvhoh ness And tin* first of those indeed, consists of the wholeness which is on i ;i< n side, has tin* wholeness prior to parts, and termi¬ nates in the whole tont.d soul. Hut the second preser\es tin* whole font d soul, vet ditides itself into parts, and has the whnh ness whieli roushts of parts. And the third distributes the tont.d soul, lint presortes itself a whole. In the first likewise ot tins** three, Faith and Heaven are contained. For tin* material nature w hieli is in the first, is cnlh d Fartli, matter being thus denominated lit the ancient tlienlngisls. Hut lleaien is an intellect of this kind, as separating the last from tin* first in hahitude, and as constituting this visible lit aven through its own hahitude. Inns therefore, the haliitnih* likt'wist* of the soul to tin* Inidy preserves the hotly. Knowing tlu-se things however, I think it is retpiisile to adhere, as Iiv a firm rahle, t*» the doctrine of our preceptor [Svriamis], For through this, we shall avoid eonlusetl and erroneous opinions, and shall conjoin onrsi lies to the most purt* eoneeplions tif I imlihcluis.
In tht* first pi ire I In‘ret ore, we should reeoileet that Plato is now speaking of the suhliinaiy finds, that all of them art* en ry where, and that they proceed according to the analogy of tin* intelligible and intelleetual kings. And in the second place we must say, tl.it as the first Hcnvin is the lioimdarv of ami con¬ nectedly contains the intellectual (lods, containing the measure which proceeds from the "w</,‘ and the intelligible (Iot|s, into tin* intelhi'lual orders, a fit r the same manner the Heaven which is now mentioned by Plato, is the hound.irv and container ot the Cioils that are the lahrieatoi's ol veneration, comprehending in one 1 m iniif 1 the demiurgic measure, and also that which proceeds from the celes¬ tial ( ea 1 s to those tliv imtifs that art* allottetl the realms of veneration, ami con¬ necting them with the celestial government of the (iotls. la»r as the Dcmiurgtis is to the hi«hI itself. so i* tht* one divinity of this Heaven, to the intelleetual Hea¬ ven. Hence as there, measure and hound proceed from the guod through Ileavi-n to all the iulellectnal (toils, so likewise here a hound arrives to the Hods the fabricators of veneration, and to the more excellent genera, [viz. to angels, tkcninns and heroes] from the Deinnirgus, and the summit of the mundane (lods; viz. through the connectedly-containing medium of this Heaven.* For the everywhere proceeding Heaven is allotted this order; in one procession of things indeed, unitedly and occultly; hut in another manifestly and separately. I'or m one order it introduces bound to souls ; in another to the works of nature,
1 For ft t nurnv, tl l* lltifsnrjf In read ri r’ aynOov.
* Instead of Xtyv £ij ret* roi> Ocpator mrv-^irrjt (ttiTOTijTOt, it U requisite to read, Xryw li« -t]i r*»* Ovparev, t. X.
Procujs on the
[book
and in another in a different manner to other things. And in air indeed, it effects this primarily; but in the aquatic orders secondarily; and inearth, and terres¬ trial works, in an ultimate degree. Hut there are also complications of these. For the diiine mode of subsistence, and also the danioniacal are different in the air and in the earth. For in one place, the mode is the same in dillerent orders ; but in another the mode is different in one allotment. 1 And thus much concern¬ ing the polli r of lb aven.
In the next place, directing tmr attention to F. nth, and blinking her aid. Me shall deriitin 11 hole of the theory concerning her from her first evolution into light. She first becomes manifest therefore, in the middle triads* of the intellec¬ tual Cods, together II ilh I Ieaieu, \i ho connectedly -contains the il hole intellectual order. She likewise proceeds analogous to the intelligible l.arlh, which we find to lx- the first of the mt< lligihle 1 triads And as tanking in the inilic orders, she is assimilated to the hi-t infinity. But she is the re< i mug bosom of the genera¬ tive dtsti of Ib-aieii, and t'u middle centre of his paternal goodness. She ;dso reigns together with him, and is the power of him who ranks as a lather. I he Faith however, uhieli is analogous to her, and presides in the sublunary regions, Ls as it were the prolific power of the Ileaieii pertaining to the realms ot genera¬ tion, unfolding into light Ins paternal, di fmitiie, m* asiiriiig and containing proii- deiicc, 11 liich prolifa ally * extends to all things. She likewise generates all the sublunary infinity just as Ib-an-u w ho belongs to tlur eo-oidiiiatioct of hound, introduces t» riuinalioii and end to secondary nature-, lb mud then lore and cud define die livparxis of cierv tiling at cording to which Cods ami da-inoiis, souls and bodies are connected and matte to In one, imitating the one unity of wholes, or m other words, the inellable principle of things; but infinity multiplies the powers of every being, l'or there is much hound in all sublunary natures, and likewise much infinity, which through dniuity, and after the Cods, exit nils to all things. We have there-fore, these two orders, w hich are generatin' of the divine or d.vinoniacal progressions, m all the sublunary genera and elements; and one kingdom of them in the same manner as in the intellectual orders.
From these however, a second duad proceeds. Ocean and Tethy s, this gene¬ ration not being effected by copulation, nor by any conjunction of tilings separat- « d, nor by division, nor according to a certain abscission, for all these aie foreign
* For Xi/iiii lure, nail
* For rpmtrjy it i« m-cewary to read rpiafau.
1 Tor Kfpwr nail tet/ru/y.
* tor i.p'i lit n*, n ad ymt/iui.
1 Instead of oTiyiae lure, il i» uecessary to read an^iiur.
Book T.]
TIM AX'S OF PLATO.
from the Gods; hut it is accomplished according to one union and indivisible conjunction of powers. Ami this union theologists are accustomed to call marriage. l or marriage, as tlie theologist Orpheus says, is appropriate to this order. For Ik* calls Earth the first iNymph, and the union of her with 1 [eaten the first marriage ; since there is no marriage in the divinities that are in the most eminent decree united. Hence there is no marriage between l’lianes and ISi^Iit, w ho are intelligibly united to each other; hut there is marriage among the Gods, who exhibit division of powers and energies, in conjunction with union. And marriage appears on this account to he adapted to the Heaven and Earth, which we are at present considi ring, so far as they adumbrate the intellectual Heaven and Earth ; which the sacred laws of the Athenians likewise knowing, ordered that the marriages of Heaven and Earth should he celebrated, as preparatory to initiation into the mysteries. Directing their attention to these also, in the Eleu- sinian mysteries, looking upward to the heavens, they exclaimed, O son! hut looking downward to the earth, () parent!" According to this union therefore, in conjunction with separation. Heaven and Karlli produce through their good¬ ness Ocean and Telhvs. Or rather, they do not immediately produce these, hut prior to these two monads, two triads, and duple ht-hdomads, among which are Ocean and Tclliys. And the monads indeed together with the triads remain with the father. lhit of tin* hebdomads. Ocean together with Tetlivs, abide and at the same time proceed. All the rest however, proceed into another order of finds. And this indeed, is the mode of their subsistence in the inti llectu al order. Hut here, Plato entirely omits the causes that abide in the father, but delivers to u.s those that proceed and at the same time abide, because his intention is to speak of the (iods that are the fabricators of generation. To these however, progression, motion, and difference are adapted, and a co-arrangement of the male with the h nude ; in order that there may he generation, that matter may l>e adorned 1 with forms, and that difference may be eombined with sameness. II< *nce Plato com¬ mences from the duad, proceeds through it, and again returns to it. Kor the duad is adapted fo material natures, us well as dilferenre, on account of the division of forms about matter. Having mentioned a duad likewise, lie begins from Earth ; for this is more adapted to things pertaining to generation.
With respect to these two divinities however, Ocean and Tethys, who abide in
’ Pcihajw l>y itic former of these exclamations in the rmstencs, the divine and celestial origin of the human soul was signified ; t>ut by the latter its terrestrial origin, tbrongh ill union with a terrene
body.
* for ior^<ii>^«ni here, it if necessary to read ucepovfitv »ji.
[book v
their csusos, and Qt the same tunc proceed from them, some say that Ocean is a corjH)real essence; others, that it i*» a swiitly pervadingnatuie, otheis, th.it it is tlie motion of a humid essence ; others, that it is ether through the velocity of its mo¬ tion; and others, that it is the intelligible profundity itself of life. The divine I imbhchus however, defines it to lie the middle motive dii ine cause, which middle souls, lives and intellections, etlicacious natures, and those elements that are pneumatic, sui h us air and tire, first participate. A nd vv ith respei t to 1 1 thy s, some say, that it is a humid esst nee; others, that it is a very mutable nature; anil others, that it is the hilarity of the universe, lint the divine lanihlichus asserts it to 1 m a productive power, possessing in energizing' an itlicacious establishment, the stable intellections of which, souls, natures, and powers participate, and which is likewise participated by certain solid receptacles, either ot earth or water, which prepare a si at for the » h unnts. Theodoras however, places liarlh and Heaven in tin* tilst part of tin* before mentioned first triad, according to ani¬ mation in habitude, I mean, in tin in-t of the wholes prior to parts, and con¬ siders Heaven as analogous to the intellectual, but Karth to the material nature: and of the rest, that which subsists according to the whole from parts, he calls Ocean; but the third, which subsists according to the wholeiiess of a part, he denominates 1 1 thy s.
We however, again assuming our principles say, that the causes ot these are indeed in the intellectual (»ods, and that tin v are likewise in the sensible uni¬ verse. lor Ocean every where distinguishes first from second orders, inconse¬ quence of which poets do not improperly call it the boundary of the earth, lint tin Ocean vvliiih is now the subject of discussion, is the cause of motion, pro¬ gression and power; inserting in intellectual lives indeed, acme, and prolific abundance; but in souls, celerity and vigour in their energies, and purity in their generations; and in bodies, facility of motion. And m the Oods indeed, it imparts a motive and prov ideiitial cause ; but in angi Is an unfolding and intel¬ lectual celerity and vigour. Again, in da-mons it is the supplier ot etlicacious power; hut in heroes, of a magnificent and flourishing life. It likewise subsists in each of tin* elements, according to its characteristic peculiarity. Hence, the aerial Ocean is the cause of all the mutation of aerial natures, and of the circle of the meteors, as also Aristotle says. But the aquatic Ocean giv es subsistence to fertility, facility of motion, and a 1-v irious powers. 1 or according to the poets, 1’iuiii tins ill seas, ami tun nvtr flow.
And the terrestrial ocean is the producing cause of generative perfection, of the
1 l'ur ut' awr>)» here, read uir‘
separation of forms, and of generation and corruption. Whether also there are certain terrestrial orders, vivilic ami demiurgic, it is the source of their distinction; or whether there are powers connective of the productive principles of the earth, and the impoctive guardians of generation, these also it excites and multiplies, and calls into motion.
With respect to Tethys, as the name indeed evinces, she is the most ancient and the progenitor of the Gods, in the same manner as it is fit to acknowledge of the mother Ilhea. For theologists denominate another Goddess prior to her Maia. Thus 1 hplicus.
Main, of Gcxls supreme, immortal Niglit,
\\ hat mean you say.