therefore, are entirely untningled with matter; adorning indeed things mingled in an itnmiiiglcd, and things generated in an unbegotten manner. They likewise contain partihles imparlibly, are the causes of tife, the suppliers of intellect, the replenishes of power, the givers of soul, the primary leaders of all good, and the sources of order, providence, and the hest administration. They also give subsis¬ tence to more excellent animals about themselves, are the leaders of angels the rulers of duMiions, and the prefects of heroes ; governing through this triple army tlie whole of generation. If therefore, we assert that the appropriate order of these divinities about generation, is the basis and seat of the total Cods, we shall speak rightly. And we shall likewise not err in asserting that tliev convolve the end of the divine decrement to the beginning. Such then Iteing the nature of these dninitics, Plato indeed looking to the Cods that are both intelligible and intellectual, and to those that .ire projtcrly called intellectual, surveyed lour pro¬ gressions of them in common. But they also contain powers derived from the sufvernuuidane Cods; whether they proceed from the twelve leaders, or from certain other deities.
Prom the celestial choir of Cods likewise, a ci rtain order proceeds into gene¬ ration, which, as the divine lambliehus says, is doubled in its progression. J'or from the twenty-one leaders, forty two governments of (.oils who are the fabrica¬ tors of generation, are derived according to eat h eh limitary allotment, lint from the thirty-six deead irelis, 1 sevi nty-two sublunary rulers proceed ; and in a simi¬ lar maimer other (bids ; Ireing the double of the celestial < .'uds in multitude, but falling short of them in power. It is likewise necessary to survey their triple progressions, their quintuple divisions, and their divine generation according to the hebdomad. l or they receive an orderly distribution in a tlncefold, five¬ fold, and sevenfold manner, analogous to tin whole world; in order that each of the elements may 1 m* a w orld, and may be truly an imitation of the universe. Such therefore is the coneise doctrine concerning the sublunary Cods, accordin'** to twofold essences, lives, and allotments ; just as Plato also makes theruhng progeny of them to be dyadic.
In the next place, let us consider the worths of the father, and what that is, for the sake of which they proceed. The words therefore, are neither those w hich proceed through the mouth : for this is foreign from an immaterial and separate essence ; nor physical, for these are not primarily imparted to mundane natures by the Dcmiurgus,
Ihcse thirty-sn decad.irdi* are the divinities alluded to by the Cmperor Julian in Ins Omlion to the Sun, when he s.tys, “ that I hr Suit divide* the mdiac into twelve |>uwrrs of find*, and cadi of tbr»e into three others, »o that thirty mi are produced in the whole."
non* r.]
TIMzEUS OF PLYTO.
p. 335
but by the one nature of the unm rse; nor psychical, for the one soul of the world, and all such other soids as have a generation, anteredentlv comprehend these; nor intellectual; for in short 1 the intellect of the universe, and all the intellects that constitute if, comprehend these in themselves, lint it must be said, as that which is worthy of the speaker, that they arc demiurgic and divine, causing all the g, •aerated Gods to be demiurgi, and to be characterized by the power of the speaking God. For words are communications of powers from lied to second¬ ary natures, and of the divine providence and admirable life, which the Demiurgus of wholes, antecedently comprehends in hitnsi If. Such therefore are, as we have said, the w ords.
The end of them however, is to render the Gods hv w hom thev are received, demiurgic. I’or as the reasons [nr productive powers] which proreed from art into matter, make artificial forms ; those that proreed from nature, physical; from soul animated ; and from intellect, intellectual ; after the same manner the reasons for words], that proceed from the Gods, make all the genera that are obedient to them divine. Hut since of the Gods themselves, some are oj the demiurgic, and others, of the vivilic order, some are rharaeti ri/.cd by an immutable and pure life, but others have some other characteristic property,- lienee the form of the words, is defined according to the peculiarities of the speakers. For it is either demiur¬ gic, or the cause of a divine life, or the supplier of immutabilitv and purity. H once, since he who now delivers the words is the I)emiurgiis, the words pro¬ ceed characterized ny demiurgic power ronformahly to the peculiarity of the speaker, and render the recipients of l!i**m Demiurgi. For though there are dif¬ ferent orders of the mundane (iods, viz, demiurgic, v ivifir, connectedly-con¬ taining, perfective, guardian, judicial, and cathartic orders, in the same manner as there are of the Gods . stahli-ln d above the heavens; since the former proreed according to the latter: yet at the same time, all of them participate of all powers. Differ, tit Gods however, are d. lined more or less by a different peculiarity. Hence, each participates of demiurgic power, so far as all of them are co-arranged with the demiurgic monad; of vivifir power, so far ns they are illuminated by the vivific fountain ; and in a similar manner, in the other powers. If, however, the speaker was a v iv ilic God, wc should say, that he filled his auditors through his words, with divine life. Hut since lie who delivers the speech is the Dcmiurgus, he imparts to the Gods the demiurgic peculiarity, disseminates his one fa¬ brication into the multitude of muiidan- Gods, and renders them fabricators of other mortal genera, he himself being eternally established in his own place of sur¬ vey, according to divinely-inspired poetry, on the summit of Olympus. Such
> For oXon here, it o neceitary to read »X*i o >»»i
p. 336
PKOCLUS ON THE
[book * therefore are the words, and this is the end of this demiurgic speech. It now remains that we should proceed to the dev elopement of the words themselves.
“ Gods of Gods.**
The scope of this speecli is to insert demiurgic power and providence in the mundane genera of (.Joels, to lead them forth to the generation of the remaining kinds of animals, and to place them over mortals, analogously to the father of wholes over the one orderly distribution of the universe. For it is necessary that some things should he primarily generated by the demiurgic monad, and others through other media; the Demiurges indeed, producing all things from himself at once ami eternally, hut the things produced in order and first proceeding from him, producing together with him the natures posterior to themselves. Thus, for instance, the celestial produce sublunary (Jods, and these 1 generate mortal animals; the Demiurgus at the same time fabricating these in conjunction with the Celestial and sublunary divinities. For in -p« .thing he undeistamls all things, and by understanding all things he also makes the mortal genera of animals; these requiring anode i pro.ximati generating cause,so far as they are mortal, and through this receiving a progression into b< mg lint the character of the winds is eulhiisiaide, shining with intellectual intuitions, pure and venerable as being perfected by the father of the Cuds, dilh ring from and transcending Imuran conn ptions, delicate and at the same time astonishing, full of grace and l>« auty, at once concise and per¬ fectly accurate. Plato, therefore, particularly studies these things in the imitations of divine speeches ; as he also evinces in the Republic, when lie represents the Muses sjH'aking sublimely, amt the prophet ascending to a lofty seat, lie also adorns both these speeches with conciseness and veiierahleness, employing the accurate powers of colons, directly shadow mg forth divine intellections through such a form of words. Rut in the words before us he omits no transcendency eitln r of (lie grand and robust in the sentences and the names adapted to the-f de¬ vices, or of magnitude in the conceptions and the figures \ liieh give completion to this idea. Resides this, also, much distinction and purity, the unfolding of truth, and the illustrious prerogatives of beauty, are mingh d with the idea ol mag¬ nitude, this being e-pet ially adapted to the subject things, to the speaker and to the hearers. For the objects of tliis speech art*, the perfection ot tin* universe, an assimilation to all-perfect animal [i. e. to its paradigm], and the generation of alt mortal animals ; die maker of all things, at the same time, presiibsisting and hook
* For tuirwi brer, it it nrcoMiv to read rnvrwi
TIM/EL'S Of I’LATO
.337 adorning all things, through exempt transcendency ; but the secondary fabricators adding what was wanting to tin* formation of the universe. All, therefore, licing great and divine, as well tin* persons as the things,'and shining with lienuty anti a distinction from each other, l’lato has employed words adapted to the form of the speech.
Ilomer, also, when energizing enthusiastically, represents Jupiter speaking, converting to him>eif the two-fold co-ordinations of Gods; becoming himself, as it were, the centre of all tin* divine genera iti the world, and making all things oliedient to his intellection. Hut at one time he conjoins the multitude of Gods with himself without a medium, and at another through Themis as the medium:
Hut Jove to Tlicmis give* command to call
1 lie ( Jods to council.'
For this Goddess pervading every where collects the divine number, and con¬ torts it to the demiurgic monad. For the Gods are both separate from mundane allairs, and eternally protide for all things, being at tin* same time exempt from them through the highest transcendency, and extending their providence every¬ where. l*or their umningled nature is not without prot idential energy, nor is their providence mingled with matter. Through transcendency of power thev are not tilled with the subjects of their government, and through hrucliceiit will, they make all things similar to themselves; in permanently abiding, proceeding, and in being separated troin all things. In mg similarly present to all things. Since, there¬ fore, the (.ods ih.it govern the world, and the (heinous the attendants of these, receive after this maimer umningled purity, and providential administration from their lather; at one time he converts them to himself without a medium, and illu¬ minates them with a separate, umningled, and pure form of life. Whence also I think he orders them to he separated from all things, to n main exempt in Olympus, and neither convert themselves to Greeks nor Barbarian*.; which is just the same as to r..i\\ that they must transcend the two-fold orders of mundane natures, and abide immutably in mult filed intellection. But at another time lie converts them to a providential attention to secondary natures, through Themis, anti calls upon them to direct the mundane battle, ami excites dillerent Gods to dillerent works. 1 hcsc divinities, therefore, rsjiecially ns pure the assistance of i liemis, who contains in herself the divine laws, according to winch providence is intimately connected with wholes. Ilomer, therefore, divinely delivers tvvolold speeches, accompanying the two-fold energies of Jupiter; but Plato,
2 IJ
Tim. Vial.
' Iliad, xx v. i.
VOL. II.
p. 338
PROCLUS ON THE
[book V, through this one sjioech, comprehends these two-fold modes of discourse. For the* Demiurgus renders the (iods numingled with secondary natures, and causes them to provide for, ami give existence to mortals, Hut lie orders them to tahri- * ate in imitate n of himself: n> d in an injmicliuii of ibis kind, both these are com¬ prehended; \i/. the iimni led through the imitation ot the lather, for he is sepa¬ rate, lining exempt from n mdaiie w lioh s; hot providential energy, througli the command to fabricate, iionri'-n, and increase mortal natures. < )r rather, we may Burin both in oat h ; lor in imitating the Demiurgus, they pro\ id«* for secondary natures, as lie does for the immortals; and in lubrit atmg they are separate from the things fabricated. For every demiurgic cause is exempt from the things ge¬ nerated In it; hnt that which is mingled with and tilled from them is imbecile an 1 inetlicacious, and is unable to adorn and fabricate them. And thus much in common r< ■.pectmg the whole of the spec* h.