i> t us th< n, in the first place, consult r what we are to understand by “ (Iods of (iods,” and what power it possesses; for that this invocation is collective and convertiie of multitude to its monad, that it calls upwards the natures which lime proceeded to the one fabrication of them, and inserts a houndarv and divine measure in them, is chair to those who art.* not entirely imaeipiainted with is 111 h-hke discourses. Ihit how those that are allotted the world by their father are called (iods of (iods, and according to what conception, can¬ not easily he indieailed to the main ; for there is an unfolding of one divine intelligence in these naim s. Hi nee through this cause, some conjoin the words “ of dvds” with what follows, erroneously making the whole to he, “ <,f the (iods of uhom I am the Demiurgus.” For it is not proper to represent the l)t •miurgus as the fabricator of some things hut tin* father ot others, anil these latter less honorable natures. For they sav, lli it Plato In calling the Demiurgic* the fabricator ot (iods, l»ut the father of works, separates the 1 «11« r from the former, as different, and less honora' !e. [They do not however speak rightly ;] for the paternal is more venerable than the tlemiurgic characteristic. Neither is it right to introduce these repetitions where the diction is continued. For when the intermediate words are many, then there i- occasion for this parenthesis, hut otherwise, the thing is siijH-rtluous. Others sav, that the mundane (iods are of the intelligible (iods, as Ix-ing the images of them, just e the whole world is the statue of the eternal (iods, according to Tuna its. Aieilher however, do these speak rightly; because they do not assert any thing peculiarly illustrii - of the (iods. For in a similar manner what Plato savs would be adapted to every mortal nature. For all these, are vj the (iods, as images ot ini* lligihh s. \nd if it were requisite to refer to them the w ords “ of Gods, [ should think it would be
It ) O K v ]
TIM/El s or PLATO.
.130 s ;ither proper to rail them Gods of the God , as bring alone produced by the one Demiurgus, mortal natures not being produced by him ; since In* who speaks is the Demiurgus himself. Hence it would l»e more proper to speak in the singular, than m the plural number lint others say that the most total unities of the mun¬ dane (bids, are called by the father, “ Gods of Gods," leaders of leaders, and kings of kilims, ;is being analogous to the father himself; because he also, accord¬ ing; to the poets, is the father of fathers, and supreme of rulers. To these however, it is easy to reply, that Plato delivers the Demiurgus speaking to all tiie mundane Hods, or attendants of the (bids, and not to some of them alone. For if both such (»ods as visibly revolve, and such as become visible when they please, collect themselves about the one Demiurgus, and the Demiurgus says these things, to all these Gods themselves it is not proper to understand the words “ Gods of Gods' partially, as applicable to the leaders alone.
If therefore, none of the above mentioned assertions are conformable to the conception of Plato, we must show vvliat his conception is. It will here however be better to recur to the explanation of these words by our preceptor. lie says therefore, that nil the mundane (bnls are not simply (bids, but that they are wholly (bnls which participate. For there is in them that which is separate, invisible, and supermundane, and also that which is the visible statue of them, and which has an orderly establishment m the world. Ami the invisible nature of them indeed, is primarily a God; for this must now he understood, as that which is indivisible and one. lbit this vehicle which is suspended from their invisible essence, is secondarily a (Jod. For if w ith respect to us, man is two¬ fold, one inward, according to the .soul, the other apparent, which wc see, much more must both these be asserted of the mundane (bnls; divinity in them being two-fold, one unapparent, and the other apparent. This being the case, we must say, th it “ Gods of God ," is addressed to all the mundane divinities, in whom there is a connection of nnapparenl with apparent Gods; for they are (iods that participate. In shun, since two-fold orders arc produced by the Demiurgus, some being supermundane, and others mundane, and some I icing without, and others with participation [ot body], it the Demiurgus now addressed the super¬ mundane orders, lie would h we alone said to them “ Gods;" for they are without participation {i. e. without the p-rticipation of body,] arc separate and unapparent;—luu since the speech is to the* mundane (iods, he calls them (iods of (iods, as hi ing participated by other apparent divinities. In these also da mens are comprehended; for they <i-■» are (iods, as to their order with resjiect to the Gods, whose pecul j thev imlivisibly participate. Thus also INato, m the l'hadrus, when hi calls the twelve (iods the leaders of damons, at the same time
p. 340
PKOCI.US ON THE
[book V.
denominates all the atlnulants of the divinities finds, adding, “ and this is the life of the Gods.' All these, therefore, ari* foods' offiods, aspossessing tin* apparent connected with tin* uuapparenf, and tin- mundane \iit!i tin* siq>emmndant*. And thus much concerning tin* whole meaning of tin* words.
It is neressary however, since He have sanl tin* words ar»* demiurgic or fahrieative, that tln v should lit* rotvived in a in.min r adapted to demiurgic prov idence. lint if these words an* mtellct ttK.il conceptions, and tin* intellectual conceptions themselves art* proiluctions, what shall wo s.tv tin* Ifriniurgns effects m the niultitudi* of imindant- <i nls hv tin* lirsl words uf his speech ! Is it not evident wo must say that this energy ot his is delta* ! loir this oin* tlnnn* iutollootual concep¬ tion whifli is tin* first and most simple proceeding from the Deminrgiis, doilies all the recipients of it, ami makes them demiurgic (iotls, part it ipaletl (iotls, ami (iotls mvisilile anti at the same tune visible. l or this, as has been said, is tht* meaning of “ Gods of Gods. I ■'or the ft rm finds is not alone adapted to them; since they are not alone invisible; nor the word finds tw ict* enunciated, as if someone should say (iotls and finds; lor every bond of this kind is artificial, and foreign from divine union. I In se things therefore, have been siiilieiently discussed.
It is also necessary to observe in order to make the interpretations concordant, that every mundane (mil has an animal suspended from him, according to which he is deiioiuin itetl mundane. I b* has likeu isc a tlivim soul, w hit'll rules ou r its depending vehicle; and an immaterial and s. parale intellect, according to which he is united to the intelligihle, m order that he may imitate tin* world in which all these art contained. Anti by the animal suspended from him, he is indeed a part of the sensible universe; but by intellect be belongs to an intelligible essence; and by soul be conjoins tin* impartible life which is in him, with the life that is divisible about body. Sueii a composition however being triple in each mun¬ dane f iod, neither dot s Plato here deliver tin 1 h niiurgus speaking to intellects ; tor intellects subsist in tinproct-rtiing union with tin divine intellect, and are enlirt ly tinhegotti n ; but soul is the first ot generated natures ; and shortly alb r the Dtininrgus addresses these when In* s.iys, “ si net i/t are generated." ?\or tloes lit* represent the I hmiurgns as speaking only to the animals w hich are suspended lrom tin* studs ot these finds ; for they pertain to corporeal naiiuvs, ami art* not adaptt d to enjoy the one tlemiurgit intelligence, without a medium. TSur vet does he represent him as speaking to stalls hy themselves; for they art* entirely immortal ; hut tin (iotls whom In* now addresses are said hv him not x to be in every n sped immortal. It therefore it be requisite fur me to say vvliat appears to
‘ 0*04 o umillfti litre in (lit i.ngiu.il for fjf* tnui to nafjvai utfaiurcM ill ttie original, it 11 ntctssary fo rratl ^oj tuui t. r. \.
HOOK V.]
TIM.El S or I’lATO.
p. 311
me to he the truth, the words of the Dcmiurgus are addressed to the composite from soul and animal, viz. to the animal which is divine, and partakes of a soul. For intellect does not know the demiurgic will through reason, hut through intclhgi m e, or m other words, through intellectual vision; nor through conversion, hut throuiih a union with that intellect which ranks as a whole, as being itself intelle* t, ami as it were of the same colour w ith it. lint soul as being reason, ami not intellect itself, requires appropriately to its essence the enemy of reason, and a rational conversion to the intelligible.* To these then-fort', as hciiu£ essen¬ tially rational, and as being es>eutialli/.ed hi reasons, the demiurgic speer h proceecls. And it is adapt) <1 to tin m in a twofold respect, first, as bcimr participated by bodies ; for they are finds of those (unis; and secondly, a> participating of intellects; for they are finds of [viz. di rived from] intellects which an* also finds Ami they participate of intellects, and are participate by bodies. Hence tin* assertions that they an' generated, and that they are not entirely immortal, and e\ery thing else m the speech, are appropriately adapted to them, so far as they have a certain co-ordination and connexion w ith mundane natures, and so far as they are participated by them. Hut the mandates “ lairn and generate," and every thni” else of this kind which is more divine than generated natures, are ad tpted to them as inti Uectual essences.
“ Of whom I am the Dcmiurgus and father of works, whatever is generated by me is indissoluble, sucli being my w ill in its fabrication.”
Plato as I may summarily say, appears to yioa triple division to the energy of tin* one Demiurges in his total production of tin* junior finds, \iz. a division into the dcilic, into th.it which imparts connexion, and into that which supplies a si¬ militude to animal itself. l'or the address of the Demiurgus evinces those tube finds that proceed from him. Hut the assertions respecting the indissoluble and dissoluble, by defining the measure of a medium between these, impart a distri¬ bution and connexion commensurate to the order of the mundane finds. And the words calling on them to the lubrication of mortal natures, cause tin in to In* the sources of perfection to the universe, and the fabricators of secondary animals, conformably to the imitation of the paradigm. Hut through these three energies the Detnmrgus elevates his offspring to all the intelligible f iods, and establishes them in the intelligible triads. In the one being indeed, [or the summit of these
Instead of rot/r or, it o rerjuisile to read roqrf.
PROCLUS ON THE
[book Vp. 142 triads] through the first of these energies ; for that is primarily deified, in which the one is deity, hut bane is the first participant of it. i*\»r the one itself is alone *1* » " itliout habitude to any thiiiir, and is not parlieipahle ; hut the o,n ban 4 in which there is the first participation is God of God. And bane «-» dcitv as the summit of all heiu-s; hut the one of it is deity as proceeding from tin one itself, which is primarily Chid. Hut 1I110114I1 the second of these ener-ies the 1>. miur-hs establish* s his Ollspiill-4 ill the second ot tin- iiitellG'ible triads, i. e. in eternity itselt. 1-or eternity is t ie cause of this indissoluble permanency to every thm ,r which continues perpetually uiidissolit-d lienee all mundane natures are hound according to the demim-ic will, and have somethin*; of the indissoluble through the participation of him; tlie. natures which are primarily indissoluble lirin*; dif¬ fer* nt from these, ami those th.it are truly immortal subsisting for his s.ike. And he establishes them in all-perfect animal [or the third of the intelligible triads] t iron^h the third of tins* energies. I-’or to this the vriitic assimilates tin* mun¬ dane Gods, and ills* i ts in them the paradigms of animals wInch they generate. And this indeed, yy ill be one scope of fabrication, the couvcrtiu*; and perfectin'; the proceeding multitude of the Gods, Hut after the one there will l>e a triple design, yy inch * stabbsb* s them in tin* three mt* lli^ibh* orders.