proper to ascend through the analogy of these things, to the first and most com- prehensive causes of fabrication. For you may perceive this supernally compre- hended by more total causes, and proceeding as far as to the last of things ; com- prehending causes every where preceding such as are comprehended ; the more total, such as are more partial; and the impartible fabrication, that which is parti ble, and is denominated recent ; to which also the present words refer the father of the narration. And this fabrication, indeed, is filled from these causes, and particularly participates of the undefiled power of Minerva. For, in short, since we refer this war, for the sake of which the whole narration 15 excited, to the mundane contrariety, it will be well, preceeding in the same way, to assimilate all the knowledge of the Egyptian priests to the former [or impartible] fabrica- tion, which stably comprehends the productive powers contained in the universe 5 but the history of Solon, which is always recent, and placed in mutations, to the more novcl fabrication, and which administers the all-various circulations of mun- dane natures. We shall also be benefited by perceiving how, in images, the dif- ference between human and divine fabrications becomes apparent; and how, i these, Solon, indeed, calls on the priest to the developement of ancient transac- tions, but the priest knows both such events as are reckoned ancient by the Greeks, and prior to these, such as are truly ancient. For thus also, in’ divine fabrications, that which is recent or junior, is converted to that which Is more an- cient, and is perfected by it; but the latter antecedently Comprehends the causes of the former, and is established above it, by still greater and more perfect intel- Jectual perceptions and powers, And thus much concerning the whole of the text.
It is necessary, however, to discuss every particular. With respect to Egypt, therefore, some call it an image of matter; others of the whole earth, as being divided analogously to it; and others of the intelligible, and the intelligible es- sence. But we say, that in what is here asserted, it is assimilated τὸ the whole invisible order, which is the principle of visible natures. With respect to Delta also, itis produced from the Nile, being divided about the Saitic province, so as to make its egress from one right line to the right and left, and to the sea, the sea forming the hypothenuse of the triangle, which Plato calls the Saitic province 5 indicating, in what he here says, that it is that about which the stream of the Nile is divided. It is, however, analogous to the one vivific fountain of all divine life, and, in visible natures, to the celestial triangle which is connective of all generation, heing proximate to the ram, which the Egyptians particularly honor, on account
Book 1.} Timlus of Plato. 81
of Ammon having the face of a ram, and also because the ram is the principle of gencration, and is moved with the greatest celerity, as being among the constellations established about the equinoctial. The mention, therefore, of Delta is here very appropriate τ since the triangle, as we shall learn in what follows, is the principle of the hypostasis of the mundane elements. But the Nile is to be arranged ana- lozous to the zodiac, as being situated under it, having an inclination similar to it, and imitating, through its divisions, the obliquity of it, and its division about the equinoctial points, The Nile also ts a symbol of the life which is poured on the whole world. Moreover, the two sides of the Nile, which ran into the sea from the summit fof Delta], may be, ina certain respect, assimilated to the two co-ordina- tions, Which proceed from one root as far as to generation, and of which genera- tion is the recipient. So that a triangle is produced from them and their common receptacle, into which they conjointly flow. But the Saitic province, which forms agreat part of Delta, participates also of a great portion of the celestial regions. Sais, therefore, must be sacerdotally referred to the constellation called the Bear, not becanse it is situated under it, nor on account of its coldness, but as partici- pating of a certain peculiar ettlux of the God [who presides over that constellation]. Hence likewise Sais is not shaken by earthquakes, in consequence of receiving a firm establishment on account of the place about the pole.
“ Of this provinee, the greatest city is Sais, from which also king Ama- sis derived his origin. The city has a presiding divinity, whose name is, in the Egyptian tongue, Neith, but in the Greek Athena, or Minerva. The inhabitants of this city were very friendly to the Athenians, to whom also they said they were after a certain manner allied.”
The word νομὸς, or province, derived its appellation from the distribution of land. For thus the Egyptians called divisions of the great parts of Egypt. But from the city the whole province was denominated Saitic, just as Sebennytic is denominated from Sebennetus, and Canobic from Canobus. Amasis, however, is now assumed analogous to Solon. For he paid attention to wisdom and justice beyond all the {other Egyptian) kings. He is therefore conjoined with Solon, and has the same relation to him, which the city has to Athens ; in order that we may survey the cities and the men adomed by the Goddess [Minerva] as from one monad, and secondary natures always perfected from such as are more per-
Tim. Plat. Vou. I. L
. 82 PROCLUS ON THE [BooK 1.
fect. Callisthenes, however, and Phanodemus relate, that the Athenians were the fathers of the Saite. But Theopompus, on the contrary, says, that they were acolony of them. The Platonic Atticus says, that Theopompus altered the his- _ tory through envy. For, according to him, some of the inhabitants of Sais came to renew their alliance with the Athenians. But Plato only says thus much con- cerning them, “that the Suite were very friendly to the Athenians, and after a cer- tain manner allied to them.” \t is possible, however, that he might say this on account of the tutelar Goddess of the city being the same with the Minerva of the Athenians.
With respect, however, to this Goddess the guardian of the two cities, itis requisite to know, that proceeding from intelligible and intellectual causes through the supercelestial orders, to certain parts of the celestial regions and) terrene dis- tributions, she is allotted places adapted to herself; not imparting an adventitious government of herself, but antecedently comprebending the essence and form of it, and thus possessing this allotment in a manner adapted to herself, “Phat the government, however, of this Goddess extends supernally as far as to the last of things, the Greeks manifest by asserting that she was venerated from the head of Jupiter, But the Egyptians relate, that in the adytum of the Goddess there Was this inscription, Zam the things that are, that will be, and that have been. No one has ever laid open the garment by which Tam concealed. The fruit which I brought forth was the sun. Che Goddess, therefore, being demiurgic, and at the same time apparent and unapparent, has an allotinent in the heavens, and tllu- minates generation with forms. Lor of the signs of the sudiac, the ram ts ascribed to the Goddess, and the equinoctial circle itself, where especially a power motive of the universe is established. She is very properly, therefore, called by Plato a lover of wisdom, and a lover of war, and he now denominates her the leader of these allotments in the earth. In the tirst place, Iykewise, he honours the Goddess in the language of his country. For the Athenians dcnominate the tutelar Goddess of the city cIrchevetes, or the leader, celebrating her surname, and her presiding power. Jn the next place, he indicates the uniform: pre- established comprehension in herself, of the allotments which are governed by her. And besides this he clearly represents to us, that it is possible for the same
* The former part of this inscription is to be found in Plutarch’s treatise on Isis and Osiris; but the latter part of it, viz. the fruit which 1 brough! forth was the sun, is only to be found in these
Commentaries of Proclus. The original of this part is, ov eyw καρπὸν erexoy ἡλίὸς Eyevero.
βοοκ 1.) ᾿ Timgeus of Plato. 83
things to be signitied through many words, since words are images of the things signified by them. For many statues may be formed of one thing froin different materials; so that the Ezyptians preserve the analogous,” because they call the Goddess by a name which has the same signification with that of the Greeks. Nor is it at all wonderful that both should denominate her rightly, in consequence of establishing the name according to one science. If, therefore, there is one tutelar Goddess of the two cities Sais and Athens, the inhabitants of Sais are very properly said to be lovers of the Athenians, as being ina certain respect allied to them: for the aflinity is not wholly perfect. For some may participate more and others less of the same providence. And some may participate of one, but others of another power contained in the Goddess. Jur again, it ts likewise necessary to hnow this, that a variation is produced in different nations from the places which they severally inhabit, from the temperature of the air, from habitude to the heavens, and sll more partially from spermatic productive powers, But you may say, that they especially differ according to the gregal government of the Gods, and the diversities of the tutelar powers, from which you will find a difference in colour, figure, voice, and motion, in different places. So that those who migrate into other countries
Srequently chanse, by dielling in those countries, their colour and voice; just as
plants are changed together with the quality of the region, when they are trans- planted ina foreign land,
* Tn this country Solon, on his arrival thither, was, as he himself relates, very honourably received. And on his inquiring about ancient affairs of those priests who possessed a knowledge of such particulars superior to others, he perceived that neither himself, nor any one of the Grecks (as he himself declared), had any knowledge of things of this
kind.”
Solon, on account of his political wisdom, and on account of the dignity and worth of his city, justly appeared to be deserving of honor to the priests of Sais. But he found, with respect to memory and history, among the Greeks, that neither himself, nor any other Grecian, had any knowledge of very ancient transactions. The remembrance, however, of such transactions, contributes indeed to political virtue, and also contributes to the theory of the mundane
* For &weovew ἀπολογον in this place, I read σωδσυσιν avadoyor.
84 PROCLUS ON THE [Book 1.
periods, which Solon being desirous to know, and interrogating for this purpose the priests, found that he was perfectly deficient in knowledge of this kind. These things, likewise, are symbols of divine concerns. For a certain fabrication or workmanship, is called by theologists recent. But this 15. particularly honoured [as being suspended): from the father of wholes, and from the intelligi- ble Gods, with whom there are intellectual perceptions exempt from other things, and which have more eternal natures for their objects. But those intellectual perceptions are more partial and less excellent, which are in secondary natures. And farther still, there is such a difference in demiurgic principles, that some of them are comprehensive of more total, but others of more partial forms. And some of them precede in dignity and power, but others are recent as with refe- rence to them, and possess a subordinate power.
“* Hence, when he once desired to excite them to the relation of pris- tine transactions, he for this purpose began to discourse about those most ancient events which formerly happened among us. 1 mean the tradi- tions concerning the first Phoroneus and Niobe ; and after the deluge, of Deucalion and Pyrrha (as described by the mythologists), together with their posterity ; at the same time paying a proper attention to the diffe- rent ages in which these events are said to have taken place.”