It is however possible, that the fable may indicate something more sublime; that partial souls proceed indeed from the father of wholes, but are disseminated about the mundane Gods, in order that they may not only be intellectual, come into contact with intelligibies, and recede from bodies, but also that they may have a mundane hypostasis. As, therefore, divine and demoniacal souls are arranged under secondary leaders ; some indeed under the divinity of the Earth, others under the Moon, and others under the Sun; some, under the government of Jupiter, but others under that of Mars; that which is disseminated being of divine origin, every where receives something from the nature of that in which it is sown: just as things sown in the earth, receive something from the earth; but those sown in an animal, receive something from the nature of the animal: so that of offspring, some express the peculiarity of places, but others the similitude of the mother, Tlence also, sonls that are disseminated about their kindred stars, receive a certain peculiarity of life, from their leaders; so that each is not only soul, but a soul of a certain kind, such for instance as Martial, or Jovian, or Lunar. For whether the God is of an immutable characteristic, or is demiurgic, or vivific, a certain representation of the peculiarity of the allotted deity accedes to' the souls that are arranged under it. And why is this wonderful, since the peculiarity of presiding Gods extends as far as to herbs and stones? And there is a stone, and also a herb suspended from the solar power, whether you are willing to call them heliotropes, or by any other name. A similar reasoning likewise must be extended to the other Gods,
Of these souls therefore, those indeed that are undefiled, remain always suspended from the Gods to whom they are allied, and govern the universe in conjunction with them. But others descend, yet are not filled with genesiurgic vice [or the depravity which is offspring of the realms of generation]. And others receive a certain defilement from the subjects of their government. Vor this is the last form of life. The first of these souls, therefore, are truly sons of the Gods, as not proceeding out of their fathers, being, as it were, fashioned by and remain- ing within them, running before the Gods, and having the order of guards or attendants. The souls that have the middle rank, are indeed called sons of the
* For νπὸ rus vrorerayperas αὐτῳ Yuxas, it is requisite to read ewe ras vworeraypesas, κ᾿ Xr.
PY PROCLUS ON 'THE [noox »
Gods, but receive also a secondary life, and become the sons of Gods and men. And souls of the third rank, are also sons of the Gods, but are not called genuine sons, as not preserving the form of their proper God, but verge to matter, and become oblivious of their genuine fathers. Whether, therefore, the authors of fables call Tityus the son of Earth, or Phaeton the offspring of the San, or Musiweus the son of the Moon, they thus denominate them after this manner, and others difttrently conformably to the before-mentioned causes. With respeet) to other sons of the Gods, however, we shall elsewhere speak,
But again, Phaeton is indeed the offspring of the Sun, as being of the solar series. Ifence also he has a solar name. Since however, abiding on high, he revolved and governed the universe in conjunction with his father, he is said to have driven the chariot of his father. For the velncle of Phacton belongs to the solar chariots; since that also is entirely solar form. Bat when he fell into gene- ration, for he did not rank among the first of souls, he is suid τὸ have been de- struyed by the thunder of Jupiter. Por thander fi. e. lizhtning} is a symbol of fabrication, proceeding through all things without contact,’ and vivifying all things; but is not the cause of the dissolution of the spirit: in which the soul is) carried, But there are: many transpositions of souls into different polites, and from one clement into anothers; some being transferred from earth to the sphere of fire; but others from the sphere of fire to earth ; and some inorder; but others heaped tovether, and accompanied with mach tumult and disorderly motion, such as Phacton is said to have suffered. Mor being borne alone on high collectively, and attracting empyrean vestients, he was moved throneh these ina disorderly manner, When he proceeded to earth, and produced in certain parts of ita contla- eration. For souls in descending become invested with many garments acrial or aquatic; and some have empyrean vestments, ΟἹ these also, some have the vigorous,’ but others the vehement and the percussive, from: fire. And some indeed, when they become situated in air, lay aside these garments, and assume others that are more gross, but others preserve them even as far as to the earth. I know, therefore, that the Chwronean Platareh relates, that in one of the islands of Britain, which appears to be sacred, and on this account is considered by the rulers of it as an asylum, the inhabitants frequently assert, when prodigtuus rains or thunder and lightning take place, that some one of the more excellent natures
* Por avagws here, itis necessary to read avagys.
2 frstead of ἀμυδρὸν in this place, read axpatore
ποοκ 1. . TiIMAUS OF PLATO. 95
fails, they being accustomed to passions of this kind. But they denominate souls that are transferred into bodies, and that relinquish a certain generation, more excellent natures." Tt ust not, however, be denied that such-like circumstances befall souls descending into bodies, and especially those that ave magnilicent, and are allotted a more diemoniacal essence, such as the fable obscurely sicnities the soulof Phacton to have been, But it is not at all wonderful, that descending souls should be in a greater degree co-passive with those elements which are analogous to their presiding Gods, and should attract and become invested with a greater number of such-like elementary garments; so that Saturnian souls should ina greater degree rejoice in humid and aqueous vestments, and solar souls in such as are empyrean, each being desirous of obtaining a material and ponderous body, instead of immaterial garments; the Gods also employing these as organs, in the same manner as they use material demons, int heir productions about the earth. Through these souls likewise the Gods produce conflagrations, or pestilence, or intlict certain other calamities on those who deserve to suffer them, and employing souls that are allied to them as ministrant to the causes of the eflects that take place in the heavens, they accomplish that which they effect. Por it is nothing wonderful, that there should be many causes of the same things, some producing in one, and others in another way. Phaeton therefore, being borne along about the earth, and after a certain dwmoniacal manner, burning those places to which he approached, through the stream of fire (for partial souls effect many things out of the body, being then the instruments of avenging or punfying demons); he was lamented by the Heliades, who were certain solar souls, whence also they were said to be the sisters of Phaeton. But they lamented him, not as alone commiserating him on account of his descent into generation, but providentially inspecting him, in order that they might in an undefiled manner pay attention to things which are generated and corrupted. For the river Eridanus, and the falling into it, indicate the lapse of the soul into the river of generation; in which being situated, she requires the providential care of the genera allied to herself, and the aid of souls that are in a permanent condition. Theologists also signify the exten- sion of the solar providence to mortal natures through tears.
The much-enduring race of men thy tears - Excite.
* Plutarch relates this, in his treatise On the Failure of the Oracles.
96 PROCLUS ON THE [noox 1.
So that the fable very properly manifests through tears, in a symbolical manner, the providential attention to Phacton of souls that are of the solar order. Again, therefore, this corollary may be assumed from the fable, that the descents of souls are effected through impotency. And that not only souls, but likewise their vehicles participate of the peculiarity of their leading Gods ; so that from these divinities, some of them are denominated Solar, others Martial, and others receive an appellation from some other God. It may also be inferred that destructions are effected by the providence of the Gods. For Jupiter was the cause of the conflagration, by hurling the thunder at Phaeton, And lkewise, that the descents of souls are suspended from the one fabrication of things. ° Ilence Timieus teaches us not only about the essence, but also about the ascents
and descents, the lives and all-various elections of souls.
“ But the truth is, that it indicates the mutation of the bodies τὸ volving in the heavens about the carth ; and signifies that through long periods of time, a destruction of terrestrial natures ensucs from the devastations of fire.”
The Egyptian priest only unfolds thus much of the fable that contnbutes to the proposed discussion, that abundant destructions ΟΥ̓ terrestrial natures are produced through fire, in consequence of the mutation of the bodies that revolve in the heavens about the earth. But through mutation he signifies either the incommensuration of things in the earth to celestial natures: for all things while they subsist commensurately to the celestial efuxions, are able to remain, but when they are incommensurate to them, are corrupted. For things which are able to sustain the dividing power of Mars, are preserved; but such as are too imbecile to endure his effective energy, are easily dissolved; just as ΠῚ your eye not being able to endure the solar light, should be blinded by its effulgence, though some other eve may be capable of looking directly to it) without pain. And ἃ similar reasoning must be adopted with respect to the other Gods and their configurations, For the universe is one animal, and its parts sympathizing with each other, it preserves different things by different parts; nor is any thing which is generated in it preternatural to the whole. For the natures which are generated in it, are generated through it; and it is the world itself which operates, and operates on itself. Or it may be said that this mutation is just as if a good father, who is always benevolently disposed towards his son, should on a time
Book 1.) Tim-Eus of Plato. 97
chastise him for the sake of his good; for in so doing he will appear to have | changed his accustomed mode of treatment. Or this mutation may he the Various configuration of the celestial bodies. For these are the bodies that revolve in the heavens about the earth, and at different times exlubit different figures, through the various intellectual perceptions of their informing souls. For the conficurations are the letters of these souls, and certain efficacious impressions produced through them. Again, however, both these are true. For the mutation of these bodies, and the incommensuration of earthly natures, are the leading causes of such-like destructions. But if it is necessary to call the fall of Phaeton from the heavens to the earth, a certain mutation of some one of the bodies that revolve in the heavens, it is not atall wonderful. For the mutation of the celestial Gods is one thing, since this is an impassive transfiguration; but another, that of the souls that revolve together with them, this being a habitude to terrestrial natures, from a life without habitude: and that of places about the earth, is different from either of the former, since it is a certain corruptive mutation; according to which neither souls are changed, nor much less the Gods, the leaders of souls. Such-like cor- ruptions, therefore, of terrestrial natures are eflected through partial souls; but are also eflected through dwmons alone. And as through these, destructions adapted to their scries are produced, the like also takes place through souls. For the souls that when on high are delighted to illuminate immaterially, betake themselves to sublunary conflagrations.