“ Moreover, of those animals that were honoured for both reasons, we have before spoken of the dog. But the ibis, killing indeed all deadly reptiles, was the first that taught men the use ot medical evacuation, in consequence of ob- seiwing that she is after this manner washed and purified by * Instead of /cai Siktjs, I read Kai /xera diKTjs.
or any thing else pertaining to the bodies of herself. Those priests^ also, that are most attentive to the laws of sacred rites, when they consecrate water for lustra- tion, fetch it from that place where the ibis had been drink- ing; for she will neither drink nor come near unwholesome or infected water; but with the distance of her feet from each other and her bill she makes an equilateral triangle. Farther still, the variety and mixture of her black wings about the white represents the moon when she is gibbous.
“We ought not, however, to wonder if the Egyptians love such slender similitudes, since the Greeks also, both in their pictures and statues, employ many such like resem- blances of the Gods. Thus in Crete there was a statue of Jupiter without ears. For it is fit that he who is the ruler and lord of all things should hear no one.* Phidias also placed a dragon by the statue of Minerva, and a snail by that of Venus at Ehs, to show that virgins require a guard, and that keeping at home and silence become married women. But the trident of Neptune is a symbol of the third region of the world, which the sea possesses, having an arrange- ment after the heavens and the air. Hence, also, they thus denominated Amphitrite and the Tritons. The Pythago- reans, likewise, adorned numbers and figures with the appellations of the Gods. For they called the equilateral triangle, Minerva Coryphagenes, or begotten from the sum- mit, and Tritogeneia because it is divided by three perpen- diculars drawn from the three angles. But they called the one Apollo, being persuaded to this by the obvious meaning of the word Apollo [which signifies a privation of multitude] and by the simplicity of the monad f- The duad they deno- minated strife and audacity, and the triad justice. For since injuring and being injured are two extremes subsisting according to excess and defect, j ustice, through equality, has a situation in the middle. But what is called the tetractys, * i. c. Should be perfectly impartial.
t Instead of SiTrXoraTOiy fiovaSo^, as in the original, which is nonsense, it is necessary to read, as in the above translation, airXoTrjTi Ti]i fiopaSos.
animals, or of other things which are ofifered; being the number S6, Wcas, as is reported, their greatest oath, and was denominated the world. For this number is formed from the composition of the four first even and the four first odd numbers, collected into one sum.* If, therefore, the most approved of the philosophers did not think it proper to neglect or despise any occult signification of a divine nature when they perceived it even in things which are inanimate and incorporeal, it appears to me that they, in a still greater degree, venerated those peculiarities depending on manners which they saw in such natures as had sense, and were en- dued with soul, with passion, and ethical habits. We must embrace, therefore, not those who honour these things, but those who reverence divinity through these, as through most clear mirrors, and which are produced by nature, in a be- coming manner, conceiving them tobe the instruments orthe art of the God by whom all things are perpetually adorned. But we ought to think that no inanimate being canbemore ex- cellentthan one that is animated, noran insensible than a sen- sitive being, not even though some one should collect together all the gold and emeralds in the universe. For the divinity is not ingenerated either in colours, or figures, or smoothness; but such things as neither ever did, nor are naturally adapted to participate of life, have an allotment more ignoble than that of dead bodies. But the nature which lives and sees, and has the principle of motion from itself, and a know- ledge of things appropriate and foreign to its being, has cer- tainly derived an efflux and portion of that wisdom which, as Heraclitus says, considers how both itself and the uni- verse is governed. Hence the divinity is not worse repre- sented in these animals than in the workmanships of copper and stone, which in a similar manner suffer corruption and decay, but are naturally deprived of all sense and conscious- ness. This then I consider as the best defence that can be given of the adoration of animals by the Egyptians.”
/ 4 or a certain member, as the heart of a cock; * ' or other things of the like kind which are sur- ^ veyed about nature, if they are considered as the causes of the efficacy in sacrifices. For ^ ' from these things the Gods are not demonstrated to be supernatural causes; nor, as such, to be excited by sacrifices. But they are con- sidered as physical causes detained by matter, and as physically involved in bodies, and co- * excited and becoming quiescent together with ; them, these things also existing about nature.
If, therefore, any thing of this kind takes place in sacrifices, it follows as a concause, and as I having the relation of that without which a I thing is not effected; and thus it is suspended :, from precedaneous causes.
CHAP. IX.
It is better, therefore, to assign as the cause of the efficacy of sacrifices friendship and fami- liarity, and a habitude which binds fabricators to the things fabricated, and generators to the * The cock was sacred to Apollo, and therefore its heart was believed to be the instrument of divination in sacrifices. The chemic Olympiodorus says, ‘‘ that the cock obscurely signifies the essence of the sun and moon.” See, in the additional notes, what is said by Proclus concerning the cock, in his treatise On Magic.
things generated. Hence when, this common principle preceding, we take a certain animal, or any thing which germinates in the earth, and which genuinely and purely preserves the will of its maker; then, through a thing of this kind, we appropriately move the demiurgic cause, which presides over it in an un defiled manner. But these causes being many, and some, as the dsemoniacal causes, having a proximate arrangement; but others, as divine causes, being arranged above these; and far- ther still, one most ancient and venerable cause being the leader of these; all the causes are moved in conjunction by a perfect sacrifice. Each thing, likewise, is in a kindred manner adapted to the sacrifice, according to the order which it is allotted. But if any sacrifice is imperfect, it proceeds to a certain extent, but is not capable of proceeding any further. Hence many are of opinion that sacrifices are to be offered to good dsemons, many to the last pow- ers of the Gods, and many to the mundane or terrestrial powers of daemons or Gods. These things, therefore, as being a part of sacrifices, are not falsely asserted; but they do not com- prehend the whole of the power of sacrifice, and all the goods it contains, which extend to every thing divine.
CHAP. X.
CHAP. X.
We, however, admit all these assertions; physi- cal essences, indeed, being coexcited as in one animal, according to aptitude or sympathy, as in another respect being subjects, and following and being subservient to the cause of the effi- cacy of sacrifices; but daemons, and terrene or mundane divine powers, being primarily fami- liarized to our order; nevertheless, we must say, that the most perfect and leading cause of the efficacy of sacrifices is to be conjoined to demiurgic and the most perfect powers. But since these comprehend in themselves all the causes of sacrifice, we say that all the effective causes of it are at once coexcited together with these. And from all these a common utility is imparted to the whole of generation; sometimes through cities and people, or all various nations, or circumscriptions more or less extended than these; but at other times through houses, or an individual, these causes impart good with an unenvying and exuberant will, unaccompanied with passion; conferring their benefits with an impassive intellect, according to adaptation and alliance; one friendship at the same time which connectedly contains all things, producing this bond through a certain ineffable communion.
For these assertions are much more true, and more characteristic of the essence and power of the Gods, than what you suspect to be the case, viz. '‘'‘that the Gods are especially allured hy the vapours produced in the sacrifices of animals J' For if daemons are invested with a certain body, which some think is nourished by sacrifices, yet this body is immutable and impassive, luciform and unindigent; so that neither does any thing flow from it, nor is it in want of any influx externally introduced. And if some one should admit that there is this influx, yet since the world and the air con- tained in it have a never failing abundance of exhalations from terrene places, an efflux of this kind being equally diffused on all sides, what use can there be of sacrifices to daemons? But neither do the infiuxions equally and com- mensurately fill the place of the efliuxions, so as that neither excess should at any time pre- dominate, nor deficiency be produced, but that there should be a perfect equality and simili- tude of the bodies of daemons, and this invaria- bly the same. For the Demiurgus of the uni- verse has not provided abundant nutriment, and which may be easily obtained, for all the animals in the earth and the sea, but has made the beings superior to us to be in want of it; nor has he imparted to other animals a native abundance of what is daily requisite, but given to deemons nutriment which is adscititious and procured by us men; so that if we through in- dolence, or some other pretext, should neglect an offering of this kind, the bodies of daemons would be in want of food, and would partici- pate of incommensuration and disorder. Why, therefore, do not the authors of these assertions subvert the whole order of things, so as to make us to be in a better and more powerful class of beings? For if we supply daemons with nutriment, we shall much more be the causes of their existence. For every thing re- ceives nutriment and perfection from that by which it was generated. And this, indeed, may be seen in the visible generations of things; but it may also be surveyed in the heavens and the earth. For terrestrial are nourished by celes- tial natures. But this becomes most eminently manifest in invisible causes. For soul, indeed, is perfected by intellect; but nature by soul. And other things are in a similar manner nourished by their causes. If, therefore, it is impossible that we should be the primordial causes of deemons, it is, for the same reason, impossible that we should be the causes of their nutriment.
:i CHAP. XI.
It appears to me, also, that the present ques- tion errs in another respect. For it is ignornant that the offering of sacrifices through fire has the power of consuming and destroying the matter of them in a greater degree; that it assimilates this matter to itself, but is not itself assimilated to the matter; and that it elevates to divine, celestial, and immaterial fire, but does not tend downwards to matter and gene- ration. For if the enjoyment of the vapours from matter allured dsemons, it would be requi- site that the matter should be pure and entire; since thus there would be a more abundant efflux from it to its participants. But now all the matter is enkindled and consumed, and is changed into the purity and tenuity of fire; which is itself a clear indication of the contrary to what you assert. For superior beings \i. e. dsemons] are impassive, and they are delighted to amputate matter through fire, and render us impassive. They likewise assimilate whatever is in us to the Gods, in the same manner as fire"^ assimilates all solid and resisting sub- * It is well observed by Ficinus, in lib. i. Eunead. ii. Plotin. ^'that the fire which is enkindled by us is more similar to the heavens than other terrestrial substances.
stances to luminous and attenuated bodies. And they elevate us through sacrifices and the sacrifice fire to the fire of the Gods, in the same manner as fire elevates to fire, and draws up- ward gravitating and resisting substances to divine and celestial natures.
CHAP. XII.
Foe, in short, the vehicle which is subservient to dsemons neither consists of matter, nor of the elements, nor of any other of the bodies known to us. What perfect supply of food, therefore, can there be from one essence to an- other [specifically diff’erent]'? Or what enjoy- ment can accede from foreign to foreign natures? There cannot be any. But much more, as the Gods by the fire of lightning divide matter, and separate from it things which are essen- Hence it participates of light, which is something incorpo- real, is the most powerful of all things, is as it were vital, is perpetually moved, divides all things, without being itself divided, absorbs all things in itself, and avoids any foreign mixture: and lastly, when the fuel of it is consumed, it sud- denly flies back again to the celestial fire, which is every where latent.”
* For this vehicle is luciform, and consists of pure, imma- terial, unburning, and vivific fire. See the fifth book of my translation of Proclus on the Timaeus.
tially immaterial, but which are vanquished and bound by it, and render them impassive from being passive; thus also the fire that is with us, imitating the energy of divine fire, destroys every thing which is material in sacri- fices, purifies the things which are offered, liberates them from the bonds of matter, and renders them, through purity of nature, adapted to the communion of the Gods. It likewise liberates * us after the same manner from the bonds of generation, assimilates us to the Gods, causes us to be adapted to their friendship, and conducts our material nature to an imma- terial essence.
* Proclus in Tim. lib. v. observes concerning tlie telestic art, or the art -which operates through mystic ceremonies, " that, as the oracles teach, it obliterates through divine fire all the stains produced by generation." H TeXe^iKr] 8ia tov Beiov TTvpos acfiavL^ei ras €k rrjs yevecrews aTracras KrjXiSas, (o? Ttt Aoyta 8i8acTK€L. Hence another Chaldean oracle says, r(jy TTvpi yap fSporo^ e/iTreXacras deodev cj3ao<s i. e. '^The mortal who approaches to fire will have a light from divi- nity.” Hercules, as we also learn from Proclus, was an example of this telestic purification. For he says, UpaKk-qs 8ia TeX€<^iKr]s Ka6rjpapL€vo<;^ /cat twv a^pavTwv KapTnav jaeracr- ^o)V, reAetas ets rows Beovs aTroKarai^acreoys, in Plat.
Polit. p. 382. i. e. “ Hercules being purified through the telestic art, and participating of undefiled fruits, obtained a perfect restoration to the Gods.”
CHAP. XIII.
Subverting, therefore, in this manner the common absurd opinions concerning sacrifices, we shall introduce in their place true concep- tions about them; omitting the particular dis- cussion of each species of sacrifice, which the peculiar and distinct consideration of sacrifices requires, because this pertains to another in- quiry, and because, at the same time, every one who is intelligent may be able to accom- plish this from what has been already said, and from one thing may extend his reasoning power to many, and may easily know what is omitted from what has been discussed. And I, indeed, think that these things have been sufficiently explained, both in other respects and because the explanation pays attention in a becoming manner to the purity of the Gods. Because, however, it may perhaps appear to others to be incredible, and not sufficiently manifest, and the veracity of it may be suspected, as not ex- citing the discursive energy of reason, I wish to consider these things a little more fully'; and, if possible, to add arguments more evident than those which have been adduced.
CHAP. XIV.
CHAP. XIV.
We shall begin, however, the elucidation of this subject in the best possible manner, if we demonstrate that the sacred law of sacrifices is connected with the order of the Gods. In the first place, therefore, we say, that of the Gods some are material, but others immaterial. And the material, indeed, are those that compre- hend matter in themselves, and adorn it; but the immaterial ai*e those that are perfectly exempt from, and transcend, matter. But, according to the sacrific art, it is requisite to begin sacred operations from the material Gods * for the ascent to the immaterial Gods will not otherwise be effected. The material Gods, therefore, have a certain communion with mat- ter, so far as they preside over it. Hence they have dominion over things which happen about matter, such as the division, percussion, re- percussion, mutation, generation, and corrup- tion of all material bodies. He, therefore, who wishes to worship these theurgically, in a man- ner adapted to them, and to the dominion which they are allotted, should, as they are material, employ a material mode of worship. For thus we shall be wholly led to a familiarity with them, and worship them in an allied and appropriate manner. Dead bodies, therefore, and things deprived of life, the slaying of ani- mals, and the consumption of victims, and, in short, the mutation of the matter which is offered, pertain to these Gods, not by them- selves, but on account of the matter over which they preside. For though they are in the most eminent degree separate from it, yet at the same time they are present with it. And though they comprehend matter in an immaterial power, yet they are coexistent with it. Things that are governed, also, are not foreign from their governors; and things which are subservient as instruments, are not unadapted to those that use them. Hence, it is foreign to the im- material Gods, to offer matter to them through sacrifices, but this is most adapted to all the material Gods.
CHAP. XV.
Let us then, in the next place, direct our attention to that which accords with what has been before said, and with our twofold con- dition of being. For there is a time when we become wholly soul, are out of the body, and sublimely revolve on high, in conjunction with all the immaterial Gods. And there is also a time when we are bound in the testaceous body, are detained by matter, and are of a corporeal -formed nature. Again, therefore, there will be a twofold mode of worship. For one mode, indeed, will be simple, incorporeal, and pure from all generation, and this mode pertains to undefiled souls. But the other is filled with bodies, and every thing of a material nature, and is adapted to souls which are neither pure nor liberated from all generation. We must admit, therefore, that there are two- fold species of sacrifices; one kind, indeed, per- taining to men who are entirely purified, which, as Heraclitus says, rarely happens to one man, or to a certain easily to be numbered few of mankind; but the other kind, being material and corporeal-formed, and consisting in muta- tion, is adapted to souls that are still detained by the body. Hence, jto cities and people not yet liberated from genesiurgic fate and the im- peding communion of bodies, if such a mode of sacrifice as this latter is not permitted, they will wander both from immaterial and material good. For they will not be able to receive the former, and to the latter they will not offer what is appropriate. At the same time, like- wise, every one in sacrificing performs the sacrifice with reference to what he is, and not with reference to what he is not. It is not proper, therefore, that the sacrifice should tran- scend the proper measure of him hy whom it is offered. The same thing will also be said by me concerning the connexion which appropri- ately coadapts the men who worship and the powers that are worshiped. For this con- nexion requires that a mode of worship should he chosen adapted to itself; viz. an immaterial connexion, a mode of worship immaterially mingled, and purely conjoining by pure incor- poreal powers, incorporeal natures to them- selves; but a corporeal-formed connexion, a corporeal-formed mode which depends on bo- dies, and is mingled with the essences that pre- side over bodies.
CHAP. XYL Farther still, therefore, we must not disdain to add what follows; that we frequently per- form something to the Gods who are the in- spective guardians of body, and to good daemons, for the sake of the necessary use of the body; as, for instance, when [by sacrifices] we purify it from ancient stains, or liberate it from dis- eases, and fill it with health, or remove from it heaviness and torpor, or procure for it any other good. In this case, therefore, we evidently must not busy ourselves with the body in an intellectual and incorporeal manner. For the body is not adapted to participate of modes of this kind; but, obtaining things which are allied to itself, it is meliorated and purified by bodies. The rites of sacrifices, therefore, will necessarily, for a purpose of this kind, be cor- poreal-formed; partly cutting off what is super- fluous in us; partly supplying us with that of which we are in want; and partly leading into symmetry and order such things in us as are immoderately disturbed. We also ferquently engage in sacred operations, entreating supe- rior beings to grant us such things as are adapted to the wants of human life. And these are such as preserve the body in health, or pertain to those things which we procure for the sake of the body.
CHAP. XVII.
What, therefore, shall we derive from the Gods who are entirely exempt from all human generation, with respect to sterility, or abun- dance or any thing else pertaining to [the mortal] life? Nothing whatever. For it is not the province of those who are liberated from all things to meddle with gifts of this kind.
But if some one should say that the perfectly immaterial comprehend in themselves the ma- terial Gods, and that through this they also contain in themselves their gifts according to one first cause; such a one will also say, that in consequence of this an abundance of divine gifts descend from the immaterial Gods. It must not, however, be granted to any one to say that the immaterial Gods bestow these gifts by proximately interfering with the actions of human life. For such an administration of our affairs is partible, is accomplished with a certain conversion [to the subjects of its care], is not entirely separate from bodies, and is in- capable of receiving a pure and undefiled domi- nation. Will not, therefore, that mode of sacrifice in works of this kind be most appro- priate which is mingled with bodies, and ad- heres to generation; and not that which is entirely immaterial and incorporeal? For the pure mode of sacrifice is perfectly transcendent and incommensurate [with our concerns]. But the mode which employs bodies, and the powers that subsist through bodies, is in the most emi- nent degree allied to human affairs. It is also capable of producing a certain prosperous con- dition of things, and of imparting symmetry and temperament to the mortal race.
CHAP. XYIII.
CHAP. XYIII.
According to another division, therefore, the numerous herd [or the great mass] of men is arranged under nature, is governed by physical powers, looks downward to the works of nature, gives completion to the administration of Fate, and to things pertaining to Fate, because it be- longs to the order of it, and always employs practical reasoning about such particulars alone as subsist according to nature. But there are a certain few who, by employing a certain supernatural power of intellect, are removed indeed from nature, but are conducted to a separate and unmingled intellect; and these, at the same time, become superior to physical powers. Others again, who are. the media be- tween these, tend to things which subsist be- tween nature and a pure intellect. And of these, some indeed equally follow bo.th nature and an immaculate intellect; others embrace a life which is mingled from both; and others are liberated from things subordinate, and be- take themselves to such as are more excel- lent.
This division, therefore, being made, that which follows will most manifestly take place. For those who are governed by the nature of the universe, who lived conformably to this, and employ the powers of nature, these should embrace a mode of worship adapted to nature, and to the bodies that are moved by nature, and should choose for this purpose appropriate places, air, matter, the powers of matter, bodies, and the habits of bodies, qualities, and proper motions, the mutations of things in generation, and other things connected with these, both in other parts of piety and in that part of it which pertains to sacrifice. But those who live con- formably to intellect alone, and to the life of in- tellect, and are liberated from the bonds of nature, these should exercise in all the parts of theurgy the intellectual and incorporeal mode of worship. And those who are the media be- tween these, should labour differently in the paths of piety, conformably to the differences of this middle condition of life, either by em- bracing both modes of piety, or separating themselves from one of the modes [and adhering to the other], or receiving both these modes as the foundation of things of a more honourable nature. For without these they never can arrive at things supereminent. Or, in some other way, they should thus, in a becoming manner, labour in the paths of sancity.
CHAP. XIX.
CHAP. XIX.
On this subject, however, there is also the fol- lowing division. Of divine essences and powers some have [a genesiurgic] soul and nature sub- ject and ministrant to their fabrications, when- ever they wish to use them. But others are entirely separate from soul and nature, I mean from a divine, and not only from a mundane and genesiurgic soul and nature.* And others are the media t between these, and afford to the extremes a communion with each other, either according to an exuberant participation of greater good, or according to an unimpeded reception of less good, or according to a con- cord which binds together both the extremes. When, therefore, we worship the Gods who In the original, Aeyw Se 6eLa<s re Kai akM ov)(^L Tr]s TrepLKOcrfUov re Kai yevecriovpyov. But it ap- pears to me that we should here read, conformably to the above translation, Aeyco 8e rrjs Oeiag, <^v(reu)s, t These media consist of the order of Gods denominated ap)(^ai, or rulers, and of those called aTToXvToi, or liberated; the former of which also are denominated supermundane, and the latter supercelestial, in consequence of existing im- mediately above the celestial Gods. See, concerning these media, the sixth book of my translation of Proclus on the Theology of Plato.
S S reign over soul and nature, it is not foreign to these to offer to them physical powers, and bodies which are governed by nature. For all the works of nature are subservient to them, and contribute to their government. But when we undertake to honour those Gods who are essentially uniform, then it is requisite to vene- rate them with liberated honours. Hence, in- tellectual gifts are adapted to these, and things which pertain to an incorporeal life, together ■with the fruits of virtue and wisdom, and what- ever perfect and total goods of the soul there may be. Moreover, to the Gods who subsist as media, and who are the leaders of goods of a middle nature, sometimes twofold gifts will be adapted, and sometimes such as have a com- munication with both these; or such' as are separated from inferiors, and pertain to more elevated natures; or, in short, such as in one of the modes give completion to the medium.
CHAP. XX.
Being impelled, therefore, from another prin- ciple, viz. from the world and the mundane Gods, from the arrangement of the four elements in the world, and the association of the elements according to [appropriate] measures, and also from the orderly circulation of bodies about centres, we shall have an easy ascent to the truth of the piety respecting sacrifices. For if we are in the world, are contained as parts in the universe, are primarily produced by it, and perfected by the total powers that are in it, and if we consist of its elements, and receive from it a certain portion of life and nature; if this be the case, it is not proper to pass be- yond the world and the mundane orders. We must admit, therefore, that in each part of the world there is this visible body, and that there are also incorporeal powers, which are divided about bodies. Hence the law of religion dis- tributes similars to similars, and thus extends from on high, through wholes, as far as to the last of things; assigning, indeed, incorporeals to incorporeals, but bodies to bodies, and this commensurately to the nature of each. If, however, some theurgist should participate of the supermundane Gods, which is the rarest of all things, he, indeed, in the worship of the Gods will transcend both bodies and matter; being united to the Gods by a supermundane power. But that which happens to one person with difficulty and late, and at the end of the sacerdotal office, ought not to be promulgated as common to all men; nor ought it to be