For all the intellectual fathers ride on the unpolluted Gods, and are established above wholes, through their inflexible, undeviating, and immutable power.
If however, it be not only necessary that these two fathers should participate of this guardian order, but that the middle vivific deity of them should be allotted a monad of the immutable Gods coordinate to herself, it is indeed necessary that the first [guardianship] of the unpol- luted leaders in the intellectual fathers, should be triadic, and should have the same perfect number with the three intellectual Gods. It is likewise necessary that the first of these leaders should be stably united to the first [of the intellectual kings]; but that the second should in a certain respect be separated from the second of these kings, together with a union with him. And that the third shotild now be entirely separated from the third king. And thus the unpolluted proceeds conformably to the paternal order, and is.after the same manner with it triadically divided. The first of the unpolluted Gods likewise guards the occtrit 408 ON THE THEOLOGY BOOK V.
nature of Saturn, and the first^fiective monad which transcends wholes, and establishes perfectly in him the causes that proceed from, and again return to him. But the second, preserves the generative power of the queen Rhea, pure from matter, and undefiled, and sustains from the incursions of secondary natures her progression to all things, on which die pours the rivers of life. And the third preserves the whole fabrica- tiim of things established above the fabrications, and firmly abiding in itself. It likewise guards it so as to be inflexible, one, and all*perfect with respect to the subjects of its providential case, and expuided above all partial production.
CHAPTER XXXV, CHAPTER XXXV, L£T US now then from this indefinite and common doctrine about tiiese Gods, adduce the Grecian rumour concerning it, as delivered to us by Plato, and demonstrate that he as far as to the very names follows the th»>logists of the Greeks, just as in the mystic theory of the three kings, and the narration of the unpolluted Gods, he does not depart from their interpretation. For who that is in the smallest degree acquainted with the divine wisdom of the Greeks, does not know that in their arcane . mysteries, and other concerns respecting the Gods, the order of the Curetes, is in a remarkable manner celebrated by them, as presiding over the undefiled peculiarity, as the leader of the goddess Rhea,] and as binding in itself the guardianship of wholes? These Gods therefore, are said to guard the queen Rhea, and the demiurgus of wholes, and proceeding as far as to the causes of partible vivification and fabrication, to preserve the Proserpiqe and Bacchus which are among these causes,' CHAR XXXV. OP PLATK). 409 exempt from secondary natures, just as here [i.e. in the intellectual order], thej defend the vivifications of total life^ and the first-eflfective monads of All-perfect fabrication. Not only Orpheus therefore, and the theologists prior to Plato knew this Curetic order, and knowing, venerated it, but the Athenian guest also in the Laws celebrates it For he says, that the armed sports of the Curetes in Crete, are the principal paradigms of all elegant motion. And now, neither is he satisfied with having mentioned this Curetic order, but he also adds the one unity of the Curetes, viz. our misti'ess^ Minerva, from which the mystic doctrine also of theologists prior to him, suspends the whole progression of the Curetes. He like- wise, surrounds them above with the symbols of Minerva, as presiding over an ever-flourishing life, and vigorous intellection; but beneath, he manifestly arranges them under the providence of Minerva. For the first Curetes indeed, as being the attendants of the intelligible and occult Goddess, are satisfied with the signs that proceed from thence; but those in the second and third orders, are suspended from the intellectual Minerval monad.
What then is it, that the Athenian guest says concerning this monad, which converts to itself in an undd&Ied manner the Curetic progressions? " The core {^^^) i.e. virgin, and mistress that is with us, being delighted with the discipline of dancing, did not think it proper to play with empty hands; but being adorned with an all-perfect panoply, she thus gave perfection to dancing.'^ Through these things therefore, the Athenian guest clearly shows the alliance of the Curetic triad to th& Minerval monad. For as that triad is said to sport in armour, so he says that the Goddess who is the leader of them [i.e. of their progression] being adorned with an all-perfect panoply^ is the source to them of elegant niotion. And as he denominates that triad Curetic, from purity, so like- wise he calls this goddess Core, as being the cause of undefiled power itself. For koron (to xogov) as Socrates ' says in the Cratylus, signifies the pure and incorruptible. Whence also the Curetes are allotted their appellation, as presiding over the undefiled purity of the Gods. And ' Kgavfii i$ enroneously printed in the original for S^Kgartig.
Proc. Vol. I. 3 F 410 ON THE THEOLOGY BOOK V.
the mociacl of tkein b particularly celebrated as a mistress and as Core [a virgin} she being the supplier of an inflexible and flourishing donoinion to the Godsu I'he word koron therefore, as we have said, is a symbol of purity, of which these Gods are the primary leaders, and according to which' they are participated by others. But their being armed, is a symbol of the guardian power according to which they connect wholes, guard them exempt from secondary natures, and preserve them estab* Ushed in themselves. For what olher benefit do no^i derive from arms except that of defence? For these are in ^ particular manner the safe- guard of cities. Hence fables also ascribi&g to the unpolluted Grods an uncooquerable strength, give to them an armed apparatus. Hence adoroing the one unity of them with an all-perfect panoply, they estab* lish it at the summit of the progression of these Gods. For the all-perfect precedes things which are divided accot-ding to parts, and the panoply exists prior to the partible distribution of guardian powers. And it appears to me that through these partictilars Plato again asserts the same things as were afterwards revealed by the Gods. For what they denomi- nate esoery kind ef armour^ this Plato celebrates as adorned with an all^petfect fanopiy^ [For the Gods say,] ** Armed with every kind of annoor, he resen^bl^ the Goddess." For the all-perfect in the habit of Pyrrhich arms, and the undefiled in power, pertain, according to Plato^ to the Minerval monad; but according to the narration of the Orucles they pertain to that which is furnished with every kind of arms.
Father still, rythm and dancing are a mystic sign of this deity, because the Curetes contain^ the und«^led pawer of a divine life; because they preserve the whole progressions of it always arranged according to one divine boundary; and because they sustain these progressions from the incursions of matter. For the formless, the indefinite, and the privation of rythm, are the peculiarities of matter. Hence, the immaterial, the ddinite, and the undefiled, are endued with rythm, are orderly, and intellectual. For on this account, the heavens also are said to form a perpetual dance, and all the celestial orbs participate of rythmical and ' For xat^ ty it i$ necessary to read xof* i)n CHAP. XXXVl. OF l^LATO. 411 harmonious motioii^ being filled with this (>ower supemally from the unpolluted Gods. For because they are moved in a circle they express intellect, and the intellectual circulation. But because they are moved harmonically, and according to the first and best rythms, they participate of the peculiarity of the guardian Gods. Moreover, the triad of the unpolluted leaders is suspended from the summit of the intellectual Gods. And that it proceeds from this summit, Plato himself teaches us, by placing the first cause of purity in Saturn the king of all the ititfellet- tual hebdomad. For putiti/ {t^ Hofw) is there primarily, as he informs us in the Cratylus, and the first^eflfective cause bf purity, preexists unically in Saturn. For on this account also, the Minerval monad, is called C^e (a virgin) and the Ctoretic triad is after this manner celebrated, being suspended from the purity in the intellectual father.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
CoNCEaNiNG the undefiled leaders, thus much we have had to say, according to the narration of Plato. The monad therefoi^, now remains^ which closes the number of all the intellectual hebdomad, and is the first and uniform cause of all division, which must in the next place be discussed by us. The sections therefore, of the intellectual Gods which are celebrated by all the wise in divine concerns aniOBg the Greeks, and which obscurely signify the separations in those Gods, are efiected in them through the seventh monad, which is the cause of division, and according to which they separate themselves from the Gods tbttt a^e placed above them, proceeding into another order, are allotted a unioa exempt from subordinate natures, and by themselves have & d^nite 412 ON THE THEOLOGY BOOK V.
orderj and a progression bounded according to number. Plato however^ allows indeed poets that are inspired by Phcebus, to signify things of this, kind obscurely and mystically; but he excludes the multitude from hearing these things, because they believe without examination in the fabulous veils of truth. And this is what Socrates reprobates in Euthy* phron, who was thus affected in consequence of being ignorant of divine concerns. According to the divinely-inspired intellect of Plato therefore, transferring all such particulars to the truth concerning wholes, and unfolding the concealed theory which they contain, we shall procure for ourselves the genuine worship of a divine nature. For Socrates himself in the Cratylus, unfolds to us the Saturnian bonds, and their mystic meaning, and in a remarkable manner demonstrates that the visions of those ancient and illustrious men do not fall off from the truth.
After the same manner therefore, he will permit his friends to assume intellectual sections, and the power which is productive of these, accord* ing to divinely-inspired conceptions, and will suffer them to survey these together with bonds in the intellectual Gods. Farther still, the fable in the Gorgias, in a clearer manner separates the empire of Jupiter from the Saturnian kingdom, and calls the former the second from, and more recent than the latter. What is the cause, therefore, which separates these paternal monads? What intellectual power produced the intel- lectual empire from that which is exempt from it? For it is necessary that there should be with the Gods themselves the first-effective fountain of division, through which Jupiter also separates himself from the monad his father, Saturn from the kingdom of the Heaven, and the natures posterior to Jupiter, proceeding into an inferior order, are separated from his all-perfect monad.
Moreover, the deAiiurgus himself ip the production of the genera posterior to himself, at one and the same time is the cause to them pf union, and the source of their all-various divisions. For fabricating the soul one whole, he separates it into parts, and all- various powers. And in the Timaeus where the demiurgus is said to do this, Plato himself does not refuse to call these separationsi and essential divisions^ sections.
CHAP. XXXVII. OP PLATO.
He likewise cuts off parts from thence, places them in that which is between these, and again separates parts from the whole, and thus the mixture from which he had cut off these parts, was now wholly con- sumed. Is it therefore any longer \ronderful that the framers of fables should denominate the divisions of the intellectual leaders, sections, since even Tiraa&us himself who does not devise fables, but indicates the essential progression of souls into multitude, uses as a sign the word section? And does not also Plato in the greatest degree accord with the highest of theologists, when he delivers to us the demiurgus glittering with intellectual sections? As therefore the demiurgus, when producing the essence of souls, constitutes it according to true being, when gene* rating life, be generates it according to the life which is in real being^, and {>roduces the intellect which is in souls according to the intellect which is in himself, — thus also when cutting the essence of the soul from itself, and separating it, be energises according to the sections and separations which are in the intellectual order, and according to the one and intellectual cause of them. According to Plato,, therefore,, there is a first monad of the total divisions in intellectuals, and together with the twofold triads, I mean the paternal and the undefiled^ it give» completion to the whole intellectual hebdomad. And we, following Plato, and other theologists, concede the same things* CHAPTER XXXVIi.
Let us now, however, return to the beginning, and demonstrate that Parmenides delivers the same things concerning this intellectual hel> domad, and that he produces this hebdomadic aion {eternity) and the peculiarity of the Gods which is intellectual alone, in continuity with.
414 ON THE THEOLOGY BOOK V.
the triple orders of tlie intelligible, and at the same time intellectual Gods, And, in the first place, let us survey what he says concerning the father of the intellectual Gods, and the undefiled power which is co^rranged with him. For after the threefold figure, and the order of the Gods which perfects all things, that which is in itself and in another, becomes apparent. These things, however, are demonstrated to be signs of the intellectual summit of the intellectual monads. For the first father of the Gods in this order, at one and the same time is allol4;ed a paternal transcendency with respect to those posterior to him, and is the intellect of the first intelligibles. For every imparticipable intellect is said to be the intellect of the natures prior to itself, and towards them, firom whom it is produced, it has an intellectual conversion, and in them as first^^fiecttve causes it establishes itself. Whence also the demiurgic intellect is the intellect of the natures above itself, and proximately indeed of its own fiBtther, from which likewise it proceeds, but eminently of the intelligible unities beyond [Saturn].
The first king, therefore, in intellectuals, is both an intellectual father, «nd a paternal intellect. He is, however, the intellectual father indeed of the Gods that proceed from himself; but he is the paternal intellect of the intelligibles prior to himself. For he is indeed intellectual essentially; but he has an intelligible transcendency in intellectuals; because he is also established analogous to the unknown order of the intelligible, and at the same time, intellectual Gods, and to the oqcult order of the intelligible triads. And as they are expanded above the triadic hypostases of the Gods posterior to themselves, thus also the father of intellectuals, is a father expanded above the whole intellectual hebdomad, in consequence of being a paternal intellect. And analo- gously to the above-mentioned orders of Gods, he establishes himself in them, and is filled from them with paternal and intelligible union. On this account also, he is occult, shuts in himself the prolific powers of himself, and producing from himself total causes, he again establishes them in, and converts them to himself.
' For w wn<ft it it necessarj to read tv fnurop.
CHAP- XXXVli. OF PLATO. 415 These things^ therefore, Parmeoides also indicating, magnificentljr cekbrates this order bj these twofold signs, and characterizes the first king and father of the intellectual ' Gods through these peculiarities. For he is in himself, and in another. For so far indeed as he is a total intellect, his energy is directed to himself, but so far as he is in the intel* ligibles prior to himself, he establishes in another the all-perfect intelli- gence of himself. For, indeed, this subsistence in another, is more excellent than the subsistence of a thing in itself; since, as Parmenides himself concludes, the subsistence of Saturn in another, pertains to him according to whole, but the subsistence of him in himself, according to parts. Where, therefore, does tht another pre-exist? And to what order of the Gods prior to Saturn does it belong? Or is not this also divinely unfolded by our preceptor? For he says that this another^ remarkably pertains to that order, according to which the power of difference first shines forth, being the progeny of intelligible and paternal power. Hence in the first triad the another was occultly, so far as pow^ aho had there an occult subsistence; but it particularly shines forth in the first order of the intelligible, and at the same time, intellectual Gods. For there the first difference^ the feminine nature of the Gods, and the paternal and unvocal power subsist.
[Saturn therefore] who is the first of the intellectual fathers being intelligible, sd far as he is a whole, establishes himself in the intelligible triads prior to himself, from which also he is filled with united and occult goods. And on this account he is said to be in another. With respect to those triads indeed, the another is occultly and according to cause in the intelligible [i. e. in the first triad] of i ntel ligibles; but according to essence in the intelligible of the intelligible, and at the same time, intellectual Gods. All intelligibles therefore are united; the intelligible indeed of the intelligible and intellectual Gods being united to the intelligible of the intelligibles prior* to intellectuals; but the intelligible of intellectuals, to both. And the subsistence indeed in another, adheres ' For Koi^rcovy it is obviously necessary to read yocf cok. * For wpmrm$ it is necessary to read npo rm.
416 ON THE THEOLOGY BOOK V.
to the difference which is according to unical number. But unical number is suspended from the occult union of the one being; on which account also it is unicaL Farther still, we also say, that there is a twofold conversion in those orders, the one indeed being towards themselves, but the other towards the causes of them, (for it neither was nor will be lawful for divine natures, to convert themselves in any respect to natures posterior to themselves). And the intelligible Gods generate all things stably; but the intelligible and intellectual Gods who illuminate imparticipable life, impart the original cause of progression to all things; and the intellectual Gods arrange and adorn wholes according to conversion. Hence, it is indeed necessary that the summit of intellectuals which pours forth from itself the whole and all-perfect form of conversion, should be characterized by both the convertive symbols, and should be at one and the same time converted to itself, and to the natures prior to itself. Hence, because indeed, it is converted to itself, it is in itself; but because it is converted to the intelligible orders beyond itself, it is in another. For the another is more excellent than the. whole intellectual order. As, therefore, the summit of intelligibles primarily subsists according to the intelligible peculiarity itself, and is firmly established above wholes; and as the summit of intelligibles and intellectuals primarily unfolds the peculiarity of this order, subsisting according to divine diversity, and being to all things the cause of all-various progressions;— thus also the intelligible deity of intellectuals, exhibits from himself according to union the twofold forms of conversion, being indeed in another according to the more excellent form of conversion, but i?i himself according to the less excellent form. For to be converted to himself is inferior to the conversion to more excellent natures.
Again, therefore, the subsistence in another^ is the illustrious prero- gative of the intelligible and paternal peculiarity. For the another is intelligible, and difference was the power proceeding from the intelligible fathers, and from the natures firmly established in them. Hence, that which is comprehended in this power, and is filled from it, is paternal and intelligible. But the subsistence of a thing in itself is the proper Dfgitized by Google CHAP. XXXVll. OF PLATO.
sigQ of the unpolluted monacL For as we have before observed, the summits of the two intellectual triads are conjoined. And the monad of the guardian triad has eternally established itself in the paternal monad, and again establishes in, and converts to itself the natures which have proceeded from itself. And the first intellectual father is indeed father on account of himself, but on account of the unpolluted j^monad, he comprehends in himself the genera of himself, stably recalls thenl [when they have proceeded from him] to himself, and in his own allness ' contains the intelligible multitudes of intellectuals in unpro* ceeding* union with their monad.
The first leader, therefore, of the guardian order subsists in conjunction with the father. And the father indeed comprehends the unpolluted cause, but is comprehended by the first intelligibles. And as he is intelligibly established in them, so likewise he has established in himself, and constituted about himself, the one summit of the inflexible Gods* In the Parmenides, therefore, also the same God appears to us to be a pure intellect. Because, indeed, he is intellect, being extended to the intelligible place of survey, and on this account being in another ^ so far as he is wholly established in it. But again, because he is pure and immaterial, being converted to himself, and shutting in himself all his own powers. For the parts of this wholeness, are more partial powers, whicli hasten indeed to a progression from the father, but are on all sides established and comprehended by the wholeness. And the whole- ness itself is. a deity, connectedly containing in itself intelligible parts, being parturient indeed with intellectual multitude, generating all Uiingft stably, and again embosoming and collecting to itself its progeny, and as the more tragical fables say, absorbing and depositing them in itself. For the progeny of it are twofold; some indeed, being, as it were, analyzed into it; but others being divided from it. And some abiding in it through the first unpolluted monad; but others proceeding according to the prolific cause of the intellectual Gods, siirmounting the union of the Froc. Vol. I. 3 G 418 ON THX THEOLOGY SOOKT^ father, and being the primary leaders of another order, and of the arrangement and ornament of secondary natures* The first order there^ fore of the intellectual Gods, is thns delivered to us by Pannenides^ CHAPTER XXXVIII.
Th£ second order however, after thb, is tiiat which comprehaids: themiddle goiera of wholes, is the cause to all things of progression anci prolific power^ and is in continuity with the first order of the intdilectual^ Crocfs* What else therefore than life is «very where in oontinutty witb the intelligible and true being? For it is the medium between intellect and the intelligible, conjoining intellect to the intelligible, and expressing: the intelligible power which collects together t/ic one and being. As the^ intelligible therefore is to the one and hyparxis, so is life to power, and* intellect to being. And as in intelligibles, the one is the object of desire^ but being aspires after the participation of t^he one^ and power collects* being to the participation of the one^ and the one to a conrnuinion with being, (for the one here is not imparticipable, and exempt from all power> so likewise the intelligible is the object of desire to intellect^ but intellect is filled with it. And life binds indeed intellect to the intelligible, but unfolds the inteiligible to intellect. Whence also, I think, those who are wise in all divine concerns, call the one and hypar xis intelligible. But that which is primarily being, they call' the first intellect,, conformably to this analogy. Life therefore, is the medium between being and intellect,^ ia the same manner as power sub»sts between the one and being. And all these, viz. the intelligible, life, and intellect are primarily in intelligibles; ' For wcik(joni$, it is neeeasarf to read o(y«x«^Q9yr«^ XMAP. xxxvm. OP l^LATa 419 Imt secondarily io intelligibles and intellectuals; and according to a lihird diminution^ in intellectuals. In intelligibles howe>'er, being is according to essence; for there intellect is primarily according to cause. But in intellectuals, intellect indeed, is according to essence; but the 9)atures prior to intellect, are according to participation. Since therefore, life is surveyed in a threefold respect, in intelligibles indeed according to -cause; but in intelligibles and intellectuals, according to hyparxis^; and in intellectuals,' according to participation, it is indeed necessary that the life which is in the intellectual order, should both be life, and participate of the causes generative of life prior of itself. The one therefore of the intellectual Gods which b arranged in the middle, is not motion, but that which is moved. For prior to this, it has been demonstrated by Plato, that all life is motion. For soul is self*motive because it is self-vital. And intellect is on this account moved, because it has the most excellent life. The first vivific cause, therefore, o^fbe intellectual Gods, is primarily allotted motion. If, however, it was the iirst*efifective and highest life, it would be requisite to denominate it