Category: Neoplatonism > Chaldaica & Procliana
1 Introduction
[…]
2a Michael Italicus, Letter 17 (ed. des Places)
‹italicus’ introduction›
The Chaldaeans speak about many monstrosities, o most intelligent soul,1 in their writings about their theological nonsense. I could not even summarize them all for you; but I shall select a few things out of many and show you their excessive blathering in brief.
‹i. the one›
The first thing, according to them, is the One, as we can also find it theologized among the Greeks, and especially by Plato. Next from this, many abysses of nonsense are spilled out by these barbarians, of which they are most worthy.
‹ii. the intelligible›
And first is what is called the paternal abyss by them, composed of three triads, as they say, of which each has a father as its first, next a power, and third an intellect. And in the first triad, they are all in a paternal fashion; in the second, according to power; and in the third, according to intellect.2 Now, power is intellective in relation to the father, intelligible in relation to intellect.3 The father himself is hymned as a “sacred fire” by them, and he is intelligible in relation to intellect, and like their father in relation to power.
‹ii.a. the threefold division of intellect›
And as the first fount is all things intelligibly, so the second is all things intelligibly-and-intellectively. And the third is characterized as intellective.4
‹iii. the intelligible-and-intellective›
But the mixture of the two, I mean the Intelligible-and-Intellective, first gushes forth the first jynx. After this are the three jynxes, which they call paternal and unutterable. And what the One is among the abysses after it, that the first jynx is among the jynxes after it.5 And what the first triad is among the intelligibles, that the second triad is among the intelligible-and-intellective beings. For they are most principal (arkhēgikōtata) and hidden causes. Now the founts of the unutterables divide the cosmoi threefold, into the empyreal, the aethereal and the material. After the jynxes, they rank their connectors, which are three. And they say that the unutterable jynxes are demiurgic of (i.e., ‘create’) the unification of all things, whereas the connectors unify the processions of plurality, and create the chain of the gods; for they provide the center and for that reason are called connectors. After these, they invent the three teletarchs: the empyreal, aethereal and matter-ruling. And they set them up as guardians (phrouroi) of all founts and derive the ends of all things from them. And the jynxes are simply monads; but the connectors are monads who prefigure plurality. The teletarchs possess plurality in division (dihēirēmenon), and, so to speak, poured out and advanced into a kind of progression, as it were.
‹iv. the intellective›
After these, they say, subsist the fontal fathers and the orders (diakosmēseis) of the intellective founts, which they call seven thunderbolts. The first of these are the three leaders of the cosmos, who have proceeded according to a certain order, the Onefold Transcendent and afterwards the Twofold Transcendent, and Hekate in the middle between both. After these, the three implacables; and seventh, the engirdling, the limit of the seven thunderbolts. The hypercosmic and unparticipated one are seated before this hebdomad.6 The Onefold Transcendent is paternal intellect and father of all intellective beings; they hymn a certain power, Hekate, as goddess of all leaders of the cosmos.7 And monstrously, they say that she fills all things with intellective light. They call all these the leaders of the cosmos, because they stand close beyond the cosmoi. And their Twofold Transcendent gives of itself to the cosmoi and sows “free lights” (eulyta phengē) into them, to use their terms.
‹v. founts›
But why should I talk about the hair (khaitai) of Hekate, her forehead (krotaphoi) and her sides (lagones), the founts around her head (perikranioi) and the girdles (zōstēres)? For I should bring my discourse to other things and ideas; I mean the fierrible8 (pyriplētis) fount and the serpentess (drakaina) and serpent-girdled one (drakontozōnos) after these9—the latter of which others call by an excessive compound, serpent-coil-girdled (speirodrakontozōnos); and after these, the lion-holding (leontoukhos). After these, the barbarians, who invent everything with recklessness, suspend nature (physis) itself from Hekate’s back (nōta); and they draw the fount of the soul from her right side, while they have the river of virtues gush forth from her left side. They also distinguish certain ineffable founts and certain more particular channels, such as the daemon-holding (daimonioukhos) (fount) and that of the angels, as they say.
‹iv.a. the intellective, continued›
But, to speak more clearly about these beings, among these leaders of the cosmos, the Onefold Transcendent is unitary and ruled by the one,10 and the Twofold Transcendent is dyadic. But Hekate herself is simply called Transcendent. For their ‘Onefold’ and ‘Twofold’ do not signify an order, but the one possesses a uniform activity, and the other a pluralized one. So, in order, the Twofold Transcendent is the third, and Hekate is the second.
‹v.a. founts, continued›
But you should know that just as there are certain things of Hekate, like hair, forehead, crown of the head (koryphē), sides—for these are her founts—, and other things around her, like the (founts) around her head and the girdle—for these are arranged around her, and not within her—, so the Twofold Transcendent also has a plurality of founts, some around him, others within him: the fount of forms (ideai), that of thunderbolts (keraunios), that of diopters, and certain others, even more monstrous ones.
‹iv.b. the intellective, continued›
And the connectors guard the subsistences of these fathers from above, while the implacables preserve their whole and fontal acts immaculate. Each of the leaders of the cosmos has an implacable triad, but the first, empyreally; the middle, aethereally; and the third, materially. The last of the seven is the fount of the engirdling ones (hypezōkotes), the primally efficient (prōtourgos) cause of intellective separation; and it is the cause of otherness, as the implacables are the cause of sameness, and as the leaders of the cosmos are the greatest causes of subsistences. And one should not marvel, says the exegete of such blathering,11 if the fount of separations is one, but there is a triad of the implacables and a triad of the leaders of the cosmos. For among the founts, as he says, the unificatory beings are greater, and the divisive ones lesser; just as, in turn, among the channels flowing down from the founts, the divisive genera multiply, and the unifying genera are allotted a lesser order.12 And if the engirdling ones are called Titans by them, did not either the Greeks put together their Orphic theology based on these (Chaldaic teachings), or the barbarians invent their monstrous mythology based on Orpheus?13
‹italicus’ conclusion›
There would be much other Chaldaic nonsense to mention; but it is impossible to go through everything and reach the end.
Notes
1 Meaning the addressee of the letter.
2 I.e., the division of the paternal abyss itself into the triad Father, Power and Intellect is replicated within each of these triads.
3 So the structure of Intelligible, Intelligible-and-Intellective, Intellective is prefigured in the intelligible triads.
4 By these founts, the Intelligible, the Intelligible-and-Intellective and the Intellective themselves are meant.
5 To my understanding, this is not a separate principle but the unity (monad) that contains or produces the triad of jynxes.
6 In this case, the awkward “before” must mean after the Intellective but above the cosmos, for that is the position of the unparticipated, hypercosmic order.
7 It is unclear to me whether Italicus is distancing himself from the pagan Hekate by calling her “some power” or whether, like the middle member of the intelligible triads, she is a kind of power in the same way that the Onefold Transcendent is a father.
8 Apparently dasplētis (‘horrid, terrible’), an epithet of the Furies, reanalyzed as a compound (dys-plētis?) and recombined with pyr, ‘fire’, to mean something like ‘fiery and terrible’.
9 Or “alongside these”. These three founts are clearly bynames of Hekate.
10 By unity, not exactly the One itself.
11 Proclus.
12 The point being that “above”, where things are more unified, the unifying beings are more, while below, where things are of the opposite character, the opposite is true.
13 If I understand this sentence correctly, Italicus is calling into doubt that equivalences between Chaldaic and Orphic theology (as construed by Proclus) serve as independent confirmation; rather, they show dependence in one direction or the other.
2b Greek text
3a Michael Psellus, Summary Outlines of the Ancient Doctrines among the Chaldaeans
‹i. the one›
Since I am composing a concise exposition of the Chaldaic doctrines for you, just as you asked me to write for you, I will follow them and begin with the ineffable One, which is their first principle.
‹ii. the intelligible›
After this, they babble, there is a kind of abyss composed of three triad, each of which has a father as its first, secondly a power, and third, an intellect.
‹iii. the intelligible-and-intellective›
They say that after these, there are the intelligible-and-intellective (triads), of which the first is the jynx, after which there are another three paternal, intelligible and unutterable (jynxes),1 which divide the cosmoi threefold, according to the empyreal, the aethereal and the material. Next after the jynxes, they say, are the connectors; and while the jynxes cause the unutterable unifications (henōseis) of all things to subsist for them, the connectors unify the processions of the plurality of beings, because, as the center between the intelligible and intellective beings, they have fixed the combination of both within themselves.
Next after the connectors, they place the teletarchs,2 who are also three.3 The first of them is the empyreal, the second the aethereal and the third, the hylarch (hylarkhēs, ‘ruler of matter’). Now, the jynxes are only monads, the connectors are monads which already prefigure plurality (plēthos), and the teletarchs are monads which possess plurality in division (dihēirēmenon).
‹iv. the intellective›
They believe that after these, there are the fontal fathers or leaders of the cosmos. The first of these is called the Onefold Transcendent, after whom the second and middle one is Hekate, and the third, the Twofold Transcendent. After these, there are three implacables and seventh, the engirdling. The Onefold Transcendent is the paternal intellect (nous patrikos) insofar as he is from the intelligibles, and the father of all intellective beings. Hekate fills all things with intellective light and life. And these are called fathers and the leaders of the cosmos, because they stand close beyond the cosmoi.
‹v. founts›
Hekate has the founts (pēgai) of different natures around her. Among the founts from her girdle, Nature (physis), who is suspended from the back of Hekate, completes the purpose (telos). Among the founts in her flank, the left is that of souls, and the one of virtues is in the right one. The Twofold Transcendent was allotted the order of the demiurgic founts, as Hekate (obtained) the life-originating (order of founts). For he puts forward the mould of the forms (ideai) towards the cosmos.
‹iv.a. the intellective, continued›
Now, he is called Twofold Transcendent because he is dyadic, holding the intelligibles in his intellect, and bringing perception (aisthēsis) forward to the cosmoi, and the Onefold Transcendent is so called because he is unitary (heniaios). But Hekate is simply Transcendent. The implacables receive the lightning (prēstērios) power of the connectors and guard (phrourousi) the subsistences of the fathers above and preserve (phylattousin) their fontal activities immaculate. And the fount of the engirdling ones is the primary-effective cause (prōtourgos aitia) of intellective separation.
‹v.a. founts, continued›
There is also the fontal triad of Faith, Truth and Love. After these are the demiurgic founts, like that of the forms, through which the cosmos and the things in it have shape, weight, form and their own life. And the fount of the Sun is set up before the Heliac principles; for the Demiurge is the cause of the solar principles, whereas Hekate is the (cause of the) life-originating (principles). From the solar fount proceeds the principal Sun and the archangelic.1 They say that the fount of perception is also in the Demiurge, because he brings perception forward to the cosmoi. There is also a fount of the purificatories, thunderbolts,2 diopters, mystery rites,3 characters,4 Eumenides and teletarchs.5 And the three fathers have the principal order set over acts of magic (mageiai). There is also a zone of dreams which has its beginning from the fontal soul.
‹vi. principles›
To the first founts correspond the first principles (arkhai), to the middle (founts) the middle (principles), and to the particular ones (merikai) the final (principles). And the summit of the life-originating principles is called Hekate,1 the middle the principal soul (psykhē arkhikē), and the end, principal virtue (aretē arkhikē).
‹vii. archangels›
After the principal order (arkhikē taxis), there is that of the archangels; and from all of the principles, leading angels2 (hēgemones angeloi) proceed.
‹viii. zoneless and zones›
After the archangelic procession, which is closely joined to the principles, subsists that of the zoneless (azōnoi). They are called zoneless because they freely (eulytōs) exert authority over the zones3 and are seated above the visible gods.
‹ix. perceptible cosmos›
After the zones,1 there is the fixed circle which encompasses the seven spheres. And the things below the Moon subsist in the four elements; but there are divine orders and genera around each of the elements.
‹x. greater beings after the gods›
After these (divine orders) there are the companions (opadoi) of the gods, the angels, and after these the herds (agelai) of daemons, some more whole (holikōterai), some more particular (merikōterai) down to the most material (hylikōtatai); and after these, the heroes. And the angelic is more oikeioteron to the gods, because it is coordinate (with them) for the sake of assistance, and leads up souls to a certain point, albeit not beyond the cosmos; whereas the heroic is closely joined to mortals; and intermediary between both is the daemonic.
‹xi. daemons›
Of the daemonic, one kind has received a boniform1 power and assists the hieratic ascents against those are opposed to them.2 The other kind drags souls down, and it is called beast-tending3 (thēropolon) and shameless (anaides); it reverts its nature,4 serves the dispensations of fate (moiraiai doseis), and bewitches souls or punishes those who have been left separated from the divine light; and it is exists in the hollow,5 divided into male and female.
‹xii. souls›
They say that there are two fontal causes of our souls, that is, the paternal intellect and the fontal soul. For the Father has drawn it from that (fontal soul) and has commanded it to go forth, and (the fontal soul) gives subsistence to the being-itself (auto to einai) and the form (of soul). The human being, insofar as it is composite and possesses many forms and kinship with the irrational (animals), was placed in the cosmos by the Father. For since everything composite is a part of the cosmos, (the human being) is subordinated to the cosmos. But the intellective fire (of the soul) has come from above and is bound to its own fount alone. And if it has sympathy with body, (it is only because) it serves necessity, and it has been subordinated to fate (moira) and led by its own nature. And it came forth from the fontal (soul) according to the will of the Father, but it has both self-originated and self-living substance (autogonos kai autozōos ousia); for it is an immaterial and self-subsistent form (ahylon kai authypostaton eidos).
‹xiii. matter and body›
Matter is paternally originated (patrogenēs), and it is the substrate of the body; thus, body is without qualities in itself, but when it takes on different powers, it is divided into the four elements, from which the entire cosmos and our body have been shaped.
‹xix. series›
The summit of each series is called a fount (pēgē), those which come next springs (krēnai), those after them channels (okhetoi), and next after them, streams (reithra).
‹psellus’ conclusion›
This, speaking summarily, is the theology and philosophy of the Chaldaeans.
1Not the same as the intellective Hekate.
1Elsewhere, the zones are precisely identified with the seven planetary spheres and the sphere of the fixed stars.
1Agathoeidês, from agathos, ‚good‘.
4In Proclus, emanation occurs in three phases: remaining, procession, reversion. Thus, the lowest kind of daemons would naturally turn back upwards, in this case to somewhat surprising effect.
5I suppose this means the underworld within the Earth, which Proclus certainly believed in.
3b Greek text
Ψελλοῦ ὑποτύπωσις κεφαλαιώδης τῶν παρὰ Χαλδαίοις ἀρχαίων δογμάτων
Σύντομόν σοι τῶν Χαλδαϊκῶν δογμάτων ποιούμενος ἔκθεσιν, περὶ ὧν ἐδεήθης γράψαι σοι, ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀρρήτου κατ‘ ἐκείνους ἑνὸς τίθεμαι καὶ αὐτὸς τὴν ἀρχήν. μεθ’ ὃ πατρικόν τινα ληροῦσι βυθὸν ἐκ τριῶν τριάδων συγκείμενον, ἑκάστης ἐχούσης πατέρα μὲν πρῶτον, δεύτερον δὲ δύναμιν, τρίτον δὲ νοῦν. μετὰ δὲ ταῦτά φασιν εἶναι νοητάς τε καὶ νοεράς, ὧν πρώτην μὲν εἶναι τὴν ἴυγγα, μεθ’ ἣν τρεῖς ἑτέρας πατρικὰς καὶ νοητὰς καὶ ἀφθέγκτους, διαιρούσας τοὺς κόσμους τριχῇ κατὰ τὸ ἐμπύριον καὶ τὸ αἰθέριον καὶ τὸ ὑλαῖον. μετὰ δὲ τὰς ἴυγγας προσεχεῖς, φασίν, οἱ συνοχεῖς· καὶ αἱ μὲν ἴυγγες τὰς ἀφθέγκτους αὐτοῖς ἑνώσεις τῶν πάντων ὑφιστᾶσιν, οἱ δὲ συνοχεῖς τὰς προόδους τοῦ πλήθους τῶν ὄντων ἑνίζουσι μεταξὺ τῶν νοητῶν καὶ τῶν νοερῶν κέντρον τῆς ἀμφοτέρων κοινωνίας ἐν ἑαυτοῖς πηξάμενοι. προσεχεῖς δὲ τοῖς συνοχεῦσι τοὺς τελετάρχας τιθέασι τρεῖς καὶ αὐτοὺς ὄντας· ὧν ὁ μὲν ἐμπύριος, ὁ δὲ αἰθέριος, ὁ δὲ ὑλάρχης. εἰσὶ δὲ αἱ μὲν ἴυγγες μονάδες μόνον, οἱ δὲ συνοχεῖς μονάδες ἤδη προφαίνουσαι τὸ πλῆθος, οἱ δὲ τελετάρχαι μονάδες διῃρημένον ἔχουσαι τὸ πλῆθος. μετὰ δὲ τούτους τοὺς πηγαίους πατέρας δοξάζουσιν ἤτοι τοὺς κοσμαγούς· ὧν πρῶτος ὁ ἅπαξ λεγόμενος, μεθ’ ὃν ἡ Ἑκάτη δευτέρα καὶ μέση, τρίτος δὲ ὁ δὶς ἐπέκεινα· μεθ‘ οὓς τρεῖς ἀμείλικτοι καὶ ἕβδομος ὁ ὑπεζωκώς. ἔστι δὲ ὁ ἅπαξ ἐπέκεινα νοῦς {ὁ} πατρικὸς ὡς πρὸς τὰ νοητά, πατὴρ δὲ τῶν νοερῶν ἁπάντων· ἡ δὲ Ἑκάτη νοεροῦ φωτὸς καὶ ζωῆς πάντα πληροῖ. καλοῦνται δὴ οὗτοι πατέρες καὶ κοσμαγοὶ ὡς προσεχῶς ἐπιβαίνοντες τοῖς κόσμοις. ἔχει δὲ περὶ αὑτὴν ἡ Ἑκάτη πηγὰς διαφόρων φύσεων. τῶν δὲ κατὰ τὸν ζωστῆρα πηγῶν ἡ μὲν φύσις τὸ τέλος συμπεραίνει τῶν τῆς Ἑκάτης νώτων ἀπαιωρουμένη· τῶν δὲ ἐν τῇ λαγόνι πηγῶν ἡ μὲν τῶν ψυχῶν ἐστι δεξιά, ἡ δὲ τῶν ἀρετῶν ἐν λαιοῖς. ὁ δὲ δὶς ἐπέκεινα τάξιν μὲν ἔλαχεν ἐν ταῖς πηγαῖς δημιουργικήν, ὥσπερ ζῳογόνον ἡ Ἑκάτη· αὐτὸς γὰρ προὔθηκε τὸν τῶν ἰδεῶν τύπον τῷ κόσμῳ· καλεῖται δὲ δὶς ἐπέκεινα, ὅτι δυαδικός ἐστι, νῷ μὲν κατέχων τὰ νοητά, αἴσθησιν δὲ ἐπάγων τοῖς κόσμοις· ὁ δὲ ἅπαξ ἐπέκεινα λέγεται, ὅτι ἑνιαῖός ἐστιν· ἡ δὲ Ἑκάτη μόνον ἐπέκεινα. οἱ δὲ ἀμείλικτοι ὑποδεξάμενοι τὴν πρηστήριον τῶν συνοχέων δύναμιν φρουροῦσι τὰς ὑπάρξεις ἄνωθεν τῶν πατέρων καὶ τὰς πηγαίας αὐτῶν ἐνεργείας ἀχράντους φυλάττουσιν· ἡ δὲ τῶν ὑπεζωκότων πηγὴ πρωτουργός ἐστιν αἰτία τῆς νοερᾶς διακρίσεως. ἔστι δὲ καὶ πηγαία τριὰς πίστεως ἀληθείας καὶ ἔρωτος. μεθ’ ἅς εἰσιν αἱ δημιουργικαὶ πηγαί, ὥσπερ ἡ τῶν ἰδεῶν, καθ’ ἣν σχῆμα καὶ ὄγκον ἔχει καὶ εἶδος καὶ ζωὴν ἰδίαν ὁ κόσμος καὶ τὰ ἐν αὐτῷ· καὶ ἡ τοῦ ἡλίου πηγὴ πρὸ τῶν ἡλιακῶν ἀρχῶν ἱδρυμένη· ἔστι γὰρ τῶν μὲν ἡλιακῶν ἀρχῶν ὁ δημιουργὸς αἴτιος, τῶν δὲ ζῳογόνων ‹ἡ› Ἑκάτη· ἀπὸ δὲ τῆς ἡλιακῆς πηγῆς ‹ὁ› ἀρχικὸς ἥλιος προέρχεται καὶ ὁ ἀρχαγγελικός. εἶναι δέ φασιν ἐν τῷ δημιουργῷ καὶ αἰσθήσεως πηγήν, ἐπειδὴ καὶ αἴσθησιν οὗτος ἐπάγει τοῖς κόσμοις· ἔστι δὲ καὶ καθαρτηρίων πηγὴ καὶ κεραυνῶν καὶ διοπτρῶν καὶ τελετῶν καὶ χαρακτήρων καὶ Εὐμενίδων καὶ τελεταρχῶν. καὶ ἐπὶ μαγειῶν δὲ τρεῖς πατέρες ἀρχικὴν ἔχουσι τάξιν. ἔστι δὲ καὶ ὀνείρου ζώνη ἀπὸ τῆς πηγαίας ψυχῆς τὴν ἀρχὴν ἔχουσα. ὁμολογοῦσι δὲ ταῖς μὲν πρώταις πηγαῖς αἱ πρῶται ἀρχαί, ταῖς δὲ μέσαις αἱ μέσαι καὶ ταῖς μερικαῖς αἱ τελευταῖαι. τῶν δὲ ζῳογόνων ἀρχῶν ἡ μὲν ἀκρότης Ἑκάτη καλεῖται, ἡ δὲ μεσότης ψυχὴ ἀρχική, ἡ δὲ ἀποπεράτωσις ἀρετὴ ἀρχική. μετὰ δὲ τὴν ἀρχικὴν τάξιν ἡ τῶν ἀρχαγγέλων ἐστίν· ἀπὸ δὲ πασῶν τῶν ἀρχῶν ἡγεμόνες ἄγγελοι προέρχονται. μετὰ δὲ τὴν ἀρχαγγελικὴν πρόοδον ταῖς ἀρχαῖς συνηρτημένην ἡ τῶν ἀζώνων ὑφίσταται· ἄζωνοι δὲ καλοῦνται ὡς εὐλύτως ἐνεξουσιάζοντες ταῖς ζώναις καὶ ὑπεριδρυμένοι τῶν ἐμφανῶν θεῶν. μετὰ δὲ τὰς ζώνας ὁ ἀπλανὴς κύκλος περιέχων τὰς ἑπτὰ σφαίρας. τὰ δὲ ὑπὸ σελήνην ἐν τοῖς τέτρασι στοιχείοις ὑφέστηκεν· εἰσὶ δὲ θεῖαι τάξεις καὶ γένη περὶ ἕκαστον τῶν στοιχείων. μεθ’ ἃς οἱ τῶν θεῶν ὀπαδοὶ ἄγγελοι· ἐφ’ οἷς αἱ τῶν δαιμόνων ἀγέλαι, αἱ μὲν ὁλικώτεραι, αἱ δὲ μερικώτεραι μέχρι τῶν ὑλικωτάτων. καὶ μετὰ τούτους οἱ ἥρωες. καὶ ἔστι τοῖς μὲν θεοῖς οἰκειότερον τὸ ἀγγελικόν, ὃ δὴ καὶ πρὸς τὰς παρεδρείας σύστοιχον καὶ μέχρι τινὸς ἀνάγον τὰς ψυχάς, ἀλλ‘ οὐχ ὑπὲρ τὸν κόσμον, τὸ δὲ τοῖς θνητοῖς συναπτόμενον τὸ ἡρωϊκόν, τὸ δὲ μέσον ἀμφοῖν τὸ δαιμόνιον. οὗ τὸ μὲν δύναμιν ἀγαθοειδῆ κέκτηται συλλαμβάνον ταῖς ἱερατικαῖς ἀνόδοις ἐπὶ τοὺς ἐναντίους ταύταις· τὸ δὲ καθέλκει τὰς ψυχάς, ὃ καὶ θηροπόλον καὶ ἀναιδὲς καλεῖται, τὴν φύσιν ἐπιστρεφόμενον καὶ ταῖς μοιραίαις δόσεσιν ὑπηρετοῦν καὶ θέλγον τὰς ψυχὰς ἢ κολάζον τὰς ἐρήμας ἀπολειφθείσας τοῦ θείου φωτός, ὃ καὶ ἐν τῷ κοιλώματι φέρεται εἰς ἄρρεν καὶ θῆλυ διῃρημένον.
Τῶν δὲ ἡμετέρων, φασί, ψυχῶν αἴτια διττὰ πηγαῖα, ὅ τε πατρικὸς νοῦς καὶ ἡ πηγαία ψυχή· τὸν μὲν γὰρ πατέρα ἑλκύσαι αὐτὴν ἀπ’ ἐκείνης καὶ κελεῦσαι προελθεῖν, τὴν δὲ αὐτὸ τὸ εἶναι καὶ τὸ εἶδος ὑποστῆσαι. τὸν δὲ ἄνθρωπον, καθόσον ἐστὶ σύνθετος καὶ εἴδη πολλὰ καὶ συγγενῆ τοῖς ἀλόγοις ἔχει, τῷ κόσμῳ ‹ἐνέθηκεν› ὁ πατήρ· πᾶν γὰρ σύνθετον τοῦ κόσμου μέρος ὂν ὑπὸ τὸν κόσμον τάττεται. τὸ δὲ νοερὸν πῦρ ἄνωθεν ἥκει καὶ μόνης δεῖται τῆς οἰκείας πηγῆς· εἰ δὲ συμπάθοι σώματι, θεραπεύειν ἀνάγκη καὶ ὑπὸ τῇ μοίρᾳ τετάχθαι καὶ ὑπὸ τῆς φύσεως ἄγεσθαι. καὶ προῆλθε μὲν ἀπὸ τῆς πηγαίας κατὰ βούλησιν ‹τοῦ› πατρός, ἔχει δὲ καὶ αὐτόγονον οὐσίαν καὶ αὐτόζωον· εἶδος γάρ ἐστιν ἄυλον καὶ αὐθυπόστατον. καὶ ἡ μὲν ὕλη πατρογενής ἐστι καὶ ὑπέστρωται τῷ σώματι, τὸ δὲ σῶμα καθ’ ἑαυτὸ ἄποιόν ἐστι, δυνάμεις δὲ διαφόρους λαβὸν ‹τὰ› τέτταρα στοιχεῖα διῃρέθη, ἐξ ὧν ὁ σύμπας ἐμορφώθη κόσμος καὶ τὸ ἡμέτερον σῶμα. ἑκάστης δὲ σειρᾶς ἡ ἀκρότης πηγὴ ὀνομάζεται, τὰ δὲ προσεχῆ κρῆναι, τὰ δὲ μετὰ ταῦτα ὀχετοί, τὰ δὲ μετ’ ἐκεῖνα ῥεῖθρα. τοιαύτη ὡς ἐν κεφαλαίοις εἰπεῖν ἡ τῶν Χαλδαίων θεολογία καὶ φιλοσοφία ἐστίν.
4a Michael Psellus, Summary and Concise Exposition of the Doctrines among the Chaldaeans
‹0. seven cosmoi›
{Now, in order to summarize everything summarily, the Chaldaeans} say that there are seven corporeal cosmoi, the empyreal, which is one and the first, after it three aethereal ones,1 and then three material ones,2 of which the last is called the earthly (khthonios) and light-hating (misophaēs), which is the space below the moon, which also has matter, which is called the abyss, within it.3
‹i. the one›
They believe that there is one first principle of all things, and they hymn it as the One and the Good. {They say that this First Cause is the most unutterable (aphthenktaton).}
‹ii. the intelligible›
Next, they worship a certain paternal abyss, composed of three triads {or: triadic qualities}; and each triad has a father, a power and an intellect.
‹iii. the intelligible-and-intellective›
Next, there is the intelligible jynx {or: they introduce certain jynxes}, and after this the connectors:1 the empyreal, the aetherial and the material one. After these connectors, there arethe teletarchs.2
‹iv. the intellective›
After these, there are the {seven} fontal fathers (pēgaioi pateres), who are called the leaders of the cosmos. The first of these is called the Onefold Transcendent; after it, there is Hekate, and next the Twofold Transcendent. After these, there are the three implacables and finally the engirdling.
‹v. founts›
But they also worship the fontal triad of Faith, Truth and Love.1 And they also say that, from the Heliac fount, there is a principal Sun and an archangelic one;2 and there is also a fount of perception, a fontal distinction, a fount of the thunderbolt (keraunios pēgē), a fount of diopters,3 and a fount of characters which rules over the unknowable tokens,4 and fontal summits of Apollon, Osiris, Hermes, (and so on).5 They also say that there are material founts of centers and elements, and a zone of dreams,6 and a fontal soul.7
‹vi. principles›
They say that, after the founts, there are principles; for the founts are more principal than the principles.1 Now, the summit of the life-originating principles (zōogonoi arkhai) is called Hekate,2 the middle is principal soul, the limit is principal virtue.
—
‹viii. zoneless and zones›
According to them, there are also zoneless (azōnoi) Hekates, like the Chaldaic Triekdotis, Kōmas and Ekklystē.3 For according to them, the gods Sarapis and Dionysus and the series of Osiris and that of Apollon are zoneless (azōnikoi). Zoneless is the name for those who freely (eulytōs) exert authority over the zones and who are seated above the visible gods,4 while the zonic (zōnaioi) are those who detachedly5 (apolytōs) make the zones in heaven revolve and rule the things here.6 For according to them, the zonic is a divine genus, that which divides the parts of the perceptible cosmos among itself, and girds its allotments around the material space.7
‹ix. …›
After the zones, there is the fixed circle1 which encompasses the seven spheres in which the planets are. And according to them, the solar cosmos which is subject to the aethereal depth (bathos) is different from the zonic (solar cosmos), which is one of the seven.2
‹xi. daemons›
After these, they create the tribe of daemons; and they lay down that some of the daemons are good, but others evil, {but our pious (Christian) teachings defines them all as evil,}1 because they have exchanged goodness for evilness out of an error of choice.
‹xii. souls›
Two fontal causes of human souls are laid down, the paternal intellect and the fontal soul: the particular soul1 (merikē psykhē) proceeds from the fontal soul according to the will of the father. But it has a self-originated and self-living substance, because it is not moved by another. For according to the Oracle, it is a portion (moira) of the “divine fire” and is a “radiant fire” and “paternal intellection”, and it is an immateral and self-subsistent form. For everything divine is of this sort, and the soul is a part of the divine. They also say that all things are in every soul, but each in the unknowable manner of a speakable or unspeakable token.2
according to each unknowable characteristic of an speakable and unspeakable token.
καθ‘ ἑκάστην δὲ ἰδιότητα ἄγνωστον ῥητοῦ καὶ ἀρρήτου συνθήματος
but that in each there is an unknown characteristic of an effable and ineffable impression
They claim that the soul often descends into the cosmos, through many causes, either by losing its wings3 or through paternal will.
‹xiv. eternity of the cosmos›
They believe that the cosmos and the revolutions of the stars are eternal.
‹xv. hades›
They assign (the name) Hades in many ways: now they call the god the ruler (arkhēgos) of the allotment around the earth (perigeios lēxis) Hades, now they say that the space below the Moon is Hades,1 now the middle between the aethereal and the material cosmos, now the irrational soul; and they place (the irrational soul) within the rational soul, not substantially, but relationally, because it has a sympathetic2 relation to it and projects particular reasoning (merikos logos).
‹xvi. forms›
The forms (ideai) they now believe to be the conceptions of the father, now logoi3 in general—the natural, soulish and intelligible—, now the transcendent subsistences (hyparxeis) of all beings.4
‹xvii. magic and sympathy›
In their theories (logoi) about about magical acts (mageiai), they combine certain most exalted powers and materials around the earth (perigeiai hylai).1 The things above have sympathy2 with the things below, and especially those below the Moon.3
‹xviii. after death›
They say that, after their so-called death, souls go back, depending on the degree of their respective purification (katharsis), into all parts of the cosmos. They say that some ascend above the cosmos, and they define these as intermediate between the indivisible and the divisible (meristoi) natures.
—
‹psellus’ conclusion›
Aristotle and Plato accepted most of these doctrines, but the followers of Plotinus, Iamblichus, Porphyry and Proclus irrationally accepted them all like divine declarations.
1…
2The material cosmoi make up the perceptible cosmos.
3To the best of my understanding, this is a reference to the underworld, but that may be incorrect.
1…
2This is only one example of a god’s series progressing from its fount, or fontal intellect, and only a part of the Sun’s series is enumerated. What follows is a list of founts that all seem to go back to Chaldaic teachings.
3…
4A kharaktēr … synthēma
5As I understand it, these are just three examples of the many fontal gods.
6…
7The source of all souls.
1This may be a joke on Psellus’ part.
2This is not the intellective life-originating goddess, but a later Hekate.
3If this is the correct reading, it will have something to do with purification. Some have taken it to be corrupted from an original Ekklēsia, ‘of the assembly’.
4The stars and planets.
5The choice of this word is strange here, since the detached (apolytoi) gods are the zoneless. Perhaps Psellus or later copyists have made a mistake.
6On Earth.
7From Damascius’ negative characterization of the detached/zoneless gods (On the Parmenides p. 214), we can derive a positive description of the zonic ones: they are entangled in the nature of the cosmos and fill it; they surround themselves with the cosmos and are bound to its portions (moirai) or zones.
1The sphere of the fixed sphere.
2One of the planets.
1This is absent from both versions of this Exposition, but it is found in Psellus’ commentary on select Chaldaic Oracles, and is required for sense, since Proclus’ daemons are good or evil (meaning evil in a merely relative sense) by nature.
1I.e., individual souls.
2More literally, “according to each unknowable characteristic of an speakable and unspeakable token”, but if I understand this correctly, my rendering communicates the sense better. The point is that there are tokens, some rationally comprehensible
3A Platonic metaphor; see Phaedrus 246.
1There is not much of a conceptual difference with allotments around (i.e., across and about) the earth and the space below the moon. Really, this is just a transference of the old habit of calling the underworld by the name of its ruler, with the difference that the realm of earthly life and the air above it are understood as the underworld.
2Sympathy (sympatheia) is an interaction between two entities, especially without corporeal interaction, which brings about mutual similarity or positive interaction.
3Something like the patterns or laws by which things are shaped, but the word can also refer to thoughts.
4These three ideas are not in fact disparate: the intelligible logoi are the thoughts of paternal intellects, and they are the first subsistences of all things that exist in the cosmos (except for those beings whose subsistence is superior to forms, such as the gods).
1More literally, “They put together their theories about about magical acts from certain most exalted powers and from materials around the earth.”
2An incorporeal influence, as when an amulet of the Moon is endowed with lunar powers.
3This could almost be a summary of the Proclian fragment On the Hieratic Art According to the Greeks, but that is not Chaldaic in character.
4b Greek text
⟨Τοῦ αὐτοῦ ἔκθεσις κεφαλαιώδης καὶ σύντομος τῶν παρὰ Χαλδαίοις δογμάτων⟩
{Αὐτικά, ἵν’ ἐπὶ κεφαλαίῳ περὶ πάντων λάβοιμι, Χαλδαῖοι μὲν} ἑπτά φασι σωματικοὺς κόσμους, ἐμπύριον ἕνα καὶ πρῶτον, καὶ τρεῖς μετ‘ αὐτὸν αἰθερίους, ἔπειτα τρεῖς ὑλαίους, ὧν ὁ ἔσχατος χθόνιος εἴρηται καὶ ⟨μισοφαής⟩ / {μεσοφαής}, ὅστις ἐστὶν ὁ ὑπὸ σελήνην τόπος, ἔχων ἐν ἑαυτῷ καὶ τὴν ὕλην, ἣν καλοῦσι βυθόν.
Μίαν {δὲ} ἀρχὴν τῶν πάντων δοξάζουσι, καὶ ἓν αὐτὴν καὶ ἀγαθὸν ⟨ἀνυμνοῦσιν⟩ / {ἀπογυμνοῦσι}. {τοῦτο τὴ τὸ πρῶτον αἴτιον καὶ ἀφθεγκτότατον λέγουσιν·} εἶτα πατρικόν τινα βυθὸν ⟨σέβονται⟩ / {ἀναπλάττουσιν}, ἐκ τριῶν ⟨τριάδων⟩ / {τριαδικῶν ποιοτήτων} συγκείμενον. ⟨ἑκάστη δὲ τριὰς ἔχει πατέρα⟩ / {ἑκάστῃ δὲ τριάδι πατέρα τίθενται}, δύναμιν καὶ νοῦν. ⟨εἶτα ἔστιν ἡ νοητὴ ἴυγξ⟩ / {μεθ’ οὓς ἴυγγάς τινας παρεισάγουσιν}, ⟨μετὰ δὲ ταύτην οἱ⟩ / {εἶτα} συνοχεῖς, ⟨ὁ ἐμπύριος, ὁ αἰθέριος καὶ ὁ ὑλαῖος⟩ / {ἐμπύριον, αἰθέριον καὶ ὑλαῖον}. μετὰ δὲ τοὺς συνοχεῖς ⟨οἱ τελετάρχαι⟩ / {τελετάρχας}, μετὰ δὲ τούτους ⟨οἱ πηγαῖοι πατέρες οἱ καλούμενοι καὶ κοσμαγοί⟩ / {πηγαίους πατέρας ἑπτά, τοὺς καὶ κοσμαγοὺς καλουμένους}· ὧν ὁ πρῶτος ὁ ἅπαξ ἐπέκεινα λεγόμενος· μεθ’ ὃν ἡ Ἑκάτη, εἶτα ὁ δὶς ἐπέκεινα, μεθ’ οὓς τρεῖς ἀμείλικτοι, καὶ τελευταῖος ὁ ὑπεζωκώς.
Σέβονται δὲ καὶ πηγαίαν τριάδα πίστεως καὶ ἀληθείας καὶ ἔρωτος. φασὶ δὲ καὶ ἀρχικὸν ἥλιον ἀπὸ τῆς ἡλιακῆς πηγῆς καὶ ἀρχαγγελικόν, καὶ πηγὴν αἰσθήσεως καὶ πηγαίαν κρίσιν καὶ κεραύνιον πηγὴν καὶ πηγὴν διοπτρῶν καὶ χαρακτήρων πηγὴν ἐπιβατεύουσαν τοῖς ἀγνώστοις συνθήμασι, καὶ πηγαίας ἀκρότητας Ἀπόλλωνος, Ὀσίριδος, Ἑρμοῦ. ⟨καὶ ὑλικὰς δὲ πηγάς φασιν, κέντρων καὶ στοιχείων⟩ / {ὑλικὰς τὰς πηγὰς λέγουσιν εἶναι κέντρων καὶ στοιχείων,} καὶ ὀνείρων ζώνην, καὶ πηγαίαν ψυχήν.
Μετὰ δὲ τὰς πηγὰς λέγουσιν εἶναι ἀρχάς. αἱ γὰρ πηγαὶ ἀρχικώτεραι τῶν ἀρχῶν· τῶν δὲ ζῳογόνων ἀρχῶν ἡ μὲν ἀκρότης Ἑκάτη καλεῖται, ἡ δὲ μεσότης ψυχὴ ἀρχική, ⟨ἡ δὲ περάτωσις ἀρετὴ ἀρχική⟩. εἰσὶ δὲ παρ’ αὐτοῖς καὶ ἄζωνοι Ἑκάται, ὡς ἡ ⟨τριοδῖτις⟩ / {τριεκδότις} ἡ Χαλδαϊκὴ καὶ ἡ κωμὰς καὶ ἡ ⟨ἐκκλύστη⟩ / {ἐκκλησία}· ἀζωνικοὶ δὲ παρ’ αὐτοῖς θεοὶ ὁ Σάραπις καὶ ὁ Διόνυσος καὶ ἡ τοῦ Ὀσίριδος σειρὰ καὶ ἡ τοῦ Ἀπόλλωνος. ἄζωνοι δὲ καλοῦνται οἱ εὐλύτως ἐνεξουσιάζοντες ταῖς ζώναις καὶ ὑπεριδρυμένοι τῶν ἐμφανῶν θεῶν, ζωναῖοι δὲ οἱ τὰς ἐν οὐρανῷ ζώνας ἀπολύτως περιελίττοντες καὶ τὰ τῇδε διοικοῦντες. θεῖον γὰρ γένος ἐστὶ παρ’ αὐτοῖς ζωναῖον, τὸ κατανειμάμενον τὰς τοῦ αἰσθητοῦ κόσμου μερίδας καὶ ζωσάμενον τὰς περὶ ⟨τὸν ὑλαῖον τόπον⟩ / {τῶν ὑλαίων τόπων} διακληρώσεις.
Μετὰ δὲ τὰς ζώνας ἐστὶν ὁ ἀπλανὴς κύκλος περιέχων τὰς ἑπτὰ σφαίρας, ἐν αἷς τὰ ἄστρα. καὶ ἄλλος μὲν παρ‘ αὐτοῖς ὁ ἡλιακὸς κόσμος τῷ αἰθερίῳ βάθει δουλεύων, ἄλλος δὲ ὁ ζωναῖος, εἷς ὢν τῶν ἑπτά. {μεθ’ οὓς τὸ δαιμόνων φῦλον δημιουργοῦσι· καὶ τινὰς μὲν τῶν δαιμόνων ἀγαθούς, τινὰς δὲ κακοὺς τίθενται, ἐκ προαιρετικῶν ἀποπτωμάτων τὴν κακίαν ἀνταλλαξαμένους τῆς ἀγαθότητος.}
Τῶν δὲ ἀνθρωπίνων ψυχῶν αἴτια διττὰ πηγαῖα τίθενται, τόν τε πατρικὸν νοῦν καὶ τὴν πηγαίαν ψυχήν. καὶ προέρχεται μὲν αὐτοῖς ἡ μερικὴ ψυχὴ ἀπὸ τῆς πηγαίας κατὰ βούλησιν τοῦ πατρός· ἔχει δὲ καὶ αὐτόγονον οὐσίαν καὶ αὐτόζωον· οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ὡς ἑτεροκίνητος. εἰ γὰρ {ψυχὴ} κατὰ τὸ λόγιον μοῖρα τοῦ θείου πυρός ἐστι καὶ πῦρ φαεινὸν καὶ νόημα πατρικόν, εἶδός ⟨οἷον⟩ / {ἐστιν} ἄυλον καὶ αὐθυπόστατον. τοιοῦτον γὰρ πᾶν τὸ θεῖον, οὗ μέρος ἡ ψυχή· καὶ πάντα φασὶν εἶναι ἐν ἑκάστῃ ψυχῇ, καθ’ ἑκάστην δὲ ἰδιότητα ἄγνωστον ῥητοῦ καὶ ἀρρήτου συνθήματος. καταβιβάζουσι {δὲ τὴν ψυχὴν} πολλάκις ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ δι’ αἰτίας πολλάς, ἢ διὰ πτερορρύησιν ἢ διὰ βούλησιν πατρικήν.
Δοξάζουσι δὲ τὸν κόσμον ἀίδιον καὶ τὰς τῶν ⟨ἀστέρων⟩ / {ἄστρων} περιόδους. τὸν δὲ ᾅδην πολλαχῶς καταμερίζουσι, καὶ νῦν μὲν αὐτὸν θεὸν ὀνομάζουσιν ἀρχηγὸν τῆς περιγείου λήξεως, νῦν δὲ τὸν ὑπὸ σελήνην τόπον ᾅδην φασί{ν}, νῦν δὲ τὴν μεσότητα τοῦ αἰθερίου κόσμου καὶ τοῦ ὑλαίου, νῦν δὲ τὴν ἄλογον ψυχήν, καὶ τιθέασιν ἐν αὐτῇ τὴν λογικήν, οὐκ οὐσιωδῶς, ἀλλὰ σχετικῶς, ὅταν συμπαθῶς ⟨ἔχῃ⟩ / {ἔχει} πρὸς αὐτὴν καὶ ⟨προβάλλει⟩ / {προβάλλῃ} τὸν μερικὸν λόγον. ἰδέας δὲ νομίζουσι νῦν μὲν τὰς τοῦ πατρὸς ἐννοίας, νῦν δὲ τοὺς καθόλου λόγους, φυσικοὺς καὶ ψυχικοὺς καὶ νοητούς, νῦν δὲ τὰς ἐξῃρημένας τῶν ὄντων ὑπάρξεις. τοὺς δὲ περὶ μαγειῶν λόγους συνιστῶσιν ἀπό τε ⟨μακροτάτων⟩ / {ἀκροτάτων} τινῶν δυνάμεων ἀπό τε περιγείων ὑλῶν. ⟨συμπαθῆ⟩ / {συμπαθεῖν} δὲ τὰ ἄνω τοῖς κάτω φασὶ καὶ μάλιστα τὰ ὑπὸ σελήνην. ἀποκαθιστῶσι δὲ τὰς ψυχὰς μετὰ τὸν λεγόμενον θάνατον κατὰ τὰ μέτρα τῶν οἰκείων καθάρσεων ⟨ἐν ὅλαις ταῖς τοῦ κόσμου μερίσι⟩ / {ὅλοις τοῖς τοῦ κόσμου μέρεσι}· τινὰς δὲ καὶ ὑπὲρ τὸν κόσμον ἀναβιβάζουσι καὶ μέσας αὐτὰς διορίζονται τῶν τε ἀμερίστων καὶ μεριστῶν φύσεων.
{Τούτων δὲ τῶν δογμάτων τὰ πλείω καὶ Ἀριστοτέλης καὶ Πλάτων ἐδέξαντο, οἱ δὲ περὶ Πλωτῖνον καὶ Ἰάμβλιχον Πορφύριόν τε καὶ Πρόκλον πᾶσι κατηκολούθησαν καὶ ὡς θείας φωνὰς ἀσυλλογίστως ταῦτα ἐδέξαντο.}
5a Michael Psellus, Summary and Concise Exposition of the Doctrines among the Assyrians
‹ii. the intelligible›
After the One, they say, there is the paternal abyss, filled with three triads. Each of the triads has a father as the first, then a power as the middle, and an intellect as the third after them, which concludes the triad in itself. And they say also call these the intelligibles.
‹iii. the intelligible-and-intellective›
After these, there is another order of (beings) that are intelligible and intellective at the same time, and this is divided threefold, into the jynxes, connectors and teletarchs.
‹iv. the intellective›
After this middle order, there is the intellective (order), which contains one paternal triad—consisting of the Onefold Transcendent, Hekate and the Twofold Transcendent—, then another of three who are implacable, and one engirdling. These are seven founts.
‹v. founts›
But they also worship the fontal triad of Faith, Truth and Love.1 And they also say that, from the Heliac fount, there is a principal Sun and an archangelic one;2 and there is also a fount of perception, a fontal distinction, a fount of the thunderbolt (keraunios pēgē), a fount of diopters,3 and a fount of characters which rules over the unknowable tokens,4 and fontal summits of Apollon, Osiris, Hermes, (and so on).5 They also say that there are material founts of centers and elements, and a zone of dreams,6 and a fontal soul.7
1…
2This is only one example of a god’s series progressing from its fount, or fontal intellect, and only a part of the Sun’s series is enumerated. What follows is a list of founts that all seem to go back to Chaldaic teachings.
3…
4A kharaktēr … synthēma
5As I understand it, these are just three examples of the many fontal gods.
6…
7The source of all souls.
‹vi.–viii. other entities›
After these founts, there are the superprincipals, then the zoneless and then the zonics; after them, angels, then daemons, heroes after these, and after them souls.
‹ix. corporeal cosmos›
And the rest is the corporeal cosmos. They say that there are seven corporeal cosmoi: the empyreal is one and first, and after it three aethereal ones; afterwards, three material ones, the fixed, the wandering and that below the Moon.1 They define the first by intellect, the aetherial ones by soul, and the material ones by nature.
‹x. founts of the greater beings›
And they say that the fount of angels, daemons, souls and natures is Hekate.
1The last three are the sphere of the fixed stars, the spheres of the planets, and the Earth.
‹xi. daemons›
Proclus, the pronouncer of monstrosities, in expounding the Chaldaic Outlines, says that some daemons can even be flattered.
‹xii. souls›
They claim that the soul often descends into the cosmos, through many causes, either by losing its wings or through paternal will, in order to bring the allotment around the earth (perigeios lēxis) into order (kosmēsai).
‹xiv. eternity of the cosmos›
They also believe that the cosmos is eternal.
‹xv. hades›
They use the word Hades in many ways: they mean now the ruler of the allotment around the earth, now the space below the Moon, now the middle between the aethereal and the material cosmos, now the irrational soul; and they place the rational soul within it, not substantially, but relationally, because it has a sympathetic relation to it.
‹xvi. forms›
The forms they now believe to be the conceptions of the father, now logoi in general, the natural, soulish and intelligible: Intellect gives them to Soul, and Soul to Nature.
‹xvii. sympathy›
They say that the things above have sympathy with those below, and especially those below the Moon.
‹xviii. after death›
They say that, after their so-called death, souls go back, depending on the degree of their respective purification, into all parts of the cosmos. They say that some ascend above the cosmos.
‹psellus’ conclusion›
Aristotle and Plato accepted most of these doctrines, but the followers of Plotinus, Iamblichus, Porphyry and Proclus accepted them all like divine declarations.
5b Greek text
Τοῦ αὐτοῦ ἔκθεσις κεφαλαιώδης καὶ σύντομος τῶν παρ’ Ἀσσυρίοις δογμάτων
Μετὰ τὸ ἓν τὸν πατρικόν φασι βυθὸν ἐκ τριῶν τριάδων πληρούμενον· ἑκάστην δὲ τῶν τριάδων ἔχειν πατέρα πρῶτον, εἶτα δύναμιν μέσην καὶ νοῦν ἐπ’ αὐτοῖς τρίτον συγκλείοντα πρὸς ἑαυτὴν τὴν τριάδα· καλοῦσι δὲ ταύτας καὶ νοητάς. μεθ’ ἃς ἄλλον διάκοσμον τῶν νοητῶν ἅμα καὶ νοερῶν, τριχῇ καὶ τοῦτον διῃρημένον, εἰς ἴυγγας καὶ συνοχέας καὶ τελετάρχας. μετὰ δὲ τὸν μέσον διάκοσμον ὁ νοερός ἐστι μίαν μὲν ἔχων τριάδα πατρικήν, τὴν τοῦ ἅπαξ ἐπέκεινα καὶ τῆς Ἑκάτης καὶ τοῦ δὶς ἐπέκεινα, ἑτέραν δὲ τὴν τῶν ἀμειλίκτων τριῶν ὄντων, καὶ ἕνα τὸν ὑπεζωκότα. πηγαὶ δὲ αὗται ἑπτά. μετὰ δὲ τὰς πηγὰς ταύτας οἱ ὑπεράρχιοι, εἶτα ἄζωνοι, ἔπειτα ζωναῖοι, μεθ’ οὓς ἄγγελοι, εἶτα δαίμονες, ἥρωες μετ’ αὐτούς, μεθ’ οὓς ψυχαί. καὶ λοιπὸν ὁ κόσμος ὁ σωματικός. Ἑπτὰ δέ φασι κόσμους σωματικούς· ἐμπύριον ἕνα καὶ πρῶτον, καὶ τρεῖς μετ’ αὐτὸν αἰθερίους· ἔπειτα τρεῖς ὑλαίους, τὸ ἀπλανές, τὸ πλανώμενον καὶ τὸ ὑπὸ σελήνην. καὶ τὸν μὲν πρῶτον ἀφορίζουσι κατὰ τὸν νοῦν, τοὺς δὲ αἰθερίους κατὰ τὴν ψυχήν, τοὺς δὲ ὑλαίους κατὰ τὴν φύσιν. πηγὴν δὲ ἀγγέλων καὶ δαιμόνων καὶ ψυχῶν καὶ φύσεων τὴν Ἑκάτην εἶναί φασι. Καταβιβάζουσι δὲ πολλάκις τὴν ψυχὴν εἰς τὸν κόσμον δι’ αἰτίας πολλάς, ἢ διὰ πτερορρύησιν ἢ διὰ βούλησιν πατρικὴν εἰς τὸ κοσμῆσαι τὴν περίγειον λῆξιν. δοξάζουσι δὲ καὶ τὸν κόσμον ἀίδιον. λέγουσι δὲ καὶ τὸν ᾅδην πολλαχῶς, καὶ νῦν μὲν αὐτὸν θεὸν ὀνομάζουσιν ἀρχηγὸν τῆς περιγείου λήξεως, νῦν δὲ τὸν ὑπὸ σελήνην τόπον, νῦν δὲ τὴν μεσότητα τοῦ αἰθερίου κόσμου καὶ τοῦ ὑλαίου, νῦν δὲ τὴν ἄλογον ψυχήν, καὶ τιθέασιν ἐν αὐτῇ τὴν λογικήν, οὐκ οὐσιωδῶς, ἀλλὰ σχετικῶς, ὅταν συμπαθῶς ἔχῃ πρὸς αὐτήν. ἰδέας δὲ νομίζουσι νῦν μὲν τὰς τοῦ πατρὸς ἐννοίας, νῦν δὲ τοὺς καθόλου λόγους, νοητοὺς ψυχικοὺς καὶ φυσικούς, οὓς δίδωσι μὲν ὁ νοῦς τῇ ψυχῇ, ἡ δὲ ψυχὴ τῇ φύσει. συμπαθεῖν δὲ τὰ ἄνω τοῖς κάτω φασὶ καὶ μάλιστα τὰ ὑπὸ σελήνην. ἀποκαθιστῶσι δὲ τὰς ψυχὰς κατὰ τὰ μέτρα τῶν οἰκείων καθάρσεων ἐν ὅλαις ταῖς τοῦ κόσμου μερίσι· τινὰς δὲ καὶ ὑπὲρ τὸν κόσμον ἀναβιβάζουσι. Τούτων δὲ τῶν δογμάτων τὰ πλείω καὶ Ἀριστοτέλης καὶ Πλάτων ἐδέξαντο, οἱ δὲ περὶ Πλωτῖνον καὶ Ἰάμβλιχον Πορφύριόν τε καὶ Πρόκλον πᾶσι κατηκολούθησαν καὶ ὡς θείας φωνὰς ταῦτα ἐδέξαντο.
SARTRIX 