Elements of Theology, Proposition 29

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   Every progression is effected through a similitude of second­ary to primary natures.

 

 

For if that which produces constitutes similars prior to dissimilars, the similitude derived from the producing causes will constitute the things produced. For similars are rendered similar through similitude, and not through dissimilitude. If, therefore, progression in its diminu­tion preserves a certain sameness of that which is gen­erated with that which generates, and shows that such as the generator is primarily so is that posterior to it secondarily, it will have its nature through similitude.

COMMENTARY

Here we continue our discussion of the fine details of the unfoldment of being from the One. This may only be a peculiarity of my psyche, but I find it easiest to see this in terms of colors. Red leads to orange before it leads to yellow, and yellow descends to green before blue. Of course, colors as such are arranged horizontally-- neither red nor blue nor yellow is ontologically prior to the other two. In the Platonic cosmos, this same idea applies to the vertical as well as the horizontal. Being brings forth Intellect before Soul. To get into the details of Proclus's pagan theology, the Solar Zeus constitutes the Sun, and Apollo proceeds from him, and from Apollo, Apollonian angels, daimones, heroic souls and ordinary souls-- the former category, of course, includes the souls both of Pythagoras and Plato himself; solar animals such as lions and roosters, solar plants such as marigolds and sunflowers, down to solar gems and minerals, like gold. 

Of course, the Christian version of this simply substitutes a Name of God and an appropriate archangel of the Sun for Zeus, Helios and Apollo; typically this is YHVH Eloah Veh Da'ath and either Michael or Raphael. But the idea is the same, and for all we know, the beings involved are the same as well.