The Mystical Hymns of Orpheus - Platonic Philosophy
The Mystical Hymns of Orpheus - Platonic Philosophy
The Mystical Hymns of Orpheus - Platonic Philosophy
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180 ADDITIONAL NOTES,<br />
is the leader <strong>of</strong> every good to the intellectual Gods. Plato,<br />
therefore, having celebrated Saturn for his intelligence,<br />
which is without habitude to mundane natures ; and for his<br />
life, which is converted to his own exalted place <strong>of</strong> survey,<br />
now celebrates Heaven for another more perfect energy.<br />
Bor to be conjoined to more elevated natures is a greater<br />
good than to be converted to oneself. Let no one however<br />
think, that on this account the abovementioned energies are<br />
distributed in the Gods ; as, for instance, that there is pro-<br />
vidence alone in Jupiter, o conversion alone to himself in<br />
Saturn, and an elevation alone to the intelligible in Hea,ven.<br />
For Jupiter no otherwise provides for mundane natures<br />
than by looking to the intelligible ; since, as Plato says in<br />
the Timaeus, intellect understanding ideas in animal itself,<br />
thought it requisite that as many and such as it there per-<br />
ceived should be contained in the universe ; but as <strong>Orpheus</strong> 17<br />
says with a divinely inspired month, " Jupiter swallows his<br />
progenitor Phanes, embosoms all his powers, and becomes<br />
all things intellectually which Phanes is intelligibly."<br />
Saturn also imparts to Jupiter the principles <strong>of</strong> fabrication<br />
and <strong>of</strong> providential attention to sensibles, and understand-<br />
ing himself, he becomes united to first intelligibles, and is<br />
filled with the goods which are thence derived. Hence<br />
also the theologist (<strong>Orpheus</strong>) says "that he was nursed by<br />
Night 18." If, therefore, the intelligible is nutriment, Saturn<br />
is replete not only with the intelligibles coordinated with<br />
him, but also with the highest and occult intellections.<br />
Heaven himself also fills all secondary natures with his<br />
proper goods, but guards all things by his own most<br />
vigorous powers; and the father supernally committed to<br />
him the connecting and guarding the causes <strong>of</strong> eternal<br />
animal. But he intellectually perceives himself, and is<br />
17 ws 6' Opc#wzvs e v e e ~<br />
uropar~ Xeyei, KaL K~T~TTTLV~L TOV T~OYOVOV au~ou<br />
TOV +aq~a, KaL ~~KOXTL