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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

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