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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182 ADDITIONAL NOTES.<br />
high, viz. the supercelcstial place, and such things as are<br />
comprehended in the god-nourished silenco <strong>of</strong> the fathers.<br />
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As, therefore, Parmenides signifies each <strong>of</strong> these orders<br />
through whole.ness, the one through intelligible, and the<br />
other through intellectual wholeness ; in like manner both<br />
Timaeus and Socrates characterize them by a conversion to<br />
more excellent natures. But the conversion as well as the<br />
wholeness is different. For that <strong>of</strong> eternity is intelligible,<br />
on which account Timzeus does not say that it looks to its<br />
intelligible, but only that it stably abides. But the con-<br />
version <strong>of</strong> Heaven is intellectual, and on this account<br />
Socrates says, that it sees things on high, and through this<br />
converts, guards, and connects all things posterior to itself.<br />
Whence also in the Phzdrus, it is said by the circulation <strong>of</strong><br />
itself, to lead all things to the supercelestial place, and the<br />
summit <strong>of</strong> the first intelligibles.<br />
As there are three fathers and kings, <strong>of</strong> which Socrates<br />
here makes mention, Saturn alone appears to have received<br />
the government from his fakher, and to have transmitted it<br />
to Jupiter, by violence. Mythologists therefore celebrate<br />
the sections <strong>of</strong> Heaven and Saturn. But the cause <strong>of</strong> this<br />
is, that Heaven is <strong>of</strong> the connective, Saturn <strong>of</strong> the Titannic,<br />
and Jupiter <strong>of</strong> the demiurgic order. Again, the Titannic<br />
genus rejoices in separations and differences, progressions<br />
and multiplications <strong>of</strong> powers. Saturn, therefore, as a divid-<br />
ing God, separates his kingdom from that <strong>of</strong> Heaven ; but<br />
as a pure intellect he is exempt from a fabricative energy<br />
~roceeding into matter. Hence also the demiurgic genus<br />
is again separated from him. Section therefore is on both<br />
sides <strong>of</strong> him. For so far as he is a Titan, he is cut <strong>of</strong>f from<br />
the connective causes, but so far as he does not give<br />
himself to material fabrication, he is cut <strong>of</strong>f from the demi-<br />
urgus Jupiter.<br />
With respect, however, to the supercelestial place to<br />
which Heaven extends his intellectual life, some charac-<br />
terize it by ineffable symbols ; but others, after giving it a<br />
name, celebrate it as unknown, neither being able to speak