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The Mystical Hymns of Orpheus - Platonic Philosophy

The Mystical Hymns of Orpheus - Platonic Philosophy

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ADDITIONAL NOTES. 199<br />

powers <strong>of</strong> this triple vivific order, the dominion <strong>of</strong> EIecate<br />

is established ; but according to a middle power, and which<br />

is generative <strong>of</strong> wholes, that <strong>of</strong> Soul ; and according to in-<br />

tellectual conversion that <strong>of</strong> Virtue 38. Core therefore, sub-<br />

sisting on high, and among the supermundane Gods, uni-<br />

formly extends this triple order <strong>of</strong> divinities ; end together<br />

with Jupiter generates Bacchus, who impartibly presides<br />

over partible fabrication. But beneath, in conjunction with<br />

Pluto, she is particularly beheld according to the middle<br />

peculiarity ; for it is this which proceeding every where<br />

imparts vivification to the last <strong>of</strong> things. Hence she is<br />

called Proserpine, because she especially associates with<br />

Pluto, and together with him orderly distributes the ex-<br />

tremities <strong>of</strong> the universe. And according to her extremi-<br />

ties indeed, she is said to be a virgin, and to remain<br />

undefiled: but according to her middle, to be conjoined<br />

with Hades, and to beget the Furies in the subterranean<br />

regions. She therefore is also called Core, but after another<br />

manner than the supermundane and ruling Core. For the<br />

one is the connective unity <strong>of</strong> the three vivific principles ;<br />

but the other is the middle <strong>of</strong> them, in herself possessing<br />

the peculiarities <strong>of</strong> the extremes. Hence in the Proserpine<br />

conjoined with Pluto, you will find the peculiarities <strong>of</strong><br />

Hecate and Minerva ; but these extremes subsist in her<br />

occultly, while the peculiarity <strong>of</strong> the middle shines forth,<br />

and that which is characteristic <strong>of</strong> ruling soul, which in the<br />

supermundane Core was <strong>of</strong> a ~uling nature, but here sub-<br />

sists according to a mundane peculiarity.<br />

Proserpine is denominated, either through judging <strong>of</strong><br />

forms and separating them from each other, thus obscurely<br />

signifying the ablation <strong>of</strong> slaughter (61a TO ~piveiv ra el67<br />

Kai ~wp~tatv aXh$iwv, ws TOV @ovov rqv avaipactv aivinope-<br />

38 Proclus says this conformably to the theology <strong>of</strong> the Chaldeans. For<br />

according to that theology, the first monad <strong>of</strong> the vivific triad is Hecate,<br />

the second Soul, and the third Virtue.<br />

39 That is, <strong>of</strong> a supermundane nature : for the ruling are the supermun-<br />

dane Gods.

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