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The Mystical Hymns of Orpheus - Platonic Philosophy

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INTRODUCTION. xxxi<br />

others about the moon, and others about<br />

each <strong>of</strong> the rest, and prior to souls, daemons<br />

give completion to the herds <strong>of</strong> which they<br />

are the leaders, it is evidently well said, that<br />

each <strong>of</strong> the spheres is a world ; theologists<br />

also teaching us these things when they say<br />

that there are Gods in each prior to daemons,<br />

some <strong>of</strong> which are under the government<br />

<strong>of</strong> others. Thus for instance, they assert con-<br />

cerning our mistress the Moon, that the God-<br />

dess Hecate is contained in her, and also<br />

Diana. Thus, too, in speaking <strong>of</strong> the sove-<br />

reign Sun, and the Gods that are there, they<br />

celebrate Bacchus as being there,<br />

<strong>The</strong> Sun's assessor, who with watchful eye surveys<br />

<strong>The</strong> sacred pole.<br />

<strong>The</strong>y likewise celebrate the Jupiter who is<br />

there, Osiris, the solar Pan, and others <strong>of</strong><br />

which the booh <strong>of</strong> theologists and thez~rgists are<br />

full; from all which it is evident, that each<br />

<strong>of</strong> the planets is truly said to be the leader<br />

<strong>of</strong> many Gods, who give completion to its<br />

peculiar circulation."<br />

From this extraordinary passage (as I<br />

have observed irl a note on it in my Proclus,<br />

p. 283) we may perceive at one view why the

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