PROCLUS, THE PLATONIC SUCCESSOR

to the form of the incorporeal essence, and that
which subsists according to the form of body.
But you will speak rightly if you say, that of
the things produced, these indeed are definite
on account of the one, but those are indefinite
on account of infinity. For neither are beings
which have a necessary existence without
infinity, nor such as are contingent without
bound a . For the latter are entirely terminated in
the bound of necessity, and the former, being
eternal essences from a necessity of nature,
a Morbeka's version of this sentence is, " Nam
necessariis entibus expertibus infinitate, neque
contingentibus termino." But for " Nam necessariis," it
is necessary to read, conformably to the above
translation, Nam neque necessariis.
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participate of infinite power a . Or whence do
they derive this perpetuity, and an invariable
sameness of subsistence? Here, indeed, the one
predominating, and, on account of this, causing
that which is generated to be necessary, and
being the cause of the colligation of the
infinite; but there the infinite predominating,
and causing the one to be diminished, through
flying from the infinite, which runs above it,
and comprehends it in its embrace. Providence,
however, possesses a knowledge of both these,
though, as we have already said, its knowledge
is according to that which is more excellent
than the things which it knows b , and
antecedently comprehending in its knowledge a
power productive of the peculiarity of each,
and causing this thing to be characterized by
bound, but that by infinity.
Every bound, therefore, is from thence, and
every infinity, whether in incorporeal natures,
or in bodies; and, in like manner, that which
consists of both these is from thence derived.
Hence also the knowledge both of simple and