Elements of Theology

 as one subsisting, but according to participation not one, the one will be multiplied, just as the multiplicity is unified through the one. Therefore

 activity is better than that which is not self-sufficient but has the cause of its perfection dependent on another substance. For if all beings by nat

 it desires that also, how most of all the good? or if it does not desire, how does it not desire the cause of all things, having proceeded from it? Bu

 is itself, and the mover and the moved are one and the same. For either it moves in one part and is moved in another part, or as a whole it moves and

 beginning from a monad, it proceeds into a multitude coordinate with the monad, and the multitude of every order is led back to one monad. For the mon

 the one being divided. But if it is in one of all things, it will no longer be of all things, but of one. If, therefore, it is both common to those ab

 the thing produced is other than it. Therefore, that which begets is established as unchangeable and undiminished, multiplying itself through a genera

 from something and reverting has a cyclical activity. For if it reverts to that from which it proceeds, it joins the end to the beginning, and the mot

 procession. For since each occurs through likeness, that which has proceeded immediately from something has also reverted immediately to it (for the l

 has reverted to itself according to nature and is perfect in its reversion to itself, and would have its being from itself for that to which the reve

 the self-subsistent is set apart from things measured by time in respect to its substance. For if the self-subsistent is ungenerated, it would not be

 having received the power to produce from the cause which is superior to it, it has from that cause its being the cause of those things of which it is

 Thus the producer in relation to the produced, taken in relation to each other, but that which is able to do more has a greater and more universal pow

 a cause has pre-contained in itself the effect, being primarily what that is secondarily or in the thing produced the producer (for this too, partici

 suffers from the former) and when the second in turn acts, that also co-acts, because whatever the second does, the more causal also co-begets with i

 being, or needing it somehow in order to be, would be in this respect more imperfect than the effect. But that which is in the result is a co-cause ra

 passible, being in every way divisible, and in every way to infinity. But the incorporeal, being simple, is impassible for the indivisible can neithe

 undiminished it contains in itself. But surely infinity in respect to magnitude and in respect to multitude is a complete privation and a falling away

 set apart and if all things enter into it, yet it has something hidden and incomprehensible to secondary things and if it unfolds the powers within

 but nowhere for thus it would be divided and separate from itself, if indeed one part of it is everywhere and in all things, but the other part nowhe

 all things. For since each thing exists either according to cause or according to existence or according to participation, in the first the rest exist

 a turning back as if through similars, dissimilar <being>. For the one is similar as a particular to a particular, the other is kindred as being of th

 a hypostasis but no longer a henad, it would be assigned to another order on account of the alteration of its property. 115 Every god is supra-essenti

 supra-essential, being nothing other than the one for each is not one thing, and then good, but only good, just as it is not one thing, and then one,

 is and in beings has the power of apprehending truth (for it both grasps thoughts and has its subsistence in acts of intellection) but the gods are b

 having set the same before itself, is most self-sufficient and such is all that is divine. Therefore it needs neither other things, being goodness-it

 is more unified than beings. All divine genera, therefore, are bound together by their proper intermediaries, and the first do not proceed immediately

 of a henad working, with which it is connate. This, then, is that which in itself defines the being that partakes of it and shows essentially the supr

 to the gods so that, while they are present to all things in the same way, all things are not present to them in the same way, but as each is able, i

 For the one, having a most unitive power, sends itself through the entire union and unifies all from above, while remaining in itself. But the mean, s

 proceeds from the infinity of the divine power, multiplying itself and passing through all things, and pre-eminently demonstrating the unfailing in th

 presides over composites and of their order and of their division according to number, and is of the same series as the paternal in more partial produ

 they have intelligible [qualities]. In the same way, therefore, that those, by illuminating Being, are intelligible, so also these, by illuminating th

 and sees itself. But seeing that it is thinking and seeing, it knows that it is Intellect in actuality and knowing this, it knows that it thinks, and

 Therefore it has the causes of all things intellectually. So that every intellect is all things intellectually, both the things before it and the thin

 more akin, contracted in quantity, in power surpasses the things after it and conversely the things further from the one. Therefore, those that are h

 on the one hand, but being only intellectual, is participated by souls that are neither divine nor come to be in a state of change from intellect to u

 by its very being, if the participant is suitable, it immediately becomes ensouled and living, not by the soul reasoning and choosing, nor giving life

 and to the soul that substantiates the essential principles of all things in it for everything that produces by its being, which it is primarily, thi

 of the motions it will also have restorations for every period of the eternal things is restorative. 200 Every period of a soul is measured by time

 the relation to the secondary ones, which the divine has to the intellectual, and this to the psychical and the quantities of the lower ones are grea

 it admits of every kind of change, being moved together with their own ruling causes. But indeed that it is also indivisible, is clear. For everything

it desires that also, how most of all the good? or if it does not desire, how does it not desire the cause of all things, having proceeded from it? But if the good is that from which all beings depend, the good is the first principle and cause of all things. 13 All good is unitive of those who partake of it, and all union is a good, and the good is the same as the one. For if the good is preservative of all beings (which is why it is desired by all), and that which is preservative and cohesive of the substance of each thing is the one (for by the one all things are preserved, and dispersion makes each thing depart from its substance), the good, to whatever things it may be present, makes these one and holds them together according to union. And if the one is what gathers and holds together beings, it perfects each one by its own presence. And so to be united is in this way a good for all things. And if union is a good in itself and the good is unitive, the simply good and the simply one are the same, at once unifying and making good the things that are. Whence indeed things that have in some way fallen away from the good are at the same time deprived of participation in the one; and things that become devoid of the one, being filled with division, are deprived of the good in the same way. Therefore goodness is union, and union is goodness, and the good is one, and the one is primarily good. 14 Every being is either unmoved or moved; and if it is moved, it is moved either by itself or by another; and if by itself, it is self-moved; but if by another, it is moved by another. Therefore everything is either unmoved or self-moved or moved by another. For among the things moved by another there must also be the unmoved, and between these the self-moved. For if everything moved by another is moved by another thing that is moved, the motions are either in a circle or to infinity; but neither in a circle nor to infinity, if indeed all beings are determined by a principle and the mover is superior to the moved. There will be, therefore, some first unmoved mover. But if these things are so, it is necessary that there also be the self-moved. For if all things were to stand still, what would be the first thing to be moved? For neither the unmoved (for it is not its nature) nor that which is moved by another (for it is moved by another); it remains, therefore, that the self-moved is the first thing to be moved; since this is also what joins the things moved by another to the unmoved, being in a way a mean, both moving and being moved; for of those, the one only moves, the other is only moved. Therefore every being is either unmoved or self-moved or moved by another. From these things, then, it is also evident that of things that are moved, the self-moved is first, and of things that move, the unmoved is first. 15 Everything that can revert upon itself is incorporeal. For none of the bodies is by nature able to revert upon itself. For if that which reverts upon something is joined to that upon which it reverts, it is clear indeed that all the parts of the body will be joined to all the parts of that which has reverted upon itself; for this was what it meant to revert upon oneself, when both become one, both that which has reverted and that upon which it has reverted. But this is impossible in the case of a body, and in general of all divisible things; for a divisible thing is not joined as a whole to itself as a whole because of the separation of its parts, some lying in one place and others in another. Therefore no body is by nature able to revert upon itself, so that the whole reverts upon the whole. If, therefore, anything can revert upon itself, it is incorporeal and indivisible. 16 Everything that can revert upon itself has a substance separable from every body. For if it were inseparable from any body whatsoever, it would not have any activity separable from a body. For it is impossible, the substance being inseparable from bodies, that the activity from the substance be separable; for in this way the activity will be superior to the substance, if the one is in need of bodies, while the other is self-sufficient, belonging to itself and not to bodies. If therefore something is inseparable in substance, it is likewise or even more so inseparable in activity. But if this is so, it does not revert upon itself. For that which reverts upon itself, being other than body, has an activity separated from body and not through body nor with body, if indeed both the activity and that to which the activity is directed have no need of the body. Therefore, that which reverts upon itself is in every way separable from bodies. 17 Everything that moves itself is primarily capable of reverting upon itself. For if it moves itself, its motive activity is also directed towards

ἐφίεται κἀκείνου, πῶς τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ μάλιστα; εἴτε μὴ ἐφίεται, πῶς τῆς πάντων αἰτίας οὐκ ἐφίεται, προελθόντα ἀπ' αὐτῆς; εἰ δὲ τἀγαθόν ἐστιν ἀφ' οὗ πάντα ἐξήρτηται τὰ ὄντα, ἀρχὴ καὶ αἰτία πρωτίστη τῶν πάντων ἐστὶ τἀγαθόν. 13 Πᾶν ἀγαθὸν ἑνωτικόν ἐστι τῶν μετεχόντων αὐτοῦ, καὶ πᾶσα ἕνωσις ἀγαθόν, καὶ τἀγαθὸν τῷ ἑνὶ ταὐτόν. εἰ γὰρ τὸ ἀγαθόν ἐστι σωστικὸν τῶν ὄντων ἁπάντων (διὸ καὶ ἐφετὸν ὑπάρχει πᾶσι), τὸ δὲ σωστικὸν καὶ συνεκτικὸν τῆς ἑκάστων οὐσίας ἐστὶ τὸ ἕν (τῷ γὰρ ἑνὶ σώζεται πάντα, καὶ ὁ σκεδασμὸς ἕκαστον ἐξίστησι τῆς οὐσίας), τὸ ἀγαθόν, οἷς ἂν παρῇ, ταῦτα ἓν ἀπεργάζεται καὶ συνέχει κατὰ τὴν ἕνωσιν. καὶ εἰ τὸ ἓν συναγωγόν ἐστι καὶ συνεκτικὸν τῶν ὄντων, ἕκαστον τελειοῖ κατὰ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ παρουσίαν. καὶ ἀγαθὸν ἄρα ταύτῃ ἐστὶ τὸ ἡνῶσθαι πᾶσιν. εἰ δὲ καὶ ἡ ἕνωσις ἀγαθὸν καθ' αὑτὸ καὶ τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἑνοποιόν, τὸ ἁπλῶς ἀγαθὸν καὶ τὸ ἁπλῶς ἓν ταὐτόν, ἑνίζον τε ἅμα καὶ ἀγαθῦνον τὰ ὄντα. ὅθεν δὴ καὶ τὰ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ τρόπον τινὰ ἀποπεσόντα καὶ τῆς τοῦ ἑνὸς ἅμα στέρεται μεθέξεως· καὶ τὰ τοῦ ἑνὸς ἄμοιρα γενόμενα, διαστάσεως ἀναπιμπλάμενα, καὶ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ στέρεται κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον. ἔστιν ἄρα καὶ ἡ ἀγαθότης ἕνωσις, καὶ ἡ ἕνωσις ἀγαθότης, καὶ τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἕν, καὶ τὸ ἓν πρώτως ἀγαθόν. 14 Πᾶν τὸ ὂν ἢ ἀκίνητόν ἐστιν ἢ κινούμενον· καὶ εἰ κινού 14 μενον, ἢ ὑφ' ἑαυτοῦ ἢ ὑπ' ἄλλου· καὶ εἰ μὲν ὑφ' ἑαυτοῦ, αὐτο κίνητόν ἐστιν· εἰ δὲ ὑπ' ἄλλου, ἑτεροκίνητον. πᾶν ἄρα ἢ ἀκίνητόν ἐστιν ἢ αὐτοκίνητον ἢ ἑτεροκίνητον. ἀνάγκη γὰρ τῶν ἑτεροκινήτων ὄντων εἶναι καὶ τὸ ἀκίνητον, καὶ μεταξὺ τούτων τὸ αὐτοκίνητον. εἰ γὰρ πᾶν τὸ ἑτεροκίνητον ὑπ' ἄλλου κινουμένου κινεῖται, ἢ κύκλῳ αἱ κινήσεις ἢ ἐπ' ἄπειρον· ἀλλ' οὔτε κύκλῳ οὔτε ἐπ' ἄπειρον, εἴπερ ὥρισται τῇ ἀρχῇ τὰ ὄντα πάντα καὶ τὸ κινοῦν τοῦ κινουμένου κρεῖττον. ἔσται τι ἄρα ἀκίνητον πρῶτον κινοῦν. ἀλλ' εἰ ταῦτα, ἀνάγκη καὶ τὸ αὐτοκίνητον εἶναι. εἰ γὰρ σταίη τὰ πάντα, τί ποτε ἔσται τὸ πρώτως κινούμενον; οὔτε γὰρ τὸ ἀκίνητον (οὐ γὰρ πέφυκεν) οὔτε τὸ ἑτεροκίνητον (ὑπ' ἄλλου γὰρ κινεῖται)· λείπεται ἄρα τὸ αὐτοκίνητον εἶναι τὸ πρώτως κινούμενον· ἐπεὶ καὶ τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ τῷ ἀκινήτῳ τὰ ἑτερο κίνητα συνάπτον, μέσον πως ὄν, κινοῦν τε ἅμα καὶ κινούμενον· ἐκείνων γὰρ τὸ μὲν κινεῖ μόνον, τὸ δὲ κινεῖται μόνον. πᾶν ἄρα τὸ ὂν ἢ ἀκίνητόν ἐστιν ἢ αὐτοκίνητον ἢ ἑτεροκίνητον. ἐκ δὴ τούτων κἀκεῖνο φανερόν, ὅτι τῶν μὲν κινουμένων τὸ αὐτοκίνητον πρῶτον, τῶν δὲ κινούντων τὸ ἀκίνητον. 15 Πᾶν τὸ πρὸς ἑαυτὸ ἐπιστρεπτικὸν ἀσώματόν ἐστιν. οὐδὲν γὰρ τῶν σωμάτων πρὸς ἑαυτὸ πέφυκεν ἐπιστρέφειν. εἰ γὰρ τὸ ἐπιστρέφον πρός τι συνάπτεται ἐκείνῳ πρὸς ὃ ἐπι στρέφει, δῆλον δὴ ὅτι καὶ τὰ μέρη τοῦ σώματος πάντα πρὸς πάντα συνάψει τοῦ πρὸς ἑαυτὸ ἐπιστραφέντος· τοῦτο γὰρ ἦν τὸ πρὸς ἑαυτὸ ἐπιστρέψαι, ὅταν ἓν γένηται ἄμφω, τό τε ἐπιστραφὲν καὶ πρὸς ὃ ἐπεστράφη. ἀδύνατον δὲ ἐπὶ σώματος τοῦτο, καὶ ὅλως τῶν μεριστῶν πάντων· οὐ γὰρ ὅλον ὅλῳ συνάπτεται ἑαυτῷ τὸ μεριστὸν διὰ τὸν τῶν μερῶν χωρισμόν, ἄλλων ἀλλαχοῦ κειμένων. οὐδὲν ἄρα σῶμα πρὸς ἑαυτὸ πέφυκεν ἐπιστρέφειν, ὡς ὅλον ἐπεστράφθαι πρὸς ὅλον. εἴ τι ἄρα πρὸς ἑαυτὸ ἐπι στρεπτικόν ἐστιν, ἀσώματόν ἐστι καὶ ἀμερές. 16 Πᾶν τὸ πρὸς ἑαυτὸ ἐπιστρεπτικὸν χωριστὴν οὐσίαν ἔχει παντὸς σώματος. εἰ γὰρ ἀχώριστον εἴη σώματος οὑτινοσοῦν, οὐχ ἕξει τινὰ ἐνέργειαν σώματος χωριστήν. ἀδύνατον γάρ, ἀχωρίστου τῆς οὐσίας σωμάτων οὔσης, τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς οὐσίας ἐνέργειαν εἶναι χω ριστήν· ἔσται γὰρ οὕτως ἡ ἐνέργεια τῆς οὐσίας κρείττων, εἴπερ ἡ μὲν ἐπιδεής ἐστι σωμάτων, ἡ δὲ αὐτάρκης, ἑαυτῆς οὖσα καὶ οὐ σωμάτων. εἰ οὖν τι κατ' οὐσίαν ἐστὶν ἀχώριστον, καὶ κατ' ἐνέργειαν ὁμοίως ἢ καὶ ἔτι μᾶλλον ἀχώριστον. εἰ δὲ τοῦτο, οὐκ ἐπιστρέφει πρὸς ἑαυτό. τὸ γὰρ πρὸς ἑαυτὸ ἐπιστρέφον, ἄλλο ὂν σώματος, ἐνέργειαν ἔχει χωριζομένην σώματος καὶ οὐ διὰ σώματος οὐδὲ μετὰ σώματος, εἴπερ ἥ τε ἐνέργεια καὶ τὸ πρὸς ὃ ἡ ἐνέργεια οὐδὲν δεῖται τοῦ σώματος. χωριστὸν ἄρα πάντῃ σωμάτων ἐστὶ τὸ πρὸς ἑαυτὸ ἐπιστρέφον. 17 Πᾶν τὸ ἑαυτὸ κινοῦν πρώτως πρὸς ἑαυτό ἐστιν ἐπιστρεπτικόν. εἰ γὰρ κινεῖ ἑαυτό, καὶ ἡ κινητικὴ ἐνέργεια αὐτοῦ πρὸς