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

the thing produced is other than it. Therefore, that which begets is established as unchangeable and undiminished, multiplying itself through a generative power and providing secondary hypostases from itself. 28 Everything that produces produces things similar to itself before things dissimilar. For since the producer is of necessity superior to the produced, they could never be simply the same as and equal in power to one another. But if they are not the same and equal, but other and unequal, they are either entirely distinct from one another, or are both united and distinct. But if they are entirely distinct, they will be incompatible, and that which is from the cause will in no way be in sympathy with it. Therefore, neither will participate in the other, being entirely other; for that which is participated in gives communion to the participant with that in which it participated. But indeed it is necessary for the effect to participate in the cause, since it has its being from there. But if the produced is in some way distinct, and in some way united to the producer, if it is affected by each equally, it would equally participate and not participate in it; so that it would have its being from it and not have it in the same way. But if it were more distinct, the begotten would be more foreign to the begetter than akin, and more inharmonious with it than harmonious, and more out of sympathy than in sympathy. If therefore things that come from causes are akin to them in their very being and in sympathy with them, and depend on them by nature, and desire conjunction with them, desiring the good and attaining the object of desire through the cause, it is indeed clear that the produced are more united to their producers than they are distinct from them. And things that are more united are more similar than dissimilar to those things with which they are most united. Therefore, every productive cause produces the similar before the dissimilar. 29 Every procession is accomplished through similarity of the secondary things to the primary. For if the producer brings into subsistence things similar before things dissimilar, similarity brings the produced into subsistence from the producers; for similar things are made similar through similarity, but not through dissimilarity. If, therefore, the procession in its declination preserves the identity of the begotten with the begetter, and reveals that which is after it secondarily to be of the same kind as that which is primarily, it has its subsistence through similarity. 30 Everything that is produced from something immediately both abides in the producer and proceeds from it. For if every procession occurs while the primary things abide and is accomplished through similarity, with similar things subsisting before dissimilar things, the produced also abides in some way in the producer. For that which proceeds in every way would have nothing identical with that which abides, but is in every way distinct; but if it will have something common and united with it, it too would abide in that, just as that was abiding in itself. But if it should only abide without proceeding, it will in no way differ from the cause nor will it be something other that has come into being while that abides; for if it is other, it is distinct and separate; and if it is separate, while that abides, this proceeded from it in order to be distinguished from it while it abides. Inasmuch, therefore, as it has something identical with the producer, the produced abides in it; but inasmuch as it is other, it proceeds from it. But being similar, it is at once in some way the same and other; it therefore abides and proceeds at the same time, and neither is separate from the other. 31 Everything that proceeds from something according to substance reverts to that from which it proceeds. For if it should proceed, but not revert to the cause of this procession, it would not desire its cause; for everything that desires is turned towards the object of desire. But indeed everything strives for the good, and the attainment of it for each thing is through its proximate cause; therefore each thing also desires its own cause. For that through which each thing has its being, through this also its well-being; and that through which it has its well-being, towards this is its desire primarily; and that towards which its desire is primarily, towards this is its reversion. 32 Every reversion is accomplished through similarity of the reverting things to that to which it reverts. For everything that reverts hastens to be conjoined to that to which it reverts and desires communion and connection with it. And similarity binds all things, just as dissimilarity distinguishes and separates them. If, therefore, reversion is a kind of communion and conjunction, and all communion and all conjunction is through similarity, then every reversion would be accomplished through similarity. 33 Everything that proceeds

παραγόμενον ἄλλο παρ' αὐτό ἐστιν. ἀναλ λοίωτον ἄρα τὸ γεννῶν ἵδρυται καὶ ἀνελάττωτον, διὰ γόνιμον δύναμιν ἑαυτὸ πολλαπλασιάζον καὶ ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ δευτέρας ὑπο στάσεις παρεχόμενον. 28 Πᾶν τὸ παράγον τὰ ὅμοια πρὸς ἑαυτὸ πρὸ τῶν ἀνομοίων ὑφίστησιν. ἐπεὶ γὰρ κρεῖττον ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἐστὶ τοῦ παραγομένου τὸ παράγον, τὰ αὐτὰ μὲν ἁπλῶς καὶ ἴσα κατὰ δύναμιν οὐκ ἄν ποτε εἴη ἀλλήλοις. εἰ δὲ μὴ ἔστι ταὐτὰ καὶ ἴσα, ἀλλ' ἕτερά τε καὶ ἄνισα, ἢ πάντῃ διακέκριται ἀλλήλων ἢ καὶ ἥνωται καὶ διακέκριται. ἀλλ' εἰ μὲν πάντῃ διακέκριται, ἀσύμβατα ἔσται, καὶ οὐδαμῇ τῷ αἰτίῳ τὸ ἀπ' αὐτοῦ συμπαθές. οὐδὲ μεθέξει τοίνυν θατέρου θάτερον, πάντῃ ἕτερα ὄντα· τὸ γὰρ μετεχόμενον κοινωνίαν δίδωσι τῷ μετασχόντι πρὸς τὸ οὗ μετέσχεν. ἀλλὰ μὴν ἀνάγκη τὸ αἰτιατὸν τοῦ αἰτίου μετέχειν, ὡς ἐκεῖθεν ἔχον τὴν οὐσίαν. εἰ δὲ πῇ μὲν διακέκριται, πῇ δὲ ἥνωται τῷ παράγοντι τὸ παραγόμενον, εἰ μὲν ἐπίσης ἑκάτερον πέπονθεν, ἐπίσης ἂν αὐτοῦ μετέχοι τε καὶ οὐ μετέχοι· ὥστε καὶ ἔχοι ἂν τὴν οὐσίαν παρ' αὐτοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἔχοι τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον. εἰ δὲ μᾶλλον εἴη διακεκριμένον, ἀλλότριον ἂν εἴη τοῦ γεννήσαντος μᾶλλον ἢ οἰκεῖον τὸ γεννηθέν, καὶ ἀνάρμοστον πρὸς αὐτὸ μᾶλλον ἤπερ ἡρμοσμένον, καὶ ἀσυμπαθὲς μᾶλλον ἢ συμπαθές. εἰ οὖν καὶ συγγενῆ τοῖς αἰτίοις κατ' αὐτὸ τὸ εἶναι καὶ συμπαθῆ τὰ ἀπ' αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐξήρτηται αὐτῶν κατὰ φύσιν, καὶ ὀρέγεται τῆς πρὸς αὐτὰ συναφῆς, ὀρεγόμενα τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ καὶ τυγχάνοντα διὰ τῆς αἰτίας τοῦ ὀρεκτοῦ, δῆλον δὴ ὅτι μᾶλλον ἥνωται τοῖς παράγουσι τὰ παραγόμενα ἢ διακέκριται ἀπ' αὐτῶν. τὰ δὲ μᾶλλον ἡνωμένα ὅμοιά ἐστι μᾶλλον ἢ ἀνόμοια τούτοις οἷς μάλιστα ἥνωται. τὰ ὅμοια ἄρα πρὸ τῶν ἀνομοίων ὑφίστησι πᾶν τὸ παρακτικὸν αἴτιον. 29 Πᾶσα πρόοδος δι' ὁμοιότητος ἀποτελεῖται τῶν δευτέρων πρὸς τὰ πρῶτα. εἰ γὰρ τὸ παράγον τὰ ὅμοια πρὸ τῶν ἀνομοίων ὑφίστησιν, ἡ ὁμοιότης ἀπὸ τῶν παραγόντων ὑφίστησι τὰ παραγόμενα· τὰ γὰρ ὅμοια δι' ὁμοιότητος ὅμοια ἀποτελεῖται, ἀλλ' οὐ δι' ἀνομοιότητος. εἰ οὖν ἡ πρόοδος ἐν τῇ ὑφέσει σώζει τὸ ταὐτὸν τοῦ γεννηθέντος πρὸς τὸ γεννῆσαν, καὶ οἷον ἐκεῖνο πρώτως, τοιοῦτον ἐκφαίνει τὸ μετ' αὐτὸ δευτέρως, δι' ὁμοιότητος ἔχει τὴν ὑπόστασιν. 30 Πᾶν τὸ ἀπό τινος παραγόμενον ἀμέσως μένει τε ἐν τῷ παράγοντι καὶ πρόεισιν ἀπ' αὐτοῦ. εἰ γὰρ πᾶσα πρόοδος μενόντων τε γίνεται τῶν πρώτων καὶ δι' ὁμοιότητος ἀποτελεῖται, τῶν ὁμοίων πρὸ τῶν ἀνομοίων ὑφισταμένων, μένει πῃ καὶ τὸ παραγόμενον ἐν τῷ παράγοντι. τὸ γὰρ πάντῃ προϊὸν οὐδὲν ἂν ἔχοι ταὐτὸν πρὸς τὸ μένον, ἀλλ' ἔστι πάντῃ διακεκριμένον· εἰ δὲ ἕξει τι κοινὸν καὶ ἡνωμένον πρὸς αὐτό, μένοι ἂν καὶ αὐτὸ ἐν ἐκείνῳ, ὥσπερ κἀκεῖνο ἐφ' ἑαυτοῦ μένον ἦν. εἰ δὲ μένοι μόνον μὴ προϊόν, οὐδὲν διοίσει τῆς αἰτίας οὐδὲ ἔσται μενούσης ἐκείνης ἄλλο γεγονός· εἰ γὰρ ἄλλο, διακέκριται καὶ ἔστι χωρίς· εἰ δὲ χωρίς, μένει δὲ ἐκείνη, προῆλθε τοῦτο ἀπ' αὐτῆς ἵνα διακριθῇ μενούσης. ᾗ μὲν ἄρα ταὐτόν τι πρὸς τὸ παράγον ἔχει, τὸ παραγόμενον μένει ἐν αὐτῷ· ᾗ δὲ ἕτερον, πρόεισιν ἀπ' αὐτοῦ. ὅμοιον δὲ ὄν, ταὐτόν πῃ ἅμα καὶ ἕτερόν ἐστι· μένει ἄρα καὶ πρόεισιν ἅμα, καὶ οὐδέτερον θατέρου χωρίς. 31 Πᾶν τὸ προϊὸν ἀπό τινος κατ' οὐσίαν ἐπιστρέφεται πρὸς ἐκεῖνο ἀφ' οὗ πρόεισιν. εἰ γὰρ προέρχοιτο μέν, μὴ ἐπιστρέφοι δὲ πρὸς τὸ αἴτιον τῆς προόδου ταύτης, οὐκ ἂν ὀρέγοιτο τῆς αἰτίας· πᾶν γὰρ τὸ ὀρεγόμενον ἐπέστραπται πρὸς τὸ ὀρεκτόν. ἀλλὰ μὴν πᾶν τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ ἐφίεται, καὶ ἡ ἐκείνου τεῦξις διὰ τῆς προσεχοῦς αἰτίας ἑκάστοις· ὀρέγεται ἄρα καὶ τῆς ἑαυτῶν αἰτίας ἕκαστα. δι' οὗ γὰρ τὸ εἶναι ἑκάστῳ, διὰ τούτου καὶ τὸ εὖ· δι' οὗ δὲ τὸ εὖ, πρὸς τοῦτο ἡ ὄρεξις πρῶτον· πρὸς ὃ δὲ πρῶτον ἡ ὄρεξις, πρὸς τοῦτο ἡ ἐπιστροφή. 32 Πᾶσα ἐπιστροφὴ δι' ὁμοιότητος ἀποτελεῖται τῶν ἐπι στρεφομένων πρὸς ὃ ἐπιστρέφεται. τὸ γὰρ ἐπιστρεφόμενον πᾶν πρὸς πᾶν συνάπτεσθαι σπεύδει καὶ ὀρέγεται τῆς πρὸς αὐτὸ κοινωνίας καὶ συνδέσεως. συνδεῖ δὲ πάντα ἡ ὁμοιότης, ὥσπερ διακρίνει ἡ ἀνομοιότης καὶ διίστησιν. εἰ οὖν ἡ ἐπιστροφὴ κοινωνία τίς ἐστι καὶ συναφή, πᾶσα δὲ κοινωνία καὶ συναφὴ πᾶσα δι' ὁμοιότητος, πᾶσα ἄρα ἐπιστροφὴ δι' ὁμοιότητος ἀποτελοῖτο ἄν. 33 Πᾶν τὸ προϊὸν