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openly, and that the present discussions have become expositions of those, having confirmed by testimonies that these doctrines are ancient in Plato's own writings.” 11.17.11 So much for Plotinus; but Numenius, holding the doctrines of Plato in his work *On the Good*, also explains the following when speaking about the second cause:

11.18.1 19. FROM NUMENIUS, ON THE SECOND CAUSE

“One who is to understand about the first and second god must first distinguish each thing in order and in a certain good arrangement, and then, when it seems to be well, then he must attempt to speak in an orderly manner, but not otherwise, or for the one who touches too early, before the first things have been done, the treasure is said to become 11.18.2 ashes. Let us not suffer the same thing; but having invoked God to become his own interpreter for our argument to reveal a treasure of thoughts, let us begin thus: 11.18.3 It is necessary now to pray, and it is necessary to distinguish. The first god, being in himself, is simple, because being wholly with himself he is never divisible. The second and third god, however, are one. But being carried along with matter, which is a dyad, he unifies it, but is divided by it, as it has a desiring character and is in 11.18.4 flux. By not being with the intelligible (for he would be with himself), because he 11.18.5 looks at matter and cares for it, he becomes heedless of himself. And 11.18.5 he touches the sensible and tends it, and still leads it up to his own character, having desired matter.” 11.18.6 And after other things he says: “For it is not fitting for the first to create, and the first god must be considered the father of the 11.18.7 creating god. If, then, we should inquire about the creative one, saying that the one who existed before must thus be excellently disposed, this approach of the argument would be plausible. But if the argument is not about the creator, but we are inquiring about the first, I repudiate what has been said, and let those things be unspoken, and I will proceed to take up the argument, having hunted it from another direction. 11.18.8 But before the capture of the argument, let us make an agreement with ourselves to hear an undisputed admission, that the first god is inactive from all works and is a king, 11.18.9 but the creative god is a ruler, passing through heaven. And through this also is our journey, mind being sent down on its passage to all those appointed to 11.18.10 share in it. When, therefore, God is looking and turned towards each one of us, it happens that our bodies then live and are sustained, God caring for them with his darts; but when God turns back to his own contemplation, these are extinguished, but the mind lives, enjoying a blessed life.” 11.18.11 Thus Numenius. But you, compare with these the things from the prophecy of David, long ago sung among the Hebrews in this manner: “How magnificent are your works, O Lord! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is filled with your creation. All things look to you, to give them their food in due season. When you give it to them they will gather it; when you open your hand, all things will be filled with goodness. But when you turn away your face, they will be troubled. You will take away their breath, and they will fail and return to their dust. You will send forth your Spirit, and they will be created, and you will renew the 11.18.12 face of the earth.” For how would these differ from the thought of the philosopher which says that “when God is looking and turned towards each one of us, it happens that our bodies then live and are sustained, God caring for them with his darts, but when God turns back to his own contemplation, these are extinguished?” 11.18.13 And again, when the saving word among us said: “I am

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ἀναπεπταμένως, τοὺς δὲ νῦν λόγους ἐξηγητὰς ἐκείνων γεγονέναι, μαρτυρίοις πιστωσαμένους τὰς δόξας ταύτας παλαιὰς εἶναι τοῖς αὐτοῦ Πλάτωνος γράμμασι.» 11.17.11 Ταῦτα μὲν ὁ Πλωτῖνος· ὁ δὲ Νουμήνιος τὰ Πλάτωνος πρεσβεύων ἐν τοῖς Περὶ τἀγαθοῦ τάδε καὶ αὐτὸς περὶ τοῦ δευτέρου αἰτίου λέγων διερμηνεύει·

11.18.1 ιθʹ. ΝΟΥΜΗΝΙΟΥ ΠΕΡΙ ΤΟΥ ∆ΕΥΤΕΡΟΥ ΑΙΤΙΟΥ

«Τὸν μέλλοντα δὲ συνήσειν θεοῦ πέρι πρώτου καὶ δευτέρου χρὴ πρότερον διελέσθαι ἕκαστα ἐν τάξει καὶ ἐν εὐθημοσύνῃ τινὶ κἄπειτα ἐπὰν δοκῇ ἤδη εὖ ἔχειν, τότε καὶ δεῖ ἐπιχειρεῖν εἰπεῖν κοσμίως, ἄλλως δὲ μή, ἢ τῷ πρωϊαίτερον πρὶν τὰ πρῶτα γενέσθαι ἁπτομένῳ σποδὸς ὁ θησαυρὸς γίνεσθαι λέ11.18.2 γεται. μὴ δὴ πάθωμεν ἡμεῖς ταὐτόν· θεὸν δὲ προσκαλεσάμενοι ἑαυτοῦ γνώμονα γενόμενον τῷ λόγῳ δεῖξαι θησαυρὸν φροντίδων, ἀρχώμεθα οὕτως· 11.18.3 εὐκτέον μὲν ἤδη, διελέσθαι δὲ δεῖ. ὁ θεὸς ὁ μὲν πρῶτος ἐν ἑαυτοῦ ὤν ἐστιν ἁπλοῦς, διὰ τὸ ἑαυτῷ συγγιγνόμενος διόλου μή ποτε εἶναι διαιρετός· ὁ θεὸς μέντοι ὁ δεύτερος καὶ τρίτος ἐστὶν εἷς· συμφερόμενος δὲ τῇ ὕλῃ δυάδι οὔσῃ ἑνοῖ μὲν αὐτήν, σχίζεται δὲ ὑπ' αὐτῆς, ἐπιθυμητικὸν ἦθος ἐχούσης καὶ ῥεού11.18.4 σης. τῷ οὖν μὴ εἶναι πρὸς τῷ νοητῷ ἦν γὰρ ἂν πρὸς ἑαυτῷ διὰ τὸ τὴν 11.18.5 ὕλην βλέπειν ταύτης ἐπιμελούμενος ἀπερίοπτος ἑαυτοῦ γίνεται. καὶ 11.18.5 ἅπτεται τοῦ αἰσθητοῦ καὶ περιέπει ἀνάγει τε ἔτι εἰς τὸ ἴδιον ἦθος ἐπορεξάμενος τῆς ὕλης.» 11.18.6 Καὶ μεθ' ἕτερά φησι· «Καὶ γὰρ οὔτε δημιουργεῖν ἐστι χρεὼν τὸν πρῶτον καὶ τοῦ δημιουρ11.18.7 γοῦντος δὲ θεοῦ χρὴ εἶναι νομίζεσθαι πατέρα τὸν πρῶτον θεόν. εἰ μὲν οὖν περὶ τοῦ δημιουργικοῦ ζητοῖμεν, φάσκοντες δεῖν τὸν πρότερον ὑπάρξαντα οὕτως ἂν ποιεῖν ἔχειν διαφερόντως, ἐοικυῖα ἡ πρόσοδος αὕτη γεγονυῖα ἂν εἴη τοῦ λόγου· εἰ δὲ περὶ τοῦ δημιουργοῦ μή ἐστιν ὁ λόγος, ζητοῦμεν δὲ περὶ τοῦ πρώτου, ἀφοσιοῦμαί τε τὰ λεχθέντα καὶ ἔστω μὲν ἐκεῖνα ἄρρητα, μέτ11.18.8 ειμι δὲ ἑλεῖν τὸν λόγον, ἑτέρωθεν θηράσας. πρὸ μέντοι τοῦ λόγου τῆς ἁλώσεως διομολογησώμεθα ἡμῖν αὐτοῖς ὁμολογίαν οὐκ ἀμφισβητήσιμον ἀκοῦσαι, τὸν μὲν πρῶτον θεὸν ἀργὸν εἶναι ἔργων ξυμπάντων καὶ βασιλέα, 11.18.9 τὸν δημιουργικὸν δὲ θεὸν ἡγεμονεῖν δι' οὐρανοῦ ἰόντα. διὰ δὲ τούτου καὶ ὁ στόλος ἡμῖν ἐστι, κάτω τοῦ νοῦ πεμπομένου ἐν διεξόδῳ πᾶσι τοῖς κοινωνῆ11.18.10 σαι συντεταγμένοις. βλέποντος μὲν οὖν καὶ ἐπεστραμμένου πρὸς ἡμῶν ἕκαστον τοῦ θεοῦ συμβαίνει ζῆν τε καὶ βιώσκεσθαι τότε τὰ σώματα κηδεύοντα τοῦ θεοῦ τοῖς ἀκροβολισμοῖς· μεταστρέφοντος δὲ εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ περιωπὴν τοῦ θεοῦ ταῦτα μὲν ἀποσβέννυσθαι, τὸν δὲ νοῦν ζῆν βίου ἐπαυρόμενον εὐδαίμονος.» 11.18.11 Ταῦτα ὁ Νουμήνιος. σὺ δέ γε παράθες αὐτοῖς τὰ ἀπὸ τῆς τοῦ ∆αβὶδ προφητείας πάλαι παρ' Ἑβραίοις τοῦτον ᾀδόμενα τὸν τρόπον· «Ὡς ἐμεγαλύνθη τὰ ἔργα σου, κύριε· πάντα ἐν σοφίᾳ ἐποίησας. ἐπληρώθη ἡ γῆ τῆς κτίσεώς σου· πάντα πρὸς σὲ προσδοκῶσι, δοῦναι τὴν τροφὴν αὐτοῖς εὔκαιρον. δόντος σου αὐτοῖς συλλέξουσιν, ἀνοίξαντός σου τὴν χεῖρα τὰ πάντα πληρωθήσεται χρηστότητος. ἀποστρέψαντος δέ σου τὸ πρόσωπον ταραχθήσονται. ἀντανελεῖς τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐκλείψουσι καὶ εἰς τὸν χοῦν αὐτῶν ἐπιστρέψουσιν. ἐξαποστελεῖς τὸ πνεῦμά σου, καὶ κτισθήσονται, καὶ ἀνακαινιεῖς τὸ 11.18.12 πρόσωπον τῆς γῆς.» τί γὰρ ταῦτα διαφέροι ἂν τῆς φασκούσης τοῦ φιλοσόφου διανοίας ὡς ἄρα «βλέποντος μὲν καὶ ἐπεστραμμένου πρὸς ἡμῶν ἕκαστον τοῦ θεοῦ συμβαίνει ζῆν τε καὶ βιώσκεσθαι τότε τὰ σώματα κηδεύοντα τοῦ θεοῦ τοῖς ἀκροβολισμοῖς, μεταστρέφοντος δὲ εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ περιωπὴν τοῦ θεοῦ ταῦτα ἀποσβέννυσθαι;» 11.18.13 Πάλιν δ' αὖ τοῦ σωτηρίου λόγου παρ' ἡμῖν φάντος· «Ἐγώ εἰμι