DAMASCIUS THE DIADOCHUS

PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS

THE FIRST PRINCIPLES

according to aug 27/00 (2 v) M 19.60 bolay G. 50

§ 96. These are the reasons that have persuaded the ancient philosophers that all produced things are produced by pre-existing things according to the cause The cause pre-exists its effect; however, as the effect is in the cause, it also pre-exists itself in that respect.. But it is a dangerous principle to say that the cause can be anticipated in something without being its hyparxis substantial existence/fundamental reality. For, first, from where was this cause itself generated? For if it was generated from another cause, we will proceed to infinity, and if it was generated from hyparxis, how is the cause anhomogeneous dissimilar/heterogeneous and the cause of an anhomogeneous thing? Next, if being (τὸ εἶναι to be/existence) generates, and if the being of each subject is its own hyparxis, it is clear that the anhomogeneous is generated from its own hyparxis; so that what one calls the cause is only a part of the hyparxis, since the first of the arguments is indeed in relation to the contrary. For the thing in potentiality existing in some subject is a part of the hyparxis; its species is said by essence to be relative to another and to be in potentiality, just as bronze is the statue in potentiality; for bronze is by