Problems and Solutions Concerning First Principles, Volume 1

This translation continues the discussion of ontological sources and the hierarchical nature of divine emanation.

one must know that things which are divided in the procession, starting from the One, are completely anticipated in that One through coagregation a gathering together/concentration; for example, each series is anticipated in its own particular source, just as it is counted there as a single thing original: "Καθάπερ μόνη διήριθμος.", and the universal source-series of the hebdomad the number seven, often associated with divine ordering is anticipated in the universal source, just as the entire number of particular sources is anticipated in the universal source proper to it. For before the external, partial sources, which exist around the universal sources, the division of the many internal parts divided from each entire, particular, and complete source is anticipated. For the world that envelops the parts is analogous to the parts of the divine Figure, which are ordered into a world by it original: "Ἀναλογεῖ τοῖς κοσμουμένοις ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ μέρεσι τοῦ θείου μορφώματος.".

For the belt a reference to the mystical "Belt" of the Goddess mentioned in previous pages is analogous to the flanks of the goddess wearing the zone, while the crown is analogous to the temples and the forehead of the divine head. In return, this division of the parts of the goddess, which is according to breadth and comes from the unfolding and pouring forth hebdomad—a number anticipated in depth within the monad the fundamental, indivisible unit—this division is unified in the indivisible and the universal. Finally, the entire hebdomad of the first sources is gathered into the triads of the preceding sources, and the triads, in their turn, are gathered into the single and one source of the sources. So that every division...

A footnote in the original text states: "The manuscripts provide holēs [entire], which one does not know how to interpret. Kopp proposes to read holē [entire/whole]; Ruelle, alēs [gathered/congregated]." It further cites Proclus, in Tim., III, 200: "To Apollo, one had consecrated the Heptad, because he gathers all harmonies, and he was called Hebdomagétas; and one said that the seventh day was consecrated to the God." It continues: Proclus, in Tim., III, p. 184: "When the Titans were massacred, the dividing Gods (diaretikoi) did not share his heart, which represents the essence of reason, but they shared the rest of his body, which represents the psychic essence, into seven:

"And the seven all shared the parts of the youth"

not because there are seven parts, says Lobeck, but because there were seven Titans." It also cites the following Greek lines from Proclus, in Tim., III, 137, where Earth brought forth: