Besides Intelligence, and anterior thereto, exists Essence. It contains
Number, with which it begets (beings); for it begets them by moving
according to number, determining upon the numbers before giving
hypostatic existence to the (beings), just as the unity (of essence)
precedes its (existence), and interrelates it with the First (or,
absolute Unity). Numbers interrelate nothing else to the First; it
suffices for Essence to be interrelated with Him, because Essence, on
becoming Number, attaches all (beings) to itself. Essence is divided
not so far as it is a unity (for its unity is permanent); but having
divided itself conformably to its nature in as many things as it
decided on, it saw into how many things it had divided itself; and
through this (process) it begat the number that exists within itself;
for it divided itself by virtue of the potentialities of number, and it
begat as many (beings) as number comported.