THE INTELLIGIBLE SPHERICAL FIGURE THE PRIMITIVE ONE.

Everywhere, therefore, in essence, is a single (spherical) figure,[44]

and each of these figures (which this single figure implicitly

contained) has become distinct, either in, or before the animal. When

I say that each figure has become distinct, I do not mean that it has

become an extension, but that it has been assigned to some particular

animal; thus, in the intelligible world, each body has been assigned

its own characteristic figure, as, for instance, the pyramid to the

fire.[45] Our world seeks to imitate this figure, although it cannot

accomplish this, because of matter. There are other figures here below

that are analogous to the intelligible figures.

Plotinos: Complete Works, v. 3 In Chronological Order, Grouped in Four Periods · 第 39 / 442 题