Summing up what we have discovered about the nature of Essence, we find
first three genera. Then, these three, Essence, Movement and Stability
were contemplated respectively by the essence, movement and stability
within ourselves, which we also harmonized with those intelligibles.
Then again we lost the power of distinguishing them by uniting,
confusing, and blending these three genera. But a little later we
divided, extricated and distinguished them so as again to see essence,
movement and stability; three things, of which each exists apart. The
result of this process then is that they are regarded as different,
discerning them by their differences, and recognizing difference in
essence by positing three things each of which exists apart. On the
other hand, if they be considered in their relation with unity and in
unity, if they be all reduced to being something single and identical,
one may see the arising, or rather the existing of identity. To the
three genera already recognized, therefore, we shall have to add
identity or difference, or (in Platonic language[308]), "sameness and
other-ness." These two classifications added to the three others,
will in all make five genera for all things. Identity and difference
(are genuine genera, indeed, because they) also communicate their
characteristics to inferior (beings), each of which manifests some such
element.