Let us in the next place direct our attention to that great mundane
divinity the earth, and consider what it is, whence it proceeds,
and how it is said by Plato in the Timæus to be our nurse, and the
most ancient and first of the Gods within the heavens, deriving our
information about this Goddess also from Proclus, (in Tim. p. 280).
Earth then proceeds primarily from the intelligible earth which
comprehends all the intelligible orders of the Gods, and is eternally
established in the father.[121] It also proceeds from the intellectual
Earth which is co-arranged with Heaven, and all the productions of
which it receives. For being analogous to these, it also abides
perpetually as in the centre of the heavens, and being contained,
on all sides by them, is full of generative power, and demiurgic
perfection. The true earth, therefore, is neither this corporeal-formed
and gross bulk; for it will not be the most ancient of the Gods from
its bulk, nor the first of the Gods that are arranged within the
heavens; nor is it the soul of this body; for it would not be, as
Plato says it is, extended about the pole of the universe, since not
the soul, but the body of the earth is a thing of this kind; but if
it be necessary to speak what is most true concerning it, it is an
animal consisting of a divine soul, and a living body. Hence the whole
is, as Plato says, an animal. For there are in it an immaterial and
separate intellect; a divine soul dancing round this intellect; an
etherial body proximately suspended from its informing soul; and in
the last place, this visible bulk, which is on all sides inspired with
life by the vehicle[122] of this soul, with which also being filled,
it generates and nourishes all-various animals. For some animals[123]
are rooted in it, but others about it. And this likewise, Aristotle
perceiving, was ashamed not to give to the earth a natural life. For
whence is it that plants while they remain in the earth live, but when
divulsed from it die, unless this earthly mass was full of life? It
is necessary, also, to assume universally, that wholes are animated
prior to parts. For it would be ridiculous that man indeed should
participate of a rational soul and of intellect, but that no soul
should be assigned to the earth and the air, supernally riding in [as
it were] and governing the elements, and preserving them in their
proper boundaries. For wholes, as Theophrastus says, would have less
authority than parts, and perpetual than corruptible natures, if they
were destitute of soul. Hence, it is necessary to grant that a soul and
an intellect are in the earth; the former causing it to be prolific,
but the latter connectedly-containing it in the middle of the universe.
Earth herself, therefore, being a divine animal, is also a plenitude
of intellectual and psychical essences, and of immaterial powers. For
if a partial soul has besides a material body an immaterial vehicle,
what ought we to think of a soul so divine as that of the earth? Is
it not, that by a much greater priority visible bodies are suspended
from this soul through other vehicles as media, and that through these,
the visible bodies are able to receive the illuminations of soul?
Such then being the nature of earth herself, she is said to be our
nurse; in the first place, indeed, as possessing a power in a certain
respect equivalent to Heaven. For as that comprehends in itself divine
animals, thus also earth is seen to contain terrestrial animals. But
in the second place, she is our nurse, as inspiring our lives from
her own proper life. For she not only produces fruits, and nourishes
our bodies through these, but she also fills our souls with the
illuminations of herself. For being a divine animal, and generating
us who are partial animals, through her own body indeed she nourishes
and connectedly-contains our bulk; but from her own soul perfects
ours. By her own intellect, likewise, she excites the intellect
which is in us; and thus according to the whole of herself becomes
the nurse of our whole composition. On this account it appears to me
that Plato calls her our nurse, indicating by this her intellectual
nutritive energy. For if she is our nurse, but we are truly souls and
intellects, according to these especially, she will be the perfector
of our essence, moving and exciting our intellectual part. But being
a divine animal, and comprehending in herself many partial animals,
she is said by Plato to be conglobed about the pole which is extended
through the universe; because she is contained and compressed about
its axis. For the axis also is the pole. And the pole is thus now
denominated, because the universe revolves about it. Because, however,
the pole [properly so called] is impartible, but the axis is a pole
with interval, just as if some one should say that a line is a flowing
point,--on this account, the pole is said by Plato to be extended
through the universe, as entirely pervading through the centre of the
earth.
But we must survey the poles as powers that give stability to the
universe, exciting indeed the whole bulk of it to intelligible love,
and impartibly connecting that which is partible, and unitedly and
without interval that which is extended by interval. Hence, also, Plato
in the Republic, makes the spindle of Lachesis of adamant, indicating,
as we have said, their inflexible and untamed power. And we must
consider the axis, as that one divinity which collects the centres
of the universe, which is connective of the whole world, and motive
of the divine circulations; and as that about which wholes dance and
are convolved, and as sustaining all heaven, being on this account
denominated Atlas, as possessing an immutable and unwearied energy. The
word τεταμενον also, or _extended_, used here by Plato, indicates that
this one power is Titannic guarding the circulations of wholes. But
if, as the divine Jamblichus says, we understand by the pole extended
through the universe, the heavens, neither thus shall we wander from
the conception of Plato. For, as Plato says in the Cratylus, those who
are skilled in astronomy call the heavens the pole, as harmoniously
revolving. According to this conception, therefore, you may call heaven
the pole extended through the universe, as being incurvated through
the whole of itself, in consequence of being without an angle. For
after this manner the superficies of a circle is extended. About this,
however, earth is conglobed, not locally, but through a desire of
becoming assimilated to it, converging to the middle, in order that as
heaven is moved about the centre, so she by tending to the centre, may
become similar to that which is essentially spherical, being herself as
much as possible conglobed. Hence she is compressed about the heaven in
such a way as to be wholly extended about it.
According to each of these conceptions, therefore, Plato delivers the
cause through which earth is contained in the middle. For the axis
is a power connective of the earth; and the earth is on all sides
compressed by the circulation of the heaven, and is collected together
into the centre of the universe. Earth, therefore, being such, Timæus
afterwards clearly shows what utility she affords to the universe; for
he calls her the guardian and artificer of day and night. And indeed
that she is the maker of night, is evident. For she produces a conical
shadow; and her magnitude and figure, are the causes of the dimension
and quality of the figure of this shadow. But after what manner is she
likewise the fabricator of day? Or does she not produce this day which
is conjoined with night? For about her the risings and settings of the
sun are surveyed. And that Plato assumes this day which is convolved
with night, is evident from his arranging the former under the latter;
as also prior to this, when he says, night therefore and day were thus
generated. Earth, therefore, is the fabricator of both these, producing
both in conjunction with the sun; the sun indeed being in a greater
degree the cause of day, but the earth of night.
Being, however, the fabricator, she is also the guardian of them,
preserving their boundaries and contrariety with reference to each
other, and also their augmentations and diminutions, according to a
certain analogy. Hence, some denominate her Isis, as equalizing the
inequality, and bringing to an analogy the increase and decrease of
both day and night. But others looking to her prolific power call her
Ceres, as Plotinus, who denominates the intellect of the earth Vesta,
but the soul of it Ceres. We, however, say that the first causes of
these divinities are intellectual, ruling[124] and liberated; but that
from these causes illuminations and powers extend to the earth. Hence
there is a terrestrial Ceres and Vesta, and a terrestrial Isis, in
the same manner as there is a terrestrial Jupiter, and a terrestrial
Hermes; these terrene deities being arranged about the one divinity of
the earth; just as a multitude of celestial Gods proceeds about the one
divinity of the heavens. For there are progressions and terminations
of all the celestial Gods into the earth; and all things are in her
terrestrially, which are contained in the heavens celestially. For
the intellectual earth receives the paternal powers of heaven, and
contains all things after a generative manner. Thus, therefore, we say
that there is a terrestrial Bacchus, and a terrestrial Apollo, who is
the source of prophetic[125] waters in many parts of the earth, and of
openings which predict future events. But the Pæonian[126] and judicial
powers which proceed into it, render other places of it of a purifying
or medicinal nature. All the other powers of the earth, however, it is
impossible to enumerate. For divine powers are indeed inexplicable. But
the orders of angels and demons that follow these powers are still more
numerous, and are circularly allotted the whole earth, and dance round
its one divinity, its one intellect, and one soul.