It remains in the next place, that we should survey how the earth is
said to be the most ancient, and the first of the Gods within the
heavens. For this will be taken literally by those who are accustomed
to look only to its material, gross and dark bulk. But we indeed grant
them that there is something of such a kind in the bulk of the earth
as they say there is; but we think it proper that they should likewise
look to the other goods of the earth, through which it surpasses the
prerogatives of the other elements, viz. its stability, its generative
power, its concord with the heavens, and its position in the centre of
the universe. For the centre has great power in the universe, as being
connective of every circulation. Hence also the Pythagoreans call the
centre the tower of Jupiter, in consequence of containing in itself a
demiurgic guard. We shall likewise remind our opponents of the Platonic
hypothesis concerning the earth, mentioned by Socrates in the Phædo,
where he says that the place of our abode is hollow and dark, and
bound by the sea; but that there is another true earth, containing the
receptacles of the Gods, and possessing a beauty resembling that of the
heavens. We ought not, therefore, to wonder if now the earth is said to
be the most ancient and the first of the Gods within the heavens, since
she possesses so great an altitude, and such a surpassing beauty, and
as Socrates afterwards says, was fashioned by the Demiurgus resembling
a sphere covered with twelve skins, just as the heaven is similar to a
dodecahedron. We must likewise understand that the Demiurgus gave to
the earth alone among the elements to have all the elements separately,
causing her to be wholly a world, variegated analogous to the heavens.
For she contains a river of fire, of air, and of water, and of another
earth, which has the same relation to her which she has to the
universe, as Socrates says in the Phædo. But if this be the case, she
very much transcends the other elements as imitating the heavens, and
possessing every thing in herself terrestrially, which is celestially
contained in the heavens.
To this also we may add, that the Demiurgus produced these two elements
the first, earth and fire; but the others for the sake of these, in
order that they might have the ratio of bonds with respect to them. And
that the four elements are both in the heavens, and in the sublunary
region; but in the former, indeed, according to a fiery characteristic,
since fire there predominates, as Plato says, but in the latter
according to a terrestrial peculiarity. For the profundity of air, and
the bulk of water are spread round the earth, and possess much of an
earthly property, on which account they are in their own nature dark.
In the heavens, therefore, there is a predominance of fire, but in the
sublunary region of earth. Since, however, generation is connascently
conjoined with the heavens, the end of the latter is earth, so far
as earth is in the heavens, but the beginning of generation is fire,
considered as subsisting in generation. For it is usual to call the
moon earth, as having the same ratio to the sun, which earth has to
fire. “But [the Demiurgus] says Orpheus, fabricated another infinite
earth, which the immortals call _Selene_, but terrestrials
_Mene_.” And it is usual to denominate the summit of generation
fire, which Aristotle also does, when he calls ether fire. In another
place, however, he does not think it proper to call ether fire, but
fiery-formed. Hence, the end of the heavens is not entirely destitute
of mutation, in consequence of its propinquity to generation; but the
beginning of generation is moved in a circle imitating the heavens.
Farther still, this likewise must be considered, that we ought not
to judge of the dignity of things from places, but from powers and
essence. By what peculiarities, therefore, are we to form a judgment
of transcendencies? By what others than those which the divine orders
exhibit? For transcendency truly so called is with the Gods. From
the divine orders, therefore, we must assume _the monadic_, _the
stable_, _the all-perfect_, _the prolific_, _the connective_, _the
perfective_, _the every-way extended_, _the vivific_, _the adorning_,
_the assimilative_, and _the comprehending_ power. For these are the
peculiarities of all the divine orders. According to all these however,
the earth surpasses the other elements, so that she may justly be
called the most ancient, and the first of the Gods.
Again, a two-fold nature of things may be surveyed, the one indeed
according to progression, which always makes things that have a
secondary arrangement subordinate to those that are prior to them; but
the other according to conversion, which conjoins extremes to primary
natures through similitude, and produces one circle of the whole
generation. Since also the world is spherical, but a figure of this
kind is the peculiarity of things that subsist according to conversion,
earth likewise must be conjoined in it to the heavens, through one.
circle, and one similitude. For thus also the centre is most similar
to the poles. For the heavens indeed entirely comprehend wholes, being
moved about the poles; but the earth is allotted permanency in the
centre. For it is appropriate to generation that the immoveable should
be more ancient than that which is moved. Hence, according to all these
conceptions it may be said, that earth as co-ordinate with heaven, is
the most ancient of the Gods within the heavens. For she is within
them, as being on all sides comprehended by them. For as the demiurgus
fashioned the whole of a corporeal nature within the soul of the world,
thus also he fabricated earth within the heavens, as compressed and
contained by them, and in conjunction with them fabricating wholes.
She has, however, so far as she is _the first_ of the Gods, an
indication of transcendency according to essence; but so far as she
is _the most ancient_, she exhibits to our view the dignity which she
is allotted. For how is it possible not to admit that she is allotted
a great portion in the world, and is very honourable, in whom there
are the tower of Jupiter, and the progression of Saturn? For not
only Tartarus, which is the extremity of the earth, is on all sides
comprehended by Saturn, and the Saturnian power, but also whatever
else may be conceived subordinate to this. For Homer says that this
is connectedly contained through the sub-tartarean Gods. Not that he
arranges Gods beyond Tartarus, as the words indicate; but that Tartarus
itself is on all sides comprehended by them.
Farther still, we may survey the analogy which earth has to the
intellectual earth. For as the latter comprehends and gives subsistence
to perfective, guardian, and Titannic orders of Gods, of which the
Orphic theologies are full, so likewise the former possesses various
powers. And as a nurse indeed she imitates the perfective order,
according to which the Athenians also are accustomed to call her
κουροτροφος, or _the nourisher of youth_, and ανησιδωρα, or _scattering
gifts_, as producing and nourishing plants and animals. But as a guard
she imitates the guardian, and as conglobed about the pole which is
extended (τεταμενη) through the universe, the _Titannic_ order. Since,
however, the intellectual earth prior to other divinities generated
Aigle and the Hesperian Erithya, thus also our earth is the fabricator
of day and night. And the analogy of the latter to the former is
evident.
In the last place, Proclus adds, if also you are willing after another
manner to understand that she is the first and most ancient of the
Gods, as deriving her subsistence from the first and most ancient
causes, this reason also will be attended with probability, since first
causes proceed by their energies to the utmost extent of things; and
besides this, the last of things frequently preserve the analogy of
such as are first, as possessing their order from them alone. Hence,
every way the assertion of Plato is true, whether you are willing to
look to the bulk of the earth, or to the powers which she contains. And
thus much from Proclus, concerning that great mundane divinity, the
earth, who in the language of Theophrastus[127] is the common Vesta
of Gods and men; and on whose fertile surface reclining, says he, as
on the soft bosom of a mother or a nurse, we ought to celebrate her
divinity with hymns, and incline to her with filial affection, as to
the source of our existence.