In the next place, directing our attention to Earth, we shall derive
the whole of the theory concerning her from her first evolution into
light. She first becomes manifest, therefore, in the middle triads[143]
of the intellectual Gods, together with Heaven who connectedly
contains the whole intellectual order. She likewise proceeds analogous
to the intelligible Earth, which we find to be the first of the
intelligible[144] triads. And as ranking in the vivific orders, she is
assimilated to the first infinity. But she is the receiving bosom of
the generative deity of Heaven, and the middle centre of his paternal
goodness. She also reigns together with him, and is the power of him
who ranks as a father. The Earth, however, which is analogous to her,
and presides in the sublunary regions, is as it were the prolific power
of the Heaven pertaining to the realms of generation, unfolding into
light his paternal, definitive, measuring and containing providence,
which prolifically extends to all things. She likewise generates
all the sublunary infinity;[145] just as Heaven who belongs to the
co-ordination of bound, introduces termination and end to secondary
natures. Bound, therefore, and end define the hyparxis of every thing
according to which Gods and dæmons, souls and bodies are connected and
made to be one, imitating the one unity of wholes, or in other words,
the ineffable principle of things; but infinity multiplies the powers
of every being. For there is much bound in all sublunary natures, and
likewise much infinity, which through divinity, and after the Gods
extends to all things. We have, therefore, these two orders, which
are generative of the divine or dæmoniacal progressions, in all the
sublunary genera and elements; and one kingdom of them in the same
manner as in the intellectual orders.
From these, however, a second duad proceeds, Ocean and Tethys, this
generation not being effected by copulation, nor by any conjunction
of things separated, nor by division, nor according to a certain
abscission, for all these are foreign from the Gods; but they are
accomplished according to one union and indivisible conjunction of
powers. And this union theologists are accustomed to call marriage.
For marriage, as the theologist Orpheus says, is appropriate to this
order. For he calls Earth the first Nymph, and the union of her
with Heaven the first marriage; since there is no marriage in the
divinities that are in the most eminent degree united. Hence there
is no marriage between Phanes and Night, who are intelligibly united
to each other. And marriage appears on this account to be adapted to
the Heaven and Earth which we are at present considering, so far as
they adumbrate the intellectual Heaven and Earth; which the sacred
laws of the Athenians likewise knowing, ordered that the marriages of
Heaven and Earth should be celebrated, as preparatory to initiation
into the mysteries. Directing their attention to these also, in the
Eleusinian mysteries looking upward to the heavens, they exclaimed, O
son! but looking downward to the earth, O parent! According to this
union, therefore, in conjunction with separation, Heaven and Earth
produce through their goodness Ocean and Tethys. Or rather, they do not
immediately produce these, but prior to these two monads, two triads,
and duple hebdomads, among which are Ocean and Tethys. And the monads
indeed, together with the triads, remain with the father. But of the
hebdomads, Ocean, together with Tethys, abide, and at the same time
proceed. All the rest, however, proceed into another order of Gods. And
this indeed is the mode of their subsistence in the intellectual order.
But here, Plato entirely omits the causes that abide in the father,
but delivers to us those that proceed and at the same time abide,
because his intention is to speak of the Gods that are the fabricators
of generation. To these, however, progression, motion, and difference,
are adapted, and a co-arrangement of the male with the female; in
order that there may be generation, that matter may be adorned with
forms, and that difference may be combined with sameness. Hence Plato
commences from the duad, proceeds through it, and again returns to it.
For the duad is adapted to material natures, as well as difference, on
account of the division of forms about matter. Having mentioned a duad,
likewise, he begins from Earth; for this is more adapted to things
pertaining to generation.
With respect to these two divinities, however, Ocean and Tethys, who
abide in their causes and at the same time proceed from them, some
say that Ocean is a corporeal essence; others, that it is a swiftly
pervading nature; others, that it is the motion of a humid essence;
others, that it is ether, through the velocity of its motion; and
others, that it is the intelligible profundity itself of life. The
divine Jamblichus, however, defines it to be the middle motive divine
cause, which middle souls, lives, and intellections, efficacious
natures, and those elements that are pneumatic, such as air and fire,
first participate. And with respect to Tethys, some say that it is a
humid essence; others, that it is a very-mutable nature; and others,
that it is the hilarity of the universe. But the divine Jamblichus
asserts it to be a productive power, possessing in energizing an
efficacious establishment, the stable intellections of which, souls,
natures, and powers participate, and which is likewise participated by
certain solid receptacles, either of earth or water, which prepare a
seat for the elements.
We, however, again assuming our principles, say, that the causes of
these are indeed in the intellectual Gods, and that they are likewise
in the sensible universe. For Ocean every where distinguishes first
from second orders, in consequence of which poets do not improperly
call it the boundary of the earth. But the Ocean which is now the
subject of discussion, is the cause of motion, progression, and power;
inserting in intellectual lives indeed, acme, and prolific abundance;
but in souls, celerity and vigour, in their energies, and purity in
their generations; and in bodies facility of motion. And in the Gods
indeed it imparts a motive and providential cause; but in angels an
unfolding and intellectual celerity and vigour. Again, in dæmons it
is the supplier of efficacious power; but in heroes, of a magnificent
and flourishing life. It likewise subsists in each of the elements,
according to its characteristic peculiarity. Hence, the aerial Ocean
is the cause of all the mutation of aerial natures, and of the circle
of the meteors, as also Aristotle says. But the aquatic Ocean gives
subsistence to fertility, facility of motion, and all-various powers.
For according to the poets,
From this all seas, and every river flow.
And the terrestrial ocean is the producing cause of generative
perfection, of the separation of forms, and of generation and
corruption. Whether also there are certain terrestrial orders, vivific
and demiurgic, it is the source of their distinction; or whether there
are powers connective of the productive principles of the earth, and
the inspective guardians of generation,--these also it excites and
multiplies, and calls into motion.
With respect to Tethys, as the name indeed evinces, she is the most
ancient, and the progenitor, of the Gods, in the same manner as it
is fit to acknowledge of the mother Rhea. For theologists denominate
another Goddess prior to her, Maia. Thus, Orpheus,
Maia, of Gods supreme, immortal Night,
What mean you, say?
But according to the etymology of Plato, she is a certain fontal
deity. For the undefiled and pure, and that which percolates are
signified through her name. For since Ocean produces all things, and
is the source of all motions, whence also it is called the generation
of the Gods, Tethys separates the unical cause of his motions into
primary and secondary motions. Hence Plato says, that she derives her
appellation from _leaping_ and _percolating_. For these are separative
names, in the same manner, as he says in the Sophista, (το ξαινειν και
κερκιζειν) to card, and to separate threads in weaving with a shuttle.
Ocean, therefore, generating all motion collectively, whether divine,
or intellectual, or psychical, Tethys separating both internal and
external motions, is so called from causing material motions to leap
and be percolated from such as are immaterial. Hence, the separating
characteristic is adapted to the female, and the unical[146] to the
male, Plato, therefore, would assert such peculiarities as these, of
Ocean and Tethys, and does assert them in the Cratylus. But according
to the divine Jamblichus, Tethys must be defined to be the supplier of
position and firm establishment. From all that has been said, however,
it may be summarily asserted that Tethys is the cause of permanency,
and a firm establishment of things in herself, separating them from the
motions that proceed externally.
In short, Ocean is the cause of all motion, intellectual, psychical,
and physical to all secondary natures; but Tethys is the cause of all
the separation of the streams proceeding from Ocean, imparting to each
a proper purity in the motion adapted to it by nature; through which
each, though it may move itself, or though it may move other things,
yet moves in a transcendent manner. But theologists manifest that Ocean
is the supplier of all motion, when they say that he sends forth ten
streams, nine of which proceed into the sea; because it is necessary,
that of motions nine should be corporeal, but that there should be one
alone of the essence which is separate from bodies, as we are informed
by Plato in the Laws.[147] Such divine natures, therefore, as the
mighty Ocean generates, these he excites to motion, and renders them
efficacious. But Tethys distinguishes these, preserving generative
causes pure from their progeny, and establishing them in energies more
ancient than those that proceed into the external world. And thus much
concerning each of these divinities, Ocean and Tethys.
Since, however, as we have said, the generation of these, is from
the prior divinities, Heaven and Earth, but is not effected either
by a copulation such as that which is in sensibles, nor according to
such a union as that of Night and Phanes in intelligibles, it very
properly follows that their progeny are separated from each other,
analogously to their parents, and that each receives a similitude to
both. For Ocean indeed, as being the male, is assimilated to the
paternal cause, Heaven; but as the supplier of motion to the maternal
cause, Earth, who is the cause of progressions. And Tethys indeed, as
the female, is assimilated to the prolific cause; but as producing a
firm establishment[148] of her progeny in their proper lives, she is
assimilated to the fabricating cause. For the male is analogous to the
monadic; but the female to the dyadic. And the stable is adapted to the
former; but the motive to the latter. A duad, therefore, proceeding
from a duad, and being assimilated according to the whole of itself
to the duad which is generative of it, defines and distinguishes the
causes of itself, and all the number posterior to itself; in order that
every where we may ascribe that which defines and separates, to the
order of Ocean and Tethys.