In the next place Plato says, “that from Ocean and Tethys, Phorcys,
Saturn, and Rhea, and such as subsist together with these were
produced;” the theory of which divinities is as follows. In the former
progeny, a duad generative and motive, was produced from a terminating
and definitive duad; viz. Ocean and Tethys, from Heaven and Earth; but
in the second progeny, a multitude converted to its causes through the
triad, ts generated from the duad; indicating likewise an all-perfect
progression. For this multitude also is divided, into the analogous
to bound, and the co-ordinate to infinity. For the triad is the bound
in this multitude; but the nameless number is the infinity in it. And
of the triad itself, likewise, one thing is analogous to the monad
and bound, but another to the duad and infinity. And in the former
progression, indeed, the progeny alone proceeded according to bound
and the intellectual; but in this there is also a mixture of the
indefinite. But after the boundary from the triad, Plato adds, “And
such as subsist together with these,” indicating the entire progression
and separation of these triple orders; so that the progeny of this
progression is triadic through the peculiarity of conversion, and
dyadic through the intervention of the infinite and indefinite.
Since, however, these differ according to their intellectual causes, in
the same manner as the before-mentioned orders; but in them Ocean and
Tethys were said to be the brethren, and not the fathers[149] of Saturn
and Rhea; for the progression to these was from Heaven and Earth, and
all the Titannic order is thence derived; let us see on what account
Plato here gives subsistence to Phorcys, Saturn and Rhea, from Ocean
and Tethys. For he may appear to say this not conformably to the Orphic
principles. For “Earth latently bore from Heaven, as the theologist
says, seven pure beautiful virgins with rolling eyes, and seven sons
that were kings, with fine long hair. And the daughters indeed were
Themis, and the joyful Tethys, Mnemosyne with thick-curled hair, and
the blessed Thea. She likewise bore Dione having a very-graceful form,
and Phœbe, and Rhea the mother of king Jupiter. But the venerable
Earth brought forth those celestial youths, who are called by the
appellation of Titans, because they revenged the mighty starry Heaven.
And she also bore Cæus, the great Cræus, and the strong Phorcys, and
likewise Saturn, and Ocean, Hyperion and Japetus.” These things then
having been written by the theologist prior to Plato, how is it that
Timæus produces Saturn and Rhea, from Ocean and Tethys? In answer to
this, as we have before arranged Ocean and Tethys above Saturn and
Rhea, as being the media between these and the fathers, and guardians
of the boundaries of both, as it is usual to celebrate them; we must
say in the first place, indeed, that it is not wonderful that the same
divinities should be brothers, and yet through transcendency of dignity
should be called the fathers of certain Gods. For such things as are
first, when they proceed from their causes, produce in conjunction
with those causes, the natures posterior to themselves. Thus all souls
indeed are sisters, according to one demiurgic cause, and according to
the vivific principle and fountain from which they proceed; at the same
time divine souls produce partial souls together with the demiurgus
and vivific causes, in consequence of first proceeding into light,
and abiding in their wholeness, receiving the power of fabricating
natures similar to themselves. Besides, in the Gods themselves, all the
offspring of Saturn are brethren, according to the one generative monad
by which they were produced; yet at the same time Jupiter is called
father, in the divine poet Homer, both by Juno and Neptune. So that it
is not at all wonderful, if Ocean and Tethys are called both brethren
and fathers of Saturn and Rhea; in consequence of preserving as among
brethren the paternal peculiarity. In the first place, therefore, the
doubt may after this manner be solved.
In the next place, it may be said, that of the divine Titannic
hebdomads, Ocean indeed both abides and proceeds, uniting himself
to his father, and not departing from his kingdom. But all the rest
rejoicing in progression, are said to have given completion to the
will of Earth, but to have assaulted their father, dividing themselves
from his kingdom, and proceeding into another order. Or rather, of
all the celestial genera, some alone abide in their principles, as
the two first triads. For, as soon as Heaven understood that they
had an implacable heart, and a lawless nature, he hurled them into
Tartarus, the profundity of the earth, [says Orpheus]. He concealed
them, therefore, in the unapparent, through transcendency of power. But
others both abide in, and proceed from, their principles, as Ocean and
Tethys. For when the other Titans proceeded to assault their father
Heaven, Ocean prohibited them from obeying the mandates of their
mother, being dubious of their rectitude. He, therefore, abides, and
at the same time proceeds, together with Tethys; for she is conjoined
with him according to the first progeny. But the other Titans are
induced to separation and progression. And the leader of these is the
mighty Saturn, as the theologist says; though he evinces that Saturn
is superior to Ocean, by saying, that Saturn himself received the
celestial Olympus, and that there being throned he reigns over the
Titans; but that Ocean obtained all the middle allotment. For he says,
that he dwells in the divine streams which are posterior to Olympus,
and that he environs the Heaven which is there, and not the highest
Heaven, but as the fable says, that which fell from Olympus, and was
there arranged.[150]
Ocean and Tethys, therefore, so far as they abide, and are united to
Heaven, produce in conjunction with him the kingdom of Saturn and
Rhea; and so far as they are established in the first power of their
mother, so far they produce Phorcys in conjunction with her.[151] For
she produces him together with Nereus and Thaumas,[152] from being
mingled through love with the sea. For Phorcys is not celestial, but
Ocean, as is evident from the Theogony.[153] And so far as Tethys is
full of Earth, so far being as it were a certain Earth, she may be said
to produce this Phorcys in conjunction with Ocean; so far as Ocean
also comprehends the intelligible in himself. Hence Tethys, so far as
she is Earth according to participation, and Ocean so far as he is
causally the sea, give subsistence in conjunction with Saturn and Rhea
to this God. If, however, any arguments should demonstrate that in the
intellectual order Saturn is above Ocean, or Rhea above Tethys, it must
be said that this arrangement is indeed there; for in that order the
causes of intellection are superior to those of motion; but that here
on the contrary, all things are in mutation and a flowing condition,
so that here Ocean is very properly prior to Saturn, since it is the
fountain of motion, and Tethys is prior to Rhea. Hence, after another
manner, the doubt may be thus solved.
That we may speak, however, about each of these Gods, Theodorus refers
souls that subsist in habitude to these divinities, and arranges
them as presiding over the three divisions of the world. And Phorcys
indeed, he arranges in the starless sphere, as moving the lation of the
universe. He ought, however, to persuade us that Plato was acquainted
with a certain starless sphere, and afterwards, that he thus arranged
Phorcys in this sphere. But he places Saturn over the motions of
the stars, because time[154] is from these, and the generations and
corruptions of things. And he places Rhea over the material part of
the world, because by materiality she has a redundancy with respect to
the divinities prior to herself. But the divine Jamblichus arranges
them in the three spheres between the heavens and the earth. For some
of the sublunary deities give a two-fold division to the sublunary
region, but these divide it in a three-fold manner. And Phorcys indeed,
according to him, presides over the whole[155] of a humid essence,
containing all of it impartibly. But Rhea is a divinity connective of
flowing and aerial-formed spirits. And Saturn governs the highest and
most attenuated sphere of ether, having a middle arrangement according
to Plato; because the middle and the centre in incorporeal essences,
have a greater authority than the powers situated about the middle.
We, indeed, admire this intellectual explanation of Jamblichus; but
we think it proper to survey these Gods every where, both in all the
elements, and all orders. For thus we shall behold that which is common
in them, and which extends to all things. And we say, indeed, that
Phorcys is the inspective guardian of every spermatic essence, and of
physical, and as it were spermatic productive principles, as being
pregnant with, and the cause of generation. For there are spermatic
productive principles in each of the elements; and different orders of
Gods and dæmons preside over them, all which Plato comprehends through
Phorcys. But king Saturn divides forms and productive principles, and
produces more total into more partial powers. Hence he is not only
an animal but pedestrious, aquatic and a bird. And he is not only
pedestrious, but likewise man and horse. For the productive principles
in him are more partial than in the celestial deities. Among the
intellectual Gods, therefore, he is allotted this power, viz. to
multiply and divide intelligibles. Hence, he is the leader of the
Titans, as being especially characterized by the dividing peculiarity.
Again, we say that Rhea receives the unapparent powers of king Saturn,
leads them forth to secondary natures, and excites the paternal powers
to the fabrication of visible objects. For thus also, her first order
is moved, is filled with power and life, and produces into that which
is apparent, the causes that abide in Saturn. Hence Saturn is every
where the supplier of intellectual forms; Rhea is the cause of all
souls, and of every kind of life; and Phorcys is prolific with physical
productive principles. Since however another number of Gods pertains
to the kingdom of these, and which Saturn and Rhea comprehend, on this
account Plato adds, “and such as subsist together with these.” For he
not only through this comprehends dæmons, as some say, but both the
angelic and the dæmoniacal Saturn have with themselves a multitude,
the one angelic, but the other dæmoniacal. And the multitude which is
in the Gods is divine; that which is in the air is aerial; and in a
similar manner in the other elements, and in the other more excellent
genera arranged under these Gods.
By the words also “such as subsist together with these,” Plato appears
to signify the remaining Titans, viz. Cæus and Hyperion, Creus,
Japetus, and likewise the remaining Titanidæ, viz. Phœbe, Theia,
Mnemosyne, Themis, and Dione, with whom Saturn and Rhea proceeded into
light. Also, those that proceeded together with Phorcys, viz. Nereus
and Thaumas, the most motive Eurybia, and those who especially contain
and connect the whole of generation. Moreover, it is worth while to
observe that it is not proper to discuss accurately the arrangement in
these divinities, and whether Saturn or Phorcys is the superior deity;
for they are united and similar to each other. But if it be requisite
to make a division, it is better to adopt the arrangement of the divine
Jamblichus, viz. that Saturn is a monad; but Rhea a certain duad
calling forth the powers that are in Saturn; and that Phorcys gives
perfection to their progression.