From the MS. Scholia also of Proclus on the Cratylus, we derive the
following important information concerning this order of beings who
connect the divine and human nature together. Of the genera posterior
to the Gods, and which are indeed their perpetual attendants, but
produce in conjunction with them mundane fabrications from on high, as
far as to the last of things,--of these genera, some unfold generation
into light; others are transporters of union; others of power; and
others call forth the knowledge of the Gods, and an intellectual
essence. But of these, some are called angelic, by those that are
skilful in divine concerns, in consequence of being established
according to the hyparxis itself of the Gods, and making that which
is uniform in their nature commensurate with things of a secondary
rank. Hence, the angelic tribe is _boniform_, as unfolding into light
the occult _goodness_ of the Gods. Others among these are called by
theologists dæmoniacal, as binding the middle of all things, and as
distributing divine power, and producing it as far as to the last of
things. For δαισαι is το μερισαι. But this genus possesses abundance
of power, and is multifarious, as giving subsistence to those last
dæmons who are material, who draw down souls, and proceed to the most
partial and material form of energy. Others again, are denominated
by them heroic, who lead human souls on high through love, and who
are the suppliers of an intellectual life, of magnitude of operation,
and transcendency of wisdom. In short, they are allotted a convertive
order and providence, and an alliance to a divine intellect, to which
they also convert secondary natures. Hence, they are allotted this
appellation, as being able to _raise_ and _extend_ souls to the Gods.
(ως αιρειν και ανατεινειν τας ψυχας επι θεους δυναμενα)
These triple genera posterior to, are indeed, always suspended from
the Gods, but they are divided from each other. And some of them are
essentially intellectual; others are essentialized in rational souls;
and others subsist in irrational and phantastic lives, i.e. in lives
characterized by imagination. It is also evident that such of them as
are intellectual, are allotted a prudence or wisdom transcending that
of human nature, and which is eternally conjoined with the objects
of their intellection. But such of them as are rational, energize
discursively according to prudence. And the irrational kind are
destitute of prudence. For they dwell in matter, and the darkest parts
of the universe. They also bind souls to image-producing bosoms, (και
συνδει τας ψυχας τοις ειδωλοποιοις κολποις) and strangle such as are
brought into that region, until they have suffered the punishment which
is their due. These three genera therefore, which are more excellent
than us, Socrates now calls dæmons. And thus much concerning these
triple genera, according to Proclus.
Again, with respect to dæmons properly so called, there are three
species of them according to the Platonic theology; the first of
which is rational only, and the last is irrational only; but the
middle species is partly rational and partly irrational. And again, of
these the first is perfectly beneficent, but many among the other two
species are malevolent and noxious to mankind: not indeed essentially
malevolent (for there is nothing in the universe, the ample abode of
all-bountiful Jove, essentially evil), but only so from the office
which they are destined to perform. For nothing which operates
naturally, operates as to itself evilly. But the Platonic Hermeas in
his MS. Commentary on the Phædrus, and on that part of it in which
Plato says, “There are indeed, other evils besides these, but a certain
dæmon immediately mingles pleasure with most of them,” admirably
observes respecting dæmons as follows: “The distribution of good and
evil originates from the dæmoniacal genus. For every genus transcending
that of dæmons, uniformly possesses good. There are therefore, certain
genera of dæmons, some of which adorn and administer certain parts of
the world; but others certain species of animals. Hence, the dæmon who
is the inspective guardian of life, hastens souls into that condition
which he himself is allotted; as for instance, into injustice or
intemperance, and continually mingles pleasure in them as a snare. But
there are other dæmons transcending these, who are the punishers of
souls, converting them to a more perfect and elevated life. And the
first of these it is necessary to avoid; but the second sort we should
render propitious. There are other dæmons however, more excellent than
these, who distribute good in an uniform manner.”
Farther still, Plato in the Phædo, says, “that the dæmon of each
person, which was allotted to him while living, endeavours to lead
each to a certain place, where it is necessary that all of them being
collected together, after they have been judged, should proceed to
Hades, together with their leader, who is ordered to conduct them from
hence thither. But there receiving the allotments proper to their
condition, and abiding for a necessary time, another leader brings them
back hither again, in many and long periods of time.” Olympiodorus
in his MS. Commentary on that dialogue, observes on this passage as
follows:
“Since there are in the universe, things which subsist differently at
different times, and since there are also natures which are conjoined
with the superessential unities, it is necessary that there should be
a certain middle genus, which is neither immediately suspended from
deity, nor subsists differently at different times according to better
and worse, but which is always perfect, and does not depart from its
proper virtue; and is immutable indeed but is not conjoined with the
superessential. The whole of this genus is dæmoniacal. There are also
different genera of dæmons; for they are arranged under the mundane
Gods. The highest of these subsists according to _the one_ of the
Gods, which is called an unific and divine genus of dæmons. The next
according to the intellect which is suspended from Deity, and is called
intellectual. The third subsists according to soul, and is called
rational. The fourth according to nature, and is denominated physical.
The fifth according to body, and is called corporeal-formed. And the
sixth according to matter, and this is denominated material. Or after
another manner it may be said, that some of these are celestial, others
ethereal, others aerial, others aquatic, others terrestrial, and others
subterranean. With respect also to this division, it is evident that
it is derived from the parts of the universe. But irrational dæmons
originate from the serial governors, whence also the [Chaldean] Oracle
says,
ηεριων ελατηρα κυνων χθονιων τε και υγρων.
i.e. “being the charioteer of the aerial, terrestrial and aquatic
dogs.” Our guardian dæmons, however, belong to that order of dæmons,
which is arranged under the Gods that preside over the ascent and
descent of souls.”
Olympiodorus further observes, “that the dæmon endeavours to lead
the soul as exciting its conceptions and imaginations, at the same
time, however, yielding to the self-motive power of the soul. But
in consequence of the dæmon exciting, one soul follows voluntarily,
another violently, and another according to a mode subsisting between
these. There is also one dæmon who leads the soul to its judges from
the present life; another who is ministrant to the judges, giving
completion, as it were, to the sentence which is passed; and a third
who is allotted the guardianship of life.”
In the next place, with respect to irrational dæmons, it remains to
investigate how they subsist. For if they derive their subsistence
from the junior Gods, how, since these are the fathers of mortal
natures, are these dæmons immortal? But if from the demiurgus how are
they irrational? For he is the father of things in conjunction with
intellect. This doubt is beautifully solved by Proclus as follows:
irrational dæmons derive their subsistence from the junior Gods, yet
are not on this account mortal, since of these Gods some generate
others. And perhaps the generated Gods are called by Plato, in the
Timæus, dæmons, because those that are truly dæmons are produced by the
junior Gods. But they likewise proceed from the one demiurgus. For as
Timæus says, he is the cause of all immortal natures. If, however, the
demiurgus imparts intellect to all things, there is also in irrational
dæmons an ultimate vestige of the intellectual peculiarity, so far as
they have a facility of imagination; for this is the last echo as it
were of intellect. And on this account the phantasy is not improperly
called by others passive intellect.
Lastly, after essential heroes, an order of souls follows, who
proximately govern the affairs of men, and are dæmoniacal according to
habitude or alliance, but not essentially. These souls likewise are
the perpetual attendants of the Gods, but they have not an essence
_wholly_ superior to man. Of this kind, as we are informed by
Proclus in his MS. Scholia on the Cratylus, are the Nymphs that
sympathize with waters, Pans with the feet of goats and the like. They
also differ from those powers that are essentially of a dæmoniacal
characteristic in this, that they assume a variety of shapes (each
of the others immutably preserving one form) are subject to various
passions, and are the causes of every kind of deception to mankind.
Proclus likewise observes, that the Minerva which so often appeared to
Ulysses and Telemachus belonged to this order of souls.