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Aphrodite in Proclus' theology

Tuomo Lankila

Introduction

The ancient myth-makers depicted gods as active anthropomorphic beings. Nevertheless

their poems were an artistic expressions inspired by a religion which sacral practice did not

treat the gods as human like super-beings, but non-personal numinous forces. Proclus, for

whom ideal philosopher should be a hierophant of the whole world1, tries to find a place

for all different modes to see divinity within a framework of coherent system which for him

is built on Plato's theology. He claims that divinity should be revered in its all

manifestations and he illustrates how divine powers are to be seen in a reality articulated in

levels, grades, and degrees. These traits are emphatically exemplified in his account of

Aphrodite.

In the following I will try to reconstruct the outlines of the Proclean theology of

Aphrodite. In the first place the amount and role of the passages concerning Aphrodite in

Proclus' works and the way to approach this evidence will be discussed. Secondly, Proclus'

concept of divinity and his theory of the classes of the gods will be dealt with to the extent

that it is necessary for the specific topic of this study. Then available material is laid out in

the order suggested by Proclus' theory of divine hierarchy beginning from below, from

Aphrodite as a terrestrial demon, and going through the goddess' higher manifestations to

the interpretation of her as a hypercosmic deity.

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The sources of the theology of Aphrodite in Proclus

We do not have any systematic treatise of Proclus on Aphrodite, although he seems to have

had an intention to write a such one. In the preface of his main work, the Platonic Theology,

he says that after the exposition of Plato's general theory of the gods, he will in the middle

part of his study enumerate all the classes of the gods and in the last part he will discuss

particular divinities celebrated in the different passages of the Plato's writings.2 The

promised last part, however, does not exist in the Platonic Theology in the form in which

the work has come to us. Neither the second part is carried out according to the design as

the work ends abruptly with the discussion of the hypercosmic-encosmic order of gods.

Thus all attempts to reconstruct the Proclean theory of the cosmic and sublunar deities had

to be done with fragmentary evidence mainly based on other works.

A search in the texts included in the TLG canon gives result of the 134 references relevant

for the Proclean theology of Aphrodite. We would get 9 more, had we included the "foam"

with its variants and the epithets based on it. These passages do not, however, identify any

new issues in addition to the passages already taken for the inspection, nor they change the

relative order of the works.

From the sources identified this way I will, however, exclude from consideration the

Chrestomathy for its dubious authorship and also the Hypotyposis which could be regarded

as a purely astronomical work. Thus this investigation is based on the passages identified by

97 references which are relevant for the reconstruction of the theology of Aphrodite in

Proclus. The distribution of these mentions shows clearly what weight each work of Proclus

have in the pursuit of Aphrodite. The order of the sources is In Rempublicam (39 mentions),

In Timaeum (35), In Cratylum (11), Theologia Platonica (5), The Hymns (3), In Alcibiadem

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(2), In Parmenidem (2).

These texts have to be dealt with in the context of general issues of each work and also

considering each work's definite role in the Proclus' written production. Aphrodite is

nowhere for Proclus immediate object of study as such. Most close of this he comes with the

15th treatise of the Republic commentary where he interprets the famous affair between

Aphrodite and Ares and in the chapter 183 of the Commentary on Cratylus in which he is

dealing with the etymology of the goddess' name. The key issue of his study in the first case

is the problem of the inspired poetry as a mode for expression of the divine truth and

parallel to the Platonic philosophy and in the latter case the theory of language and the

problem of the correct names.

Secondly, we should keep in mind the general intention of Proclus' theoretical program

which is the harmonizing of the all traditions which for him are speaking for common,

authentic truth. These are Platonic philosophy, Homer, the Chaldaean Oracles and

Orphism. In the case of Aphrodite Proclus forms his views especially through the exegesis of

Orphism and Homer. These sources are complementary. However Orphic views concern

mainly goddess' higher forms and Homer deals with her from the Proclus' viewpoint mainly

as a cosmic deity. For Proclus the key idea is that where Homer and myths suggest, speaking

in riddles, there Plato establishes concepts grounded on understanding. Thus the task to

interpret mythology and inspired poetry means transposing truths expressed in enigmas to

the scientific language of Platonic philosophy.

In this pursuit Aphrodite is shown to have crucial relevance. Long tradition, in which

Plato himself took part, had subjected for its criticism the tales concerning the goddess.

These myths were seen among the most scandalous and problematic depictions of the gods.

Things which caused the criticism were the behavior of the gods of mythology, which were

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seen to be excessively similar to that of the human beings or linked to sexual indecency

(Ares and Aphrodite) or to outrageous violence (the castration of Uranus and Cronus).

Proclus, however, finds deep theological and soteriological truths in the myths which have

shocked interpreters who were able only to see surface. He lays out a radical thesis of

mythological exegesis, according to which often a myth, which is most frantic and most

incompatible to conventional notions on justice and decency, or indeed frankly absurd,

could refer through symbols to the highest divine principles.3

What does the term "divine" mean in Proclus?

Before considering what Proclus has specifically to say about Aphrodite let us try to clarify

briefly what the term "divine" means for Proclus. In the Platonic Theology Proclus says: "...

divine, this simple word, what we have in our mind when we are pronouncing it? ... every

god exists as the highest summit of unity (unification) which characterizes the different

levels of being. ... we must admit that it is like this: a being which participates to one or the

one tightly unified to the being"4. Neoplatonism identify theology with henology, the

doctrine of the One. The One is good and the Good is the god. Divinity is the same thing as

unity, unification means deification, and divinity is the guarantor, origin and source of

essence for all being.5 In the strict sense the gods are for Proclus only the One and its

participated classes in the primal being, these are the so called "independent henads

(unities)6. However, unity is present in all levels of reality down to the matter and because

of this, the Neoplatonists accept the ancient dictum of the Presocratic philosophy that

everything is full of gods.7

The gods of Olympus find their place in the Proclean hierarchy far

below the independent henads, but even they are certain manifestations of unity, Aphrodite

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among them.

In the same passage of the Platonic Theology Proclus continues: "... the word god can refer

to that which is the god in absolute meaning, which is god by pure unity, which is god by

participation, which is god in contact or which is god by similarity. Indeed, all which is

beyond being is the god in the first sense, all intellective is the god by unity, every divine

soul is the god by participation, the divine demons are gods with contact to the gods and the

human souls get divinity by the similitude of this word."8

Thus the same divinity known by the certain mythological name could be present and is

necessarily present in the different levels of reality.9Research on Aphrodite has located

Plato's lower goddess to the level of hypercosmic-encosmic gods, in the studies of Luc

Brisson on the Orphism in Proclus, for example, exactly to the second term of the fourth

triad of the hebdomad formed by the hypercosmic-encosmic deities.10 However, it is more

difficult to situate the first Aphrodite.

From the point of view of cultic practice Proclus' separation of nameable and unnameable

gods is important. The first triads of his system are noetic (intelligible), noetic-noeric

(intelligible and intellective) and noeric (intellective) triad. Everyone of these manifests in

its level the hypostases of being, life and intellect as they unfold themselves from the

primordial unity towards their particularized forms. The intelligible triad is arranged to

three subtriads which are the good, wisdom and beauty. The noetic-noeric order is divided

correspondingly to the triads which could be called, depending of the scope of inquiry, with

the names of faith, truth and love or with the names, picked up from the Platonic Phaedrus,

supracelestial place, sky and subcelestial vault. The noeric triad represents three level of

demiurgic action and intellect. Proclus calls the gods in the intelligible order ineffable and

secret. Only the lowest of them which he identifies to Orphic Phanes is nameable in very

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obscure sense. Noetic-noeric triad is the reign of Uranus, noeric that of Cronus.

Proclus' ideal prayer presupposes precise knowledge on all classes of the gods.11 Perhaps

we can see a model of this kind of prayer in the prefaces of the main works of Proclus' which

he has habit to begin with the pray. At the beginning of Parmenides' commentary he asks

different gift from each divine class for the reception of the most mystical vision of Plato.

From the noetic gods he asks perfect intelligence, from the noeric uplifting power, from

the hypercosmic gods free activity unconcerned with material inquiries, from cosmic

winged life, from the chorus of angels the manifestation of truth, from the good demons

abundant filling of the divine inspiration and from the heroes august mind and lofty

attitude.12 The One and the henads are not proper receivers of prayers because they are not

accessible to prayer linked with human language. These highest divinities should be

worshiped only by silence transcending intellect and the unification prior to silence.13

Proclus' hymns complete our view of his theory of prayer offering also examples on what

gift should be asked from the individual divinities. These hymns are composed according a

stable pattern; they begin with invocation, enumerate then attributes and powers of the god

appealed to and at the end request something which is appropriate to this deity.14 Two of the

surviving hymns of Proclus are dedicated to Aphrodite. First hymn is directed to the whole

foam-born series ( )

beginning from the goddess of the cosmic level and praising her as mother of the different

Erotes (, Love-bearer).15 Second hymn worship her as a Lycian goddess, referring

to Proclus' native country. In both of these hymns Proclus asks from Aphrodite freedom

from unholy, earthly-bound desires.16

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Demonic Aphrodite

Proclus gives in the Republic commentary an exegesis on the judgment of Paris17. He uses

for Paris alternative mythological name, that of Alexander, and speaks sometimes only on

the barbarian. Proclus' interpretation has as well demonological as psychological interest.

Sheer idea of the real quarrel of the goddesses is monstrous and should be rejected. There

has never been verdict of the mortal barbarian on the goddesses.

Proclus explanation for experiences of divine manifestation are that their concern lower

links in the divine chains and that the gods reveal themselves to the soul's internal faculty of

fantasy which have its material part in the so called pneumatic vehicle of the soul.18 Denying

Paris' judgment as historical event Proclus frees himself from taking stand for this particular

case of divine epiphany. Here the mythologists have presented thing which concerns soul's

incarnation outside space and time as a historical and mythological tale.

The core in the Paris' story in Proclus is psychological. His exegesis is based on the

doctrine of the modes of the soul's life which he finds form Plato's Phaedrus. In their coming

to the world souls choose under divine supervision a form of life which corresponds their

dispositions. Kingly life is dependent on Hera, philosophical on Zeus and loving on

Aphrodite. Proclus seems to think that, according to the key of interpretation found in the

Phaedrus, Athena, as a goddess of wisdom, is somehow representing Zeus. Myth depicts the

real relation of influence in a way that transposes the qualities of different lives to the gods

and transforms a mortal being to the judge of the divinities.

Proclus' account of Paris' choice is typical Platonist explanation for the behavior of the

majority. Blind soul cannot recognize its own good. Paris makes his choice "careless and

throwing oneself on the sensible beauty and pursuing idol of the intelligible beauty".19

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No doubt remains that in place of Paris Proclus would have given the prize to Athena.

This would have been the philosopher's solution and especially appropriate to Proclus who

brings forth in his theoretical writings and hymns his special relation to this goddess. After

all, as Marinus tells, Athena moved to live with Proclus after her statue was removed from

the Parthenon by the agency of the ruling religion of "great confusion" (Proclean

euphemism for the Christianity).20"The authentic erotic, henceforth it has taken

understanding and wisdom to be its guides, and can separate by aid of these between real

and apparent beauty, does not belong indeed no lesser measure to Athena than Aphrodite",

says Proclus. "But he who pursues exclusively and passionately only the life of love draws

himself away from the really beautiful and good and with desire and trust of the glutton

grasps at the idol of beauty and remains joined to the fall without accessing the perfection

appropriate to the real erotic".21

Proclus does not condemn the pursuit of earthly love as such. Neither should opposition

in his thought between the goddesses be interpreted in the way that it would equate

Aphrodite to the amorous life driven by passion. Surely, she represents that also, but not

only that. And not at all if goddess is contemplated as leading deity in her own divine series

or chain of being. The real summit of erotic belongs to Aphrodite. "Because perfectly erotic

being, whom is taken care of by Aphrodite, ascends towards the divine beauty itself,

despising the beautiful things in the level of sensible".22 Proclus connects thus Aphrodite to

the authentic erotic madness which functions as a springboard for the soul's purification.23

However, the series of Aphrodite's practices includes also providence for the beauties

perceptible in the corporeal and material level. "At the same time there exists certain

aphrodisiac demons, who supervise apparent beauty and that which is seen being in matter

and because of that it is said that such a person who respects idol has gained the help of

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Aphrodite".24

In the Republic commentary Proclus deals with the issue of the divine possession in

connection to Aphrodite.25 Proclus cites with evident approval his predecessor's

Neoplatonist Theodore of Asine argument for the case that divine possession could be

happen also to women. Theodore's example is the Helen of Sparta. Aphrodite filled Helen

with graces regarding soul and body so far that Helen was born to be like a new Aphrodite,

who coming from the sky cheated the barbarian (i.e., Paris) to think that he possessed

something which he did not own in reality. Helen was not anyway less divine than his

Dioscure brothers. Theodore's version of the story of Helen seems to support view that

Helen with whom Paris lived was not the real Helen but some kind of idol. Treatment of the

Paris could be then example of the famous cunning intelligence of the goddess of love.

According to Egyptian tradition Helen took part in the holiest rituals. The Egyptians have

reserved in their memory authentic image of Helen, but among the Greeks "men of the

theater" has slandered Helen with stories which have no true basis ever. Proclus does not

take directly stand for the holiness of Helen. The context where the question emerges is the

traditional Platonist defense of the identity of the virtues of men and women. The story

narrated by the philosopher of Asine offers one argument more to Proclus in this task.

However it is clear from the way he is resorting to it that Proclus believes in the possibility

of the real divine possession.

In the commentary on Cratylus 26 Proclus gives very accurate opinions on the theory of

divine series, how demons acting in the material world should be seen as the extremities of

these divine chains and what significance this fact has for the interpretation of myths. Every

one of the gods transcends all lower beings and at the same way also the highest demons

live without relation to the lower reality. But terrestrial spirits and particular demons

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participate in the divine demiurgy producing beings of the world of becoming. They do not

mix themselves to mortal beings but "move" the nature and helps its fertile forces by

removing obstacles for their course. The myths veil really existent things by a homonymy,

says Proclus. The myth-makers use same names to refer as well to the leaders of the series as

to the lower spirits. Aphrodite and other gods start from the above and process through to

the last being leading their own chains which includes many kind of causes different in

their essences like angels, demons, heroes, nymphs. This is why the myths tell on

intercourses between gods and mortals. Proclus thinks that very last members of the divine

series (), the demons which have lot in common with the humans, can in fact have

intercourse with the humans and generate thus heroes. This is no wonder, seeing that the

lowest demons are not only sympathetic to humans, but also to other species of the living

beings, and this is why we have cases of nymphs joining to trees, wells, deers and snakes.

Proclus connects the question about the relation between Aphrodite and Eros to the

relations of the (celestial) gods and demons. He reminds us, that Plato calls Eros demon in

the Symposium saying that he is a companion of Aphrodite, and originates from Poros who

is a real god, but in Phaedrus Plato calls Eros himself god, because he is a force uplifting the

life.27 Thus the case of Eros also shows that the demons are companions and followers of the

gods. But this is not the whole truth of the relation of Eros and Aphrodite as we well see in

treatment of the gods at the higher levels of hierarchy.

Cosmic Aphrodite

Proclus' considerations on Aphrodite as a cosmic deity include a lot of purely astronomical

issues (mentions of epicycles, distances of the planets, irregularities of the celestial

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movements caused by the fact that the stars are moving not only with their spheres, but also

in depth of the their spheres,28 etc.). I will ignore these passages which have little relevance

to theology.

Dealing with the problem of the motions of the stars he proceeds into themes with

psychological and theological dimensions. He presents the theory of the planetary

movement held by Porphyry and Theodore of Asine29, who explained the phenomenon on

the basis of differences in the volition of souls of the planetary gods. According to these

predecessors of Proclus, stars in the series of Helios "return" towards universal intellect, but

Helios in essential, Aphrodite vital and Hermes in intellective mode. Proclus rejects this

theory agreeing with the critique of Iamblichus. Here we have interesting case in the

Neoplatonic exegesis where Iamblichus and Proclus openly criticize their predecessors for

attributing to Plato theories of which he has written nothing.

... Sun is above the Moon, because ..." says Proclus, " ... it fills the Moon with its powers

and it relates to sublunar world as father"30. Aphrodite and Hermes are sunny stars, because

they are helping the Sun in its creative action, collaborate with it in order that all things

complete their fulfillment. As a cosmic monad the Sun is "miraculous, unsurpassable,

disproportionate power in itself and with all others"31. We see here Sun's relation to visible

world matching to the relation of demiurge to cosmos, and this again mirrors the relation of

the One to reality. Aphrodite and Hermes presents themselves as inseparable companions of

Helios in the cosmic demiurgy. They set their own movement in harmony with the creative

act of this star. They bring proportion and symmetry and the happy mixing to all things.32

Aphrodite and Hermes depart and approach the Sun as his bodyguards.33 As well Hermes as

Aphrodite are unifying principles in the world. Hermes, because he according to the

undeniably obscure expression of Proclus, "takes part in the making of the daily and nightly

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phenomena and masculinize and feminize itself". Aphrodite participates in the creative acts

of the solar monad " for she has ability to bind and adjust that which has been separated".34

In another passages35 Proclus says that Aphrodite unifies and leads to communion

( ) Hermes' and Helios' action, gives harmony to which

is in the one careless () and in the other stretched (), whatever these

qualities for Hermes' and Helios' demiurgy may mean. Proclus introduces an interesting

addition to Iamblichean theory on the celestial companions of Sun. He sets the triad of the

Helios in correspondence with the noetic-noeric triad. "Perhaps these stars have appeared

into cosmos in analogy with the first three monads ... these monads we find "at the vestibule

of the good (a reference is to Plato's Philebus 64c1). And indeed as we have learned from the

Republic (VI 508 B 12) sun produces the light as a likeness of truth, Aphrodite is the cause of

beauty to the beings in cosmos and the copy of the beautiful being there (i.e. in the noetic-

noeric triad). Hermes, being calculating, is the cause of proportion for all beings in the

world of becoming ... Like sun Aphrodite and Hermes also are analogous to these mutually

unified monads and because of this they also want with justice to come together and make

their cycle in concert".36

Little later Proclus returns to this analogy between the cosmic and noetic-noeric triad,

which points out that this correspondence is not for him a casual result of exegetic zeal but

a key issue. "We should remember in this point", says Proclus, "that which we have used to

say on the level of the all cosmic bodies, that the sphere of the fixed stars is the monad,

being at the same time cause for all stars. And that below it we have the triad of Uranus,

Cronus and Ares, where first is the principle of connexion, second principle of proportion

and third principle of separation. And again the moon is the monad and cause of all

generation and corruption and the elements in the world below it form a triad, and between

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these two (i.e., triad of the moon and the higher planets) are planets of the stable velocity,

Helios, revealing truth, Aphrodite revealing beauty and Hermes revealing proportion in the

relation of the things, and they reveal these three monads which are set in the vestibule of

the good as we have said many times ( ,

, , ,

)".37

In this same place of the Timaeus commentary38, where the main issue to be dealt with is

the world's body, Proclus explains that planetary deities are causes of the passionate and

cognitive powers in the humans as far as the subject of consideration is the composite of

body and soul and the soul's two lower irrational parts (powers of the rational soul depend

on, naturally, higher place in the divine hierarchy). The moon, "visible image of the source

of nature", is the cause of the physical growth, sun produces the totality of the sensations,

Hermes is the cause of the movement of the imagination, only movements, Proclus

specifies, since "the cause of fantastic faculty as such is Helios because sensation and

imaginations form the same faculty". Aphrodite produces the lustful desires of the lower

irrational soul ( ). Ares produces the movements of

anger depending on nature, Zeus produces vital powers universally and Uranus in the same

manner, cognitive powers.

The task of the planetary gods is to join the age period of the human being to the seven

divine series. Proclus gives his most detailed description of this issue in the commentary of

Plato's Alcibiades,39 in the manner which correspond, albeit with some strain, to theory just

outlined. "The first age is activity along the mode of moon, because we live then obeying our

vegetative and nutritive faculties. Second belongs to the activity of Hermes because then

boys dedicate themselves to grammatic, cithara and flute. Third is that which belongs to

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series of Aphrodite as they begin to produce sperm and set in motion the natural powers of

the child-making ( ,

). Fourth belongs to series of Helios, as young man is in the

midday of his life and exhibits perfection of his age, this has exact location between birth

and death (being the site of middle term). Fifth belongs to Ares, because men are

contending mainly for power positions and excellence in relation to others. Sixth is the age

of Zeus as they see as a good thing to dedicate themselves to political and practical life with

wisdom. Seventh belongs to Cronus because then it is possible to detach from the world of

becoming and go to other one, to life without body". Role of the Helios forces Proclus to

identify the midday of the life actually with the life epoch of a young man, and the

agreement with the earlier mentioned theory of the Timaeus commentary is not altogether

successful, but as far as the exegesis regards Aphrodite, it includes no surprise.

Once more Proclus returns in the Timaeus commentary to the question of Aphrodite and

desiring soul when he starts to deal with the structure of the human body.40 This anatomical

exegesis does not advance very far, because manuscripts breaks off here. Proclus sets the

planetary gods in connection with the human faculties in a way that "someones have used to

say". This mode of expression implies perhaps a little bit reserved attitude to the expounded

theory. Most interesting thing in this passage is that Proclus places Hermes with the

discursive faculty between thymos of Ares and epithymetikon of Aphrodite. But how could

he do otherwise seeing that he has to treat divinities in their natural, planetary order, going

this time from top to bottom, from the sphere of fixed stars to the level of moon? Another

interesting thing is that he continues establishing correspondence between our pneumatic

body with sky and mortal body with the sublunar world. But this passage neither has

anything surprising to say on Aphrodite.

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With respect to the theory of the body of world, Proclus rejects the doctrine between

correspondences between divinities and elements.41 In this doctrine, which is Pythagorean

according to Proclus, the element of Aphrodite is air. Proclus says that the Pythagoreans

have the correct opinions as far as they regard Aphrodite and Hermes gathering and

unifying divinities, but their doctrine of the elements differs from the Platonic view

according to wich all elements are present to each planetary sphere in the same way as

sublunar elements participates to each other. Proclus asks: "Because this is what we see in

the sublunar elements, should we not admit with even more reason that in the celestial

bodies each elements is in each sphere, although certain body participates more to fire,

other one to air, another to water and other to earth?"

What comes to dedicating seasons to divinities, this theory Proclus accepts.42Cronus and

Ares, winter and summer forms one opposite pair, Zeus and Aphrodite, spring and autumn,

another. Hermes is again enigmatic because "Hermes is common to all seasons, as he

represents in each of them same foundation and common order, which is divided along the

same reasons to all". I cannot explain what are the theoretical or mythical reason for this

opinion of Proclus. Identity between Aphrodite and autumn on the other hand is easy to

understand: "... autumn belongs to Aphrodite", Proclus says, "because during this season

seed is thrown to earth and the task of Aphrodite is to mix fertile germs and lead them to

the communion with the cause of becoming (

). Proclus sees Aphrodite as a power which

brings into harmony masculine and feminine, formal and material causes in cosmos.43 This

is why he also interprets office for the supervising public marriages in Plato's ideal state

analogous to Aphrodite.

Last Aphrodisiac item of cosmos to be discussed belongs to the area of astrology. Each

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star has significant positions for the calculation of opportune time for the conception. Each

star has also mutual positions which are dangerous for the development of embryo.

Aphrodite's falling into affliction destroys the seed if it happens at 120th day of pregnancy.44

Aphrodite as a hypercosmic-encosmic deity

In the next higher level, the hypercosmic-encosmic order, Proclus posits the divine dodecad

which corresponds to the twelve gods of the Phaedrus dialogue. Plurality of these deities is

"incomprehensible and impossible to enumerate for human intuition", says Proclus, but

inspired Plato defines them in the Phaedrus' vision according to the dodecad. None of the

theologians, who have written something about them, has not been able to define perfect

number of these divinities, as opposed to that plurality which relate to the primordial

principles, intellective gods and intelligible gods".45

With these previous gods Proclus means

probably the first henads derived from the One -- the limit and the infinite -- and noetic

and noetic-noeric triads mentioned above. According to Proclus Plato supposes that number

twelve is appropriate to these divinities, which are called "unchained", because the dodecad

is wholly perfect, being composed by the primordial principles and most perfect ingredients

and covers all procession of being with its measure.46

This obscure way of expression refers

to the fact that twelve is the result of multiplication of three by four, triad being the

structure of conversion and perfection and the tetrad structure of stability and harmony.

The leading monads of the dodecad Proclus calls with the name of Zeus and Hestia. These

twelve divinities are divided into the demiurgic triad (Zeus, Poseidon and Hephaestus),

guarding and immutable triad (Hestia, Athena, Ares), generative triad (Demeter, Hera,

Artemis) and uplifting triad (Hermes, Aphrodite, Apollo).

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Here we are interested in only the properties of the last triad and two last terms of the

immediately preceding triads, I mean the gods Hephaestus and Ares, for obvious

mythological importance of these gods for Aphrodite. Hephaestus' function is to install

"nature in bodies and construct the abodes of the cosmic gods"47. The cosmic wholeness will

be beautiful because Hephaestus produces it by his unification with Aphrodite. By his

liaison with Aglaa Hephaestus brings forth Euclea, Euthenea, Eupheme and

Philosophrosyne who are producers of the all corporeal things which are exceptionally

beautiful48.

The most universal and first species of life originate in the second and third terms of the

uplifting triad (Aphrodite and Apollo) with the last term of the previous triad (Ares). The

souls are installed to their modes of life according to these divinities when they descend to

cosmos. We may think that it would be more consistent to derive the modes of life from the

intermediate terms of the guarding, generative and uplifting triads because these terms

corresponds to Hera, Athene and Aphrodite and this would be in total harmony with the

previous exegesis of the myth of Paris' judgment. However, this is what Proclus says in the

Platonic Theology. His grounds for this solutions remain this time inaccessible for us.

Souls ascends through the same triad by way of which they had descended. Philosophy,

love and the cult of the gods recuperate all that was lost in becoming. "Hermes is the

guarantor of the philosophy", Proclus continues, "and it (i.e., philosophy) rises both

universal and particular souls by the strength of dialectics towards the Good itself".49 It is

worth of notice that here Proclus says that universal souls also, that is the souls higher than

humans, practices somehow dialectics! Aphrodite on her part is the primordial cause of the

loving inspiration, which spreads out in whole order, orientates towards beauty and the

uplifted lives.50 Finally Apollo concludes all things with the aid of the art of the Muses,

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"turns all things to conversion and sets them to revolve in common, as Socrates says, raising

them through harmony and rhythm towards intellective truth and the light present in it".51

This view of the souls' salvific road is at first glance in accordance with the famous passage

of the Platonic Theology which is often cited as a Proclean "definition" of theurgy.52 There,

however, the highest path of ascent links the theurgic power, faith and good, the second

salvific channel goes from philosophy through truth to wisdom and the third from the erotic

madness through love to beauty. Hermes and Apollo does not seem to occupy always same

position in the works of Proclus but way of Aphrodite is the same as well in the first as in the

sixth part of the Platonic Theology.

The fifteenth treatise of his commentary on the Republic53is dedicated to the relation of

Aphrodite, Ares and Hephaestus inquiring the role of these divinities in cosmogony from

the hypercosmic to the sensible order. This tractate is one of the largest Proclean passages

which concerns Aphrodite and it is discussed quite often in the research because it clarifies

Proclus' manner to use Homer as a source for the theological doctrines and his method to

save offending myths with the aid of allegorical interpretation.

Proclus says that Hephaestus and Ares are both acting towards the whole reality. Ares

separates opposing principles of the wholeness, saves them as immutable and intact, in

order that the world should always be fulfilled by all forms. Hephaestus creates in

accordance to his art the perceptible world order, fills nature with the generative principles

and forces. Symbols of these are according to Proclus the celestial tripods mentioned in Iliad

(18 373). The brooches, spiral armlets, cups and chains mentioned in the same song a little

bit later are for Proclus symbols of the forms in the sublunar world, which Hephaestus casts.

Both gods need Aphrodite for their deeds, one for rendering the opposites in harmony

and order, other in purpose to bring perceptible beauty and shining clearness to his

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creation, so that this world could be made into the most beautiful of the sensible things.

Aphrodite is present in everywherem but Hephaestus participates to her in the mode of the

higher realities. We find in this exegesis four different level of the demiurgy. Two pairs,

where Hephaestus manifests higher, Ares lower demiurgy. Hephaestus mode of

participation in Aphrodite is hypercosmic and celestial, that of Ares cosmic and sublunar.

Mythology conceals Hephaestus mode of action telling that he takes Aphrodite as his

spouse observing the will of Zeus. Ares relation to goddess is called by myths to adultery.

"For the maker of the sensible belongs naturally connection to the cause which creates

beauty and unity, but for the god, who oversees dividedness and opposition in the worldly

things, for him is the unifying force somehow alien. The separating classes of the gods are

directly opposed to the classes which are unifying. Because of this, the myths call adulterous

an union of the different causes." But this kind of union is also necessary for the cosmogony,

"in order to put opposites to harmony and that the internal war of the world will end to

peace".54

At every level the oppositeness is the gift of Ares. At the celestial level it refers to mutual

strife between forms when they try to oust each other, at the terrestrial level it refers to the

struggle of the elements and forces. Because Helios is the companion of Hephaestus in the

producing of the universal forms he denounces to Hephaestus the intercourse of Ares and

Aphrodite. The chains of Hephaestus by which he captures Ares and Aphrodite are forces

invisible to others and using them Hephaestus "builds from the opposites of Ares and

Aphrodite's joining goodies a unified order, since becoming needs both of them".55

Hephaestus' chains are different in the celestial and the sublunar world. Former are

indissolvable, latter possible to loose. Proclus finds the word "chain" as an uniting physical

force also in Plato's Timaeus and this is enough for him to equate the demiurgy presented in

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Timaeus with that of Homer. At the celestial level Hephaestus obeys Zeus, at the cosmic

level he chains Ares and Aphrodite paying obedience to Poseidon. Poseidon is the god

whose will command that terrestrial bonds should also be released, because he is the

manager of the cycle of change and sees that all which is born will be destroyed and

returned to new beginning.

The demiurge, be he celestial as Zeus or cosmic like Poseidon, builds the wholeness with

the aid of opposing things and brings friendship to it by proportion, conducting to

communion the deeds of Hephaestus, Ares and Aphrodite. Proclus who usually favors

method of hypostasizing or making divine principles into independent entities, comes here

closer to the way of speaking in which gods are seen as different aspects of divinity. The

demiurge produces opposites "from itself according to Ares in himself, he establishes amity

acting on the power of Aphrodite and he joins Aphrodite and Ares because he has

beforehand as a preexisting model of the art of Hephaestus".56

The Demiurge is all things

and acts with the all gods. The gods of the younger demiurgy are imitating Zeus but their

creations have not the value of father's work because their creations are mortal things. In

the Timaeus commentary Proclus deals with the same passage of Odyssey using allegorical

interpretation: "... let as say, that due to this harmony and proportion (), first of all

emerges identity () and following it unification ()".57

We get to know from this exegesis, that what Hephaestus joins, is at the higher level

identity and otherness, at the lower level harmony and dividedness. Both of these pairs

express communion and oppositeness whose theologians are used to talk as Aphrodite and

Ares. When Apollo, Hermes and other gods see them in chains, they laugh and this laughter

also is a demiurgic act, which according to Proclus gives basis for the cosmic things and sets

power to their mutual bindings. In the commentary of the Republic Proclus provides whole

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treatise dedicated to this divine laughter.58Here the laughter of gods is described as a

mystical sign which refers to the universal and always in the same manner moving plenitude

of wholeness' energy ( ,

)59.

In another passage of the Timaeus commentary Proclus provides further insights into the

role of Aphrodite in the famous battle of the gods told in Iliad.60He has already dealt with

the myth of Atlantis interpreting it as symbolic depiction of the struggle of opposites in

cosmos. Generally war functions in tales as an image of cosmical disintegration and strife

and this should be also basis for the allegorical interpretation of the theomachy.The gods are

arranged in five pairs of opposition. Disposition follows naturally from the Homeric text and

therefore the positions held by Ares, Hephaestus and Aphrodite depart those presented in

the exegesis of the Hephaestus' chains. Poseidon and Apollo represent here the demiurgy in

the world of becoming, former the mode of totality and latter the mode of particularity.

Hera and Artemis are opposites as providers of life, Hera's mode is rational, Artemis'

physical. Athena and Ares represent the causes of opposites, Athena governing the

determination of intellect or separateness in the intellective forms and Ares ruling over

passionate and material oppositions. Hermes and Leto practice perfection of the souls, their

mutual opposition is opposition between the principles acting on the one hand with

cognitive powers and discursive understanding and on the other with vitality and will.

Hephaestus opposite here is the river deity Xanthus, this pair Proclus represents as the gods

producing the corporeal order of the world and forces inherent in it. Hephaestus creates

actively, Xanthus represents passivity. At last there is Aphrodite interestingly outside of the

decad.

It is easy to see that here the pairs of opposites are analogous to the Neoplatonic

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hypostases of being, life, intellect, and soul, the latter seen as a discursive (Hermes) and

irrational structure (Leto), sensible and corporal world where Hephaestus is the nature,

Xanthus sensible order receiving the forms. Aphrodite is below the decad representing the

connection of whole demiurgy as a principle of harmony. Thus her opposite is the real

demiurge, Zeus, present in the picture only implicitly. Other interesting feature of

Aphrodite in this passage is that Proclus explains that Homer sets Aphrodite apart in order

that she illuminates all things with unification and harmony, but especially in order that she

will come to assistance of the weaker part, because in them plurality dominates unity (

, ,

, ).61 Proclus points out that every

opposition is correctly understood only in its connection with unity. The unity manifests

itself always in three modes: a unity before participation, a unity as correlated and

immanent in the participants and finally as a unity which arises from aggregation of the

participants and after them. This is one formulation of the systematic difference which

Proclus is used to emphasize between the three modes of unity and the factors of relation of

participation. But it is interesting that difference between unity before and unity after (that

is totality of parts) is expressed here as a theological relation between the implicit Zeus and

Aphrodite.

To this issue we can add the only mention of Aphrodite in the Parmenides Commentary

where Proclus says, that if we mount up to the gods from numbers, the hexad is sacred to

Aphrodite and the heptad to Athena. "The heptad of Athena is unifying, and Aphrodite's

hexad safeguards plurality in company with communion" (this translation Morrow-Dillon).62

We do not know why just the numbers sex and seven represent these kinds of relation as

Proclus leaves the case to rest only on the authority of the Pythagoreans. But the link

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between the hexad and the goddess of love is very ancient and seems to go beyond the

Pythagorean speculations to the Near Eastern religions.

The theme representing Aphrodite as the helper of the weaker comes to surface also in

the passages of the Republic commentary which complements Proclean exegesis of the

theomachy.63 Here Proclus is particularly interested in the confrontation between

Hephaestus and Xanthus. In this physical interpretation of internal opposition among

bodies Hephaestus represents heath and dryness, Xanthus cold and wet. "And because every

opposition is necessarily determined to end in mutual harmony Aphrodite is also here.

Aphrodite establishes amity between the opposites, but she joins herself more at the part of

weaker, because they before all come to be ordered when they enter in relation of

proportion and reconciliation with the stronger".64 So we can see that there is a bit of

something to be called grace, in the meaning of compassion and generosity, among the

blessings of Aphrodite.

As a cosmic deity Aphrodite is joined in Proclus besides Hephaestus and Ares as well to

Dionysus. In the Cratylus commentary Proclus says that Plato celebrates Dionysus and

Aphrodite as the divinities who are makers of benevolence, literally sweet-mindness

( 65) in opposition to the deities which perfects souls by revenge, fear

and punishment. These delightful divinities are fond of joking and favors it as a mean to

strengthen the weak nature and uplifting difficult corporeal life. Because of this, cultic

objects represent these gods laughing, relaxed and dancing, in contrast to some others who

are represented in a way that they upset by fear. The cultic representation of the each god

corresponds to nature of the god's cosmic domain. Hephaestus and Ares on they part love

Aphrodite but Aphrodite loves Dionysus66

and because of this love she molds divine Adonis

as an image of Dionysus. But Dionysus is not in any sense equal to Aphrodite and love of

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Aphrodite for Dionysus is providential, love of superior deity towards inferior.67

Until now we have been considering Aphrodite among the hypercosmic-encosmic gods in

her actions oriented "downward" i.e. as a demiurgic power. Proclus' symbolic interpretation

of the goddess' magical girdle () belongs too, however, to inquiry of the Aphrodite as

an cosmic divinity, and here we find stuff which refers to "upward", to the monads of the

goddess' series among the noetic-noeric gods. Proclus builds here68 his theological

speculations upon the story of Iliad of the intercourse of Zeus and Hera on Mount Ida.

Proclus explains symbolically all the ornaments of Hera with which she prepares for the

event. One of the most important items among them is the girdle borrowed from Aphrodite.

Proclus says that these symbols transform Hera to a likeness of Rhea. At the same time Zeus

falling asleep renders himself likeness of the transcendent Cronus. Divinities are not

functioning any more at their own level as cosmic deities but are returning to their own

transcendental causes. "It is quite right", says Proclus, "that Hera's ornaments resembles the

universal Rhea ( ), because Zeus is behaving like Cronus (

), and because of this similarity (between Zeus and Cronus) Zeus

prefers intercourse at the Mount Ida to such a one which go towards world. At the same way

magical girdle and the aid of Aphrodite renders Hera even more a likeness of Rhea (

)".

Here Proclus indicates the highest location where we can see Aphrodite already as an

articulated deity, with primordial identity, albeit yet without her own name, preexisting in

her first cause. In my opinion Proclus is referring to the gods in the second term of the

noetic-noeric class. There, according to the words of Proclus, "preexists the monad of this

goddess who maintains Uranus, who makes her procession through the domain of Cronus

and illuminates whole intellective life with the light of beauty (

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,

).69Locating

Aphrodite's first monad into second term of the noetic-noeric triad which naturally

articulates itself again to subtriads, is very consistent as we remember, what is mentioned

earlier, that the divine love, the first Eros is the third term of this great triad.70

Proclus analyzes furthermore Aphrodite's and Hera's different modes to bear the girdle.

Aphrodite "holds it in her bosom in such a manner that she keeps its powers exposed. (

) Hera instead of this hides it in her chest, because she adopts a different mode of

existence, even if she too has a magical girdle as far as she is filled by the all qualities of

Aphrodite ( ). She does not evoke the

power, by which she unites with the demiurge, by some external thing, but she has enclosed

this power in herself".71

Common opinions also reveal the connection between the

goddesses, according to Proclus, as they respect Hera as a mistress of the union of consorts

and protectress of marriage. She unites with the demiurge by the aid of the magical girdle

which is in herself and because that she brings off also other reciprocal connections in the

legitimate bindings of marriage. Apparently Proclus wants to say that the girdle is in Hera

more secret, more linked to the transcendence and joins to insolvable demiurgic union, and

otherwise with Aphrodite the girdle is the mode of the demiurgy of the younger gods and is

exposed to the cosmos. This is the formulation in the language of the theology of love for

the metaphysical principle which is very common in Proclus and which says that every

principle has two different mode of existence, its own, according to its appropriate level and

higher where it preexists in its causes. Proclus' language brings to mind also an image of the

more secretive, marital love appropriate to Hera, opposed to the other genres -- as well

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legitimate as illegitimate -- which belongs to the domain of Aphrodite.

Hypercosmic Aphrodite

The last level of the theology of Aphrodite to be considered is order where the goddess

reveals herself as a hypercosmic divinity. At this level Proclus presents his theory of the

origins and names of the goddess which also resolves the question of the "two Aphrodites".

In the Platonic Theology Proclus reflects on the subject what the mythological talk about

the "births" of the gods means for the philosophy. Plato also speaks with the form of myth

on the "births of the gods" ... "as for example in the myth of Diotima, where Aphrodite's and

Eros' births are celebrated ... but it should not be forgotten how this kind of stories are

presented, that they are composed with the aim of symbolic allusion and this is the reason

why they, hiding the ineffable manifestation proceeding from the primordial causes, call it

with the word birth".72 Proclus' opinion is that Plato develops himself such stories when he

tells myths, but his normal way is to use dialectical and intellectual methods, describing

divine properties with the concepts of science.

In the commentary on Cratylus (In Crat. 183) Proclus says that it is possible to "get to be

inspired" () also starting from the jokes regarding gods and to go thence to the

concepts of understanding. In the Plato's thought difference between the two goddesses was

without doubt difference between the level of intelligible world of the forms and sensible

level. Since Proclus has rich Neoplatonic theory on the primordial principles and the henads

behind or over the two levels in classical Platonism, he is forced to rise the opposition

between the two goddess of love to higher metaphysical order. For Proclus they are

hypercosmic and hypercosmic-encosmic divinities. Proclus' exegesis of the Cratylus is the

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summit of his theology of Aphrodite and it is so effective and precise that I would like to cite

it at its entirety.

"According to the materialistic views of majority Aphrodite has been born from foam and

this foam is shedding of the sperm ( ) and every

where when these terrestrial unions happens in an ejaculation its pleasure is Aphrodite (

, ).

But who is so simpleminded that does not see, before these extreme and corrupt things, the

first and eternal causes? Indeed Socrates sets Hesiod to stand for testimony for us, and

ignore explanations which have been distributed after him. Where is this divine, it should be

told. It is said that the first Aphrodite has been born from two causes: efficient and

generative cause ( , ). Indeed it has been said that Cronus

acts as coordinated cause in her procession, he calls the fertile power of his father and

mediates it to the intellective levels and Uranus is the producer and the cause revealing this

goddess starting from his own generative abundance. What other causes needs such a

hypostasis, which unify different kinds, acting on the basis of the one and same pursuit of

beauty, what other if not gathering power of Uranus? Thus Uranus generates her departing

from the foam of his fertile organs when they have been thrown down to sea, as Orpheus

says (Orph. fr. 127):

And the genitals fell from high to the sea and around them

as they were floating sparked white foam

and after the skies completed their annual cycle, the year gave to world

a splendid maiden, who was taken jointly in their arms,

at her birth, by Envy and Betrayal the first

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And Zeus produces the second Aphrodite departing form his own generative forces and

together with him she is produced also by Dione. Nevertheless Aphrodite the second flows

into being from foam at the same way as the first, and same theologian (i.e. Orpheus) says

about her (Orph. fr.183):

There he was conquered by the great desire and the lofty father threw foam of semen and

the sea received

the sperm of the grand Zeus, and completed the cycle of time

in the season of the beautiful flowers was Aphrodite born, she who causes the movement of

laugh,

born from foam

Thus the two goddess are different for their causes, order and powers. She who is born

from Uranus is hypercosmic and uplifting to the intelligible beauty and the distributor of

the pure life. Other one, who is born from Dione rules all the connected series, which are in

the world of Uranus and in the earth, she joins things together and perfects generative

processions by unification in harmony. And they are unified among themselves for the

similarity of their hypostases, since from the generative powers are processing on the one

hand, the gathering power, and on the other, the demiurgic power. And sea means extended

and unlimited life and its depth, which overlaps everything and the foam signifies the most

pure, light-filled and fertile power and much more than anything else it express the whole

life and it is like its flower or the summit of life. This is how Aphrodite is revealed; as the

most uniform and purest life."

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Conclusion

Let us try to summarize main steps in the procession of the Aphrodite according to Proclean

theory. In the first level of the noetic-noeric triad, in the supercelestial place, the feminine

quality of divine reveals first time herself. In the second term of the noetic-noeric triad is the

depth of sky, where is situated the maintaining class of the gods, Uranus and his powers,

among them the first monad for Rhea and Aphrodite. The third term of the noetic-noeric

triad is in the language of the Phaedrus subcelestial vault. Nowhere Proclus offers exhaustive

descriptions of gods belonging to this level, gods which he calls perfective and guardians.

But this third triad in its totality is the love conducting to the intelligible beauty i.e., the

triad is the first divine Eros. Noeric gods are arranged to hebdomad composed by the two

triads and demiurgic monad. At the first level Rhea manifests herself as identified deity

mediating Cronus and Zeus. One of the operation of the demiurge is the castration of the

previous fathers, which is the symbol for the birth of the internally differentiated world of

forms. Besides this operation Aphrodite is born as a hypercosmic and hypercosmic-

encosmic principle of demiurgy and providence. In her procession, the goddess who

preexists in her monads at the higher levels, get the articulated identity and reveals herself

as a divinity whose task is to harmonize and recuperate unity. For Proclus Aphrodite is

greater than love, love is the power in life, and Aphrodite is the most uniform and purest life

at the hypercosmic level, Uranic summit in Aphrodite being the flower of life.

The theory of the divine series enables Proclus to defend Aphrodite in the all forms of her

traditional cult against "great confusion". It is possible to pray and celebrate Aphrodite from

the popular, even vulgar, viewpoint as the protectress of the earthly love. But a Neoplatonic

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sage, who has attained Plato's mystical vision, connects the worship of the goddess to the

philosopher's pursuit to identify to the One present in the human soul, and because of this

she or he asks and deserves from the immaculate Erototokos even better gifts as those

desired by the Trojan prince.

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Appendices

1. Exegesis of theomachy (In Tim. I 79.1-23, In Remp. 1 95.23ff)

Zeus the Demiurge

Poseidon Apollo the demiurgy of the wholetotally particularly

Hera Artemis producers of lifeintellect physical

Athena Ares causes of oppositesreason passion

Hermes Leto powers for soul's perfectioncognition vitality

understanding willHephaestus Xanthus producers of bodily order

actively passively

Aphrodite giver of unity and harmony

2. Exegesis of Ares-Aphrodite affair

Two pairs of demiurgy

Hephaestus Ares

hypercosmic encosmic

insoluble "chains"

celestial sublunar

releasable "chains"

marriage adultery

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3. The divine scope of Aphrodite

Area out of scope (by super-excellence)

One and the Henads

Intelligible gods / noetic triad: good, wisdom, beauty

Area of pre-existence

Intelligible-intellective gods / noetic-noeric triad /

First noetic-noeric triad hyperuranios topos / faith

is also place of thefirst feminine qualityof divineSecond noetic-noeric triad / truth

"depth of sky" = place of the first monad for AphroditeThird noetic-noeric triad / subcelestial vault /primordial Eros

Noeric gods

noeric triad

separative monad: foam as a flower of life

Area of existence

Hypercosmic gods: Aphrodite IHypercoscmic-encosmic gods

fourth triad, second term:Aphrodite IIEncosmic gods

second triad, second term Aphrodite III

Sublunar "gods" (demons)

Aphrodite as a demon

Area of Aphrodisiac illumination

Aphrodite present as a mystical signin souls, nature, body and elementsOut of scope (by privation)

pure matter

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1 Marinus, Vita Procli. 19: , .2 Proclus, Theologia Platonica I 9,8-19.: , , -

[], , , .3 How to deal with the theological myths in Homer, Hesiod and Orpheus: Proclus, In Remp.I 71,18-86,23, especially 82,21-83,7. and Theol. Plat. V 17, 10-18, 28, especially 17.25-18.1:

, .4 Theol. Plat. I 114,5-116,3.5 Theol. Plat. I 119.9-14: , , . ; , , .6 todo (different types of henads)7 Proclus refers explicitly to this dictum in De sacrificio et magia 149, 26: , , , .8 Theol. Plat. I 115,14-21: , , , ,

, , , , .9 An example how to understand different stages of the series of Apollo: In Remp. I 147, 6-15: , , , , , , , , (

;) .10 Brisson Luc, How Philosophers Saved Myths: Allegorical Interpretation and ClassicalMythology, (Chicago 2004) p. 9811 Proclus, In Tmaeum, I 209.9-11:

, .12 Proclus, In Parmenidem, 617. I am using here Glenn R. Morrow's and John M. Dillon'stranslation, Proclus. Commentary on Plato's Parmenides (Princeton 1987). Proclus starts histreatment as well in the Parmenides Commentary as in the Platonic Theology with pray tothe gods and praise to his master Syrianus.13 Theol. Plat. III 4-8: , , , ,

, .14 todo: Note on studies on Proclus' hymns.

http://www.tlg.uci.edu/help/BetaManual/_%5B.htmlhttp://www.tlg.uci.edu/help/BetaManual/_%5B.htmlhttp://www.tlg.uci.edu/help/BetaManual/_%5B.htmlhttp://www.tlg.uci.edu/help/BetaManual/_%5B1.htmlhttp://www.tlg.uci.edu/help/BetaManual/_%5B1.htmlhttp://www.tlg.uci.edu/help/BetaManual/_%5B.htmlhttp://www.tlg.uci.edu/help/BetaManual/_%5B1.htmlhttp://www.tlg.uci.edu/help/BetaManual/_%5B1.htmlhttp://www.tlg.uci.edu/help/BetaManual/_%5B.html

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15 Hymni 2, lines 1 and 13.16 todo: echo of Christian terminolgy? Erlerl's and van den Berg's recent studies.17 In Remp. I 101,1-109,7.18 todo: theory of epiphany19 In Remp. I, 108.20-22: , , .

20 Marinus, Vita Procli 30, see also 6 ,9 ,15, and 29.'horrible disorder in religion underpresent condition, In Remp. I, 74.8-9: ... ... .21 In Remp. I 108.23-109.1: . , , .22 In Remp. I 109.1-3: .

23 On this salvific role of love see also, for example, De sacrificio et magia 148,1-3; Theol.Plat. I 25.113.4-10.24 In Remp. I 109.3-7: , .25 In Remp. I 254,29-255.28.26 In Crat. 188, 1-26.27 In Tim. III 154.27-30: (= ... -TL) , .28 In Tim. II 264.9ff.; III 63.5.ff;. In remp II 222.9.29 In Tim. III 64.16ff.30 In Tim. III 65.20-22: , ...31 In Tim. III 65.30-66.2.: .32 In Tim. III 66.2.-5:

...33 In Remp. II 59.1: ... ...

34 In Tim. III 65.5-8: , . , . Proclus associates hermaphroditic traits only withHermes, although we know that Aphrodite was sometimes represented in cultic statues

with masculine attributes as a barbed goddess.35 In Tim. III 67.2ff.36 In Tim. III 66.13-24: , , , , , , ,

... .37 In Tim. III 69.5-69.14.

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38In Tim. III 69.15-27.39 In Alc. 196.2-19.40 In Tim. III 354.29-355.20.41 In Tim. II 48.15.-49.12.42 In Remp. II 62.6 ff43 In Tim. I 34.15ff

44 In Remp. II 58.20.45 Theol. Plat. VI 85.25ff.46 Treatise on the twelve gods, Theol. Plat. VI (chapter 22) 97.1-99.21.47 Theol. Plat. VI 97.16-17.48 In Tim. I 333.3ff.49 Theol. Plat. VI 98.15-17.50 Theol. Plat. VI 98.18-21: , .51 Theol. Plat. VI 98.21-24.52 Theol. Plat. I 113.4-10.

53 In Remp. I 141.1-143.1654 In Remp. I 141.27-142.7: , . . , .55 In Remp. I 142.171-19 ... .56 In Remp. I 143.8-10: ... ,

, 57 In Tim. 2 27.18ff.58 In Remp. I 126.5-128.4.59 In Remp. I 128.4-5.60 In Tim. I 79.12ff.61 In Tim. I 79.16-19.62 In Parm. 768.8.63 In Remp. I 95.18-95.30.64 In Remp. I 95.22-26: , , , ,

.65 In Crat. 181.15.66 In Crat. 184.67 In Crat. 180.68 In Remp. I 138.28ff.69 In Remp. I 139.3-5.70 The common monad for all goddesses' situates itself higher, in the first level of the noeticnoeric triad. Theol. Plat. IV 16, 48.19 22, also 89: and 92.2.71 In Remp. I 139.6-13.

72 Theol. Plat. 1 121.1ff.