Iamblichus on the Mysteries of the Egyptians, Chaldeans, and Assyrians

«I commence my friendship towards you from the Gods and good dæmons, and from those philosophic disquisitions, which have an affinity to these powers. And concerning these particulars indeed, much has been said by the Grecian philosophers; but, for the most part, the principles of their belief are derived from conjecture.» — Porfirio abre la epístola declarando de dónde arranca su amistad con Anebo y objetando que, en lo dicho por los filósofos griegos sobre esas potencias, los principios de la creencia salen en su mayor parte de la conjetura.

«How do theologists, or those who are wise in divine concerns, represent the Gods as passive, to whom on this account, it is said, erect phalli are exhibited, and obscene language is used? But if they are impassive, the invocations of the Gods will be in vain, which announce that they can appease the anger of the divinities, and procure a reconciliation with them; and still more, what are called the necessities of the Gods, will be vain. For that which is impassive cannot be allured, nor compelled, nor necessitated.» — Porfirio plantea la contradicción del rito: si los teólogos representan a los dioses como pasivos —de ahí los falos erectos y el lenguaje obsceno— y si son impasibles, las invocaciones que anuncian aplacar su ira son vanas, porque lo impasible no se atrae ni se compele ni se necesita.

«But if we assert with certain persons, that the Gods are pure intellects, but that dæmons, being psychical, participate of intellect; in a still greater degree will pure intellects be incapable of being allured, and will be unmingled with sensible natures.» — Porfirio lleva la objeción al otro extremo: si los dioses son intelectos puros y los dæmones participan de intelecto por ser psíquicos, los intelectos puros serán aún menos atraíbles y quedarán sin mezcla con lo sensible.

«Supplications, however, are foreign to the purity of intellect, and therefore are not to be made to it. But the things which are offered [in sacred rites] are offered as to sensitive and psychical essences.» — Porfirio deriva de ahí que la súplica sea ajena a la pureza del intelecto, y que lo ofrecido en los ritos vaya dirigido a esencias sensitivas y psíquicas.

«Are, therefore, the Gods separated from dæmons, through the former being incorporeal, but the latter corporeal? If, however, the Gods are incorporeal alone, how will the sun and moon, and the visible celestials, be Gods?» — Porfirio pregunta si la distinción entre dioses y dæmones está en ser los primeros incorpóreos y corpóreos los segundos, y objeta que entonces el sol, la luna y los celestes visibles no podrían ser dioses.

«In what do a dæmon, hero, and soul, differ from each other? Is it in essence, or in power, or in energy?» — Porfirio pide la diferencia entre dæmon, héroe y alma, y ofrece las tres opciones entre las que pide elegir.

«What is the indication of a God, or angel, or archangel, or dæmon, or a certain archon, or soul being present? For to speak boastingly, and to exhibit a phantasm of a certain quality, is common to Gods and dæmons, and to all the more excellent genera. So that the genus of Gods will in no respect be better than that of dæmons.» — Porfirio pide el criterio para reconocer qué género está presente, y objeta que hablar con jactancia y exhibir un fantasma de cierta cualidad es común a dioses y dæmones, con lo que el género de los dioses no resultaría mejor.

«I also ask, why, since [all] the Gods dwell in the heavens, theurgists only invoke the terrestrial and subterranean Gods? Likewise, how some of the Gods are said to be aquatic and aerial? And how different Gods are allotted different places,» — Porfirio objeta al rito teúrgico su elección de destinatarios: si todos los dioses habitan los cielos, por qué los teúrgos invocan solo a los terrestres y subterráneos, y cómo se dice acuáticos y aéreos a algunos dioses.

«What is it that connects the Gods in the heavens that have bodies, with the incorporeal Gods?» — Porfirio formula la pregunta que el cuerpo del libro retomará palabra por palabra: qué es lo que conecta a los dioses corpóreos del cielo con los dioses incorpóreos.

«Since the ignorance of, and deception about, divine natures is impiety and impurity, but a scientific knowledge of the Gods is holy and beneficial, the ignorance of things honourable and beautiful will be darkness, but the knowledge of them will be light. And the former, indeed, will fill men with all evils, through the want of erudition, and through audacity; but the latter will be the cause to them of every good.» — Porfirio asienta la premisa moral de sus preguntas: la ignorancia y el engaño sobre lo divino son impiedad, y el conocimiento científico de los dioses es santo y benéfico.

«In the first place, therefore, it is granted that there are Gods. But I inquire what the peculiarities are of each of the more excellent genera, by which they are separated from each other; and whether we must say that the cause of the distinction between them is from their energies, or their passive motions, or from things that are consequent, or from their different arrangement with respect to bodies; as, for instance, from the arrangement of the Gods with reference to etherial, but of dæmons to aerial, and of souls to terrestrial, bodies?» — Porfirio concede la existencia de los dioses y abre su primera duda: cuáles son las peculiaridades de cada género superior y si la causa de su distinción está en sus energías, en sus movimientos pasivos o en su ordenación respecto de los cuerpos etéreos, aéreos y terrestres.

«How there will be a union of them with each other, if they are separated by the divisible circumscriptions of parts, and by the difference of places and subject bodies?» — continuación en la plana siguiente de la duda sobre el lugar: cómo habrá unión entre dioses separados por las circunscripciones divisibles de las partes, por la diferencia de lugares y por los cuerpos sujetos.

«[And, in the first place, I wish you to explain to me distinctly[19]] what that is which is effected in divination?» — Porfirio abre el bloque sobre la adivinación pidiendo que se le explique distintamente qué es lo que se efectúa en ella; los corchetes y el *[19]* son del impreso, que marca así el pasaje restituido y su nota.

«For we frequently obtain a knowledge of future events through dreams, when we are asleep; not being, at that time, in a tumultuous ecstasy, for the body is then quiescent; but we do not apprehend what then takes place, in the same manner as when we are awake.» — Porfirio da el primer caso: el conocimiento del futuro por sueños, con el cuerpo quieto y sin éxtasis tumultuoso, pero sin aprehender lo que pasa como en la vigilia.

«But many, through enthusiasm and divine inspiration, predict future events, and are then in so wakeful a state, as even to energize according to sense, and yet they are not conscious of the state they are in, or at least, not so much as they were before.» — Porfirio da el segundo caso: quienes predicen por entusiasmo e inspiración divina están tan despiertos que obran según el sentido, y con todo no son conscientes del estado en que están, o no tanto como antes.

«Some also of those who suffer a mental alienation, energize enthusiastically on hearing cymbals or drums, or a certain modulated sound, such as those who are Corybantically inspired, those who are possessed by Sabazius, and those who are inspired by the mother of the Gods.» — Porfirio enumera los entusiasmos por sonido: címbalos, tambores o cierta modulación, los coribánticos, los poseídos por Sabacio y los inspirados por la madre de los dioses.

«Some also become enthusiastic by standing on characters, as those that are filled from the intromission of spirits. Others, who are conscious what they are doing in other respects, are divinely inspired according to the phantastic part; some, indeed, receiving darkness for a cooperator, others certain potions, but others incantations and compositions: and some energize, according to the imagination, through water; others in a wall, others in the open air, and others in the sun, or in some other of the celestial bodies. Some also establish the art of the investigation of futurity through the viscera, through birds, and through the stars.» — Porfirio cierra el catálogo de vías: estar de pie sobre caracteres, la parte fantástica ayudada de oscuridad, pociones, encantamientos y composiciones, y la investigación del futuro por vísceras, aves y astros.

«I likewise ask concerning the mode of divination, what it is, and what the quality by which it is distinguished? All diviners, indeed, assert, that they obtain a foreknowledge of future events through Gods or dæmons, and that it is not possible for any others to know that which is future, than those who are the lords of futurity.» — Porfirio pide el modo y la cualidad distintiva de la adivinación, y consigna lo que todos los adivinos afirman: que su presciencia viene de dioses o dæmones, porque solo los señores del futuro pueden conocerlo.

«I doubt, therefore, whether divinity is so far subservient to men, as not to be averse to some becoming diviners from meal.» — Porfirio objeta con un caso menor: duda que la divinidad esté tan al servicio del hombre como para no repugnarle que alguno adivine con harina.

«But some energize enthusiastically by drinking water, as the priest of Clarius, in Colophon; others, by being seated at the mouth of a cavern, as those who» — Porfirio sigue la enumeración por el medio material: el agua bebida por el sacerdote de Claros en Colofón y la boca de la caverna; el periodo se corta en el cambio de plana y continúa con *prophesy at Delphi*.

«prophesy at Delphi; and others by imbibing the vapour from water, as the prophetesses in Branchidæ.» — continuación en la plana siguiente: los que profetizan en Delfos y las profetisas de Bránquidas, que absorben el vapor del agua.

«But, concerning the causes of divination, it is dubious whether a God, an angel, or a dæmon, or some other power, is present in manifestations, or divinations, or certain other sacred energies, as is the case with those powers that are drawn down through you [priests] by the necessities with which invocation is attended.» — Porfirio declara dudoso qué está presente en las manifestaciones y adivinaciones —un dios, un ángel, un dæmon u otra potencia—, como ocurre con las potencias que los sacerdotes atraen por las necesidades que acompañan a la invocación.

«Or does the soul assert and imagine these things, and are they, as some think, the passions of the soul, excited from small incentives?» — Porfirio ofrece la explicación alternativa que otros dan: que sea el alma la que afirma e imagina esas cosas, pasiones suyas excitadas por incentivos pequeños.

«Or is a certain mixed form of subsistence produced from our soul, and divine inspiration externally derived?» — Porfirio ofrece la tercera vía: una subsistencia mixta producida por el alma con inspiración divina venida de fuera.

«Hence it must be said, that the soul generates the power which has an imaginative perception of futurity, through motions of this kind, or that the things which are adduced from matter constitute dæmons, through the powers that are inherent in them, and especially things adduced from the matter which is taken from animals.» — Porfirio saca la disyuntiva que de ahí se sigue: o el alma genera por esos movimientos la potencia que percibe imaginativamente el futuro, o lo aducido de la materia constituye dæmones por las potencias que le son inherentes, sobre todo lo tomado de animales.

«But that a passion of the soul is the cause of divination, is indicated by this, that the senses are occupied, that fumigations are introduced, and that invocations are employed; and likewise, that not all men, but those that are more simple and young, are more adapted to prediction.» — Porfirio enumera los indicios de que la causa sea una pasión del alma: sentidos ocupados, fumigaciones, invocaciones, y que sean los más simples y jóvenes, no todos los hombres, los más aptos para predecir.

«For in sleep, when we are not employed about any thing,» — Porfirio añade el caso del sueño como indicio del lado del alma; el periodo se corta en el cambio de plana y sigue con *we sometimes obtain a knowledge of the future*. La misma frase se reimprime palabra por palabra en la plana 117, donde la respuesta la cita para contestarla: el ancla resuelve a esta primera aparición.

«we sometimes obtain a knowledge of the future.» — continuación en la plana siguiente de la frase de Porfirio sobre el sueño, que es la segunda mitad del periodo cortado.

«The ecstasy, also, of the reasoning power is the cause of divination, as is likewise the mania which happens in diseases, or mental aberration, or a sober and vigilant condition, or suffusions of the body, or the imaginations excited by diseases, or an ambiguous state of mind, such as that which takes place between a sober condition and ecstasy, or the imaginations artificially procured by enchantment.» — Porfirio enumera las causas psíquicas que aduce para la adivinación: éxtasis de la potencia racional, manía de las enfermedades, aberración mental, estado sobrio y vigilante, sufusiones del cuerpo, imaginaciones excitadas por enfermedad, estado ambiguo entre sobriedad y éxtasis, e imaginaciones procuradas artificialmente por encantamiento.

«Nature, likewise, art, and the sympathy of things in the universe, as if they were the parts of one animal, contain premanifestations of certain things with reference to each other.» — Porfirio introduce el principio de la simpatía: naturaleza, arte y simpatía de las cosas del universo, como si fueran partes de un solo animal, contienen premanifestaciones de unas respecto de otras.

«And bodies are so prepared, that there is a presignification of some by others, which is clearly indicated by the works performed in predicting what is future.» — Porfirio extiende el principio a los cuerpos: están dispuestos de modo que unos presignifican a otros, y eso lo indican las obras que se ejecutan al predecir.

«For those who invoke the divinities for this purpose, have about them stones and herbs, bind certain sacred bonds, which they also dissolve, open places that are shut, and change the deliberate intentions of the recipients, so as from being depraved to render them worthy, though they were before depraved.» — Porfirio describe el aparato de quienes invocan: piedras y hierbas encima, ataduras sagradas que atan y desatan, lugares cerrados que abren, y el cambio de las intenciones deliberadas de los recipientes.

«Nor are the artificers of efficacious images to be despised. For they observe the motion of the celestial bodies, and can tell from the concurrence of what star with a certain star or stars, predictions will be true or false; and also whether the things that are performed will be inanities, or significant and efficacious, though no divinity or dæmon is drawn down by these images.» — Porfirio reconoce el arte de los fabricantes de imágenes eficaces —observan el movimiento de los celestes y saben por la concurrencia de qué astro será verdadera o falsa la predicción— y a la vez niega que con esas imágenes se atraiga a ninguna divinidad ni dæmon.

«They are likewise full of pride, and rejoice in vapours and sacrifices. Jugglers likewise fraudulently attack us in many ways, through the ardour of the expectations which they raise.» — Porfirio añade a esos dæmones el orgullo y el gozo en vapores y sacrificios, y suma a los embaucadores que atacan por el ardor de las expectativas que levantan.

«It very much indeed perplexes me to understand how superior beings, when invoked, are commanded by those that invoke them, as if they were their inferiors; and they think it requisite that he who worships them should be just, but when they are called upon to act unjustly, they do not refuse so to act. Though the Gods, likewise, do not hear him who invokes them, if he is impure from venereal connexions, yet, at the same time, they do not refuse to lead any one to illegal venery.» — Porfirio plantea la incoherencia moral del rito: los seres superiores invocados son mandados por quienes los invocan como si fueran inferiores, exigen justicia al que los venera y no rehúsan obrar injustamente, y no oyen al impuro y sin embargo conducen a la venus ilegal.

«But there are some who suppose that there is a certain obedient genus of dæmons, which is naturally fraudulent, omniform, and various, and which assumes the appearance of Gods and dæmons, and the souls of the deceased; and that through these every thing which appears to be either good or evil is effected; for they are not able to contribute any thing to true goods, such as those of the soul, nor to» — Porfirio consigna la opinión de otros sobre un género obediente de dæmones, naturalmente fraudulento, omniforme y vario, que asume la apariencia de dioses, dæmones y almas de difuntos, y al que nada verdaderamente bueno le es posible; el periodo se corta en el cambio de plana.

«have any knowledge of them, but they abuse, deride, and frequently impede those who are striving to be virtuous.» — continuación en la plana siguiente: esos dæmones ni conocen los bienes del alma, y abusan, se burlan y estorban a quienes se esfuerzan por ser virtuosos.

«[I am likewise dubious with respect to sacrifices, what utility or power they possess in the universe, and with the Gods, and on what account they are performed, appropriately indeed, to the powers who are honoured by them, but usefully to those by whom the gifts are offered.» — Porfirio abre el bloque del sacrificio: qué utilidad o poder tiene en el universo y con los dioses, y por qué se hace de modo apropiado a las potencias honradas y a la vez útil a quienes ofrecen; los corchetes son del impreso, que marca así el pasaje restituido.

«Why also do the interpreters of prophecies and oracles think it requisite that they should abstain from animals, lest the Gods should be polluted by the vapours arising from them; and yet the Gods are especially allured by the vapours of animals?» — Porfirio pone la contradicción del rito sacrificial: los intérpretes se abstienen de animales para no contaminar a los dioses con sus vapores, y los dioses son atraídos justamente por los vapores de animales.

«Why is it requisite that the inspector [who presides over sacred rites] ought not to touch a dead body, though most sacred operations are performed through dead bodies?» — Porfirio suma otra contradicción del rito: que el inspector de los ritos sagrados no deba tocar un cuerpo muerto, cuando las operaciones más sagradas se hacen por medio de cuerpos muertos.

«The Project Gutenberg eBook of Iamblichus on the mysteries of the Egyptians, Chaldeans, and Assyrians This ebook» — el rótulo con que Project Gutenberg titula el archivo; en su cabecera el título va en minúsculas, distinto de las versales de la portada impresa.

«Credits: Richard Tonsing, MFR, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https:// www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)» — los créditos de transcripción del archivo electrónico y la procedencia de las imágenes.

«This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this ebook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook.» — el aviso de licencia con que Project Gutenberg abre el archivo; el mismo párrafo se reimprime literalmente en la sección de licencia del final, y el ancla resuelve a esta primera aparición.

«START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK IAMBLICHUS ON THE MYSTERIES OF THE EGYPTIANS,» — la marca de arranque del texto; el ancla se toma después de los tres asteriscos que Project Gutenberg imprime delante, y el rótulo sigue en la plana siguiente con *CHALDEANS, AND ASSYRIANS* y su cierre de asteriscos.

«Transcriber’s Note: New original cover art included with this eBook is granted to the public domain.» — la nota del transcriptor de Project Gutenberg sobre la portada nueva del archivo electrónico.

«The various translations and original works of Thomas Taylor, though still in request by the more zealous students of ancient philosophy and occult science, have now become so scarce and expensive that it is only within the power of comparatively wealthy collectors to obtain them.» — el reimpresor abre declarando que las obras de Taylor siguen buscándose por los estudiantes de filosofía antigua y de ciencia oculta, y que su escasez las ha puesto fuera del alcance de quien no sea coleccionista rico.

«This is a matter for regret, inasmuch as it cannot be affirmed that his writings have been, or are likely to be superseded, or that they are without value.» — el reimpresor niega que los escritos de Taylor hayan sido superados o carezcan de valor.

«It is not possible, even for the most fervent believer in modern “progress,” to dismiss the speculations of the ancient philosophers as antiquated notions which have had their day and no longer possess interest or value.» — el reimpresor objeta que la creencia en el *progress* moderno autorice a descartar las especulaciones de los filósofos antiguos.

«The names of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle can never grow dim with age, nor is it possible to conceive a time when men shall cease to study and reverence them.» — el reimpresor sostiene la vigencia perpetua de Sócrates, Platón y Aristóteles.

«As the disciple, the translator, and the expounder of these and of other sages of antiquity, Thomas Taylor deserves to be held in honour and remembrance, and it would be a misfortune if his labours remained unknown because of the scarcity of his books.» — el reimpresor sitúa a Taylor como discípulo, traductor y expositor de esos sabios, y llama desgracia que sus trabajos queden desconocidos por escasez de ejemplares.

«It is for this reason that the present reprint has been undertaken; and it is hoped that it will meet with such a measure of success as may encourage the republication of various other works by the same author.» — el reimpresor declara el motivo de la reimpresión y su esperanza de continuar la serie con otras obras de Taylor.

«It has been printed in handsome style and published at a moderate price in order that it may be regarded as a desirable addition to the scholar’s library, while yet it will not tax severely the means of the not too wealthy student.» — el reimpresor declara el precio moderado como parte del plan editorial.

«Should it be found possible, however, to continue the series it is intended to prefix to a future volume an essay on Taylor, which will contain a biography of him, and a critical estimate of his writings.» — el reimpresor anuncia como condicional un ensayo biográfico y crítico sobre Taylor para un volumen futuro.

«They can hardly be neglected without loss by those who desire to understand the systems of philosophy which satisfied the spiritual needs of the antique world.» — el reimpresor declara para quién es el libro: quien quiera entender los sistemas de filosofía que satisficieron las necesidades espirituales del mundo antiguo.

«No alterations or additions have been made in or to the original text, as it is thought that those who care for Taylor’s writings will prefer to have them in their integrity.» — el reimpresor declara que no tocó el texto de Taylor, y da la razón: quien aprecia esos escritos los prefiere íntegros.

«It appears to me that there are two descriptions of persons by whom the present work must be considered to be of inestimable worth, the lovers of antiquity and the lovers of ancient philosophy and religion.» — Taylor abre su introducción fijando los dos públicos a los que declara destinado el libro: los amantes de la antigüedad y los de la filosofía y la religión antiguas.

«To the former of these it must be invaluable, because it is replete with information derived from the wise men of the Chaldeans, the prophets of the Egyptians, the dogmas of the Assyrians, and the ancient pillars of Hermes;» — Taylor funda el valor del libro para el primer público en la procedencia de su información: los sabios caldeos, los profetas egipcios, los dogmas asirios y los pilares de Hermes.

«and to the latter, because of the doctrines contained in it, some of which originated from the Hermaic pillars, were known by Pythagoras and Plato, and were the sources of their philosophy; and others are profoundly theological, and unfold the mysteries of ancient religion with an admirable conciseness of diction, and an inimitable vigour and elegance of conception.» — Taylor funda el valor para el segundo público en que parte de las doctrinas del libro vienen de los pilares herméticos, las conocieron Pitágoras y Platón, y fueron la fuente de su filosofía.

«as the colophon of excellence, that it is the most copious, the clearest, and the most satisfactory defence extant of genuine ancient theology.» — Taylor declara al volumen la defensa más copiosa, clara y satisfactoria que se conserva de la teología antigua genuina.

«has for the most part, since the destruction of it, been surveyed only in its corruptions among barbarous nations, or during the decline and fall of the Roman empire, with which, overwhelmed with pollution, it gradually fell, and at length totally vanished from what is called the polished part of the globe.» — Taylor sostiene que esa teología, desde su destrucción, solo se ha examinado en sus corrupciones entre naciones bárbaras o en la decadencia del imperio romano, con el que cayó.

«This will be evident to the intelligent reader from the following remarks, which are an epitome of what has been elsewhere more largely discussed by me on this subject, and which also demonstrate the religion of the Chaldeans, Egyptians, and Greeks to be no less scientific than sublime.» — Taylor declara que lo que sigue es epítome de lo que discutió más largamente en otra parte, y que sirve para mostrar la religión caldea, egipcia y griega tan científica como sublime.

«In the first place, this theology celebrates the immense principle of things as something superior even to being itself; as exempt from the whole of things, of which it is nevertheless ineffably the source; and does not, therefore, think fit to enumerate it with any triad» — Taylor enuncia el primer rasgo de esa teología: el principio inmenso de las cosas es superior al ser mismo, exento del todo del que es fuente inefable, y no se enumera con ninguna tríada ni orden de seres; el *[1]* que sigue es la llamada de nota del impreso.

«Indeed it even apologizes for giving the appellation of the most simple of our conceptions to that which is beyond all knowledge and all conception.» — Taylor señala que la propia teología se disculpa por dar a lo que está más allá de todo conocimiento el nombre de la más simple de nuestras concepciones.

«It denominates this principle however, the one and the good; by the former of these names indicating its transcendent simplicity, and by the latter its subsistence as the object of desire to all beings. For all things desire good.» — Taylor da los dos nombres del principio y lo que cada uno indica: *uno* por su simplicidad trascendente y *bueno* porque subsiste como objeto del deseo de todos los seres.

«At the same time, however, it asserts that these appellations are in reality nothing more than the parturitions of the soul, which, standing as it were in the vestibules of the adytum of deity, announce nothing pertaining to the ineffable, but only indicate her spontaneous tendencies towards it, and belong rather to the immediate offspring of the first God than to the first itself.» — Taylor acota el alcance de esos dos nombres: son partos del alma que se detiene en los vestíbulos del adyton, y pertenecen antes a la progenie inmediata del primer Dios que al primero mismo.

«Hence, as the result of this most venerable conception of the supreme, when it ventures not only to denominate it, though ineffable, but also to assert something of its relation to other things, it considers this as preeminently its peculiarity, that it is the principle of principles;» — Taylor declara la peculiaridad que esa teología atribuye al supremo cuando se atreve a decir algo de su relación con lo demás: ser el principio de los principios.

«The scientific reasoning from which this dogma is deduced is the following. As the principle of all things is the one, it is necessary that the progression of beings should be continued, and that no vacuum should intervene either in incorporeal or corporeal natures.» — Taylor expone el razonamiento del que se deduce el dogma: si el principio de todo es el uno, la progresión de los seres ha de ser continua y sin vacío en lo incorpóreo ni en lo corpóreo.

«It is also necessary that every thing which has a natural progression should proceed through similitude.» — Taylor añade la segunda premisa: toda progresión natural procede por semejanza.

«In consequence of this, it is likewise necessary that every producing principle should generate a number of the same order with itself, viz. nature, a natural number; soul, one that is psychical (i. e. belonging to soul); and intellect an intellectual number.» — Taylor deriva de ahí que cada principio productor engendre un número del mismo orden que él: la naturaleza uno natural, el alma uno psíquico, el intelecto uno intelectual.

«It is, therefore, necessary from these premises, since there is one unity, the principle of the universe, that this unity should produce from itself, prior to every thing else, a multitude of natures characterized by unity, and a number the most of all things allied to its cause; and these natures are no other than the Gods.» — Taylor cierra el razonamiento: la unidad principio del universo produce antes que nada una multitud de naturalezas caracterizadas por la unidad, y esas naturalezas son los dioses.

«According to this theology, therefore, from the immense principle of principles, in which all things causally subsist, absorbed in superessential light, and involved in unfathomable depths, a beauteous progeny of principles proceed, all largely partaking of the ineffable, all stamped with the occult characters of deity, all possessing an overflowing fulness of good.» — Taylor describe la procesión: del principio de los principios, en que todo subsiste causalmente, procede una progenie de principios marcados con los caracteres ocultos de la deidad.

«From these dazzling summits, these ineffable blossoms, these divine propagations, being, life, intellect, soul, nature, and body depend; monads suspended from unities, deified natures proceeding from deities.» — Taylor enumera lo que depende de esas cumbres: ser, vida, intelecto, alma, naturaleza y cuerpo, mónadas suspendidas de unidades.

«Each of these monads, too, is the leader of a series which extends from itself to the last of things, and which, while it proceeds from, at the same time abides in, and returns to, its leader.» — Taylor formula el movimiento de cada serie: procede de su jefe, permanece en él y vuelve a él a la vez.

«Thus all beings proceed from, and are comprehended in, the first being: all intellects emanate from one first intellect; all souls from one first soul; all natures blossom from one first nature; and all bodies proceed from the vital and luminous body of the world.» — Taylor aplica la ley serie por serie: todos los seres del primer ser, todos los intelectos de un primer intelecto, todas las almas de una primera alma, todos los cuerpos del cuerpo vital y luminoso del mundo.

«Hence this first one is truly the unity of unities, the monad of monads, the principle of principles, the God of Gods, one and all things, and yet one prior to all.» — Taylor cierra con los títulos del primer uno: unidad de las unidades, mónada de las mónadas, principio de los principios, Dios de los dioses, uno y todas las cosas.

«Indeed, that after the great incomprehensible cause of all, a divine multitude subsists, cooperating with this cause in the production and government of the universe, has always been, and is still, admitted by all nations and all religions, however much they may differ in their opinions respecting the nature of the subordinate deities, and the veneration which is to be paid to them by man; and however barbarous the conceptions of some nations on this subject may be, when compared with those of others.» — Taylor sostiene que la subsistencia de una multitud divina cooperando con la causa primera en la producción y el gobierno del universo ha sido admitida por todas las naciones y religiones, por mucho que difieran sobre la naturaleza de las deidades subordinadas.

«Ignorance and impious fraud, however, have hitherto conspired to defame those inestimable works[2] in which this and many other grand and important dogmas can alone be found; and the theology of the ancients has been attacked with all the insane fury of ecclesiastical zeal, and all the imbecile flashes of mistaken wit, by men whose conceptions on the subject, like those of a man between sleeping and waking, have been turbid and wild, phantastic and confused, preposterous and vain.» — Taylor imputa a la ignorancia y al fraude la difamación de las obras donde ese dogma se halla, y describe a quienes atacaron la teología antigua como hombres cuyas ideas sobre el asunto han sido turbias y salvajes, como las de quien está entre el sueño y la vigilia.

«No objections of any weight, no arguments but such as are sophistical, can be urged against this most sublime» — Taylor niega peso a las objeciones contra esa teoría; el tramo se corta aquí porque el periodo sigue en la plana siguiente con *theory, which is so congenial…*.

«theory, which is so congenial to the unperverted conceptions of the human mind, that it can only be treated with ridicule and contempt in degraded, barren, and barbarous ages.» — continuación del mismo periodo de Taylor en la plana siguiente: atribuye el ridículo y el desprecio contra esa teoría a las edades degradadas, estériles y bárbaras, no a un argumento.

«Hence, says the elegant Maximus Tyrius, “You will see one according law and assertion in all the earth, that there is one God, the king and father of all things, and many Gods, sons of God, ruling together with him.» — Taylor cita a Máximo de Tiro para sostener el consenso universal: una sola ley y aserción en toda la tierra, un Dios rey y padre de todo y muchos dioses hijos suyos que gobiernan con él.