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Claudius Ptolemy (c.100 - c.178 AD), of Alexandria, was one of the greatest philosopher/scientists of the ancient world.Among his books are the Almagest, Geography, Optics, Planispherium and Tetrabiblos.

The earliest surviving version of Tetrabiblos is the paraphrase attributed to Proclus the Philosopher (412-485).Tetrabiblos (literally, "four books") was long thought to be a complete survey of Greek astrology.Recent research suggests this not to be the case, but Ptolemy’s work remains the foundation of western astrology.In particular, his persuasive use of the Tropical Zodiac, rather than the Sidereal, changed western astrology forever.

Book 1 of Tetrabiblos defines various technical terms and supplies other information needed by the astrologer.Chapters 9, 10 and 11 detail the influence of fixed stars in various constellations.

Book 2 is the astrology of nations and their rulers.Books 3 & 4 are devoted to Natal Astrology.Book 3, chapter 2, explains Ptolemy’s method of rectifying the Ascendant.Chapter 10 gives a method for determining life expectancy.Book 4 deals with fortunes of wealth & rank, as well as employment, marriage, children, death, etc.

Also included are extracts from Ptolemy's Almagest (a compendium of Greek astronomy), as well as "Ptolemy’s Centiloquy," a list of aphorisms, the authorship of which is disputed.Many of the 100 deal with horary astrology.They have been studied by astrologers for centuries.

Translations:Gardner (1911) lists four English translations of Tetrabiblos.The first was by John Walley, 1701.The second was Walley’s translation, edited by Sibley and Brown, 1786, which is said to be worthless.The third, by James Wilson (author of the famous Dictionary of Astrology), was published in 1820.The fourth (this one, by far the best), was by J.M. Ashmand, 1822.A fifth translation was made in 1940 by F.E. Robbins.Of these several translators, only Ashmand could claim to be both a Greek and Latin scholar as well as an experienced astrologer.We are honored to present Ashmand’s translation to a new generation of students.

Every serious astrologer, from the 3rd century to the present, has studied the Tetrabiblos.With the current revival of traditional astrology, it remains essential reading. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Very nice edition
Ptolomy's "Tetrabiblos" (as most call it today) is the seminal work on western Astrology.It covers a tremendous area including nativities, astrology of events, and advanced matters of interpretation.The work has been one of the most influential works assembled in its day and had a wide-ranging impact on the later developments in Hellenistic times, among the Christian late middle ages, and the Islamic golden age as well.

This book is nicely typeset with facing page translation.The translation is clear and easy to read, but careful to preserve the original meanings and hence preserving more of Ptolomy's style than many readers might desire.The footnotes are generally helpful and the introduction places much in context.

Anyone interested in studying the Hellenistic world, Astrology, or the Classics will want to get this book.Highly recommended.

That Aries the Ram was the Sign of the Jews
Astrologers and astronomers searching for the Star of Bethlehem have long overlooked this primary source for an important piece of evidence: Aries the Ram ruled over Judea. This helped me reveal the Star that pointed the Magi to Judea where the King of the Jews was born on April 17, 6 BC - two years before King Herod died. My book, The Star of Bethlehem: The Legacy of the Magi also made use of other astrological primary sources which showed that to understand the Magi's Star, we need to understand astrology as it practiced as Ptolemy described.

The Tetrabiblos belongs on every classical historian's bookshelf. It is a major primary source on astrology as it was praticed in Roman times.

A Must for any Astrology/Metaphysical Library
The wonderful thing about this translation of Ptolemy's seminal work in Astrology is the conscientious and painstaking work to adhere to the original text which appears on the opposing side of the english texttranslation. I am in a position to corroborate myself its accuracy. As aresult however the English text is not an easy or flowing contemporarystyle. This is not a quick read, and probably should be used as reference.It covers a multitude of Astrological areas and can serve as a springboardto further inquiry. The book is a compact size, typeface and spacingpleasant and non-fatiguing.

The Bible amongst astrology litterature.
This book is the source for most astrology - the ancients as well as the moderns students - who have respect for the art.Claudius Ptolemy was born in Egypt and lived in the years 100-178 (ref. Tetrabiblos)and left thescripts which is presented here in the four books "TetraBiblos".

It is from this scripts astrologers through the times hasfound the descriptions of the strength of dignities and debillities of theplanets, the methodes of making predictions, subdivisions of the science ofnativities, bodily descriptions etc. ... Read more

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1820. Other volumes in this set include ISBN number(s): 0766126633. Volume one of a two volume set. (This description is for all volumes.) In five books; Containing a Treasury of Pythagoric and Platonic Physiology.This is the most prized book on esoteric sciences, Neoplatonism, root of hermetics, and Tibetan Buddhism.Highly quoted by Manly P. Hall, and Blavatsky.Very scarce and now ready to be in your private library!In two volumes. ... Read more

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1816. Thomas Taylor was one of the outstanding translators of the philosophical writings of the Greeks and Romans, and also published several original works on philosophy and mathematics. Many of his important contributions in these fields have been long out-of-print and are extremely difficult to obtain, having been issued in very small editions. Most of Taylor's translations have an archaic elegance which preserves the spirit of the older authors in a manner not evident in more recent translations. Taylor also added notes and commentaries which give valuable insight into the essential meaning often obscure in the actual text. This is essentially a religious work by Proclus;- a near perfect attempt to express in a manner accessible to the reasoning mind, the universal order in, of, and around, all things. Taylor's is still the only translation available. See the many other works by this author available from Kessinger Publishing. ... Read more

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Proclus Lycaeus (February 8, 412 - April 17, 485), surnamed "The Successor" or "diadochos" was a Greek Neoplatonist philosopher, one of the last major Classical philosophers (see Damascius). He set forth one of the most elaborate and fully developed systems of Neoplatonism. He stands near the end of the classical development of philosophy, and was very influential on Western Medieval Philosophy (Greek and Latin) as well as Islamic thought. (Quote from wikipedia.org)

About the Author

Thomas Taylor (1758 - 1835)
Thomas Taylor (15 May 1758 - 1 November 1835) was an English translator and Neoplatonist, the first to translate into English the complete works of Aristotle and of Plato, as well as the Orphic fragments. The texts that he used had been edited since the 16th century, but were interrupted by lacunae; Taylor's thorough understanding of the Platonists informed his suggested emendations, which, when better manuscripts have been found, were often proved just. His translations were influential to William Blake, Percy Bysshe Shelley and William Wordsworth. In American editions they were read by Ralph Waldo Emerson, Bronson Alcott, and G.R.S. Mead, secretary of Mme Blavatsky the founder of Theosophy. He and his wife took Mary Wollstonecraft, into their home when she was an unhappy teenager, and thus influenced the future author of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman. (Quote from wikipedia.org)

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books is a publisher of historical writings, such as: Philosophy, Classics, Science, Religion, History, Folklore and Mythology.
http://www.forgottenbooks.org ... Read more

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The Former Consisting of Ten Doubts Concerning Providence, and a Solution of those Doubts; and the Latter Containing a Development of the Nature of Evil. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

not from the 20s
The previous reviewer is mistaken about the date of this work. Taylor was an interesting figure in the history of English scholarship, he translated a large number of ancient works, including the complete works of Plato and Aristotle. He also had a great interest in the neo-platonic writers, such as Plotinus, and Proclus. (In a sense he was to the Romantics what Marsilio Ficino was to the writers of the Italian renaissance.) The Greek texts he worked from were often highly unsatisfactory, so his translations won't serve for modern scholarly work, but they're an interesting milestone in the "platonic" tradition of English thought, and Taylor himself had a deep personal understanding of the writers he worked on. His insights, implicit in his translations and explicit in his essays, are often of great interest to anyone seeking to understand these difficult ancient texts. Taylor's dates are 1758-1835. I remember reading once that he was a friend of William Blake's.

Tough Stuff For the Hard Core
The actual title of this volume is, "Two Treatises of Proclus the Neoplatonic Philosopher" which are, "Ten Doubts Concerning Providence and a Solution of those Doubts" and "On the Subsistence of Evil",translated by Thomas Taylor, presumably in the 1920's, but no original copyright for this reprint is given. The book itself reminds me of a workbook for school, since it is 8"x10.5", and the pages seem to be enlargements of a smaller old edition.I bought this as a companion for Pseudo-Dionysius, but at least as far as this edition goes, I'm in over my head. Not only is the translation done in an antique style, but the relatively sparse notes presume a knowledge of Latin and Greek, and are not geared to the general reader. Editorially, the reader is not given much help, in that the text is not subdivided except by occasional numbers, and no headings or other structural clues are given.All that being said, this difficult book let's me peek into a remote mind, struggling with concerns that are likewise remote from me, and wonder. It will definitely not be most readers' cup of tea, and it could be done better, but I'll keep it all the same. ... Read more

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Surnamed the Platonic Successor.Translated from the Greek by Thomas Taylor.On light; In defense of the Timaeus of Plato; From the treatise in which a solution is given of the doubts against providence; Fifth book of Proclus on the Timaeus; Arguments in proof of the eternity of the world; Concerning place. ... Read more

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THIS 78 PAGE ARTICLE WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE BOOK: Proclus the Neoplatonic Philosopher, by Proclus . To purchase the entire book, please order ISBN 1564591239. ... Read more

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THIS 108 PAGE ARTICLE WAS EXTRACTED FROM THE BOOK: Proclus the Neoplatonic Philosopher, by Proclus . To purchase the entire book, please order ISBN 1564591239. ... Read more

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Proclus' Elements of Theology is a concise summa of the Neoplatonic system in its fully developed form; and for the student of late Greek thought, second in importance only to the Enneads of Plotinus. Dodds has provided a critical text based on a personal examination of some forty manuscripts, together with an English translation and a philosophical and linguistic commentary. This second edition includes an Appendix of Addenda et corrigenda and is still widely regarded and respected as the definitive edition of the text today. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A Thorough and Systematic Handbook on the Rubrics of Platonic Theoretic Science
Proclus of Lysia (410-85 AD) stands at a privileged position in the vicissitudes of Platonic thought, as he looks back to a rich, diverse, yet continuous thread of philosophical culture, reaching back some eight hundred years.Born almost a generation after Theodosius' ban on the Greco-Roman cultus, Proclus still enjoyed, as yet, the Hellenism of the school-room, in which the old ideas still flourished and received contemporary colorations by outstanding intellects such as John Philoponus, Simplicius and Damascius Syrianus.Soon after, even the ideas themselves--the Hellenism still alive and well in books--were suppressed under the iron-thumb of Justinian.With that said, Proclus' Elements of Theology were fortunate enough to survive the ravages of time.

In essence, the reader will be introduced to the most thorough and systematic catalogue of Platonic metaphysics extant.Proclus adduces the relation between cause and effect, oneness and multiplicity, incorporeal and corporeal entities, at all levels of being, in a clear, rational and orderly succession.Proclus also delineates the principles of eternity and time, soul and body, along with allusions to the intellective beings, the descent and ascent of rational souls and the correlative properties and dynamics of the One, Intellect and Soul.For anyone with a fairly good back ground in ancient philosophy, this book will be a metaphysical banquet.

In light of the efforts of professor Dodds--the text, his running commentary, lucid translation and scholarly introductory material--this work is a desideratum.The `Elements'

A Standard in Classical Scholarship as to What Ancient Manuscript Presentation should be!
This re-issued edition of E.R. Dodds' magnum opus of the 'Scientific' Theology of Proclus' "Elements of Theology" [This time with a welcomed English Translation] must be mastered by any young scholar student/teacher who wishes to explore the Late Greek philosophical mind or the Early and Late Medieval Mind.

The impact of this treatise has been enormous in the Western intellectual tradition.It was, of course, the unwritten Bible (furtively read) for aspiring theologians and philosophers during the Middle Ages, and later for Occulta philosophia or Esoteric Knowledge.

As an old man of 61, I still prize my first edition of this text as issued by Oxford University Press.In my youth at Jesus College, Oxford University (Summer Term 1971) I had the pleasure to bump into E. R. Dodds when he was making his way back to college with a fresh newspaper-wrapped fish for dinner!What a way to meet one of the greatest classical scholars of his generation (and several generations for that matter).

I redeemed myself by listing all his scholarly treatises I had mastered.That impressed him, especially, coming from an American!


Respectfully,


John E.D.P. Malin
Cecilia, Louisiana USA

A classical book of Neoplatonism
A wonderful "geometrical" metaphysical work, which many consider, iby its form,a forerrunner of Spinoza's Ethic, this is the accurate blingual edition that should be used for serious academic work. A must have for those interested in Neoplatonism ... Read more

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A translation of Proclus's exposition of Euclid's methods and principles. This primary source for the history of mathematics contains much information about the work of mathematicians of the classical period. It is a rare work from antiquity which expounds the philosophy of mathematics. ... Read more

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Proclus, Euclid and the Platonic Theory of Mathematical Being
Proclus Diadochus (410-485 AD), whose vast literary output covers nearly the whole range of the Late Antique philosophical curriculum, here pays homage to the seminal work of Euclid in his 'Commentary on the Elements.' In addition to being a formal commentary and analysis on the rudiments of Euclid's 'Elements,' Proclus sets forth his philosophy of mathematics, which perhaps is the most important and compelling aspect of this work. Before referring to Proclus' theory of mathematics, it should be mentioned just what the commentator regarded as the meaning and purpose for Euclid's articulation of the 'Elements.' Proclus, in 'Elements' (2.68), states that "Euclid belonged to the persuasion of Plato...and this is why he thought the goal of the 'Elements' as a whole to be the construction of the so-called Platonic figures." These "Platonic figures" alluded to are the five regular solids, the basic cosmic elements, which are a major part of the discussion in the 'Timaeus' concerning the nature of the Demiurge's creation of the cosmos.So, ultimately the question Proclus answers about Euclid's objective for composing the 'Elements' is essentially that the author had in mind the Platonic Forms and the structure of the cosmos, not merely geometrical abstractions in isolation from three-dimensional bodies.We gather from this that Proclus' judgement not only views Euclid as a man of science who composed an introduction to geometry for academic instruction, but also elevates him to the status of a Platonic mystic illuminating cosmological and metaphysical mysteries.With that said, it is likely that Proclus' apotheosis of Euclid is somewhat extravagent and may well be unfounded, but it is very probable that Academic mathematical speculation and the 'Timaeus' text itself had some, if not a cardinal influence in Euclid's thought; and in that regard he may have been a Platonist.

Since Proclus sees Euclid as a mystic and a man of science, it is only necessary that his commentary on the 'Elements' reflect that image and be scientific and mystic itself.Just like Euclid's work, Proclus' is intended to be an instructional guide to--and to be an anylasis of--the science of geometry.But beyond the scope of academic formality, a higher goal pervades the entirety of Proclus' commentary; and thus it is requisite to briefly state his theoretical understanding on what the Platonic tradition designates as "mathematicals," or "mathematical being."The supreme principle, the One, is producer of all number via the principles of the Limit and the Unlimited. The Unlimited dynamic unfolds the inexhaustible power of the Infinite, exploding forth in a series of even numbers and is itself the cause the line. The co-ordinate dynamic of the Limit essentially neutralizes the Unlimited's propensity to infinity (which otherwise would proceed unchecked chaotically in an infinite series of even numbers), by offsetting, resovling and bounding the Even with the principle of Odd, which imposes finitely all Form and Order and Stability to the Indeterminate principle; and thus this principle is the cause of the circle. The result of the Limit and the Unlimited's activity is the production of Intelligible Being, known as the One-Being, the first member of the Noetic Triad [=Being, Life, Intellect]. Now, in the One-Being, it is axiomatic to the Platonic system that it possess all Being unitarily and all beings severally, meaning that everything there in the purely incorporeal One-Being is numbered determinately (thus limiting the concept of infinity to potency not actuality) and henceforth produces all number and being in Hypostatic Intellect, in Hypostatic Soul and in the en-Cosmic-Soul and the Cosmos itself.But when speaking of Ideal-Forms, they are not said to possess dimension, but are non-dimensional incorporeal forms; it is the process of projection and extension of the Forms into the Soul where all dimension transpires and is hence simaltaneously the locus for all mathematical being operating in cosmic phenomena.This means that in Proclus' account, "mathematicals" are prior to qualified three-dimensional bodies, as they have an intermediary status between their seat in Intellect and their operation in bodies.Moreover, mathematical being is, in short, co-existent with Soul, as inhering principally in its essence.This is why Proclus considers the whole science of geometry not to be mental abstractions from bodies, but rather as essential components of psychical forms which shape and qualify matter into three-dimensional objects that are only understood through the "eye" of the soul which discerns its own rational-principles and refers these back to the universal Ideal-Forms.

Ultimately, Proclus' theory of "mathematicals" is purely Platonic and is, in all probability, Pythagorean.And the idea of mathematical being, as something truly existent, is perhaps the most notoriously anti-Aristotelian doctrine in Platonism.Even though Aristotle did state that mathematics is about first causes, which are themselves divine [Metaphysics VI 1026.1a], he could not elevate numbers themselves to a state of the things that "truly exist" [see his rebuttal of Ideal-Numbers in Metaphysics bk.XIII, ch. 7].But it is up tointelligent readers and theorists to consider for themselves just what mathematics is and what its relation is to us and the universe.If readers are interested hearing a sublime philosophy of mathematics, the ancient voice of Proclus still has something say in this exegetical tribute to Euclid, which navigates both mystical and scientific number.

Proclus had deep geometric insight
I haven't read all of this book, only the parts relevant to Euclid's parallel postulate. Proclus had the idea for a proof of the latter, based on (A) Aristotle's Angle Unboundedness Axiom, and while that "proof" is flawed, it can be converted to a correct proof if a futher natural geometric hypothesis (S) is added. I will explain this in the forthcoming fourth edition of my text EUCLIDEAN and NON-EUCLIDEAN GEOMETRIES: DEVELOPMENT and HISTORY, where I name the result PROCLUS' THEOREM. It states that assuming Hilbert's axioms of incidence, betweenness and congruence, which fill most (but not all) of the gaps in Euclid, Euclid's Parallel Postulate is logically equivalent to the conjunction of (A) and (S).

Proclus was also many centuries ahead of his time in stating publicly that the angle of parallelism might not be a right angle - i.e., recognizing that non-Euclidean geometry might be possible, though he did not pursue that idea.

Good translation of Proclus
Proclus was the last major Neo-Platonic philosopher of importance before the Academy was closed by the Christian emperor Justinian in the 6th century.He wrote many works, including long commentaries on Plato's dialogues and a commentary on the Elements by Euclid.

This translation by Morrow, a leading Classicist, contains a good introductory essay on Proclus's philosophy of mathematics, along with other scholarly aids such as a biblography.While Proclus's ideas probably have little currency with either philosophers or mathematicians today, they are of interest to the student of Ancient philosophy and the historian of Philosophy. ... Read more

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In the present volume Proclus describes the 'creation' of the soul that animates the entire universe. This is not a literal creation, for Proclus argues that Plato means only to convey the eternal dependence of the World Soul upon higher causes. In his exegesis of Plato's text, Proclus addresses a range of issues in Pythagorean harmonic theory, as well as questions about the way in which the World Soul knows both forms and the visible reality that comprises its body. This part of Proclus' Commentary is particularly responsive to the interpretive tradition that precedes it. As a result, this volume is especially significant for the study of the Platonic tradition from the earliest commentators onwards. ... Read more

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This volume is produced from digital images created through the University of Michigan University Library's large-scale digitization efforts. The Library seeks to preserve the intellectual content of items in a manner that facilitates and promotes a variety of uses. The digital reformatting process results in an electronic version of the original text that can be both accessed online and used to create new print copies. The Library also understands and values the usefulness of print and makes reprints available to the public whenever possible. This book and hundreds of thousands of others can be found in the HathiTrust, an archive of the digitized collections of many great research libraries. For access to the University of Michigan Library's digital collections, please see http://www.lib.umich.edu and for information about the HathiTrust, please visit http://www.hathitrust.org ... Read more

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An English translation of a major work by the great Neoplatonist philosopher, whose commentary greatly influenced later medieval and Renaissance thought. It comprises a full account of Proclus's own metaphysical system, disguised in the form of commentary. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Fine translation of an important commentary on an unreadable profound book
Very few people have the patience, learning or interest to read this hard book. It is, however, one of the most influential readings of Plato's (in my opinion) most difficult work. If you want to understand Plato, or for that matter his powerful influence on medieval mysticism, this book is essential. So it's wonderful to have it available. Good edition at a good price, and well worth the money.

Proclus, the Platonic Parmenides and the Divine, Mystical Dialectic
The Philosopher: Before discussing the content of Proclus' masterful 'Commentary on Plato's Parmenides,' let a few things be said as to the man and philosopher himself.Proclus (412-487 AD) was a native of Lycia in southern Asia Minor and it was in the nearby metropolis of Xanthus that his early education began.From there he was sent to Alexandria to receive a legal education, like his own father, who was reputed to be a successful pleader of the courts [G. Morrow, Proclus pg. 15].Yet, while on a sojourn to Byzantium, Proclus underwent a conversion to the philosophic life, which his own pupil and biographer Marinus described as a "divine call" [Vita Procli, ch. 6].This apotheosis of Proclus moved him such, that he abandoned his legal vocation and began to hear the lectures of Olympiodorus on Aristotle and Heron on mathematics; and though he excelled in these studies, Proclus nonetheless felt dissatisfied.Like Porphyry nearly two centuries before him, Proclus was looking for his Plotinus.It was in Athens, not in Alexandria, that Proclus would find the teacher and the ultimate destiny he was looking for.Proclus arrived at the Platonic school of Athens, in his early twenties, during the tenure of Plutarchthe Athenian, a thinker of some weight and influence during his own era.This Plutarch was the teacher of Syrianus--the Syrianus who was to do for Proclus what Plotinus did for Porphyry.Syrianus introduced Proclus to the neo-Platonic curriculum, which began with an intensive study of the whole science of Aristotle, which culminated with a theoretic and mystical exegesis on core Platonic dialogues such as 'Parmenides' and 'Timaeus' [Dillon, N-Platonism pg. 15].Syrianus also introduced Proclus to the theological poetry of the Orphics and the Chaldean Oracles, of which the former gave Proclus an understanding of the gods in an elevated metaphysical sense, while the latter, as interpreted by Iamblichus, assisted him in a theurgical union [henosis] with the incomprehensible One, which neither rational or theological gnosis could effect.The influence of Syrianus on Proclus was so great that he frequently alludes to his master in his own writings, calling him a "fellow Bacchant with Plato" and a "true hierophant of the divine doctrines" [In Parmenides, 1.1].After Syrianus' tenure as head of the Academy, Proclus was designated as "diadochos," that is, the successor of Plato; and he headed the school for a remarkable fifty years until his passing (ca. 487 AD).Under Proclus' tenure, the most comprehensive system of neo-Platonic philosophy was realized and, even though some of his writings are lost, the massive corpus that is left to us, is of inestimable value and is marked with a philosophical wisdom that is truly extraordinary.The writings of Proclus comprehend every field of science, religion and philosophy and they are representative of the last great flowering of the genius of Hellenism.Among Proclus' distinguished pupils names such as John Philoponus, pseudo-Dionysius, Simplicius and Damascius stand out ,who were all themselves notable philosophers in their own right.In retrospect, from Spuessipus (ca. 347 BC), the first successor of Plato, to Proclus, the last Platonic successor of real standing, the life of the Academy and of scholastic Platonism was running desperately out of air, until at last, it breathed its last under the final death throe of Justinian, who banned all Hellenes from the academies of the Byzantine Empire (529 AD).From that point on, neo-Platonism was converted to Christian theology, until it once again reared its head in the Florence of the Medicii.

The Text: Proclus' 'Commentary on the Parmenides of Plato' was of central importance among that author's writings, as is evidenced by the prefatory address, in which he makes a solemn invocation to "all the gods and goddesses" [1.618].The only other work to begin with invoking the divine, is Proclus' 'Theology of Plato,' so one must assume that he felt the subject-matter of these works to be of the highest order.In the preface, Proclus asks each order of deity (from intelligible gods down to heroes) for their particular blessings so that he may be prepared to enter into what he calls that "most illuminating and mystical vision that Plato reveals to us in the 'Parmenides'."So, implied from the text's very outset, is the commentator's notion that Plato's 'Parmenides' is to be approached and interpreted as something of sacred book, whose content expresses every order of divine being from first to last.Thus, Proclus' exegetical methodology will reveal the 'Parmenides' to be not strictly a gymnastic in logic, as some earlier commentators had construed it, but as a logical exercise, a mystical dialectic, in which Plato, under the guise of hair-splitting logic, has unfolded how all things derive from the One.As to the identity of the One of the 'Parmenides' text, Proclus understands that that there are two ways in which this One may be interpreted, while there is only one that is reasonable.Proclus knows all to well what the historical, philosopher-poet, Parmenides meant [Fr. B 8.1-52] when he spoke about a One--that the poet is theorizing about the One Being, which is itself indivisibly one while containing all things [all existents] in a gathered multiplicity via participation.But Proclus asserts that the dialogue is not solely about Being itself, in Parmenidean terms.Rather, it is the One of Plato--which is non-existent in the sense that it is the transcendent cause of all being--that is the subject of the dialogue.Thus, Proclus states that "Plato, when he discovered that the One was superior to Being and to all existence, by way of correcting Parmenides, presents him as taking his start from the One" [In Parm. 5. 1032].Proclus' justification for this inference is that Plato often sets out the theories of characters in his dialogues in a better form than their own, so as to advance the theories of his predecessors.Additionally, Proclus attests that Parmenides, in his poem, makes affirmative statements as to the nature of his One, whereas in the dialogue Plato has Parmenides starting his hypotheses from negative statements about the One--about the One "in the true sense," the sense in which nothing may be said of it at all, since it is beyond all being, intellection and knowledge [In Parm. 6. 1079].Thus, it is what is not said about the One that makes it the Platonic One, rather than the Parmenidean One Being; and what is said about it, in a positive sense in the ensuing hypotheses, is only to demonstrate the relation that all existence has to the One by way of participation, showing ultimately the One's total unconnectedness from all being.Moving on, another poignant aspect of this text is Proclus' understanding of the characters in the dialogue, which is useful to keep in mind while reading the commentary.At the opening of the dialogue Plato's begins by establishing the setting and dramatis peronae.And Proclus, in a characteristically neo-Platonic way, allegorizes the entire dialogue; however, it will be useful only to name those persons which he feels Plato uses as an analogical device in order to invest the text with a divine metaphysical meaning.The three primary persons in the conversation are interpreted by Proclus to be an analogue to the Noetic Triad: Parmenides represents the Patrios Nous, which is united to the One Being, Zeno of Elea represents Nous [Life] which is replete with the Forms and is participated in by Divine Soul and Socrates represents the Particular Nous, so that together they constitute the triad of Being, Life and Intellect.Further, to complete the analogue to the divine order, Proclus sets up Pythodorus to be the Divine Soul and Antiphon to be Daemonic Soul, which "lays hold of nature," thus concluding the divine circuit from the intellectual gods to the daemonic souls [In Parm. 1.628-29].With that in mind, the commentary as a whole is divided essentially into two parts: books (1-4) consist generally of the metaphysical relation between the Ideas and Matter, first positing the existence of the Ideas, then defining the nature of the Ideas, how they are participated in and just what sorts of entities they are.Proclus tells us that in the first section of the dialogue Parmenides has assisted Socrates in his ascent from Sensibles to Intelligibles, through a logical gymnastic in the Forms, so that he now is anchored "around the level of the One" [In Parm. 5.993].From this locus--the Intelligible--Proclus now announces the subject-matter for books (5-7).In the foregoing books Proclus views the dialogue as progressing from a gymnastic in the Forms to a mystical revelation of metaphysical truths.Having arrived at the level of the One, Proclus interprets Plato to be explaining how the One is cause of all existence and how the One generates the primal henads, by which all the principles of things are held together [ibid].Also, Proclus comprehensively surveys and criticizes theories about Parmenides' famous nine hypotheses, which were set forth in the centuries before him--figures such as Origen the Platonist, Amelius, Porphyry, Plotinus and Iamblichus, to name a few.Proclus' critique of his predecessors theories on the nine hypotheses is not only great for elucidating the development of neo-Platonic doctrine, but also accentuates his line of reasoning leading up to his theory on the hypotheses which he adopted from his master Syrianus, which is:

Positive Hypotheses--that "One" has three senses and "Non-Being" two--
1.)the Primal God, the One ["One" as superior to Being]
2.)Divinized Being: Intelligible, Intellectual, Psychical ["One" as coordinate to Being]
3.)Intermediary Souls ["One" as inferior to Being]
4.)Forms-in-Matter [Relative "Non-Being," since Being is mediated to psychical forms]
5.)Primal Matter [Absolute "Non-Being"]

Negative Hypotheses--reductio ad absurdum--
6.)if the One does not exist, then only Sensibles exist.
7.)if the One does not exist in the absolute sense, then every mode of knowledge and object of knowledge is abolished.
8.)if the One does not exist in the sense of the 6th hypotheses en-mattered forms and matter itself are in a state of "dreams and shadows."
9.)if the One is "Non-Existent" in the absolute sense of non-being, then nothing can exist at all.

--Truly, the outline above requires further explanation, however doing so would over-extend what is necessary to illuminate the general scope of the hypotheses.So let it suffice as means of gauging Proclus' reasoning as to what he regarded as Plato's thoughts on the nine hypotheses of Parmenides.

In Retrospect: Proclus has been styled the last great systemizer of Greek philosophy, yet that term is a by-word for unoriginality and it would be wrong to circumscribe Proclus within such narrow intellectual walls.Proclus was "unoriginal" in the sense that he was not intent upon dismantling the Platonic tradition he inherited.Yet, he was original in the sense that he was advancing that very Platonic tradition by amending the doctrines of his predecessors in an effort to accentuate what he considered to be what Plato really meant.One of these amendments was Plotinus' doctrine of procession [emanation] and return, that is, a beings tendency to emanate from a given hypostases thereupon to revert back to that hypostases in completion of its term.Plotinus viewed this circular revolution dyadically, whereas Proclus advanced the doctrine triadically, arguing that the phenomenon is a three-fold process of abiding [resting], procession and return [=dialectical triads].Moreover, Proclus articulated his own theory of Time by rendering "khronos" [=time] from "khoros" [=dance] and "nous" [=mind] stating that time is the circular dance of the mind.One could also argue that theoriginal genius of Proclus was so pronounced, that he managed to formulate the most complete synthesis of Platonic metaphysics in geometrical form, using Euclid as a basis, in his 'Elements of Theology.'Furthermore, Proclus greatly influenced Dionysius Areopagite in the structuring of his celestial hierarchy, the term "hierarchy" being coined by Dionysius off the inspiration of Proclus.Orthodox Christian angelology and trinitarian doctrine where impacted by the musings of Proclus, as well as the theologies of Albert Magnus and Aquinas in the West, who himself discovered a copy of the 'Elements of Theology' [R. McInerny, Aquinas, pg.20].Hegel also gained much insight from Proclus in forming his dialectic.Proclus' 'Parmenides' was Cardinal Nicholas Cusa's favorite book, Cusa being himself hailed as the most original thinker of the Renaissance.And the revival of neo-Platonism under Marsilio Ficino in Florence was due in large to the works of Proclus.With that said, the case for Proclus' originality is closed; and it is hoped that this review has not been too long-winded or prolix.The intention here was to furnish not simply a well-rounded review on the 'Parmenides' text itself, but also to say much about Proclus himself, so that one is not averted by the gargantuan size of the book and the loftiness of the subject-matter, without having heard some pertinent details about the author that may interest one in pursuing to read a copy of this immortal text.

Interesting work by key Neo-Platonist
Proclus was one of Plato's most devout followers, along with Plotinus.He was also one of the most brilliant.

His commentary on Parmenides is a very long 'drawing out' of what Proclus considered to be the hidden meaning of Plato's dialogues; in effect, Plato was not just a philosopher but also a sage and divinely inspired figure who discovered the secret structure of the universe itself, visible and invisible.

In commenting on this difficult metaphysical dialogue of Plato, in which Plato himself tried to reach an understanding of Parmenides' philosophy of Being, Proclus 'discovers' a vast metaphysical reality beyond the realm of the senses.The structures Proclus outlines are quite complex and best left to the introductory essay in the translation itself.Suffice to say there is a transcendant 'One' which the source of all Being, and which then radiates itself to lower objects called 'Henads' which in turn produce visible reality.Along the way there is also a mixture of magic and prayer to various Gods and daimons.

Proclus was an important philosophical influence on Christian Neo-Platonists, such as Eckhart, Dionysius the Aeropagite and possibly Eriugena.Proclus was also an important influence in Renaissance Neo-Platonism and the influence of this philosopher continues today.

The book is very long (about 900 pages) and Proclus's digressions are exceedingly long winded.His work is not easy to read and will probably put off all but the most determined student of philosophy.

Platonism and Neoplatonism
This book is a fundamental cornerstone in understanding the Socratic dialogs. Academia has split up Philosophy in such a way that it does not come into conflict with Institutional Christianity. The notion that exists today about Platonism and especailly the Socratic dialogs is that a philosopher in ancient Greece is a person that deals in ethics. This is absurd. Religion did not start with Christ, but Christ extends it. A philospher in ancient Greece is a person that is working to become in the likenss of God. This one and only God that only the Jews are supposed to know. This the greatest religious forgery ever that supports yhe Divide and Conquer, the results of which we live today with religious terrorism. Proclus with this work gives a solid ground to break the misunderstanding that caused millions of deaths by bestial people as the Roman Emperors were and their succesors in the Byzantium. Humans are made in the image and likeness of God, and modern science has managed to tell people that God made man in the image and likeness of a monkey. Biology got itself in the monkey business and humanity has to extricate itself from it.

A great survey of the Neo-Platonic philosophy
This is one of the best books by Proclus Diadochus and we are also lucky to have this excellent translation by G.R. Morrow and J.M. Dillon. If anybody is interested in the Neo-Platonic philosophy, or in the ancient philosophy, he should not miss this book. Even if it is rather difficult for a beginner to read long discourses of Proclus on the most important topics of the philosophy, noone should leave this book without careful reading. If you have read the Elements of Theology by Proclus, then you are able to understand everything Proclus is telling us. This book thinks about the most difficult dialogue of Plato - about the Parmenides. In the beginning you are connected with the amazing world of Proclus' allegorical interpretation of Plato's dialogue. Then you can study the world of Ideas as seen by Proclus - you can learn about four problems concerning the Ideas, i.e. whether there are Ideas; what things have Ideas; what is the participation like; and finally where are the Ideas. Proclus shows you all the levels of the realms of the One (Hen) and the Mind (Nous) and you can enjoy also the Proclus' dialectics in the end of the Commentary. The author also tells us a lot of Ideas about the negative theology tells in the last book. The translation is as well of the best value. ... Read more

Product Description
In this survey of the ideas, life, and times of Proclus, Siorvanes explores all the interests of this leading philosophical figure of Late Antiquity-including religion, physics, astronomy, mathematics, and poetry. Siorvanes relates the ideas of Proclus to other major thinkers like Plato, Aristotle, and Ptolemy and traces the remarkable impact of Proclus`s Neo-Platonism across cultures, religions, and centuries. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Exciting, Enlightening Reading
Many thanks to Lucas Siorvanes for rescuing Proclus from scholarly obscurity, and making his life and thought so fascinating and accessible for a layperson like myself.

recommanded reading to any Proclus reader
I found Siorvanes's impressive synthesis on Proclus very useful - modern readers have essentially paid attention to Proclus the metaphysician, whereas in the Renaissance period his 'scientific' writings, such as his commentary on Euclid, his astronomical hypotyposis (a critical summary of Ptolemy's hypotheses) and his commentary on Plato's Timaeus, were held in high esteem and deeply influenced the course of modern science. In this respect, Siorvanes' detailed discussions of these texts in ch. 4 and 5 are rare, convincing and useful. Moreover, the book is very well written and insightful. My only caveat is on the numerous quotations that Siorvanes makes of Proclus' texts - an excellent thing in itself, but the context, to which they belong, is not always clearly mentioned. But in the face of the overall achievment this is only a detail.

A solid introduction to Proclus
The last ten years have been eventful for readers of Proclus: the French edition of the Platonic Theology has been completed, and in its wake numerous studies on that seminal work and on other aspects of Proclus' thought have appeared; after decades of neglect, Proclus has been rehabilitated as a mystic. This impressive book by L. Siorvanes was also published during that span, but it is mainly geared towards the scientific implications of his thought. It accomplishes a daunting task: introducing the reader to Proclean metaphysics and physics in a few hundred pages. All the levels of reality (and knowledge) are considered, and key notions such as similarity, participation and causation are judiciously explained, with numerous excerps taken from Proclus' writings. Siorvanes often uses everyday examples to elucidate some complex points. Still, his agenda is such that very little space is awarded to myth and theurgy; readers should be aware that these elements are central to Proclus' life and thought. In spite of this warning, the book is well worth reading by students of Neoplatonism. (There are many extant works by Proclus. Where should the newcomer start? The first step would be to read the Life of Proclus written by his disciple Marinus, and also Proclus' hymns. Where to go next? Here are a few suggestions: readers interested in the history of mathematics should look for Proclus' Commentary on Euclid's Elements; those intrigued by theurgy should read the short work 'On the hieratic art' - it can easily be found on the Internet; those into metaphysics and theology should turn to the Elements of Theology and the Platonic Theology; as for Proclus' commentaries on Plato's dialogues, the Commentary on the Alcibiades serves as an excellent introduction to his philosophical exegesis.)

The End of a School
This is the only general introduction to Proclus that I have found on this important systematic thinker of the late Athenian School of Neoplatonic Philosophy.

The title's inclusion of 'Science' is a theme carried throughthe work in an emphasis of Proclus' contribution and presentation ofNatural Philosophy: following one link on an internet search for 'Proclus'leads to the Mathematics Department in St Andrews University!

There aresome slight disappointments with the book connected with this.

Proclusand the late Athenian School contrast greatly with Plotinus' ideasregarding rational/irrational in Theology and there is no section dealingwith this specifically.

What there is on Theurgy - again an importanttheme in this branch of Neoplatonism - is rather sketchy.

Some ofProclus' most interesting works are not cited at all.De malorumsubsistentia, for instance, deals with the nature of evil and has someimportant discussions on why matter is not the cause of evil (quite adifferent message from the common 'received' view of Neoplatonism).

Thestyle is also quite difficult to read at times and contrasts with one ortwo excellent works displaying a revived interest in post-IamblicheanNeoplatonism.

Siorvanes has definitely 'got inside' Proclus but leavesthis reader with the taste of contemporary Philsophy: more to do withScience and less with Theology.This may be the author's outlook but I amnot certain Proclus would agree. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Insightful study of a neglected Neoplatonic work
We have four main sources on the interpretation of myths by the Neoplatonists: Porphyry's exegesis on a passage of Homer's Odyssey, Sallustius' On the Gods and the World, Macrobius' Commentary on the Dream of Scipio, and Proclus' Commentary on Plato's Republic (by far the longest of the four). This Commentary is not one of Proclus' better-known works, but it is nonetheless a crucial text. Sheppard's book studies two of the Commentary's dissertations, both vital to one's understanding of Proclus' philosophy of myth. This aspect of his thought is not often written about, mostly because it is presumed to be unoriginal; it is in fact multi-faceted and very personal, tying with many key elements of the Neoplatonic tradition (the positive use of mania, the importance of mysteries, rites and theurgy, hierarchical levels of knowledge, etc.). Sheppard first analyzes the form of these two essays, and then the fundamental issues they raise: Proclus' possible debt to his master Syrianus; his interpretation of Plato; the link between the allegorical interpretation of myths and mysteries. Some familiarity with ancient Greek helps, but it is not absolutely necessary. This is the only book-length study on this particular facet of Proclus' thought, and on his seminal Commentary; it is a very helpful tool for those who wish to pursue studies on such a topic. ... Read more