the six enneads-第88章
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and for the Supreme to descend into the created。 The Intellectual…Principle in the Supreme has ever been the sun of that sphere… let us accept that as the type of the creative Logos… and immediately upon it follows the Soul depending from it； stationary Soul from stationary Intelligence。 But the Soul borders also upon the sun of this sphere； and it becomes the medium by which all is linked to the overworld； it plays the part of an interpreter between what emanates from that sphere down to this lower universe； and what rises… as far as； through soul； anything can… from the lower to the highest。 Nothing； in fact； is far away from anything； things are not remote： there is； no doubt； the aloofness of difference and of mingled natures as against the unmingled； but selfhood has nothing to do with spatial position； and in unity itself there may still be distinction。 These Beings ＇the Reason…Principles of this sphere＇ are divine in virtue of cleaving to the Supreme； because； by the medium of the Soul thought of as descending they remain linked with the Primal Soul； and through it are veritably what they are called and possess the vision of the Intellectual Principle； the single object of contemplation to that soul in which they have their being。 12。 The souls of men； seeing their images in the mirror of Dionysus as it were； have entered into that realm in a leap downward from the Supreme： yet even they are not cut off from their origin； from the divine Intellect； it is not that they have come bringing the Intellectual Principle down in their fall； it is that though they have descended even to earth； yet their higher part holds for ever above the heavens。 Their initial descent is deepened since that mid…part of theirs is compelled to labour in care of the care…needing thing into which they have entered。 But Zeus； the father； takes pity on their toils and makes the bonds in which they labour soluble by death and gives respite in due time； freeing them from the body； that they too may come to dwell there where the Universal Soul； unconcerned with earthly needs； has ever dwelt。 For the container of the total of things must be a self…sufficing entity and remain so： in its periods it is wrought out to purpose under its Reason…Principles which are perdurably valid； by these periods it reverts unfailingly； in the measured stages of defined life…duration； to its established character； it is leading the things of this realm to be of one voice and plan with the Supreme。 And thus the kosmic content is carried forward to its purpose； everything in its co…ordinate place； under one only Reason…Principle operating alike in the descent and return of souls and to every purpose of the system。 We may know this also by the concordance of the Souls with the ordered scheme of the kosmos； they are not independent； but； by their descent； they have put themselves in contact； and they stand henceforth in harmonious association with kosmic circuit… to the extent that their fortunes； their life experiences； their choosing and refusing； are announced by the patterns of the stars… and out of this concordance rises as it were one musical utterance： the music； the harmony； by which all is described is the best witness to this truth。 Such a consonance can have been procured in one only way： The All must； in every detail of act and experience； be an expression of the Supreme； which must dominate alike its periods and its stable ordering and the life…careers varying with the movement of the souls as they are sometimes absorbed in that highest； sometimes in the heavens； sometimes turned to the things and places of our earth。 All that is Divine Intellect will rest eternally above； and could never fall from its sphere but； poised entire in its own high place； will communicate to things here through the channel of Soul。 Soul in virtue of neighbourhood is more closely modelled upon the Idea uttered by the Divine Intellect； and thus is able to produce order in the movement of the lower realm； one phase ＇the World…Soul＇ maintaining the unvarying march ＇of the kosmic circuit＇ the other ＇the soul of the Individual＇ adopting itself to times and season。 The depth of the descent； also； will differ… sometimes lower； sometimes less low… and this even in its entry into any given Kind： all that is fixed is that each several soul descends to a recipient indicated by affinity of condition； it moves towards the thing which it There resembled； and enters； accordingly； into the body of man or animal。 13。 The Ineluctable； the Kosmic Law is； thus； rooted in a natural principle under which each several entity is overruled to go； duly and in order； towards that place and Kind to which it characteristically tends； that is towards the image of its primal choice and constitution。 In that archetypal world every form of soul is near to the image ＇the thing in the world of copy＇ to which its individual constitution inclines it； there is therefore no need of a sender or leader acting at the right moment to bring it at the right moment whether into body or into a definitely appropriate body： of its own motion it descends at the precisely true time and enters where it must。 To every Soul its own hour； when that strikes it descends and enters the body suitable to it as at the cry of a herald； thus all is set stirring and advancing as by a magician's power or by some mighty traction； it is much as； in any living thing； the soul itself effects the fulfillment of the natural career； stirring and bringing forth； in due season； every element… beard； horn； and all the successive stages of tendency and of output… or； as it leads a tree through its normal course within set periods。 The Souls go forth neither under compulsion nor of freewill； or； at least； freedom； here； is not to be regarded as action upon preference； it is more like such a leap of the nature as moves men to the instinctive desire of sexual union； or； in the case of some； to fine conduct； the motive lies elsewhere than in the reason： like is destined unfailingly to like； and each moves hither or thither at its fixed moment。 Even the Intellectual…Principle； which is before all the kosmos； has； it also； its destiny； that of abiding intact above； and of giving downwards： what it sends down is the particular whose existence is implied in the law of the universal； for the universal broods closely over the particular； it is not from without that the law derives the power by which it is executed； on the contrary the law is given in the entities upon whom it falls； these bear it about with them。 Let but the moment arrive； and what it decrees will be brought to act by those beings in whom it resides； they fulfil it because they contain it； it prevails because it is within them； it becomes like a heavy burden； and sets up in them a painful longing to enter the realm to which they are bidden from within。 14。 Thus it comes about that this kosmos； lit with many lights； gleaming in its souls； receives still further graces； gifts from here and from there； from the gods of the Supreme； and from those other Intellectual…Principles whose nature it is to ensoul。 This is probably the secret of the myth in which； after Prometheus had moulded woman； the other gods heaped gifts upon her； Hephaistos 〃blending the clay with moisture and bestowing the human voice and the form of a goddess〃； Aphrodite bringing her gifts； and the Graces theirs； and other gods other gifts； and finally calling her by the name ＇Pandora＇ which tells of gift and of all giving… for all have added something to this formation brought to being by a Promethean； a fore…thinking power。 As for the rejection of Prometheus' gift by after…thought； Epimetheus； what can this signify but that the wiser choice is to remain in the Intellectual realm？ Pandora's creator is fettered； to signify that he is in some sense held by his own creation； such a fettering is external and the release by Hercules tells that there is power in Prometheus； so that he need not remain in bonds。 Take the myth as we may； it is certainly such an account of the bestowal of gifts upon the kosmos as harmonizes with our explanation of the universal system。 15。 The souls peering
