THE Philofophical and Mathematical COMMENTARIES OF PROCLUS, ON THE FIRST BOOK OF EUCLID'S ELEMENTS.. TO WHICH ARE ADDED, A HISTORY OF THE RESTORATION OF THE PLATONIC THEOLOGY, BY THE LATTER PLATONISTS: And a Translation from the Greek of PROCLUS'S THEOLOGICAL ELEMENTS. By THOMAS TAYLOR. Νυν αὔτε σκοπὸν αλλον, ὃν ἔπω τις βάλεν ανὴς, Είσομαι αἴ κε τύχοιμι, πόρη δέ μοι εἶχθ· ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝ. -HOM. ODYS. And Sold by T. PAYNE and SON; B. WHITE and SON; L. DAVIS; J. ROBSON; MDCCLXΧΧΙΧ, 29162..d. 6. I PREFACE. Now present the reader with the remaining part of the Commentaries of Proclus on Euclid: with the addition of his Theological Elements, and a History of the Restoration of the Platonic Theology, by the latter disciples of Plato. Should my design be enquired into, in combining works which the superficial observer will confider as opposite and heterogeneous, I answer that it is no less novel than certain, no less important than apposite and connected. Its novelty will be evident by assuring the reader, that a vindication of philofophical Polytheism, as embraced by the wisdom, and fupported by the general voice of antiquity, is the ultimate tendency of its execution. Its connection too with geometry will be manifest to every Tyro in Platonism, and has been so copiously proved in the former volume, that it would be superfluous to repeat the demonstration in the present. I am well aware that nothing has been so much the subject of ridicule and declamation, of ignorant aspersion and impotent contempt, as the theology of the ancients. It has fupplied the harangues of the pulpit with an endless variety of popular argument, and an exhauftless source of priestly elocution. It has been equally derided by the man of learning and the merchant, by the noble and the vulgar, by the peasant and the priest. But it still lives in the works of the ancients, it is still capable of being supported by found reasoning, and fublime philosophy; and its intrinfic excellence and truth will extend its existence beyond the wreck of modern systems, and the desolation of ages. Like a strong and capacious ship it fails with majestic security through the ocean of time; and sustains with careless dignity the storms of oppofition that roar round its well-compacted fides. The blasts of calumny may indeed impede pede its progress, but are unable to shatter its indissoluble fabric; and the profperous gales of philosophy will always fucceed the tempefts of folly, and waft it with rapidity to the enlightned regions of mankind. The time perhaps is not far distant, when this fortunate change may commence. Above twelve hundred years have elapfed fince the vessel of ancient wisdom visited the civilized parts of the world, and the nations were blest with its invaluable contents: and during this dreadful interval, ignorance and delusion, jargon and reverie, have held an undisturbed and universal reign. The depravity of the times is the subject of general complaint: genius no longer foars; learning has evaporated into words; and philofophy is but a name. Yet, though the restoration of anciens theology is the object of my most ardent defires, I much fear that a period still more barbarous, with respect to philofophy; that an age still darker and more debased must precede its establishment on the earth. Prodigies and destruction attended, as we shall observe in the ensuing history, its departure from mankind; and desolation will doubtless be the harbinger of its future appearance. The orb of viciffitude produces renovation and decay in regular succession; and marks, as it revolves, the dormant events of future periods with the ruinous characters of the past. Let us, therefore, patiently wait for, and joyfully expect the happy moment when the breezes of philosophy shall arife with abundance and vigour; and impel the vessel of theology laden with the riches of wisdom, on our natal coast. The revolution is certain, however remote: and the profpect is of itself sufficient to increase the vigour of exertion, and animate the expectations of hope; to enable us to brave the storms of ecclefiaftical persecution, and vanquish the resistance of folly. COMMENTARIES OF PROCLUS. воок III. : * S Concerning Petitions and Axioms. INCE the principles of geometry are triply divided into Hypotheses, Petitions, and Axioms, the difference between these we have explained in the preceding books. But we now intend to difcourse more accurately of petition and axiom, as especially necefsary to our present design. For hypotheses, which are also called definitions, we have already explained. It is common, therefore, as well to axioms as to petitions, to require no demonftration, and no geome * In the two preceding books of this work our author has displayed an uncommon degree of philosophic elegance and depth; and in the present two, he no less manifests the greatest geometrical accuracy and skill. In the former he elevates us from participated truth to truth itself; and from the glimmering light of universals reflected in the catoptric bofom of the phantasy, to the bright refulgence of ideas. In the latter he combines geometry and philofophy, occafionally cloathes the rigid accuracy of demonftration with the enchanting imagery of divine imaginations, and unites the graces of diction with the precision and fanctity of truth. Yet his genius, though rapid as a torrent, never passes beyond the bounds of propriety; and though his thoughts are vehement and vast, they are at the fame time orderly and majestic. For my own part I confefs myself enamoured with the grandeur of his diction, asionished with the magnificence of his conceptions, and enlightened by the irradiations of his powerful genius. And I defire nothing fo much as that others may experience fimilar effects from this admirable work. I only add, that the study of this second part is absolutely necessary to a perfect comprehenfion of Euclid's method and meaning; and to the understanding geometry completely and philosophically. It is casy indeed to learn a science in a manner fufficient for mechanical purposes; for this is accompi shed by the many: but it is arduous to learn it with a view to the perception of truth; VOL. II. B for |