i. e. intellect, a profundity, silence, truth, and wisdom, which as Gale well observes in his notes on Iamblichus de Mysteriis, &c. prove their dogmas to be of Chaldaic origin. For these words perpetually occur in the fragments of the Chaidaic oracles. And the middle of the Chaldean intelligible triad is denominated αιων æon,[1] i. e. eternity, and is also perfectly conformable to the theology of Plato, as is very satisfactorily shown by Proclus in the third book of the following work. According to the Chaldeans therefore, the æones are Gods; and considered as the exemplars of the visible universe, they are analogous to the ideas of Plato, which also are Gods, as is evident from the Parmenides of that philosopher.[2] According to Paul too, as the æones are the fabricators of the visible world, they must be beings of a much higher order than angels, and consequently must be Gods; productive power being one of the great characteristics of a divine nature.
Again, in the Epistle to the Ephesians, chap. i. v. 21. Paul says that God has exalted Christ “far above every principality, and power, and might, and dominion,” υπεϱανω πασης αϱχης και εξουσιας, και δυναμεως και κυϱιοτητος. And in the 6th chapter and 12th verse he conjoins with principalities and powers, the rulers of the world, i. e. the seven planets, πϱος τας αϱχας, πϱος τας εξουσιας, πϱος τας κοσμοκϱατοϱας. Augustin[3] confesses that he is ignorant what the difference is between those four words, (principality, power, might, and dominion,) in which the Apostle Paul seems to comprehend all the celestial society. “Quid inter se distent quatuor illa vocabula, quibus universam ipsam cœlestem societatem videtur Apostolus esse complexus, dicant qui possunt, si tamen possunt probare quod dicunt; ego me ista ignorare fateor.” Ignatius also (in Epist. ad Trallianos) speaks of the angelic orders, the diversities of archangels and armies, the differences of the orders characterised by might and dominion, of thrones and powers, the magnificence of the æones,[4] and the transcendency of Cherubim and Seraphim,” και γαϱ εγω ου καθ’ ο, σι δεδεμαι, και δυναμαι νοειν τα επουϱανια, και τας αγγελικας ταξεις, και τας των αϱχαγγελων και στϱατιων εξαλλαγας,
- ↑ Proclus begins the sixth book of the following work with observing that he has celebrated in the preceding book the hebdomadic æon of the intellectual Gods. The æones therefore, though the cause of them exists in the intelligible, properly belong to the intellectual order; and the Demiurgus or artificer of the universe subsists at the extremity of that order. But the demiurgus according to Orpheus, prior to the fabrication of the world absorbed in himself Phanes the exemplar of the universe. Hence he became full of ideas of which the forms in the sensible universe are the images. And as all intellectual natures are in each, it is evident that things which are seen were generated from the invisible æones, conformably to the assertion of Paul.
- ↑ I refer the reader who is desirous of being fully convinced of this to the notes accompanying my translation of that dialogue, in vol. 3 of my Plato.
- ↑ Ad Laurentium, c. 58.
- ↑ Here we see the æones are acknowledged by Irenæus to be beings of an order superior to angels.
