Iamblichus: On the Mysteries · 210 of 218 · tr. Thomas Taylor
Chapter VIII-ax
“This is spoken after the manner of the pontiffs, by whom, according to ancient rites, in all sacrifices, after the appropriate Gods whom it was necessary to invoke to the sacrifice, all the divinities were invoked in general.” And in his Annotations on the seventh of the Æneid he informs us, “that king Œneus offered a sacrifice of first fruits to all the divinities but Diana, who being enraged sent a boar [as a punishment for the neglect].” With respect to this anger, however, of Diana, it is necessary to observe with Proclus, “that the anger of the Gods does not refer any passion to them, but indicates our inaptitude to participate of them.” Ο γαρ των θεων χολος, ουκ εις εκεινας αναπεμπει τι παθος, αλλα την ημων δεικνυσι ανεπιτηδειοτητα της εκεινων μεθεξεως.
115 .
Plotinus was a man of this description, to whom, most probably, Iamblichus alludes in what he now says.
116 .
In the original θυμον τινος : but it is doubtless requisite to read with Gale, θεσμον τινος .
This I have translated a certain divine legislation , because we are informed by Proclus, in Platon.
Theol.
lib.
iv.
p.
206, “that θεσμος is connected with deity, and pertains more to intelligibles; but that νομος , which unfolds intellectual distribution, is adapted to the intellectual fathers.” Ο γαρ θεσμος συμπλεκεται τῳ θεῳ, και προσηκει μαλλον τοις νοητοις ο δε νομος την νοεραν εμφαινων διανομην, οικειος εσι τοις νοεροις πατρασι.
117 .
“Perhaps,” says Proclus, in MS.
Comment, in Parmenid.
“it is necessary that, as in souls, natures, and bodies, fabrication does not begin from the imperfect; so likewise in matter, prior to that which is formless, and which has an evanescent being, there is that which is in a certain respect form, and which is beheld in one boundary and permanency.” This, therefore, will be the pure and divine matter of which Iamblichus is now speaking.
Damascius also says, that matter is from the same order whence form is derived.
118 .
This particular respecting the apples of gold is added from the version of Scutellius, who appears to have translated this work from a more perfect manuscript than that which was used by Gale.
119 .
The conjecture of Gale, that for ἢ το εν Αβυδῳ in this place, we should read ἢ το εν αδυτῳ , is, I have no doubt, right.
For the highest order of intelligibles is denominated by Orpheus the adytum , as we are informed by Proclus in Tim.
Augustinian and Plotinian doctrine that evil has no positive being of its own but is a lack, distortion, or absence of the good — denying ontological dualism while preserving moral seriousness.
Proclus defines divine anger not as a positive passion but as an indication of human inaptitude to participate in the divine.
The doctrine — central to Eastern Orthodox and Maximian theology — that the human person is progressively transformed into a partaker of the divine nature by grace, not merely justified or united in passing ecstasy.
The text discusses the 'participation' of humans in the divine and the nature of divine matter derived from intelligibles.
Iamblichean ritual practice that engages the gods directly through consecrated material symbols and actions, on the premise that divine power descends into properly prepared matter — distinct from philosophical contemplation alone.
The passage centrally discusses sacrifices, invocations of gods, and the efficacy of ritual actions like offering first fruits to engage divine power.