 Latin translation ofElements of Theology byFranciscus Patricius, 1583 | |
| Author | Proclus |
|---|---|
| Language | Koinē Greek (original) |
| Part ofa series on |
| Neoplatonism |
|---|
 Reconstructed bust believed to represent Plotinus, the founder of Neoplatonism |
 Philosophy portal |
TheElements of Theology (Ancient Greek:Στοιχείωσις θεολογική,romanized: Stoicheiōses Theologikē) is a work onNeoplatonic philosophy written byProclus (c. 412–485).[1] Conceived of as a systematic summary of Neoplatonicmetaphysics, it has often served as a general introduction to this subject.[2]
It was widely influential during theMiddle Ages, especially through its 9th-centuryArabic adaptationKitāb al-Īḍāḥ fī al-khayr al-maḥḍ ("The Book on the Explanation of the Pure Good"), known inLatin asLiber de causis or "Book of Causes", which wasfalsely attributed to Aristotle. Proclus' work itself was first translated into Latin in 1268 byWilliam of Moerbeke asElementatio Theologica.
TheElements of Theology is a compendium of 211 propositions that presents a concise systematization ofNeoplatonic philosophy, with no attempt at radical innovation.[3] Proclus uses the term 'theology' as in the study of the 'first principles' of all things. The propositions can be informally halved into dual parts: the first establish the unity of the many in theOne,causality,participation,gradiation,procession,infinitude andeternity. The second half; on thehenads,intelligences andsouls.[2]
AnArabic adaptation of theElements of Theology was made in the 9th century, called theKitāb al-Īḍāḥ fī al-khayr al-maḥḍ ("The Book on the Explanation of the Pure Good").[4]Falsely attributed to Aristotle, this work was in turn translated into Latin in the 12th century byGerhard of Cremona under the nameLiber de causis. Translations of theKitāb al-Īḍāḥ fī al-khayr al-maḥḍ intoArmenian andHebrew also exist.[5] Another way in which theElements of Theology found its way into medievalAristotelian philosophy is through the portions of the book that were interspersed in Arabic translations of works by thePeripatetic philosopherAlexander of Aphrodisias.[6]
In theByzantine world, theElements of Theology was studied in its originalGreek byMichael Psellos (11th century) and translated intoGeorgian by Psellos' pupilIoanne Petritsi, who also wrote a commentary on it. AChristian refutation of the work was written by the bishopNicolaus of Methone in the 12th century.[2]
More widely influential, however, was theLiber de causis (the Latin version of theKitāb al-Īḍāḥ fī al-khayr al-maḥḍ), which due to its attribution toAristotle was regarded by medieval philosophers as a kind of appendix toAristotle'sMetaphysics. As such, it had also become a standard part of theuniversity curriculum in the 13th century. This ended only whenThomas Aquinas, with the help ofWilliam of Moerbeke's 1268 translation of theElements of Theology (Latin:Elementatio Theologica),[7] was able to show that theLiber de causis was not a work written by Aristotle, but was actually based upon Proclus' work.[2]
William of Moerbeke's Latin translations of Proclus' works were not widely read in the Middle Ages, though in the 14th century a Latin commentary on theElements of Theology was written byBerthold of Moosburg.[8] TheLiber de causis was also still used byDante (c. 1265–1321), who probably drew upon this work for the Neoplatonic ideas in hisDivine Comedy.[9]
{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
Elements of Theology public domain audiobook atLibriVox