the six enneads-第164节
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ciple which holds fast in unchanging identity of essence： but that principle is infinite not only in duration but also in power： this infinity of power must also have its counterpart； a principle springing from that infinite power and dependent upon it； this counterpart will； after its own mode； run a course… corresponding to the course of Time… in keeping with that stationary power which is its greater as being its source： and in this too the source is present throughout the full extension of its lower correspondent。 This secondary of Power； participating as far as it may in that higher； must be identified。 Now the higher power is present integrally but； in the weakness of the recipient material； is not discerned as every point； it is present as an identity everywhere not in the mode of the material triangle… identical though； in many representations； numerically multiple； but in the mode of the immaterial； ideal triangle which is the source of the material figures。 If we are asked why the omnipresence of the immaterial triangle does not entail that of the material figure； we answer that not all Matter enters into the participation necessary； Matter accepts various forms and not all Matter is apt for all form； the First Matter； for example； does not lend itself to all but is for the First Kinds first and for the others in due order； though these； too； are omnipresent。 12。 To return： How is that Power present to the universe？ As a One Life。 Consider the life in any living thing； it does not reach only to some fixed point； unable to permeate the entire being； it is omnipresent。 If on this again we are asked How； we appeal to the character of this power； not subject to quantity but such that though you divide it mentally for ever you still have the same power； infinite to the core； in it there is no Matter to make it grow less and less according to the measured mass。 Conceive it as a power of an ever…fresh infinity； a principle unfailing； inexhaustible； at no point giving out； brimming over with its own vitality。 If you look to some definite spot and seek to fasten on some definite thing； you will not find it。 The contrary is your only way； you cannot pass on to where it is not； you will never halt at a dwindling point where it fails at last and can no longer give； you will always be able to move with it… better； to be in its entirety… and so seek no further； denying it； you have strayed away to something of another order and you fall； looking elsewhere you do not see what stands there before you。 But supposing you do thus 〃seek no further；〃 how do you experience it？ In that you have entered into the All； no longer content with the part； you cease to think of yourself as under limit but； laying all such determination aside； you become an All。 No doubt you were always that； but there has been an addition and by that addition you are diminished； for the addition was not from the realm of Being… you can add nothing to Being… but from non…Being。 It is not by some admixture of non…Being that one becomes an entire； but by putting non…Being away。 By the lessening of the alien in you； you increase。 Cast it aside and there is the All within you； engaged in the alien； you will not find the All。 Not that it has to come and so be present to you； it is you that have turned from it。 And turn though you may； you have not severed yourself； it is there； you are not in some far region： still there before it； you have faced to its contrary。 It is so with the lesser gods； of many standing in their presence it is often one alone that sees them； that one alone was alone in the power to see。 These are the gods who 〃in many guises seek our cities〃； but there is That Other whom the cities seek； and all the earth and heaven； everywhere with God and in Him； possessing through Him their Being and the Real Beings about them； down to soul and life； all bound to Him and so moving to that unity which by its very lack of extension is infinite。 SIXTH TRACTATE。
ON NUMBERS。
1。 It is suggested that multiplicity is a falling away from The Unity； infinity being the complete departure； an innumerable multiplicity； and that this is why unlimit is an evil and we evil at the stage of multiplicity。 A thing； in fact； becomes a manifold when； unable to remain self…centred； it flows outward and by that dissipation takes extension： utterly losing unity it becomes a manifold since there is nothing to bind part to part； when； with all this outflowing； it becomes something definite； there is a magnitude。 But what is there so grievous in magnitude？ Given consciousness； there will be； since the thing must feel its exile； its sundrance from its essence。 Everything seeks not the alien but itself； in that outward moving there is frustration or compulsion； a thing most exists not when it takes multiplicity or extension but when it holds to its own being； that is when its movement is inward。 Desire towards extension is ignorance of the authentically great； a movement not on the appropriate path but towards the strange； to the possession of the self the way is inward。 Consider the thing that has taken extension； broken into so many independent items； it is now those several parts and not the thing it was； if that original is to persist； the members must stand collected to their total； in other words； a thing is itself not by being extended but by remaining； in its degree； a unity： through expansion and in the measure of the expansion； it is less itself； retaining unity； it retains its essential being。 Yet the universe has at once extension and beauty？ Yes； because it has not been allowed to slip away into the limitless but is held fast by unity； and it has beauty in virtue of Beauty not of Magnitude； it needed Beauty to parry that magnitude； in the degree of its extension it was void of beauty and to that degree ugly。 Thus extension serves as Matter to Beauty since what calls for its ordering is a multiplicity。 The greater the expansion； the greater the disorder and ugliness。 2。 What； then； of the 〃Number of the Infinite〃？ To begin with； how is Number consistent with infinity？ Objects of sense are not unlimited and therefore the Number applying to them cannot be so。 Nor is an enumerator able to number to infinity； though we double； multiply over and over again； we still end with a finite number； though we range over past and future； and consider them； even； as a totality； we still end with the finite。 Are we then to dismiss absolute limitlessness and think merely that there is always something beyond？ No； that more is not in the reckoner's power to produce； the total stands already defined。 In the Intellectual the Beings are determined and with them Number； the number corresponding to their total； in this sphere of our own… as we make a man a multiple by counting up his various characteristics； his beauty and the rest… we take each image of Being and form a corresponding image of number； we multiply a non…existent in and so produce multiple numbers； if we number years we draw on the numbers in our own minds and apply them to the years； these numbers are still our possession。 3。 And there is the question How can the infinite have existence and remain unlimited： whatever is in actual existence is by that very fact determined numerically。 But； first； if multiplicity holds a true place among Beings； how can it be an evil？ As existent it possesses unity； it is a unit…multiple； saved from stark multiplicity； but it is of a lessened unity and； by that inwoven multiplicity； it is evil in comparison with unity pure。 No longer steadfast in that nature； but fallen； it is the less； while in virtue of the unity thence retained it keeps some value； multiplicity has value in so far as it tends to return to； unity。 But how explain the unlimited？ It would seem that either it is among beings and so is limited or； if unlimited； is not among beings but； at best； among things of process such as Time。 To be brought to limit it must be unlimited； not the limited but the unlimited is the subject of limitation； since between the limited and the unlimited there is no intermediate to accept the principle of limitation。 The unlimited recoils by very nature from the Idea of limit； though it may be caught and held by it from without：… the recoil； of course； is not from one place to another； the limitless can have nothing to do with place which arises only with the limiting of the unlimited。 Hence what is known as the flux of the unlimited is not to be understood as local change； nor does any other sort of recognisable motion belong to it in itself； therefore the limitless cannot move： neither can it be at rest： in what； since all place is later？ Its movement means little more than that it is not fixed in rest。 Is it； then； suspended at some one point； or rocking to and fro？ No； any such poising； with or without side motion； could be known only by place ＇which Matter precedes＇。 How； then； are we to form any conception of its being？ We must fasten on the bare notion and take what that gives us… opposites that still are not opposed： we think of large and sma
