the six enneads-第78节
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alone its images can be produced。 The soul； on the contrary； is sovereign over material things by might of Real…Being； their quality is determined by its lead； and those elementary things cannot stand against its will。 On the later level； things are hindered one by the other； and thus often fall short of the characteristic shape at which their unextended Reason…Principle must be aiming； in that other world ＇under the soul but above the material＇ the entire shape ＇as well as the idea＇ comes from soul； and all that is produced takes and keeps its appointed place in a unity； so that the engendered thing； without labour as without clash； becomes all that it should be。 In that world the soul has elaborated its creation； the images of the gods； dwellings for men； each existing to some peculiar purpose。 Soul could produce none but the things which truly represent its powers： fire produces warmth； another source produces cold； soul has a double efficacy； its act within itself； and its act from within outwards towards the new production。 In soulless entities； the outgo ＇natural to everything＇ remains dormant； and any efficiency they have is to bring to their own likeness whatever is amenable to their act。 All existence has this tendency to bring other things to likeness； but the soul has the distinction of possessing at once an action of conscious attention within itself； and an action towards the outer。 It has thus the function of giving life to all that does not live by prior right； and the life it gives is commensurate with its own； that is to say； living in reason； it communicates reason to the body… an image of the reason within itself； just as the life given to the body is an image of Real…Being… and it bestows； also； upon that material the appropriate shapes of which it contains the Reason…Forms。 The content of the creative soul includes the Ideal shapes of gods and of all else： and hence it is that the kosmos contains all。 11。 I think； therefore； that those ancient sages； who sought to secure the presence of divine beings by the erection of shrines and statues； showed insight into the nature of the All； they perceived that； though this Soul is everywhere tractable； its presence will be secured all the more readily when an appropriate receptacle is elaborated； a place especially capable of receiving some portion or phase of it； something reproducing it； or representing it； and serving like a mirror to catch an image of it。 It belongs to the nature of the All to make its entire content reproduce； most felicitously； the Reason…Principles in which it participates； every particular thing is the image within matter of a Reason…Principle which itself images a pre…material Reason…Principle： thus every particular entity is linked to that Divine Being in whose likeness it is made； the divine principle which the soul contemplated and contained in the act of each creation。 Such mediation and representation there must have been since it was equally impossible for the created to be without share in the Supreme； and for the Supreme to descend into the created。 The Intellectual…Principle in the Supreme has ever been the sun of that sphere… let us accept that as the type of the creative Logos… and immediately upon it follows the Soul depending from it； stationary Soul from stationary Intelligence。 But the Soul borders also upon the sun of this sphere； and it becomes the medium by which all is linked to the overworld； it plays the part of an interpreter between what emanates from that sphere down to this lower universe； and what rises… as far as； through soul； anything can… from the lower to the highest。 Nothing； in fact； is far away from anything； things are not remote： there is； no doubt； the aloofness of difference and of mingled natures as against the unmingled； but selfhood has nothing to do with spatial position； and in unity itself there may still be distinction。 These Beings ＇the Reason…Principles of this sphere＇ are divine in virtue of cleaving to the Supreme； because； by the medium of the Soul thought of as descending they remain linked with the Primal Soul； and through it are veritably what they are called and possess the vision of the Intellectual Principle； the single object of contemplation to that soul in which they have their being。 12。 The souls of men； seeing their images in the mirror of Dionysus as it were； have entered into that realm in a leap downward from the Supreme： yet even they are not cut off from their origin； from the divine Intellect； it is not that they have come bringing the Intellectual Principle down in their fall； it is that though they have descended even to earth； yet their higher part holds for ever above the heavens。 Their initial descent is deepened since that mid…part of theirs is compelled to labour in care of the care…needing thing into which they have entered。 But Zeus； the father； takes pity on their toils and makes the bonds in which they labour soluble by death and gives respite in due time； freeing them from the body； that they too may come to dwell there where the Universal Soul； unconcerned with earthly needs； has ever dwelt。 For the container of the total of things must be a self…sufficing entity and remain so： in its periods it is wrought out to purpose under its Reason…Principles which are perdurably valid； by these periods it reverts unfailingly； in the measured stages of defined life…duration； to its established character； it is leading the things of this realm to be of one voice and plan with the Supreme。 And thus the kosmic content is carried forward to its purpose； everything in its co…ordinate place； under one only Reason…Principle operating alike in the descent and return of souls and to every purpose of the system。 We may know this also by the concordance of the Souls with the ordered scheme of the kosmos； they are not independent； but； by their descent； they have put themselves in contact； and they stand henceforth in harmonious association with kosmic circuit… to the extent that their fortunes； their life experiences； their choosing and refusing； are announced by the patterns of the stars… and out of this concordance rises as it were one musical utterance： the music； the harmony； by which all is described is the best witness to this truth。 Such a consonance can have been procured in one only way： The All must； in every detail of act and experience； be an expression of the Supreme； which must dominate alike its periods and its stable ordering and the life…careers varying with the movement of the souls as they are sometimes absorbed in that highest； sometimes in the heavens； sometimes turned to the things and places of our earth。 All that is Divine Intellect will rest eternally above； and could never fall from its sphere but； poised entire in its own high place； will communicate to things here through the channel of Soul。 Soul in virtue of neighbourhood is more closely modelled upon the Idea uttered by the Divine Intellect； and thus is able to produce order in the movement of the lower realm； one phase ＇the World…Soul＇ maintaining the unvarying march ＇of the kosmic circuit＇ the other ＇the soul of the Individual＇ adopting itself to times and season。 The depth of the descent； also； will differ… sometimes lower； sometimes less low… and this even in its entry into any given Kind： all that is fixed is that each several soul descends to a recipient indicated by affinity of condition； it moves towards the thing which it There resembled； and enters； accordingly； into the body of man or animal。 13。 The Ineluctable； the Kosmic Law is； thus； rooted in a natural principle under which each several entity is overruled to go； duly and in order； towards that place and Kind to which it characteristically tends； that is towards the image of its primal choice and constitution。 In that archetypal world every form of soul is near to the image ＇the thing in the world of copy＇ to which its individual constitution inclines it； there is therefore no need of a sender or leader acting at the right moment to bring it at the right moment whether into body or into a definitely appropriate body： of its own motion it descends at the precisely true time and enters where it must。 To every Soul its own hour； when that strikes it descends and enters the body suitable to it as at the cry of a herald； thus all is set stirring and advancing as by a magician's power or by some mighty traction； it is much as； in any living thing； the soul itself effects the fulfillment of the natural career； stirring and bringing forth； in due season； every element… beard； horn； and all the successive stages of tendency and of output… or； as it leads a tree through its normal course within set periods。 The Souls go forth neither under compulsion nor of freewill； or； at least； freedom； here； is not to be regarded as action upon preference； it is more like such a leap of the nature as moves men to the instinctive desire of sexual union； or； in the case of some； to fine conduct； the motive lies elsewhere than in the reason： like is destined unfailingly to like； and each moves hither or thither at its fixed moment。 Even the Intellectual…Principle； which is before all the kosmos； h
