Greco-Christian stream·Chaldean Oracles·Matter

Source context

Theme

ontological status of matter within a theurgic-Neoplatonic cosmology

Soul-faculty

Consciousness Soul

Steiner

not engaged in the GA corpus

Cross-tradition

• Neoplatonism (Plotinus, Iamblichus)Neoplatonic doctrine treats matter (hyle) as the final declension of the One, neither evil in itself nor fully real, a position structurally congruent with the Chaldean Oracles' treatment of material existence as the outermost limit of divine emanation.
• Vedanta (Advaita)Advaita Vedanta's concept of maya as the apparent solidity of Brahman's self-concealment offers cross-tradition congruence with the Chaldean view of matter as a veil or residue of divine fire.
• Hermetic philosophy (Corpus Hermeticum)The Hermetic principle of correspondence between upper and lower realms positions material existence as the lowest register of a unified spiritual hierarchy, a structurally parallel treatment to the Chaldean Oracles' subordination of matter to fire-derived divinity.

Matter

THE WORLD--AND NATURE.

99The Matrix containing all things.
T.

100Wholly divisible, and yet indivisible.

101Thence abundantly springeth forth the generations of multifarious Matter.
Proc. in *Tim*., 118. T.

102These frame atoms, sensible forms, corporeal bodies, and things destined to matter.
Dam, *De Prin*. T.

103The Nymphs of the Fountains, and all the Water Spirits, and terrestrial, aërial and astral forms, are the Lunar Riders and Rulers of all Matter, the Celestial, the Starry, and that which lieth in the Abysses.
*Lydus*., p. 32.

104According to the Oracles, Evil is more feeble than Non-entity.
Proc. *de Prov*. Z. or T.

105We learn that Matter pervadeth the whole world, as the Gods also assert.
Proc., *Tim*., 142. Z. or T.

106All Divine Natures are incorporeal, but bodies are bound to them for your sakes. Bodies not being able to contain incorporeals, by reason of the Corporeal Nature, in which ye are concentrated.
Proc. in *Pl. Polit*., 359. Z. or T.

107For the Paternal Self-begotten Mind, understanding His works sowed in all, the fiery bonds of love, that all things might continue loving for an infinite time. That the connected series of things might intellectually remain in the Light of the Father; that the elements of the World might continue their course in mutual attraction.
Proc. in *Tim*., 155. T.

108The Maker of all things, self-operating, framed the World. And there was a certain Mass of Fire: all these things Self-Operating He produced, that the Body of the Universe might be conformed, that the World might be manifest, and not appear membranous,
Proc. in *Tim*., 154. Z. or T.

109For He assimilateth the images to himself, casting them around his own form.

110For they are an imitation of his Mind, but that which is fabricated hath something of Body.
Proc. in *Tim*., 87. Z or. T.

111There is a Venerable Name, with a sleepless revolution, leaping forth into the worlds, through the rapid tones of the Father.
Proc. in *Crat*. Z. or T.

112The Ethers of the Elements therefore are there.
Olympiodorus in *Phæd*. Z. or T.

113The Oracles assert that the types of Characters, and of other Divine visions appear in the Ether (or Astral Light).
Simp. in *Phys*., 144. Z. or T.

114In this the things without figure are figured.
Simp. in *Phys*., 143. Z. or T.

115The Ineffable and Effable impressions of the World.

116The Light hating World, and the winding currents by which many are drawn down.
Proc. in *Tim*., 339. Z. or T

117He maketh the whole World of Fire, Air,. Water, and Earth, and of the all-nourishing Ether.
Z. or T.

118Placing Earth in the middle, but Water below the Earth, and Air above both these.
Z. or T.

119He fixed a vast multitude of un-wandering Stars, not by a strain laborious and hurtful, but with stability void of movement, forcing Fire forward into Fire.
Proc. in *Tim*., 280. Z. or T.

120The Father congregated the Seven Firmaments of the Kosmos, circumscribing the Heavens with convex form.
Dam. in *Parm*. Z, or T.

121He constituted a Septenary of wandering Existences (the Planetary globes).
Z. or T.

122Suspending their disorder in Well-disposed Zones.
Z. or T.

123He made them six in number, and for the Seventh He cast into the midst thereof the Fiery Sun.
Proc. in *Tim*., 280. Z. or T.

124The Centre from which all (lines) which way soever are equal.
Proc. in *Euclidem*.

125And that the Swift Sun doth pass as ever around a Centre.
Proc. in *Plat. Th.*, 317. Z. or T.

126Eagerly urging itself towards that Centre of resounding Light.
Proc. in *Tim*., 236. T.

127The Vast Sun, and the Brilliant Moon.

128As rays of Light his locks flow forth, ending in acute points.
Proc. in *Pl. Pol*. 387. T.

129And of the Solar Circles, and of the Lunar, clashings, and of. the Aërial Recesses; the Melody of Ether, and of the Sun, and of the phases of the Moon, and of the Air.
Proc. in *Tim*., 257. Z. or T.

130The most mystic of discourses informs us that His wholeness is in the Supra-mundane Orders for there a Solar World and Boundless Light subsist, as, the Oracles of the Chaldæans affirm.
Proc. in *Tim*., 264. Z. or T.

131The Sun more true measureth all things by time, being itself the time of time, according to the Oracle of the Gods concerning it.
Proc. in *Tim*., 249. Z. or T.

132The Disk (of the Sun) is borne in the Starless.. realm above the Inerratic Sphere; and hence he is, not in the midst of the Planets, but of the Three Worlds, according to the telestic Hypothesis.
Jul., *Crat*., 5, 334. Z. or T.

133The Sun is a Fire, the Channel of Fire, and the dispenser of Fire.
Proc. in *Tim*., 141. Z. or T.

134Hence Kronos, The Sun as Assessor beholds the true pole.

135The Ethereal Course, and the vast motion of the Moon, and the Aërial fluxes.
Proclus in *Tim*., 257. Z. or T.

136O Ether, Sun, and Spirit of the Moon, ye are the chiefs of the Air.
Proc. in *Tim*., 257. Z. or T.

137And the wide Air, and the Lunar Course, and the Pole of the Sun.
Proc. in *Tim*., 257. Z. or T.

138For the Goddess bringeth forth the Vast Sun, and the lucent Moon.

139She collecteth it, receiving the Melody of Ether, and of the Sun, and of the Moon, and of whatsoever things are contained in the Air.

140Unwearied Nature ruleth over the Worlds and works, that the Heavens drawing downward might run an eternal course, and that the other periods of the Sun, Moon, Seasons, Night and Day, might be accomplished.
Proc. in *Tim*., 4, 323. Z. or T.

141And above the shoulders of that Great Goddess, is Nature in her vastness exalted.
Proc. in *Tim*., 4. T.

142The most celebrated of the Babylonians, together with Ostanes and Zoroaster, very properly call the starry Spheres "Herds"; whether because these alone among corporeal magnitudes, are perfectly carried about around a Centre, or in conformity to the Oracles, because they are considered by them
as in a certain respect the bands and collectors of physical reasons, which they likewise call in their sacred discourse "Herds" (agelous) and by the insertion of a gamma (aggelous) Angels. Wherefore the Stars which preside over each of these herds are considered to be Deities or Dæmons, similar to the Angels, and are called Archangels; and they are seven in number. Anon. in *Theologumenis Arithmeticis*. Z. *Daimon in Greek meant "a Spirit," not "a bad Spirit." * ________

143Zoroaster calls the congruities of material forms to the ideals of the Soul of the World--Divine Allurements.
Ficinus, *de Vit. Cæl. Comp*. Z.

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