chapter 10 the monism of darkness and the dualism of limit and ...
chapter 10 the monism of darkness and the dualism of limit and ...
chapter 10 the monism of darkness and the dualism of limit and ...
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MONISM OF DARKNESS - DUALISM OF LIMIT AND INDETERMINACY 93<br />
whom <strong>the</strong> present optimal cosmic state under <strong>the</strong> reign <strong>of</strong> Zeus is <strong>the</strong><br />
latest effect <strong>of</strong> processes <strong>and</strong> successions from previous, more<br />
elementary <strong>and</strong> less integrated conditions <strong>and</strong> corresponding<br />
sovereignties. He mentions as an Orphic series <strong>of</strong> succession<br />
(Commentaria ad Aristotelis Metaphysicam N <strong>10</strong>91b4 (821. 13<br />
Hayduck)): ηd âappleÂd appleÚáÙÔÓ ÌbÓ Î·Ù’ \OÚʤ· Ùe X¿Ô˜ Á¤ÁÔÓÂÓ, Ârı’<br />
ï \øηÓfi˜, ÙÚ›ÙÔÓ N‡Í, ٤ٷÚÙÔÓ ï OéÚ·Ófi˜, ÂrÙ’ àı·Ó¿ÙˆÓ ‚·ÛÈ-<br />
ÏÂf˜ ıÂáÓ Z‡˜ (OF <strong>10</strong>7). He regards this series as coinciding with<br />
<strong>the</strong> canonic sequence <strong>of</strong> Rhapsodic Orphic Theogony which he<br />
schematizes thus (ibid.): appleÚáÙÔÓ ÌbÓ ÁaÚ “‚·Û›Ï¢ÛÂÓ appleÂÚÈÎÏ˘Ùe˜<br />
\HÚÈÎÂapple·ÖÔ˜” (OF <strong>10</strong>8) ÊËÛdÓ ì appleÔ›ËÛȘ, ÌÂı’ nÓ NfÍ “ÛÎÉappleÙÚÔÓ<br />
ö¯Ô˘Û’ âÓ ¯ÂÚÛdÓ àÚÈappleÚÂappleb˜ \HÚÈÎÂapple·›Ô˘” (OF <strong>10</strong>2), ÌÂı’ mÓ OéÚ·-<br />
Ófi˜, “n˜ appleÚáÙÔ˜ ‚·Û›Ï¢Û ıÂáÓ ÌÂÙa ÌËÙ¤Ú· N‡ÎÙ·.” (OF 111).<br />
The basic sequence Ericepaeus - Night - Sky - Cronos - Zeus -<br />
Dionysus is for <strong>the</strong> Rhapsodic Sacred Doctrines securely determined.<br />
In Alex<strong>and</strong>er’s series <strong>the</strong> following problems arise:<br />
(i) Between Sky <strong>and</strong> Zeus, Cronos is missing. His presence is<br />
indispensable for any mythology; hence we should interpose: ٤ٷÚ-<br />
ÙÔÓ ï OéÚ·Ófi˜, ÂrÙ’ àı·Ó¿ÙˆÓ<br />
‚·ÛÈÏÂf˜ ıÂáÓ ï Z‡˜.<br />
(ii) Dionysus is not mentioned after Zeus because his Sacred<br />
Passion (his dismemberment by <strong>the</strong> Titans) contradicts <strong>the</strong> linear,<br />
continuous, progressive evolution to more developed phases in <strong>the</strong><br />
sequence <strong>of</strong> cosmic articulation (which is precisely <strong>the</strong> <strong>the</strong>sis that<br />
Alex<strong>and</strong>er here analyses).<br />
(iii) Zeus now assumes <strong>the</strong> sixth place in <strong>the</strong> sequence, although in<br />
Orphic doctrines he expressly occupies <strong>the</strong> fifth (OF <strong>10</strong>7 p. 171):<br />
àı·Ó¿ÙˆÓ ‚·ÛÈÏÉ· ıÂáÓ apple¤ÌappleÙÔÓ Û ÁÂÓ¤Ûı·È. But as Syrianus<br />
explains, Commentaria in Aristotelis Metaphysicam N <strong>10</strong>91b4 (182.<br />
18 Kroll): Ùe ‰b X¿Ô˜ ñapplebÚ ÙcÓ ÙÔÜ ‚·ÛÈχÔÓÙfi˜ âÛÙÈ Û¯¤ÛÈÓ.<br />
Hence Chaos’ dominion is not counted in <strong>the</strong> succession <strong>of</strong><br />
sovereignties, as not belonging to <strong>the</strong> series <strong>of</strong> articulate lordships.<br />
Proclus enumerates <strong>the</strong> successive stages <strong>of</strong> cosmic sovereignty<br />
(Commentaria in Platonis Timaeum III, 168. 20 Diehl): Phanes<br />
(Ericepaeus) - Night - Sky - Cronos - Zeus - Dionysus.<br />
(iv) The essential difficulty: how to correlate Ocean with <strong>the</strong><br />
Primogenitus Phanes-Ericepaeus when in <strong>the</strong> Sacred Doctrines <strong>the</strong><br />
Ocean is a Titan (belonging to Cronos level)? If this were <strong>the</strong> reason
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