Proclus: On the Theology of Plato

The present volume is a reprint of Thomas Taylor’s 1816 translation of Proclus’ "On the Theology of Plato", by far the most exhaustive and complete survey of the theological elements of Plato's teachings. In the original edition of this work, Taylor included additional materials, including Proclus’ "Elements of Theology", along with fragments from treatises on Providence, Fate and Evil. Of these, only the Elements of Theology have been included in the present volume, while the others await reprinting in a separate volume. The Elements of Theology and the Theology of Plato together allow the reader a greater possibility of grasping the overall scheme of Platonic theology. As Taylor notes in his Introduction, “the Elements of Theology . . . render[s] the treatise On the Theology of Plato more complete, and . . . assist[s] the reader who wishes to penetrate the depths of that most abstruse and sublime work; for the former elucidates, and is elucidated by the latter.”Students wishing for a