Proclus, Theologia Platonica; Michael Psellos

From the Sophist [comes] the whole generation of the intellectual gods and the sovereignty allotted to these same gods. Concerning these gods individually, we shall hunt for many Socratic conceptions from the Symposium, many from the Cratylus, and many from the Phaedo. In the elevation toward them, there occurs a greater or lesser mention of the divine names, from which it is easy for those trained in these matters to grasp their properties with the reasoning power. The contents of the writings would seem to manifest themselves as being in harmony with the Platonic principles and the mystical traditions of the theologians; for all our theology, looking toward these, is the offspring of the Orphic mystagogy: Pythagoras being the first to be taught the rites concerning the gods by Aglaophamus, and Plato being the second to receive the complete science concerning these things from both the Pythagorean and the Orphic writings. For in that [work], referring the primary contemplation concerning the gods through the method of images, together with their affinities, he also calls them truly blessed. For Philolaus the Pythagorean also recorded many wonderful conceptions for us concerning these things, celebrating their common procession unto beings and their distinct production. And if it is possible to teach again the things concerning the intellectual gods and the order within them, one must have recourse to the theologians. He both calls them children of gods and hands down the path of the Good, and toward this, the procession of the intellectual kings among them; and he hands down the [teachings] of the intellectual gods, the arrangements proceeding from the wholes; and again [leads] into the resolution of the order of the divine arrangements. The name "symmetry" pertains to the subsistence of the demiurgic gods; and everywhere, to speak collectively, he renders the accounts concerning the gods to all the ancient theologians. For of the production, he says the glory from which the [things] in the gods...