Plotino - Tratado 52,8 (II, 3, 8) — A Alma é responsável desta ordem e produz tudo

8. También el alma  , luego que echa a andar, quiere cumplir su función, y tengamos en cuenta que el alma lo produce todo y ha de considerarse como un principio. Pero ya marche en línea recta, ya siga un camino inadecuado, la justicia presidirá todas sus acciones, puesto que el universo   nunca podrá ser destruido. Al contrario, subsistirá siempre en virtud de la disposición y el poder de quien le dirige. Los astros, como partes, y no pequeñas, que son del cielo  , colaboran con el universo y sirven de signos anunciadores anticipan así todo cuanto acontece en el mundo sensible  , pero sólo producen lo que de ellos deriva de modo manifiesto. En cuanto a nosotros, hacemos realmente lo que nuestra alma realiza según su naturaleza, y eso en tanto no nos extraviemos en la pluralidad del universo; porque si de verdad nos extraviásemos, nuestro mismo error sería la compensación justa a ese extravío, que pagaríamos más tarde con un destino desgraciado. La riqueza   y la pobreza   provienen de una coyuntura externa; mas, ¿y qué decir de las virtudes y de los vicios? Las virtudes derivan del elemento   primitivo del alma, pero los vicios dicen referencia al encuentro del alma con las cosas de fuera. De todo esto, sin embargo, ya se ha hablado en otro lugar.

[VIII] Quand l’âme s’applique à remplir la fonction qui lui est propre (car c’est l’âme qui fait tout, en tant qu’elle joue le rôle de principe), elle suit la droite voie; quand elle s’égare, la justice divine la rend esclave de l’ordre physique qui règne dans l’univers, à moins qu’elle ne parvienne s’en affranchir. La justice divine règne toujours, parce que l’univers est dirigé par l’ordre et la puissance du principe qui le domine [l’Ame universelle].[30] A cela se joint le concours des planètes qui sont des parties importantes du ciel, soit parce qu’elles l’embellissent, soit parce qu’elles y servent de signes. Or, elles servent de signes pour toutes les choses qui arrivent dans le monde sensible. Quant aux choses qu’elles peuvent faire, il ne faut leur attribuer que celles qu’elles font manifestement.

Pour nous, nous accomplissons les fonctions de l’âme conformément à la nature tant que nous ne nous égarons pas dans la multiplicité que renferme l’univers. Quand nous nous y égarons, nous en sommes punis par notre égarement même et par un sort moins heureux dans la suite.[31] Quand donc la richesse et la pauvreté nous arrivent, c’est par l’effet du concours des choses extérieures. Quant aux vertus et aux vices, les vertus dérivent du fond primitif de l’âme, les vices naissent du commerce de l’âme avec les choses extérieures. Mais nous en avons traité ailleurs.[32]

THERE IS A NATURAL   LAW WHICH DIRECTS THE SOUL.

8. When the soul applies herself to carry out her proper function—for the soul effects everything, as far as she plays the part of a principle—she follows the straight road; when she loses her way the divine justice subjugates her to the physical order which reigns in the universe, unless the soul succeed in liberating herself. The divine justice reigns ever, because the universe is directed by the order and power of the dominating principle (the universal   Soul). To this is joined the co-operation of the planets which are important parts of the heaven, either by embellishing it, or by serving as signs. Now they serve as signs for all things that occur in the sense-world. As to their potency, they should be credited only with what they effect indisputably.

WEALTH, POVERTY, AND VICES ARE THE RESULT OF EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCES.

As to us, we fill the functions of the soul in accordance with nature when we do not stray into the multiplicity contained in the universe. When we do stray therein, we are punished for it both by the straying itself, and by a less happy fate thereafter. Wealth and poverty, therefore, happen   to us as effects of the operation of exterior things. As to the virtues and vices, virtues are derived from the primitive nature of the soul, while the vices result from dealings of the soul with exterior things. But this has been treated of elsewhere.

8. Soul, then, in the same way, is intent upon a task of its own; alike in its direct course and in its divagation it is the cause of all by its possession of the Thought of the First Principle: thus a Law of Justice goes   with all that exists in the Universe which, otherwise, would be dissolved, and is perdurable because the entire fabric is guided as much by the orderliness as by the power of the controlling force. And in this order the stars, as being no minor members of the heavenly system, are co-operators contributing at once to its stately beauty and to its symbolic quality. Their symbolic power extends to the entire realm of sense, their efficacy only to what they patently do.

For our part, nature keeps us upon the work of the Soul as long as we are not wrecked in the multiplicity of the Universe: once thus sunk and held we pay the penalty, which consists both in the fall   itself and in the lower rank thus entailed upon us: riches and poverty are caused by the combinations of external fact.

And what of virtue and vice?

That question has been amply discussed elsewhere: in a word, virtue is ours by the ancient staple of the Soul; vice is due to the commerce of a Soul with the outer world.