Proclus / Proclus Lycius / Proclo / Προκλος

Herdeiro da filosofia grega passada, e tendo se tornado mestre, por um trabalho crítico de toda sua herança, Proclus legou para seu século e os seguintes uma doutrina completa e acabada, que é ao mesmo tempo a última palavra do platonismo  , e um imenso repertório das opiniões de todos os filósofos. Comparar seu sistema às doutrina anteriores da filosofia grega, mostrar o que deles retoma, como o modifica, e o que adiciona; assinalar aquilo que guarda de verdade, apreciar sua parte na obra comum da ciência; isto tudo seria uma tarefa magnífica, e um trabalho ainda mais útil, já que Proclus foi de todos os filósofos aquele que os historiadores da filosofia mais negligenciaram, ou pelo menos o mais desdenhado.

Dos numerosos escritos de Proclus que nos chegaram, nenhum é consagrado a expor o conjunto de sua doutrina: somente a Teologia segundo Platão contém, sob forma simbólica, a Teodiceia do autor quase inteira; e nos Elementos de Teologia, os teoremas estão dispostos quase na ordem que se tem a necessidade de encontrá-los, para reconstruir o sistema. (A. Berger - PROCLUS, EXPOSITION DE SA DOCTRINE.

In the early fifth century, Plutarch   of Athens, who died in 432 AD (not the earlier Plutarch of Chaeroneia), provided a house in Athens for the Neoplatonist school, which archaeologists believe they have found. He and his pupil Syrianus  , who was probably more critical of Aristotle   than the other commentators, both taught the young Proclus. It is recorded that the works of Aristotle were known as the Lesser Mysteries, being introductory [8] to the Greater Mysteries of Plato. In Proclus’ commentaries there is already visible the division into portions long enough for a one-hour delivery, and into separate discussions first of the doctrine and then of the wording of each Aristotelian passage. Proclus was encouraged by Plutarch to base a commentary on Plutarch’s lectures on Plato’s Phaedo  , and he based his commentary on Plato’s Timaeus   on the lectures of his teacher, Syrianus. This commentary has for the Sourcebook proved the most important of the non-Aristotle commentaries.

Proclus presented himself as a holy man, capable of miracles, and purified himself with sea bathing even in winter in old age. He often opposed Plotinus  . He rejected Plotinus’ idea that part of our soul has never ceased from its uninterrupted contemplation of the Platonic Forms. And he rejected Plotinus’ attempt to downgrade the reality of evil by equating it with an amalgam of Aristotelian matter and privation. Evil is something more active for Proclus, which parasitically feeds on the good.

In the fifth century, the future of Neoplatonist teaching began to be cemented by pupils taking over the headship in Athens or Alexandria, and even by marriage. Hermeias, who headed the school in Alexandria, married a relative of his teacher Syrianus, a relative originally intended for Proclus, while Hermeias’ successor was his son Ammonius  , who first studied with Proclus. [SorabjiPC3  :8-9]