"all of the things of this world are of but one essence, for which there are no words. This is the greater part, which has no beginning and no end."
Ever hear Plato's allegory of the line? It's like this spectrum of which things are more real or less real than other things.
On the "least real" end of the spectrum are things like shadows or reflections (possibly memories). From there, you get into the "more real" things like actual objects, and then archetypes, and then on the "most real" end of the spectrum is that "one essence" you mention. My professor could only define it as "is-ness" - the state of being, but I'm not entirely sure that's accurate.
He also did this neat trick where he'd put a perpendicular line dividing objects from archetypes, labeling it "imagination", and then try and put some sort of cruciform symbology to it all.
I wish I remembered it better. Guess I shouldn't have sold that textbook back.
