Neoplatonism, mystical philosophy, theurgy

The Enneads: Complete Works of Plotinus, Vol. 1

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Plotinus' philosophical works (3rd century CE) presenting systematic development of Platonism into comprehensive metaphysical system. Covers theory of emanation from the One, the Intellect, the World Soul, and material reality. Philosophical mysticism emphasizing union with the divine through purification and contemplation. Foundation for Western mystical philosophy and influence on Christian, Jewish, and Islamic theology.

Also known asEnneads · Works of Plotinus · Complete Works Vol. 1
This edition1918
EditionKenneth Sylvan Guthrie translation and edition, 1918. Complete works of Plotinus organized thematically
Mystical philosophyNeoplatonismWestern / Classicalphilosophical contemplationmeditation and contemplationspiritual purificationspiritual ascentComparative ReligionMoral philosophy and ethicsNeo-PlatonismEsoteric Philosophy

Contents434 chapters

  1. 01PLOTINOS Complete Works
  2. 02FOREWORD
  3. 03INDEX.
  4. 04PLOTINOS' COMPLETE WORKS.
  5. 05PLOTINIC STUDIES IN SOURCES, DEVELOPMENT AND INFLUENCE.
  6. 06CONCORDANCE OF ENNEADS AND CHRONOLOGICAL NUMBERS
  7. 07CONCORDANCE OF CHRONOLOGICAL NUMBERS AND ENNEADS
  8. 08Life of Plotinos And Order of his Writings
  9. 09I. PLOTINOS, LIKE PORPHYRY, DESPISED HIS PHYSICAL NATURE, BUT A PICTURE OF HIM WAS SECURED.
  10. 10II. SICKNESS AND DEATH OF PLOTINOS; HIS BIRTHDAY UNKNOWN.
  11. 11III. PLOTINOS'S EARLY EDUCATION.
  12. 12THE SCHOOL OF AMMONIUS.
  13. 13PLOTINOS AN UNSYSTEMATIC TEACHER.
  14. 14AMELIUS, PLOTINOS'S FIRST SECRETARY.
  15. 15IV. HOW PORPHYRY CAME TO PLOTINOS FOR THE FIRST TIME, IN 253.
  16. 16PLOTINOS'S BOOKS OF THE FIRST PERIOD (THE AMELIAN PERIOD).
  17. 17V. HOW PORPHYRY CAME TO PLOTINOS FOR THE SECOND TIME (A. D. 263–269).
  18. 18PLOTINOS'S BOOKS OF THE SECOND PERIOD (THE PORPHYRIAN PERIOD).
  19. 19VI. PLOTINOS'S BOOKS OF THE THIRD PERIOD (THE EUSTOCHIAN PERIOD).
  20. 20VII. VARIOUS DISCIPLES OF PLOTINOS.
  21. 21VIII. PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PLOTINOS.
  22. 22IX. PLOTINOS AS GUARDIAN AND ARBITRATOR.
  23. 23X. HOW PLOTINOS TREATED HIS ADVERSARY, OLYMPIUS.
  24. 24HOMAGE TO PLOTINOS FROM A VISITING EGYPTIAN PRIEST.
  25. 25PLOTINOS'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE PUBLIC MYSTERIES.
  26. 26XI. PLOTINOS AS DETECTIVE AND AS PROPHET; PORPHYRY SAVED FROM SUICIDE.
  27. 27XII. THE PROJECT OF A PLATONOPOLIS COMES TO NAUGHT.
  28. 28XIII. PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PLOTINOS'S DELIVERY.
  29. 29XIV. PHILOSOPHICAL RELATIONS OF PLOTINOS.
  30. 30XV. PORPHYRY EARNED RECOGNITION AT THE SCHOOL OF PLOTINOS.
  31. 31XVI. PLOTINOS'S POLEMIC AGAINST THE GNOSTICS.
  32. 32XVII. START OF THE AMELIO-PORPHYRIAN CONTROVERSY, OVER NUMENIUS.
  33. 33XVIII. POLEMIC BETWEEN AMELIUS AND PORPHYRY; AMELIUS TEACHES PORPHYRY.
  34. 34XIX. HOW THE WORKS OF PLOTINOS WERE PUT INTO SHAPE.
  35. 35XX. OPINION OF LONGINUS, THE GREAT CRITIC, ABOUT PLOTINOS.
  36. 36XXI. RESULTS OF LONGINUS'S CRITICISM AND VINDICATION OF PLOTINOS'S ORIGINALITY.
  37. 37XXII. THE APOLLONIAN ORACLE ABOUT PLOTINOS.
  38. 38XXIII. PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PLOTINOS; THE ECSTATIC TRANCES.
  39. 39XXIV. CONTENTS OF THE VARIOUS ENNEADS.
  40. 40LIFE OF PLOTINOS, BY EUNAPIUS.
  41. 41LIFE OF PLOTINOS, BY SUIDAS.
  42. 42FIRST ENNEAD, BOOK SIXTH. Of Beauty.
  43. 43REVIEW OF BEAUTY OF DAILY LIFE.
  44. 44PROBLEMS CONCERNING HIGHER BEAUTY.
  45. 45WHAT IS THE PRINCIPLE BY PARTICIPATION IN WHICH THE BODY IS BEAUTIFUL?
  46. 46POLEMIC AGAINST SYMMETRY, THE STOIC DEFINITION OF BEAUTY.
  47. 47BEAUTY CONSISTS IN KINSHIP TO THE SOUL.
  48. 48BEAUTY CONSISTS IN PARTICIPATION IN A FORM.
  49. 49THE SOUL APPRECIATES THE BEAUTIFUL BY AN AESTHETIC SENSE.
  50. 50INSTANCES OF CORRESPONDENCE OF OUTER SENSE BEAUTY WITH ITS IDEA.
  51. 51TRANSITION FROM SENSE BEAUTY TO INTELLECTUAL BEAUTY.
  52. 52INTERIOR BEAUTIES COULD NOT BE APPRECIATED WITHOUT AN INTERIOR MODEL.
  53. 53MORAL BEAUTIES MORE DELIGHTFUL THAN SENSE-BEAUTIES.
  54. 54THEY WHO FEEL THESE SENTIMENTS MOST KEENLY ARE CALLED LOVERS.
  55. 55THE CAUSE OF THESE EMOTIONS IS THE INVISIBLE SOUL.
  56. 56LOVE OF BEAUTY EXPLAINED BY AVERSION FOR OPPOSITE.
  57. 57UGLINESS IS ONLY A FOREIGN ACCRETION.
  58. 58VIRTUES ARE ONLY PURIFICATIONS.
  59. 59THE SOUL'S WELFARE IS TO RESEMBLE THE DIVINITY.
  60. 60APPROACH TO THE GOOD CONSISTS IN SIMPLIFICATION.
  61. 61THE SUPREME PURPOSE OF LIFE IS THE ECSTATICAL VISION OF GOD.
  62. 62THE METHOD TO ACHIEVE ECSTASY IS TO CLOSE THE EYES OF THE BODY.
  63. 63HOW TO FLY TO OUR FATHERLAND.
  64. 64HOW TO TRAIN THIS INTERIOR VISION.
  65. 65THE LANDMARKS OF THE PATH TO ECSTASY.
  66. 66REFERENCES.
  67. 67FOURTH ENNEAD, BOOK SEVEN. Of the Immortality of the Soul: Polemic Against Materialism.
  68. 68IS THE SOUL IMMORTAL?
  69. 69THE BODY AS THE INSTRUMENT OF THE SOUL.
  70. 70THE BODY IS COMPOSITE, AND THEREFORE PERISHABLE.
  71. 71THE SOUL IS THE INDIVIDUALITY, AS ITS FORM, AND AS A SKILLED WORKMAN.
  72. 72IF THE SOUL IS INCORPOREAL, WE MUST STUDY INCORPOREALITY.
  73. 73A.—THE SOUL IS NOT CORPOREAL (AS THE STOICS THOUGHT).
  74. 74NEITHER MIXTURE NOR ITS PRINCIPLE WILL EXPLAIN LIFE AS A BODY.
  75. 75NO ATOMIC AGGREGATION COULD PRODUCE A SELF-HARMONIZING UNITY.
  76. 76SOUL IS A SIMPLE SUBSTANCE, WHILE EVERY BODY IS COMPOSED OF MATTER AND FORM.
  77. 77IF SOUL IS ONLY AN AFFECTION OF MATTER, WHENCE THAT AFFECTION?
  78. 78NO BODY COULD SUBSIST WITHOUT THE POWER OF THE UNIVERSAL SOUL.
  79. 79IF THE SOUL IS NOT SIMPLE MATTER, SHE MUST BE A SUBSTANTIAL FORM.
  80. 80THE BODY EXERTS A UNIFORM ACTION, WHILE THE SOUL EXERTS A VARIED ONE.
  81. 81THREE MORE PROOFS OF THE INCORPOREITY OF THE SOUL.
  82. 82BODIES CAN LOSE PARTS, NOT SO THE SOUL.
  83. 83THE SOUL IS EVERYWHERE ENTIRE; THAT IS NOT THE CASE WITH THE BODY.
  84. 84THE BODY COULD NOT POSSESS SENSATION.
  85. 85IMPOSSIBILITY FOR THE BODY TO HAVE SENSATION.
  86. 86AGAINST THE STOICS, SENSATIONS ARE NOT IMPRESSIONS OF A SEAL ON WAX.
  87. 87SENSATION CANNOT BE RELAYED FROM SENSE-ORGAN TO DIRECTING PRINCIPLE.
  88. 88THE BODY CANNOT THINK.
  89. 89THE BODY CANNOT POSSESS VIRTUE.
  90. 90IF VIRTUE WERE CORPOREAL IT WOULD BE PERISHABLE.
  91. 91BODIES ARE ACTIVE ONLY BY MEANS OF INCORPOREAL POWERS.
  92. 92WHY BODIES ARE ACTIVATED BY INCORPOREAL POWERS.
  93. 93THE SOUL CAN PENETRATE THE BODY; BUT TWO BODIES CANNOT PENETRATE EACH OTHER.
  94. 94THE STOIC DEVELOPMENT FROM HABIT TO SOUL AND INTELLIGENCE WOULD MAKE THE PERFECT ARISE FROM THE IMPERFECT, AN IMPOSSIBILITY.
  95. 95II. THE SOUL IS NEITHER THE HARMONY NOR ENTELECHY OF THE BODY—THE SOUL IS THE HARMONY OF THE BODY; AGAINST THE PYTHAGOREANS.
  96. 96WHY THE SOUL IS NOT A HARMONY.
  97. 97THE SOUL IS NOT THE ENTELECHY OF THE BODY (POLEMIC AGAINST ARISTOTLE). ARISTOTLE'S STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM.75
  98. 98IF THE SOUL IS AN ENTELECHY, SHE IS A DIFFERENT ONE THAN ARISTOTLE'S.
  99. 99IF AN ENTELECHY BE GRANTED, IT IS INSEPARABLE FROM THE BODY.
  100. 100NEITHER COULD THE SOUL OF GROWTH BE AN ENTELECHY.
  101. 101THE ENTELECHY IS NOT A FORM OF THE BODY, AS THE SOUL TRANSMIGRATES.
  102. 102THE SOUL IS AN INCORPOREAL AND IMMORTAL ESSENCE. THE SOUL BEING NONE OF CORPOREAL POSSIBILITIES, MUST BE INCORPOREAL.
  103. 103THE PERSISTENCE OF THE CHANGEABLE IMPLIES THE ETERNAL IN THE BACKGROUND.80
  104. 104THE SOUL IS INCORPOREAL BECAUSE OF HER KINSHIP WITH THE DIVINE.
  105. 105THE SOUL, LIKE OTHER THINGS, SHOULD BE JUDGED IN HER PUREST CONDITION.
  106. 106EVEN ON THE STOIC HYPOTHESIS THE SOUL MUST BE IMMORTAL.
  107. 107THERE IS NO CONCEIVABLE WAY IN WHICH SOUL COULD PERISH.
  108. 108DESCENT INTO THE BODY NEED NOT CONFLICT WITH THE ETERNITY OF SOUL.
  109. 109THE SOUL AS THE ARTIST OF THE UNIVERSE.
  110. 110ALL SOULS HAVE IMMORTALITY, EVEN IF SUNK INTO ANIMALS OR PLANTS.
  111. 111EVEN IF THE SOUL HAS DIFFERENT PARTS, THE ORIGINAL PARTS SURVIVE.
  112. 112THE HISTORIC EVIDENCE FOR IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL.
  113. 113THIRD ENNEAD, BOOK FIRST. Concerning Fate.
  114. 114POSSIBLE THEORIES ABOUT FATE.
  115. 115EXCEPT THE FIRST, ALL THINGS ARE CAUSED.
  116. 116STOIC AND EPICUREAN CAUSELESS ORIGIN REALLY THE UTMOST DETERMINISM.
  117. 117EVERY GOOD THING HAS SOME CAUSE; NATURE BEING THE ULTIMATE CAUSE.
  118. 118PROXIMATE CAUSES ARE UNSATISFACTORY; WE MUST SEEK THE ULTIMATE ONES.
  119. 119MATERIALISTS SUPPORT DETERMINISM.
  120. 120HERACLITUS, THOUGH MORE SPIRITUAL, IS ALSO DETERMINIST.
  121. 121THE ASTROLOGERS MAKE COSMIC DEDUCTIONS FROM PROGNOSTICATION.
  122. 122THE STOIC DETERMINISM IS BASED ON VARIOUS THEORIES.
  123. 123THE PHYSICAL THEORIES ARE ABSURD.
  124. 124THE STOIC POLEMIC AGAINST THE EPICUREANS.
  125. 125APPLICATION OF THIS POLEMIC TO THE PHYSICISTS.
  126. 126RESTATEMENT OF HERACLITUS'S POSITION.
  127. 127THIS WOULD INTERFERE WITH SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS AND RESPONSIBILITY.
  128. 128RESTATEMENT OF THE ASTROLOGICAL THEORY OF FATE.
  129. 129REFUTATION OF THE ASTROLOGICAL SYSTEM.
  130. 130HOROSCOPES QUESTIONED; THEY DO NOT ACCOUNT FOR SIMULTANEOUS DIFFERENCES.
  131. 131HEREDITY MORE IMPORTANT THAN STAR-INFLUENCE; CONTINUATION.
  132. 132STARS AFFECT THE PHYSICAL, NOT THE MENTAL BEING.
  133. 133IRRATIONAL CLAIMS OF ASTROLOGERS.
  134. 134STARS SERVE AS LETTERS IN WHICH TO READ NATURE.
  135. 135RESTATEMENT OF THE STOIC DOCTRINE, AND THE HERACLITIAN.
  136. 136ALEXANDER OF APHRODISIA'S POLEMIC AGAINST THE STOICS.
  137. 137THE HUMAN SOUL AS AN INDEPENDENT PRINCIPLE.
  138. 138THE SOUL IS FREE WHEN FOLLOWING REASON.
  139. 139THE SOUL OBEYS FATE ONLY WHEN EVIL.
  140. 140FOURTH ENNEAD, BOOK FIRST. Of the Being of the Soul.
  141. 141FIFTH ENNEAD, BOOK NINE. Of Intelligence, Ideas and Essence.
  142. 142THE SENSUAL MAN, THE MORAL, AND THE SPIRITUAL.
  143. 143THE HIGHER REGION REACHED ONLY BY THOSE WHO ARE BORN PHILOSOPHERS.
  144. 144LOVE IS TRANSFORMED INTO PROGRESSIVELY HIGHER STAGES.
  145. 145PROOFS FOR THE EXISTENCE AND NATURE OF INTELLIGENCE.
  146. 146IN THE HUMAN WORLD EVERYTHING IS A COMPOSITE OF FORM AND MATTER.
  147. 147THE WORLD-SOUL ALSO IS A COMPOUND OF FORM AND MATTER.
  148. 148WHY OUR ASCENT CANNOT STOP WITH THE SOUL.
  149. 149INTELLIGENCE IS IN ACTUALIZATION BECAUSE ITS THOUGHT IS IDENTICAL WITH ITS ESSENCE OR EXISTENCE.
  150. 150REASONS, AS ARCHETYPES, MUST HAVE EXISTED BEFORE STOIC "HABIT," NATURE OR SOUL.
  151. 151INTELLIGENCE IS POSTULATED BY THE GENERAL NECESSITIES OF THE WORLD.
  152. 152INTELLIGENCE CONTAINS ALL BEINGS GENERATIVELY.
  153. 153THERE ARE SCIENTIFIC NOTIONS THAT ARE POSTERIOR, BUT SOME THAT ARE PRIOR.
  154. 154THOUGHT IS THE FORM, SHAPE THE ACTUALIZATION OF THE BEING.
  155. 155INTELLIGENCE CONTAINS THE UNIVERSAL ARCHETYPE.
  156. 156IN THE SENSE-WORLD ONLY THOSE THINGS THAT ARE FORMS PROCEED FROM INTELLIGENCE.
  157. 157NATURAL CHARACTERISTICS ARE DERIVED FROM THE CATEGORIES IN THE INTELLIGIBLE.
  158. 158THE INTELLIGIBLE WORLD FAILS TO CONTAIN EARTHLY IMPERFECTIONS.
  159. 159SOME ARTS ARE PURELY EARTHLY; OTHERS, LIKE MUSIC, INTELLIGIBLE.
  160. 160THERE ARE MANY AUXILIARY ARTS WHICH HELP THE PROGRESS OF NATURE.
  161. 161OTHER ARTS ARE INTELLIGIBLE WHEN APPLIED TO THE INTELLIGIBLE.
  162. 162THE INTELLIGIBLE WORLD CONTAINS ONLY UNIVERSAL IDEAS; PARTICULARITIES ARE DERIVED FROM MATTER.
  163. 163BESIDES IDEAS OF INDIVIDUAL SOULS AND INTELLIGENCE, THE INTELLIGIBLE WORLD CONTAINS THE SOUL ITSELF AND INTELLIGENCE ITSELF.
  164. 164THE SUPREME BEING ENTIRELY ONE DOES NOT EXPLAIN THE ORIGIN OF THE MANIFOLD.
  165. 165THE SOUL RECEIVES ACCIDENTS FROM MATTER, BUT DEFECTS ARE NOT IN THE INTELLIGIBLE.
  166. 166NOT ALL EARTHLY ENTITIES HAVE CORRESPONDING IDEAS.
  167. 167EVEN THE ARTS ARE DEPENDENT ON THE SOUL.
  168. 168DIFFICULT PASSAGES.
  169. 169FOURTH ENNEAD, BOOK EIGHTH. Of the Descent of the Soul Into the Body.149
  170. 170THE EXPERIENCE OF ECSTASY LEADS TO QUESTIONS.
  171. 171HERACLITUS, THE ORIGINATOR OF THESE QUESTIONS, ANSWERS THEM OBSCURELY.
  172. 172EMPEDOCLES, AS A POET, TELLS OF PYTHAGOREAN MYTHS.
  173. 173PLATO SAYS MANY CONTRADICTORY THINGS THAT ARE BEAUTIFUL AND TRUE.
  174. 174QUESTIONS RAISED BY PLATO'S THEORIES.
  175. 175HUMAN BODIES ARE MORE DIFFICULT TO MANAGE THAN THE WORLD-BODY.
  176. 176HOW THE TWO-FOLD SOUL EXERTS A TWO-FOLD PROVIDENCE.
  177. 177STAR-SOULS, LIKE UNINCARNATE SOULS, GOVERN THE WORLD UNTROUBLEDLY.
  178. 178DIFFERENCES BETWEEN HUMAN AND COSMIC INCARNATION.
  179. 179THE RATIONAL SOUL POSSESSES ALSO AN INDIVIDUALITY.
  180. 180INCARNATE SOULS WEAKEN BECAUSE THEY CONTEMPLATE THE INDIVIDUAL.
  181. 181THIS PROCESS EXPLAINS THE CLASSIC EXPRESSIONS ABOUT HER CONDITION.
  182. 182SOULS AS AMPHIBIANS.
  183. 183SOULS DESCENDING TO HELP ARE SENT BY GOD.
  184. 184THE TWO POSSIBLE FAULTS OF THE SOUL.
  185. 185PROMPT FLIGHT HERE BELOW LEAVES THE SOUL UNHARMED BY HER STAY HERE.
  186. 186CONTINUOUS PROCESSION NECESSARY TO THE SUPREME.
  187. 187SENSE-OBJECTS ARE NECESSARY AS REVEALERS OF THE ETERNAL.
  188. 188THE SOUL'S NATURE IS OF AN INTERMEDIATE KIND.
  189. 189THE PROCESSION OF INTELLIGENCE IS AN EXCURSION DOWNWARDS AND UPWARDS.
  190. 190THE UNIVERSAL SOUL, HOWEVER, IS NOT DISTURBED BY THE URGENCIES BELOW HER.
  191. 191THE SOUL DOES NOT ENTIRELY ENTER INTO THE BODY.
  192. 192FIFTH ENNEAD, BOOK FOUR. How What is After the First Proceeds Therefrom; of the One.
  193. 193NECESSITY OF THE EXISTENCE OF THE FIRST.
  194. 194THE FIRST NECESSARILY BEGETS A SECOND, WHICH MUST BE PERFECT.
  195. 195INTELLIGENCE CANNOT BE THE FIRST, AND RANKS ALL ELSE.
  196. 196THE FIRST AND SECOND AS HIGHER AND LOWER INTELLIGIBLE ENTITIES.
  197. 197THE SECOND IS THE ACTUALIZATION OF THE POTENTIALITY OF THE FIRST.
  198. 198HOW THE FIRST IS ABOVE ALL BEING.
  199. 199FOURTH ENNEAD, BOOK NINE. Whether All Souls Form a Single One?
  200. 200IF ALL SOULS BE ONE IN THE WORLD-SOUL, WHY SHOULD THEY NOT TOGETHER FORM ONE?
  201. 201SOULS MAY NOT FORM A NUMERIC UNITY, BUT MAY FORM A GENERIC UNITY.
  202. 202THE UNITY OF THE PRINCIPLE OF SEVERAL SOULS NEED NOT IMPLY THEIR BEING IDENTICAL.
  203. 203SYMPATHY DOES NOT FORCE IDENTITY OF SENSATION.
  204. 204UNITY OF ALL BEINGS IMPLIED BY SYMPATHY, LOVE, AND MAGIC ENCHANTMENT.
  205. 205WHAT OF THE DIFFERENCES OF RATIONALITY, IF THE SOUL BE ONE?
  206. 206THE POWERS OF THE SOUL ARE NOT EXERCISED EVERYWHERE BECAUSE THEY DIFFER.
  207. 207THE BODY'S POWER OF GROWTH IS DERIVED FROM THE WHOLE, AND THE SOUL; BUT NOT FROM OUR SOUL.
  208. 208THE UNITY OF THE SOULS IS A CONDITION OF THEIR MULTIPLICITY.
  209. 209THE SOUL CAN BEGET MANY BECAUSE SHE IS AN INCORPOREAL ESSENCE.
  210. 210HOW AN ESSENCE CAN BE ONE IN A MULTITUDE OF SOULS IS ILLUSTRATED BY SEED.
  211. 211THIS MIRACLE IS EXPLAINED BY THE USE OF THE CONCEPTION OF POTENTIALITY.
  212. 212DIFFICULT AS THESE EXPLANATIONS ARE, THEY ARE CLEAR INTELLIGIBLY.
  213. 213SIXTH ENNEAD, BOOK NINE. Of the Good and the One.
  214. 214UNITY NECESSARY TO EXISTENCE OF ALL BEINGS.
  215. 215THE SOUL MAY IMPART UNITY, BUT IS NOT UNITY.
  216. 216BEING AND ESSENCE IDENTICAL WITH UNITY.
  217. 217UNITY IS NOT A NUMBERING DEVICE, BUT IS IDENTICAL WITH EXISTENCE.
  218. 218EVEN UNIVERSAL ESSENCE CONTAINS MANIFOLDNESS.
  219. 219BESIDES, ABSOLUTE UNITY IS THE FIRST, WHICH INTELLIGENCE IS NOT.
  220. 220UNITY AS ABOVE ALL THINGS, INTELLIGENCE AND ESSENCE.
  221. 221UNITY IS DIFFICULT TO ASCERTAIN BECAUSE THE SOUL IS FEARFUL OF SUCH ABSTRUSE RESEARCHES.
  222. 222THE PATH OF SIMPLIFICATION TO UNITY.
  223. 223UNITY AS THE UNIFORM IN ITSELF AND FORMLESS SUPERFORM.
  224. 224WHY IT IS NOT STABLE, THOUGH IT DOES NOT MOVE.
  225. 225BEING A PRIMARY CAUSE, UNITY IS NOTHING CONTINGENT.
  226. 226UNITY CANNOT BE DEFINED; WE CAN ONLY REFER TO IT BY OUR FEELINGS OF IT.
  227. 227WE CANNOT COMPREHEND UNITY, WHICH WE APPROACH ONLY BY A PRESENCE.
  228. 228THOSE WHO SEE GOD WITHOUT EMOTION HAVE FAILED TO RID THEMSELVES OF PHYSICAL HINDRANCES, AND HAVE NOT BECOME UNIFIED.
  229. 229HOW SUCH AS RISE AS FAR AS THE SOUL MAY ACHIEVE FAITH IN THE INTELLIGIBLE.
  230. 230THE SUPREME IS ONE ONLY IN A FIGURATIVE SENSE.
  231. 231THE ONE MAY BE CONCEIVED OF AS INDIVISIBLE AND INFINITE.
  232. 232THE ONE IS SELF-SUFFICIENT AND NEEDS NOTHING FOR ESTABLISHMENT.
  233. 233THE SUPREME, AS SUPERGOODNESS, COULD NOT ASPIRE TO ANYTHING ELSE.
  234. 234THE ONE IS NOT THINKER BUT THOUGHT ITSELF.
  235. 235THE SOUL MUST BE STRIPPED OF FORM TO BE ILLUMINATED BY PRIMARY NATURE.
  236. 236ON SELF-KNOWLEDGE DEPENDS RECOGNITION OF DIVINE KINSHIP.
  237. 237TO BE ATTACHED TO THE CENTRE CONSTITUTES DIVINITY.
  238. 238THE CELEBRATED SIMILE OF THE MAN WHOSE FEET ARE IN A BATH-TUB.
  239. 239THE FAMOUS ILLUSTRATION OF THE COSMIC CHORAL BALLET.
  240. 240FOLLOWING NUMENIUS, PLOTINOS DESCRIBES THE SUPREME AS GIVER.
  241. 241THE PARABLE OF CUPID AND PSYCHE, LEADING UP TO DIVINIZATION.
  242. 242WHY DOES THE SOUL AFTER REACHING YONDER NOT STAY THERE?
  243. 243ILLUSTRATION FROM THE SECRECY OF THE MYSTERY-RITES.
  244. 244THE TRANCE OR ENTHEASM OF ECSTASY.
  245. 245ABOVE BEAUTY AND ABOVE VIRTUE THIS ECSTATIC SIMPLIFICATION IS A COMMUNION.
  246. 246THE SPIRITUAL TRUTH OF THE ANCIENT MYSTERIES.
  247. 247SUBSEQUENT ECSTATIC EXPERIENCES OF THE SOUL.
  248. 248THE SOUL'S ULTIMATE FATE IS DETACHMENT AND FLIGHT.
  249. 249FIFTH ENNEAD, BOOK ONE. The Three Principal Hypostases, or Forms of Existence.
  250. 250AUDACITY THE CAUSE OF HUMAN APOSTASY FROM THE DIVINITY.
  251. 251CONVERSION IS EFFECTED BY DEPRECIATION OF EXTERNALITIES, AND APPRECIATION OF THE SOUL HERSELF.
  252. 252KINSHIP OF THE HUMAN SOUL WITH THE DIVINE.
  253. 253SOULS ARE DIVINE BECAUSE THE WORLD WAS CREATED BY THE UNIVERSAL SOUL.
  254. 254SOUL-POWER REVEALED IN THE SIMULTANEITY OF CONTROL OVER THE WORLD.
  255. 255AS LIFE TRANSFIGURES MATTER, SO THE UNIVERSAL SOUL GLORIFIES US.
  256. 256THE SOUL AS THE HYPOSTATIC ACTUALIZATION OF INTELLIGENCE.
  257. 257THE SOUL'S RELATION TO INTELLIGENCE IS THAT OF MATTER TO FORM.
  258. 258THE INTELLIGIBLE WORLD IS THE ARCHETYPE OF OURS.
  259. 259ABOVE INTELLIGENCE AND EXISTENCE IS THEIR SIMULTANEOUS PRINCIPLE.
  260. 260THE SIX CATEGORIES FROM WHICH ALL THINGS ARE DERIVED.
  261. 261THE SOUL AS NUMBER CONNECTED WITH INTELLIGENCE.
  262. 262THOUGHT IS ACTUALIZATION OF SIGHT, AND BOTH FORM BUT ONE THING.
  263. 263MYSTERY OR DERIVATION OF SECOND FROM FIRST.
  264. 264GENERATION IS THE RADIATION OF AN IMAGE.
  265. 265INTELLIGIBLE REST IS THE DETERMINATION AND FORM BY WHICH THEY SUBSIST.
  266. 266MYTHS OF SATURN, JUPITER AND RHEA.
  267. 267PLATO TEACHES THREE SPHERES OF EXISTENCE.242
  268. 268THIS DOCTRINE TAUGHT BY PARMENIDES.
  269. 269ANAXAGORAS TEACHES THE SAME THING.
  270. 270HERACLITUS ALSO TAUGHT THE SAME THING.
  271. 271EMPEDOCLES TAUGHT THE SAME THING.
  272. 272ARISTOTLE TAUGHT THE SAME THING.
  273. 273WHAT THE PYTHAGOREANS TAUGHT ON THE SUBJECT.
  274. 274TO THE THREE PRINCIPLES IN THE UNIVERSE MUST CORRESPOND THREE PRINCIPLES IN US.
  275. 275THERE MUST BE AN OBJECTIVE JUSTICE AND BEAUTY TO WHICH WE ARE INTIMATELY UNITED.
  276. 276THESE PRINCIPLES LAST EVER; EVEN THOUGH WE ARE DISTRACTED FROM THEM.
  277. 277FIFTH ENNEAD, BOOK TWO. Of Generation, and of the Order of things that Rank Next After the First.
  278. 278WHY FROM UNITY THIS MANIFOLD WORLD WAS ABLE TO COME FORTH.
  279. 279SIMILARLY THE UNIVERSAL SOUL, BY PROCESSION, BEGETS NATURE.
  280. 280PROCESSION IS UNIVERSAL FROM HIGHEST TO LOWEST.
  281. 281THE SOUL IS NOWHERE BUT IN A PRINCIPLE THAT IS EVERYWHERE AND NOWHERE.
  282. 282THE SOUL MAY REMAIN IN AN INTERMEDIATE LIFE.
  283. 283ALL THESE THINGS ARE IN INTELLIGENCE, WITHOUT CONSTITUTING IT.
  284. 284THE WHOLE UNIVERSE IS ONE IMMENSE CONCATENATION OF ALL THINGS.
  285. 285SECOND ENNEAD, BOOK FOUR. Of Matter.
  286. 286MATTER AS SUBSTRATE AND RESIDENCE OF FORMS.
  287. 287THE STOIC CONCEPTION OF MATTER.
  288. 288MATTER ACCORDING TO THE PYTHAGOREANS, PLATONISTS AND ARISTOTELIANS.
  289. 289THE ARISTOTELIAN INTELLIGIBLE MATTER.
  290. 290INTELLIGIBLE MATTER IS NOT SHAPELESS.
  291. 291THE NATURE OF IDEAS IMPLIES AN INDIVIDUAL FORM, WHICH AGAIN IMPLIES A SUBSTRATE.
  292. 292RELYING ON THE PUN BETWEEN WORLD AND ADORNMENT, PLOTINOS CONCLUDES THAT IF THE INTELLIGIBLE WORLD BE THE IMAGE OF THIS, IT MUST ALSO BE A COMPOSITE OF FORM AND MATTER.
  293. 293THE BOTTOM OF EVERYTHING IS MATTER, WHICH IS RELATIVE DARKNESS.
  294. 294INTELLIGIBLE MATTER CONSISTS OF REAL BEING, ESPECIALLY AS SHAPED.
  295. 295THE CATEGORIES OF MOVEMENT AND DIFFERENCE APPLIED TO INTELLIGIBLES.
  296. 296SUBSTRATE IS DEMANDED BY TRANSFORMATION OF ELEMENTS, BY THEIR DESTRUCTION AND DISSOLUTION.
  297. 297THE VIEWS OF EMPEDOCLES AND ANAXAGORAS ON MATTER.
  298. 298REFUTATION OF ANAXIMANDER'S VIEWS ABOUT MATTER.
  299. 299REFUTATION OF DEMOCRITUS'S ATOMS AS EXPLANATIONS OF MATTER.
  300. 300MATTER IS NOTHING COMPOSITE, BUT BY NATURE SIMPLE AND ONE.
  301. 301MATTER AND THE INFORMING PRINCIPLE MUST BE CONTEMPORARIES TO ACCOUNT FOR THEIR MUTUAL RELATIONS.
  302. 302ANTI-STOIC POLEMIC, AGAINST THE CORPOREITY OF MATTER AND QUANTITY.
  303. 303DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MENTAL BLANK AND IMPRESSION OF THE SHAPELESS.
  304. 304THE COMPOSITION OF A BODY NEEDS A SUBSTRATE.
  305. 305MATTER AS THE IMAGE OF EXTENSION, CAN YET BE RESIDENCE OF FORM.
  306. 306POLEMIC AGAINST MODERATUS OF GADES, FORMS DEMAND A RESIDENCE, VASE, or LOCATION.
  307. 307NOT EVEN CORPOREITY INHERES IN MATTER WHICH IS REACHED BY BASTARD REASONING.
  308. 308THE SUBSTRATE IS NOT A QUALITY COMMON TO ALL ELEMENTS; FOR THUS IT WOULD NOT BE INDETERMINATE.
  309. 309EVEN THIS PRIVATION MIGHT BE CONSIDERED A QUALITY; BUT SUCH A USE OF THE TERM WOULD DESTROY ALL COHERENT REASONING.
  310. 310PRIVATION IS A FORM OF MATTER.
  311. 311PRIVATION IS NONENTITY, AND ADDS NO NEW CONCEPT.
  312. 312BEING SUBSTANTIALLY IDENTICAL, BUT LOGICALLY DISTINCT IS NONSENSE.
  313. 313MATTER AS THE INFINITE IN ITSELF.
  314. 314THE INFINITE MAY BE EITHER IDEAL OR REAL, INFINITE OR INDEFINITE.
  315. 315MATTER AS THE INFINITE IN ITSELF.
  316. 316MATTER IS NONESSENTIAL OTHERNESS.
  317. 317INDIGENCE IS NECESSARILY EVIL.
  318. 318THE RELATION OF BOTH KINDS OF MATTER TO ESSENCE.
  319. 319THIRD ENNEAD, BOOK NINE. Fragments About the Soul, the Intelligence, and the Good.
  320. 320DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INTELLIGENCE AND THE EXISTING ANIMAL.
  321. 321RELATION BETWEEN INTELLIGENCE AND THE INTELLIGIBLE.
  322. 322THE WORLD-SOUL IS THE CONCEIVING-PRINCIPLE.
  323. 323HOW THE SOUL ASCENDS TO THE INTELLIGIBLE WORLD. THE INTELLIGIBLE IS POSSESSED BY TOUCHING IT WITH THE BEST PART OF ONESELF.
  324. 324OF THE DESCENT OF THE SOUL INTO THE BODY. THE SOUL IS NOT IN THE BODY; BUT THE BODY IS IN THE SOUL.
  325. 325INDIVIDUAL SOULS, HOWEVER, MAY BE SAID TO COME AND GO.
  326. 326THE UNIVERSAL SOUL EVER REMAINS IN THE INTELLIGIBLE.
  327. 327HOW THE SOUL INCARNATES.
  328. 328THE SOUL RECEIVES HER FORM FROM INTELLIGENCE.
  329. 329WE THINK AN INTELLECTUAL NATURE BY THINKING OURSELVES.
  330. 330THE ONE IS SUPERIOR TO REST AND MOTION.
  331. 331OF ACTUALITY AND POTENTIALITY.
  332. 332THE GOOD IS SUPERIOR TO THOUGHT; THE HIGHEST DIVINITIES ARE NOT THE SUPREME.
  333. 333THE GOOD IS SUPERIOR EVEN TO SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS AND LIFE.
  334. 334THE SUPREME IS THEREFORE ABOVE THOUGHT.
  335. 335SECOND ENNEAD, BOOK TWO. About the Movement of the Heavens.
  336. 336QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MOVEMENTS OF THE HEAVENS.
  337. 337THREE KINDS OF MOVEMENT.
  338. 338FIRE MOVES STRAIGHT ONLY PRELIMINARILY.
  339. 339WHY SOUL ASSUMES A CIRCULAR MOTION.
  340. 340WHY THE HEAVENS DO NOT REMAIN STILL.
  341. 341HOW OTHER BEINGS MOVE.314
  342. 342WHY THE HEAVENS MOVE IN A CIRCLE.
  343. 343DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CENTRE OF THE SOUL AND THE BODY.
  344. 344THE ADDITION OF OUR BODIES INTRODUCES CONFLICTING MOTIONS.
  345. 345HOW MOTION IS IMPARTED TO LOWER EXISTENCES.
  346. 346THIRD ENNEAD, BOOK FOUR. Of Our Individual Guardian.
  347. 347OUTLINE OF NATURES IN THE UNIVERSE.
  348. 348AFTER DEATH, MAN BECOMES WHAT HE HAS LIVED.
  349. 349LAWS OF TRANSMIGRATION.
  350. 350OUR GUARDIAN IS THE NEXT HIGHER FACULTY OF OUR BEING.
  351. 351THE INTELLIGIBLE DOES NOT DESCEND; IT IS THE SENSE-WORLD THAT RISES.
  352. 352THE GUIDANCE OF THE GUARDIAN DOES NOT INTERFERE WITH MORAL RESPONSIBILITY.
  353. 353THE SOUL HAS THE POWER TO CONFORM TO HER CHARACTER THE DESTINY ALLOTTED TO HER.
  354. 354OUR GUARDIAN IS BOTH RELATED TO US, AND INDEPENDENT OF US.
  355. 355OUR GUARDIAN HELPS US TO CARRY OUT THE DESTINY WE HAVE CHOSEN.
  356. 356THAT MAN IS VIRTUOUS WHOSE HIGHEST PRINCIPLE IS ACTIVE WITHIN HIM.
  357. 357BETWEEN INCARNATIONS IS THE TIME OF JUDGMENT AND EXPIATION.
  358. 358EVEN THE SOULS ENTERING INTO ANIMAL BODIES HAVE A GUARDIAN.
  359. 359CONDITION OF SOULS IN THE HIGHER REGIONS.
  360. 360FATE OF THE DIVISIBLE HUMAN SOUL.
  361. 361FATE CONSISTS IN THE UNPREDICTABLE CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH ALTER THE LIFE-CURRENTS.
  362. 362FIRST ENNEAD, BOOK NINE. Of Suicide.
  363. 363EVIL EFFECTS OF SUICIDE ON THE SOUL HERSELF.
  364. 364HOW TO DETACH THE SOUL FROM THE BODY NATURALLY.
  365. 365VOLUNTARY SOUL-DETACHMENT IS FORBIDDEN.
  366. 366SUICIDE UNAVAILABLE EVEN TO AVOID INSANITY.
  367. 367SUICIDE IS UNADVISABLE, FOR TWO REASONS.
  368. 368SECOND ENNEAD, BOOK SIX. Of Essence and Being.
  369. 369DISTINCTION BETWEEN ESSENCE AND BEING.
  370. 370DISTINCTION BETWEEN COMPLEMENTS OF BEING, AND QUALITIES.
  371. 371DISTINCTION BETWEEN ESSENTIAL AND MODAL QUALITIES.
  372. 372DISTINCTION BETWEEN WHATNESS AND AFFECTIONS OF BEING.
  373. 373ACTUALIZED BEING LESS PERFECT THAN ESSENCE.
  374. 374SUCHNESS IS LATER THAN BEING AND QUIDDITY.
  375. 375BEING CANNOT PRECEDE SUCH BEING.
  376. 376FORM IS NOT A QUALITY; BUT A REASON.
  377. 377QUALITIES ARE ACTS OF BEING, PROCEEDING FROM REASONS AND ESSENTIAL POTENTIALITIES.
  378. 378DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INTELLIGIBLE AND SENSE-QUALITY.
  379. 379QUALITIES ARE ACCIDENTAL SHAPES OF BEING.
  380. 380FIFTH ENNEAD, BOOK SEVEN. Do Ideas of Individuals Exist?
  381. 381TWO POSSIBLE HYPOTHESES OF IDEAS OF INDIVIDUALS.
  382. 382THE FIRST (NON-PLATONIC) HYPOTHESIS ALONE RIGHT.
  383. 383DIFFERENCE OF THINGS DEPEND ON THEIR SEMINAL REASONS.
  384. 384SEX ALONE WOULD NOT ACCOUNT FOR THIS DIVERSITY.
  385. 385EXPLANATION OF THE DIVERSITY FROM SAME PARENTS
  386. 386VARIETY MAY DEPEND ON THE LATENCY OF PART OF SEMINAL REASONS.
  387. 387LEIBNITZ'S DOCTRINE OF THE INDISCERNIBLES.
  388. 388THERE ARE DIFFERENT IDEAS FOR TWINS, BRETHREN, OR WORKS OF ART.
  389. 389FIRST ENNEAD, BOOK TWO. Concerning Virtue.
  390. 390VIRTUE THE ROAD TO ESCAPE EVILS.
  391. 391CAN THESE VIRTUES BE ASCRIBED TO THE DIVINITY?
  392. 392HOMELY VIRTUES ASSIMILATE US TO DIVINITY ONLY PARTIALLY.
  393. 393THE DIVINE NEED NOT POSSESS THE LOWER VIRTUES BY WHICH WE ARE ASSIMILATED TO HIM.
  394. 394THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF RESEMBLANCE.
  395. 395HOW HOMELY VIRTUES MAY ASSIMILATE MAN TO THE SUPREME.
  396. 396PLATO DISTINGUISHES BETWEEN THE HOMELY AND THE HIGHER VIRTUES.
  397. 397HOW VIRTUES PURIFY.
  398. 398SELF-CONTROL IS ASSIMILATION TO THE DIVINITY.
  399. 399PURIFICATION PRODUCES CONVERSION; AND VIRTUE MAKES USE OF THIS.
  400. 400THE LIMIT OF PURIFICATION IS THAT OF THE SOUL'S SELF-CONTROL.
  401. 401THE INFLUENCE OF REASON IS SUGGESTIVE.
  402. 402THE GOAL OF PURIFICATION IS SECOND DIVINITY, INTELLIGENCE.
  403. 403THE HIGHER VIRTUES MERGE INTO WISDOM.
  404. 404INCARNATE JUSTICE IS INDIVIDUAL; IF ABSOLUTE, IT IS INDIVISIBLE.
  405. 405THE HIGHER FORMS OF THE VIRTUES.
  406. 406EVEN THE LOWER VIRTUES ARE MUTUALLY RELATED.
  407. 407THE HIGHER VIRTUES IMPLY THE LOWER; BUT NOT CONVERSELY.
  408. 408PRUDENCE TO DECIDE WHETHER IT IS POSSIBLE TO POSSESS VIRTUES UNSYMMETRICALLY?
  409. 409THE HOMELY VIRTUES MUST BE SUPPLEMENTED BY DIVINE DISCONTENT.
  410. 410FIRST ENNEAD, BOOK THREE. Of Dialectic, or the Means of Raising the Soul to the Intelligible World.
  411. 411SEARCH FOR A DEMONSTRATION OF DIVINITY SUCH THAT THE DEMONSTRATION ITSELF WILL DEIFY.
  412. 412METHODS DIFFER ACCORDING TO INDIVIDUALS; BUT THERE ARE CHIEFLY TWO.
  413. 413RETURN OF THE SOUL OF THE PHILOSOPHER, MUSICIAN AND LOVER.
  414. 414HOW THE MUSICIAN RISES TO THE INTELLIGIBLE WORLD.
  415. 415HOW THE LOVER RISES TO THE INTELLIGIBLE.
  416. 416HOW THE PHILOSOPHER RISES TO THE INTELLIGIBLE WORLD.
  417. 417WHAT DIALECTICS IS.
  418. 418DIALECTICS IS THE HIGHEST PART OF PHILOSOPHY.
  419. 419THE VARIOUS BRANCHES OF PHILOSOPHY CROWNED BY DIALECTICS.
  420. 420WITHOUT DIALECTICS LOWER KNOWLEDGE WOULD BE IMPERFECT.
  421. 421FOURTH ENNEAD, BOOK TWO. How the Soul Mediates Between Indivisible and Divisible Essence.
  422. 422OUTLINE OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDY OF IV. 7.
  423. 423EXISTENCE OF DIVISIBLE BEINGS.
  424. 424DESCRIPTION OF INDIVISIBLE ESSENCE.
  425. 425BETWEEN THEM IS AN INDIVISIBLE ESSENCE WHICH BECOMES DIVISIBLE WITHIN BODIES.
  426. 426DIVISION AS THE PROPERTY OF BODIES, BUT NOT THE CHARACTERISTIC OF SOUL.
  427. 427SOUL AS BOTH ESSENTIALLY DIVISIBLE AND INDIVISIBLE.
  428. 428POLEMIC AGAINST THE STOIC PREDOMINATING PART OF THE SOUL.
  429. 429THE SOUL HAS TO BE BOTH ONE AND MANIFOLD, EVEN ON THE STOIC HYPOTHESES.
  430. 430FOOTNOTES
  431. 431Transcriber's Notes
  432. 432Footnote Issues
  433. 433THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE
  434. 434"Cover"

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