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1or his appearance, he neither came into public, nor regarded the duties of his office, nor dwelt in the house allotted for his reception ; but he supt and slept with certain of his friends and fami¬ liars, and gave himself to absolute retire¬ ment in the day. By this negligence and carelessness of life, (says Porphyry) from Chaldaean oracle, ** By extending a fiery (i. e. a divine) intellect to the work of piety, you will preserve the flowing body/' XX XII INTR0DUC Γ ION. beins; so vehemently afflicted with the gout, that he was obliged to be carried in a chair, he resumed his pristine strength and vigor. And from being so diseased in his hands* that he could not extend them when necessary, he so recovered their use by philosophic endurance, that he could em¬ ploy them with greater expedition than the manual mechanic. This great man, as we may. suppose, possessed a principal place in the esteem of Plotinus, who was not sparing in his praise of so uncommon a character, and proposed him as an illus¬ trious example to the pupils of philosophy. Happy Rogatianus ! who could relinquish power for knowledge, and prefer the per¬ petual inheritance of wisdom to the gaudy splendors of title, and the fleeting honors of command. Alexand-rinus Serapion, too, INTRODUCTION. xxxm was one of his associates, who was at first a rhetorician, bat afterwards gave himself to philosophical discussions; though, shame¬ ful to relate, he was at the same time a slave to usuiy and avarice.1 Besides all 1 Aristotle, in his Nicomachean Ethics, has shewn with his usual accuracy, that avarice is worse than profusion. First, because it is incurable. For it is the vice of old age, and increases with age. It is also manifold, and has nothing; in common with liberality. In the third place, it is not useful to any one, not even to him who labours under it. Hence the proverb, that the avaricious man never benefits, but when he dies ; for then he begins to be useful. And in the fourth place, men more frequently sin in this vice than in that of profusion. But prodigality is less a vice than avarice, hist, because it may be easily cured and corrected, partly by increase of age, and partly by a defect of wealth. For poverty at. length compels the prodigal to stop his profusion. And in the next place, prodigality is more allied to liberality than avarice ; so far as, by giving, it is also useful to others ; and on that account it is likewise sometimes praised.
2wealth. For poverty at. length compels the prodigal to stop his profusion. And in the next place, prodigality is more allied to liberality than avarice ; so far as, by giving, it is also useful to others ; and on that account it is likewise sometimes praised. In short, if there is not any thing more excellent than goodness, and because there is not, we call God goodness itself , and if the very essence of goodness consists in imparting in a be- XXXIV INTRODUCTION· these, says Porphyry, he reckoned me, a native of Tyre, among his most friendly adherents, and whom he also appointed to correct his writings. The following particulars relative to composition are related by Porphyry of this extraordinary man. He could by no means endure to review twice what he had written, nor even to read his composition, through the badness of his sight. But while he was writing he neither formed the the letters with accuracy, nor exactly distinguished the syllables, nor bestowed any diligent attention on the orthography ; but neglecting all these as trifles, he was alone attentive to the intellection of his coming manner, there cannot be any thing worse than avarice, since the very essence of it consists in failing to give. INTRODUCTION. XXXV wonderful mind ; and, to the admiration of all his disciples, persevered in this custom to the end of his life. To the mere critic and philologist, Plotinus will doubtless appear inexcusable for such important omissions ; but to the sublime and con¬ templative genius, his negligence will be considered as the result of vehement con¬ ception, and profound ratiocination. Such, indeed, was the power of his intellect, that when he had once conceived the whole disposition of his thoughts from the begin¬ ning to the end, and had afterwards committed them to writing, his composition was so connected, that he appeared to be merely transcribing from a book. Hence he would discuss his domestic affairs with¬ out departing from the actual intention of his mind ; and at one and the same time XXXVI INTRODUCTION. transact the necessary negotiations of friendship, and preserve an uninterrupted survey of the things he had proposed to consider. In consequence of this uncom¬ mon power of intellection, when he returned to writing, after the departure of the person with whom he had been conversing, he did O not review what he had written, owing, as we have observed, to the defect of Ids sight ; and yet he so connected the preceding with the subsequent conceptions, as if his composition had never been interrupted.
3person with whom he had been conversing, he did O not review what he had written, owing, as we have observed, to the defect of Ids sight ; and yet he so connected the preceding with the subsequent conceptions, as if his composition had never been interrupted. Hence he was at the same time present with others and with himself, so that as Por¬ phyry observes, the self-converted energy of his intellect was never remitted, except perhaps in sleep, which the paucity of his food (for he frequently abstained even from bread) and his incessant conversion to INTRODUCTION. XXXV11 intellect, contributed in no small degree to expel. Several women also vehemently admired the doctrines of Plotinus ; and also many noble persons of both sexes, when at the r point of death, committed their children and all their property to Plotinus, as to a certain sacred and divine guardian. Hence, says Porphyry, the house of Plotinus was filled with boys and virgins, (among the number of which was Potamon) whom he educated with diligence and care. Nor was he wearied in hearing the procurators of his pupils, rendering an account of their conduct, or paying an accurate attention to the expenditure of their income, affirming, that as they did not yet philosophize, they ought to possess their own property, and Plot . d XXXV111 INTRODUCTION. receive their annual rents without detriment. Yet though he was so attentive to his pupils in the necessary concerns of life, the intel¬ lectual energy of his soul while he was awake, never suffered any interruption from externals, nor any remission of vigor. He was likewise extremely mild in his man¬ ners, and was easy of access to all his friends and adherents. Hence, so great was his philosophic urbanity, that though he resided at Rome six-and-twenty years, and had been the arbitrator of many litigious causes, which he amicably dissolved, yet he had no enemy throughout that vast and illustrious city. But though Plotinus was so greatly esteemed at Rome, and in general by all who had the happiness of his acquaintance, INTRODUCTION. XXXIX yet he had one vehement enemy in the person of Alexandrinus Olympius, who had been for a short time the disciple of Ammonius, and who arrogantly conceived himself to be the first of philosophers, and conducted himself contemptuously towards Plotinus. So deadly, indeed, was his hatred of our philosopher, that he attempted to invade him, by drawing down, through magical arts, the baneful influences of the stars. The attempt was however vain, and noxious to its author.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
1or his appearance, he neither came into public, nor regarded the duties of his office, nor dwelt in the house allotted for his reception ; but he supt and slept with certain of his friends and fami¬ liars, and gave himself to absolute retire¬ ment in the day. By this negligence and carelessness of life, (says Porphyry) from Chaldaean oracle, ** By extending a fiery (i. e. a divine) intellect to the work of piety, you will preserve the flowing body/' XX XII INTR0DUC Γ ION. beins; so vehemently afflicted with the gout, that he was obliged to be carried in a chair, he resumed his pristine strength and vigor. And from being so diseased in his hands* that he could not extend them when necessary, he so recovered their use by philosophic endurance, that he could em¬ ploy them with greater expedition than the manual mechanic. This great man, as we may. suppose, possessed a principal place in the esteem of Plotinus, who was not sparing in his praise of so uncommon a character, and proposed him as an illus¬ trious example to the pupils of philosophy. Happy Rogatianus ! who could relinquish power for knowledge, and prefer the per¬ petual inheritance of wisdom to the gaudy splendors of title, and the fleeting honors of command. Alexand-rinus Serapion, too, INTRODUCTION. xxxm was one of his associates, who was at first a rhetorician, bat afterwards gave himself to philosophical discussions; though, shame¬ ful to relate, he was at the same time a slave to usuiy and avarice.1 Besides all 1 Aristotle, in his Nicomachean Ethics, has shewn with his usual accuracy, that avarice is worse than profusion. First, because it is incurable. For it is the vice of old age, and increases with age. It is also manifold, and has nothing; in common with liberality. In the third place, it is not useful to any one, not even to him who labours under it. Hence the proverb, that the avaricious man never benefits, but when he dies ; for then he begins to be useful. And in the fourth place, men more frequently sin in this vice than in that of profusion. But prodigality is less a vice than avarice, hist, because it may be easily cured and corrected, partly by increase of age, and partly by a defect of wealth. For poverty at. length compels the prodigal to stop his profusion. And in the next place, prodigality is more allied to liberality than avarice ; so far as, by giving, it is also useful to others ; and on that account it is likewise sometimes praised.
2wealth. For poverty at. length compels the prodigal to stop his profusion. And in the next place, prodigality is more allied to liberality than avarice ; so far as, by giving, it is also useful to others ; and on that account it is likewise sometimes praised. In short, if there is not any thing more excellent than goodness, and because there is not, we call God goodness itself , and if the very essence of goodness consists in imparting in a be- XXXIV INTRODUCTION· these, says Porphyry, he reckoned me, a native of Tyre, among his most friendly adherents, and whom he also appointed to correct his writings. The following particulars relative to composition are related by Porphyry of this extraordinary man. He could by no means endure to review twice what he had written, nor even to read his composition, through the badness of his sight. But while he was writing he neither formed the the letters with accuracy, nor exactly distinguished the syllables, nor bestowed any diligent attention on the orthography ; but neglecting all these as trifles, he was alone attentive to the intellection of his coming manner, there cannot be any thing worse than avarice, since the very essence of it consists in failing to give. INTRODUCTION. XXXV wonderful mind ; and, to the admiration of all his disciples, persevered in this custom to the end of his life. To the mere critic and philologist, Plotinus will doubtless appear inexcusable for such important omissions ; but to the sublime and con¬ templative genius, his negligence will be considered as the result of vehement con¬ ception, and profound ratiocination. Such, indeed, was the power of his intellect, that when he had once conceived the whole disposition of his thoughts from the begin¬ ning to the end, and had afterwards committed them to writing, his composition was so connected, that he appeared to be merely transcribing from a book. Hence he would discuss his domestic affairs with¬ out departing from the actual intention of his mind ; and at one and the same time XXXVI INTRODUCTION. transact the necessary negotiations of friendship, and preserve an uninterrupted survey of the things he had proposed to consider. In consequence of this uncom¬ mon power of intellection, when he returned to writing, after the departure of the person with whom he had been conversing, he did O not review what he had written, owing, as we have observed, to the defect of Ids sight ; and yet he so connected the preceding with the subsequent conceptions, as if his composition had never been interrupted.
3person with whom he had been conversing, he did O not review what he had written, owing, as we have observed, to the defect of Ids sight ; and yet he so connected the preceding with the subsequent conceptions, as if his composition had never been interrupted. Hence he was at the same time present with others and with himself, so that as Por¬ phyry observes, the self-converted energy of his intellect was never remitted, except perhaps in sleep, which the paucity of his food (for he frequently abstained even from bread) and his incessant conversion to INTRODUCTION. XXXV11 intellect, contributed in no small degree to expel. Several women also vehemently admired the doctrines of Plotinus ; and also many noble persons of both sexes, when at the r point of death, committed their children and all their property to Plotinus, as to a certain sacred and divine guardian. Hence, says Porphyry, the house of Plotinus was filled with boys and virgins, (among the number of which was Potamon) whom he educated with diligence and care. Nor was he wearied in hearing the procurators of his pupils, rendering an account of their conduct, or paying an accurate attention to the expenditure of their income, affirming, that as they did not yet philosophize, they ought to possess their own property, and Plot . d XXXV111 INTRODUCTION. receive their annual rents without detriment. Yet though he was so attentive to his pupils in the necessary concerns of life, the intel¬ lectual energy of his soul while he was awake, never suffered any interruption from externals, nor any remission of vigor. He was likewise extremely mild in his man¬ ners, and was easy of access to all his friends and adherents. Hence, so great was his philosophic urbanity, that though he resided at Rome six-and-twenty years, and had been the arbitrator of many litigious causes, which he amicably dissolved, yet he had no enemy throughout that vast and illustrious city. But though Plotinus was so greatly esteemed at Rome, and in general by all who had the happiness of his acquaintance, INTRODUCTION. XXXIX yet he had one vehement enemy in the person of Alexandrinus Olympius, who had been for a short time the disciple of Ammonius, and who arrogantly conceived himself to be the first of philosophers, and conducted himself contemptuously towards Plotinus. So deadly, indeed, was his hatred of our philosopher, that he attempted to invade him, by drawing down, through magical arts, the baneful influences of the stars. The attempt was however vain, and noxious to its author.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
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