Select Works of Plotinus — trans. Thomas Taylor

; conceiving that there is also a place with divinity for others, as well as for ourselves, and not, as if flying in a dream, arrange ourselves alone immediately after the highest God ; and thus deprive ourselves of that power by which it is pos¬ sible for the soul of man to become a God. But this is possible so far as intellect is the leader of the soul. To attempt, however, to pass beyond intel» lect, is to fall from intellect. But stupid men arep. 92 persuaded when they suddenly hear such sounds as these : “ You are better , not only than all other men , to than the Gods ? For there is much arrogance among men [of the present time.] And he who prior to this was humble and modest , and a man of no consequence , becomes exalted beyond measure when he is told, u You are the son of God , but other men whom you formerly admired , are not the sons of God ; as neither are those beings which men honor conformably to the rites of their ancestors . It may be shown , however , without any labour , that you are more excellent than the heavens themselves? 1 Others, also, vociferate the same things. Just as if some one in the company of many persons who knew not how to numerate,

1 Of this most stupid and arrogant opinion was the slashing Dr. Bentley, as Pope calls him, as is evident from the follow¬ ing extract :

Nor do we count it any absurdity, that such a vast and immense universe should be made for the sole use of such mean and unworthy creatures as the children of men. For if we consider the dignity of an intelligent being, and put that in the scales against brute inanimate matter, we may affirm, without over-valuing human nature, that the soul of one virtuous and religious man, is of greater worth and excellency than the sun and his planets, and all the stars in the world.” See Bentley's Sth Sermon at Boyles Lectures,p. 93 should hear it said that he was a thousand cubits in height. If, therefore, he should think himself so tall as this, but should hear that other men were five cubits in height, he would only have a con¬ fused imagination that a thousand was a great number.

Farther still, they acknowledge that the provi¬ dence of God is attentive to human concerns. Why, therefore, does he neglect the whole world, of which we are a part ? If it is because he is not at leisure to look to it, neither therefore is it lawful for him to survey that which is inferior and us.

i¬ dence of God is attentive to human concerns. Why, therefore, does he neglect the whole world, of which we are a part ? If it is because he is not at leisure to look to it, neither therefore is it lawful for him to survey that which is inferior and us.

if

Why also, while he surveys us, does he not behold that which is external ; and thus look to the world in wyhich we are contained ? But if he does not look to that wdrich is external, in order that he roav not see the world, neither will he behold us. Di¬ vinity, however, knows the order of the wrorld, and the manner in which men who are contained in it subsist. Those, also, who are dear to divinity, bear mildly whatever happens to them from the world, if any thing necessarily befals them from the motion of all things. For it is not proper to look to what is pleasing to an individual, but we should direct our attention to the universe, and honour every one according to his desert ; hastening to that goal to which all things that are able hasten*p. 9 and by the attainment of which they become blessed ; some things as far as they have ability obtaining an allotment adapted to their nature. Nor should any man ascribe this ability to himself alone. For it does not follow that a man possesses what he pretends to possess ; since many assert they possess that of which they know they are des* titute, and also fancy they have a thing when they have it not, and that they alone are the possessors of that which they alone do not possess.

X. He, therefore, who investigates many other particulars, or rather every particular respecting their opinions, will be able to show copiously what the nature of them is. We, indeed, are ashamed of certain of our friends,1 who before they were in¬ timate with us were conversant with these opinions, and who still, I know not how, persevere in them, and endeavour to render them credible. We, how¬ ever, speak to those with whom we are acquainted,p. 95 and not to the many who are auditors of these men. For we shall effect nothing by endeavouring to persuade them not to be disturbed by the argu¬ ments of the Gnostics, which are not accompanied with demonstrations ; (for how is it possible they should ?) but are the assertions of arrogant men. For there is another mode of properly confuting those who dare to reprehend the doctrines of an¬ cient and divine men, and a mode which adheres to the truth.

1 Plotinus, I suppose, alludes here to Origen the Christian father, among others, who had formerly been one of his dis¬ ciples.

with demonstrations ; (for how is it possible they should ?) but are the assertions of arrogant men. For there is another mode of properly confuting those who dare to reprehend the doctrines of an¬ cient and divine men, and a mode which adheres to the truth. We shall, therefore, dismiss the enquiry how they are to be persuaded. For those who accurately understand what has now been said, will know what the nature is of every other particular. We shall dismiss, however, the consideration of that assertion which surpasses every thing in absur¬ dity, if it is requisite to call it an absurdity, viz. that soul and a certain wisdom verged downward, whether soul w^as the first that began to verge, or wisdom was the cause of this tendency to an infe¬ rior condition, or both had the same intention# They add, that other souls and the members of wisdom descended at the same time, and entered bodies, such for instance as those of men. They say, however, that the soul for the sake of which other souls descended, did not descend, as if it didp. 96 not verge downward, but that it only illuminated the darkness ; and that afterwards an image was from thence produced in matter. Again, also, after this fashioning an image of an image, they assert that it pervades through matter or mate¬ riality, or whatever else they may please to call it y for they call this by one name, and that by another, devising many appellations for the purpose of ren¬ dering what they say obscure. And thus they generate what is denominated by them the dumiurgus. Making the world, likewise, to revolt from the mother, they say that it proceeds from the demiurgus as far as to the last of images/

XL In the first place, therefore, if this sou! did not descend, but illuminated the darkness, how can it be rightly said to have verged downward ? For it is not proper to say that it now verged, be¬ cause something flowed from it such as light ; un¬ less one thing belonging to it was situated in the

* After ttiis in the original, the words tva σφοδρά Χοώορη- στρ-αι ο τούτο γραφ as follow, i. e. “ in order that he who writes this may be more vehemently reprehended." But as I do not see what connection they have with the words immediately preceding them, 1 have not inserted' them in the translation.

p. 97

region beneath, but another proceeded locally to this region, and becoming near to it, illuminated it.