Select Works of Plotinus — trans. Thomas Taylor

nd through a disordered condition of being, naturally arising from the composition of dissimilar natures, viz. of the immortal and mortal, of the in¬ tellectual and that which is deprived of intellect, of the indivi¬ sible and that which is endued with interval. For all these become the cause to the soul of this mighty tumult and labour in the realms of generation ; since we pursue a flying mockery which is ever in motion. And the soul, indeed, by verging to a material life, kindles a light in her dark tenement the body, but she herself becomes situated in obscurity ; and by giving life to the body, she destroys herself and her own intellect, in as great a degree as these are capable of receiving destruction. For thus the mortal nature participates of intellect, but the intellectual part of death, and the whole becomes a prodigy, as Plato beautifully observes in his Laws, composed of the mortal and immortal, of the intellectual and that which is deprived of intellect. For this physical law, which binds the soul to the body, is the death of the immortal life, but is the cause of vivification to the mortal body/7p. 249 there eternally. For it has not any impulse, or appetite. But that which receives appetite, and is next in order to that intellect, by the addition of appetite proceeds as it were to a greater extent, and being desirous to adorn, in imitation of the forms which it sees in intellect, it becomes as it were pregnant from them. Hence, becoming par¬ turient, it hastens to make and fabricate, and through this festination becoming extended about a sensible nature, when it subsists in conjunction with the soul of the universe, it transcends the sub¬ ject of its government, by being external to it, and thus together with the mundane soul presides over the universe with a providential care. But when it wishes to govern a part of the world, it then governs alone, and becomes [merged] in that in which it is ; yet not so as to be wholly absorbed by body, but even then it possesses something external to body. Hence, neither is the intellect of this soul passive. But this soul is at one time in body, and at another external to it. And being impelled, indeed, to descend from first natures, it proceeds as far as to such as rank in the third degree, and to those with which we are conversant, by a certain energy of intellect ; intellect at the same timep. 250 abiding in itself, and through soul filling every thing with all that is beautiful, being an immortal adorner through an immortal soul.

third degree, and to those with which we are conversant, by a certain energy of intellect ; intellect at the same timep. 250 abiding in itself, and through soul filling every thing with all that is beautiful, being an immortal adorner through an immortal soul. For intellect itself also exists eternally, through unceasing energy.

XIV. With respect to the souls of other animals, such among these as have fallen from a better con» dition, and have proceeded as far as to brutal bodies, these likewise are necessarily immortal. But if there is another species of soul, it is neces¬ sary that this also should not be derived from any other source than a vital nature, since this likewise is the cause of life to animals, and besides this, of the life which is in plants. For all these proceed¬ ing from the same principle, have an appropriate life of their own. And these souls also are incor¬ poreal, impartible, and essences. If, however, it is requisite that the soul of man being tripartite should be dissolved with the composite, we must say that pure souls which are liberated from the body, dismiss that which adhered to them in gene¬ ration ; but that this is accomplished by others in long periods of time. That also which is dis¬ missed, is the worse part, nor will this be destroyed, as long as that subsists from whence it originates.

p. 251

For nothing which is comprehended in being perishes.

XV. And thus much has been said by us to those who require demonstration on this subject But such things as should be adduced to those who stand in need of the evidence arising from faith mingled with sensible information, may be selected from history, which abounds with instances in con¬ firmation of the immortality of the soul. It may also be obtained from what the Gods have deli¬ vered in Oracles, when they order the anger of souls that have been injured, to be appeased ; and likewise honours to be paid to the dead, as being still sentient, which honours all men pay to de¬ parted souls. Many souls also who once ranked among men, do not cease when liberated from bo¬ dies to benefit mankind. And these by employing divination benefit us in other respects, and demon¬ strate through themselves, that other souls also do not perish.

p. 252

ON THE

THREE HYPOSTASES,

THAT RANK AS THE

PRINCIPLES OF THINGS

I.

when liberated from bo¬ dies to benefit mankind. And these by employing divination benefit us in other respects, and demon¬ strate through themselves, that other souls also do not perish.

p. 252

ON THE

THREE HYPOSTASES,

THAT RANK AS THE

PRINCIPLES OF THINGS

I. What is the reason that souls become obli¬ vious of divinity, being ignorant both of themselves and him, though their allotment is from thence, and they in short partake of God ? The principle therefore of evil to them is audacity, generation, the first difference,1 and the wish to exercise an unrestrained freedom of the will. When, therefore, they began to be delighted with this unboundedp. 253 liberty, abundantly employing the power of being moved from themselves, they ran in a direction contrary [to their first course], and thus becoming most distant from their source, they were at length ignorant that they were thence derived. Just as children who are immediately torn from their parents, and have for a long time been nurtured at a great distance from them, become ignorant both of themselves and their parents. Hence, souls neither seeing their father, nor themselves, despise themselves through ignorance of their race, but honour other things, and admiring every thing rather than themselves, being vehemently astonished about, and adhering to sensible natures, they as much as possible hurl themselves [from their true parents], and thus despise the beings from which they have become elongated. Hence, the honour which they pay to sensible objects, and the con¬ tempt of themselves, happen to be the causes of their all-perfect ignorance. For at the same time they pursue and admire something else, and acknowledge themselves to be inferior to that which they admire and pursue. But the soul admitting that it is something subordinate to things which are generated and corrupted, and apprehending that itp. 254 is the most ignoble and mortal of every thing which it honours, neither believes in the nature nor power of God. Hence, it is necessary that there should be a twofold discourse to those who are thus af¬ fected, in order to convert them to the contraries [to the things they admire], and to first natures, and to elevate them as far as to that which is highest, and one, and the first.

1 The five genera of being are, essence, sameness, difference , motion and permanency. This difference , therefore, which ranks as the first, and which is the source of all diversity, causes souls by predominating in them to be forgetful of deity, and themselves .