Select Works of Plotinus — trans. Thomas Taylor

ecessary 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. What, therefore, is each of these discourses ? One of them, indeed, is that which shows the cause why the soul honours these sensible objects, which we have elsewhere largely discussed ; but the other teaches and re¬ minds the soul of the greatness of its origin, and its true dignity ; which discussion is prior to the former, and when manifested will render that ma¬ nifest Of this, therefore, we must now speak. For this is proximate and conducive to the object of enquiry. For that which is investigated is soul ; and what it investigates should be known by it, in

-r order that it may in the first place learn whether it has the power of investigating things of this kind ; and also whether it has such an eye as is able to see them, and whether they are properly objects of its enquiry. For if they are foreign to its nature, why should it investigate them ? But if they arep. 255 allied to it, it is expedient and possible to discover them.

IT. Every soul, therefore, ought to consider in the first place, that soul produced all animals, and inspired them with life ; viz. those animals w hich the earth and sea nourish, those w'hich live in the air, and the divine stars contained in the heavens. Soul also made the sun ; soul made and adorned this mighty heaven. Soul, too, circumvolves it in an orderly course, being of a nature different from the things which it adorns, which it moves, and causes to live, and is necessarily more honourable than these. For these are corrupted when soul deserts them, and generated when it supplies them with life. But soul always exists, because it never deserts itself What the mode is, however, by which life is supplied to the universe, and to each of its parts, may be considered to be as follows : Let a certain other soul whose dignity in contem¬ plating is not small, being liberated from deception, and the allurements which fascinate other souls, be established in a quiet condition and survey a mighty soul. And let not only the surrounding body and the storms of body be at rest with respect to it,p. 256 but the whole of that by which it is surrounded.

nd the allurements which fascinate other souls, be established in a quiet condition and survey a mighty soul. And let not only the surrounding body and the storms of body be at rest with respect to it,p. 256 but the whole of that by which it is surrounded. Let the earth, therefore, be still ; let the sea be still, the air, and the heavens themselves which are more excellent than the elements.1 Afterwards,

1 Proclus had evidently this beautiful passage in view, when, in his second book On the Theology of Plato, he celebrates the ineffable principles of things, with the following matchless magnificence of diction.

<c Let us now, if ever, remove from ourselves multiform knowledge, exterminate all the variety of life, and in perfect quiet approach near to the cause of all things. For this pur¬ pose, let not only opinion and phantasy be at rest, nor the passions alone which impede our anagogic impulse to the first be at peace ; but let the air be still, and the universe itself be still. And let all things extend us with a tranquil power to communion with the ineffable. Let us also, standing there, having transcended the intelligible (if we contain any thing of this kind), and with nearly closed eyes adoring as it were the rising sun, since it is not lawful for any being whatever intently to behold him — let us survey the sun whence the light of the intelligible gods proceeds, emerging, as the poets say, from the bosom of the ocean ; and again, from this divine tranquillity descending into intellect, and from intellect, employing the reasonings of the soul, let us relate to ourselves what the na¬ tures are, from which, in this progression, we shall consider the first god as exempt. And let us as it were celebrate him, not as establishing the earth and the heavens, nor as giving subsistence to souls, and the generations of all animals ; for he produced these indeed, but among the last of things. But, prior to these, let us celebrate him, as unfolding into light the whole intelligible and intellectual genus of gods, together with all the supermundane and mundane divinities·— as the god ofp. 257 let this quiet soul behold that other mighty soul, externally as it were, on all sides flowing and in¬ fused into, penetrating and illuminating the quies¬ cent mass. For just as the rays of the sun darting on a dark cloud cause it to become splendid, and golden to the view, thus also, soul entering into the body of heaven gave it life, gave it immortality, and excited it from its torpid state.

ing the quies¬ cent mass. For just as the rays of the sun darting on a dark cloud cause it to become splendid, and golden to the view, thus also, soul entering into the body of heaven gave it life, gave it immortality, and excited it from its torpid state. But heaven being all gods, the unity of all unities, and beyond the first adyta, — - as more ineffable than all silence, and more unknown than all essence, — as holy among the holies, and concealed in the intel¬ ligible gods." 1

1 A γε δη ουν, ειπερ ποτέ, κ ai wv τας πολυειδεις αποσκιυασωμεθα γνώσεις, και παν το ποικιλον της ζωής ι'ζορισωμεν cap’ ημών, και πάντων tv ηοεμια γενομενοι, τω πάντων αιτιω προσιωμεν εγγύς. έστω δε ημιν μη μονον δοζης , μηδε φαντα¬ σίας ηοεμια , μηδε ησυγμα των παθών ημών εμποδίζοντων την προς το πρώτον αναγωγον ορμήν, αλλ’ ησυγος μην αηρ, ησυγον δε το παν τούτο . παντα δε ατρε- μει τη δνναμει προς την Τον άρρητον μετονσιαν ημάς ανατεΐνετω. καί σταντες ίκει, καί το νοητον ( ει δη τι τοιουτον εστιν εν ημιν') υπεξδοαμοντες , και οιον ήλιον αν ισγ^οντα προσκυνησαντες, μεμυκοσι τοις οφθαλμοίς (ου yap θεμις αντωπειν ουδέ άλλο των ον των ονδεν') τον τοιννν του φωτός των νοητών θεών ήλιον εζ ωκεανού, φασιν οι ποιηται, π^οφαινομενον ιδοντες, και αυθις εκ της ενθεον ταυ της γαληνης εις νουν καταβαντες , και απο νου τοις της φυ^ης ερωμένοι λογισμοί; , ει πωμιν ποος ημάς αυτους , ων εξηρημενον εν τη ποξεια ταυτη τον πρώτον θεόν τεθειμεθα . χαι οιον υ μνησωμεν αυτόν ονχ^ οτι γην, και ουρανον υπεστησεν λε γοντες, ουδ αυ οτι ^υγ^ας, και ζωων απαντων γενεσεις, και ταυτα μεν yap, αλλ’ επ εσγ^ατοις. προ δε τούτων, ως παν μεν το νοητον των θεών γζνος, παν δε το y οερον είςεφηνε, παν » τας δε τους υπέρ τον κοσμον, και τους εν τω κοσμωθεους απαντας, και ως θεός εστι θεών απαντων, και ω; ένας εναδων, και ως των αδυνατών (lege άδυτων) επί® κείνα των πρωτων, και ως πασης σιγής αοζητοτεξον, και ως πασης υπαρξεως ayvw - στοτερον , άγιος εν άγιο ις, τοις νοητοις εναποκεκξν(χμενος θεοις, Pl’OC. in Plat. Theol. p. 109.

Plot.

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p. 258

moved with a perpetual motion, through the guid¬ ance of a wise soul, became a blessed animal* It also acquired dignity through soul becoming its in» habitant, since, prior to soul, it was a dead body, viz. earth and water, or rather the darkness of mat¬ ter and non-entity ; and, as some one says, that which the Gods abhor.