Select Works of Plotinus — trans. Thomas Taylor

cted 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. For the sidereal defluxions, instead of being hurtful to Plotinus, were reflected on Olympius. Hence he exclaimed to his companions, “ that the soul of Plotinus possessed such a mighty power, that it immediately repelled malignant influences directed upon his person, on the authors of the evil/' But xi

INTRODUCTION.

Plotinus, when Olympius first machinated his sidereal inchantments, was conscious of his design, and said to his friends : 64 Now the body of Olympius is contracted like a purse, and all his members are bruised together.” After Olympius, therefore, had often found to his own detriment, that the baneful influences intended for Plotinus were repelled on himself, he desisted from such base and fruitless undertakings. Indeed, says Porphyry, Plotinus naturally possessed something greater than the rest of mankind, which the following extraordinary relation abundantly evinces. A certain Egyptian priest, who at that time was at Rome, and who became known to Plotinus through oneof his friends (perhaps Porphyry himself), being desirous to exhibit his wisdom in that illustrious city, persuaded our

INTRODUCTION»

xli philosopher to attend him, for the purpose of beholding, through his invocations, his familiar daemon ; to which request Plotinus readily consented. But the invocation was performed in the temple of Isis ; this being the only pure place in Rome the Egyptian priest was able to find. However, instead of a daemon, as was expected, a God ap¬ proached, who was not, says Porphyry, in the genus of daemons. The Egyptian astonished at the unexpected event ex¬ claimed, “ Happy Plotinus, who hast a God for a daemon,1 and whose familiar xlii INTRODUCTION.

1 “ The most perfect souls (says Proclus in MS. Com* ment. in Alcibiad. I.) who are conversant with generation in ^n undefiled manner, as they choose a life conformable to their presiding God, so they live according to a divine daemon, who conjoined them to their proper deity when they dwelt on high. Hence, the Egyptian priest admired Plotinus, as being governed by a divine daemon,” And prior to this he observes, that the first and highest daemons are divine*

attendant does not rank among the inferior kind !” This extraordinary, however, and delightful vision was of short duration.

as being governed by a divine daemon,” And prior to this he observes, that the first and highest daemons are divine* xlii INTRODUCTION.

attendant does not rank among the inferior kind !” This extraordinary, however, and delightful vision was of short duration. For the priest affirmed, that it was not then lawful to ask any question, or any longer to enjoy the vision because a certain friend who was present at the spectacle, suffocated some birds which he held in his hands for the sake of safety, either impelled by envy a or terrified through fear. As Plotinus therefore was allotted a daemon belonging to the diviner orders, the divine eye of his soul was perpetually elevated to this guardian deity. On this account, he composed a book, On the Daemons which are allotted to us, in which he diligently^ and who often appear as Gods, through their transcendent similitude to the divinities. For that which is first in every order preserves the form of the nature prior to itself."

INTRODUCTION.

xliii endeavours to assign the causes of the diversity subsisting among these attendants on mankind.

Plotinus likewise appears to have pos¬ sessed a most extraordinary skill in physi¬ ognomy, as is evinced by the following circumstance. A lady named Chion, who together with her daughters resided in his house, and there happily passed a chaste widowhood, was fraudulently de¬ prived of a very valuable necklace. In consequence of this, all the servants and domestics were summoned into the presence of Plotinus, who regarded their several countenances, selected one of them, and accused him of the theft. The man was immediately chastized, and for some time denied the fact, but at length confessed his xllv INTRODUCTION.

guilt, and restored the necklace. In a similar manner (says Porphyry) he wonder¬ fully predicted the destiny of the young men of his acquaintance ; as of one Polemo, he foretold, that he would be very much addicted to love, and would live but for a short time, which happened according to his prediction. But the last instance of his sagacity, related by Porphyry, excels all the rest, both in the singular skill which it displays, and the happy consequences it produced. Porphyry, as we are informed by Eunapius in his life of him, on his first acquaintance with Plotinus, bade a final farewell to all his preceptors, and wholly applied himself to the friendship and con¬ fidence of this wonderful man. Here he filled his mind with science, and drew abundantly without satiety, from the per-

INTRODUCTION.

xlv ennial fountain, seated in the sanctuary of the soul of Plotinus.

rs, and wholly applied himself to the friendship and con¬ fidence of this wonderful man. Here he filled his mind with science, and drew abundantly without satiety, from the per-

INTRODUCTION.

xlv ennial fountain, seated in the sanctuary of the soul of Plotinus. But afterwards, being vanquished as it were, by the magni¬ tude of his doctrines, he conceived a hatred of body, and could no longer endure the fetters of mortality. δέ Hence,” says Por¬ phyry, ce 1 formed an intention of destroying myself, which Plotinus perceived, and as I was walking home stood before me, and said that my design was not the dictate of a sound intellect, but was the effect of a certain melancholy disease. In consequence of this, he ordered me to depart from Rome, and accordingly I went to Sicily, particu¬ larly as I heard that a certain worthy and elegant man dwelt at that time about LiljTbaeum. And thus indeed I was liberated from this [deadly] intention, but was hindered from being present with Plotinus till his death.”

xlvi

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Bat the great reputation of this divine man was not confined to the senate and people of Rome : for the emperor GaTienus and his wife Salonina, honored his person and reverenced his doctrine. Indeed, so highly was he esteemed by the emperor, that relying on his benevolence, he re¬ quested that a city in Campania, which had been formerly destroyed, might be restored, and rendered a fit habitation for philosophers ; and besides this that it might be governed by the laws of Plato, and called Platonopolis. The emperor indeed assented to his wishes, and the philosopher would have easily accomplished his inten¬ tions, if some of the emperor’s familiars, impelled by envy or indignation, or some other depraved cause, had not impeded its execution.

INTRODUCTION

xlvii

This very extraordinary man, as we are informed by Porphyry, was strenuous in discourse, and most powerful in discovering and conceiving what was appropriate; but in certain words he was incorrect. While he was speaking however, there was an evident indication of the predominance of intellect in his conceptions. For the light of it diffused itself as far as to his counten¬ ance, which was indeed at all times lovely, but was then particular^ beautiful. For then a certain attenuated and dewy mois¬ ture appeared on his face, and a pleasing mildness shone forth. Then, also, he exhibited a placid gentleness in receiving questions, and demonstrated a vigor un¬ commonly robust in the solution of them.