Life of Pythagoras — Iamblichus, trans. Thomas Taylor (1818)

“Tn the first place, indeed, it is necessary that he who intends to acquire this purification, should, as the foundation ae basis of it, know himself to be a soul bound in a foreign thing, and in a different essence. In the second place, as that which is raised from this foundation, he should collect himself from the body, and as it were from different places, so as to be disposed in a manner perfectly impassive with respect to the body. For he who energizes uninterruptedly according to sense, though he may not do this with an adhering affection, and the enjoyment resulting from pleasure, yet at the same time his attention is dissipated about the body, in consequence of becoming through sense 1 incontact withit. But we are addicted to the pleasures or pains of sensibles, in conjunction with a promptitude, and converging sympathy; from which disposition it is requisite to be purified. This, however, will be effected by admitting necessary pleasures, and the sensations of them, merely as remedtes, or as a liberation from patn, in order that [the rational part] may not be impeded [in tts energies.| Pain also must be taken away. But if this is not possible, it must be mildly diminished. And it

1 Instead of xar’ durin here, it is necessary to read xar’ aicOyow.

will be diminished, if the soul is not copassive with it. Anger, likewise, must as much as oan be taken away; and must by no means be premeditated. But if it cannot be entirely removed, deliberate choice must not be mingled with it, but the unpremeditated motion must be the impulse of the irrational part. That however which is unpremeditated 1s imbecile and small. All fear, likewise, must be expelled. For he who acquires this 2urification, will fear nothing. Here, however, if it should take place, it will be unpremeditated. Anger therefore and fear must be used for the purpose of admonition. But the desire of every thing base must be exterminated. Such a one also, so far as he is a cathartic philosopher, will not desire meats and drinks. Neither must there be the unpremeditated in natural venereal connexions; but 1f this should take place, tt must only be as far as to that precipitate imagination which energizes in sleep. In short, the intellectual soul itself of the purified man, must be liberated from all these [corporeal propensities]. He must likewise endeavour that what is moved to the irrational nature of corporeal passions, may be moved without sympathy, and without animadversion; so that the motions themselves may be immediately dissolved, through their vicinity to the reasoning power. This, however, will not take place while the purification is proceeding to its perfection; but will happen to those in whom reason rules without opposition. Hence in these, the inferior part will so venerate reason, that it will be indignant. if it is at all moved, in consequence of not being quiet when its master is present, and will reprove itself for its imbecility. "These, however, are yet only moderations of the passions, but at length terminate in apathy. For when co-passivity is entirely exterminated, then apathy is present with him whois purified from it. For passion becomes moved, when reason imparts excitation, through verging [to the irrational nature].”

P. 199. The theorems of philosophy are to be enjoyed, as much as possible, as if they were ambrosia and nectar, &Sc. Fe.