250 ad plotinus.doc

7/29/2019 250 AD Plotinus.doc

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250 AD THE SIX ENNEADS by Plotinus translated by Stephen Macenna and !" S" Pa#e THE $I%ST ENNEAD"

$I%ST T%A&TATE"

THE ANIMATE AND THE MAN"

'" Pleasure and distress( )ear and coura#e( desire and a*ersion(+here ha*e these a,ections and e-periences their seat. &learly( either in the Soul alone( or in the Soul as e/ployin# thebody( or in so/e third entity deri*in# )ro/ both" And )or this thirdentity( a#ain( there are t+o possible /odes it /i#ht be either ablend or a distinct )or/ due to the blendin#" And +hat applies to the a,ections applies also to +hatsoe*eracts( physical or /ental( sprin# )ro/ the/" 1e ha*e( there)ore( to e-a/ine discursi*ereason and theordinary /ental action upon ob3ects o) sense( and en4uire +hetherthese ha*e the one seat +ith the a,ections and e-periences( orperhaps so/eti/es the one seat( so/eti/es another" And +e /ust consider also our acts o) Intellection( their /ode and

their seat" And this *ery e-a/inin# principle( +hich in*esti#ates anddecides in these /atters( /ust be brou#ht to li#ht" $irstly( +hat is the seat o) SensePerception. This is the ob*iousbe#innin# since the a,ections and e-periences either are sensationso) so/e ind or at least ne*er occur apart )ro/ sensation" 2" This 6rst en4uiry obli#es us to consider at the outset thenature o) the Soul that is +hether a distinction is to be /adebet+een Soul and Essential Soul 7bet+een an indi*idual Soul and theSoulind in itsel)8" 9

9 All /atter sho+n in bracets is added by the translator )orclearness: sae and( there)ore( is not canonical" S"M"

I) such a distinction holds( then the Soul 7in /an8 is so/e sorto) a co/posite and at once +e /ay a#ree that it is a recipient and i)only reason allo+s that all the a,ections and e-periences reallyha*e their seat in the Soul( and +ith the a,ections e*ery state and/ood( #ood and bad alie" !ut i) Soul 7in /an8 and Essential Soul are one and the sa/e( thenthe Soul +ill be an Ideal$or/ unrecepti*e o) all those acti*ities+hich it i/parts to another ind but possessin# +ithin itsel) thatnati*e Act o) its o+n +hich %eason /ani)ests" I) this be so( then( indeed( +e /ay thin o) the Soul as ani//ortal i) the i//ortal( the i/perishable( /ust be i/passi*e( #i*in#out so/ethin# o) itsel) but itsel) tain# nothin# )ro/ +ithoute-cept )or +hat it recei*es )ro/ the E-istents prior to itsel) )ro/+hich E-istents( in that they are the nobler( it cannot be sundered"

No+ +hat could brin# )ear to a nature thus unrecepti*e o) allthe outer. $ear de/ands )eelin#" Nor is there place )or coura#ecoura#e i/plies the presence o) dan#er" And such desires as aresatis6ed by the 6llin# or *oidin# o) the body( /ust be proper toso/ethin# *ery di,erent )ro/ the Soul( to that only +hich ad/its o)replenish/ent and *oidance" And ho+ could the Soul lend itsel) to any ad/i-ture. Anessential is not /i-ed" ;r o) the intrusion o) anythin# alien. I) itdid( it +ould be seein# the destruction o) its o+n nature" Pain/ust be e4ually )ar )ro/ it" And


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intellections +hether these are to be assi#ned to the Soul and as toPurePleasure( +hether this belon#s to the Soul in its solitary state" >" 1e /ay treat o) the Soul as in the body +hether it be setabo*e it or actually +ithin it since the association o) the t+oconstitutes the one thin# called the li*in# or#anis/( the Ani/ate" No+ )ro/ this relation( )ro/ the Soul usin# the body as aninstru/ent( it does not )ollo+ that the Soul /ust share the body:se-periences a /an does not hi/sel) )eel all the e-periences o) thetools +ith +hich he is +orin#"

It /ay be ob3ected that the Soul /ust ho+e*er( ha*eSensePerception since its use o) its instru/ent /ust ac4uaint it +iththe e-ternal conditions( and such no+led#e co/es by +ay o) sense"

Thus( it +ill be ar#ued( the eyes are the instru/ent o) seein#( andseein# /ay brin# distress to the soul hence the Soul /ay )eelsorro+ and pain and e*ery other a,ection that belon#s to the body=and )ro/ this a#ain +ill sprin# desire( the Soul seein# the /endin#o) its instru/ent" !ut( +e as( ho+( possibly( can these a,ections pass )ro/ body toSoul. !ody /ay co//unicate 4ualities or conditions to another bodybut body to Soul. So/ethin# happens to A= does that /ae it happen to!. As lon# as +e ha*e a#ent and instru/ent( there are t+o distinctentities= i) the Soul uses the body it is separate )ro/ it" !ut apart )ro/ the philosophical separation ho+ does Soul stand to

body. &learly there is a co/bination" And )or this se*eral /odes arepossible" There /i#ht be a co/plete coalescence Soul /i#ht beinter+o*en throu#h the body or it /i#ht be an Ideal$or/ detachedor an Ideal$or/ in #o*ernin# contact lie a pilot or there /i#htbe part o) the Soul detached and another part in contact( thedis3oined part bein# the a#ent or user( the con3oined part ranin#+ith the instru/ent or thin# used" In this last case it +ill be the double tas o) philosophy todirect this lo+er Soul to+ards the hi#her( the a#ent( and e-cept in so)ar as the con3unction is absolutely necessary( to se*er the a#ent)ro/ the instru/ent( the body( so that it need not )ore*er ha*e itsAct upon or throu#h this in)erior" ?" @et us consider( then( the hypothesis o) a coalescence"

No+ i) there is a coalescence( the lo+er is ennobled( the noblerde#raded= the body is raised in the scale o) bein# as /ade participantin li)e= the Soul( as associated +ith death and unreason( is brou#htlo+er" Ho+ can a lessenin# o) the li)e4uality produce an increasesuch as SensePerception. No the body has ac4uired li)e( it is the body that +illac4uire( +ith li)e( sensation and the a,ections co/in# bysensation" Desire( then( +ill belon# to the body( as the ob3ects o)desire are to be en3oyed by the body" And )ear( too( +ill belon# tothe body alone= )or it is the body:s doo/ to )ail o) its 3oys and toperish" Then a#ain +e should ha*e to e-a/ine ho+ such a coalescencecould be concei*ed +e /i#ht 6nd it i/possible perhaps all this islie announcin# the coalescence o) thin#s utterly incon#ruous in ind(

let us say o) a line and +hiteness" Ne-t )or the su##estion that the Soul is inter+o*en throu#h thebody such a relation +ould not #i*e +oo) and +arp co//unity o)sensation the inter+o*en ele/ent /i#ht *ery +ell su,er no chan#ethe per/eatin# soul /i#ht re/ain entirely untouched by +hat a,ectsthe body as li#ht #oes al+ays )ree o) all it oods and all the /oreso( since( precisely( +e are ased to consider it as di,usedthrou#hout the entire )ra/e" Bnder such an inter+ea*in#( then( the Soul +ould not besub3ected to the body:s a,ections and e-periences it +ould bepresent rather as Ideal$or/ in Matter" @et us then suppose Soul to be in body as Ideal$or/ in Matter"No+ i) the 6rst possibility the Soul is an essence( asel)e-istent( it can be present only as separable )or/ and +ill

there)ore all the /ore decidedly be the Bsin#Principle 7and there)oreuna,ected8" Suppose( ne-t( the Soul to be present lie a-e)or/ on iron here(no doubt( the )or/ is all i/portant but it is still the a-e( theco/ple/ent o) iron and )or/( that e,ects +hate*er is e,ected by


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the iron thus /odi6ed on this analo#y( there)ore( +e are e*en /orestrictly co/pelled to assi#n all the e-periences o) the co/bination tothe body their natural seat is the /aterial /e/ber( the instru/ent(the potential recipient o) li)e" &o/pare the passa#e +here +e read9 that Cit is absurd to supposethat the Soul +ea*esC= e4ually absurd to thin o) it as desirin#(#rie*in#" All this is rather in the pro*ince o) so/ethin# +hich +e /aycall the Ani/ate"

9 C1e readC translates Che saysC o) the te-t( and al+ays indicatesa re)erence to Plato( +hose na/e does not appear in the translatione-cept +here it +as +ritten by Plotinus" S"M"

5" No+ this Ani/ate /i#ht be /erely the body as ha*in# li)e it/i#ht be the &ouple/ent o) Soul and body it /i#ht be a third anddi,erent entity )or/ed )ro/ both" The Soul in turn apart )ro/ the nature o) the Ani/ate /ust beeither i/passi*e( /erely causin# SensePerception in itsyoe)ello+( or sy/pathetic= and( i) sy/pathetic( it /ay ha*eidentical e-periences +ith its )ello+ or /erely correspondente-periences desire )or e-a/ple in the Ani/ate /ay be so/ethin#4uite distinct )ro/ the acco/panyin# /o*e/ent or state in the desirin#)aculty"

The body( the li*ebody as +e no+ it( +e +ill consider later" @et us tae 6rst the &ouple/ent o) body and Soul" Ho+ couldsu,erin#( )or e-a/ple( be seated in this &ouple/ent. It /ay be su##ested that so/e un+elco/e state o) the body producesa distress +hich reaches to a Sensiti*e$aculty +hich in turn /er#esinto Soul" !ut this account still lea*es the ori#in o) the sensationune-plained" Another su##estion /i#ht be that all is due to an opinion or

3ud#e/ent so/e e*il see/s to ha*e be)allen the /an or hisbelon#in#s and this con*iction sets up a state o) trouble in thebody and in the entire Ani/ate" !ut this account lea*es still a4uestion as to the source and seat o) the 3ud#e/ent does it belon# tothe Soul or to the &ouple/ent. !esides( the 3ud#e/ent that e*il ispresent does not in*ol*e the )eelin# o) #rie) the 3ud#e/ent /i#ht

*ery +ell arise and the #rie) by no /eans )ollo+ one /ay thinonesel) sli#hted and yet not be an#ry= and the appetite is notnecessarily e-cited by the thou#ht o) a pleasure" 1e are( thus( nonearer than be)ore to any +arrant )or assi#nin# these a,ections tothe &ouple/ent" Is it any e-planation to say that desire is *ested in a$acultyo)desire and an#er in the Irascible$aculty and(collecti*ely( that all tendency is seated in the Appetiti*e$aculty.Such a state/ent o) the )acts does not help to+ards /ain# thea,ections co//on to the &ouple/ent= they /i#ht still be seated eitherin the Soul alone or in the body alone" ;n the one hand i) theappetite is to be stirred( as in the carnal passion( there /ust be aheatin# o) the blood and the bile( a +ellde6ned state o) the body=on the other hand( the i/pulse to+ards The


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e-periences and e-pressi*e acti*ities o) the li)e bein# *ested inthe recipient( the Ani/ate" !ut this +ould /ean that li)e itsel) belon#s not to the Soul butto the &ouple/ent= or at least the li)e o) the &ouple/ent +ould not bethe li)e o) the Soul= SensePerception +ould belon# not to theSensiti*e$aculty but to the container o) the )aculty" !ut i) sensation is a /o*e/ent tra*ersin# the body and cul/inatin#in Soul( ho+ the soul lac sensation. The *ery presence o) theSensiti*e$aculty /ust assure sensation to the Soul"

;nce a#ain( +here is SensePerception seated. In the &ouple/ent" et ho+ can the &ouple/ent ha*e sensation independently o)action in the Sensiti*e$aculty( the Soul le)t out o) count and theSoul$aculty. G" The truth lies in the &onsideration that the &ouple/entsubsists by *irtue o) the Soul:s presence" This( ho+e*er( is not to say that the Soul #i*es itsel) as it isin itsel) to )or/ either the &ouple/ent or the body" No= )ro/ the or#anied body and so/ethin# else( let us say ali#ht( +hich the Soul #i*es )orth )ro/ itsel)( it )or/s a distinctPrinciple( the Ani/ate= and in this Principle are *estedSensePerception and all the other e-periences )ound to belon# tothe Ani/ate"

!ut the C1eC. Ho+ ha*e 1e SensePerception. !y the )act that 1e are not separate )ro/ the Ani/ate soconstituted( e*en thou#h certainly other and nobler ele/ents #o to/ae up the entire /anysided nature o) Man" The )aculty o) perception in the Soul cannot act by thei//ediate #raspin# o) sensible ob3ects( but only by the discernin#o) i/pressions printed upon the Ani/ate by sensation thesei/pressions are already Intelli#ibles +hile the outer sensation is a/ere phanto/ o) the other 7o) that in the Soul8 +hich is nearer toAuthenticE-istence as bein# an i/passi*e readin# o) Ideal$or/s" And by /eans o) these Ideal$or/s( by +hich the Soul +ields sin#lelordship o*er the Ani/ate( +e ha*e Discursi*e%easonin#(Senseno+led#e and Intellection" $ro/ this /o/ent +e ha*epeculiarly the 1e be)ore this there +as only the C;ursC= but at

this sta#e stands the 1E 7the authentic Hu/anPrinciple8 lo)tilypresidin# o*er the Ani/ate" There is no reason +hy the entire co/pound entity should not bedescribed as the Ani/ate or @i*in#!ein# /in#led in a lo+er phase(but abo*e that point the be#innin# o) the *eritable /an( distinct )ro/all that is in to the lion( all that is o) the order o) the/ultiple brute" And since The Man( so understood( is essentially theassociate o) the reasonin# Soul( in our reasonin# it is this C1eC thatreasons( in that the use and act o) reason is a characteristic Acto) the Soul" " And to+ards the IntellectualPrinciple +hat is our relation. !ythis I /ean( not that )aculty in the soul +hich is one o) thee/anations )ro/ the IntellectualPrinciple( but TheIntellectualPrinciple itsel) 7Di*ineMind8"

This also +e possess as the su//it o) our bein#" And +e ha*e Iteither as co//on to all or as our o+n i//ediate possession or a#ain+e /ay possess It in both de#rees( that is in co//on( since It isindi*isible one( e*ery+here and al+ays Its entire sel) and se*erallyin that each personality possesses It entire in the $irstSoul 7i"e"in the Intellectual as distin#uished )ro/ the lo+er phase o) theSoul8" Hence +e possess the Ideal$or/s also a)ter t+o /odes in theSoul( as it +ere unrolled and separate= in the IntellectualPrinciple(concentrated( one" And ho+ do +e possess the Di*inity. In that the Di*inity is contained in the IntellectualPrincipleand AuthenticE-istence= and 1e co/e third in order a)ter these t+o()or the 1e is constituted by a union o) the supre/e( the undi*ided

Soul +e read and that Soul +hich is di*ided a/on# 7li*in#8 bodies"$or( note( +e ine*itably thin o) the Soul( thou#h one undi*ided inthe All( as bein# present to bodies in di*ision in so )ar as anybodies are Ani/ates( the Soul has #i*en itsel) to each o) the separate/aterial /asses= or rather it appears to be present in the bodies by


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the )act that it shines into the/ it /aes the/ li*in# bein#s notby /er#in# into body but by #i*in# )orth( +ithout any chan#e initsel)( i/a#es or lienesses o) itsel) lie one )ace cau#ht by /any/irrors" The 6rst o) these i/a#es is SensePerception seated in the&ouple/ent= and )ro/ this do+n+ards all the successi*e i/a#es are tobe reco#nied as phases o) the Soul in lessenin# succession )ro/ oneanother( until the series ends in the )aculties o) #eneration and#ro+th and o) all production o) o,sprin# o,sprin# eFcient in

its turn( in contradistinction to the en#enderin# Soul +hich 7has nodirect action +ithin /atter but8 produces by /ere inclinationto+ards +hat it )ashions" J" That Soul( then( in us( +ill in its nature stand apart )ro/ allthat can cause any o) the e*ils +hich /an does or su,ers= )or allsuch e*il( as +e ha*e seen( belon#s only to the Ani/ate( the&ouple/ent" !ut there is a diFculty in understandin# ho+ the Soul can #o#uiltless i) our /entation and reasonin# are *ested in it )or allthis lo+er ind o) no+led#e is delusion and is the cause o) /uch o)+hat is e*il" 1hen +e ha*e done e*il it is because +e ha*e been +orsted by ourbaser side )or a /an is /any by desire or ra#e or so/e e*il i/a#ethe /isna/ed reasonin# that taes up +ith the )alse( in reality )ancy(

has not stayed )or the 3ud#e/ent o) the %easonin#Principle +e ha*eacted at the call o) the less +orthy( 3ust as in /atters o) thesensesphere +e so/eti/es see )alsely because +e credit only the lo+erperception( that o) the &ouple/ent( +ithout applyin# the tests o)the %easonin#$aculty" The IntellectualPrinciple has held aloo) )ro/ the act and so is#uiltless= or( as +e /ay state it( all depends on +hether +e oursel*esha*e or ha*e not put oursel*es in touch +ith the Intellectual%eal/either in the IntellectualPrinciple or +ithin oursel*es= )or it ispossible at once to possess and not to use" Thus +e ha*e /ared o, +hat belon#s to the &ouple/ent )ro/ +hatstands by itsel) the one #roup has the character o) body and ne*ere-ists apart )ro/ body( +hile all that has no need o) body )or its/ani)estation belon#s peculiarly to Soul and the Bnderstandin#( as

passin# 3ud#e/ent upon SenseI/pressions( is at the point o) the*ision o) Ideal$or/s( seein# the/ as it +ere +ith an ans+erin#sensation Ki"e( +ith consciousnessL this last is at any rate true o)the Bnderstandin# in the eritable Soul" $or Bnderstandin#( thetrue( is the Act o) the Intellections in /any o) its /ani)estationsit is the assi/ilation and reconciliation o) the outer to the inner" Thus in spite o) all( the Soul is at peace as to itsel) and +ithinitsel) all the chan#es and all the tur/oil +e e-perience are theissue o) +hat is sub3oined to the Soul( and are( as ha*e said( thestates and e-periences o) this elusi*e C&ouple/ent"C '0" It +ill be ob3ected( that i) the Soul constitutes the 1e7the personality8 and 1e are sub3ect to these states then the Soul/ust be sub3ect to the/( and si/ilarly that +hat 1e do /ust be done bythe Soul"

!ut it has been obser*ed that the &ouple/ent( too especiallybe)ore our e/ancipation is a /e/ber o) this total 1e( and in )act+hat the body e-periences +e say 1e e-perience" This then co*ers t+odistinct notions= so/eti/es it includes the brutepart( so/eti/es ittranscends the brute" The body is brute touched to li)e= the true/an is the other( #oin# pure o) the body( nati*ely endo+ed +ith the*irtues +hich belon# to the IntellectualActi*ity( *irtues +hoseseat is the Separate Soul( the Soul +hich e*en in its d+ellin# here/ay be ept apart" 7This Soul constitutes the hu/an bein#8 )or +hen ithas +holly +ithdra+n( that other Soul +hich is a radiation 7ore/anation8 )ro/ it +ithdra+s also( dra+n a)ter it" Those *irtues( on the other hand( +hich sprin# not )ro/conte/plati*e +isdo/ but )ro/ custo/ or practical discipline belon# tothe &ouple/ent to the &ouple/ent( too( belon# the *ices= they are its

repu#nances( desires( sy/pathies" And $riendship. This e/otion belon#s so/eti/es to the lo+er part( so/eti/es to theinterior /an" ''" In childhood the /ain acti*ity is in the &ouple/ent and


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there is but little irradiation )ro/ the hi#her principles o) ourbein# but +hen these hi#her principles act but )eebly or rarelyupon us their action is directed to+ards the Supre/e= they +or uponus only +hen they stand at the /idpoint" !ut does not the include that phase o) our bein# +hich standsabo*e the /idpoint. It does( but on condition that +e lay hold o) it our entirenature is not ours at all ti/es but only as +e direct the /idpointup+ards or do+n+ards( or lead so/e particular phase o) our nature )ro/

potentiality or nati*e character into act" And the ani/als( in +hat +ay or de#ree do they possess theAni/ate. I) there be in the/( as the opinion #oes( hu/an Souls that ha*esinned( then the Ani/atin#Principle in its separable phase does notenter directly into the brute= it is there but not there to the/= theyare a+are only o) the i/a#e o) the Soul 7only o) the lo+er Soul8 ando) that only by bein# a+are o) the body or#anised and deter/ined bythat i/a#e" I) there be no hu/an Soul in the/( the Ani/ate is constituted)or the/ by a radiation )ro/ the AllSoul" '2" !ut i) Soul is sinless( ho+ co/e the e-piations. Here surelyis a contradiction= on the one side the Soul is abo*e all #uilt= onthe other( +e hear o) its sin( its puri6cation( its e-piation= it

is doo/ed to the lo+er +orld( it passes )ro/ body to body" 1e /ay tae either *ie+ at +ill they are easily reconciled" 1hen +e tell o) the sinless Soul( +e /ae Soul andEssentialSoul one and the sa/e it is the si/ple unbroen Bnity" !y the Soul sub3ect to sin +e indicate a #roup/ent( +e includethat other( that phase o) the Soul +hich no+s all the states andpassions the Soul in this sense is co/pound( allinclusi*e it)alls under the conditions o) the entire li*in# e-perience thisco/pound it is that sins= it is this( and not the other( that payspenalty" It is in this sense that +e read o) the Soul C1e sa+ it asthose others sa+ the sea#od


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or the Soul. 1e( but by the Soul" !ut ho+ Cby the SoulC. Does this /ean that the Soul reasons bypossession 7by contact +ith the /atters o) en4uiry8. No= by the )act o) bein# Soul" Its Act subsists +ithout/o*e/ent= or any /o*e/ent that can be ascribed to it /ust be utterlydistinct )ro/ all corporal /o*e/ent and be si/ply the Soul:s o+n li)e" And Intellection in us is t+o)old since the Soul is intellecti*e(and Intellection is the hi#hest phase o) li)e( +e ha*e Intellection

both by the characteristic Act o) our Soul and by the Act o) theIntellectualPrinciple upon us )or this IntellectualPrinciple ispart o) us no less than the Soul( and to+ards it +e are e*er risin#" SE&;ND T%A&TATE"

;N I%TBE"

'" Since E*il is here( Chauntin# this +orld by necessary la+(C andit is the Soul:s desi#n to escape )ro/ E*il( +e /ust escape hence" !ut +hat is this escape. CIn attainin# @ieness to


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+e hold it to be so/ethin# hi#her" The ob3ection +ould be *alid i) +hat the soul taes in +ere oneand the sa/e +ith the source( but in )act *irtue is one thin#( thesource o) *irtue 4uite another" The /aterial house is not identical+ith the house concei*ed in the intellect( and yet stands in itslieness the /aterial house has distribution and order +hile the pureidea is not constituted by any such ele/ents= distribution( order(sy//etry are not parts o) an idea" So +ith us it is )ro/ the Supre/e that +e deri*e order and

distribution and har/ony( +hich are *irtues in this sphere theE-istences There( ha*in# no need o) har/ony( order or distribution(ha*e nothin# to do +ith *irtue= and( none the less( it is by ourpossession o) *irtue that +e beco/e lie to The/" Thus /uch to sho+ that the principle that +e attain @ieness by*irtue in no +ay in*ol*es the e-istence o) *irtue in the Supre/e"!ut +e ha*e not /erely to /ae a )or/al de/onstration +e /ustpersuade as +ell as de/onstrate" 2" $irst( then( let us e-a/ine those #ood 4ualities by +hich +ehold @ieness co/es( and see to establish +hat is this thin# +hich(as +e possess it( in transcription( is *irtue but as the Supre/epossesses it( is in the nature o) an e-e/plar or archetype and isnot *irtue" 1e /ust 6rst distin#uish t+o /odes o) @ieness"

There is the lieness de/andin# an identical nature in the ob3ects+hich( )urther( /ust dra+ their lieness )ro/ a co//on principleand there is the case in +hich ! rese/bles A( but A is a Pri/al( notconcerned about ! and not said to rese/ble !" In this second case(lieness is understood in a distinct sense +e no lon#er loo )oridentity o) nature( but( on the contrary( )or di*er#ence since thelieness has co/e about by the /ode o) di,erence" 1hat( then( precisely is irtue( collecti*ely and in theparticular. The clearer /ethod +ill be to be#in +ith the particular()or so the co//on ele/ent by +hich all the )or/s hold the #eneral na/e+ill readily appear" The &i*ic irtues( on +hich +e ha*e touched abo*e( are a principleor order and beauty in us as lon# as +e re/ain passin# our li)ehere they ennoble us by settin# bound and /easure to our desires

and to our entire sensibility( and dispellin# )alse 3ud#e/ent andthis by sheer eFcacy o) the better( by the *ery settin# o) thebounds( by the )act that the /easured is li)ted outside o) thesphere o) the un/easured and la+less" And( )urther( these &i*ic irtues /easured and ordered the/sel*esand actin# as a principle o) /easure to the Soul +hich is as Matter totheir )or/in# are lie to the /easure rei#nin# in the o*er+orld( andthey carry a trace o) that Hi#hest


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Intellection and 1isdo/ ne*er allo+ed the passions o) the body toa,ect it the *irtue o) Sophrosyne ne+ no )ear at the partin#)ro/ the body the *irtue o) $ortitude and i) reason and theIntellectualPrinciple ruled in +hich state is %i#hteousness" Sucha disposition in the Soul( beco/e thus intellecti*e and i//une topassion( it +ould not be +ron# to call @ieness to


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dispel the t+o orders o) passion an#er( desire and the lie( +ith#rie) and its in and in +hat de#ree the disen#a#e/ent )ro/ thebody is possible" Disen#a#e/ent /eans si/ply that the soul +ithdra+s to its o+nplace" It +ill hold itsel) abo*e all passions and a,ections" Necessarypleasures and all the acti*ity o) the senses it +ill e/ploy only )or/edica/ent and assua#e/ent lest its +or be i/peded" Pain it /ayco/bat( but( )ailin# the cure( it +ill bear /eely and ease it by

re)usin# assent to it" All passionate action it +ill chec thesuppression +ill be co/plete i) that be possible( but at +orst theSoul +ill ne*er itsel) tae 6re but +ill eep the in*oluntary anduncontrolled outside its precincts and rare and +ea at that" The Soulhas nothin# to dread( thou#h no doubt the in*oluntary has so/e po+erhere too )ear there)ore /ust cease( e-cept so )ar as it is purely/onitory" 1hat desire there /ay be can ne*er be )or the *ile= e*en the)ood and drin necessary )or restoration +ill lie outside o) theSoul:s attention( and not less the se-ual appetite or i) suchdesire there /ust be( it +ill turn upon the actual needs o) the natureand be entirely under control= or i) any uncontrolled /otion taesplace( it +ill reach no )urther than the i/a#ination( be no /orethan a eetin# )ancy" The Soul itsel) +ill be in*iolately )ree and +ill be +orin# to

set the irrational part o) the nature abo*e all attac( or i) that /aynot be( then at least to preser*e it )ro/ *iolent assault( so that any+ound it taes /ay be sli#ht and be healed at once by *irtue o) theSoul:s presence( 3ust as a /an li*in# ne-t door to a Sa#e +ould pro6tby the nei#hbourhood( either in beco/in# +ise and #ood hi/sel) or( )orsheer sha/e( ne*er *enturin# any act +hich the nobler /ind +oulddisappro*e" There +ill be no battlin# in the Soul the /ere inter*ention o)%eason is enou#h the lo+er nature +ill stand in such a+e o) %easonthat )or any sli#htest /o*e/ent it has /ade it +ill #rie*e( andcensure its o+n +eaness( in not ha*in# ept lo+ and still in thepresence o) its lord" " In all this there is no sin there is only /atter o)discipline but our concern is not /erely to be sinless but to be


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o) a Bnity upon itsel)( o) a Bnity in +hich there is no this andthat and the other" ;n this principle( the supre/e %ectitude o) the Soul is that itdirect its Act to+ards the IntellectualPrinciple its %estraintKSophrosyneL is its in+ard bendin# to+ards the IntellectualPrinciple=its $ortitude is its bein# i/passi*e in the lieness o) That to+ards+hich its #ae is set( 1hose nature co/ports an i/passi*ity +hichthe Soul ac4uires by *irtue and /ust ac4uire i) it is not to be at the/ercy o) e*ery state arisin# in its less noble co/panion"

G" The *irtues in the Soul run in a se4uence correspondent to thate-istin# in the o*er+orld( that is a/on# their e-e/plars in theIntellectualPrinciple" In the Supre/e( Intellection constitutes no+led#e and 1isdo/=sel)concentration is Sophrosyne= Its proper Act is Its Duti)ulness=Its I//ateriality( by +hich It re/ains in*iolate +ithin Itsel) isthe e4ui*alent o) $ortitude" In the Soul( the direction o) *ision to+ards theIntellectualPrinciple is 1isdo/ and Prudence( soul*irtues notappropriate to the Supre/e +here Thiner and Thou#ht are identical"All the other *irtues ha*e si/ilar correspondences" And i) the ter/ o) puri6cation is the production o) a pure bein#(then the puri6cation o) the Soul /ust produce all the *irtues= i) anyare lacin#( then not one o) the/ is per)ect"

And to possess the #reater is potentially to possess the /inor(thou#h the /inor need not carry the #reater +ith the/" Thus +e ha*e indicated the do/inant note in the li)e o) theSa#e= but +hether his possession o) the /inor *irtues be actual as+ell as potential( +hether e*en the #reater are in Act in hi/ or yieldto 4ualities hi#her still( /ust be decided a)resh in each se*eralcase" Tae( )or e-a/ple( &onte/plati*e1isdo/" I) other #uides o)conduct /ust be called in to /eet a #i*en need( can this *irtue holdits #round e*en in /ere potentiality. And +hat happens +hen the *irtues in their *ery nature di,er inscope and pro*ince. 1here( )or e-a/ple( Sophrosyne +ould allo+ certainacts or e/otions under due restraint and another *irtue +ould cut the/o, alto#ether. And is it not clear that all /ay ha*e to yield( once

&onte/plati*e1isdo/ co/es into action. The solution is in understandin# the *irtues and +hat each hasto #i*e thus the /an +ill learn to +or +ith this or that as e*eryse*eral need de/ands" And as he reaches to lo)tier principles andother standards these in turn +ill de6ne his conduct )or e-a/ple(%estraint in its earlier )or/ +ill no lon#er satis)y hi/= he +ill +or)or the 6nal Disen#a#e/ent= he +ill li*e( no lon#er( the hu/an li)eo) the #ood /an such as &i*ic irtue co//ends but( lea*in# thisbeneath hi/( +ill tae up instead another li)e( that o) the


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up+ards or ha*e already #ained the upper sphere" The 6rst de#ree is the con*ersion )ro/ the lo+er li)e= thesecond held by those that ha*e already /ade their +ay to the sphereo) the Intelli#ibles( ha*e set as it +ere a )ootprint there but /uststill ad*ance +ithin the real/ lasts until they reach the e-tre/ehold o) the place( the Ter/ attained +hen the top/ost pea o) theIntellectual real/ is +on" !ut this hi#hest de#ree /ust bide its ti/e let us 6rst try tospea o) the initial process o) con*ersion"

1e /ust be#in by distin#uishin# the three types" @et us tae the/usician 6rst and indicate his te/pera/ental e4uip/ent )or the tas" The /usician +e /ay thin o) as bein# e-ceedin#ly 4uic to beauty(dra+n in a *ery rapture to it so/e+hat slo+ to stir o) his o+ni/pulse( he ans+ers at once to the outer sti/ulus as the ti/id aresensiti*e to noise so he to tones and the beauty they con*ey= all thato,ends a#ainst unison or har/ony in /elodies and rhyth/s repelshi/= he lon#s )or /easure and shapely pattern" This natural tendency /ust be /ade the startin#point to such a/an= he /ust be dra+n by the tone( rhyth/ and desi#n in thin#s o)sense he /ust learn to distin#uish the /aterial )or/s )ro/ theAuthenticE-istent +hich is the source o) all these correspondencesand o) the entire reasoned sche/e in the +or o) art he /ust be ledto the !eauty that /ani)ests itsel) throu#h these )or/s= he /ust be

sho+n that +hat ra*ished hi/ +as no other than the Har/ony o) theIntellectual +orld and the !eauty in that sphere( not so/e one shapeo) beauty but the All!eauty( the Absolute !eauty= and the truths o)philosophy /ust be i/planted in hi/ to lead hi/ to )aith in that+hich( unno+in# it( he possesses +ithin hi/sel)" 1hat these truthsare +e +ill sho+ later" 2" The born lo*er( to +hose de#ree the /usician also /ay attainand then either co/e to a stand or pass beyond has a certain /e/oryo) beauty but( se*ered )ro/ it no+( he no lon#er co/prehends itspellbound by *isible lo*eliness he clin#s a/aed about that" Hislesson /ust be to )all do+n no lon#er in be+ildered deli#ht be)oreso/e( one e/bodied )or/= he /ust be led( under a syste/ o) /entaldiscipline( to beauty e*ery+here and /ade to discern the ;ne Principleunderlyin# all( a Principle apart )ro/ the /aterial )or/s( sprin#in#

)ro/ another source( and else+here /ore truly present" The beauty( )ore-a/ple( in a noble course o) li)e and in an ad/irably or#aniedsocial syste/ /ay be pointed out to hi/ a 6rst trainin# this inthe lo*eliness o) the i//aterial he /ust learn to reco#nise thebeauty in the arts( sciences( *irtues= then these se*ered andparticular )or/s /ust be brou#ht under the one principle by thee-planation o) their ori#in" $ro/ the *irtues he is to be led to theIntellectualPrinciple( to the AuthenticE-istent= thence on+ard( hetreads the up+ard +ay" >" The /etaphysician( e4uipped by that *ery character( +in#edalready and not lie those others( in need o) disen#a#e/ent(stirrin# o) hi/sel) to+ards the supernal but doubtin# o) the +ay(needs only a #uide" He /ust be sho+n( then( and instructed( a+illin# +ay)arer by his *ery te/pera/ent( all but sel)directed"

Mathe/atics( +hich as a student by nature he +ill tae *eryeasily( +ill be prescribed to train hi/ to abstract thou#ht and to)aith in the une/bodied= a /oral bein# by nati*e disposition( he/ust be led to /ae his *irtue per)ect= a)ter the Mathe/atics he/ust be put throu#h a course in Dialectic and /ade an adept in thescience" ?" !ut this science( this Dialectic essential to all the threeclasses alie( +hat( in su/( is it. It is the Method( or Discipline( that brin#s +ith it the po+ero) pronouncin# +ith 6nal truth upon the nature and relation o)thin#s +hat each is( ho+ it di,ers )ro/ others( +hat co//on4uality all ha*e( to +hat ind each belon#s and in +hat ran eachstands in its ind and +hether its !ein# is %eal!ein#( and ho+ /any!ein#s there are( and ho+ /any non!ein#s to be distin#uished )ro/

!ein#s" Dialectic treats also o) the


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All this acco/plished( it #i*es up its tourin# o) the real/ o)sense and settles do+n in the Intellectual os/os and there pliesits o+n peculiar Act it has abandoned all the real/ o) deceit and)alsity( and pastures the Soul in the CMeado+s o) TruthC it e/ploysthe Platonic di*ision to the discern/ent o) the Ideal$or/s( o) theAuthenticE-istence and o) the $irstinds 7or &ate#ories o) !ein#8it establishes( in the li#ht o) Intellection( the unity there is inall that issues )ro/ these $irsts( until it has tra*ersed the entireIntellectual %eal/ then( resol*in# the unity into the particulars

once /ore( it returns to the point )ro/ +hich it starts" No+ rests instructed and satis6ed as to the !ein# in thatsphere( it is no lon#er busy about /any thin#s it has arri*ed atBnity and it conte/plates it lea*es to another science all thatcoil o) pre/isses and conclusions called the art o) reasonin#( /uch asit lea*es the art o) +ritin# so/e o) the /atter o) lo#ic( no doubt(it considers necessary to clear the #round but it /aes itsel) the

3ud#e( here as in e*erythin# else= +here it sees use( it uses=anythin# it 6nds superuous( it lea*es to +hate*er depart/ent o)learnin# or practice /ay turn that /atter to account" 5" !ut +hence does this science deri*e its o+n initial la+s. The IntellectualPrinciple )urnishes standards( the /ost certain)or any soul that is able to apply the/" 1hat else is necessary(Dialectic puts to#ether )or itsel)( co/binin# and di*idin#( until it

has reached per)ect Intellection" C$or(C +e read( Cit is the purest7per)ection8 o) Intellection and &onte/plati*e1isdo/"C And( bein# thenoblest /ethod and science that e-ists it /ust needs deal +ithAuthenticE-istence( The Hi#hest there is as &onte/plati*e1isdo/ 7ortrueno+in#8 it deals +ith !ein#( as Intellection +ith +hattranscends !ein#" 1hat( then( is Philosophy. Philosophy is the supre/ely precious" Is Dialectic( then( the sa/e as Philosophy. It is the precious part o) Philosophy" 1e /ust not thin o) itas the /ere tool o) the /etaphysician Dialectic does not consist o)bare theories and rules it deals +ith *erities= E-istences are( as it+ere( Matter to it( or at least it proceeds /ethodically to+ardsE-istences( and possesses itsel)( at the one step( o) the notions

and o) the realities" Bntruth and sophis/ it no+s( not directly( not o) its o+n nature(but /erely as so/ethin# produced outside itsel)( so/ethin# +hich itreco#nises to be )orei#n to the *erities laid up in itsel)= in the)alsity presented to it( it percei*es a clash +ith its o+n canon o)truth" Dialectic( that is to say( has no no+led#e o) propositionscollections o) +ords but it no+s the truth( and( in thatno+led#e( no+s +hat the schools call their propositions it no+sabo*e all( the operation o) the soul( and( by *irtue o) thisno+in#( it no+s( too( +hat is aFr/ed and +hat is denied( +hetherthe denial is o) +hat +as asserted or o) so/ethin# else( and +hetherpropositions a#ree or di,er= all that is sub/itted to it( itattacs +ith the directness o) senseperception and it lea*es pettyprecisions o) process to +hat other science /ay care )or such

e-ercises" " Philosophy has other pro*inces( but Dialectic is its preciouspart in its study o) the la+s o) the uni*erse( Philosophy dra+s onDialectic /uch as other studies and cra)ts use Arith/etic( thou#h(o) course( the alliance bet+een Philosophy and Dialectic is closer" And in Morals( too( Philosophy uses Dialectic by Dialectic itco/es to conte/plation( thou#h it ori#inates o) itsel) the /oral stateor rather the discipline )ro/ +hich the /oral state de*elops" ;ur reasonin# )aculties e/ploy the data o) Dialectic al/ost astheir proper possession )or they are /ainly concerned about Matter7+hose place and +orth Dialectic establishes8" And +hile the other *irtues brin# the reason to bear uponparticular e-periences and acts( the *irtue o) 1isdo/ 7i"e"( the*irtue peculiarly induced by Dialectic8 is a certain superreasonin#

/uch closer to the Bni*ersal= )or it deals +ith correspondence andse4uence( the choice o) ti/e )or action and inaction( the adoptiono) this course( the re3ection o) that other 1isdo/ and Dialectic ha*ethe tas o) presentin# all thin#s as Bni*ersals and stripped o) /atter)or treat/ent by the Bnderstandin#"


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!ut can these in)erior inds o) *irtue e-ist +ithout Dialectic andphilosophy. es but i/per)ectly( inade4uately" And is it possible to be a Sa#e( Master in Dialectic( +ithoutthese lo+er *irtues. It +ould not happen the lo+er +ill sprin# either be)ore orto#ether +ith the hi#her" And it is liely that e*eryone nor/allypossesses the natural *irtues )ro/ +hich( +hen 1isdo/ steps in( theper)ected *irtue de*elops" A)ter the natural *irtues( then( 1isdo/

and( so the per)ectin# o) the /oral nature" ;nce the natural *irtuese-ist( both orders( the natural and the hi#her( ripen side by sideto their 6nal e-cellence or as the one ad*ances it carries )or+ardthe other to+ards per)ection" !ut( e*er( the natural *irtue is i/per)ect in *ision and instren#th and to both orders o) *irtue the essential /atter is )ro/+hat principles +e deri*e the/" $;B%TH T%A&TATE"

;N T%BE HAPPINESS"

'" Are +e to /ae True Happiness one and the sa/e thin# +ith1el)are or Prosperity and there)ore +ithin the reach o) the otherli*in# bein#s as +ell as oursel*es.

There is certainly no reason to deny +ellbein# to any o) the/as lon# as their lot allo+s the/ to ourish unhindered a)ter theirind" 1hether +e /ae 1el)are consist in pleasant conditions o) li)e( orin the acco/plish/ent o) so/e appropriate tas( by either account it/ay )all to the/ as to us" $or certainly they /ay at once bepleasantly placed and en#a#ed about so/e )unction that lies in theirnature tae )or an instance such li*in# bein#s as ha*e the #i)t o)/usic= 6ndin# the/sel*es +ello, in other +ays( they sin#( too( astheir nature is( and so their day is pleasant to the/" And i)( e*en( +e set Happiness in so/e ulti/ate Ter/ pursued byinborn tendency( then on this head( too( +e /ust allo+ it to ani/als)ro/ the /o/ent o) their attainin# this Blti/ate the nature in the/co/es to a halt( ha*in# )ul6lled its *ital course )ro/ a be#innin# to

an end" It /ay be a distaste)ul notion( this brin#in#do+n o) happiness solo+ as to the ani/al +orld /ain# it o*er( as then +e /ust( e*en tothe *ilest o) the/ and not +ithholdin# it e*en )ro/ the plants( li*in#they too and ha*in# a li)e un)oldin# to a Ter/" !ut( to be#in +ith( it is surely unsound to deny that #ood o) li)eto ani/als only because they do not appear to /an to be o) #reataccount" And as )or plants( +e need not necessarily allo+ to the/ +hat+e accord to the other )or/s o) li)e( since they ha*e no )eelin#" Itis true people /i#ht be )ound to declare prosperity possible to the*ery plants they ha*e li)e( and li)e /ay brin# #ood or e*il= theplants /ay thri*e or +ither( bear or be barren" No i) Pleasure be the Ter/( i) here be the #ood o) li)e( it isi/possible to deny the #ood o) li)e to any order o) li*in# thin#s=

i) the Ter/ be innerpeace( e4ually i/possible= i/possible( too( i)the #ood o) li)e be to li*e in accordance +ith the purpose o) nature" 2" Those that deny the happy li)e to the plants on the #round thatthey lac sensation are really denyin# it to all li*in# thin#s" !y sensation can be /eant only perception o) state( and thestate o) +ellbein# /ust be


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constituents are needed to /ae up the


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opposite but( in ter/inolo#y( standin# as an CearlierC to a ClaterC inthe one ind" No+ in co//on use this +ord C@i)eC e/braces /any )or/s +hich shadedo+n )ro/ pri/al to secondary and so on( all /assed under the co//onter/ li)e o) plant and li)e o) ani/al each phase bri#hter ordi//er than its ne-t and so it e*idently /ust be +ith the


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such thin#s( and +hat he #i*es to the lo+er he so #i*es as to lea*ehis true li)e undi/inished" Ad*erse )ortune does not shae his )elicity the li)e so )oundedis stable e*er" Suppose death stries at his household or at his)riends= he no+s +hat death is( as the *icti/s( i) they are a/on# the+ise( no+ too" And i) death tain# )ro/ hi/ his )a/iliars andinti/ates does brin# #rie)( it is not to hi/( not to the true /an( butto that in hi/ +hich stands apart )ro/ the Supre/e( to that lo+er/an in +hose distress he taes no part"

5" !ut +hat o) sorro+s( illnesses and all else that inhibit thenati*e acti*ity. 1hat o) the suspension o) consciousness +hich dru#s or disease /aybrin# about. &ould either +el)are or happiness be present under suchconditions. And this is to say nothin# o) /isery and dis#race( +hich+ill certainly be ur#ed a#ainst us( +ith undoubtedly also thosene*er)ailin# CMiseries o) Pria/"C CThe Sa#e(C +e shall be told( C/ay bear such aictions ande*en tae the/ li#htly but they could ne*er be his choice( and thehappy li)e /ust be one that +ould be chosen" The Sa#e( that is( cannotbe thou#ht o) as si/ply a sa#e soul( no count bein# taen o) thebodilyprinciple in the total o) the bein# he +ill( no doubt( taeall bra*ely""" until the body:s appeals co/e up be)ore hi/( andlon#in#s and loathin#s penetrate throu#h the body to the inner /an"

And since pleasure /ust be counted in to+ards the happy li)e( ho+can one that( thus( no+s the /isery o) ill)ortune or pain behappy( ho+e*er sa#e he be. Such a state( o) bliss sel)contained( is)or the


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repelled by the /an established in happiness. Here is our ans+er These /ore pleasant conditions cannot( it is true( add anyparticle to+ards the Sa#e:s )elicity but they do ser*e to+ards theinte#rity o) his bein#( +hile the presence o) the contraries tendsa#ainst his !ein# or co/plicates the Ter/ it is not that the Sa#e canbe so easily depri*ed o) the Ter/ achie*ed but si/ply that he thatholds the hi#hest #ood desires to ha*e that alone( not so/ethin#else at the sa/e ti/e( so/ethin# +hich( thou#h it cannot banish the


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o) action" !esides +e /ust re/e/ber that the Sa#e sees thin#s *erydi,erently )ro/ the a*era#e /an= neither ordinary e-periences norpains and sorro+s( +hether touchin# hi/sel) or others( pierce to theinner hold" To allo+ the/ any such passa#e +ould be a +eaness inour soul" And it is a si#n o) +eaness( too( i) +e should thin it #ainnot to hear o) /iseries( #ain to die be)ore they co/e this is notconcern )or others: +el)are but )or our o+n peace o) /ind" Here +e see

our i/per)ection +e /ust not indul#e it( +e /ust put it )ro/ us andcease to tre/ble o*er +hat perhaps /ay be" Anyone that says that it is in hu/an nature to #rie*e o*er/is)ortune to our household /ust learn that this is not so +ith all(and that( precisely( it is *irtue:s use to raise the #eneral le*elo) nature to+ards the better and 6ner( abo*e the /ass o) /en" And the6ner is to set at nou#ht +hat terri6es the co//on /ind" 1e cannot be indolent this is an arena )or the po+er)ul co/batantholdin# his #round a#ainst the blo+s o) )ortune( and no+in# that(sore thou#h they be to so/e natures( they are little to his( nothin#dread)ul( nursery terrors" So( the Sa#e +ould ha*e desired /is)ortune. It is precisely to /eet the undesired +hen it appears that hehas the *irtue +hich #i*es hi/( to con)ront it( his passionless and

unshaeable soul" J" !ut +hen he is out o) hi/sel)( reason 4uenched by sicness orby /a#ic arts. I) it be allo+ed that in this state( restin# as it +ere in aslu/ber( he re/ains a Sa#e( +hy should he not e4ually re/ain happy. Noone rules hi/ out o) )elicity in the hours o) sleep= no one countsup that ti/e and so denies that he has been happy all his li)e" I) they say that( )ailin# consciousness( he is no lon#er the Sa#e(then they are no lon#er reasonin# about the Sa#e but +e do supposea Sa#e( and are en4uirin# +hether( as lon# as he is the Sa#e( he is inthe state o) )elicity" C1ell( a Sa#e let hi/ re/ain(C they say( Cstill( ha*in# nosensation and not e-pressin# his *irtue in act( ho+ can he be happy.C !ut a /an unconscious o) his health /ay be( none the less(

healthy a /an /ay not be a+are o) his personal attraction( but here/ains handso/e none the less i) he has no sense o) his +isdo/(shall he be any the less +ise. It /ay perhaps be ur#ed that sensation and consciousness areessential to +isdo/ and that happiness is only +isdo/ brou#ht to act" No+( this ar#u/ent /i#ht ha*e +ei#ht i) prudence( +isdo/( +ereso/ethin# )etched in )ro/ outside but this is not so +isdo/ is( inits essential nature( an AuthenticE-istence( or rather is TheAuthenticE-istent and this E-istent does not perish in one asleepor( to tae the particular case presented to us( in the /an out o) his/ind the Act o) this E-istent is continuous +ithin hi/= and is asleepless acti*ity the Sa#e( there)ore( e*en unconscious( is stillthe Sa#e in Act" This acti*ity is screened not )ro/ the /an entire but /erely

)ro/ one part o) hi/ +e ha*e here a parallel to +hat happens in theacti*ity o) the physical or *e#etati*e li)e in us +hich is not /adeno+n by the sensiti*e )aculty to the rest o) the /an i) our physicalli)e really constituted the C1e(C its Act +ould be our Act but( inthe )act( this physical li)e is not the C1eC= the C1eC is the acti*ityo) the IntellectualPrinciple so that +hen the Intellecti*e is inAct +e are in Act" '0" Perhaps the reason this continuous acti*ity re/ainsunpercei*ed is that it has no touch +hate*er +ith thin#s o) sense"No doubt action upon /aterial thin#s( or action dictated by the/( /ustproceed throu#h the sensiti*e )aculty +hich e-ists )or that use but+hy should there not be an i//ediate acti*ity o) theIntellectualPrinciple and o) the soul that attends it( the soulthat antedates sensation or any perception. $or( i) Intellection and

AuthenticE-istence are identical( this CEarlierthanperceptionC /ustbe a thin# ha*in# Act" @et us e-plain the conditions under +hich +e beco/e conscious o)this Intellecti*eAct" 1hen the Intellect is in up+ard orientation that 7lo+er part o)


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it8 +hich contains 7or( corresponds to8 the li)e o) the Soul( is( soto spea( un# do+n a#ain and beco/es lie the reection restin#on the s/ooth and shinin# sur)ace o) a /irror= in this illustration(+hen the /irror is in place the i/a#e appears but( thou#h the /irrorbe absent or out o) #ear( all that +ould ha*e acted and produced ani/a#e still e-ists= so in the case o) the Soul= +hen there is peace inthat +ithin us +hich is capable o) reectin# the i/a#es o) the%ational and IntellectualPrinciples these i/a#es appear" Then( sideby side +ith the pri/al no+led#e o) the acti*ity o) the %ational

and the IntellectualPrinciples( +e ha*e also as it +ere asenseperception o) their operation" 1hen( on the contrary( the /irror +ithin is shattered throu#h so/edisturbance o) the har/ony o) the body( %eason and theIntellectualPrinciple act unpictured Intellection is unattended byi/a#ination" In su/ +e /ay sa)ely #ather that +hile the Intellecti*eAct /ay beattended by the I/a#in# Principle( it is not to be con)ounded +ith it" And e*en in our conscious li)e +e can point to /any nobleacti*ities( o) /ind and o) hand alie( +hich at the ti/e in no +ayco/pel our consciousness" A reader +ill o)ten be 4uite unconscious+hen he is /ost intent in a )eat o) coura#e there can be no senseeither o) the bra*e action or o) the )act that all that is donecon)or/s to the rules o) coura#e" And so in cases beyond nu/ber"

So that it +ould e*en see/ that consciousness tends to blunt theacti*ities upon +hich it is e-ercised( and that in the de#ree in +hichthese pass unobser*ed they are purer and ha*e /ore e,ect( /ore*itality( and that( conse4uently( the Sa#e arri*ed at this state hasthe truer )ulness o) li)e( li)e not spilled out in sensation but#athered closely +ithin itsel)" ''" 1e shall perhaps be told that in such a state the /an is nolon#er ali*e +e ans+er that these people sho+ the/sel*es e4uallyunable to understand his inner li)e and his happiness" I) this does not satis)y the/( +e /ust as the/ to eep in /inda li*in# Sa#e and( under these ter/s( to en4uire +hether the /an is inhappiness they /ust not +hittle a+ay his li)e and then as +hether hehas the happy li)e= they /ust not tae a+ay /an and then loo )orthe happiness o) a /an once they allo+ that the Sa#e li*es +ithin(

they /ust not see hi/ a/on# the outer acti*ities( still less looto the outer +orld )or the ob3ect o) his desires" To consider theouter +orld to be a 6eld to his desire( to )ancy the Sa#e desirin#any #ood e-ternal( +ould be to deny SubstantialE-istence tohappiness= )or the Sa#e +ould lie to see all /en prosperous and noe*il be)allin# anyone= but thou#h it pro*e other+ise( he is stillcontent" I) it be ad/itted that such a desire +ould be a#ainst reason(since e*il cannot cease to be( there is no escape )ro/ a#reein# +ithus that the Sa#e:s +ill is set al+ays and only in+ard" '2" The pleasure de/anded )or the li)e cannot be in the en3oy/entso) the licentious or in any #rati6cations o) the body there is noplace )or these( and they stie happiness nor in any *iolente/otions +hat could so /o*e the Sa#e. it can be only such pleasure

as there /ust be +here


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+ell( The Sel)


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accident )or hi/( ha*e substituted )or the Sa#e +e ha*e in /indanother person alto#ether= they o,er us a tolerable sort o) /an andthey assi#n to hi/ a li)e o) /in#led #ood and ill( a case( a)terall( not easy to concei*e" !ut ad/ittin# the possibility o) such a/i-ed state( it could not be deser*ed to be called a li)e o)happiness= it /isses the " es( but i) the +ellbein# has lasted a lon# ti/e( i) thatpresent spectacle has been a lon#er ti/e be)ore the eyes. I) in the #reater len#th o) ti/e the /an has seen /ore deeply(ti/e has certainly done so/ethin# )or hi/( but i) all the processhas brou#ht hi/ no )urther *ision( then one #lance +ould #i*e all hehas had" ?" Still the one li)e has no+n pleasure lon#er than the other. !ut pleasure cannot be )airly reconed in +ith Happiness unlessindeed by pleasure is /eant the unhindered Act 7o) the true /an8( in

+hich case this pleasure is si/ply our CHappiness"C And e*en pleasure(thou#h it e-ist continuously( has ne*er anythin# but the present=its past is o*er and done +ith" 5" 1e are ased to belie*e( then( it +ill be ob3ected( that i) one/an has been happy )ro/ 6rst to last( another only at the last( and a


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third( be#innin# +ith happiness( has lost it( their shares are e4ual. This is strayin# )ro/ the 4uestion +e +ere co/parin# the happya/on# the/sel*es no+ +e are ased to co/pare the nothappy at theti/e +hen they are out o) happiness +ith those in actual possession o)happiness" I) these last are better o,( they are so as /en inpossession o) happiness a#ainst /en +ithout it and their ad*anta#eis al+ays by so/ethin# in the present" " 1ell( but tae the unhappy /an /ust not increase o) ti/e brin#an increase o) his unhappiness. Do not all troubles lon#lastin#

pains( sorro+s( and e*erythin# o) that type yield a #reater su/ o)/isery in the lon#er ti/e. And i) thus in /isery the e*il is au#/entedby ti/e +hy should not ti/e e4ually au#/ent happiness +hen all is+ell. In the /atter o) sorro+s and pains there is( no doubt( #round)or sayin# that ti/e brin#s increase )or e-a/ple( in a lin#erin#/alady the e*il hardens into a state( and as ti/e #oes on the bodyis brou#ht lo+er and lo+er" !ut i) the constitution did notdeteriorate( i) the /ischie) #re+ no +orse( then( here too( there+ould be no trouble but that o) the present /o/ent +e cannot tell thepast into the tale o) unhappiness e-cept in the sense that it has #oneto /ae up an actually e-istin# state in the sense that( the e*ilin the su,erer:s condition ha*in# been e-tended o*er a lon#er ti/e(the /ischie) has #ained #round" The increase o) illbein# then is

due to the a##ra*ation o) the /alady not to the e-tension o) ti/e" It /ay be pointed out also that this #reater len#th o) ti/e is nota thin# e-istent at any #i*en /o/ent= and surely a C/oreC is not to be/ade out by addin# to so/ethin# actually present so/ethin# that haspassed a+ay" No true happiness is not *a#ue and uid it is an unchan#in#state" I) there is in this /atter any increase besides that o) /ere ti/e(it is in the sense that a #reater happiness is the re+ard o) ahi#her *irtue this is not countin# up to the credit o) happinessthe years o) its continuance= it is si/ply notin# the hi#h+ater/ar once )or all attained" G" !ut i) +e are to consider only the present and /ay not callin the past to /ae the total( +hy do +e not recon so in the case

o) ti/e itsel)( +here( in )act( +e do not hesitate to add the pastto the present and call the total #reater. 1hy not suppose a4uantity o) happiness e4ui*alent to a 4uantity o) ti/e. This +ouldbe no /ore than tain# it lap by lap to correspond +ith ti/elapsinstead o) choosin# to consider it as an indi*isible( /easurableonly by the content o) a #i*en instant" There is no absurdity in tain# count o) ti/e +hich has ceasedto be +e are /erely countin# +hat is past and 6nished( as +e /i#htcount the dead but to treat past happiness as actually e-istent andas out+ei#hin# present happiness( that is an absurdity" $orHappiness /ust be an achie*ed and e-istent state( +hereas any ti/eo*er and apart )ro/ the present is none-istent all pro#ress o) ti/e/eans the e-tinction o) all the ti/e that has been" Hence ti/e is aptly described as a /i/ic o) eternity that sees to

brea up in its )ra#/entary i#ht the per/anence o) its e-e/plar"Thus +hate*er ti/e seies and seals to itsel) o) +hat stands per/anentin eternity is annihilated sa*ed only in so )ar as in so/e de#reeit still belon#s to eternity( but +holly destroyed i) it beunreser*edly absorbed into ti/e" I) Happiness de/ands the possession o) the #ood o) li)e( itclearly has to do +ith the li)e o) AuthenticE-istence )or that li)eis the !est" No+ the li)e o) AuthenticE-istence is /easurable notby ti/e but by eternity= and eternity is not a /ore or a less or athin# o) any /a#nitude but is the unchan#eable( the indi*isible( isti/eless !ein#" 1e /ust not /uddle to#ether !ein# and Non!ein#( ti/e andeternity( not e*en e*erlastin# ti/e +ith the eternal= +e cannot /aelaps and sta#es o) an absolute unity= all /ust be taen to#ether(

+heresoe*er and ho+soe*er +e handle it= and it /ust be taen atthat( not e*en as an undi*ided bloc o) ti/e but as the @i)e o)Eternity( a stretch not /ade up o) periods but co/pletely rounded(outside o) all notion o) ti/e" " It /ay be ur#ed that the actual presence o) past e-periences(


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ept present by Me/ory( #i*es the ad*anta#e to the /an o) the lon#er)elicity" !ut( Me/ory o) +hat sort o) e-periences. Me/ory either o) )or/erly attained +isdo/ and *irtue in +hichcase +e ha*e a better /an and the ar#u/ent )ro/ /e/ory is #i*en up or/e/ory o) past pleasures( as i) the /an that has arri*ed at )elicity/ust roa/ )ar and +ide in search o) #rati6cations and is notcontented by the bliss actually +ithin hi/" And +hat is there pleasant in the /e/ory o) pleasure. 1hat is it

to recall yesterday:s e-cellent dinner. Still /ore ridiculous( oneo) ten years a#o" So( too( o) last year:s /orality" J" !ut is there not so/ethin# to be said )or the /e/ory o) the*arious )or/s o) beauty. That is the resource o) a /an +hose li)e is +ithout beauty inthe present( so that( )or lac o) it no+( he #rasps at the /e/ory o)+hat has been" '0" !ut( it /ay be said( len#th o) ti/e produces an abundance o)#ood actions /issed by the /an +hose attain/ent o) the happy stateis recent i) indeed +e can thin at all o) a state o) happiness +here#ood actions ha*e been )e+" No+ to /ae /ultiplicity( +hether in ti/e or in action(essential to Happiness is to put it to#ether by co/binin#none-istents( represented by the past( +ith so/e one thin# that

actually is" This consideration it +as that led us at the *erybe#innin# to place Happiness in the actually e-istent and on thatbasis to launch our en4uiry as to +hether the hi#her de#ree +asdeter/ined by the lon#er ti/e" It /i#ht be thou#ht that theHappiness o) lon#er date /ust surpass the shorter by *irtue o) the#reater nu/ber o) acts it included" !ut( to be#in +ith( /en 4uite outside o) the acti*e li)e /ayattain the state o) )elicity( and not in a less but in a #reaterde#ree than /en o) a,airs" Secondly( the #ood does not deri*e )ro/ the act itsel) but )ro/the inner disposition +hich pro/pts the noble conduct the +ise and#ood /an in his *ery action har*ests the #ood not by +hat he doesbut by +hat he is" A +iced /an no less than a Sa#e /ay sa*e the country( and the

#ood o) the act is )or all alie( no /atter +hose +as the sa*in# hand"The content/ent o) the Sa#e does not han# upon such actions ande*ents it is his o+n inner habit that creates at once his )elicityand +hate*er pleasure /ay acco/pany it" To put Happiness in actions is to put it in thin#s that areoutside *irtue and outside the Soul= )or the Soul:s e-pression isnot in action but in +isdo/( in a conte/plati*e operation +ithinitsel)= and this( this alone( is Happiness" SIXTH T%A&TATE"

!EABT"

'" !eauty addresses itsel) chiey to si#ht= but there is a beauty)or the hearin# too( as in certain co/binations o) +ords and in all

inds o) /usic( )or /elodies and cadences are beauti)ul= and /indsthat li)t the/sel*es abo*e the real/ o) sense to a hi#her order area+are o) beauty in the conduct o) li)e( in actions( in character( inthe pursuits o) the intellect= and there is the beauty o) the *irtues"1hat lo)tier beauty there /ay be( yet( our ar#u/ent +ill brin# toli#ht" 1hat( then( is it that #i*es co/eliness to /aterial )or/s anddra+s the ear to the s+eetness percei*ed in sounds( and +hat is thesecret o) the beauty there is in all that deri*es )ro/ Soul. Is there so/e ;ne Principle )ro/ +hich all tae their #race( or isthere a beauty peculiar to the e/bodied and another )or thebodiless. $inally( one or /any( +hat +ould such a Principle be. &onsider that so/e thin#s( /aterial shapes )or instance( are#racious not by anythin# inherent but by so/ethin# co//unicated( +hile

others are lo*ely o) the/sel*es( as( )or e-a/ple( irtue" The sa/e bodies appear so/eti/es beauti)ul( so/eti/es not= so thatthere is a #ood deal bet+een bein# body and bein# beauti)ul" 1hat( then( is this so/ethin# that sho+s itsel) in certain/aterial )or/s. This is the natural be#innin# o) our en4uiry"


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1hat is it that attracts the eyes o) those to +ho/ a beauti)ulob3ect is presented( and calls the/( lures the/( to+ards it( and 6llsthe/ +ith 3oy at the si#ht. I) +e possess oursel*es o) this( +e ha*eat once a standpoint )or the +ider sur*ey" Al/ost e*eryone declares that the sy//etry o) parts to+ards eachother and to+ards a +hole( +ith( besides( a certain char/ o) colour(constitutes the beauty reco#nied by the eye( that in *isiblethin#s( as indeed in all else( uni*ersally( the beauti)ul thin# isessentially sy//etrical( patterned"

!ut thin +hat this /eans" ;nly a co/pound can be beauti)ul( ne*er anythin# de*oid o)parts= and only a +hole= the se*eral parts +ill ha*e beauty( not inthe/sel*es( but only as +orin# to#ether to #i*e a co/ely total" etbeauty in an a##re#ate de/ands beauty in details= it cannot beconstructed out o) u#liness= its la+ /ust run throu#hout" All the lo*eliness o) colour and e*en the li#ht o) the sun(bein# de*oid o) parts and so not beauti)ul by sy//etry( /ust beruled out o) the real/ o) beauty" And ho+ co/es #old to be a beauti)ulthin#. And li#htnin# by ni#ht( and the stars( +hy are these so )air. In sounds also the si/ple /ust be proscribed( thou#h o)ten in a+hole noble co/position each se*eral tone is delicious in itsel)" A#ain since the one )ace( constant in sy//etry( appearsso/eti/es )air and so/eti/es not( can +e doubt that beauty is

so/ethin# /ore than sy//etry( that sy//etry itsel) o+es its beautyto a re/oter principle. Turn to +hat is attracti*e in /ethods o) li)e or in the e-pressiono) thou#ht= are +e to call in sy//etry here. 1hat sy//etry is to be)ound in noble conduct( or e-cellent la+s( in any )or/ o) /entalpursuit. 1hat sy//etry can there be in points o) abstract thou#ht. The sy//etry o) bein# accordant +ith each other. !ut there /aybe accordance or entire identity +here there is nothin# butu#liness the proposition that honesty is /erely a #enerousartlessness chi/es in the /ost per)ect har/ony +ith the propositionthat /orality /eans +eaness o) +ill= the accordance is co/plete" Then a#ain( all the *irtues are a beauty o) the soul( a beautyauthentic beyond any o) these others= but ho+ does sy//etry enter

here. The soul( it is true( is not a si/ple unity( but still its*irtue cannot ha*e the sy//etry o) sie or o) nu/ber +hat standard o)/easure/ent could preside o*er the co/pro/ise or the coalescence o)the soul:s )aculties or purposes. $inally( ho+ by this theory +ould there be beauty in theIntellectualPrinciple( essentially the solitary. 2" @et us( then( #o bac to the source( and indicate at once thePrinciple that besto+s beauty on /aterial thin#s" Bndoubtedly this Principle e-ists= it is so/ethin# that ispercei*ed at the 6rst #lance( so/ethin# +hich the soul na/es as)ro/ an ancient no+led#e and( reco#nisin#( +elco/es it( enters intounison +ith it" !ut let the soul )all in +ith the B#ly and at once it shrins+ithin itsel)( denies the thin#( turns a+ay )ro/ it( not accordant(

resentin# it" ;ur interpretation is that the soul by the *ery truth o) itsnature( by its aFliation to the noblest E-istents in the hierarchyo) !ein# +hen it sees anythin# o) that in( or any trace o) thatinship( thrills +ith an i//ediate deli#ht( taes its o+n to itsel)(and thus stirs ane+ to the sense o) its nature and o) all itsaFnity" !ut( is there any such lieness bet+een the lo*eliness o) this+orld and the splendours in the Supre/e. Such a lieness in theparticulars +ould /ae the t+o orders alie but +hat is there inco//on bet+een beauty here and beauty There. 1e hold that all the lo*eliness o) this +orld co/es by co//unionin Ideal$or/" All shapelessness +hose ind ad/its o) pattern and )or/( as lon#

as it re/ains outside o) %eason and Idea( is u#ly by that *eryisolation )ro/ the Di*ineThou#ht" And this is the Absolute B#ly anu#ly thin# is so/ethin# that has not been entirely /astered bypattern( that is by %eason( the Matter not yieldin# at all pointsand in all respects to Ideal$or/"


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!ut +here the Ideal$or/ has entered( it has #rouped andcoordinated +hat )ro/ a di*ersity o) parts +as to beco/e a unity ithas rallied con)usion into cooperation it has /ade the su/ onehar/onious coherence )or the Idea is a unity and +hat it /oulds/ust co/e to unity as )ar as /ultiplicity /ay" And on +hat has thus been co/pacted to unity( !eauty enthronesitsel)( #i*in# itsel) to the parts as to the su/ +hen it li#hts onso/e natural unity( a thin# o) lie parts( then it #i*es itsel) tothat +hole" Thus( )or an illustration( there is the beauty(

con)erred by cra)ts/anship( o) all a house +ith all its parts( and thebeauty +hich so/e natural 4uality /ay #i*e to a sin#le stone" This( then( is ho+ the /aterial thin# beco/es beauti)ul byco//unicatin# in the thou#ht that o+s )ro/ the Di*ine" >" And the soul includes a )aculty peculiarly addressed to !eautyone inco/parably sure in the appreciation o) its o+n( ne*er in doubt+hene*er any lo*ely thin# presents itsel) )or 3ud#e/ent" ;r perhaps the soul itsel) acts i//ediately( aFr/in# the!eauti)ul +here it 6nds so/ethin# accordant +ith the Ideal$or/+ithin itsel)( usin# this Idea as a canon o) accuracy in its decision" !ut +hat accordance is there bet+een the /aterial and that +hichantedates all Matter. ;n +hat principle does the architect( +hen he 6nds the housestandin# be)ore hi/ correspondent +ith his inner ideal o) a house(

pronounce it beauti)ul. Is it not that the house be)ore hi/( thestones apart( is the inner idea sta/ped upon the /ass o) e-terior/atter( the indi*isible e-hibited in di*ersity. So +ith the percepti*e )aculty discernin# in certain ob3ectsthe Ideal$or/ +hich has bound and controlled shapeless /atter(opposed in nature to Idea( seein# )urther sta/ped upon the co//onshapes so/e shape e-cellent abo*e the co//on( it #athers into unity+hat still re/ains )ra#/entary( catches it up and carries it +ithin(no lon#er a thin# o) parts( and presents it to the IdealPrincipleas so/ethin# concordant and con#enial( a natural )riend the 3oyhere is lie that o) a #ood /an +ho discerns in a youth the earlysi#ns o) a *irtue consonant +ith the achie*ed per)ection +ithin hiso+n soul" The beauty o) colour is also the outco/e o) a uni6cation it

deri*es )ro/ shape( )ro/ the con4uest o) the darness inherent inMatter by the pourin#in o) li#ht( the une/bodied( +hich is a%ationalPrinciple and an Ideal$or/" Hence it is that $ire itsel) is splendid beyond all /aterialbodies( holdin# the ran o) IdealPrinciple to the other ele/ents(/ain# e*er up+ards( the subtlest and spri#htliest o) all bodies( as*ery near to the une/bodied= itsel) alone ad/ittin# no other( allthe others penetrated by it )or they tae +ar/th but this is ne*ercold= it has colour pri/ally= they recei*e the $or/ o) colour )ro/ ithence the splendour o) its li#ht( the splendour that belon#s to theIdea" And all that has resisted and is but uncertainly held by itsli#ht re/ains outside o) beauty( as not ha*in# absorbed theplenitude o) the $or/ o) colour" And har/onies unheard in sound create the har/onies +e hear( and

+ae the soul to the consciousness o) beauty( sho+in# it the oneessence in another ind )or the /easures o) our sensible /usic arenot arbitrary but are deter/ined by the Principle +hose labour is todo/inate Matter and brin# pattern into bein#" Thus )ar o) the beauties o) the real/ o) sense( i/a#es andshado+pictures( )u#iti*es that ha*e entered into Matter to adorn(and to ra*ish( +here they are seen" ?" !ut there are earlier and lo)tier beauties than these" In thesensebound li)e +e are no lon#er #ranted to no+ the/( but thesoul( tain# no help )ro/ the or#ans( sees and proclai/s the/" Tothe *ision o) these +e /ust /ount( lea*in# sense to its o+n lo+ place" As it is not )or those to spea o) the #race)ul )or/s o) the/aterial +orld +ho ha*e ne*er seen the/ or no+n their #race /en bornblind( let us suppose in the sa/e +ay those /ust be silent upon the

beauty o) noble conduct and o) learnin# and all that order +ho ha*ene*er cared )or such thin#s( nor /ay those tell o) the splendour o)*irtue +ho ha*e ne*er no+n the )ace o) Qustice and o) Moral1isdo/beauti)ul beyond the beauty o) E*enin# and o) da+n" Such *ision is )or those only +ho see +ith the Soul:s si#ht and


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at the *ision( they +ill re3oice( and a+e +ill )all upon the/ and atrouble deeper than all the rest could e*er stir( )or no+ they are/o*in# in the real/ o) Truth" This is the spirit that !eauty /ust e*er induce( +onder/ent anda delicious trouble( lon#in# and lo*e and a tre/blin# that is alldeli#ht" $or the unseen all this /ay be )elt as )or the seen= and thisthe Souls )eel )or it( e*ery soul in so/e de#ree( but those the /oredeeply that are the /ore truly apt to this hi#her lo*e 3ust as alltae deli#ht in the beauty o) the body but all are not stun# as

sharply( and those only that )eel the eener +ound are no+n as@o*ers" 5" These @o*ers( then( lo*ers o) the beauty outside o) sense( /ustbe /ade to declare the/sel*es" 1hat do you )eel in presence o) the #race you discern inactions( in /anners( in sound /orality( in all the +ors and )ruits o)*irtue( in the beauty o) souls. 1hen you see that you yoursel*es arebeauti)ul +ithin( +hat do you )eel. 1hat is this Dionysiace-ultation that thrills throu#h your bein#( this strainin# up+ardso) all your Soul( this lon#in# to brea a+ay )ro/ the body and li*esunen +ithin the *eritable sel). These are no other than the e/otions o) Souls under the spell o)lo*e" !ut +hat is it that a+aens all this passion. No shape( no colour(

no #randeur o) /ass all is )or a Soul( so/ethin# +hose beauty restsupon no colour( )or the /oral +isdo/ the Soul enshrines and all theother hueless splendour o) the *irtues" It is that you 6nd inyoursel)( or ad/ire in another( lo)tiness o) spirit= ri#hteousnesso) li)e= disciplined purity= coura#e o) the /a3estic )ace= #ra*ity=/odesty that #oes )earless and tran4uil and passionless= and(shinin# do+n upon all( the li#ht o) #odlie Intellection" All these noble 4ualities are to be re*erenced and lo*ed( nodoubt( but +hat entitles the/ to be called beauti)ul. They e-ist they /ani)est the/sel*es to us anyone that seesthe/ /ust ad/it that they ha*e reality o) !ein#= and is not%eal!ein#( really beauti)ul. !ut +e ha*e not yet sho+n by +hat property in the/ they ha*e+rou#ht the Soul to lo*eliness +hat is this #race( this splendour

as o) @i#ht( restin# upon all the *irtues. @et us tae the contrary( the u#liness o) the Soul( and set thata#ainst its beauty to understand( at once( +hat this u#liness isand ho+ it co/es to appear in the Soul +ill certainly open our +aybe)ore us" @et us then suppose an u#ly Soul( dissolute( unri#hteoustee/in# +ith all the lusts= torn by internal discord= beset by the)ears o) its co+ardice and the en*ies o) its pettiness= thinin#( inthe little thou#ht it has( only o) the perish able and the base=per*erse in all its the )riend o) unclean pleasures= li*in# the li)eo) abandon/ent to bodily sensation and deli#htin# in its de)or/ity" 1hat /ust +e thin but that all this sha/e is so/ethin# that has#athered about the Soul( so/e )orei#n bane outra#in# it( soilin# it(so that( encu/bered +ith all /anner o) turpitude( it has no lon#er a

clean acti*ity or a clean sensation( but co//ands only a li)es/oulderin# dully under the crust o) e*il= that( sun in /ani)olddeath( it no lon#er sees +hat a Soul should see( /ay no lon#er rest inits o+n bein#( dra##ed e*er as it is to+ards the outer( the lo+er( thedar. An unclean thin#( I dare to say= icerin# hither and thitherat the call o) ob3ects o) sense( deeply in)ected +ith the taint o)body( occupied al+ays in Matter( and absorbin# Matter into itsel)=in its co//erce +ith the I#noble it has traFced a+ay )or an aliennature its o+n essential Idea" I) a /an has been i//ersed in 6lth or daubed +ith /ud hisnati*e co/eliness disappears and all that is seen is the )oul stu,bes/earin# hi/ his u#ly condition is due to alien /atter that hasencrusted hi/( and i) he is to +in bac his #race it /ust be his

business to scour and puri)y hi/sel) and /ae hi/sel) +hat he +as" So( +e /ay 3ustly say( a Soul beco/es u#ly by so/ethin# )oistedupon it( by sinin# itsel) into the alien( by a )all( a descent intobody( into Matter" The dishonour o) the Soul is in its ceasin# to beclean and apart"


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particles= i) these be +ored out( the #old is le)t and isbeauti)ul( isolated )ro/ all that is )orei#n( #old +ith #old alone"And so the Soul= let it be but cleared o) the desires that co/e by itstoo inti/ate con*erse +ith the body( e/ancipated )ro/ all thepassions( pur#ed o) all that e/bodi/ent has thrust upon it( +ithdra+n(a solitary( to itsel) a#ain in that /o/ent the u#liness that ca/eonly )ro/ the alien is stripped a+ay" " $or( as the ancient teachin# +as( /oraldiscipline andcoura#e and e*ery *irtue( not e*en e-ceptin# 1isdo/ itsel)( all is

puri6cation" Hence the Mysteries +ith #ood reason adu/brate the i//ersion o)the unpuri6ed in 6lth( e*en in the Nether1orld( since the uncleanlo*es 6lth )or its *ery 6lthiness( and s+ine )oul o) body 6nd their

3oy in )oulness" 1hat else is Sophrosyne( ri#htly socalled( but to tae no part inthe pleasures o) the body( to brea a+ay )ro/ the/ as unclean andun+orthy o) the clean. So too( &oura#e is but bein# )earless o) thedeath +hich is but the partin# o) the Soul )ro/ the body( an e*ent+hich no one can dread +hose deli#ht is to be his un/in#led sel)"And Ma#nani/ity is but disre#ard )or the lure o) thin#s here" And1isdo/ is but the Act o) the IntellectualPrinciple +ithdra+n )ro/ thelo+er places and leadin# the Soul to the Abo*e" The Soul thus cleansed is all Idea and %eason( +holly )ree o)

body( intellecti*e( entirely o) that di*ine order )ro/ +hich the+ellsprin# o) !eauty rises and all the race o) !eauty" Hence the Soul hei#htened to the IntellectualPrinciple isbeauti)ul to all its po+er" $or Intellection and all that proceeds)ro/ Intellection are the Soul:s beauty( a #raciousness nati*e to itand not )orei#n( )or only +ith these is it truly Soul" And it is

3ust to say that in the Soul:s beco/in# a #ood and beauti)ul thin#is its beco/in# lie to


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the /ani)estation o)


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*irtue( until you shall see the per)ect #oodness surely established inthe stainless shrine" 1hen you no+ that you ha*e beco/e this per)ect +or( +hen you aresel)#athered in the purity o) your bein#( nothin# no+ re/ainin#that can shatter that inner unity( nothin# )ro/ +ithout clin#in# tothe authentic /an( +hen you 6nd yoursel) +holly true to youressential nature( +holly that only *eritable @i#ht +hich is not/easured by space( not narro+ed to any circu/scribed )or/ nor a#aindi,used as a thin# *oid o) ter/( but e*er un/easurable as so/ethin#

#reater than all /easure and /ore than all 4uantity +hen you percei*ethat you ha*e #ro+n to this( you are no+ beco/e *ery *ision no+call up all your con6dence( strie )or+ard yet a step you need a#uide no lon#er strain( and see" This is the only eye that sees the /i#hty !eauty" I) the eyethat ad*entures the *ision be di//ed by *ice( i/pure( or +ea( andunable in its co+ardly blenchin# to see the utter/ost bri#htness( thenit sees nothin# e*en thou#h another point to +hat lies plain tosi#ht be)ore it" To any *ision /ust be brou#ht an eye adapted to+hat is to be seen( and ha*in# so/e lieness to it" Ne*er did eyesee the sun unless it had 6rst beco/e sunlie( and ne*er can the soulha*e *ision o) the $irst !eauty unless itsel) be beauti)ul" There)ore( 6rst let each beco/e #odlie and each beauti)ul +hocares to see


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a circu/)erence around a centre )ro/ +hich all the radii proceed"Another e-a/ple +ould be the sun( central to the li#ht +hich strea/s)ro/ it and is yet lined to it( or at least is al+ays about it(irre/o*eably= try all you +ill to separate the li#ht )ro/ the sun(or the sun )ro/ its li#ht( )or e*er the li#ht is in the sun" 2" !ut the Bni*erse outside= ho+ is it ali#ned to+ards the


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#rasp


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essentialbein#( so that( +hatsoe*er )ra#/ent o) it be taen( thatpart is all la+less *oid( +hile +hate*er participates in it andrese/bles it beco/es e*il( thou#h not o) course to the point o) bein#(as itsel) is( E*ilAbsolute" In +hat substantial)or/ 7hypostasis8 then is all this to be)ound not as accident but as the *ery substance itsel). $or i) E*il can enter into other thin#s( it /ust ha*e in a certainsense a prior e-istence( e*en thou#h it /ay not be an essence" Asthere is


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is stripped o) Deter/ination( beco/es +holly indeter/inate( seesdarness" @ooin# to +hat repels *ision( as +e loo +hen +e are saidto see darness( it has taen Matter into itsel)" 5" !ut( it +ill be ob3ected( i) this seein# and )re4uentin# o) thedarness is due to the lac o) #ood( the Soul:s e*il has its source inthat *ery lac= the darness +ill be /erely a secondary cause andat once the Principle o) E*il is re/o*ed )ro/ Matter( is /ade anteriorto Matter" No E*il is not in any and e*ery lac= it is in absolute lac"

1hat )alls in so/e de#ree short o) the


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Ad/it that the e-istence o) one is o)ten acco/panied by thee-istence o) the other sicness and health( )or e-a/ple yet there isno uni*ersal co/pulsion" Perhaps( ho+e*er( our author did not /ean that this +asuni*ersally true= he is speain# only o) The


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produced this +ill be E*il" As necessarily as there is So/ethin# a)ter the $irst( sonecessarily there is a @ast this @ast is Matter( the thin# +hichhas no residue o) #ood in it here is the necessity o) E*il" " !ut there +ill still be so/e to deny that it is throu#h thisMatter that +e oursel*es beco/e e*il" They +ill say that neither i#norance nor +iced desires arise inMatter" E*en i) they ad/it that the unhappy condition +ithin us is dueto the pra*ity inherent in body( they +ill ur#e that still the

bla/e lies not in the Matter itsel) but +ith the $or/ present in itsuch $or/ as heat( cold( bitterness( saltness and all other conditionsperceptible to sense( or a#ain such states as bein# )ull or *oidnot in the concrete si#ni6cation but in the presence or absence o)

3ust such )or/s" In a +ord( they +ill ar#ue( all particularity indesires and e*en in per*erted 3ud#e/ents upon thin#s( can bere)erred to such causes( so that E*il lies in this $or/ /uch /ore thanin the /ere Matter" et( e*en +ith all this( they can be co/pelled to ad/it thatMatter is the E*il" $or( the 4uality 7)or/8 that has entered into Matter does notact as an entity apart )ro/ the Matter( any /ore than a-eshape +illcut apart )ro/ iron" $urther( $or/s lod#ed in Matter are not thesa/e as they +ould be i) they re/ained +ithin the/sel*es= they are

%easonPrinciples Materialied( they are corrupted in the Matter( theyha*e absorbed its nature essential 6re does not burn( nor do anyo) the essential entities e,ect( o) the/sel*es alone( the operation+hich( once they ha*e entered into Matter( is traced to their action" Matter beco/es /istress o) +hat is /ani)ested throu#h it itcorrupts and destroys the inco/er( it substitutes its o+n oppositecharacter and ind( not in the sense o) opposin#( )or e-a/ple(concrete cold to concrete +ar/th( but by settin# its o+n)or/lessness a#ainst the $or/ o) heat( shapelessness to shape(e-cess and de)ect to the duly ordered" Thus( in su/( +hat entersinto Matter ceases to belon# to itsel)( co/es to belon# to Matter(

3ust as( in the nourish/ent o) li*in# bein#s( +hat is taen in doesnot re/ain as it ca/e( but is turned into( say( do#:s blood and allthat #oes to /ae a do#( beco/es( in )act( any o) the hu/ours o) any

recipient" No( i) body is the cause o) E*il( then there is no escape= thecause o) E*il is Matter" Still( it +ill be ur#ed( the inco/in# Idea should ha*e been ableto con4uer the Matter" The diFculty is that Matter:s /aster cannot re/ain pure itsel)e-cept by a*oidance o) Matter" !esides( the constitution deter/ines both the desires and their*iolence so that there are bodies in +hich the inco/in# idea cannothold s+ay there is a *icious constitution +hich chills and clo#sthe acti*ity and inhibits choice= a contrary bodily habit produces)ri*olity( lac o) balance" The sa/e )act is indicated by oursuccessi*e *ariations o) /ood in ti/es o) stress( +e are not the sa/eeither in desires or in ideas as +hen +e are at peace( and +e

di,er a#ain +ith e*ery se*eral ob3ect that brin#s us satis)action" To resu/e the Measureless is e*il pri/arily= +hate*er( eitherby rese/blance or participation( e-ists in the state o) un/easure(is e*il secondarily( by )orce o) its dealin# +ith the Pri/alpri/arily( the darness= secondarily( the darened" No+( ice( bein#an i#norance and a lac o) /easure in the Soul( is secondarily e*il(not the Essential E*il( 3ust as irtue is not the Pri/al


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short o) The Absolute is no+able by the e-tent o) that )allin# short" 1e see partial +ron#= )ro/ +hat is be)ore us +e di*ine that+hich is lacin# to the entire )or/ 7or ind8 thus indicated= +e seethat the co/pleted ind +ould be the Indeter/inate= by this process +eare able to identi)y and aFr/ E*il" In the sa/e +ay +hen +eobser*e +hat +e )eel to be an u#ly appearance in Matter le)t therebecause the %easonPrinciple has not beco/e so co/pletely the /asteras to co*er o*er the unsee/liness +e reco#nise B#liness by the)allin#short )ro/ Ideal$or/"

!ut ho+ can +e identi)y +hat has ne*er had any touch o) $or/. 1e utterly eli/inate e*ery ind o) $or/= and the ob3ect in +hichthere is none +hate*er +e call Matter i) +e are to see Matter +e /ustso co/pletely abolish $or/ that +e tae shapelessness into our *erysel*es" In )act it is another IntellectualPrinciple( not the true( this+hich *entures a *ision so uncon#enial" To see darness the eye +ithdra+s )ro/ the li#ht= it is stri*in#to cease )ro/ seein#( there)ore it abandons the li#ht +hich +ould /aethe darness in*isible= a+ay )ro/ the li#ht its po+er is rather thato) notseein# than o) seein# and this notseein# is its nearestapproach to seein# Darness" So the IntellectualPrinciple( in orderto see its contrary 7Matter8( /ust lea*e its o+n li#ht loced up+ithin itsel)( and as it +ere #o )orth )ro/ itsel) into an outside

real/( it /ust i#nore its nati*e bri#htness and sub/it itsel) to the*ery contradition o) its bein#" '0" !ut i) Matter is de*oid o) 4uality ho+ can it be e*il. It is described as bein# de*oid o) 4uality in the sense onlythat it does not essentially possess any o) the 4ualities +hich itad/its and +hich enter into it as into a substratu/" No one saysthat it has no nature= and i) it has any nature at all( +hy /ay notthat nature be e*il thou#h not in the sense o) 4uality. Ruality 4uali6es so/ethin# not itsel) it is there)ore anaccidental= it resides in so/e other ob3ect" Matter does not e-istin so/e other ob3ect but is the substratu/ in +hich the accidentalresides" Matter( then( is said to be de*oid o) Ruality in that it doesnot in itsel) possess this thin# +hich is by nature an accidental" I)(/oreo*er( Ruality itsel) be de*oid o) Ruality( ho+ can Matter( +hich

is the un4uali6ed( be said to ha*e it. Thus( it is 4uite correct to say at once that Matter is +ithoutRuality and that it is e*il it is E*il not in the sense o) ha*in#Ruality but( precisely( in not ha*in# it= #i*e it Ruality and in its*ery E*il it +ould al/ost be a $or/( +hereas in Truth it is a indcontrary to $or/" C!ut(C it /ay be said( Cthe ind opposed to all $or/ isPri*ation or Ne#ation( and this necessarily re)ers to so/ethin#other than itsel)( it is no SubstantialE-istence there)ore i) E*ilis Pri*ation or Ne#ation it /ust be lod#ed in so/e Ne#ation o) $or/there +ill be no Sel)E-istent E*il"C This ob3ection /ay be ans+ered by applyin# the principle to thecase o) E*il in the Soul= the E*il( the ice( +ill be a Ne#ation andnot anythin# ha*in# a separate e-istence= +e co/e to the doctrine

+hich denies Matter or( ad/ittin# it( denies its E*il= +e need notsee else+here= +e /ay at once place E*il in the Soul( reco#nisin#it as the /ere absence o)


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Pri/al( Bn/in#led E*il" The Soul +ould possess the


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illu/ination it cannot attain to( )or the Soul cannot li)t up this)orei#n thin# close by( since the e*il o) it /aes it in*isible" ;nthe contrary the illu/ination( the li#ht strea/in# )ro/ the Soul( isdulled( is +eaened( as it /i-es +ith Matter +hich o,ers !irth to theSoul( pro*idin# the /eans by +hich it enters into #eneration(i/possible to it i) no recipient +ere at hand" This is the )all o) the Soul( this entry into Matter thence its+eaness not all the )aculties o) its bein# retain )ree play( )orMatter hinders their /ani)estation= it encroaches upon the Soul:s

territory and( as it +ere( crushes the Soul bac= and it turns to e*ilall that it has stolen( until the Soul 6nds stren#th to ad*ancea#ain" Thus the cause( at once( o) the +eaness o) Soul and o) all itse*il is Matter" The e*il o) Matter precedes the +eaness( the *ice= it is Pri/alE*il" E*en thou#h the Soul itsel) sub/its to Matter and en#enders toit= i) it beco/es e*il +ithin itsel) by its co//erce +ith Matter(the cause is still the presence o) Matter the Soul +ould ne*er ha*eapproached Matter but that the presence o) Matter is the occasion o)its earthli)e" '2" I) the e-istence o) Matter be denied( the necessity o) thisPrinciple /ust be de/onstrated )ro/ the treatises C;n MatterC +herethe 4uestion is copiously treated"

To deny E*il a place a/on# realities is necessarily to do a+ay+ith the


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that has used *iolence and torn hi/sel) a+ay( not the body that haslet the Soul slip )ro/ it" And in loosin# the bond he has not been+ithout passion= there has been re*olt or #rie) or an#er( /o*e/ents+hich it is unla+)ul to indul#e" !ut i) a /an )eel hi/sel) to be losin# his reason. That is not liely in the Sa#e( but i) it should occur( it /ust beclassed +ith the ine*itable( to be +elco/e at the biddin# o) the)act thou#h not )or its o+n sae" To call upon dru#s to the release o)the Soul see/s a stran#e +ay o) assistin# its purposes"

And i) there be a period allotted to all by )ate( to anticipatethe hour could not be a happy act( unless( as +e ha*e indicated( understern necessity" I) e*eryone is to hold in the other +orld a standin# deter/ined bythe state in +hich he 4uitted this( there /ust be no +ithdra+al aslon# as there is any hope o) pro#ress" THE SE&;ND ENNEAD"

$I%ST T%A&TATE"

;N THE ;SM;S ;% ;N THE HEAEN@ SSTEM"

'" 1e hold that the ordered uni*erse( in its /aterial /ass( hase-isted )or e*er and +ill )or e*er endure but si/ply to re)er this

perdurance to the 1ill o)


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2" Supposin# +e accept this *ie+ and hold that( +hile thin#s belo+the /oon:s orb ha*e /erely typepersistence( the celestial real/ andall its se*eral /e/bers possess indi*idual eternity= it re/ains tosho+ ho+ this strict per/anence o) the indi*idual identity the actualite/ eternally unchan#eable can belon# to +hat is certainlycorporeal( seein# that bodily substance is characteristically athin# o) u-" The theory o) bodily u- is held by Plato no less than by theother philosophers +ho ha*e dealt +ith physical /atters( and is

applied not only to ordinary bodies but to those( also( o) thehea*enly sphere" CHo+(C he ass( Ccan these corporeal and *isible entities continueeternally unchan#ed in identity.C e*idently a#reein#( in this/atter also( +ith Heraleitos +ho /aintained that e*en the sun isperpetually co/in# ane+ into bein#" To Aristotle there +ould be noproble/= it is only acceptin# his theories o) a 6)thsubstance" !ut to those +ho re3ect Aristotle:s Ruintessence and hold the/aterial /ass o) the hea*ens to consist o) the ele/ents underlyin# theli*in# thin#s o) this sphere( ho+ is indi*idual per/anence possible.And the diFculty is still #reater )or the parts( )or the sun and thehea*enly bodies" E*ery li*in# thin# is a co/bination o) soul and bodyind thecelestial sphere( there)ore( i) it is to be e*erlastin# as an

indi*idual entity /ust be so in *irtue either o) both theseconstituents or o) one o) the/( by the co/bination o) soul and body orby soul only or by body only" ;) course anyone that holds body to be incorruptible secures thedesired per/anence at once= no need( then( to call on a soul or on anyperdurable con3unction to account )or the continued /aintenance o) ali*in# bein#" !ut the case is di,erent +hen one holds that body is( o)itsel)( perishable and that Soul is the principle o) per/anencethis *ie+ obli#es us t

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