Plotinos: Complete Works, v. 4

PlotinusProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.4

Word count: 821K words
Chapters: 83

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Plotinos: Complete Works, v. 4 by PlotinusAuthor: Plotinus, 205?-270,Language: English, Class: B: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion, Release Date: Jun 13, 2013

Editor's review

This is the fourth volume of the English translation of Plotinus's complete works, also an open-access eBook from Project Gutenberg. As a later volume in the complete works, it typically contains treatises from Plotinus's later period or placed later in the arrangement, further developing the relations among Soul, Intellect, and the One, and showing how topics echo one another. For readers who have already read the earlier volumes, this volume helps complete Plotinus's argumentative system and observe how the same question is handled differently across treatises. Its highlight is that it is freely available and easy to search and compare across volumes, making it suitable as primary material for studying the construction of the Neoplatonic system. The threshold for reading is high: classical academic English sentences are long, arguments often proceed by question and answer, and modern annotations are lacking. It is advisable to place it late in a complete-works reading plan, use it alongside secondary research literature and a glossary, and digest it by making summaries and argument diagrams. It is of reference value to historians of philosophy, classics readers, and enthusiasts of the history of religious thought, but is not suitable for those seeking light reading or an introduction to philosophy.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers of philosophy who have read the earlier volumes of Plotinus' Complete Works
Scholars studying Neoplatonic system and the doctrine of the soul
Enthusiasts of the history of religious thought concerned with the link between ancient philosophy and theology
Classics readers willing to do close reading with a terminology glossary

Not a good fit for

Readers new to Plotinus with no background in the history of philosophy
General readers seeking an introductory overview
Readers unaccustomed to long arguments and classical academic English

Reading tips

First confirm the treatises included in this volume, then build a comparison table with related topics in earlier volumes.
Before reading each treatise, write down the expected question in one sentence; after reading, check whether the argument answers it.
Look up core terms in a Neoplatonic glossary and keep translations consistent.
Read alongside a secondary study to help locate each argument within the system.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Can I read this volume without having read the first three?

Yes, but comprehension will be reduced. The treatises in this volume echo topics from earlier volumes; at minimum, familiarize yourself with Plotinus' hierarchical structure and core terms, or you will see fragments rather than a system.

What themes does this volume mainly discuss?

In the arrangement of the Complete Works, this volume is a collection of later treatises, centered on the relations among soul, intellect, and the One and related metaphysical questions. For the specific treatises, consult the e-book's table of contents; arrangements may differ slightly between editions.

Can public-domain e-books be used for academic citation?

They can serve as a source for reading and preliminary citation, but formal academic writing should verify page numbers and translations against authoritative critical editions or scholarly translations, to avoid inaccurate quotations caused by differences in e-book layout.

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About the author

Plotinus Author · Greek

Plotinus (c. 205–270) was an ancient Greek philosopher. He was born at Lycopolis in Egypt, then under Roman rule, and died in Campania. He studied under Ammonius Saccas and moved to Rome around 245, where he taught and is regarded by later generations as the founder of Neoplatonism. His works were edited by his pupil Porphyry into the Enneads, in which he set out the doctrine of the three primary principles—the One, Intellect, and Soul—exerting a profound influence on later philosophy and theology. This library holds five of his works, including several volumes of the Complete Works of Plotinus and On the Beautiful, mostly in English translation or compilation, presenting his metaphysical and aesthetic thought. Public information on the details of his life is limited; readers may consult the volumes of the Complete Works and specialized studies to follow the development of his thought.