Plotinos: Complete Works, v. 1: In Chronological Order, Grouped in Four PeriodsPlotinus
Philosophy
Plotinos: Complete Works, v. 1: In Chronological Order, Grouped in Four Periods
Plotinus
Plotinus
Virtues, even if they be not homely, are therefore ultimately ascribed
(to the divinity). Granting that the divinity does not possess the
homely virtues, we may still become assimilated to Him by other virtues
for with virtues of another order the case might differ. Therefore,
without assimilating ourselves to the divinity by homely virtues we
might nevertheless by means of virtues which still are ours, become
assimilated to the Being which does not possess virtue.
This may be explained by an illustration. When a body is warmed by the
presence of fire, the fire itself need not be heated by the presence of
another fire. It might be argued that there was heat in the fire, but
a heat that is innate. Reasoning by analogy, the virtue, which in the
soul is only adventitious, is innate in Him from whom the soul derives
it by imitation; (in other words, the cause need not necessarily
possess the same qualities as the effect).
Our argument from heat might however be questioned, inasmuch as the
divinity really does possess virtue, though it be of a higher nature.
This observation would be correct, if the virtue in which the soul
participates were identical with the principle from which she derives
it. But there is a complete opposition; for when we see a house, the
sense-house is not identical with the intelligible House, though
possessing resemblance thereto. Indeed, the sense-house participates in
order and proportion, though neither order, proportion, nor symmetry
could be attributed to the idea of the House. Likewise, we derived
from the divinity order, proportion and harmony, which, here below,
are conditions of virtue, without thereby implying that the divinity
Himself need possess order, proportion, or harmony. Similarly, it is
not necessary that He possess virtue, although we become assimilated to
Him thereby.
Such is our demonstration that human assimilation to the divine
Intelligence by virtue does not (necessarily imply) (in the divine
Intelligence itself) possession of virtue. Mere logical demonstration
thereof is not, however, sufficient; we must also convince.
THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF RESEMBLANCE.
2. Let us first examine the virtues by which we are assimilated to
the divinity, and let us study the identity between our soul-image
which constitutes virtue, and supreme Intelligence's principle
which, without being virtue, is its archetype. There are two kinds
of resemblance: the first entails such identity of nature as exists
when both similar things proceed from a same principle; the second is
that of one thing to another which precedes it, as its principle. In
the latter case, there is no reciprocity, and the principle does not
resemble that which is inferior to it; or rather, the resemblance must
be conceived entirely differently. It does not necessitate that the
similar objects be of the same kind; it rather implies that they are of
different kinds, inasmuch as they resemble each other differently.
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