Plotinos: Complete Works, v. 2: In Chronological Order, Grouped in Four PeriodsPlotinus
Philosophy
Plotinos: Complete Works, v. 2: In Chronological Order, Grouped in Four Periods
Plotinus
Plotinus
When both kinds of imagination harmonize, they co-operate (in the
production of a single act). The most powerful dominates, and only a
single image is produced within us. The weaker follows the stronger,
as the feeble reflection of a powerful light. On the contrary, when
both kinds of imagination disagree and struggle, then only one of them
manifests, and the other is entirely ignored, just as we always ignore
that we have two souls[152]; for both souls are melted into a single
one, and the one serves as vehicle for the other. The one sees all, but
preserves only certain memories when she leaves the body, and leaves in
oblivion greater part of the things that relate to the other. Likewise,
after we have established relations with friends of an inferior order,
we may acquire more distinguished friendships, and we remember the
former but very little, though we remember the latter very distinctly.
PARTITION OF THE FUND OF MEMORY BETWEEN THE TWO SOULS.
What about (the memory) of friends, of parents, of a wife, of the
fatherland, and of all that a virtuous man may properly remember?
In the image of the soul (the irrational soul) these memories will
be accompanied by a passive affection; but in the man (the rational
soul) they will not be so accompanied. The affections exist since the
beginning in the inferior soul; in the superior soul, as a result of
her dealings with the other, there are also some affections, but only
proper affections. The inferior soul may well seek to remember the
actions of the superior soul, especially when she herself has been
properly cultivated; for she can become better from her very principle
up, and through the education she receives from the other. The higher
soul must willingly forget what comes to her from the inferior
soul. When she is good, she can, besides, by her power contain the
subordinate soul. The more she desires to approach the intelligible
world, the more she must forget the things from here below, unless the
whole life she has led here below be such that she has entrusted to her
memory none but praiseworthy things. Even in our own world, indeed,
it is a fine thing to release oneself from human preoccupations. It
would therefore be still finer to forget them all. In this sense we
might well say that the virtuous soul should be forgetful. She thus
escapes manifoldness, reduces manifoldness to unity, and abandons the
indeterminate. She therefore ceases to live with manifoldness, lightens
her burdens, and lives for herself. Indeed, while remaining here below,
she desires to live in the intelligible world, and neglects all that is
foreign to her nature. She therefore retains but few earthly things
when she has arrived to the intelligible world; she has more of them
when she inhabits the heavens. Hercules (in heaven) may well vaunt his
valor; but even this valor seems to him trifling when he has arrived at
a region still holier than heaven, when he dwells in the intelligible
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account