Plotinus : myth, metaphor, and philosophical practice

Plotinus, the Roman philosopher (c. 204-270 CE) who is widely regarded as the founder of Neoplatonism, was also the creator of numerous myths, images, and metaphors. They have influenced both secular philosophers and Christian and Muslim theologians, but have frequently been dismissed by modern scholars as merely ornamental. In this book, distinguished philosopher Stephen R. L. Clark shows that they form a vital set of spiritual exercises by which individuals can achieve one of Plotinus’s most important goals: self-transformation through contemplation. Clark examines a variety of Plotinus’s myths and metaphors within the cultural and philosophical context of his time, asking probing questions about their contemplative effects. What is it, for example, to “think away the spatiality” of material things? What state of mind is Plotinus recommending when he speaks of love, or drunkenness, or nakedness? What star-like consciousness is intended when he declares that we were once stars or are stars eternally? What does it mean to say that the soul goes around God? And how are we supposed to “bring the god in us back to the god in all”? Through these rich images and structures, Clark casts Plotinus as a philosopher deeply concerned with philosophy as a way of life. Contents 8 Preface 10 Acknowledgments 20 Part I: Prolegomena 24 1. Why Read Plotinus? 26 2. How to Read Plotinus 37 3. Theories about Metaphor 44 4. Dialectic 54 Part II: Metaphorically Speaking 66 5. Naked and Alone 68 6. On Becoming Love 87 7. Shadow Plays and Mirrors 106 8. Reason Drunk and Sober 114 9. Dancing 128 10. Remembering and Forgetting 144 11. Standing Up to the Blows of Fortune 162 Part III: The Plotinian Imaginary 170 12. Platonic and Classical Myths 172 13. Spheres and Circles 185 14. Charms and Countercharms 194 15. Invoking Demons 202 16. Images Within and Without 217 17. Fixed Stars and Planets 232 18. Waking Up 249 Part IV: Understanding the Hypostases 254 19. Matter 256 20. Nature 269 21. Soul 282 22. Nous 286 23. The One 295 Part V: The Plotinian Way 302 Bibliography 322 Index of Passages from the Enneads 352 Index of Names and Subjects 356 Plotinus, the Roman philosopher (c. 204-270 CE) who is widely regarded as the founder of Neoplatonism, was also the creator of numerous myths, images, and metaphors, which have frequently been dismissed by modern scholars as merely ornamental. In this book, distinguished philosopher Stephen R. L. Clark shows that they form a vital set of spiritual exercises by which individuals can achieve one of Plotinus's most important goals: self-transformation through contemplation. Clark examines a variety of Plotinus's myths and metaphors within the cultural and philosophical context of his time, asking probing questions about their contemplative effects. Through rich images and structures, Clark casts Plotinus as a philosopher deeply concerned with philosophy as a way of life. -- Back cover