the six enneads-第17节
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l this； they can be compelled to admit that Matter is the Evil。 For； the quality ＇form＇ that has entered into Matter does not act as an entity apart from the Matter； any more than axe…shape will cut apart from iron。 Further； Forms lodged in Matter are not the same as they would be if they remained within themselves； they are Reason…Principles Materialized； they are corrupted in the Matter； they have absorbed its nature： essential fire does not burn； nor do any of the essential entities effect； of themselves alone； the operation which； once they have entered into Matter； is traced to their action。 Matter becomes mistress of what is manifested through it： it corrupts and destroys the incomer； it substitutes its own opposite character and kind； not in the sense of opposing； for example； concrete cold to concrete warmth； but by setting its own formlessness against the Form of heat； shapelessness to shape； excess and defect to the duly ordered。 Thus； in sum； what enters into Matter ceases to belong to itself； comes to belong to Matter； just as； in the nourishment of living beings； what is taken in does not remain as it came； but is turned into； say； dog's blood and all that goes to make a dog； becomes； in fact； any of the humours of any recipient。 No； if body is the cause of Evil； then there is no escape； the cause of Evil is Matter。 Still； it will be urged； the incoming Idea should have been able to conquer the Matter。 The difficulty is that Matter's master cannot remain pure itself except by avoidance of Matter。 Besides； the constitution determines both the desires and their violence so that there are bodies in which the incoming idea cannot hold sway： there is a vicious constitution which chills and clogs the activity and inhibits choice； a contrary bodily habit produces frivolity； lack of balance。 The same fact is indicated by our successive variations of mood： in times of stress； we are not the same either in desires or in ideas… as when we are at peace； and we differ again with every several object that brings us satisfaction。 To resume： the Measureless is evil primarily； whatever； either by resemblance or participation； exists in the state of unmeasure； is evil secondarily； by force of its dealing with the Primal… primarily； the darkness； secondarily； the darkened。 Now； Vice； being an ignorance and a lack of measure in the Soul； is secondarily evil； not the Essential Evil； just as Virtue is not the Primal Good but is Likeness to The Good； or participation in it。 9。 But what approach have we to the knowing of Good and Evil？ And first of the Evil of soul： Virtue； we may know by the Intellectual…Principle and by means of the philosophic habit； but Vice？ A a ruler marks off straight from crooked； so Vice is known by its divergence from the line of Virtue。 But are we able to affirm Vice by any vision we can have of it； or is there some other way of knowing it？ Utter viciousness； certainly not by any vision； for it is utterly outside of bound and measure； this thing which is nowhere can be seized only by abstraction； but any degree of evil falling short of The Absolute is knowable by the extent of that falling short。 We see partial wrong； from what is before us we divine that which is lacking to the entire form ＇or Kind＇ thus indicated； we see that the completed Kind would be the Indeterminate； by this process we are able to identify and affirm Evil。 In the same way when we observe what we feel to be an ugly appearance in Matter… left there because the Reason…Principle has not become so completely the master as to cover over the unseemliness… we recognise Ugliness by the falling…short from Ideal…Form。 But how can we identify what has never had any touch of Form？ We utterly eliminate every kind of Form； and the object in which there is none whatever we call Matter： if we are to see Matter we must so completely abolish Form that we take shapelessness into our very selves。 In fact it is another Intellectual…Principle； not the true； this which ventures a vision so uncongenial。 To see darkness the eye withdraws from the light； it is striving to cease from seeing； therefore it abandons the light which would make the darkness invisible； away from the light its power is rather that of not…seeing than of seeing and this not…seeing is its nearest approach to seeing Darkness。 So the Intellectual…Principle； in order to see its contrary ＇Matter＇； must leave its own light locked up within itself； and as it were go forth from itself into an outside realm； it must ignore its native brightness and submit itself to the very contradition of its being。 10。 But if Matter is devoid of quality how can it be evil？ It is described as being devoid of quality in the sense only that it does not essentially possess any of the qualities which it admits and which enter into it as into a substratum。 No one says that it has no nature； and if it has any nature at all； why may not that nature be evil though not in the sense of quality？ Quality qualifies something not itself： it is therefore an accidental； it resides in some other object。 Matter does not exist in some other object but is the substratum in which the accidental resides。 Matter； then； is said to be devoid of Quality in that it does not in itself possess this thing which is by nature an accidental。 If； moreover； Quality itself be devoid of Quality； how can Matter； which is the unqualified； be said to have it？ Thus； it is quite correct to say at once that Matter is without Quality and that it is evil： it is Evil not in the sense of having Quality but； precisely； in not having it； give it Quality and in its very Evil it would almost be a Form； whereas in Truth it is a Kind contrary to Form。 〃But；〃 it may be said； 〃the Kind opposed to all Form is Privation or Negation； and this necessarily refers to something other than itself； it is no Substantial…Existence： therefore if Evil is Privation or Negation it must be lodged in some Negation of Form： there will be no Self…Existent Evil。〃 This objection may be answered by applying the principle to the case of Evil in the Soul； the Evil； the Vice； will be a Negation and not anything having a separate existence； we come to the doctrine which denies Matter or； admitting it； denies its Evil； we need not seek elsewhere； we may at once place Evil in the Soul； recognising it as the mere absence of Good。 But if the negation is the negation of something that ought to become present； if it is a denial of the Good by the Soul； then the Soul produces vice within itself by the operation of its own Nature； and is devoid of good and； therefore； Soul though it be； devoid of life： the Soul； if it has no life； is soulless； the Soul is no Soul。 No； the Soul has life by its own nature and therefore does not； of its own nature； contain this negation of The Good： it has much good in it； it carries a happy trace of the Intellectual…Principle and is not essentially evil： neither is it primally evil nor is that Primal Evil present in it even as an accidental； for the Soul is not wholly apart from the Good。 Perhaps Vice and Evil as in the Soul should be described not as an entire； but as a partial； negation of good。 But if this were so； part of the Soul must possess The Good； part be without it； the Soul will have a mingled nature and the Evil within it will not be unblended： we have not yet lighted on the Primal； Unmingled Evil。 The Soul would possess the Good as its Essence； the Evil as an Accidental。 Perhaps Evil is merely an impediment to the Soul like something affecting the eye and so hindering sight。 But such an evil in the eyes is no more than an occasion of evil； the Absolute Evil is something quite different。 If then Vice is an impediment to the Soul； Vice is an occasion of evil but not Evil…Absolute。 Virtue is not the Absolute Good； but a co…operator with it； and if Virtue is not the Absolute Good neither is Vice the Absolute Evil。 Virtue is not the Absolute Beauty or the Absolute Good； neither； therefore； is Vice the Essential Ugliness or the Essential Evil。 We teach that Virtue is not the Absolute Good and Beauty； because we know that These are earlier than Virtue and transcend it； and that it is good and beautiful by some participation in them。 Now as； going upward from virtue； we come to the Beautiful and to the Good； so； going downward from Vice； we reach Essential Evil： from Vice as the starting…point we come to vision of Evil； as far as such vision is possible； and we become evil to the extent of our participation in it。 We are become dwellers in the Place of Unlikeness； where； fallen from all our resemblance to the Divine； we lie in gloom and mud： for if the Soul abandons itself unreservedly to the extreme of viciousness； it is no longer a vicious Soul merely； for mere vice is still human； still carries some trace of good： it has taken to itself another nature； the Evil； and as far as Soul can die it is dead。 And the death of Soul is twofold： while still sunk in body to lie down in Matter and drench itself with it； when it has left the body； to lie in the other world until； somehow； it stirs again and lifts its sight from the mud： and this is our 〃going down to Hade
