the six enneads-第56节
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which brings nothing alien to it。 But the Reason…Principle… as its offspring； a later hypostasis… is already a separate Being and established in another Realm； and so is said to lie in the garden of this Zeus who is divine Mind； and this lying in the garden takes place at the moment when； in our way of speaking； Aphrodite enters the realm of Being。 10。 〃Our way of speaking〃… for myths； if they are to serve their purpose； must necessarily import time…distinctions into their subject and will often present as separate； Powers which exist in unity but differ in rank and faculty； they will relate the births of the unbegotten and discriminate where all is one substance； the truth is conveyed in the only manner possible； it is left to our good sense to bring all together again。 On this principle we have； here； Soul dwelling with the divine Intelligence； breaking away from it； and yet again being filled to satiety with the divine Ideas… the beautiful abounding in all plenty； so that every splendour become manifest in it with the images of whatever is lovely… Soul which； taken as one all； is Aphrodite； while in it may be distinguished the Reason…Principles summed under the names of Plenty and Possession； produced by the downflow of the Nectar of the over realm。 The splendours contained in Soul are thought of as the garden of Zeus with reference to their existing within Life； and Poros sleeps in this garden in the sense of being sated and heavy with its produce。 Life is eternally manifest； an eternal existent among the existences； and the banqueting of the gods means no more than that they have their Being in that vital blessedness。 And Love… 〃born at the banquet of the gods〃… has of necessity been eternally in existence； for it springs from the intention of the Soul towards its Best； towards the Good； as long as Soul has been； Love has been。 Still this Love is of mixed quality。 On the one hand there is in it the lack which keeps it craving： on the other； it is not entirely destitute； the deficient seeks more of what it has； and certainly nothing absolutely void of good would ever go seeking the good。 It is said then to spring from Poverty and Possession in the sense that Lack and Aspiration and the Memory of the Ideal Principles； all present together in the Soul； produce that Act towards The Good which is Love。 Its Mother is Poverty； since striving is for the needy； and this Poverty is Matter； for Matter is the wholly poor： the very ambition towards the good is a sign of existing indetermination； there is a lack of shape and of Reason in that which must aspire towards the Good； and the greater degree of effort implies the lower depth of materiality。 A thing aspiring towards the Good is an Ideal…principle only when the striving ＇with attainment＇ will leave it still unchanged in Kind： when it must take in something other than itself； its aspiration is the presentment of Matter to the incoming power。 Thus Love is at once； in some degree a thing of Matter and at the same time a Celestial； sprung of the Soul； for Love lacks its Good but； from its very birth； strives towards It。 SIXTH TRACTATE。
THE IMPASSIVITY OF THE UNEMBODIED。
1。 In our theory； feelings are not states； they are action upon experience； action accompanied by judgement： the states； we hold； are seated elsewhere； they may be referred to the vitalized body； the judgement resides in the Soul； and is distinct from the state… for； if it is not distinct； another judgement is demanded； one that is distinct； and； so； we may be sent back for ever。 Still； this leaves it undecided whether in the act of judgement the judging faculty does or does not take to itself something of its object。 If the judging faculty does actually receive an imprint； then it partakes of the state… though what are called the Impressions may be of quite another nature than is supposed； they may be like Thought； that is to say they may be acts rather than states； there may be； here too； awareness without participation。 For ourselves； it could never be in our system… or in our liking… to bring the Soul down to participation in such modes and modifications as the warmth and cold of material frames。 What is known as the Impressionable faculty of the soul… to pathetikon… would need to be identified： we must satisfy ourselves as to whether this too； like the Soul as a unity； is to be classed as immune or； on the contrary； as precisely the only part susceptible of being affected； this question； however； may be held over； we proceed to examine its preliminaries。 Even in the superior phase of the Soul… that which precedes the impressionable faculty and any sensation… how can we reconcile immunity with the indwelling of vice； false notions； ignorance？ Inviolability； and yet likings and dislikings； the Soul enjoying； grieving； angry； grudging； envying； desiring； never at peace but stirring and shifting with everything that confronts it！ If the Soul were material and had magnitude； it would be difficult； indeed quite impossible； to make it appear to be immune； unchangeable； when any of such emotions lodge in it。 And even considering it as an Authentic Being； devoid of magnitude and necessarily indestructible； we must be very careful how we attribute any such experiences to it or we will find ourselves unconsciously making it subject to dissolution。 If its essence is a Number or as we hold a Reason…Principle； under neither head could it be susceptible of feeling。 We can think； only； that it entertains unreasoned reasons and experiences unexperienced； all transmuted from the material frames； foreign and recognized only by parallel； so that it possesses in a kind of non…possession and knows affection without being affected。 How this can be demands enquiry。 2。 Let us begin with virtue and vice in the Soul。 What has really occurred when； as we say； vice is present？ In speaking of extirpating evil and implanting goodness； of introducing order and beauty to replace a former ugliness； we talk in terms of real things in the Soul。 Now when we make virtue a harmony； and vice a breach of harmony； we accept an opinion approved by the ancients； and the theory helps us decidedly to our solution。 For if virtue is simply a natural concordance among the phases of the Soul； and vice simply a discord； then there is no further question of any foreign presence； harmony would be the result of every distinct phase or faculty joining in； true to itself； discord would mean that not all chimed in at their best and truest。 Consider； for example； the performers in a choral dance； they sing together though each one has his particular part； and sometimes one voice is heard while the others are silent； and each brings to the chorus something of his own； it is not enough that all lift their voices together； each must sing； choicely； his own part to the music set for him。 Exactly so in the case of the Soul； there will be harmony when each faculty performs its appropriate part。 Yes： but this very harmony constituting the virtue of the Soul must depend upon a previous virtue； that of each several faculty within itself； and before there can be the vice of discord there must be the vice of the single parts； and these can be bad only by the actual presence of vice as they can be good only by the presence of virtue。 It is true that no presence is affirmed when vice is identified with ignorance in the reasoning faculty of the Soul； ignorance is not a positive thing； but in the presence of false judgements… the main cause of vice… must it not be admitted that something positive has entered into the Soul； something perverting the reasoning faculty？ So； the initiative faculty； is it not； itself； altered as one varies between timidity and boldness？ And the desiring faculty； similarly； as it runs wild or accepts control？ Our teaching is that when the particular faculty is sound it performs the reasonable act of its essential nature； obeying the reasoning faculty in it which derives from the Intellectual Principle and communicates to the rest。 And this following of reason is not the acceptance of an imposed shape； it is like using the eyes； the Soul sees by its act； that of looking towards reason。 The faculty of sight in the performance of its act is essentially what it was when it lay latent； its act is not a change in it； but simply its entering into the relation that belongs to its essential character； it knows… that is； sees… without suffering any change： so； precisely； the reasoning phase of the Soul stands towards the Intellectual Principle； this it sees by its very essence； this vision is its knowing faculty； it takes in no stamp； no impression； all that enters it is the object of vision… possessed； once more； without possession； it possesses by the fact of knowing but 〃without possession〃 in the sense that there is no incorporation of anything left behind by the object of vision； like the impression of the seal on sealing…wax。 And note that we do not appeal to stored…up impressions to account for memory： we think of the mind awakening its powers in such a way as to possess something not present to it。 Very good： but is it not different before and after acquir
