[ 3 / biz / cgl / ck / diy / fa / ic / jp / lit / sci / vr / vt ] [ index / top / reports ] [ become a patron ] [ status ]
2023-11: Warosu is now out of extended maintenance.

/lit/ - Literature

View post   
File: 29 KB, 400x400, plotinus-gerson-e1515777035493.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
22226765 No.22226765 [Reply] [Original]

I've been wanting to get into this work for a while now but it's so dense (in addition to being long). Every time I try looking for a guide that goes over each individual tractate from each ennead I can't find anything, other than a reddit post that's still in the middle of working on it and done by a layperson as opposed to a scholar. I'd prefer text but even a youtube playlist would be better than nothing.

>> No.22227175

>>22226765
My diary desu

>> No.22227194

>>22226765
Road to Reality from J.M. Rist used to be standard reading, it's not too long and can help you.
The Philosophy of Plotinus from Emile Brehier is also a good introduction - but also a bit old.
For more recent literature, there's a book by Lloyd Gerson on Plotinus, but it looks like it's more heavy and academic, so it might not be a "soft" intro, if that is what you were looking for. But the book is likely going to be coherent with the translation, if you are reading pic related.
Have fun, Plotinus is a great philosopher.

>> No.22227207

>>22227194
Sorry I didn't read properly your intro - you are looking for books introducing each individual treatise. If that is the case, the best resource at the moment are the books by Parmenides Publishing probably: they are publishing all the treatises separately, with extensive introductions by renowned scholars. I am afraid this is the only option for now. There should be at least some of them available to pirate online, possibly on libgen or scihub. Otherwise you may need access to a uni library. Another way is to write to the academics and just ask them to send you the intro - most professors are actually eager to share their research for free, since they don't make any money with it anyway.

>> No.22227263

Paul Kalligas' commentary on the Enneads

>> No.22228419
File: 47 KB, 274x400, The Heart of Plotinus The Essential Enneads.jpg [View same] [iqdb] [saucenao] [google]
22228419

The Heart of Plotinus: The Essential Enneads

>> No.22228458

>>22226765
dont read gerson. incredibly soullless translation

>> No.22228696

>>22226765
Don't do it OP, Plotinus is an agent of decline and utterly confused re: the truth. You have to go back (to the presocratics)

>> No.22228846

>>22227263
Seconding this. I'd also recommend you look at the index of greek terms in the back and compare to how they're used in Plato and Aristotle. That should make it easier to get a grasp on what Plotinus means.