Plotini Opera Omnia cum Ficini commentariis

For to the Greeks, and especially to those acquainted with Platonic philosophy, there was nothing at all obscure in that other title On Dialectic. Moreover, for this book, as well as for the remaining ones of Plotinus, the Questions on the Method of Plotinus's Dialectic by D. C. K. A. Steinhart (Numburg, 1829, 4to) are full of good fruit.

p. 39, 11. ὅπου μὲν where indeed] Ficino, and Taylor following him, accepted these for when indeed or since, which usage is not infrequent elsewhere (see Tens. and Reiz on Lucian Aetion, p. 832; Leopold on Plutarch Romulus 24. 3, p. 150, coll. p. 154), but the following ὡς ἐπὶ τὰγ as toward the [first principle] prevents us from accepting it so. To them, ὅπου μὲν in this place corresponds later to τίνα δὲ δεῖ εἶναι τ. ἀ. but who must be led back? for it does not necessarily follow in the apodosis [that there is a] ὅπου δὲ but where (as Schæfer teaches on Viger On Idioms VII. 10. 4, p. 432). Therefore, the whole passage ought to have been translated thus: "For whither (or to what place) is one to go, as if to the Good and the first Principle (i.e., whither [one is] persuaded that we are going to come to the Good, etc.), it is placed among the conceded—But who is it that must be led back?"

— 15. μουσικοῦ τινος of a certain musician] Cf. Plato's Phaedrus p. 248, p. 44 Bekk., and Hermias there on ch. 28, and Ast p. 307, and Preparation on Plotinus On Beauty, p. CIII sq.; furthermore Plato’s Republic III, p. 402, 403 Steph., p. 138, 139 Bekker. Proclus in the first Alcibiades p. 194 ff., p. 197, 205, 206, 208, ed. ours; and for the argument of this whole book cf. the seventh book of Plato’s Republic and the end of the ninth book, where the musician is also mentioned, p. 591, p. 463 Bekker.

p. 40, 8. ἐπ᾿ ἄκρῳ — τῷ νοητῷ at the peak—the intelligible] Cf. Plato’s Phaedrus ch. 26 and Hermias and Ast on it in the Commentary, p. 301. Proclus touched upon the same passage of the Phaedrus in Parmenides I, p. 4. 7, ed. Cousin.

ib. Περὶ δὲ τῆς ἀναγωγῆς But concerning the leading back/ascent] Plato Republic VII, p. 517, p. 331 Bekk.: "and the one attempting to release and lead back."

— 14. φθόγγους sounds/tones] Marsilius translates harmonic sounds, by which he might distinguish [them] more significantly from the preceding ψόφοις noises. The word φθόγγος, properly regarding the human voice, then also of the cithara, etc., is illustrated by writers cited in Stephanus’s Thesaurus, p. 10084, ed. London, to which add Schleusner’s Lexicon of the New Testament on the word, and Valckenaer’s Scholia on the New Testament I, p. 344. Moreover, pay attention to the repetition of the word ἕτοιμον ready/prepared used with a different meaning. Indeed, the Lycopolitan philosopher is accustomed to indulge himself in such things, being more intent on the things than the words. I believe the reading of the Vatican Code εὔηχον well-sounding originated from a copyist who would refer [it] to the sounds and would not consider the figures, which are mentioned shortly after. However, it is established that figures are both of rhetoricians and dancers. What Stephanus and the editors collected in the Thesaurus, p. 3944 London, add to those the discussions of Ernesti in Lexicon of Greek Rhetorical Technology, p. 338 ff. For the rest, apply Plato’s Laws II, 664 sq., p. 256 Bekker; Aristotle’s Rhetoric III. 1. 4 with the interpreters; Longinus’s Fragments III. 5; Theon of Smyrna’s Music, ch. 1, and Bullialdus there; and cf. Plotinus himself II. 3. 13, V. 9. 11.

p. 41, 4. ὕστερον λεκτέον to be said later] For the meaning of this first chapter, Aristides Quintilianus On Music I. 2 should be applied: "Dialectic and its counterpart benefited the soul toward prudence, if music received it having been purified." Proclus discusses the power of music to form the souls of young men in the first Alcibiades, p. 194 ff. I shall append the words of John Chrysostom, which also pertain to the beginning of the following chapter in Psalm xli, p. 146: "Nothing so raises the soul, and gives it wings, and frees it from the earth, and loosens it from the bonds of the body, and makes it philosophize, and [makes it] laugh at all worldly things, as a song of harmony and a divine melody composed in rhythm." [Cf. C. Anne den Tex, Disputation on the Power of Music for Cultivating Man, Trajecti ad Rhenum 1816, 170 pp. Mr.]

— 6. ἢ παρέλθοι or [if it] might pass beyond] i.e., or [if it] might ascend higher above that place where the musician is. Here Plotinus refers to the doctrine of the steps to higher things, which, handed down by the prince Plato, was explained more fully by the younger Platonists. We remind [the reader] here only of the Symposium, from whose primary speech, namely the Socratic, this whole chapter concerning educating the lover is derived. See p. 210 sq. Steph., p. 442 ff. Bekker, where both other things and these occur: "For this is indeed the [way of] rightly going toward erotic things or being led by another, beginning from these beautiful things for the sake of that beautiful [thing], always to ascend, as if using stairs, from one to two, and from two to all beautiful bodies, and from beautiful bodies to beautiful practices, etc." From the same source, ours proceeded in I. 6, p. 48. G.: "Until someone having passed beyond in the ascent, etc." Just as