Aristotelis Opera (Bekker Edition, Vol. 2): Metaphysica, Ethica, Politica, Rhetorica, Poetica

Categories discusses all beings, and the voices contribute to our teaching about beings (for through voices, things are signified), for this reason he discusses the five voices, since they contribute to us for every voice that is under philosophy. For just as the grammarians invented the eight parts of speech under which every Greek word is subsumed, and just as the rhetoricians invented the thirteen staseis points of issue/legal statuses under which every political question is subsumed, and just as Aristotle invented the ten categories under which all beings are subsumed, so every voice that is under philosophy is subsumed under the five voices.

Not only is man rational, but also an angel and a demon.

Some raise objections, saying that there are not only five voices but six: for there is genus, species, difference, accident, essential property, and non-essential property. To them it can be said that the discourse is about voices, and "property" is one voice, whether essential or non-essential; therefore, whether it be essential or non-essential, it is called property. Since, according to this argument, there would be more than six voices: for there is separable accident and inseparable accident, but both the separable and the inseparable are one voice.

Practice III. Having learned with God’s help the purpose of the present book, let us come to the usefulness. It must be known that the usefulness of the present book is fourfold: for the present book is useful for our own salvation (for we humans are social, communicating to one another through voice the products of the mind; whence "voice" original: "φωνή" is also said to come from "to illuminate" original: "φωτίζειν", for humans were called "lights" original: "φῶτες"), and for Aristotle’s Categories, and for all of philosophy, and for the dialectical methods.

The present book contributes, as has been said, to the dialectical methods. But first, let us say why they are called dialectical methods, how many there are, and their order; and thus let us say how the present book contributes to the dialectical methods. It must be known that they were called dialectical because they appeared in the process of discourse; in this discourse, they divided and defined, and the proof was sufficient for analysis. There are four dialectical methods: divisive, definitive, demonstrative, and analytical.

The statement that determines the universal from particular cases is not always true; for to say that man moves his lower jaw, the horse moves his lower jaw, therefore every animal moves its lower jaw, is not true; for neither the crocodile, nor the phoenix bird, nor the dolphin move their lower jaw, but the upper one.

Practice IV. Having learned both the purpose and the usefulness, let us come and state the reason for the title. It must be known that the present book is titled "Porphyry’s Introduction," Porphyry the Phoenician, the student of Plotinus the Lycopolite from Lycopolis; Lycopolis is in Egypt. Regarding whom it is said that Egypt is great, and when it brings forth, it brings forth something great. Regarding him, Porphyry says that Plotinus of our time seemed not to be ashamed that he was in a body, and when some wished to dedicate an image to him, he said that the likeness from nature is sufficient for me, that is, the body, lest I have an image of an image. By "image of an image," he meant the statue; for it is an impression of the body. It must be known that Iamblichus was a student of Porphyry; regarding them, I mean Porphyry and Iamblichus, the Pythia the oracle at Delphi said, "The Syrian is inspired, the Phoenician is learned," calling Porphyry learned because he was from Phoenicia, and Iamblichus the Syrian inspired, for he was a Syrian; and she calls him inspired because he occupied himself with divine things. . . The title "Introduction" original: "Εἰσαγωγή" and "On the Introduction" are reasonably inscribed, to show that the book is more active and that it teaches us the introduction itself. Such titles, I mean those with a preposition, represent the book as more active, for example, Plato’s Phaedo, Plato’s Alcibiades; for those without a preposition introduce some relaxation and reduction, for example, "On the Soul," "On Critical Days" (*).

Let us come to the authenticity. It must be known that the present book is shown to be genuine to Porphyry from many things: since from the prologue he makes the address to Chrysaorius, the prefect of Rome, to whom he also addresses his other books (**). And because he mentions this book in his other works. And because he cares for clarity here, which is his trademark; for since there are three ways in which ambiguity occurs, as we shall learn in the prologue, he himself cares greatly for clarity.

It must be known that he divides the present book into two parts; in the first part, he says what each of the five voices is—for example, what is genus, what is species, and the rest—and in the second part, he hands down their communion and their differences. . . But some say that he divides the present treatise into three parts: in the first part, he hands down what each of the five voices is; in the second, he tells of their communion; and in the third, their differences. If he were handing down their communion in one place and their differences in another, they would speak correctly; but since he hands down communion and difference simultaneously and hands down both in the same place, it is clear that we cannot call this three parts. For where he speaks of communion, he speaks of difference, and again, where he speaks of difference, he speaks of communion.

Since we think we have had our fill of prologues (for there is a satiety of all things within our power, except for virtues), more seriously toward the...

(*) Ammon f. 18. It is titled "Introduction," and some raise objections as to why he titled it indefinitely, "Introduction"; for it is unclear whether it is of grammar, rhetoric, or logic.

(**) Ammon f. 17 b. Porphyry was the teacher of Chrysaorius, and while explaining the studies to him, he needed to visit the fire of Dite a region or specific location, possibly metaphorical, and he departed. During this time, Chrysaorius found Aristotle’s Categories and followed it entirely by pondering it. It shows that Porphyry there, having written about the event: if he visited the fire, to come, but if he did not visit, to write some introduction, through which he might be about to follow the book. Since, therefore, Porphyry could not return for a while, he writes this book for him, having collected these things from what was said to Plato likely Plotinus, and having come through the very words. Codex Vat. 1023 has images of Porphyry, Chrysaorius, and David.