Iamblichus on the Mysteries; Psellus on Demons

Argument concerning the book of Iamblichus.

Porphyry, who is called "the philosopher" among the Platonists on account of his excellence, sent a long letter to Egypt to Anebo the priest, full of various and weighty questions pertaining to all parts of philosophy, especially concerning God, the angels, the demons, and souls; regarding providence, fate, prophecies, magic, miracles, sacrifices, and vows. Iamblichus, his student, responded to the questions of Porphyry. He introduces Abamon, an Egyptian priest, responding to Porphyry on behalf of his disciple Anebo, to whom Porphyry had sent the letter. Of this whole inquiry, therefore, and the response which is truly divine, as I was still too much occupied with Plotinus, I translated almost every single thing, though not word for word, but the meanings, so that it should not be thought a wonder if the discourse appears disjointed here and there, especially among the very beginnings of the argument, where the loss of words is of less consequence. Henceforth, the continuity of the words will appear more consistent. I have indeed been forced at times to insert a word or two into it for the sake of continuity or clarity. Pierleone, a man most desirous of all secrets, was also the cause of a more rapid edition. But, a thing which I admire above all, he always seems to strive for those things which he already possesses. For by a certain divinity of intellect he pursues the arcane wisdom of the philosophers, both Greek and Barbarian, not yet read.