The Life of Plotinus

For those who have never encountered the man behind the Enneads, the Life of Plotinus is the single indispensable portrait. Written with directness by his most devoted pupil, it re-creates the daily presence, the habits, the striking inner steadiness, and the final illness of one of antiquity’s most profound mystical philosophers. This modern English edition renders Porphyry’s biographical text in clear, inviting prose—faithful to the original’s meaning and spiritual weight, yet guileless enough for today’s reader. Readers will meet Plotinus on his own terms: the boy who discovered philosophy in Alexandria, the silent teacher in Rome, the lover of wisdom who reached the very threshold of the One. Accompanying the biography are a glossary of names, key passages from the work, and a short essay on how to read the Life. Part of The World Scriptures Library.