The Shelves · Philosophy
Enneads
Ἐννεάδες
Conjecturedin Alexandria?Conjectured · Our reconstructionour placement
I · The entry, in his form
In the table of Philosophy
Conjectured · Our reconstructionour placementc. 205–270 CE. Studied with Ammonius Saccas in Alexandria from 232 to 243, then joined Gordian III's Persian expedition hoping to learn the wisdom of Persia and India, and taught in Rome from 244. Porphyry edited his treatises as the Enneads: the One, Intellect and Soul, and the soul's return to its source.
Enneads
Ἐννεάδες
Opening words
Ἡδοναὶ καὶ λῦπαι φόβοι τε καὶ θάρρη
Pleasures and pains, fears and confidences...
Length: not counted
Above, his entry form, filled from what we know. Below, ours.
II · Does it survive? Where to read it
Survives whole
Was it in Alexandria?
ConjecturedOf the Egyptian milieu. Written in Rome, but Plotinus was formed by eleven years with Ammonius in Alexandria (232-243 CE); Eunapius says he came from Lycopolis in Egypt.
On the ledge: written in Egypt or in a tradition the city shaped; not known in the Library.
Read it today
- Greek text (Scaife Viewer) · the original · link checked 31 Oct 2026
- MacKenna translation, vol. 1 (1917) · a translation · link checked 31 Oct 2026
III · In the show
- Plotinus, Eastern Philosophy & Alexandria, episode 22, at 48 secondsTranscriptKnown: attested
- Plotinus & The Enneads, episode 22, at 12 minutes 7 secondsTranscriptPlotinus and the Enneads: written over time, edited after his death by Porphyry.Known: attested
Correction
- What was said
- The Enneads are "nine groups of nine".
- What the sources say
- Six groups of nine: Porphyry arranged Plotinus's fifty-four treatises so; "Enneads" means "nines".
Reference
- Porphyry, Life of Plotinus 24
- Plotinus’ Philosophy of The One, Nous & Soul, episode 22, at 14 minutes 50 secondsTranscriptThe One, Nous and Soul.Known: attested
+ 28 more
- Ritual, Matter & Divine Ascent, episode 22, at 44 minutes 19 secondsTranscript'They must come to me': Plotinus against Iamblichus' going to the gods (Life of Plotinus 10).Known: attested
- Plotinus & the Three Hypostases, episode 17, at 49 minutes 17 secondsTranscriptKnown: attested
- Plotinus, matter, and the problem of evil, episode 10, at 49 minutes 6 secondsTranscriptPlotinus, matter and the problem of evil (Enneads I.8).Known: attested
- Plato’s Demiurge vs. the Gnostic Demiurge, episode 36, at 1 hour 54 minutes 33 secondsTranscriptPlato's demiurge against the Gnostic demiurge, and Plotinus' polemic (Enneads II.9).Known: attested
- Plotinus, Eastern Philosophy & Alexandria, episode 22, at 48 secondsTranscript“he couldn't find the right teacher. Um and he found his teacher ammonia circus.”Life of Plotinus 3.Known: attested
- Plotinus, Eastern Philosophy & Alexandria, episode 22, at 1 minute 32 secondsTranscript“He wants to study the philosophy of India in India.”Life of Plotinus 3: he joined Gordian III's expedition (242/243), which failed; he escaped to Antioch.Known: attested
- Plotinus & The Enneads, episode 22, at 12 minutes 7 secondsTranscript“Platinus um himself raised in Roman Egypt, wrote the Iniads.” (intended: Plotinus)His birth at Lycopolis is reported only by Eunapius (c. 400); Porphyry says Plotinus would not speak of his origins.Known: attested
- Plotinus & The Enneads, episode 22, at 13 minutes 33 secondsTranscript“he just groups them into like nine groups of nine treatises”Known: attested
Correction
- What was said
- The Enneads are "nine groups of nine".
- What the sources say
- Six groups of nine: Porphyry arranged Plotinus's fifty-four treatises so; "Enneads" means "nines".
Reference
- Porphyry, Life of Plotinus 24
- Tree of Life, Henads & Neoplatonic Influence, episode 24, at 52 minutesTranscript“So, so enads were the writings of Platinus that were grouped into nine segments of nine by his student Porfrey after his death.” (intended: Plotinus)Known: attested
Correction
- What was said
- The Enneads are "nine groups of nine".
- What the sources say
- Six groups of nine: Porphyry arranged Plotinus's fifty-four treatises so; "Enneads" means "nines".
Reference
- Porphyry, Life of Plotinus 24
- Artistic influence, intention & taking the first step, episode 26, at 1 hour 57 minutes 54 secondsTranscript“And even Platinus, the the neoplatonist, the guy who literally innovated Platonic philosophy” (intended: Plotinus)Known: attested
- Path: The Path of the Theurgist, station 1Locate the aim of theurgy. Plotinus' theoria against Iamblichus' matter.Known: attested
- Path: The Mysteries of Symbol, station 5Stand before the veils. The veils of negative existence, argued as Plotinian before Kabbalistic.Known: attested
- Mysticism · Chronology: Plotinus and the OnePlotinus and the One: the Enneads' account of union.Known: attested
- Philosophy · Chronology: PlotinusPlotinus, born 204, teaching at Rome from 244.Known: attested
- Mysticism · Ladders of Ascent: PlotinusKnown: attested
- Theurgy · Chronology: Plotinus declines the templesPlotinus declines the temples.Known: attested
- Gnosticism · Figures: Plotinus, critic of the GnosticsKnown: attested
- Platonism, Neoplatonism & New Distinctions, episode 22, at 2 minutes 13 secondsTranscriptPlatonism, Neoplatonism and the new distinction.Known: attested
- Tree of Life, Henads & Neoplatonic Influence, episode 24, at 51 minutes 24 secondsTranscriptKnown: attested
- Neoplatonic Influence on Qabalah, episode 17, at 45 minutes 12 secondsTranscriptKnown: attested
- Pagan theurgy and Neoplatonism influences, episode 16, at 22 minutes 21 secondsTranscriptPagan theurgy and Neoplatonic influences on the Golden Dawn (station 3 of Martinism and Reintegration).Known: attested
- Platonism, Neoplatonism & New Distinctions, episode 22, at 2 minutes 13 secondsTranscript“he would have considered himself just a platonist just a philosopher”Right: the label is modern.Known: attested
- Path: Martinism and Reintegration, station 3See Christ as the theurgic model. Iamblichean theurgy, Proclus, Plotinus and Plato behind the Golden Dawn.Known: attested
- Theurgy · De Mysteriis VKnown: attested
- Theurgy develops in Neoplatonic ritual philosophyTheurgy in Neoplatonic ritual philosophy.Known: attested
IV · Sources and the living entry
Ancient references
- Porphyry, Life of Plotinus 3, 23-26
Modern scholarship (2)
- A. H. Armstrong, Plotinus, 7 vols (Loeb Classical Library 440-445, 468; Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1966-1988).
- L. P. Gerson (ed.), Plotinus: The Enneads (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2018).
Entry checked 31 Oct 2026 · no corrections · Suggest a correction ›
ΕΝΝΕΑΔΕΣ
Beside it on the ledge
- Discourse on the Eighth and Ninth, and the Prayer of ThanksgivingGreek originals 2nd-3rd century CE; Coptic copies c. 350 · Survives whole
- AsclepiusGreek original 2nd-3rd century CE; Latin version by the 4th century · Survives only in translation
- Iamblichus of Chalcis, writing as the Egyptian priest Abammon, On the Mysteriesc. 300 CE · Survives whole
- Synesius of Cyrene, On Dreamsc. 404–405 CE · Survives whole