A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

PORPHYRIUJS. PORPHY RIUS. 499
quitted Alexandria, and did not return to it. It Augustine (Retract. ii. 31) styles him Siculuna
was most likely at Caesareia that Porphyrius at- illenm cnjus celebcrrimzafama est. The notion that
tended on the instructions of Origen. Eunapius this work was written in Bithynia is quite withhas been charged with a gross blunder in making out foundation, being merely derived from a pasOrigen the fellow-student of Porphyrius; but it sage of Lactantius (v. 2), referring to somebody
does not seem necessary to suppose that he meant whose name is not mentioned, and who wrote
the celebrated Christian writer of that name. against the Christians, and which was supposed
Porphyrius next removed to Athens, where he by Baronius to refer to Porphyrits. But the acstudied under Apollonius (Porph. Quaest. los,. count does not suit him in any respect. It was
25) and the celebrated Longinus, by whose exten- very likely about this period that Porphyrius took
sive learning, and rhetorical and grammatical skill, occasion to visit Carthage. That he also went to
he profited so much as to attract the commendation Athens after the death of Piotinus, has been inof Longinus (Vit. Plot. c. 21, p. 133). At the ferred (by Holstenius) from a passage quoted by
age of twenty he went to Rome for the first time, Eusebius, where, as the text stands, Porphyrius is
to hear Plotinus; but as the latter had at that time made to speak of celebrating the birth-day of
intermitted his instructions, Porphyrius returned to Plotinus at Athens with Longinus. There can be
the East, whether to the school of Longinus or not little doubt, however, that the reading should be,
we do not know. Of the events of the next ten as Brucker (I. c. p. 248) suggests, fIAarc'vema, and
years we know nothing. At the age of thirty he that the incident refers to the earlier part of the
came to Rome with Antonius of Rhodes, and life of Porphyrius, otherwise the allusion will not
applied himself to learn the philosophy of Plotinus, accord with the history of either Porphyrius or
from Plotinus himself, and from his older disciple, Longinus.
Amelius, to whom Plotinus assigned the task of Of the remainder of the life of Porphyrius we
elucidating the difficulties in the doctrine of their know very little. According to Eunapius he recommon master which might be felt by the younger turned to Rome, where he taught, and gave fredisciple ( Vit. Plot. c. 4). Porphyrius, having some quent public exhibitions of his acquirements and
doubts respecting a dogma of Plotinus, wrote a treat- talents as a speaker, and was held in high honour
ise, endeavouring to establish, in opposition to his'by the senate and people till he died. A curious
master, O-TL 4crW roO VoU (PeT711rce Tard VOraC, hoping illustration of his excitable and enthusiastic temto induce Plotinus to reply. Plotinus, having read perament is afforded by what he says of himself
the treatise, handed it over to Amelius to answer, ( Vit. Plot. c. 23), that in the 68th year of his age
which he did, in a tolerably large book. To this he himself, like Plotinus, was favoured with an
Porphyrius replied in his turn, and was answered ecstatic vision of the Deity. When probably at a
by Amelius in a rejoinder which satisfied him, somewhat advanced period of life he married Marupon which he wrote a recantation, and read it cella, the widow of one of his friends, and the
publicly in the school. He employed all his in- mother of seven children (ad i1arec. 1), with the
fluence, however, to induce Plotinus to develope his view, as he avowed, of superintending their educadoctrines in a more extended and articulate form. tion. About ten months after his marriage he had
He also inspired Amelius with a greater zeal for occasion to leave her and go on a journey; and to
writing. Porphyrius gained so thoroughly the ap- console her during his absence he wrote to her an
probation and confidence of Plotinus, that he was epistle, which is still extant. The date of his death
regarded by the latter as the ornament of his school, cannot be fixed with any exactness; it was proand was admitted by him to terms of close intimacy. bably about A. D. 305 or 306.
He frequently had assigned to him the task of re- It appears from the testimony even of antafuting opponents, and was entrusted with the still gonists, and from what we have left of his writings,
more difficult and delicate duty of correcting and that Porphyrius was a man of great abilities and
arranging the writings of Plotinus ( Vit. Plot. c. 13, very extensive learning. Eusebius speaks of him as
p. 115; c. 15. p. 117; c. 7. p. 107; c. 24. p. 139). one T'COV lAd'sora &acpavivw Kal arda1 7ywpLiwv,
Though he had abandoned Longinus for Plotinus, KAhEos se ou e LKPO'V iALhoooias 7rap' "EAAhilv
he still kept up a friendly intercourse with the dvreV7,VesyUEvov (PrIaep. Ev. iii. 9); and Asgusformer (Vit. Plot. c. 20, comp. the letter which he tine styles him hominemn non mediocri ingenio
received from Longinus while in Sicily, ib. c. 18). praeditusm (de Civ. Dei, x. 32, comp. xix. 22).
His connection with Plotinus continued for about The philosophical doctrines of Porphyrius were
six years, at the end of which period he went to in all essential respects the same as those of
Sicily; for a naturally hypochondriacal disposition, his master Plotinus. To that system he was
stimulated perhaps by his enthusiastic attachment ardently attached, and showed himself one of its
to the doctrines of Plotinus, had induced in him a most energetic defenders. His writings were all
desire to get free from the shackles of the flesh, designed directly or indirectly to illustrate, comand he had in consequence begun to entertain the mend, or establish it. His rhetorical training,
idea of suicide. But Plotinus, perceiving his state extensive learning, and comparative clearness of
of mind, advised him to leave Rome and go to style, no doubt did good service in the cause of his
Sicily. Porphyrius took his advice, and went to school. Nevertheless, he is charged with inconvisit a man of the name of Probus, who lived in sistencies and contradictions; his later views
the neighbourhood of Lilybaeum (Vit. Plot. c. 11, being frequently at variance with his earlier ones.
comp. Euniap. I.c. p. 14, whose account of the (Eunap. Vit. Poaph. fin.; Euseb. Praep. Ev.
matter differs, and of course errs, in some parti- iv. 10; Iambl. ap. Stobaeum, Ecl. i. p. 866). The
culars). Plotinus shortly after died in Campania. reason of this may probably be found in the vacilIt was while in Sicily, according to Eusebius lation of his views with respect to theurgy and
(Hist. Eccl. vi. 19) and Jerome (Catal. Script. philosophy, a vacillation which would doubtless
illust.), that he wrote his treatise against the attract the greater attention, as it was in oppoChristian religion, in 15 books, on which account sition to the general tendencies of his age and
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