Introduction to the Philosophy and Writings of Plato

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Introduction to the Philosophy and Writings of Plato, by Thomas TaylorThis eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it,give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online atwww.gutenberg.netTitle: Introduction to the Philosophy and Writings of PlatoAuthor: Thomas TaylorRelease Date: November 22, 2003 [EBook #10214]Language: EnglishCharacter set encoding: ISO Latin-1*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK INTRODUCTION TO THE ***Produced by Jake JaquaINTRODUCTION TO THE PHILOSOPHY AND WRITINGS OF PLATOByTHOMAS TAYLOR"Philosophy," says Hierocles, "is the purification and perfection of human life. It is the purification, indeed, from materialirrationality, and the mortal body; but the perfection, in consequence of being the resumption of our proper felicity, and areascent to the divine likeness. To effect these two is the province of Virtue and Truth; the former exterminating theimmoderation of the passions; and the latter introducing the divine form to those who are naturally adapted to itsreception."Of philosophy thus defined, which may be compared to a luminous pyramid, terminating in Deity, and having for its basisthe rational soul of man and its spontaneous unperverted conceptions,—of this philosophy, August, magnificent, anddivine, Plato may be justly called the primary leader and hierophant, ...