letters on literature(关于文学)-第13节
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collapsing like an empty purse。〃
How diverting it would be； Lady Violet； if our modern
controversialists had those accomplishments； and if Mr。 Max Muller could；
literally； 〃double up〃 Professor Whitney； or if any one could cause
Peppmuller to collapse with his queer Homeric theory！ Plotinus had many
such arts。 A piece of jewellery was stolen from one of his protegees； a
lady； and he detected the thief； a servant； by a glance。 After being
flogged within an inch of his life； the servant （perhaps to save the
remaining inch） confessed all。
Once when Porphyry was at a distance； and was meditating suicide；
Plotinus appeared at his side； saying； 〃This that thou schemest cometh not
of the pure intellect； but of black humours；〃 and so sent Porphyry for
change of air to Sicily。 This was thoroughly good advice； but during the
absence of the disciple the master died。
Porphyry did not see the great snake that glided into the wall when
Plotinus expired； he only heard of the circumstance。 Plotinus's last
words were： 〃I am striving to release that which is divine within us； and
to merge it in the universally divine。〃 It is a strange mixture of
philosophy and savage survival。 The Zulus still believe that the souls of
the dead reappear； like the soul of Plotinus； in the form of serpents。
Plotinus wrote against the paganizing Christians； or Gnostics。 Like
all great men； he was accused of plagiarism。 A defence of great men
accused of literary theft would be as valuable as Naude's work of a like
name about magic。 On his death the Delphic Oracle； in very second…rate
hexameters； declared that Plotinus had become a demon。
Such was the life of Plotinus； a man of sense and virtue； and so modest
that he would not allow his portrait to be painted。 His character drew
good men round him； his repute for supernatural virtues brought 〃fools
into a circle。〃 What he meant by his belief that four times he had；
〃whether in the body or out of the body；〃 been united with the Spirit of the
world； who knows？ What does Tennyson mean when he writes：
〃So word by word； and line by line； The dead man touch'd me from
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the past； And all at once it seem'd at last His living soul was flashed on
mine。
And mine in his was wound and whirl'd About empyreal heights of
thought； And came on that which is； and caught The deep pulsations of the
world。〃
Mystery！ We cannot fathom it； we know not the paths of the souls
of Pascal and Gordon； of Plotinus and St。 Paul。 They are wise with a
wisdom not of this world； or with a foolishness yet more wise。
In his practical philosophy Plotinus was an optimist； or at least he was
at war with pessimism。
〃They that love God bear lightly the ways of the worldbear lightly
whatsoever befalls them of necessity in the general movement of things。〃
He believed in a rest that remains for the people of God； 〃where they
speak not one with the other； but； as we understand many things by the
eyes only； so does soul read soul in heaven； where the spiritual body is
pure； and nothing is hidden； and nothing feigned。〃 The arguments by
which these opinions are buttressed may be called metaphysical； and may
be called worthless； the conviction； and the beauty of the language in
which it is stated； remain immortal possessions。
Why such a man as Plotinus； with such ideas； remained a pagan； while
Christianity offered him a sympathetic refuge； who can tell？ Probably
natural conservatism； in him as in Dr。 Johnson conservatism and taste
caused his adherence to the forms at least of the older creeds。 There was
much to laugh at in Plotinus； and much to like。 But if you read him in
hopes of material for strange stories； you will be disappointed。 Perhaps
Lord Lytton and others who have invoked his name in fiction （like Vivian
Grey in Lord Beaconsfield's tale） knew his name better than his doctrine。
His 〃Enneads；〃 even as edited by his patient Boswell； Porphyry； are not
very light subjects of study。
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LUCRETIUS
To the Rev。 Geoffrey Martin； Oxford。
Dear Martin；〃How individuals found religious consolation from the
creeds of ancient Greece and Rome〃 is； as you quote C。 O。 Muller； 〃a very
curious question。〃 It is odd that while we have countless books on the
philosophy and the mythology and the ritual of the classic peoples； we
hear about their religion in the modern sense scarcely anything from
anybody。 We know very well what gods they worshipped； and what
sacrifices they offered to the Olympians； and what stories they told about
their deities； and about the beginnings of things。 We know； too； in a
general way； that the gods were interested in morality。 They would all
punish offences in their own department； at least when it was a case of
numine laeso； when the god who protected the hearth was offended by
breach of hospitality； or when the gods invoked to witness an oath were
offended by perjury。
But how did a religiously minded man regard the gods？ What hope
or what fears did he entertain with regard to the future life？ Had he any
sense of sin； as more than a thing that could be expiated by purification
with the blood of slaughtered swine； or by purchasing the prayers and
〃masses；〃 so to speak； of the mendicant clergy or charlatans； mentioned by
Plato in the 〃Republic〃？ About these great questions of the religious life…
…the Future and man's fortunes in the future； the punishment or reward of
justice or iniquitywe really know next to nothing。
That is one reason why the great poem of Lucretius seems so valuable
to me。 The De Rerum Natura was written for no other purpose than to
destroy Religion； as Lucretius understood it； to free men's minds from all
dread as to future punishment； all hope of Heaven； all dread or desire for
the interference of the gods in this mortal life of ours on earth。 For no
other reason did Lucretius desire to 〃know the causes of things；〃 except
that the knowledge would bring 〃emancipation；〃 as people call it； from the
gods； to whom men had hitherto stood in the relation of the Roman son to
the Roman sire； under the patria potestas or in manu patris。
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As Lucretius wrought all his arduous work to this end； it follows that
his fellow…countrymen must have gone in a constant terror about spiritual
penalties； which we seldom associate in thought with the 〃blithe〃 and
careless existence of the ancient peoples。 In every line of Lucretius you
read the joy and the indignation of the slave just escaped from an
intolerable thraldom to fear。 Nobody could well have believed on any
other evidence that the classical people had a gloomy Calvinism of their
own time。 True； as early as Homer； we hear of the shadowy existence of
the souls； and of the torments endured by the notably wicked； by impious
ghosts； or tyrannical； like Sisyphus and Tantalus。 But when we read the
opening books of the 〃Republic；〃 we find the educated friends of Socrates
treating these terrors as old…wives' fables。 They have heard； they say； that
such notions circulate among the people； but they seem never for a
moment to have themselves believed in a future of rewards and
punishments。
The remains of ancient funereal art； in Etruria or Attica； usually show
us the semblances of the dead lying at endless feasts； or receiving
sa
