The Enneads: In Chronological Order, Grouped in Four Periods. [single volume, unabridged]

by Kenneth Sylvan Guthrie

This edition of the Enneads of Plotinus was the first full English translation. The work follows in the footsteps of previous Platonists, such as Ficinus and Taylor, and builds on Dr. Guthrie's translations and explanations of Plotinus's master Numenius, the Pythagorean texts, the works of Proclus, etc. Dr. Guthrie's translation includes several major features that are not found elsewhere, including a reorganization of the books of the Enneads into chronological order, displaying 4 progressive stages of development, which allows for a more complete examination of the development of Plotinus's philosophy (see the full edition of Guthrie's " Complete Works" for his own examination of that development). || The present translation “is the best for him who wishes to understand Plotinus, because it is the only edition that unscrambles, chronologically, Plotinus’s 4 progressive stages of development from Porphyry’s frightful hodgepodge of 9 medleys. . . . It is the most faithful version, because Dr. Guthrie's sole object was to focus the labors of the best students, Marsilius Ficinus, Mueller, Drews, Bouillet, Chaignet, Taylor, and others; but one only thing he does claim, that he has not knowingly left any obscurity. Otherwise he glories in this subservience to all the best that had been done before him, and for himself he claims nothing but the unappreciated production of what nobody else would do, and the critical discovery of Plotinus’s progress.”—K. S. GUTHRIE

652 pages, Paperback

Published August 14, 2017

About the author

Kenneth Sylvan Launfal Guthrie (1871-1940), philosopher and writer, was a grandson of famous feminist pioneer Frances Wright and brother of William Norman Guthrie, a Scottish-born Episcopalian priest who issued a series of translations of ancient philosophical writers, "making available to the public the neglected treasures of Neo-platonism".

Among his works was a translation of the complete works of Plotinus (1918). He was also an active prohibitionist. In addition he composed music and wrote poetry. He has been described as a "brilliant but eccentric scholar" by Manly Palmer Hall.

Reviews

[Jared Mindel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Any serious student of philosophy should read this. I admittedly wish he was more systematic, as he can be very repetitive, but the translation is great and it's pretty easy to understand. I honestly prefer reading Plotinus over Aristotle and Plato.

While I disagree with his system, he's nonetheless a thought-provoking philosopher who influenced the Western philosophical world significantly, especially with his concepts of simplicity, fusion of Aristotle and Plato, and thorough analysis of the nature of the Intelligence and intelligibility.

Also has some interesting critiques of the Aristotelian categories, must notably quantity and time - at least in my opinion.