Iamblichus on the mysteries of the Egyptians, Chaldeans, and Assyrians

The various translations and original works of Thomas Taylor, though still in request by the more zealous students of ancient philosophy and occult science, have now become so s...

Since the ignorance of, and deception about, divine natures is impiety and impurity, but a scientific knowledge of the Gods is holy and beneficial, the ignorance of things honou...

With respect to your inquiry, “_what the peculiarities are in each of the more excellent genera, by which they are separated from each other?_” if you understand by peculiaritie...

A divine nature, therefore, whether it is allotted certain parts of the universe, such as heaven or earth, or sacred cities and regions, or certain groves, or sacred statues, ex...

It may also, if requisite, be said that a celestial body is most allied to the incorporeal essence of the Gods. For as the latter is one, so the former is simple; as the latter...

Again, therefore, the phasmata of the Gods are entirely immutable, according to magnitude, morphe,[A] and figure, and according to all things pertaining to them; those of archan...

We must say the same thing, therefore, concerning phantasms. For if these are not true, but other things are so which have a real existence, thus also in the appearances of spir...

It is not, however, sufficient to learn these things alone, nor will he who only knows these become perfect in divine science. But it is requisite also to know what enthusiasm i...

Let us, therefore, pass on to the mode of divination which is effected through human art, and which possesses much of conjecture and opinion. But concerning this you say as foll...

The animadversions which are after this adduced, at first, indeed, doubt about the mode of divination, but as they proceed, endeavour entirely to subvert it. We shall, therefore...

Such Gods as are truly divinities, are alone the givers of good; alone associate with good men, and with those that are purified by the sacerdotal art, and from these amputate a...

It is, necessary, however, to discuss these things particularly, and to show how they subsist, and what reason they possess. It is requisite, therefore, to understand that the u...

We shall begin, however, the elucidation of this subject in the best possible manner, if we demonstrate that the sacred law of sacrifices is connected with the order of the Gods...

Since, however, prayers are not the smallest [but on the contrary a very great] part of sacrifices, especially give completion to them, and through these the whole operation of...

You object, however, “_that he who hears words looks to their signification, so that it is sufficient the conception remains the same, whatever the words may be that are used_.”...

You say then, in your epistle, “_that the discovery of the lord or lords of the geniture, if there are more than one in a nativity, can scarcely be obtained, and by astrologers...

“Since there are in the universe things which subsist differently at different times, and since there are also natures which are conjoined with the superessential unities, it is...

The Gods are self-perfect superessential unities, so far as they are Gods. For the principal subsistence of every thing is according to the summit of its essence, and this in th...

Afterwards, in commenting on what Plato says of the mania from the Muses, viz. “that it adorns the infinite deeds of the ancients,” Hermeas observes, “that the inward energy in...

“Diogenes Laertius says of Pythagoras, that he _charged his disciples not to give equal degrees of honour to the Gods and heroes_. Herodotus (in Euterpe) says of the Greeks, _Th...

“In the greatest diseases and labours (says Plato in the Phædrus) to which certain persons are sometimes subject _through the ancient indignation of the Gods, in consequence of...

Hippocrates was of opinion that physicians ought to be skilled in astronomy. And Galen derides those physicians who deny that astronomy is necessary to their art. See his treati...

It is beautifully observed by Simplicius on Epictetus, “that as if you take away letters from a sentence, or change them, the form of the sentence no longer remains, thus also i...

“Mr. Bertram Dobell has now issued the second part of his ‘Catalogue of Privately Printed Books,’ coming down to the letter N. This consists, it may be as well to state, entirel...