Although not formally affiliated with the Prometheus Trust, these reading sessions of neoplatonic texts may well be of interest to Trust supporters. The group writes:

Neoplatonic Studies Seminar In its eighth year the Neoplatonic Studies seminar will focus on “post Proclean neoplatonism.” The seminar is, as it has been from its inception, open to all – to those who have and do not have ancient Greek, to those well-versed in ancient Neoplatonic philosophy and to those who are not. The only requisite is ‘a desire to know’. Each week the seminar studies a short passage or two in English translation (though those who prefer to read the original Greek are not forbidden from doing so!).

The seminar takes place via Zoom, at least while the covid restrictions remain in place (once lifted we may revert to our usual face to face sessions in one of the Seminar Rooms of the Warburg Institute, Woburn Square, Bloomsbury, London WC1H 0AB), more or less throughout the academic year, including vacations and reading weeks. If you are not already a participant and would like to be added to the mailing list or wish to receive further information about the seminar, please contact Daniel Samuel (daniel.samuel@postgrad.sas.ac.uk). The seminar is organized by Sara Miglietti, Tim Addey, Harold Tarrant, Dilwyn Knox and Peter Singer. Daniel Samuel (very kindly) acts as its Secretary.

Programme 2021-22 - “Post Proclus Neoplatonism”

Marinus of Samaria, The Life of Proclus; or Concerning Happiness. The Greek text with an English translation is contained in: Essays and Fragments of Proclus, the Platonic successor, transl. Thomas Taylor, Frome: The Prometheus Trust, 1999. Available from the this website under the title Essays and Fragments of Proclus. The text is also available, with notes, in: Mark Edwards, Neoplatonic Saints. The Lives of Plotinus and Proclus by Their Students, Liverpool University Press, Liverpool, 2000.

Anonymous Prolegomena to Platonic Philosophy, Greek text ed. with an English translation by L. G. Westerink, 2nd edition, Dilton Marsh: Prometheus Trust, 2011. Available from this website.

Damascius, Lectures on the Philebus, transl. L. G. Westerink, 3rd edition, Westbury, Prometheus Trust, 2010. Available from this website.

Plato, Philebus: any modern translation that includes the Stephanus column numbers in the margin

30 Sept.  Marinus Life of Proclus, transl. Taylor, pp. 217-221

7 Oct.   Marinus Life of Proclus, transl. Taylor, pp. 221-226

14 Oct.  Marinus Life of Proclus, transl. Taylor, pp. 226-232

21 Oct.  Marinus Life of Proclus, transl. Taylor, pp. 232-239

28 Oct.  Marinus Life of Proclus, transl. Taylor, pp. 239-244

4 Nov.   Prolegomena I. Plato

11 Nov.  Prolegomena II. Plato’s philosophy

18 Nov.  Prolegomena III-IV. Plato’s writings

25 Nov.  Prolegomena V-VIII. Living dialogues

2 Dec.   Prolegomena IX. Themes

9 Dec.   Prolegomena X-XI. Dialogue order & methods

We will be reading both the text of the Philebus and the Damascius commentary:

16 Dec.  Damascius, 1-11 Preliminaries

13 Jan.  Damascius, 12-25 The problem stated, etc * Plato 11b-12c

20 Jan.  Damascius, 26-40 Pleasure divisible? * Plato 12c-14b

27 Jan.   Damascius, 41-60 One & Many - Prometheus * Plato 14c-16b

3 Feb.   Damascius, 61-70 Unity & plurality Plato * 16c-20a

10 Feb.  Damascius, 71-96 proofs * Plato 20b-23a

17 Feb.  Damascius, 97-103 Limit, infinitude, mixture, pt 1 * Plato 23b-26d

24 Feb.  Damascius, 104-112 Limit, infinitude, mixture, pt 2 * Plato 23b-26d

3 March  Damascius, 113-126 Pleasure infinitude * Plato 26e-28a

10 March Damascius, 127-139 Intelligence, limit * Plato 28a-31a

17 March Damascius, 140-153 Systematic proofs * Plato 31b-33c

24 March Damascius, 154-164 Pleasure and soul * Plato 33c-36c

31 March Damascius, 165-183 False pleasure 1 * Plato 36d-40e

7 April   Damascius, 184-191 False pleasure 2 * Plato 40e-44b

21 April  Damascius, 192-203 False pleasure 3 * Plato 44b-49e

28 April  Damascius, 204-214 True pleasure * Plato 50e-52e

5 May   Damascius, 215-224 Pleasure as genesis * Plato 53a-55b

12 May  Damascius, 225 Knowledge * Plato 55c-60e

19 May  Damascius, 226-232 Mixing * Plato 61a-64a

26 May  Damascius, 233-246 Three monads * Plato 64a-65a

2 June   Damascius, 247-249 Measures * Plato 65a-66a

9 June  Damascius, 250-259 Six phases of the Good * Plato 66a-67b