Alcinous's Handbook of Platonism, Chapter I

13 March 2023

Alcinous's Handbook of Platonism, Chapter 1

“I.  Definition of Philosophy and the Philosopher

“1.  The following is a presentation of the principal doctrines of Plato.  Philosophy is a striving for wisdom, or the freeing and turning around of the soul from the body, when we turn towards the intelligible and what truly is; and wisdom is the science of things divine and human.

“2.  The term ‘philosopher’ is derived from ‘philosophy’ in the same way as ‘musician’ from ‘music’.  The first necessity is that he be naturally apt at those branches of learning which have the capacity to fit him for, and lead him towards, the knowledge of intelligible being, which is not subject to error or change.  Next, he must be enamoured of the truth, and in no way tolerate falsehood.  Furthermore, he must also be endowed with a temperate nature, and, in relation to the passionate part of the soul, he must be naturally restrained.  For he who devotes himself to the study of reality and turns his desires in that direction would not be impressed by (bodily) pleasures.

“3.  The prospective philosopher must also be endowed with liberality of mind, for nothing is so inimical as small-mindedness to a soul which is proposing to contemplate things divine and human.  He must also possess natural affinity for justice, just as he must towards truth and liberality and temperance; and he should also be endowed with a ready capacity to learn and a good memory, for those too contribute to the formation of philosopher.

“4.  These natural qualities, if they are combined with correct education and suitable nurturing, render one perfect in respect of virtue, but if one neglects them, they become the cause of great evils.  These Plato was accustomed to name homonymously with the virtues, temperance and courage and justice.”

(Alcinous, The Handbook of Platonism, translated by John Dillon, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1993, page 3, ISBN: 0198236077)

 

The Handbook of Platonism by Alcinous was a Middle Platonist work that scholars date to the second century of the common era.  This Handbook offers us a glimpse of how Platonists understood their tradition before Plotinus and subsequent Platonists appeared.  The Handbook was used in the Byzantine Empire and during the Italian Renaissance, and on into the 1700’s.  The Handbook has 36 topics all of which are presented briefly, in outline form.  Some scholars suggest that this Handbook was written for teachers of Platonism, as opposed to a Handbook for students, though I don’t see that stated in the Handbook itself.  Still, there is a certain logic to that idea as the Handbook could serve as a kind of series of prompts for a teacher of Platonism.

I have enjoyed reading this handbook and I think it has a lot to offer the contemporary reader and Platonist.  We may not agree with this or that item; that is understandable.  But I think it shows us the core continuity of the Platonic tradition.  I say this because core ideas are presented in ways that are familiar, and at the same time come to us from a period of time other than our own.  Here are a few comments on Chapter 1 of the Handbook:

1.  1.1 is, I think, inspired by Phaedo, with its emphasis freeing the soul from the body.  This is done by turning the soul to the ‘intelligibles’, what we would refer to as the ‘forms’. 

2.  In 1.2 Alcinous suggests that a student of Platonism should have a natural affinity for learning.  Plotinus discusses this in one of his Enneads and suggests that different types of people will access the intelligible in somewhat different ways.  For example, Plotinus talks about the mathematician and those attracted to music as two examples. 

It’s interesting to me that Alcinous argues that the student should have a natural disposition towards temperance and be inclined to exercise restraint of the passions.  This likely indicates that Alcinous does not think that his is something that can be taught or cultivated.  That might be true.  I am rather inclined to think that life might teach the value of restraint and temperance.  I have seen this happen, for example, with people who discover that their love of alcohol leads to negative consequences and because of this they become temperate in general. 

3.  In section 3 Alcinous describes the qualities of an ideal student, but I had to chuckle at some of these, since I lack some of these qualities.  For example, I don’t have a good memory which I discovered at an early age.  What this has meant is that I often have read something numerous times in order to understand it and for what is being said to find a secure place in my mind.  I’m not complaining, and I understand what Alcinous is saying about memory.  On the other hand, I do think it is possible for students who do not fit these ideals perfectly to overcome a lack here and there.  A good guide would be able to spot these lacks and suggest strategies around them.

4.  In section 4 I enjoyed the emphasis on virtue; a continuity to later Platonists such as Plotinus and Porphyry.  The centrality of virtue for the Platonic tradition is, I think, something that needs to be more strongly emphasized in modernity because without virtue learning about various doctrines will not bear fruit.  Alcinous goes so far as they could lead to ‘great evils’.  This makes sense to me; without the cultivation of restraint and temperance even the most seemingly sublime ideas will become servants of base and destructive desires that are unrestrained by the training in the virtues.  Even ideas like altruism and compassion can be negatively transformed in this way.

5.  I think this is a well-written opening.  I can understand why it served as the first item for a Handbook that was used for over a thousand years.