Abstract

The Sententiae ad intelligilia ducentes by Porphyry, masterly translated and commented by Svetlana V. Mesyats, constitute the first attempt to introduce this difficult and fascinating peace of Neoplatonic philosophy to the Russian reader. The Sentences – 44 paragraphs of uneven size, in few cases, amounting to short ‘treatises’ – are based on the Enneads by Porphyry’s master Plotinus. The selection of the texts demonstrates a clear ethical inclination on part of the epitomizer, while the original elements of the Sentences contribute to our understanding of some elements of Porphyry’s own philosophy, otherwise underrepresented in his other works.