Abstract

The primary purpose of the dissertation is to provide an accurate English translation of the fragments of Numenius, accompanied with a Greek text, and to present a detailed, philological commentary on those fragments. The dissertation does not constitute a new critical edition, hence the Greek text is essentially that established by Edouard Des Places in his French Bude edition. The Introduction serves to map out, and in limited scope summarize the essential points that received detailed analysis in the commentary. It contains sections covering Numenius' life and works, his Theology, Cosmology, and doctrine of Soul. It then discusses his relationship to the religious movements which make up what John Dillon has characterized as the 'Platonic Underworld', i.e. Gnosticism, Hermeticism, and the Chaldean Oracles. It concludes with a brief discussion of his possible influence on the philosophy of Plotinus. ;The commentary which makes up the final section of the dissertation draws heavily on previous Numenian scholarship, while attempting to correct certain misconceptions that have appeared in this scholarly tradition. An effort has been made to clearly delineate the philosophical and religious context in which Numenius was operating by adducing relevant parallels from the entire range of the Platonic tradition, as well as other related movements