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- Title
Il sacrificio del filosofo nel pensiero di Porfirio.
- Authors
ZEPER, ELEONORA
- Abstract
This article deals with the theme of sacrifice in two works written by the neoplatonic philosopher Porphyry of Tyre (233/234-303 AD): the treatise De Abstinentia and the Letter to His Wife Marcella. In these texts he links a criticism against the positive religion with a deep necessity to do a homage to the hellenistic tradition. This paper will discuss three perspectives regarding the differences existing in the porphyrian conception of sacrifice: in terms of philosophical, historical/political and also literary view. It will analyze the idea of ἔργον ("act") as a possibility to join the individual practice of ὁμοίωσις θεῷ ("assimilation to God") with the active integration of the philosopher in the outside world, namely with a possible political activity. At the end I will propose some parallels with the Enneads by Plotinus to demonstrate how, in the porphyrian conception, philosophy coincides with the same life of the philosopher to whom Porphyry addresses his works. The philosophy is the main way to God and both the sacrificial act and the religious tradition in general are viewed as enigmatic forms of the philosophical path to God.
- Subjects
PORPHYRY, ca. 234-ca. 305; SACRIFICE in Christianity; PHILOSOPHERS; RELIGION &; politics; GOD
- Publication
Studi e Materiali di Storia delle Religioni, 2016, Vol 82, Issue 1, p357
- ISSN
0393-8417
- Publication type
Article