Porphyry was, like pythagoras, an advocate of vegetarianism on spiritual and ethical grounds. The treatise on abstinence from eating food from animals observes in animals the presence of a soul similar to ours although less rational. These two philosophers are perhaps the most famous vegetarians of classical antiquity. Porphyry follows the typical platonist rejection of the material world but he takes it much further than most. The broken alliance between man and animals porphyry, the greek neoplatonic philosopher, bo rn in ad 234, was a f ollower of plotinus. As a continuation of our series on ancient vegans, well attempt here to take into consideration porphyry s essay on abstinence from animal food, written in the third century ce, and translated into english by thomas taylor in 1823. History of vegetarianism the ethics of diet porphyry. Porphyry, on abstinence from animal food 1823 preface to. Porphyry of tyre was a neoplatonic philosopher born in tyre during roman rule.
He also wrote many works himself on a wide variety of topics. Under longinus he studied grammar and rhetoric in 262 he went to rome, attracted by the reputation. Most frequently, the term refers to sexual abstinence, or abstinence from alcohol, drugs, or food because the regimen is intended to be a conscious act, freely chosen to enhance life, abstinence is sometimes distinguished from the psychological mechanism of repression. Porphyry on the abstinence from killing animals miira tuominen, phd, lecturer of philosophy, university of jyvaskyla in his treatise on the abstinence from killing animals, porphyry c. Buy porphyrys on the abstinence from animal food paperback at. Porphyry, on abstinence from animal food, book iii, translated by.
He edited and published the enneads, the only collection of the work of his teacher plotinus. The philosopher porphyry wrote an entire book entitled on abstinence from animal food which compiled most of the classical thought on the subject. Porphyry and the abstinence of food fiercely bright one. Life of plotinus, life of pythagoras, letter to marcella, on abstinence from eating food from animals. Porphyry elsewhere calls this firmus castricius his friend and fellow disciple. Porphyry, on abstinence from animal food, book iii, translated by thomas taylor. In it, porphyry relates the arguments for eating or sacrificing animals and then goes on to argue that an understanding of humans and gods shows such sacrifice to be inappropriate, that an understanding of animals shows it to be unjust, and that a knowledge of nongreeks shows it to be unnecessary. Yet, strangely enough, elsewhere in his corpus porphyry claims that the nonhuman animals are irrational. Porphyry, on abstinence from animal food, book i, translated by thomas taylor.
On abstinence from killing animals ancient commentators on. In medicine, abstinence is the discontinuation of a drug, often an addictive one. Page 183 porphyry understands the passage, because honey was the symbol adopted by the ancients for pleasure arising from generation. In the two preceding books, o firmus castricius, we have demonstrated that animal food does not contribute either to temperance and frugality, or to the piety which especially gives completion to the theoretic life, but is rather hostile to it. Currently available from the prometheus trust 1994, and this is the version from which i took these. Porphyry s on the abstinence from animal food 9781565436367. In his essay on abstinence from animal foods porphyry takes on several key arguments brought. Porphyry raised but did not solve the problem of the relationship of philosophy to religion. It leads them to do the right thing according to porphyrys on abstinence of animal food book i what are his ultimate conclusions about frugality, pleasure, and the contemplative life. Pursuing therefore the inquiries pertaining to simplicity and purity of diet, we have now arrived, o castracius, at the discussion of sacrifices. Lead them to do that which is right according to augustines on grace and free will peruse attentively this treatise, and if you understand it, give what the praise. Porphyry, on abstinence from animal food 1823 book 3. Porphyry on abstinence from animal food book three 18 to read the entire text of on abstinence from animal food by porphyry translated by thomas taylor. Porphyrys identification of the book of daniel as the work of a writer in the time of antiochus epiphanes, is given by jerome.
Porphyry philosopher interesting stories about famous. Despite his rejection of blood sacrifice in on abstinence see animals, attitudes to, he was in other respects a religious traditionalist. In the two preceding books, o firmus castricius, we. Begin by clicking the link below to the first book from where you will be able to access books 2,3 and 4 porphyry, on abstinence from animal food 1823 book 1. Thus, although this work is not a commentary on aristotle, it fills a gap in this series by going to the heart of ethical debates among neoplatonists around ad 300, and revealing one ascetic neoplatonists view of the ideal way of life.
His parents named him malchus king in the semitic languages but his teacher in athens, cassius longinus, gave him the name porphyrius clad in purple, possibly a reference to his phoenician heritage, or a punning allusion to his name and the color of royal robes. Books 2 and 4 of the da are very rich in details about pagan. Taylors notes concerning his corrections on the original greek have been omitted. On the abstinence of eating flesh platonic philosophy. In 263268 or thereabouts, porphyry studied philosophy in rome under plotinus, who rescued him from a suicidal depression in 301 porphyry completed the enneads, a systematized and edited collection of the works of. In the basic text of narcotics anonymous, a large fellowship following the 12steps outlined by aa, na is outlined to be a program of complete abstinence from all mood or mindaltering substances. Augustine and the 5thcentury ecclesiastical historian socrates of constantinople, assert that porphyry was once a christian. Porphyry on the abstinence of eating flesh in four books, translated by thomas taylor 1823. According to porphyry s on abstinence of animal food book i what does impendent punishment do to man. Porphyry considers it ok to kill animals for selfdefence but otherwise considers it unacceptable. See more concerning him in porphyrys life of plotinus. This might, in addition to craving after the drug, be expressed as withdrawal syndromes. In book 2, porphyry reveals a grand conspiracy behind the carnivorous diet, a conspiracy in which humans, greedy for the meat their bodies desire, and evil daemons, likewise.
In 263268 or thereabouts, porphyry studied philosophy in rome under plotinus, who rescued him from a suicidal depression 2. In it, porphyry relates the arguments for eating or sacrificing animals and then goes on to argue that an understanding of humans and gods shows such sacrifice to be inappropriate, that an understanding of animals shows it to be unjust, and that a. There is no proof of the assertion of socrates, the ecclesiastical historian, and augustine, that porphyry was once a christian. His commentary on euclids elements was used as a source by pappus of alexandria. He edited and published the enneads, the only collection of the work of plotinus, his teacher. In the two preceding books, o firmus castricius, we have demonstrated that animal food does not contribute either to temperance and frugality, or to the piety which especially gives completion to the theoretic life, but is rather. Abstinence is a selfenforced restraint from indulging in bodily activities that are widely experienced as giving pleasure. Mar 31, 2017 open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. As for the essenes, porphyry describes their code of morals and manner of living in terms of high praise. It also records rival positions taken on the treatment of animals by. Works and profile porphyry was a prolific author who wrote about the whole range of topics. Porphyrys on the abstinence from animal food paperback.
Porphyry, on abstinence from animal food 1823 book 1. Please note there is a 24 week delivery period for this title. Porphyry, on abstinence from animal food 1823 book 2. Theories of justice, i distinguish between the stoic and 1many thanks to. Porphyry closes book three of his discourse with the following profound statement. Porphyrys on the abstinence from animal food first edition by david christopher lane author isbn. Porphyrys on abstinence from killing animals is one of the most interesting books from greek antiquity for both philosophers and historians. There are no neoplatonist commentaries on aristotles ethics from the period ad 250600. As a young man porphyry tried to gain as broad a knowledge as he possibly could by studying many languages and religions. Open library is an open, editable library catalog, building towards a web page for every book ever published. In book 3 of on abstinence, porphyry argues that animals notice that. Porphyry, on abstinence from animal food, book iv, translated by thomas taylor. Since the vast majority of scholars endorse this interpretation, i call it the consensus interpretation.
According to porphyrys on abstinence of animal food book i what does impendent punishment do to man. This account, which is presumably derived from hermarchus work on empedocles, would seem to preserve his actual words, for in chapter 9 p. As a continuation of our series on ancient vegans, well attempt here to take into consideration porphyrys essay on abstinence from animal food, written in the third century ce, and translated into english by thomas taylor in 1823. Porphyrys on the abstinence from animal food 9781565436367. There are some sixty works attributed to him, but most of them are now lost or survive in mere fragments. Porphyry on abstinence from animal food paperback september 10, 2010. Before going to rome, he was a student of longinus, in athens. Containing his four books on abstinence from animal food. I was talking with a friend of mine about my dietary restrictions. In against the christians he used historical criticism to establish the lateness of the book of daniel. Porphyry s on abstinence from killing animals is one of the most interesting books from greek antiquity for both philosophers and historians. In book 3 of on abstinence from animal food, porphyry is traditionally taken to argue that animals are rational and that it is, therefore, unjust to kill them for food. This barcode number lets you verify that youre getting exactly the right version or edition of a book. Porphyry from the etics of diet, by howard williams, 1883 select works of porphyry 233304 ad.
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