Five Books of Plotinus Author:Plotinus Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: intellects and partial dzemons, but others are not always able to preferve it; and of thefe, fome are moved by other natures, but others are felf-motive. And of ... more »the felf-motive natures, fome poflefs evil eftablifhed in the will, but others extend it to action. But as to wlioles, they are entirely good, not only fupply- ing themfelves, but likewife parts, with good. And as to fuch things as are parts, but preferve their proper good, thefe poflefs good fecondarily and partially ; but parts which are moved by others, and derive their fubfiftence from others, are likewife fufpended from the providence of the natures through which they fubfift, and are tranfmuted by them in a becoming manner : and this is the cafe with fuch bodies as are generatedand corrupted ; for if it is neceflkry that there mould be generation, it is likewife neceflary that there mould be corruption, fince generation fubfifts according to mutation, and is itfelf a certain mutation; but if there is corruption, it is alfo neceflary that the unnatural mould be introduced among things. As therefore that which is corrupted is indeed corrupted with refpect to itfelf, but is not deftroyed with refpect to the univerfe, for it becomes either air or water, of fome one of the other things into which it is changed, in like manner that which is contrary to nature is difordered with refpect to itfelf, but is orderly and regular with refpect to the univerfe. But as to fuch natures as are partial, but felf-motive, and which, energizing acccording to externals, caufe evil to take place with refpect to themfelves, this is alfo good in a certain refpect with reference to divinity ; for though the action arifing from a depraved will is not fimply good, yet it is good fo far as it partakes of divine juftice, and is indeed beneficial t...« less