Excerpts from ‘The Six Enneads’ by Plotinus (vegetarian) – On Destiny, Part 1 of 2

Today it is a delight to share selections from Sections 14 to 16 of “The Second Ennead: Third Tractate” in “The Six Enneads” by Plotinus, translated by Stephen MacKenna and B.S. Page, which expounds on destiny – why people are born rich or poor, the conditions of their birth, their parents, and their physical appearance.

The Second Ennead: Third Tractate Section 14

“What of poverty and riches, glory and power? In the case of inherited fortune, the stars merely announce a rich man, exactly as they announce the high social standing of the child born to a distinguished house. Wealth may be due to personal activity: in this case if the body has contributed, part of the effect is due to whatever has contributed towards the physical powers, first the parents and then, if place has had its influence, sky and earth; if the body has borne no part of the burden, then the success, and all the splendid accompaniments added by the Recompensers, must be attributed to virtue exclusively. […]

As for good fame, it is either deserved and then is due to the services done and to the merit of those appraising them, or it is undeserved, and then must be attributed to the injustice of those making the award. And the same principle holds regards power – for this also may be rightly or unrightly placed – it depends either upon the merit of the dispensers of place or upon the man himself who has effected his purpose by the organization of supporters or in many other possible ways.

Marriages, similarly, are brought about either by choice or by chance interplay of circumstance. And births are determined by marriages: the child is molded true to type when all goes well; otherwise, it is marred by some inner detriment, something due to the mother personally or to an environment unfavorable to that particular conception.”

Section 15

“[…] While body and soul stand one combined thing, there is a joint nature, a definite entity having definite functions and employments; but as soon as any Soul is detached, its employments are kept apart, its very own: it ceases to take the body’s concerns to itself: it has vision now: body and soul stand widely apart.” […]