This thesis is an attempt to understand the efficacy of prayer in Boethius’ 'Consolation of Philosophy.' Prayer is man’s commercium with the divine realm, and so prayer is higher than human thought. The highest stage of prayer in the Consolation is similar to that in Iamblichus’ 'De Mysteriis': man becomes aware of his own deficiency compared to the divine and so turns to prayer. Lower prayers are also effective because they are both immaterial theurgy and spiritual exercises. The circles throughout the work are a crucial instance of these prayers. They constantly purify the Prisoner’s soul of false notions, and restore it to its true state. They lead the Prisoner to discover that his activity of thinking is a form of theurgy. The Consolation reveals that in the life of philosophy there is a mutual interdependence between thought, prayer and theurgy.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T17:27:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Julio Cesar Moreira.pdf: 637637 bytes, checksum: f56dd557f3620c7b4ff6438de443dc32 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-05-22 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / Theurgy, the action of the gods during the ritual acts, a practice incorporated, in late Antiquity, by the philosophical school of Iamblichus as a techné which conducts to, considered at that time, the ultimate experience of Philosophy become like the gods (homóiosis théo) , had influenced and determined the course of the entire Neoplatonism until the end of the ancient Academy. In the work De Mysteriis, which has long been considered irrational , Iamblichus, under the pseudonym of an Egyptian priest, structures the philosophical foundations of the theurgic art, covering topics such as: oracles, possessions, prophetic dreams, divine manifestations in general. The present dissertation aims at a reassessment and rereading of the work based on recent publications of the author s collected philosophical fragments, as well as academic studies derived from them. Through a careful disentangling of the threads of his narrative, an analysis of the first three Books of the work is made, erecting the philosophical foundations of divine manifestations and of the efficacy of the ritual. It exposes thus the argumentation regarding the theurgic art, demonstrating an innovative, complex and syncretic system, nicely elaborated in a high philosophical erudition of his time. It concludes the revised reading of the first three Books and their philosophical foundations of Theurgy, in order to justify the redemption of the depreciated status of the work, pointing also to a new appraisal and repositioning of Iamblichus as a key-element author, in the history of philosophy, to the whole tradition of philosophical foundations of mystical revelations in various later philosophical currents of neoplatonic heritage, until the end of the Renaissance / Teurgia, a ação dos deuses durante os atos ritualísticos, uma prática incorporada, na Antiguidade tardia, pela escola filosófica de Jâmblico como uma techné que conduz à, então considerada, experiência última da Filosofia tornar-se como os deuses (homóiosis théo) , influenciou e determinou o rumo de todo o Neoplatonismo subsequente, até o fim da Academia antiga. Na obra De Mysteriis, que há muito vem sendo considerada irracional , Jâmblico, sob o pseudônimo de um sacerdote egípcio, estrutura os fundamentos filosóficos da arte teúrgica, abordando temas como: oráculos, possessões, sonhos proféticos, manifestações divinas em geral. A presente dissertação visa a uma revisão e releitura da obra embasada nas recentes publicações dos recolhidos fragmentos filosóficos do autor, bem como decorrentes estudos acadêmicos. Por meio de um cuidadoso desembaraçar dos fios de sua narrativa analisam-se os três primeiros Livros da obra, erigindo os fundamentos filosóficos das manifestações divinas e da eficácia do ritual. Expõe-se, assim, a argumentação referente a arte teúrgica, evidenciando um inovador, complexo e sincrético sistema, muito bem elaborado em uma alta erudição filosófica de sua época. Conclui-se a revisada leitura dos três primeiros Livros e seus fundamentos filosóficos da Teurgia, de forma a justificar a redenção do status depreciado da obra, apontando, ainda, uma nova avaliação e reposicionamento de Jâmblico como autor, na história da filosofia, elemento-chave de toda uma tradição de fundamentos filosóficos sobre revelações místicas, em diversas correntes filosóficas posteriores de herança neoplatônica, até o fim da Renascença

This thesis deals with late antiquity literary work, dating probably from second half of 2nd century CE, known as Chaldaean Oracles. These are written in Greek and preserved only in fragments. It's content is a philosophical and religious system, which fuses together middle-platonic philosophy and oriental religious traditions The aim of this thesis is to present doctrine of the literary work in question as well as the associated ritual practice (called theurgy) and then to analyze this system and compare it with similar movements, especially with Hermetism and Gnosticism. To achive this, I use the methodology of R. Chlup, based on the concept of so called "wordlviews". These are implicit assumptions and choices in ideological systems. I then try to connect the Chaldaean wordlview with it's supposed social context. The result of this analysis is that the image of the world in the Chaldaean Oracles is considerably positive, with the emphasis on the unity of all. It thus constitutues an antipole of certain sort to the largely negative and dualistic Gnosticism, with which it shares similar metaphysical concepts. The supplement of this thesis contains the Greek original of extant fragments together with author's original Czech translation. Key words: Chaldaean Oracles, theurgy, late antiquity, worldview

Édition critique, traduction française et commentaire philologico-littéraire de trois sections du poème " Perì Katarcôn " de Maxime : perì nosôn (les maladies), perì tomès (les opérations chirurgicales), et perì drapetôn (les esclaves fugitifs). Dans l'introduction je m'occupe de l'attribution du " Perì Katarcôn " à Maxime d'Éphèse, aussi bien que de la langue, du style, et de la métrique du poème. / Critical edition, french translation and commentary of three sections from the poem " Perì Katarchôn " of Maximus : perì nosôn (on the diseases), perì tomès (surgery), and perì drapetôn (runaway slaves). In the introduction I consider the problem of the attribution of the " Perì Katarcôn " to Maximus of Ephesus, and analyse the language, the style and the metric of the poem.

L'analyse de l'interprétation proclienne de la critique de Platon envers Homère, qui se situe à l'intérieur de la «récupération» de la tradition archaïque par le néoplatonisme, est conduite sur deux niveaux herméneutiques, l'un linguistique, l'autre esthétique. La lecture du texte proclien, notamment du Commentaire du Cratyle et des Dissertations Ve et VIe du Commentaire de la République, montre parallèlement comment l'activité assimilatrice, par laquelle un homme donne des noms aux choses et un poète construit des images des dieux, rend le langage et la poésie des activités entièrement intégrées dans le système des relations analogiques qui sont à la base de la structure hiérarchique de la métaphysique proclienne. Grâce à leur nature mimétique le nom et le symbole mythique sont des éléments d'union et d'appartenance de l'humain au divin et pourtant ils peuvent être nommés «mesure du divin». La distribution du réel dans les différents niveaux de l'être permet à l'exégète néo-platonicien de décrire la production poétique comme analogue à celle démiurgique et les voiles symboliques, visiblement obscènes, comme analogues à la procession des ordres divins du Premier Dieu. C'est à partir de cette perspective que, en parfaite harmonie avec la configuration triadique et sérielle du Tout, on peut lire le schéma tripartite défini par Proclus à la fin de la sixième Dissertation comme une distinction entre trois niveaux d'activité poétique et non, comme la plus récente littérature critique a interprété, en trois types de poésie. / The study of Proclean interpretation of Plato's critique to Homer, which is set in the neo-Platonic revival of archaic tradition, is conducted according to two interpretation's levels defined very well, the first one linguistic and the second one other aesthetic. The reading of the Proclean text, in particular the Commentary on the Cratylus and the V and VI Dissertations of the Commentary on the Republic, shows side by side how the assimilative activity, by which a man names things and a poet constructs images of the gods, makes language and poetry activities fully incorporated with the system of analogic relations on which is based the hierarchical structure of Proclean metaphysics. Through their mimetic nature, the name and the mythical symbol are elements of union and tie of the men to the divine and so they can be said «proportion of the divine». The distribution of the real on different levels of the being allows the neo-Platonic exegete to describe the poetic production as an analogous to the demiurgical one and therefore the symbolic veils, visibly obscene, as an analogous to the procession of the divine orders from the First God. It is from this perspective that, in a perfect agreement with the triadic and serial configuration of the Whole, we can read the tripartite schema defined by Proclus at the end of the Sixth Dissertation as a distinction among three levels of poetic activity and not, such as required by the most recent critical literature, in three types of poetry.

Proclus is part of a long exegetical tradition that understands Plato and Homer to be in agreement. The Sixth Essay of his Commentary on Plato’s Republic particularly significant because it is the only extant ancient text that attempts to prove the concord of Plato and Homer philosophically. Yet, despite his uniquely reasoned approach, this endeavour suffers from charges of irrationalism. The necessity that drives him to seek this conciliation is thought to come from the pious attachment he has to Homer as an authority rather than the properly philosophical demands of his rational system. The aim of this thesis is to show that Proclus’ need to show Plato and Homer’s agreement is not an irrational adjunct to an otherwise rational outlook, but that it follows from the central doctrines of his philosophy. This will be accomplished through a detailed consideration of Proclus’ doctrine of the poetic ????????. In looking at how Proclus’ reading of Plato in the Sixth Essay is informed by his understanding of ????????, we will see how Homer becomes the means, both of taking the traditional criticisms of Plato’s apparent self-contradiction seriously and also of defending him against them. In looking in turn at how the soul actually experiences the ??????? of Homer’s inspired poetry, it shall become apparent that Homer does not just save the coherence of rational thought in this exterior way, but that his poetry operates as both the possibility and perfection of the rational soul’s various powers.

Η παρούσα μεταπτυχιακή διατριβή έχει ως στόχο να μελετήσει την έννοια του σωκρατικού δαιμονίου όπως αυτή εκφράστηκε κυρίως στον φιλόσοφο Πρόκλο, καθώς επίσης να εντοπίσει το περιεχόμενο, την έκταση και τις προθέσεις αλλά και τους μεθοδολογικούς τρόπους με τους οποίους ο ίδιος ο νεοπλατωνικός σχολάρχης θεωρούσε ότι έπρεπε να προσεγγισθεί η παιδαγωγική σχέση ανάμεσα στον Σωκράτη και στον Αλκιβιάδη, ώστε να κατανοηθεί το βαθύτερο περιεχόμενό της. Ως κείμενο αναφοράς και ανάλυσης έχουμε το υπόμνημα του Σχολάρχη της Ακαδημίας: Εἰς τὸν Πλάτωνος πρῶτον Ἀλκιβιάδην , 85.19-93.28, σ’ ένα εδάφιο του πλατωνικού διαλόγου Αλκιβιάδης Ι (103 a-b), στο οποίο παρουσιάζεται η αφετηρία της επικοινωνίας ανάμεσα στον Σωκράτη και τον Αλκιβιάδη, η επικοινωνιακή σχέση δηλαδή μεταξύ δασκάλου – μαθητή, η οποία τροφοδοτείται επαναληπτικά και από την θεϊκή έμπνευση του Σωκράτη, από το σωκρατικό δαιμόνιο. Στο πρώτο κεφάλαιο της εργασίας μας επιχειρούμε μια αναδρομική έρευνα στην έννοια του σωκρατικού δαιμονίου όπως αυτή εμφανίστηκε στην σύγχρονη ιστορία – πορεία της φιλοσοφικής έρευνας. Στο δεύτερο κεφάλαιο γίνεται μια σύντομη εισαγωγή στον πλατωνικό διάλογο Αλκιβιάδης Ι και στο υπόμνημα του Πρόκλου Εἰς τὸν Πλάτωνος πρῶτον Ἀλκιβιάδην αναδεικνύοντας το συνθετικό φιλοσοφικό εγχείρημα του νεοπλατωνικού φιλοσόφου. Στο τρίτο κεφάλαιο γίνεται μία απόπειρα σχολιασμού ενός ευσύνοπτου τμήματος του υπομνήματος του Πρόκλου, με κύριο στόχο να δοθούν απαντήσεις στις «κατηγορίες» που απέδιδαν ορισμένοι στην θεία αυτή έμπνευση του Σωκράτη ως προς την διαφθορά του νεαρού Αλκιβιάδη. Στην συνέχεια, επιχειρήσαμε να οδηγηθούμε σε ορισμένα συμπεράσματα (καταρρίπτοντας τις κατηγορίες), καθώς επίσης έγινε μία προσπάθεια καταγραφής των εννοιών που συναντήσαμε. Προχωρήσαμε επίσης στην σύνταξη ενός ευσύνοπτου φιλοσοφικού λεξικού των εννοιών που χρησιμοποίησε ο νεοπλατωνικός φιλόσοφος στην προσπάθειά του να αναδείξει την θεϊκή αυτή έμπνευση του Σωκράτη ως μία δύναμη αγαθή και προνοητική με «προβλεπτικό» και «γνωστικό» χαρακτήρα, που κατ’ επέκταση καθιστά την σχέση διδασκάλου – μαθητή παιδαγωγικώς και προσωπικώς αναγκαία και θείων προδιαγραφών. Η εν λόγω εργασία ανήκει κυρίως στους θεωρητικούς κλάδους της φιλοσοφίας της θρησκείας και της μεταφυσικής, αλλά και συγχρόνως εντάσσεται στην ιστορία της φιλοσοφίας, καθότι παρουσιάζει ένα στάδιο της εξέλιξης μιας θεωρίας που αναπτύχθηκε τον 4ο αιώνα π.Χ. / The main aim of this M.A dissertation is to explore the sense of the daimonion of Socrates as it was mainly examined by the philosopher Proclus. We will try to identify the content, scope and intentions, but also the methodology by means of which the Neoplatonist scholarch himself approached the pedagogical relationship between Socrates and Alcibiades, in order to understand its deeper content. Our textual source is Proclus' Commentary on Plato's Alcibiades I, 85.19-93.28, which refers to Alcibiades I, 103 a-b. This is the starting point of communication between Socrates and Alcibiades, that is to say the communicative relationship between the teacher and the student, the content of which is repeatedly defined by the divine inspiration of Socrates, the Socratic daimonion. In the first chapter of our study, we attempt a retrospective research on the concept of Socrates’ daimonion as it appeared in the frame of modern philosophical research. The second chapter is a brief introduction to the Platonic dialogue Alcibiades I and to Proclus’ Commentary on Plato's Alcibiades I, highlighting the synthesis which is evident in the philosophical project of the Neoplatonist philosopher. The third chapter is an attempt to analyze a brief part of Proclus' commentary, aiming to provide answers to "accusations" attributed by some against Socrates’ divine inspiration with reference to the corruption of the young Alcibiades. We also attempt to describe the relevant concepts and reach some conclusions after the refutation of these accusations. We also proceed to a compilation of a concise philosophical dictionary of concepts-terms used by the Neoplatonist philosopher in his attempt to prove the divine inspiration of Socrates to be both a good and providential power with the possibility to acquire foreknowledge. This in turn makes the relationship between the teacher and the student pedagogically and personally necessary and gives it divine properties. The dissertation belongs to philosophy of religion, metaphysics, and history of philosophy, as well, since it examines a stage in the evolution of a theory developed in the 4th century B.C.

Cette thèse a pour but de présenter en détails l’importance de la théurgie dans la philosophie de Proclus, ainsi que sa relation avec la mystagogie. Un des premiers objectifs de la recherche est d’expliciter les raisons du jaillissement de la théurgie au cours de l’Antiquité tardive. Nous présentons ainsi le cadre historique d’où émerge la notion de théurgie dans un contexte de christianisation de l’Empire à partir du IVe siècle. Il est ensuite primordial de définir clairement la théurgie, ce que les chercheurs n’ont pas fait jusqu’à maintenant, en tant qu’opération rituelle par laquelle un réceptacle matériel est animé par le divin. Puis, nous démontrons que, bien que le terme « théurgie » soit tardif, celui-ci trouve néanmoins ses racines dans la longue tradition platonicienne, de Platon lui-même jusqu’à Proclus, en passant notamment par Plotin, Porphyre et Jamblique. À la suite du volet historique et après avoir présenté une définition claire de la notion de théurgie, il est important de préciser son statut au sein de la philosophie de Proclus, notamment en nous intéressant au passage-clef TP, I, 25 dans lequel le néoplatonicien présente la théurgie comme étant supérieure (κρείττων) à la philosophie. Nous nous intéressons ensuite à deux rites théurgiques concrets présentés dans l’œuvre proclienne en les analysant en profondeur : le rite de l’ensevelissement du corps (TP, IV, 9) et le rite de l’immortalisation d’Achille (In Remp., I, 152-152). Après avoir exposé le lien intrinsèque de la théurgie avec la mystagogie, notamment autour de l’importance du silence (σιγή) mystique, nous développons sur les implications de la théurgie pour le système philosophique de Proclus. Nous constatons que ces implications sont monumentales et touchent une multitude d’aspects de sa pensée : le statut de l’âme, celui de la matière, l’ontologie, la primauté du véhicule (ὄχημα) de l’âme, la notion d’imagination (φαντασία), l’importance des symboles (σύμβολα et συνθήματα) et le rôle de l’amour (ἔρως). Nous terminons finalement la recherche en présentant l’héritage de Proclus, principalement à travers l’œuvre du néoplatonicien chrétien Pseudo-Denys. / This thesis has for goal to present in detail the importance of theurgy in the philosophy of Proclus, as well as his link with mystagogy. One of the first objectives is to describe the causes of the emergence of theurgy during the late Antiquity. So, we present the historical setting from where emerges the notion of theurgy in the context of the process of Christianisation of the Empire starting during the 4th century. It is after that primordial to propose a clear definition of theurgy, something that the researchers haven’t done yet, as the ritual operation by which a material receptacle is animated by the divine. Then, we demonstrate that, even if the term “theurgy” is late, it finds however his roots in the long platonic tradition, from Plato to Proclus, passing by Plotinus, Porphyry, and Iamblichus. Following the historical aspect and after having clearly define the notion of theurgy, it is important to explain the status of theurgy in the philosophy of Proclus, especially by analyzing the crucial passage in TP, I, 25, where the Neoplatonist declares that theurgy is superior (κρείττων) to philosophy. Moreover, we examine two concrete theurgical rites presented in the Proclus’ works: the burial of the body (TP, IV, 9) and the immortalisation of Achille (In Remp., I, 152-152). After having exposed the intrinsically relation between theurgy and mystagogy, notably with the mystical silence (σιγή), we develop the implications of theurgy in the vast philosophical system of Proclus. These implications are monumental and touch many aspects: the status of the soul, the one of the matter, the ontology, the primacy of the soul’s vehicle (ὄχημα), the notion of imagination (φαντασία), the importance of symbols (σύμβολα et συνθήματα) and the role of love (ἔρως). We finally end this research by presenting the legacy of Proclus, especially through the work of the Christian Neoplatonist Pseudo-Dionysius.