VIEWS ON PLOTINUS

Altman's Plotinus the Master and Apotheosis of Imperial Platonism is a long and convoluted book.It has seven chapters: (1) 'Plotinus the Master'; (2) 'Porphyry the Disciple'; (3) 'Porphyry's Successors'; (4) 'Imperial Platonism and the Gnostics';(5) 'Pierre Hadot and the Real Plotinus'; (6) 'Plotinus and Plato's One'; (7) 'The Rhetorical Apotheosis of Imperial Platonism'.The chapters follow a pattern: four sections discuss different aspects of the topic of the chapter; there is Plotinian exegesis, where a Plotinian text is scrutinised, and there is a Platonic exegesis, where the same is done to a relevant Platonic text; finally, each chapter has a section called 'Between Apollonius and Julian', which offers general historical reflections.The book has a massive bibliography and a general index, but no index of passages cited.The aim of the book is to dethrone Plotinus, who in Altman's view has undeservedly come to enjoy a far too elevated status among scholars in recent decades.In particular, Altman condemns Plotinus' interpretation of Plato, which is misguided in his view.Apart from his reading of Plato, he dislikes Plotinus' philosophy (as he sees it), and, apparently, he does not like the person either: he presents Plotinus as a courtier at Gallienus' court in Rome.Politically, the doctrine of the supreme One signifies the absolute power of the emperor.Thus, the term 'imperial Platonism' in the book's title is not merely used in a chronological sense, but also includes a set of political, metaphysical and cosmological allusions.Altman goes out of his way to make Plotinus' character and motives suspect.In general, he seems to follow the principle that where Porphyry is silent in the Life of Plotinus the void may be filled with speculation showing Plotinus in a bad light.He even tries to make