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Plotinus Plotinus. Second and Third Enneads. Translated by Stephen Mackenna

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Plotinus Plotinus. Second and Third Enneads. Translated by Stephen Mackenna The Classical Review http://journals.cambridge.org/CAR Additional services for The Classical Review: Email alerts: Click here Subscriptions: Click here Commercial reprints: Click here Terms of use : Click here Plotinus Plotinus. Second and Third Enneads. Translated by Stephen Mackenna. Lee Warner, 1921. 22s. net. W. R. Inge The Classical Review / Volume 36 / Issue 1-2 / February 1922, pp 26 - 27 DOI: 10.1017/S0009840X00015791, Published online: 27 October 2009 Link to this article: http://journals.cambridge.org/abstract_S0009840X00015791 How to cite this article: W. R. Inge (1922). The Classical Review, 36, pp 26-27 doi:10.1017/S0009840X00015791 Request Permissions : Click here Downloaded from http://journals.cambridge.org/CAR, IP address: 147.188.128.74 on 01 Jul 2015 26 THE CLASSICAL REVIEW fields over which his wide knowledge clarity and light touch make it more ranges). This book, by a pupil of interesting reading than the last Ger- Meillet and Havet, gives good promise man manual (by Sommer). The same of what Strasburg University in its new qualities are found in an excellent career is going to accomplish. article in the new number of the Professor Juret has made a thorough Memoires de la Societe de Linguistique study of Phonetics. That is where he (XXII. iv., p. 174), by another pupil of differs from the ordinary compiler of a Havet, Marouzeau, Notes sur la Forma- book on the Latin Language. When tion du Latin Classique, which I would he tells us that gn- became n- in Latin strongly recommend to all students of {gnosco, nosco), or that final d was Latin in this country. For it is high dropped after a long vowel (terrad, time that Latin Linguistics be restored terra), he knows precisely (and makes to their former place in our studies. It his readers know) what pronunciation is dangerous to neglect them. by Roman lips these changes imply. And But M. Juret's book is capable of im- therefore this manual is a real boon; for provement. He is not quite at home the Gradgrind manner of the ordinary in Latin Comedy; and since the lan- compiler is oppressive. The reader guage of Latin Comedy is eminently demands some relief from the long lists the spoken, as opposed to the literary of Changes of Sound (with Examples); language, this is a real drawback. And and this relief can be given either by he is often too deferential to the quotations from Latin Literature which opinions of others. If M. Havet told show him what the Romans themselves M. Juret that French gueret proved thought of these changes, or else by clear vervactum to have been pronounced explanations of each sound, so clear that ver(u)-actum, just as animum adverto he can imitate the changes with his was pronounced anim(um)-adverto (yeru own lips. The literary side I have tried presumably meaning 'goad'), then it to present in my Latin Language; the was certainly M. Juret's duty to make phonetic side is presented here. pious record of this clever suggestion. This, then, is the general character But it was equally his duty to explain of the book, a phonetic account, by an to his readers how this theory can expert phonetician, of the changes of be reconciled with the other Romance Latin forms. I will not enter into forms of the word — Span, barbecho, details; for everyone should get the Port, barbeito, Sardinian barvattu. This book and read it himself. Its French he has not done. W. M. LINDSAY. PLOTINUS. Plotinus. Second and Third Enneads. tested his translation in all the most Translated by STEPHEN MACKENNA. crabbed parts of the Second and Third Lee Warner, 1921. 22s. net. Enneads, and the places where he seems THIS is the second volume of a complete to me to have missed the full meaning translation of the Enneads; the first of a word or phrase are so few and so appeared in 1917, and the third is an- unimportant that I do not think it nounced for next month. worth while to call attention to them. Those only who have attempted to His translation is always lucid and translate from Plotinus can realise the pleasant to read, and in the purple magnitude and difficulty of the task patches where Plotinus writes, as he which Mr. Mackenna has undertaken as occasionally does, like a man inspired, the main work of his life. Not only Mr. Mackenna also rises and gives us does the cruelly elliptical style of the real eloquence. It must be clearly stated great Neoplatonist make him the most that this gigantic labour of love de- difficult of all Greek authors ; it is serves the most respectful recognition almost more difficult to turn him into by all scholars. readable English. Mr. Mackenna has The terminology of Plotinus presents surmounted both obstacles. I have a problem to the translator. Mr. Mac- THE CLASSICAL REVIEW 27 kenna has rightly protested against the It is impossible to make a thoroughly pedantic rule that a Greek word must satisfactory translation of Plotinus with- always be rendered by the same English out some textual criticism. The text is word; but I think he has carried this in a worse condition than the translator liberty too far. I do not see that any- (in his prolegomena to Vol. I.) realises. thing is gained by translating Sal/ioves Mr. Mackenna, with his minute know- usually by ' spirits,' but sometimes by ledge of the diction and doctrine of ' celestials' or ' supernals,' both of them Plotinus, should certainly be able to infelicitous words. And the chief make some valuable suggestions for im- technical terms of the philosophy, such proving the text. One example will as vow, ought, I think, to have one show how much remains to be done. English equivalent. What that equiva- Enn. 3. 9. 3. aW ov deol TO -rrpmrov lent should be is not so certain. Mr. iveKeiva ovres. 6 Se vov? TA OVTCC icai Mackenna's ' Intellectual Principle' and ecrTi Kivi}at,<; iviavQa ical orad-t?. Mtlller, ' Authentic Existent' are cumbrous. I following Kirchhoff, omits aU' ov, and prefer ' Spirit' for vow, both because in translates,' Gott ist der Erste tiber dem Christian Greek philosophy irvevfia is Sein; der Geist ist das Seiende, und practically equivalent to vow, and hier ist Bewegung und Ruhe'—a bad because, as long as people persist in blunder, for Plotinus certainly did not talking nonsense about the ' intellec- put the gods ' uber dem Sein.' His tualism' of the school of Plato, it is rendering requires 0e6<s and OVTOS, which worth anything to avoid a word charged perhaps he proposes to read. Mr. with such misleading associations. Mackenna fares no better. ' But the However, Mr. Mackenna has carefully First is not to be envisaged as made up thought out his choice of words, and no from gods of a transcendent order. choice is free from objection. No ; the Authentic Existents constitute The second volume contains no notes the Intellectual Principle with which at all. In the first, he tells us that he motion and rest begin.' The first part has not invariably followed Volkmann's of this is nonsense, and in the second text, and that he has more than once part he leaves out ivravOa. Volkmann ventured on emendations of his own. sees that the passage is corrupt, but Obviously, every deviation from the gives it up. The remedy is, however, text on which the translation is based very simple. The corruption lies in ought to be mentioned in a footnote, deoi, which is quite out of place in this and any new reading ought to be given context. We must read aX\' ov voel in Greek at the foot of the page. Mr. TO irp&Tov eweiceiva 6 v T O S . This is Mackenna seems to have determined the thesis of the paragraph. never to use the Greek alphabet in his book, which is surely a mistake. W. R» INGE. THE OEDIPUS TYRANNUS OF SOPHOCLES. The Oedipus Tyrannus of Sophocles. Even of metre and rhythm this is Translated and explained by J. T. true, although some English scholars, SHEPPARD, M.A. One vol. 8vo. notably of course Walter Headlam, Pp. lxxix + 179. Cambridge Univer- have repudiated vigorously the methods sity Press, 1920. 20s. net. of J. H. H. Schmidt, whom Jebb THIS is a work of consummate scholar- closely followed. But no one has ship ; that is, it presents a blend of wide superseded Schmidt by a clear and learning, clear thought, and spiritual detailed treatment of the Sophoclean sympathy with the author whom it ex- lyrics; Mr. Sheppard, for example, pounds. It is not, however, a complete leaves this topic practically untouched. edition of the Oedipus Tyrannus, and for Nor was there occasion for him to excellent reasons. Jebb's commentary attempt a new critical or linguistic still holds the field in many important commentary. We therefore find here departments of Sophoclean scholarship. little about MSS., grammar, or idiom;.
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