De Mysteriis Aegyptiorum
Encyclopedia
The Theurgia, or De Mysteriis Aegyptiorum (On the Mysteries of the Egyptians), was attributed to Iamblichus Chalcidensis, a Neoplatonic philosopher who studied under Porphyry
.
Porphyry is known to have had a disagreement with Iamblichus over the practice of theurgy
, and the Mysteries consists mainly of Iamblichus' responses to the criticisms of his teacher.
Proclus
, writing 100 years after Iamblichus, seems to have ascribed to him the authorship of the Mysteries. However, the differences between this book and Iamblichus' other works in style and in some points of doctrine have led some to question whether Iamblichus was the actual author. Still, the treatise certainly originated from his school, and in its systematic attempt to give a speculative justification of the polytheistic cult practices of the day, it marks a turning-point in the history of thought where Iamblichus stood.
Porphyry (philosopher)
Porphyry of Tyre , Porphyrios, AD 234–c. 305) was a Neoplatonic philosopher who was born in Tyre. He edited and published the Enneads, the only collection of the work of his teacher Plotinus. He also wrote many works himself on a wide variety of topics...
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Porphyry is known to have had a disagreement with Iamblichus over the practice of theurgy
Theurgy
Theurgy describes the practice of rituals, sometimes seen as magical in nature, performed with the intention of invoking the action or evoking the presence of one or more gods, especially with the goal of uniting with the divine, achieving henosis, and perfecting oneself.- Definitions :*Proclus...
, and the Mysteries consists mainly of Iamblichus' responses to the criticisms of his teacher.
Proclus
Proclus
Proclus Lycaeus , called "The Successor" or "Diadochos" , was a Greek Neoplatonist philosopher, one of the last major Classical philosophers . He set forth one of the most elaborate and fully developed systems of Neoplatonism...
, writing 100 years after Iamblichus, seems to have ascribed to him the authorship of the Mysteries. However, the differences between this book and Iamblichus' other works in style and in some points of doctrine have led some to question whether Iamblichus was the actual author. Still, the treatise certainly originated from his school, and in its systematic attempt to give a speculative justification of the polytheistic cult practices of the day, it marks a turning-point in the history of thought where Iamblichus stood.