Platonism and Neo-Platonism

“the consciousness of our own nothingness, when we compare ourselves with the Gods, causes us to betake ourselves spontaneously to prayer.”  (Iamblicus)

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“Plato used to say that in the education of the young what is of most importance is that children should become accustomed to delight only in those things that are honourable. ‘Otherwise’, he used to say, "pleasure is bait for evils". He would add that true health of mind is the love of wisdom. In truth, other powers seem to be not so much love of wisdom as embellishments. Nothing is sweeter for a healthy mind than to speak and hear true things; for there is nothing better or more enduring than truth. To some people who asked what kind of possessions then should one chiefly provide for one's children, he said, "Those which would dread neither hailstorm nor the violence of men nor even Jove himself."