Plotinus in dialogue with the Gnostics

Narbonne, Jean-Marc 2011 Ancient Mediterranean and medieval texts and contexts ( Serie ) Leiden ; Boston : Brill 9789004216396 | BRILL9789004216396 Abstract

The point of view put forth in the following pages differs greatly from the common perspective according to which the treatises 30 to 33 constitute a single work, a Großschrift, and this single work, Plotinus’ essential response to the Gnostics. Our perspective is that of an ongoing discussions with his “Gnostic”—yet Platonizing—friends, which started early in his writings (at least treatise 6), developed into what we could call a Großzyklus (treatises 27 to 39), and went on in later treatises as well (e. g. 47-48, 51).