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1 results

  • 23 - Hierocles of Alexandria

  • from IV - Philosophy in the age of Constantine
  • Edited by Lloyd P. Gerson, University of Toronto
  • Book:
    The Cambridge History of Philosophy in Late Antiquity
    Published online:
    28 May 2011
    Print publication:
    01 January 2000, pp 437-456

  • Summary

    Hierocles himself, according to an anecdote told by Damascius, ran foul of the authorities on a trip to Byzantium and was flogged, but returned to Alexandria 'and continued to philosophize with his students as he was accustomed'. In spite of the Christian-versus-pagan theme Hierocles remained a stalwart pagan philosopher, making no concessions, in his writings at any rate, to Christianity, and he enjoyed a fruitful teaching career. Hierocles' Demiurge is 'the first cause' and 'the very first and best' of the superior beings, just as Porphyry calls the highest creative cause 'the one demiurge, the very first'. The procession from the Demiurge to the created order is the characteristic Platonic procession from the second hypostasis of Intellect to the third hypostasis of Soul. In the subsequent history of late Platonism Hierocles was largely overshadowed by the most famous pupil of both Plutarch of Athens and Syrianus, Proclus.