On the Mysteries

...which are preserved in the library of the Most Christian King. Bernard, a most distinguished Professor of Astronomy among the Oxonians and most closely connected to me by many favors, willingly undertook the task of collating the manuscripts (for he was residing in the Gauls at that time) and, what he himself could not complete while returning home, he arranged to be finished for me by Jean Mabillon, than whom I have never known a more humane man.

Besides the Gallic corrections, I also employed the Basilean ones. Sebastian Feschius, a great ornament of the polite letters, most officiously shared these with me, and he opportunely provided them, beautifully described in his own hand from his own codex. Joannes Rodolphus Wetstenius, a famous Professor of Oratory among his fellow Basileans, brought me into the friendship of Feschius, and was a helper in collecting the Feschian readings; therefore, whatever utility you, dear reader, perceive from these, you now know with me to whom you owe it, and, if you are grateful, you will acknowledge it.

If these things which I have now given had not proceeded more slowly than expected, the remaining works of this Iamblichus would have come out at the same time. These, partly renewed by me and partly now at last described from ancient parchments, will come into the public in the order in which they were digested by the author. Concerning the Porphyrian letter which I have placed first, I will say only this: Eusebius, Theodoret, and St. Augustine have for the most part preserved it; I have sought out the remains where it was allowed. I know that I am not placing Porphyry before you, but some Abyrtus or Hippolytus. But, not many things seem to be missing; and an ancient statue is not immediately deprived of all its value on account of a truncated nose. I do not think very magnificently of our notes. You will say they are tumultuous and χυδαίας vulgar/common; as if we were going to deny the obvious. The interpretation, however, is even less approved. Indeed, crickets are shrill in the Locrian field, but the same ones become mute if you translate them across the little river into Latium: so good Greek words usually become not-good Latin. But I had to deal with bad Greek; to the difficulty was added the sublimity of the subject matter and a certain stubbornness in compound words, which cannot appear in Latin oratory unless torn apart and gaping. The sum is this: I expect better codices, and ἄμεινον πλῦν a better washing/cleansing, and for praise, forgiveness.