On the Mysteries

Succeeding these was Iamblichus, a philosopher of as illustrious a name as he was of illustrious birth, born into a most ample and wealthy family. His homeland was Chalcis, a city of that Syria which they call Coele Coele-Syria, the hollow valley between the Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon mountain ranges. He cultivated a relationship with Anatolius, who held the second rank after Porphyry, but he surpassed him in many ways and ascended to the highest degree of Philosophy. From him he joined himself to Porphyry, to whom he was inferior in nothing, except in the elegant structure of his speech and the faculty of speaking: for his words were not provided with equal charm and grace: nor did they have brilliance and perspicuity: nor did he labor to adorn his writings with purity of language, although his oratory is not altogether wrapped in obscurity or possessed of vice: but (as Plato used to say about Xenocrates) he did not sacrifice to the Mercury-given graces. Therefore, he does not detain the reader, nor does he creep in with certain allurements and invite one to reading, but rather seems to avert and blunt the ears.
On account of his cultivation of justice, he had easy access to the ears of the Gods: and thus he obtained very many companions and disciples: who flowed to him from all parts of the world to drink in the cultivation of the soul, among whom it would be difficult to judge who...

After these, Iamblichus became the most renowned philosopher, who was from an illustrious lineage, and of the ungodly, and of the learned The Greek text here is corrupted; it appears to be a fragmented biographical notice. His fatherland was Chalcis, the city of that Syria called Coele. This man, consorting with Anatolius, who held the second place to Porphyry, advanced much, and flourished at the height of philosophy. Then, after Anatolius, giving himself to Porphyry, there is nothing in which he did not differ from Porphyry, except in the composition and power of his discourse, whether in terms of Venus and the grace with which the things said are turned; for there is a certain ruggedness, and it is embellished with purity. It is not, however, lacking in clarity, nor are the words mistaken, but as Plato said about Xenocrates, he did not sacrifice to the Hermes-given graces. Therefore, he does not hold the listener, or entice them to reading, but rather seems to turn them away and dull them with his roughness.

Having practiced the exercise of justice, he obtained such great grace of the Gods, that his companions were so many, and those desiring education flocked from everywhere; but to judge which of them was the most beautiful is difficult. For Sopater...