PLOTINUS: Fifth Ennead

Tractate I – The Three Initial Hypostases

Section 1 – Plotinus asks what has led the souls of men to forget God and their kinship with the divine. He answers that the souls have entered the realm of becoming and have been beguiled by this world’s temptations. He proposes a solution to reunite the soul with the divine. First, one must regard perishable things (like fame, wealth, etc.) as dishonorable. Second, one must learn the nature and worth of the soul.

HOMER: The Odyssey [Book XIX]

In Book XIX of Homer’s Odyssey, Telemachus and Odysseus remove all weapons from the armory and place them in a locked room on the second floor of the palace. They explain that they are removing the weapons because the smoke and ashes of the fire have tarnished them. In reality, Telemachus and Odysseus do not want the suitors to have access to weapons.

OLD TESTAMENT: Deuteronomy

Chapter 1 – Moses recounts the Israelites’ journey from Mount Horeb to Kadesh. After departing from Mount Horeb they come upon the land of the Amorites. Moses assured them that God will fight on their side and defeat the Amorites, but the Isrealites fear that He will not and that the Amorites will destroy them. Moses chastises them for not trusting God. The Isrealites repent and prepare for war. Moses dissuades them this time, saying that God is angry with them because they did not trust Him. The Israelites disregard Moses’ warning and are swiftly defeated by the Amorites. They retreat to Kadesh.

OLD TESTAMENT: Exodus

Chapter 1 – Joseph and his 11 brothers die after fathering many descendants. The new Pharaoh, having never known Joseph, regards the growing number of Israelites as a threat. He orders the Hebrew midwives to kill all newborn Hebrew males.

HOMER: The Odyssey [Book XVIII]

In Book XVIII of Homer’s Odyssey, a beggar named Irus arrives at the palace. He immediately picks a quarrel with Odysseus. The suitors encourage the fight, promising to provide the choicest lamb meat to the winner of the fight. Odysseus knocks out Irus with one blow and then places him outside the palace.