Soul and body belong to two diiGFerent spheres of
being. The body has a material origin, while the
soul is descended from the spiritual world. But



162 THE ETHNIC TRINITIES

how are these two diverse spheres of bemg related
and bound together? Here Plotinus draws his
premise from Plato, but moves on to a more con-
sistent metaphysical conclusion. This premise is
one of the most curious speculations in the history
of philosophy, and to this day plays no small part
in philosophical thought. Let us see how Plato
was led to it. The question was how to find a
standing-place for the dualistic theory, and make
it hannonize with the nnily of the world. It is
easy enough to assume dualism as a fact. The
fundamental differences between mind and matter
are patent to every thinker. But how to adjust
these differences and expkin metaphysically the
«^ «.d origin rf . Jonion be^ A di-
verse forms of beinc: is and always has been the

Go*u. loK* of Wpby. % eo.«a»i»g

Plato's manner of dealing with it one must re-
member his whole point of view. He lived in a
period of strong reaction from the Ionian physi-
cists, who had sought to find in nature and its
phenomena the origin of the world. Anaxagoras
had suggested that behind all phenomenal motion
and change there must be a inover or principle of
motion, and that such a principle must be simple
and beyond all mixture or change. This principle
he called mind (voi)$). Out of this pregnant
thought was evolved the dualistic school of Socra-
tes and Plato. Its whole aim was to resist the
materialistic skepticism which in the Sophistic
schools was becoming more and more popular, and



THE GREEK PLOTINIAN TRINITY 163

to build on metaphysical foundations a spiritual
philosophy. The suggestion of Anaxagoras was
made the starting-point. Behind matter is mind.
