Sallustius

“ In many parts likewise of the hymn to Jupiter, I acknowledge myself greatly indebted to the elegant hymns of Synesius, which I should have translated long since, had they not been so replete with a certain horrid and gigantic impiety, which not only eradicates from the soul that most natural conception, that there are gods subordinate to the first cause, but introduces the most dire of all opinions in its stead, that a mere mortal is equal to the highest god! ”

“ But souls of the middle class, for whom the book of Sallust is designed, in consequence of becoming vitiated and defiled, though not in an incurable degree, are incapable of acquiring in the present life philosophic perfection and purity, and are with great difficulty, and even scarcely able to ascend, after long periods, to the beatific vision of the intelligible world. ”

“ Souls of the first class, which are consequently the fewest in number, may be called divine souls, heroes and demigods, and when invested with a terrene body, form such men as Pythagoras, Plato, Plotinus, Jamblichus, Proclus, &c., were of old: souls of this kind, not only descend into mortality in consequence of that necessity by which all human souls are at times drawn down to the earth, but for the benevolent purpose of benefiting such as are of an inferior class ”