Acknowledgments
I would like to thank those who substantially contributed to this work in or from its early stages. In particular, my gratitude goes to Adriaan Peperzak, who has been an example of thoughtful scholarship and of supportive and friendly mentorship, both as a teacher and as the director of the dissertation from which this project moved its first steps. It would really have pleased me to be able to thank in person the late Gregory Dobrov, who graciously offered his expertise with grammatical queries on Greek texts in early versions of this study. I am also grateful to the Arthur J. Schmitt Foundation for its generous support when this project was still in the form of a dissertation proposal, even if one intending to do something quite different from what I try to accomplish here.
The students of Plotinus to whom I owe a debt of gratitude for teaching me something about his thought, even when I occasionally disagree with some of their interpretations, are too many to be mentioned here individually. Regardless, their names are gathered in the Bibliography, and the extent of their contribution may be roughly estimated from the space each name takes up in the Index of Modern Authors. For obvious reasons, that index may not include the name of the anonymous reader appointed by the publisher, to whom I express my appreciation for a number of helpful suggestions which contributed to give this project a sharper focus. I retain full ownership of the shortcomings that remain in matters of content.
At a time when the working conditions have been far from ideal due to the ongoing pandemic, sincere thanks are due also to the publisher’s editorial team for their flexibility with deadlines.
A special word of gratitude goes to family and friends close and far, in particular my dear parents and immediate family: my acknowledgment of their love and constant encouragement is not less heartfelt for being expressed collectively and conventionally.
Above all, I thank Elaine, my wife. Through her support, patience, and, quite simply, her being near me, she has been showing me concretely many of the forms that love can take.