The Shelves · Philosophy
On Dreams
Περὶ ἐνυπνίων
Conjecturedin Alexandria?Conjectured · Our reconstructionour placement
I · The entry, in his form
In the table of Philosophy
Conjectured · Our reconstructionour placementc. 373–414 CE. Studied with Hypatia in Alexandria in the 390s and wrote her letters of devotion all his life, calling her mother, sister, teacher and benefactor. Made bishop of Ptolemais in 410 while still a Platonist.
On Dreams
Περὶ ἐνυπνίων
Opening words not preserved.
Length: not counted
Above, his entry form, filled from what we know. Below, ours.
II · Does it survive? Where to read it
Survives whole
Was it in Alexandria?
ConjecturedOf the Egyptian milieu. Written in Cyrenaica by Hypatia's student; it draws on the Platonism of her circle.
On the ledge: written in Egypt or in a tradition the city shaped; not known in the Library.
Read it today
- FitzGerald, The Essays and Hymns of Synesius vol. 2 (1930) · a translation · link checked 31 Oct 2026
III · In the show
- Platonism, Neoplatonism & New Distinctions, episode 22, at 2 minutes 13 secondsTranscriptPlatonism, Neoplatonism and the new distinction.Known: attested
- Theurgic Astrology & Natal Charts, episode 22, at 58 minutes 44 secondsTranscriptTheurgic astrology and the natal chart (station 5 of Astrology and Cosmic Order).Conjectured
- Neoplatonic Influence on Qabalah, episode 17, at 45 minutes 12 secondsTranscriptKnown: attested
+ 21 more
- Tree of Life, Henads & Neoplatonic Influence, episode 24, at 51 minutes 24 secondsTranscriptKnown: attested
- Pagan theurgy and Neoplatonism influences, episode 16, at 22 minutes 21 secondsTranscriptPagan theurgy and Neoplatonic influences on the Golden Dawn (station 3 of Martinism and Reintegration).Known: attested
- Synthema, symbols, and hidden signatures, episode 34, at 29 minutes 54 secondsSynthemata, symbols and hidden signatures (station 3 of The Path of the Theurgist).Conjectured
- Platonism, Neoplatonism & New Distinctions, episode 22, at 2 minutes 13 secondsTranscript“he would have considered himself just a platonist just a philosopher”Right: the label is modern.Known: attested
- What the Egyptian mysteries may have taught, episode 4, at 50 minutes 29 secondsTranscript“they would they would insole statues with the god”The Egyptian opening of the mouth set behind Hermetic and theurgic statue-animation.Conjectured
- Path: The Path of the Theurgist, station 1Locate the aim of theurgy.Known: attested
- Path: Martinism and Reintegration, station 3See Christ as the theurgic model. Iamblichean theurgy, Proclus, Plotinus and Plato behind the Golden Dawn.Known: attested
- Path: The Path of the Theurgist, station 2Purify before the work.Conjectured
- Path: The Path of the Theurgist, station 3Carry the tokens.Conjectured
- Path: The Path of the Theurgist, station 4Tell theurgy from goetia.Conjectured
- Path: The Path of the Theurgist, station 5Ascend and return.Conjectured
- Path: The Path of the Theurgist, station 6Read the reply to Porphyry.Conjectured
- Mysticism · Ladders of AscentKnown: attested
- Theurgy · De Mysteriis VKnown: attested
- Theurgy develops in Neoplatonic ritual philosophyTheurgy in Neoplatonic ritual philosophy.Known: attested
IV · Sources and the living entry
Ancient references
- Synesius, On Dreams (the imaginative pneuma; quotations of the Chaldean Oracles)
Modern scholarship (2)
- D. A. Russell and H.-G. Nesselrath (eds), On Prophecy, Dreams and Human Imagination: Synesius, De insomniis (Tubingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2014).
- G. Shaw, Theurgy and the Soul: The Neoplatonism of Iamblichus (University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press, 1995).
Entry checked 31 Oct 2026 · no corrections · Suggest a correction ›
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