The "Protrepticus" of Iamblichus (about AD 250-before 325), priestly reformer of Neoplatonism and commentator on Aristotle, is an exhortation to philosophy. The work combines the influences of Aristotle, Plato and Pythagoras, and is important both for revelations about these sources and for understanding Iamblichus' philosophy in its own right.

Whilst a significant portion draws on Aristotle's earlier "Protrepticus" by excerpting elements of his lost text, other sections look to Plato and to Pythagoras' "Golden Verses" and proverbs.

By studying how Iamblichus presents passages from...