Q0182
“Withdraw into yourself and look.” — Plotinus (Enneads I.6.9)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Enneads I.6.9. Theme: self.
English
Withdraw into yourself and look.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Enneads I.6.9 and files it under Neoplatonism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Plotinus
Plotinus (204/5–270 CE) was the founder of Neoplatonism, teaching in Rome after studying in Alexandria under Ammonius Saccas. His student Porphyry edited the Enneads and wrote a Life of Plotinus.
How to read this passage
To ask about the self is to ask what persists through experience, what can be known from the first-person point of view, and how character is formed. Some traditions treat the self as a substantial soul; others as a stream of experience, a social role, or a practical center of agency. This passage enters that discussion through self, beauty.
Concepts in this quote
- Self
- Philosophy quotes about self explore identity, responsibility, and the examined life—from Socrates’ unexamined life to modern phenomenology and existential authenticity.
- Beauty
- Beauty raises questions about judgment, form, pleasure, and whether aesthetic value is subjective or shares standards.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Plotinus. (n.d.). Withdraw into yourself and look. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0182
MLA: Plotinus. “Withdraw into yourself and look..” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0182.
Chicago: Plotinus. “Withdraw into yourself and look..” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0182.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “Withdraw into yourself and look.”?
The passage is attributed to Plotinus, Enneads I.6.9. The archive attributes this English wording to Enneads I.6.9 and files it under Neoplatonism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Plotinus mean by self?
To ask about the self is to ask what persists through experience, what can be known from the first-person point of view, and how character is formed. Some traditions treat the self as a substantial soul; others as a stream of experience, a social role, or a practical center of agency. This passage enters that discussion through self, beauty.