Laudator Temporis Acti

His insight into character was extraordinary, particularly so after the theft of a valuable necklace from Chione, who lived with him, accompanied by her children, chastely maintaining her widowhood. The household slaves were assembled under the eye of Plotinus, who, after gazing upon them all, pointed to one man, saying, "This is the thief". This man was flogged, and though at first he denied it repeatedly, he subsequently confessed and returned the stolen item with his own hand.

περιῆν δὲ αὐτῷ τοσαύτη περιουσία ἠθῶν κατανοήσεως, ὡς κλοπῆς ποτε γεγονυίας πολυτελοῦς περιδεραίου Χιόνης, ἥτις αὐτῷ συνῴκει μετὰ τῶν τέκνων σεμνῶς τὴν χηρείαν διεξάγουσα, καὶ ὑπ᾿ ὄψιν τοῦ Πλωτίνου τῶν οἰκετῶν συνηγμένων ἐμβλέψας ἅπασιν· οὗτος, ἔφη, ἐστὶν ὁ κεκλοφώς, δείξας ἕνα τινά. μαστιζόμενος δὲ ἐκεῖνος καὶ ἐπιπλεῖον ἀρνούμενος τὰ πρῶτα ὕστερον ὡμολόγησε καὶ φέρων τὸ κλαπὲν ἀπέδωκε.