Porphyry systematized Plotinus’ remarks on the virtues in Enneads 1.2 by distinguishing four groups: (1) metriopathic civic vir tues, (2) purificatory virtues which obliterate the passions of the soul and help the assimilation to the divinity, (3) theoretical v irtues of the apathetic soul that contemplates intelligence, and (4) exemplary virtues which reside in intelligence. Porphyry states that we should specially apply ourselves to purificatory virtues, ‘believing that we can acquire them even in this life’. Apatheia without emotional dispositions seems to be possible only with- out the body. 25