What oars to cut the long laborious way?

I shall only observe further, that the life of Plato, by Olympiodorus, was
prefixed to this translation, in preference to that by Diogenes Laertius,
because the former is the production of a most eminent Platonist, and the
latter of a mere historian, who indiscriminately gave to the public whatever
anecdotes he found in other authors. If the reader combines this short
sketch of the life of Plato with what that philosopher says of himself in
his 7th Epistle, he will be in possession of the most important particulars
about him that can be obtained at present.



EXPLANATIONS OF CERTAIN PLATONIC TERMS

As some apology may be thought necessary for having introduced certain
unusual words of Greek origin, I shall only observe, that, as all arts and
sciences have certain appropriate terms peculiar to themselves, philosophy,
which is the art of arts, and science of sciences, as being the mistress of
both, has certainly a prior and a far superior claim to this privilege. I
have not, however, introduced, I believe, any of these terms without at the
same time sufficiently explaining them; but, lest the contrary should have
taken place, the following explanation of all such terms as I have been
able to recollect, and also of common words used by Platonists in a
peculiar sense, is subjoined for the information of the reader.

Anagogic, [Greek: anagogikos]. Leading on high.

Demiurgus, [Greek: demiourgos]. Jupiter, the artificer of the universe.