Porphyry's on Abstinence From Animal Food

On Abstinence from Animal Food is a lengthy and impassioned plea for vegetarianism addressed to a colleague named Fermis Kastricius. Porphyry not only argues for vegetarianism, but also presents the anti-vegetarian arguments of Epicureans, Stoics, and Aristotelians before going on to refute them. His main reason for not eating meat is that it tastes good. Following his master Plotinus, he believes that our true selves are intellectual souls. Anything that ties the soul to the body is counterproductive since it hinders our ability to focus on the things of the mind. Far better is to partake of light and simple foods, whatever comes easily