A closer look
Greek philosophy wasn't all just guys in togas debating ethics; eventually, it evolved into high-stakes magical ghostbusting. Iamblichus took the abstract ideals of Plato and decided that simply thinking about the divine wasn't enough to save your soul—you had to aggressively summon it. Theurgy, or 'god-work,' involved using synthemata (secret occult signatures hidden in stones, plants, and animals) to create a sympathetic metaphysical resonance. By packing the hollow skulls of statues with the right magical ingredients, these Neoplatonists claimed they could drag down the celestial consciousness of Apollo or Hecate.
