For the being that one would truly call being belongs to real Being. And this is what is totally real and it is that which ‘gives away’ nothing of its existence. Since it is perfectly real, it needs nothing to conserve itself and to be, but for the rest of things which have the appearance of existence [i.e. as Beings], it is the cause of the appearance of that existence. Indeed, if we are correct in stating this, Being must also be alive, that is, having a perfect life; otherwise, if it is less than this, it will be no more being than non-being. And it is, then, Intellect and wisdom in the fullest sense. And so it must be defined and limited; and there is nothing that does not depend on its power, even if only on a specific power; otherwise, it would be deficient. For this reason, it is eternal, stable, never receives anything and nothing enters it. For if it were to receive anything, it would receive something that was other than itself. And this would be non-being. But Being must be Being through and through. And so it must come into existence having everything from itself. And it is all things together and a unity that is everything.
If we actually define Being in these terms – and we should, otherwise Intellect and Life would not come from Being, but these would be brought to Being from outside and they will not exist (since they would come from what is not) and Being will be lifeless and mindless and what is truly non-being will have intellect and life with the consequence that these would have to be located among what is inferior and posterior to Being; for what is prior to Being provides these with their Being, while it has no need itself of them – then, if Being is like this, it cannot itself be a body or the substrate for bodies, but the existence of these must be that of things that are not Beings. (LloydPE, Enéada III, 6, 6)