Porphyry   wants the philosopher to avoid at all costs temptations to lust, including obscene language. He is embarrassed by Plato’s view (Laws 647D) that it is good to have some experience of temptations, and refers only briefly to the dangers of inexperience (1.35), after dwelling on the dangers of experience. Iamblichus   replies to Porphyry that phallic festivals with obscene language have a good effect, at least for ordinary people, either through aversion therapy, or because a moderate exercise of erotic feeling moderates the feeling by Aristotelian catharsis. [SorabjiPC1  :297]