I think J.P. Sullivan's book (some book does, anyway) on Pound's handling of Propertius has his college transcripts appended, and you might look at the San Trovaso notebook, Quinzane for this Yule (taken from it) and Hilda's Book, for clues. Pound seems to have had the habit of working his readings into his own poetry, so you might infer what he has read from what he has done. Dante big-- and every school boy knew a little about Plotinus, who hated his body, and saw himself engaged in a 'flight of the alone to the Alone.'  I also think that "Vortex" was a late 19th, early 20th century buzzword, appearing in magazines, journals, et cetera. Someone else perhaps can be more specific.
>>> Antje Pfannkuchen <[log in to unmask]> 03/21 12:04 PM >>>
Hi,
 
I'd be interested if there is any detailed reading of Pounds poem
'Plotinus' around. He obviously wrote it in 1905 and published it in 'A
Lume Spento' and as far as I know it is the first occasionn, where he uses
the word 'vortex'. Does anyone know, what kind of literature he was reading
at the time he wrote the poem?
 
Best
 
Antje Pfannkuchen