PHAEDO

by Plato
360 BC translated by Benjamin Jowett
New York C! "#ribner$s "ons %&'(&)
PERSONS OF THE DIALOGUE PHAEDO, who is the narrator of the dialog e to E!HE!RATES of Phli s SO!RATES APOLLODORUS SI""IAS !E#ES !RITO ATTENDANT OF THE PRISON PHAEDO S!ENE$ The Prison of So%rates PLA!E OF THE NARRATION$ Phli s E%he%rates& 'ere (o (o rself, Phaedo, in the )rison with So%rates on the da( when he dran* the )oison+ Phaedo& ,es, E%he%rates, I was& E%h& I wish that (o wo ld tell -e a.o t his death& 'hat did he sa( in his last ho rs+ 'e were infor-ed that he died .( ta*ing )oison, . t no one *new an(thing -ore/ for no Phliasian e0er goes to Athens now, and a long ti-e has ela)sed sin%e an( Athenian fo nd his wa( to Phli s, and therefore we had no %lear a%%o nt& Phaed& Did (o not hear of the )ro%eedings at the trial+

E%h& ,es/ so-eone told s a.o t the trial, and we %o ld not nderstand wh(, ha0ing .een %onde-ned, he was ) t to death, as a))eared, not at the ti-e, . t long afterwards& 'hat was the reason of this+ Phaed& An a%%ident, E%he%rates& The reason was that the stern of the shi) whi%h the Athenians send to Delos ha))ened to ha0e .een %rowned

on the da( .efore he was tried& E%h& 'hat is this shi)+ Phaed& This is the shi) in whi%h, as the Athenians sa(, These s went to !rete when he too* with hi- the fo rteen (o ths, and was the sa0io r of the- and of hi-self& And the( were said to ha0e 0owed to A)ollo at the ti-e, that if the( were sa0ed the( wo ld -a*e an ann al )ilgri-age to Delos& Now this % sto- still %ontin es, and the whole )eriod of the 0o(age to and fro- Delos, .eginning when the )riest of A)ollo %rowns the stern of the shi), is a hol( season, d ring whi%h the %it( is not allowed to .e )oll ted .( ) .li% e1e% tions/ and often, when the 0essel is detained .( ad0erse winds, there -a( .e a 0er( %onsidera.le dela(& As I was sa(ing, the shi) was %rowned on the da( .efore the trial, and this was the reason wh( So%rates la( in )rison and was not ) t to death ntil long after he was %onde-ned& E%h& 'hat was the -anner of his death, Phaedo+ 'hat was said or done+ And whi%h of his friends had he with hi-+ Or were the( not allowed .( the a thorities to .e )resent+ And did he die alone+ Phaed& No/ there were se0eral of his friends with hi-& E%h& If (o ha0e nothing to do, I wish that (o )assed, as e1a%tl( as (o %an& wo ld tell -e what

Phaed& I ha0e nothing to do, and will tr( to gratif( (o r wish& For to -e, too, there is no greater )leas re than to ha0e So%rates .ro ght to -( re%olle%tion, whether I s)ea* -(self or hear another s)ea* of hi-& E%h& ,o will ha0e listeners who are of the sa-e -ind with (o , and I ho)e that (o will .e as e1a%t as (o %an& Phaed& I re-e-.er the strange feeling whi%h %a-e o0er -e at .eing with hi-& For I %o ld hardl( .elie0e that I was )resent at the death of a friend, and therefore I did not )it( hi-, E%he%rates/ his -ien and his lang age were so no.le and fearless in the ho r of death that to -e he a))eared .lessed& I tho ght that in going to the other world he %o ld not .e witho t a di0ine %all, and that he wo ld .e ha))(, if an( -an e0er was, when he arri0ed there, and therefore I did not )it( hi- as -ight see- nat ral at s %h a ti-e& # t neither %o ld I feel the )leas re whi%h I s all( felt in )hiloso)hi%al dis%o rse 2for )hiloso)h( was the the-e of whi%h we s)o*e3& I was )leased, and I was also )ained, .e%a se I *new that he was soon to die, and this strange -i1t re of feeling was shared .( s all/ we were la ghing and wee)ing .( t rns, es)e%iall( the e1%ita.le A)ollodor s4(o *now the sort of -an+ E%h& ,es& Phaed& He was 5 ite o0er%o-e/ and I -(self and all of greatl( -o0ed& E%h& 'ho were )resent+ s were

Phaed& Of nati0e Athenians there were, .esides A)ollodor s, !rito. l s and his father !rito, Her-ogenes, E)igenes, Aes%hines, and Antisthenes/ li*ewise !tesi)) s of the de-e of Paeania, "ene1en s, and so-e others/ . t Plato, if I a- not -ista*en, was ill& E%h& 'ere there an( strangers+ Phaed& ,es, there were/ Si--ias the The.an, and !e.es, and Phaedondes/ E %lid and Ter)ison, who %a-e fro- "egara& E%h& And was Aristi)) s there, and !leo-.rot s+ Phaed& No, the( were said to .e in Aegina& E%h& An(one else+ Phaed& I thin* that these were a.o t all& E%h& And what was the dis%o rse of whi%h (o s)o*e+

Phaed& I will .egin at the .eginning, and endea0or to re)eat the entire %on0ersation& ,o - st nderstand that we had .een )re0io sl( in the ha.it of asse-.ling earl( in the -orning at the %o rt in whi%h the trial was held, and whi%h is not far fro- the )rison& There we re-ained tal*ing with one another ntil the o)ening of the )rison doors 2for the( were not o)ened 0er( earl(3, and then went in and generall( )assed the da( with So%rates& On the last -orning the -eeting was earlier than s al/ this was owing to o r ha0ing heard on the )re0io s e0ening that the sa%red shi) had arri0ed fro- Delos, and therefore we agreed to -eet 0er( earl( at the a%% sto-ed )la%e& On o r going to the )rison, the 6ailer who answered the door, instead of ad-itting s, %a-e o t and .ade s wait and he wo ld %all s& 7For the Ele0en,7 he said, 7are now with So%rates/ the( are ta*ing off his %hains, and gi0ing orders that he is to die to4da(&7 He soon ret rned and said that we -ight %o-e in& On entering we fo nd So%rates 6 st released fro- %hains, and 8anthi))e, who- (o *now, sitting .( hi-, and holding his %hild in her ar-s& 'hen she saw s she ttered a %r( and said, as wo-en will$ 7O So%rates, this is the last ti-e that either (o will %on0erse with (o r friends, or the( with (o &7 So%rates t rned to !rito and said$ 7!rito, let so-eone ta*e her ho-e&7 So-e of !rito9s )eo)le a%%ordingl( led her awa(, %r(ing o t and .eating herself& And when she was gone, So%rates, sitting ) on the %o %h, .egan to .end and r . his leg, sa(ing, as he r ..ed$ 7How sing lar is the thing %alled )leas re, and how % rio sl( related to )ain, whi%h -ight .e tho ght to .e the o))osite of it/ for the( ne0er %o-e to a -an together, and (et he who ) rs es either of the- is generall( %o-)elled to ta*e the other& The( are two, and (et the( grow together o t of one head or ste-/ and I %annot hel) thin*ing that if Aeso) had noti%ed the-, he wo ld ha0e -ade a fa.le a.o t God tr(ing to re%on%ile their strife, and when he %o ld not, he fastened their heads together/ and this is the reason wh( when one %o-es the other follows, as I find in -( own %ase )leas re %o-es following after the )ain in -( leg, whi%h was %a sed .( the %hain&7 U)on this !e.es said$ I a- 0er( glad indeed, So%rates, that (o -entioned the na-e of Aeso)& For that re-inds -e of a 5 estion whi%h has .een as*ed .( others, and was as*ed of -e onl( the da( .efore

(esterda( .( E0en s the )oet, and as he will .e s re to as* again, (o -a( as well tell -e what I sho ld sa( to hi-, if (o wo ld li*e hi- to ha0e an answer& He wanted to *now wh( (o who ne0er .efore wrote a line of )oetr(, now that (o are in )rison are ) tting Aeso) into 0erse, and also %o-)osing that h(-n in honor of A)ollo& Tell hi-, !e.es, he re)lied, that I had no idea of ri0alling hior his )oe-s/ whi%h is the tr th, for I *new that I %o ld not do that& # t I wanted to see whether I %o ld ) rge awa( a s%r )le whi%h I felt a.o t %ertain drea-s& In the %o rse of -( life I ha0e often had inti-ations in drea-s 7that I sho ld -a*e - si%&7 The sa-e drea%a-e to -e so-eti-es in one for-, and so-eti-es in another, . t alwa(s sa(ing the sa-e or nearl( the sa-e words$ "a*e and % lti0ate - si%, said the drea-& And hitherto I had i-agined that this was onl( intended to e1hort and en%o rage -e in the st d( of )hiloso)h(, whi%h has alwa(s .een the ) rs it of -( life, and is the no.lest and .est of - si%& The drea- was .idding -e to do what I was alread( doing, in the sa-e wa( that the %o-)etitor in a ra%e is .idden .( the s)e%tators to r n when he is alread( r nning& # t I was not %ertain of this, as the drea- -ight ha0e -eant - si% in the )o) lar sense of the word, and .eing nder senten%e of death, and the festi0al gi0ing -e a res)ite, I tho ght that I sho ld .e safer if I satisfied the s%r )le, and, in o.edien%e to the drea-, %o-)osed a few 0erses .efore I de)arted& And first I -ade a h(-n in honor of the god of the festi0al, and then %onsidering that a )oet, if he is reall( to .e a )oet or -a*er, sho ld not onl( ) t words together . t -a*e stories, and as I ha0e no in0ention, I too* so-e fa.les of eso), whi%h I had read( at hand and *new, and t rned the- into 0erse& Tell E0en s this, and .id hi- .e of good %heer/ that I wo ld ha0e hi%o-e after -e if he .e a wise -an, and not tarr(/ and that to4da( I ali*el( to .e going, for the Athenians sa( that I - st& Si--ias said$ 'hat a -essage for s %h a -an: ha0ing .een a fre5 ent %o-)anion of his, I sho ld sa( that, as far as I *now hi-, he will ne0er ta*e (o r ad0i%e nless he is o.liged& 'h(, said So%rates,4is not E0en s a )hiloso)her+ I thin* that he is, said Si--ias& Then he, or an( -an who has the s)irit of )hiloso)h(, will .e willing to die, tho gh he will not ta*e his own life, for that is held not to .e right& Here he %hanged his )osition, and ) t his legs off the %o %h on to the gro nd, and d ring the rest of the %on0ersation he re-ained sitting& 'h( do (o sa(, in5 ired !e.es, that a -an o ght not to ta*e his own life, . t that the )hiloso)her will .e read( to follow the d(ing+ So%rates re)lied$ And ha0e (o , !e.es and Si--ias, who are a%5 ainted with Philola s, ne0er heard hi- s)ea* of this+ I ne0er nderstood hi-, So%rates&

"( words, too, are onl( an e%ho/ . t I a- 0er( willing to sa( what I

ha0e heard$ and indeed, as I a- going to another )la%e, I o ght to .e thin*ing and tal*ing of the nat re of the )ilgri-age whi%h I aa.o t to -a*e& 'hat %an I do .etter in the inter0al .etween this and the setting of the s n+ Then tell -e, So%rates, wh( is s i%ide held not to .e right+ as I ha0e %ertainl( heard Philola s affir- when he was sta(ing with s at The.es$ and there are others who sa( the sa-e, altho gh none of thehas e0er -ade -e nderstand hi-& # t do (o r .est, re)lied So%rates, and the da( -a( %o-e when (o will nderstand& I s ))ose that (o wonder wh(, as -ost things whi%h are e0il -a( .e a%%identall( good, this is to .e the onl( e1%e)tion 2for -a( not death, too, .e .etter than life in so-e %ases+3, and wh(, when a -an is .etter dead, he is not )er-itted to .e his own .enefa%tor, . t - st wait for the hand of another& #( ; )iter: (es, indeed, said !e.es, la ghing, and s)ea*ing in his nati0e Dori%& I ad-it the a))earan%e of in%onsisten%(, re)lied So%rates, . t there -a( not .e an( real in%onsisten%( after all in this& There is a do%trine ttered in se%ret that -an is a )risoner who has no right to o)en the door of his )rison and r n awa(/ this is a great -(ster( whi%h I do not 5 ite nderstand& ,et I, too, .elie0e that the gods are o r g ardians, and that we are a )ossession of theirs& Do (o not agree+ ,es, I agree to that, said !e.es& And if too* the gi0en no .e angr( one of (o r own )ossessions, an o1 or an ass, for e1a-)le li.ert( of ) tting hi-self o t of the wa( when (o had inti-ation of (o r wish that he sho ld die, wo ld (o not with hi-, and wo ld (o not ) nish hi- if (o %o ld+

!ertainl(, re)lied !e.es& Then there -a( .e reason in sa(ing that a -an sho ld wait, and not ta*e his own life ntil God s --ons hi-, as he is now s --oning -e& ,es, So%rates, said !e.es, there is s rel( reason in that& And (et how %an (o re%on%ile this see-ingl( tr e .elief that God is o r g ardian and we his )ossessions, with that willingness to die whi%h we were attri. ting to the )hiloso)her+ That the wisest of -en sho ld .e willing to lea0e this ser0i%e in whi%h the( are r led .( the gods who are the .est of r lers is not reasona.le, for s rel( no wise -an thin*s that when set at li.ert( he %an ta*e .etter %are of hi-self than the gods ta*e of hi-& A fool -a( )erha)s thin* this4he -a( arg e that he had .etter r n awa( fro- his -aster, not %onsidering that his d t( is to re-ain to the end, and not to r n awa( fro- the good, and that there is no sense in his r nning awa(& # t the wise -an will want to .e e0er with hi- who is .etter than hi-self& Now this, So%rates, is the re0erse of what was 6 st now said/ for )on this 0iew the wise -an sho ld sorrow and the fool re6oi%e at )assing o t of life& The earnestness of !e.es see-ed to )lease So%rates& Here, said he,

t rning to s, is a -an who is alwa(s in5 iring, and is not to .e %on0in%ed all in a -o-ent, nor .( e0er( arg -ent& And in this %ase, added Si--ias, his o.6e%tion does a))ear to -e to ha0e so-e for%e& For what %an .e the -eaning of a tr l( wise -an wanting to fl( awa( and lightl( lea0e a -aster who is .etter than hi-self+ And I rather i-agine that !e.es is referring to (o / he thin*s that (o are too read( to lea0e s, and too read( to lea0e the gods who, as (o a%*nowledge, are o r good r lers& ,es, re)lied So%rates/ there is reason in that& And this indi%t-ent (o thin* that I o ght to answer as if I were in %o rt+ That is what we sho ld li*e, said Si--ias& Then I - st tr( to -a*e a .etter i-)ression )on (o than I did when defending -(self .efore the 6 dges& For I a- 5 ite read( to a%*nowledge, Si--ias and !e.es, that I o ght to .e grie0ed at death, if I were not )ers aded that I a- going to other gods who are wise and good 2of this I a- as %ertain as I %an .e of an(thing of the sort3 and to -en de)arted 2tho gh I a- not so %ertain of this3, who are .etter than those who- I lea0e .ehind/ and therefore I do not grie0e as I -ight ha0e done, for I ha0e good ho)e that there is (et so-ething re-aining for the dead, and, as has .een said of old, so-e far .etter thing for the good than for the e0il& # t do (o -ean to ta*e awa( (o r tho ghts with (o , So%rates+ said Si--ias& 'ill (o not %o-- ni%ate the- to s+4the .enefit is one in whi%h we too -a( ho)e to share& "oreo0er, if (o s %%eed in %on0in%ing s, that will .e an answer to the %harge against (o rself& I will do -( .est, re)lied So%rates& # t (o - st first let -e hear what !rito wants/ he was going to sa( so-ething to -e& Onl( this, So%rates, re)lied !rito$ the attendant who is to gi0e (o the )oison has .een telling -e that (o are not to tal* - %h, and he wants -e to let (o *now this/ for that .( tal*ing heat is in%reased, and this interferes with the a%tion of the )oison/ those who e1%ite the-sel0es are so-eti-es o.liged to drin* the )oison two or three ti-es& Then, said So%rates, let hi- -ind his . siness and .e )re)ared to gi0e the )oison two or three ti-es, if ne%essar(/ that is all& I was al-ost %ertain that (o was o.liged to satisf( hi-& Ne0er -ind hi-, he said& And now I will -a*e answer to (o , O -( 6 dges, and show that he who has li0ed as a tr e )hiloso)her has reason to .e of good %heer when he is a.o t to die, and that after death he -a( ho)e to re%ei0e the greatest good in the other world& And how this -a( .e, Si--ias and !e.es, I will endea0or to e1)lain& For I dee- that the tr e dis%i)le of )hiloso)h( is li*el( to .e -is nderstood .( other -en/ the( do not )er%ei0e that he is e0er ) rs ing death and d(ing/ and if this is tr e, wh(, ha0ing had the desire of death all his life long, sho ld wo ld sa( that, re)lied !rito/ . t I

he re)ine at the arri0al of that whi%h he has .een alwa(s ) rs ing and desiring+ Si--ias la ghed and said$ Tho gh not in a la ghing h -or, I swear that I %annot hel) la ghing when I thin* what the wi%*ed world will sa( when the( hear this& The( will sa( that this is 0er( tr e, and o r )eo)le at ho-e will agree with the- in sa(ing that the life whi%h )hiloso)hers desire is tr l( death, and that the( ha0e fo nd theo t to .e deser0ing of the death whi%h the( desire& And the( are right, Si--ias, in sa(ing this, with the e1%e)tion of the words 7The( ha0e fo nd the- o t7/ for the( ha0e not fo nd o t what is the nat re of this death whi%h the tr e )hiloso)her desires, or how he deser0es or desires death& # t let s lea0e the- and ha0e a word with o rsel0es$ Do we .elie0e that there is s %h a thing as death+ To .e s re, re)lied Si--ias& And is this an(thing . t the se)aration of so l and .od(+ And .eing dead is the attain-ent of this se)aration/ when the so l e1ists in herself, and is )arted fro- the .od( and the .od( is )arted fro- the so l4that is death+ E1a%tl($ that and nothing else, he re)lied& And what do (o sa( of another 5 estion, -( friend, a.o sho ld li*e to ha0e (o r o)inion, and the answer to whi%h )ro.a.l( throw light on o r )resent in5 ir($ Do (o thin* )hiloso)her o ght to %are a.o t the )leas res4if the( are )leas res4of eating and drin*ing+ !ertainl( not, answered Si--ias& And what do (o the-+ #( no -eans& And will he thin* - %h of the other wa(s of ind lging the .od(4for e1a-)le, the a%5 isition of %ostl( rai-ent, or sandals, or other adorn-ents of the .od(+ Instead of %aring a.o t the-, does he not rather des)ise an(thing -ore than nat re needs+ 'hat do (o sa(+ I sho ld sa( the tr e )hiloso)her wo ld des)ise the-& 'o ld (o not sa( that he is entirel( %on%erned with the so l and not with the .od(+ He wo ld li*e, as far as he %an, to .e 5 it of the .od( and t rn to the so l& That is tr e& In -atters of this sort )hiloso)hers, a.o0e all other -en, -a( .e o.ser0ed in e0er( sort of wa( to disse0er the so l fro- the .od(& That is tr e& 'hereas, Si--ias, the rest of the world are of o)inion that a life sa( of the )leas res of lo0e4sho ld he %are a.o t t whi%h I will that the to .e %alled

whi%h has no .odil( )leas res and no )art in the- is not worth ha0ing/ . t that he who thin*s nothing of .odil( )leas res is al-ost as tho gh he were dead& That is 5 ite tr e& 'hat again shall we sa( of the a%t al a%5 ire-ent of *nowledge+4is the .od(, if in0ited to share in the in5 ir(, a hinderer or a hel)er+ I -ean to sa(, ha0e sight and hearing an( tr th in the-+ Are the( not, as the )oets are alwa(s telling s, ina%% rate witnesses+ and (et, if e0en the( are ina%% rate and indistin%t, what is to .e said of the other senses+4for (o will allow that the( are the .est of the-+ !ertainl(, he re)lied& Then when does the so l attain tr th+4for in atte-)ting to %onsider an(thing in %o-)an( with the .od( she is o.0io sl( de%ei0ed& ,es, that is tr e& Then - st not e1isten%e .e re0ealed to her in tho ght, if at all+ ,es& And tho ght none of these nor an( )leas .od(, and has is .est when the -ind is gathered into herself and things tro .le her4neither so nds nor sights nor )ain re4when she has as little as )ossi.le to do with the no .odil( sense or feeling, . t is as)iring after .eing+

That is tr e& And in this the )hiloso)her dishonors the .od(/ his so l r ns awa( fro- the .od( and desires to .e alone and .( herself+ That is tr e& 'ell, . t there is another thing, Si--ias$ Is there or is there not an a.sol te 6 sti%e+ Ass redl( there is& And an a.sol te .ea t( and a.sol te good+ Of %o rse& # t did (o e0er .ehold an( of the- with (o r e(es+

!ertainl( not& Or did (o e0er rea%h the- with an( other .odil( sense+ 2and I s)ea* not of these alone, . t of a.sol te greatness, and health, and strength, and of the essen%e or tr e nat re of e0er(thing3& Has the realit( of the- e0er .een )er%ei0ed .( (o thro gh the .odil( organs+ or rather, is not the nearest a))roa%h to the *nowledge of their se0eral nat res -ade .( hi- who so orders his intelle%t al 0ision as to ha0e the -ost e1a%t %on%e)tion of the essen%e of that

whi%h he %onsiders+ !ertainl(& And he attains to the *nowledge of the- in their highest ) rit( who goes to ea%h of the- with the -ind alone, not allowing when in the a%t of tho ght the intr sion or introd %tion of sight or an( other sense in the %o-)an( of reason, . t with the 0er( light of the -ind in her %learness )enetrates into the 0er( fight of tr th in ea%h/ he has got rid, as far as he %an, of e(es and ears and of the whole .od(, whi%h he %on%ei0es of onl( as a dist r.ing ele-ent, hindering the so l fro- the a%5 isition of *nowledge when in %o-)an( with her4is not this the sort of -an who, if e0er -an did, is li*el( to attain the *nowledge of e1isten%e+ There is ad-ira.le tr th in that, So%rates, re)lied Si--ias& And when the( %onsider all this, - st not tr e )hiloso)hers -a*e a refle%tion, of whi%h the( will s)ea* to one another in s %h words as these$ 'e ha0e fo nd, the( will sa(, a )ath of s)e% lation whi%h see-s to .ring s and the arg -ent to the %on%l sion that while we are in the .od(, and while the so l is -ingled with this -ass of e0il, o r desire will not .e satisfied, and o r desire is of the tr th& For the .od( is a so r%e of endless tro .le to s .( reason of the -ere re5 ire-ent of food/ and also is lia.le to diseases whi%h o0erta*e and i-)ede s in the sear%h after tr th$ and .( filling s so f ll of lo0es, and l sts, and fears, and fan%ies, and idols, and e0er( sort of foll(, )re0ents o r e0er ha0ing, as )eo)le sa(, so - %h as a tho ght& For when%e %o-e wars, and fightings, and fa%tions+ when%e . t fro- the .od( and the l sts of the .od(+ For wars are o%%asioned .( the lo0e of -one(, and -one( has to .e a%5 ired for the sa*e and in the ser0i%e of the .od(/ and in %onse5 en%e of all these things the ti-e whi%h o ght to .e gi0en to )hiloso)h( is lost& "oreo0er, if there is ti-e and an in%lination toward )hiloso)h(, (et the .od( introd %es a t r-oil and %onf sion and fear into the %o rse of s)e% lation, and hinders s fro- seeing the tr th$ and all e1)erien%e shows that if we wo ld ha0e ) re *nowledge of an(thing we - st .e 5 it of the .od(, and the so l in herself - st .ehold all things in the-sel0es$ then I s ))ose that we shall attain that whi%h we desire, and of whi%h we sa( that we are lo0ers, and that is wisdo-, not while we li0e, . t after death, as the arg -ent shows/ for if while in %o-)an( with the .od( the so l %annot ha0e ) re *nowledge, one of two things see-s to follow4either *nowledge is not to .e attained at all, or, if at all, after death& For then, and not till then, the so l will .e in herself alone and witho t the .od(& In this )resent life, I re%*on that we -a*e the nearest a))roa%h to *nowledge when we ha0e the least )ossi.le %on%ern or interest in the .od(, and are not sat rated with the .odil( nat re, . t re-ain ) re ntil the ho r when God hi-self is )leased to release s& And then the foolishness of the .od( will .e %leared awa( and we shall .e ) re and hold %on0erse with other ) re so ls, and *now of o rsel0es the %lear light e0er(where/ and this is s rel( the light of tr th& For no i-) re thing is allowed to a))roa%h the ) re& These are the sort of words, Si--ias, whi%h the tr e lo0ers of wisdo- %annot hel) sa(ing to one another, and thin*ing& ,o will agree with -e in that+ !ertainl(, So%rates&

# t if this is tr e, O -( friend, then there is great ho)e that, going whither I go, I shall there .e satisfied with that whi%h has .een the %hief %on%ern of (o and -e in o r )ast li0es& And now that the ho r of de)art re is a))ointed to -e, this is the ho)e with whi%h I de)art, and not I onl(, . t e0er( -an who .elie0es that he has his -ind ) rified& !ertainl(, re)lied Si--ias& And what is ) rifi%ation . t the se)aration of the so l fro- the .od(, as I was sa(ing .efore/ the ha.it of the so l gathering and %olle%ting herself into herself, o t of all the %o rses of the .od(/ the dwelling in her own )la%e alone, as in another life, so also in this, as far as she %an/ the release of the so l fro- the %hains of the .od(+ <er( tr e, he said& And what is that whi%h is ter-ed death, . t this 0er( se)aration and release of the so l fro- the .od(+ To .e s re, he said& And the tr e )hiloso)hers, and the( onl(, st d( and are eager to release the so l& Is not the se)aration and release of the so l frothe .od( their es)e%ial st d(+ That is tr e& And as I was sa(ing at first, there wo ld .e a ridi% lo s %ontradi%tion in -en st d(ing to li0e as nearl( as the( %an in a state of death, and (et re)ining when death %o-es& !ertainl(& Then, Si--ias, as the tr e )hiloso)hers are e0er st d(ing death, to the-, of all -en, death is the least terri.le& Loo* at the -atter in this wa($ how in%onsistent of the- to ha0e .een alwa(s ene-ies of the .od(, and wanting to ha0e the so l alone, and when this is granted to the-, to .e tre-.ling and re)ining/ instead of re6oi%ing at their de)arting to that )la%e where, when the( arri0e, the( ho)e to gain that whi%h in life the( lo0ed 2and this was wisdo-3, and at the sa-e ti-e to .e rid of the %o-)an( of their ene-(& "an( a -an has .een willing to go to the world .elow in the ho)e of seeing there an earthl( lo0e, or wife, or son, and %on0ersing with the-& And will he who is a tr e lo0er of wisdo-, and is )ers aded in li*e -anner that onl( in the world .elow he %an worthil( en6o( her, still re)ine at death+ 'ill he not de)art with 6o(+ S rel( he will, -( friend, if he .e a tr e )hiloso)her& For he will ha0e a fir- %on0i%tion that there onl(, and nowhere else, he %an find wisdo- in her ) rit(& And if this .e tr e, he wo ld .e 0er( a.s rd, as I was sa(ing, if he were to fear death& He wo ld, indeed, re)lied Si--ias& And when (o see a -an who is re)ining at the a))roa%h of death,

is not his rel %tan%e a s ffi%ient )roof that he is not a lo0er of wisdo-, . t a lo0er of the .od(, and )ro.a.l( at the sa-e ti-e a lo0er of either -one( or )ower, or .oth+ That is 0er( tr e, he re)lied& There is a 0irt e, Si--ias, whi%h is na-ed %o rage& Is not that a s)e%ial attri. te of the )hiloso)her+ !ertainl(& Again, there is te-)eran%e& Is not the %al-, and %ontrol, and disdain of the )assions whi%h e0en the -an( %all te-)eran%e, a 5 alit( .elonging onl( to those who des)ise the .od( and li0e in )hiloso)h(+ That is not to .e denied& For the %o rage and te-)eran%e of other -en, if (o the-, are reall( a %ontradi%tion& How is that, So%rates+ 'ell, he said, (o are aware that death is regarded .( -en in general as a great e0il& That is tr e, he said& And do not %o rageo s -en end re death .e%a se the( are afraid of (et greater e0ils+ That is tr e& Then all . t the )hiloso)hers are %o rageo s onl( fro- fear, and .e%a se the( are afraid/ and (et that a -an sho ld .e %o rageo s fro- fear, and .e%a se he is a %oward, is s rel( a strange thing& <er( tr e& And are not the te-)erate e1a%tl( in the sa-e %ase+ The( are te-)erate .e%a se the( are inte-)erate4whi%h -a( see- to .e a %ontradi%tion, . t is ne0ertheless the sort of thing whi%h ha))ens with this foolish te-)eran%e& For there are )leas res whi%h the( - st ha0e, and are afraid of losing/ and therefore the( a.stain froone %lass of )leas res .e%a se the( are o0er%o-e .( another$ and whereas inte-)eran%e is defined as 7.eing nder the do-inion of )leas re,7 the( o0er%o-e onl( .e%a se the( are o0er%o-e .( )leas re& And that is what I -ean .( sa(ing that the( are te-)erate thro gh inte-)eran%e& That a))ears to .e tr e& ,et the e1%hange of one fear or )leas re or )ain for another fear or )leas re or )ain, whi%h are -eas red li*e %oins, the greater with the less, is not the e1%hange of 0irt e& O -( dear Si--ias, is there not one tr e %oin for whi%h all things o ght to e1%hange+4and that is wisdo-/ and onl( in e1%hange for this, and in %o-)an( with this, is an(thing tr l( .o ght or sold, whether %o rage or te-)eran%e or will %onsider

6 sti%e& And is not all tr e 0irt e the %o-)anion of wisdo-, no -atter what fears or )leas res or other si-ilar goods or e0ils -a( or -a( not attend her+ # t the 0irt e whi%h is -ade ) of these goods, when the( are se0ered fro- wisdo- and e1%hanged with one another, is a shadow of 0irt e onl(, nor is there an( freedo- or health or tr th in her/ . t in the tr e e1%hange there is a ) rging awa( of all these things, and te-)eran%e, and 6 sti%e, and %o rage, and wisdoherself are a ) rgation of the-& And I %on%ei0e that the fo nders of the -(steries had a real -eaning and were not -ere triflers when the( inti-ated in a fig re long ago that he who )asses nsan%tified and ninitiated into the world .elow will li0e in a slo gh, . t that he who arri0es there after initiation and ) rifi%ation will dwell with the gods& For 7-an(,7 as the( sa( in the -(steries, 7are the th(rs s .earers, . t few are the -(sti%s,74-eaning, as I inter)ret the words, the tr e )hiloso)hers& In the n -.er of who- I ha0e .een see*ing, a%%ording to -( a.ilit(, to find a )la%e d ring -( whole life/ whether I ha0e so ght in a right wa( or not, and whether I ha0e s %%eeded or not, I shall tr l( *now in a little while, if God will, when I -(self arri0e in the other world$ that is -( .elief& And now, Si--ias and !e.es, I ha0e answered those who %harge -e with not grie0ing or re)ining at )arting fro- (o and -( -asters in this world/ and I a- right in not re)ining, for I .elie0e that I shall find other -asters and friends who are as good in the world .elow& # t all -en %annot .elie0e this, and I shall .e glad if -( words ha0e an( -ore s %%ess with (o than with the 6 dges of the Athenians& !e.es answered$ I agree, So%rates, in the greater )art of what (o sa(& # t in what relates to the so l, -en are a)t to .e in%red lo s/ the( fear that when she lea0es the .od( her )la%e -a( .e nowhere, and that on the 0er( da( of death she -a( .e destro(ed and )erish4i--ediatel( on her release fro- the .od(, iss ing forth li*e s-o*e or air and 0anishing awa( into nothingness& For if she %o ld onl( hold together and .e herself after she was released fro- the e0ils of the .od(, there wo ld .e good reason to ho)e, So%rates, that what (o sa( is tr e& # t - %h )ers asion and -an( arg -ents are re5 ired in order to )ro0e that when the -an is dead the so l (et e1ists, and has an( for%e of intelligen%e& Tr e, !e.es, said So%rates/ and shall I s ggest that we tal* a little of the )ro.a.ilities of these things+ I a- s re, said !e.es, that I sho ld gread( li*e to *now (o r o)inion a.o t the-& I re%*on, said So%rates, that no one who heard -e now, not e0en if he were one of -( old ene-ies, the %o-i% )oets, %o ld a%% se -e of idle tal*ing a.o t -atters in whi%h I ha0e no %on%ern& Let s, then, if (o )lease, )ro%eed with the in5 ir(& 'hether the so ls of -en after death are or are not in the world .elow, is a 5 estion whi%h -a( .e arg ed in this -anner$ The an%ient do%trine of whi%h I ha0e .een s)ea*ing affir-s that the( go frothis into the other world, and ret rn hither, and are .orn fro- the dead& Now if this .e tr e, and the li0ing %o-e fro- the dead, then o r so ls - st .e in the other world, for if not, how %o ld the( .e .orn again+ And this wo ld .e %on%l si0e, if there were an( real e0iden%e that the li0ing are onl( .orn fro- the dead/ . t if there is no

e0iden%e of this, then other arg -ents will ha0e to .e add %ed& That is 0er( tr e, re)lied !e.es& Then let s %onsider this 5 estion, not in relation to -an onl(, . t in relation to ani-als generall(, and to )lants, and to e0er(thing of whi%h there is generation, and the )roof will .e easier& Are not all things whi%h ha0e o))osites generated o t of their o))osites+ I -ean s %h things as good and e0il, 6 st and n6 st4and there are inn -era.le other o))osites whi%h are generated o t of o))osites& And I want to show that this holds ni0ersall( of all o))osites/ I -ean to sa(, for e1a-)le, that an(thing whi%h .e%o-es greater - st .e%o-e greater after .eing less& Tr e& And that whi%h .e%o-es less - st ha0e .een on%e greater and then .e%o-e less& ,es& And the wea*er is generated fro- the stronger, and the swifter fro- the slower& <er( tr e& And the worse is fro- the .etter, and the -ore 6 st is fro- the -ore n6 st& Of %o rse& And is this tr e of all o))osites+ and are we %on0in%ed that all of the- are generated o t of o))osites+ ,es& And in this ni0ersal o))osition of all things, are there not also two inter-ediate )ro%esses whi%h are e0er going on, fro- one to the other, and .a%* again/ where there is a greater and a less there is also an inter-ediate )ro%ess of in%rease and di-in tion, and that whi%h grows is said to wa1, and that whi%h de%a(s to wane+ ,es, he said& And there are -an( other )ro%esses, s %h as di0ision and %o-)osition, %ooling and heating, whi%h e5 all( in0ol0e a )assage into and o t of one another& And this holds of all o))osites, e0en tho gh not alwa(s e1)ressed in words4the( are generated o t of one another, and there is a )assing or )ro%ess fro- one to the other of the-+ <er( tr e, he re)lied& 'ell, and is there not an o))osite of life, as slee) is the o))osite of wa*ing+ Tr e, he said&

And what is that+ Death, he answered& And these, then, are generated, if the( are o))osites, the one fro- the other, and ha0e there their two inter-ediate )ro%esses also+ Of %o rse& Now, said So%rates, I will anal(=e one of the two )airs of o))osites whi%h I ha0e -entioned to (o , and also its inter-ediate )ro%esses, and (o shall anal(=e the other to -e& The state of slee) is o))osed to the state of wa*ing, and o t of slee)ing wa*ing is generated, and o t of wa*ing, slee)ing, and the )ro%ess of generation is in the one %ase falling aslee), and in the other wa*ing )& Are (o agreed a.o t that+ > ite agreed& Then s ))ose that (o anal(=e life and death to -e in the sa-e -anner& Is not death o))osed to life+ ,es& And the( are generated one fro- the other+ ,es& 'hat is generated fro- life+ Death& And what fro- death+ I %an onl( sa( in answer4life& Then the li0ing, whether things or )ersons, !e.es, are generated fro- the dead+ That is %lear, he re)lied& Then the inferen%e is, that o r so ls are in the world .elow+ That is tr e& And one of the two )ro%esses or generations is 0isi.le4for s rel( the a%t of d(ing is 0isi.le+ S rel(, he said& And -a( not the other .e inferred as the %o-)le-ent of nat re, who is not to .e s ))osed to go on one leg onl(+ And if not, a %orres)onding )ro%ess of generation in death - st also .e assigned to her+ !ertainl(, he re)lied&

And what is that )ro%ess+ Re0i0al& And re0i0al, if there .e s %h a thing, is the .irth of the dead into the world of the li0ing+ > ite tr e& Then there is a new wa( in whi%h we arri0e at the inferen%e that the li0ing %o-e fro- the dead, 6 st as the dead %o-e fro- the li0ing/ and if this is tr e, then the so ls of the dead - st .e in so-e )la%e o t of whi%h the( %o-e again& And this, as I thin*, has .een satisfa%toril( )ro0ed& ,es, So%rates, he said/ all this see-s to flow ne%essaril( o t of o r )re0io s ad-issions& And that these ad-issions are not nfair, !e.es, he said, -a( .e shown, as I thin*, in this wa($ If generation were in a straight line onl(, and there were no %o-)ensation or %ir%le in nat re, no t rn or ret rn into one another, then (o *now that all things wo ld at last ha0e the sa-e for- and )ass into the sa-e state, and there wo ld .e no -ore generation of the-& 'hat do (o -ean+ he said&

A si-)le thing eno gh, whi%h I will ill strate .( the %ase of slee), he re)lied& ,o *now that if there were no %o-)ensation of slee)ing and wa*ing, the stor( of the slee)ing End(-ion wo ld in the end ha0e no -eaning, .e%a se all other things wo ld .e aslee), too, and he wo ld not .e tho ght of& Or if there were %o-)osition onl(, and no di0ision of s .stan%es, then the %haos of Ana1agoras wo ld %o-e again& And in li*e -anner, -( dear !e.es, if all things whi%h )artoo* of life were to die, and after the( were dead re-ained in the for- of death, and did not %o-e to life again, all wo ld at last die, and nothing wo ld .e ali0e4how %o ld this .e otherwise+ For if the li0ing s)ring fro- an( others who are not the dead, and the( die, - st not all things at last .e swallowed ) in death+ There is no es%a)e fro- that, So%rates, said !e.es/ and I thin* that what (o sa( is entirel( tr e& ,es, he said, !e.es, I entirel( thin* so, too/ and we are not wal*ing in a 0ain i-agination/ . t I a- %onfident in the .elief that there tr l( is s %h a thing as li0ing again, and that the li0ing s)ring fro- the dead, and that the so ls of the dead are in e1isten%e, and that the good so ls ha0e a .etter )ortion than the e0il& !e.es added$ ,o r fa0orite do%trine, So%rates, that *nowledge is si-)l( re%olle%tion, if tr e, also ne%essaril( i-)lies a )re0io s ti-e in whi%h we learned that whi%h we now re%olle%t& # t this wo ld .e i-)ossi.le nless o r so l was in so-e )la%e .efore e1isting in the h -an for-/ here, then, is another arg -ent of the so l9s i--ortalit(& # t tell -e, !e.es, said Si--ias, inter)osing, what )roofs are gi0en of this do%trine of re%olle%tion+ I a- not 0er( s re at this -o-ent

that I re-e-.er the-& One e1%ellent )roof, said !e.es, is afforded .( 5 estions& If (o ) t a 5 estion to a )erson in a right wa(, he will gi0e a tr e answer of hi-self/ . t how %o ld he do this nless there were *nowledge and right reason alread( in hi-+ And this is -ost %learl( shown when he is ta*en to a diagra- or to an(thing of that sort& # t if, said So%rates, (o are still in%red lo s, Si--ias, I wo ld as* (o whether (o -a( not agree with -e when (o loo* at the -atter in another wa(/ I -ean, if (o are still in%red lo s as to whether *nowledge is re%olle%tion& In%red lo s, I a- not, said Si--ias/ . t I want to ha0e this do%trine of re%olle%tion .ro ght to -( own re%olle%tion, and, frowhat !e.es has said, I a- .eginning to re%olle%t and .e %on0in%ed/ . t I sho ld still li*e to hear what -ore (o ha0e to sa(& This is what I wo ld sa(, he re)lied$ 'e sho ld agree, if I a- not -ista*en, that what a -an re%olle%ts he - st ha0e *nown at so-e )re0io s ti-e& <er( tr e& And what is the nat re of this re%olle%tion+ And, in as*ing this, I -ean to as* whether, when a )erson has alread( seen or heard or in an( wa( )er%ei0ed an(thing, and he *nows not onl( that, . t so-ething else of whi%h he has not the sa-e, . t another *nowledge, we -a( not fairl( sa( that he re%olle%ts that whi%h %o-es into his -ind& Are we agreed a.o t that+ 'hat do (o -ean+

I -ean what I -a( ill strate .( the following instan%e$ The *nowledge of a l(re is not the sa-e as the *nowledge of a -an+ Tr e& And (et what is the feeling of lo0ers when the( re%ogni=e a l(re, or a gar-ent, or an(thing else whi%h the .elo0ed has .een in the ha.it of sing+ Do not the(, fro- *nowing the l(re, for- in the -ind9s e(e an i-age of the (o th to who- the l(re .elongs+ And this is re%olle%tion$ and in the sa-e wa( an(one who sees Si--ias -a( re-e-.er !e.es/ and there are endless other things of the sa-e nat re& ,es, indeed, there are4endless, re)lied Si--ias& And this sort of thing, he said, is re%olle%tion, and is -ost %o--onl( a )ro%ess of re%o0ering that whi%h has .een forgotten thro gh ti-e and inattention& <er( tr e, he said& 'ell/ and -a( (o not also fro- seeing the )i%t re of a horse or a l(re re-e-.er a -an+ and fro- the )i%t re of Si--ias, (o -a( .e led to re-e-.er !e.es+

Tr e& Or (o -a( also .e led to the re%olle%tion of Si--ias hi-self+

Tr e, he said& And in all these %ases, the re%olle%tion -a( .e deri0ed frothings either li*e or nli*e+ That is tr e& And when the re%olle%tion is deri0ed fro- li*e things, then there is s re to .e another 5 estion, whi%h is, whether the li*eness of that whi%h is re%olle%ted is in an( wa( defe%ti0e or not& <er( tr e, he said& And shall we )ro%eed a ste) f rther, and affir- that there is s %h a thing as e5 alit(, not of wood with wood, or of stone with stone, . t that, o0er and a.o0e this, there is e5 alit( in the a.stra%t+ Shall we affir- this+ Affir-, (es, and swear to it, re)lied Si--ias, with all the %onfiden%e in life& And do we *now the nat re of this a.stra%t essen%e+ To .e s re, he said& And when%e did we o.tain this *nowledge+ Did we not see e5 alities of -aterial things, s %h as )ie%es of wood and stones, and gather frothe- the idea of an e5 alit( whi%h is different fro- the-+4(o will ad-it that+ Or loo* at the -atter again in this wa($ Do not the sa-e )ie%es of wood or stone a))ear at one ti-e e5 al, and at another ti-e ne5 al+ That is %ertain& # t are real e5 als e0er ine5 alit(+ ne5 al+ or is the idea of e5 alit( e0er

That s rel( was ne0er (et *nown, So%rates& Then these 2so4%alled3 e5 als are not the sa-e with the idea of e5 alit(+ I sho ld sa(, %learl( not, So%rates& And (et fro- these e5 als, altho gh differing fro- the idea of e5 alit(, (o %on%ei0ed and attained that idea+ <er( tr e, he said& 'hi%h -ight .e li*e, or -ight .e ,es& nli*e the-+

# t that -a*es no differen%e/ whene0er fro- seeing one thing (o %on%ei0ed another, whether li*e or nli*e, there - st s rel( ha0e .een an a%t of re%olle%tion+ <er( tr e& # t what wo ld (o sa( of e5 al )ortions of wood and stone, or other -aterial e5 als+ and what is the i-)ression )rod %ed .( the-+ Are the( e5 als in the sa-e sense as a.sol te e5 alit(+ or do the( fall short of this in a -eas re+ ,es, he said, in a 0er( great -eas re, too& And - st we not allow that when I or an(one loo* at an( o.6e%t, and )er%ei0e that the o.6e%t ai-s at .eing so-e other thing, . t falls short of, and %annot attain to it4he who -a*es this o.ser0ation - st ha0e had )re0io s *nowledge of that to whi%h, as he sa(s, the other, altho gh si-ilar, was inferior+ !ertainl(& And has not this .een o r %ase in the -atter of e5 als and of a.sol te e5 alit(+ Pre%isel(& Then we - st ha0e *nown a.sol te e5 alit( )re0io sl( to the ti-e when we first saw the -aterial e5 als, and refle%ted that all these a))arent e5 als ai- at this a.sol te e5 alit(, . t fall short of it+ That is tr e& And we re%ogni=e also that this a.sol te e5 alit( has onl( .een *nown, and %an onl( .e *nown, thro gh the -edi - of sight or to %h, or of so-e other sense& And this I wo ld affir- of all s %h %on%e)tions& ,es, So%rates, as far as the arg -ent is %on%erned, one of the- is the sa-e as the other& And fro- the senses, then, is deri0ed the *nowledge that all sensi.le things ai- at an idea of e5 alit( of whi%h the( fall short4is not that tr e+ ,es& Then .efore we .egan to see or hear or )er%ei0e in an( wa(, we - st ha0e had a *nowledge of a.sol te e5 alit(, or we %o ld not ha0e referred to that the e5 als whi%h are deri0ed fro- the senses4for to that the( all as)ire, and of that the( fall short+ That, So%rates, is %ertainl( to .e inferred fro- the )re0io s state-ents& And did we not see and hear and a%5 ire o r other senses as soon as we were .orn+ !ertainl(&

Then we - st ha0e a%5 ired the *nowledge of the ideal e5 al at so-e ti-e )re0io s to this+ ,es& That is to sa(, .efore we were .orn, I s ))ose+ Tr e& And if we a%5 ired this *nowledge .efore we were .orn, and were .orn ha0ing it, then we also *new .efore we were .orn and at the instant of .irth not onl( e5 al or the greater or the less, . t all other ideas/ for we are not s)ea*ing onl( of e5 alit( a.sol te, . t of .ea t(, goodness, 6 sti%e, holiness, and all whi%h we sta-) with the na-e of essen%e in the diale%ti%al )ro%ess, when we as* and answer 5 estions& Of all this we -a( %ertainl( affir- that we a%5 ired the *nowledge .efore .irth+ That is tr e& # t if, after ha0ing a%5 ired, we ha0e not forgotten that whi%h we a%5 ired, then we - st alwa(s ha0e .een .orn with *nowledge, and shall alwa(s %ontin e to *now as long as life lasts4for *nowing is the a%5 iring and retaining *nowledge and not forgetting& Is not forgetting, Si--ias, 6 st the losing of *nowledge+ > ite tr e, So%rates& # t if the *nowledge whi%h we a%5 ired .efore .irth was lost .( s at .irth, and afterwards .( the se of the senses we re%o0ered that whi%h we )re0io sl( *new, will not that whi%h we %all learning .e a )ro%ess of re%o0ering o r *nowledge, and -a( not this .e rightl( ter-ed re%olle%tion .( s+ <er( tr e& For this is %lear, that when we )er%ei0ed so-ething, either .( the hel) of sight or hearing, or so-e other sense, there was no diffi% lt( in re%ei0ing fro- this a %on%e)tion of so-e other thing li*e or nli*e whi%h had .een forgotten and whi%h was asso%iated with this/ and therefore, as I was sa(ing, one of two alternati0es follows$ either we had this *nowledge at .irth, and %ontin ed to *now thro gh life/ or, after .irth, those who are said to learn onl( re-e-.er, and learning is re%olle%tion onl(& ,es, that is 5 ite tr e, So%rates& And whi%h alternati0e, Si--ias, do (o )refer+ Had we the *nowledge at o r .irth, or did we re-e-.er afterwards the things whi%h we *new )re0io sl( to o r .irth+ I %annot de%ide at the -o-ent& At an( rate (o %an de%ide whether he who has *nowledge o ght or o ght not to .e a.le to gi0e a reason for what he *nows&

!ertainl(, he o ght& # t do (o thin* that e0er( -an is a.le to gi0e a reason a.o t these 0er( -atters of whi%h we are s)ea*ing+ I wish that the( %o ld, So%rates, . t I greatl( fear that to4-orrow at this ti-e there will .e no one a.le to gi0e a reason worth ha0ing& Then (o things+ are not of o)inion, Si--ias, that all -en *now these

!ertainl( not& Then the( are in )ro%ess of re%olle%ting that whi%h the( learned .efore& !ertainl(& # t when did o r so ls a%5 ire this *nowledge+4not sin%e we were .orn as -en+ !ertainl( not& And therefore )re0io sl(+ ,es& Then, Si--ias, o r so ls - st ha0e e1isted .efore the( were in the for- of -an4witho t .odies, and - st ha0e had intelligen%e& Unless indeed (o s ))ose, So%rates, that these notions were gi0en s at the -o-ent of .irth/ for this is the onl( ti-e that re-ains& ,es, -( friend, . t when did we lose the-+ for the( are not in s when we are .orn4that is ad-itted& Did we lose the- at the -o-ent of re%ei0ing the-, or at so-e other ti-e+ No, So%rates, I )er%ei0e that I was n%ons%io sl( tal*ing nonsense&

Then -a( we not sa(, Si--ias, that if, as we are alwa(s re)eating, there is an a.sol te .ea t(, and goodness, and essen%e in general, and to this, whi%h is now dis%o0ered to .e a )re0io s %ondition of o r .eing, we refer all o r sensations, and with this %o-)are the-4ass -ing this to ha0e a )rior e1isten%e, then o r so ls - st ha0e had a )rior e1isten%e, . t if not, there wo ld .e no for%e in the arg -ent+ There %an .e no do .t that if these a.sol te ideas e1isted .efore we were .orn, then o r so ls - st ha0e e1isted .efore we were .orn, and if not the ideas, then not the so ls& ,es, So%rates/ I a- %on0in%ed that there is )re%isel( the sa-e ne%essit( for the e1isten%e of the so l .efore .irth, and of the essen%e of whi%h (o are s)ea*ing$ and the arg -ent arri0es at a res lt whi%h ha))il( agrees with -( own notion& For there is nothing whi%h to -( -ind is so e0ident as that .ea t(, goodness, and other notions of whi%h (o were 6 st now s)ea*ing ha0e a -ost real and a.sol te e1isten%e/ and I a- satisfied with the )roof&

'ell, . t is !e.es e5 all( satisfied+ for I - st %on0in%e hi- too& I thin*, said Si--ias, that !e.es is satisfied$ altho gh he is the -ost in%red lo s of -ortals, (et I .elie0e that he is %on0in%ed of the e1isten%e of the so l .efore .irth& # t that after death the so l will %ontin e to e1ist is not (et )ro0en e0en to -( own satisfa%tion& I %annot get rid of the feeling of the -an( to whi%h !e.es was referring4the feeling that when the -an dies the so l -a( .e s%attered, and that this -a( .e the end of her& For ad-itting that she -a( .e generated and %reated in so-e other )la%e, and -a( ha0e e1isted .efore entering the h -an .od(, wh( after ha0ing entered in and gone o t again -a( she not herself .e destro(ed and %o-e to an end+ <er( tr e, .orn was the )ro0en/ that is the other s ))lied& Si--ias, said first half of the so l will half of whi%h !e.es/ that o r so l e1isted .efore we were the arg -ent, and this a))ears to ha0e .een e1ist after death as well as .efore .irth the )roof is still wanting, and has to .e

# t that )roof, Si--ias and !e.es, has .een alread( gi0en, said So%rates, if (o ) t the two arg -ents together4I -ean this and the for-er one, in whi%h we ad-itted that e0er(thing li0ing is .orn of the dead& For if the so l e1isted .efore .irth, and in %o-ing to life and .eing .orn %an .e .orn onl( fro- death and d(ing, - st she not after death %ontin e to e1ist, sin%e she has to .e .orn again+ s rel( the )roof whi%h (o desire has .een alread( f rnished& Still I s s)e%t that (o and Si--ias wo ld .e glad to )ro.e the arg -ent f rther/ li*e %hildren, (o are ha nted with a fear that when the so l lea0es the .od(, the wind -a( reall( .low her awa( and s%atter her/ es)e%iall( if a -an sho ld ha))en to die in stor-( weather and not when the s*( is %al-& !e.es answered of o r fears4and there is a %hild too we - st )ers dar*& (o with a s-ile$ Then, So%rates, (o - st arg e s o t (et, stri%tl( s)ea*ing, the( are not o r fears, . t within s to who- death is a sort of ho.go.lin/ hiade not to .e afraid when he is alone with hi- in the ntil

So%rates said$ Let the 0oi%e of the %har-er .e a))lied dail( ha0e %har-ed hi- awa(&

And where shall we find a good %har-er of o r fears, So%rates, when (o are gone+ Hellas, he re)lied, is a large )la%e, !e.es, and has -an( good -en, and there are .ar.aro s ra%es not a few$ see* for hi- a-ong the- all, far and wide, s)aring neither )ains nor -one(/ for there is no .etter wa( of sing (o r -one(& And (o - st not forget to see* for hi- a-ong (o rsel0es too/ for he is nowhere -ore li*el( to .e fo nd& The sear%h, re)lied !e.es, shall %ertainl( .e -ade& And now, if (o )lease, let s ret rn to the )oint of the arg -ent at whi%h we digressed& #( all -eans, re)lied So%rates/ what else sho ld I )lease+

<er( good, he said& " st we not, said So%rates, as* o rsel0es so-e 5 estion of this sort+4'hat is that whi%h, as we i-agine, is lia.le to .e s%attered awa(, and a.o t whi%h we fear+ and what again is that a.o t whi%h we ha0e no fear+ And then we -a( )ro%eed to in5 ire whether that whi%h s ffers dis)ersion is or is not of the nat re of so l4o r ho)es and fears as to o r own so ls will t rn )on that& That is tr e, he said& Now the %o-)o nd or %o-)osite -a( .e s ))osed to .e nat rall( %a)a.le of .eing dissol0ed in li*e -anner as of .eing %o-)o nded/ . t that whi%h is n%o-)o nded, and that onl(, - st .e, if an(thing is, indissol .le& ,es/ that is what I sho ld i-agine, said !e.es& And the n%o-)o nded -a( .e ass -ed to .e the sa-e and n%hanging, where the %o-)o nd is alwa(s %hanging and ne0er the sa-e+ That I also thin*, he said& Then now let s ret rn to the )re0io s dis% ssion& Is that idea or essen%e, whi%h in the diale%ti%al )ro%ess we define as essen%e of tr e e1isten%e4whether essen%e of e5 alit(, .ea t(, or an(thing else$ are these essen%es, I sa(, lia.le at ti-es to so-e degree of %hange+ or are the( ea%h of the- alwa(s what the( are, ha0ing the sa-e si-)le, self4e1istent and n%hanging for-s, and not ad-itting of 0ariation at all, or in an( wa(, or at an( ti-e+ The( - st .e alwa(s the sa-e, So%rates, re)lied !e.es& And what wo ld (o sa( of the -an( .ea tif l4whether -en or horses or gar-ents or an( other things whi%h -a( .e %alled e5 al or .ea tif l4are the( all n%hanging and the sa-e alwa(s, or 5 ite the re0erse+ "a( the( not rather .e des%ri.ed as al-ost alwa(s %hanging and hardl( e0er the sa-e either with the-sel0es or with one another+ The latter, re)lied !e.es/ the( are alwa(s in a state of %hange& And these (o %an to %h and see and )er%ei0e with the senses, . t the n%hanging things (o %an onl( )er%ei0e with the -ind4the( are in0isi.le and are not seen+ That is 0er( tr e, he said& 'ell, then, he added, let s s ))ose that there are two sorts of e1isten%es, one seen, the other nseen& Let s s ))ose the-& nseen is the n%hanging&

The seen is the %hanging, and the That -a( .e also s ))osed&

And, f rther, is not one )art of To .e s re&

s .od(, and the rest of

s so l+

And to whi%h %lass -a( we sa( that the .od( is -ore ali*e and a*in+ !learl( to the seen$ no one %an do .t that& And is the so l seen or not seen+ Not .( -an, So%rates& And .( 7seen7 and 7not seen7 is -eant .( not 0isi.le to the e(e of -an+ ,es, to the e(e of -an& And what do we sa( of the so l+ is that seen or not seen+ Not seen& Unseen then+ ,es& Then the so l is -ore li*e to the That is -ost %ertain, So%rates& And were we not sa(ing long ago that the so l when sing the .od( as an instr -ent of )er%e)tion, that is to sa(, when sing the sense of sight or hearing or so-e other sense 2for the -eaning of )er%ei0ing thro gh the .od( is )er%ei0ing thro gh the senses34were we not sa(ing that the so l too is then dragged .( the .od( into the region of the %hangea.le, and wanders and is %onf sed/ the world s)ins ro nd her, and she is li*e a dr n*ard when nder their infl en%e+ <er( tr e& # t when ret rning into herself she refle%ts/ then she )asses into the real- of ) rit(, and eternit(, and i--ortalit(, and n%hangea.leness, whi%h are her *indred, and with the- she e0er li0es, when she is .( herself and is not let or hindered/ then she %eases fro- her erring wa(s, and .eing in %o-- nion with the n%hanging is n%hanging& And this state of the so l is %alled wisdo-+ That is well and tr l( said, So%rates, he re)lied& And to whi%h %lass is the so l -ore nearl( ali*e and a*in, as far as -a( .e inferred fro- this arg -ent, as well as fro- the )re%eding one+ I thin*, So%rates, that, in the o)inion of e0er(one who follows the arg -ent, the so l will .e infinitel( -ore li*e the n%hangea.le e0en the -ost st )id )erson will not den( that& And the .od( is -ore li*e the %hanging+ nseen, and the .od( to the seen+ s that whi%h is or is

,es& ,et on%e -ore %onsider the -atter in this light$ 'hen the so l and the .od( are nited, then nat re orders the so l to r le and go0ern, and the .od( to o.e( and ser0e& Now whi%h of these two f n%tions is a*in to the di0ine+ and whi%h to the -ortal+ Does not the di0ine a))ear to (o to .e that whi%h nat rall( orders and r les, and the -ortal that whi%h is s .6e%t and ser0ant+ Tr e& And whi%h does the so l rese-.le+ The so l rese-.les the di0ine and the .od( the -ortal4there %an .e no do .t of that, So%rates& Then refle%t, !e.es$ is not the %on%l sion of the whole -atter this+4that the so l is in the 0er( li*eness of the di0ine, and i--ortal, and intelligi.le, and nifor-, and indissol .le, and n%hangea.le/ and the .od( is in the 0er( li*eness of the h -an, and -ortal, and nintelligi.le, and - ltifor-, and dissol .le, and %hangea.le& !an this, -( dear !e.es, .e denied+ No, indeed& # t if this is tr e, then is not the .od( lia.le to s)eed( dissol tion+ and is not the so l al-ost or altogether indissol .le+ !ertainl(& And do (o f rther o.ser0e, that after a -an is dead, the .od(, whi%h is the 0isi.le )art of -an, and has a 0isi.le fra-ewor*, whi%h is %alled a %or)se, and whi%h wo ld nat rall( .e dissol0ed and de%o-)osed and dissi)ated, is not dissol0ed or de%o-)osed at on%e, . t -a( re-ain for a good while, if the %onstit tion .e so nd at the ti-e of death, and the season of the (ear fa0ora.le+ For the .od( when shr n* and e-.al-ed, as is the % sto- in Eg()t, -a( re-ain al-ost entire thro gh infinite ages/ and e0en in de%a(, still there are so-e )ortions, s %h as the .ones and liga-ents, whi%h are )ra%ti%all( indestr %ti.le& ,o allow that+ ,es& And are we to s ))ose that the so l, whi%h is in0isi.le, in )assing to the tr e Hades, whi%h li*e her is in0isi.le, and ) re, and no.le, and on her wa( to the good and wise God, whither, if God will, -( so l is also soon to go4that the so l, I re)eat, if this .e her nat re and origin, is .lown awa( and )erishes i--ediatel( on 5 itting the .od( as the -an( sa(+ That %an ne0er .e, dear Si--ias and !e.es& The tr th rather is that the so l whi%h is ) re at de)arting draws after her no .odil( taint, ha0ing ne0er 0ol ntaril( had %onne%tion with the .od(, whi%h she is e0er a0oiding, herself gathered into herself 2for s %h a.stra%tion has .een the st d( of her life3&

And what does this -ean . t that she has .een a tr e dis%i)le of )hiloso)h( and has )ra%tised how to die easil(+ And is not )hiloso)h( the )ra%ti%e of death+ !ertainl(& That so l, I sa(, herself in0isi.le, de)arts to the in0isi.le worldto the di0ine and i--ortal and rational$ thither arri0ing, she li0es in .liss and is released fro- the error and foll( of -en, their fears and wild )assions and all other h -an ills, and fore0er dwells, as the( sa( of the initiated, in %o-)an( with the gods& Is not this tr e, !e.es+ ,es, said !e.es, .e(ond a do .t& # t the so l whi%h has .een )oll ted, and is i-) re at the ti-e of her de)art re, and is the %o-)anion and ser0ant of the .od( alwa(s, and is in lo0e with and fas%inated .( the .od( and .( the desires and )leas res of the .od(, ntil she is led to .elie0e that the tr th onl( e1ists in a .odil( for-, whi%h a -an -a( to %h and see and taste and se for the ) r)oses of his l sts4the so l, I -ean, a%% sto-ed to hate and fear and a0oid the intelle%t al )rin%i)le, whi%h to the .odil( e(e is dar* and in0isi.le, and %an .e attained onl( .( )hiloso)h(4do (o s ))ose that s %h a so l as this will de)art ) re and nallo(ed+ That is i-)ossi.le, he re)lied& She is engrossed .( the %or)oreal, whi%h the %ontin al asso%iation and %onstant %are of the .od( ha0e -ade nat ral to her& <er( tr e& And this, -( friend, -a( .e %on%ei0ed to .e that hea0(, weight(, earth( ele-ent of sight .( whi%h s %h a so l is de)ressed and dragged down again into the 0isi.le world, .e%a se she is afraid of the in0isi.le and of the world .elow4)rowling a.o t to-.s and se) l%hres, in the neigh.orhood of whi%h, as the( tell s, are seen %ertain ghostl( a))aritions of so ls whi%h ha0e not de)arted ) re, . t are %lo(ed with sight and therefore 0isi.le& That is 0er( li*el(, So%rates& ,es, that is 0er( li*el(, !e.es/ and these - st .e the so ls, not of the good, . t of the e0il, who are %o-)elled to wander a.o t s %h )la%es in )a(-ent of the )enalt( of their for-er e0il wa( of life/ and the( %ontin e to wander ntil the desire whi%h ha nts the- is satisfied and the( are i-)risoned in another .od(& And the( -a( .e s ))osed to .e fi1ed in the sa-e nat res whi%h the( had in their for-er life& 'hat nat res do (o -ean, So%rates+

I -ean to sa( that -en who ha0e followed after gl tton(, and wantonness, and dr n*enness, and ha0e had no tho ght of a0oiding the-, wo ld )ass into asses and ani-als of that sort& 'hat do (o thin*+

I thin* that e1%eedingl( )ro.a.le& And those who ha0e %hosen the )ortion of in6 sti%e, and t(rann(, and 0iolen%e, will )ass into wol0es, or into haw*s and *ites/ whither else %an we s ))ose the- to go+ ,es, said !e.es/ that is do .tless the )la%e of nat res s %h as theirs& And there is no diffi% lt(, he said, in assigning to all of the- )la%es answering to their se0eral nat res and )ro)ensities+ There is not, he said& E0en a-ong the- so-e are ha))ier than others/ and the ha))iest .oth in the-sel0es and their )la%e of a.ode are those who ha0e )ra%tised the %i0il and so%ial 0irt es whi%h are %alled te-)eran%e and 6 sti%e, and are a%5 ired .( ha.it and attention witho t )hiloso)h( and -ind& 'h( are the( the ha))iest+ #e%a se the( -a( .e e1)e%ted to )ass into so-e gentle, so%ial nat re whi%h is li*e their own, s %h as that of .ees or ants, or e0en .a%* again into the for- of -an, and 6 st and -oderate -en s)ring frothe-& That is not i-)ossi.le& # t he who is a )hiloso)her or lo0er of learning, and is entirel( ) re at de)arting, is alone )er-itted to rea%h the gods& And this is the reason, Si--ias and !e.es, wh( the tr e 0otaries of )hiloso)h( a.stain fro- all fleshl( l sts, and end re and ref se to gi0e the-sel0es ) to the-4not .e%a se the( fear )o0ert( or the r in of their fa-ilies, li*e the lo0ers of -one(, and the world in general/ nor li*e the lo0ers of )ower and honor, .e%a se the( dread the dishonor or disgra%e of e0il deeds& No, So%rates, that wo ld not .e%o-e the-, said !e.es& No, indeed, he re)lied/ and therefore the( who ha0e a %are of their so ls, and do not -erel( li0e in the fashions of the .od(, sa( farewell to all this/ the( will not wal* in the wa(s of the .lind$ and when )hiloso)h( offers the- ) rifi%ation and release fro- e0il, the( feel that the( o ght not to resist her infl en%e, and to her the( in%line, and whither she leads the( follow her& 'hat do (o -ean, So%rates+

I will tell (o , he said& The lo0ers of *nowledge are %ons%io s that their so ls, when )hiloso)h( re%ei0es the-, are si-)l( fastened and gl ed to their .odies$ the so l is onl( a.le to 0iew e1isten%e thro gh the .ars of a )rison, and not in her own nat re/ she is wallowing in the -ire of all ignoran%e/ and )hiloso)h(, seeing the terri.le nat re of her %onfine-ent, and that the %a)ti0e thro gh desire is led to %ons)ire in her own %a)ti0it( 2for the lo0ers of *nowledge are aware that this was the original state of the so l, and that when she was in this state )hiloso)h( re%ei0ed and gentl( %o nseled her, and wanted to release her, )ointing o t to her that the e(e is

f ll of de%eit, and also the ear and other senses, and )ers ading her to retire fro- the- in all . t the ne%essar( se of the- and to .e gathered ) and %olle%ted into herself, and to tr st onl( to herself and her own int itions of a.sol te e1isten%e, and -istr st that whi%h %o-es to her thro gh others and is s .6e%t to 0i%issit de34)hiloso)h( shows her that this is 0isi.le and tangi.le, . t that what she sees in her own nat re is intelle%t al and in0isi.le& And the so l of the tr e )hiloso)her thin*s that she o ght not to resist this deli0eran%e, and therefore a.stains fro)leas res and desires and )ains and fears, as far as she is a.le/ refle%ting that when a -an has great 6o(s or sorrows or fears or desires he s ffers fro- the-, not the sort of e0il whi%h -ight .e anti%i)ated4as, for e1a-)le, the loss of his health or )ro)ert(, whi%h he has sa%rifi%ed to his l sts4. t he has s ffered an e0il greater far, whi%h is the greatest and worst of all e0ils, and one of whi%h he ne0er thin*s& And what is that, So%rates+ said !e.es& 'h(, this$ 'hen the feeling of )leas re or )ain in the so l is -ost intense, all of s nat rall( s ))ose that the o.6e%t of this intense feeling is then )lainest and tr est$ . t this is not the %ase& <er( tr e& And this is the state in whi%h the so l is -ost enthralled .( the .od(& How is that+ 'h(, .e%a se ea%h )leas re and )ain is a sort of nail whi%h nails and ri0ets the so l to the .od(, and engrosses her and -a*es her .elie0e that to .e tr e whi%h the .od( affir-s to .e tr e/ and froagreeing with the .od( and ha0ing the sa-e delights she is o.liged to ha0e the sa-e ha.its and wa(s, and is not li*el( e0er to .e ) re at her de)art re to the world .elow, . t is alwa(s sat rated with the .od(/ so that she soon sin*s into another .od( and there ger-inates and grows, and has therefore no )art in the %o-- nion of the di0ine and ) re and si-)le& That is -ost tr e, So%rates, answered !e.es& And this, !e.es, is the reason wh( the tr e lo0ers of *nowledge are te-)erate and .ra0e/ and not for the reason whi%h the world gi0es& !ertainl( not& !ertainl( not: For not in that wa( does the so l of a )hiloso)her reason/ she will not as* )hiloso)h( to release her in order that when released she -a( deli0er herself ) again to the thraldo- of )leas res and )ains, doing a wor* onl( to .e ndone again, wea0ing instead of nwea0ing her Penelo)e9s we.& # t she will -a*e herself a %al- of )assion and follow Reason, and dwell in her, .eholding the tr e and di0ine 2whi%h is not -atter of o)inion3, and then%e deri0e no rish-ent& Th s she see*s to li0e while she li0es, and after death she ho)es to go to her own *indred and to .e freed fro- h -an ills& Ne0er fear, Si--ias and !e.es, that a so l whi%h has .een th s

n rt red and has had these ) rs its, will at her de)art re fro- the .od( .e s%attered and .lown awa( .( the winds and .e nowhere and nothing& 'hen So%rates had done s)ea*ing, for a %onsidera.le ti-e there was silen%e/ he hi-self and -ost of s a))eared to .e -editating on what had .een said/ onl( !e.es and Si--ias s)o*e a few words to one another& And So%rates o.ser0ing this as*ed the- what the( tho ght of the arg -ent, and whether there was an(thing wanting+ For, said he, - %h is still o)en to s s)i%ion and atta%*, if an(one were dis)osed to sift the -atter thoro ghl(& If (o are tal*ing of so-ething else I wo ld rather not interr )t (o , . t if (o are still do .tf l a.o t the arg -ent do not hesitate to sa( e1a%tl( what (o thin*, and let s ha0e an(thing .etter whi%h (o %an s ggest/ and if I a- li*el( to .e of an( se, allow -e to hel) (o & Si--ias said$ I - st %onfess, So%rates, that do .ts did arise in o r -inds, and ea%h of s was rging and in%iting the other to ) t the 5 estion whi%h he wanted to ha0e answered and whi%h neither of s li*ed to as*, fearing that o r i-)ort nit( -ight .e tro .leso-e nder )resent %ir% -stan%es& So%rates s-iled and said$ O Si--ias, how strange that is/ I a- not 0er( li*el( to )ers ade other -en that I do not regard -( )resent sit ation as a -isfort ne, if I a- na.le to )ers ade (o , and (o will *ee) fan%(ing that I a- at all -ore tro .led now than at an( other ti-e& 'ill (o not allow that I ha0e as - %h of the s)irit of )ro)he%( in -e as the swans+ For the(, when the( )er%ei0e that the( - st die, ha0ing s ng all their life long, do then sing -ore than e0er, re6oi%ing in the tho ght that the( are a.o t to go awa( to the god whose -inisters the( are& # t -en, .e%a se the( are the-sel0es afraid of death, slandero sl( affir- of the swans that the( sing a la-ent at the last, not %onsidering that no .ird sings when %old, or h ngr(, or in )ain, not e0en the nightingale, nor the swallow, nor (et the hoo)oe/ whi%h are said indeed to t ne a la( of sorrow, altho gh I do not .elie0e this to .e tr e of the- an( -ore than of the swans& # t .e%a se the( are sa%red to A)ollo and ha0e the gift of )ro)he%( and anti%i)ate the good things of another world, therefore the( sing and re6oi%e in that da( -ore than the( e0er did .efore& And I, too, .elie0ing -(self to .e the %onse%rated ser0ant of the sa-e God, and the fellow ser0ant of the swans, and thin*ing that I ha0e re%ei0ed fro- -( -aster gifts of )ro)he%( whi%h are not inferior to theirs, wo ld not go o t of life less -erril( than the swans& !ease to -ind then a.o t this, . t s)ea* and as* an(thing whi%h (o li*e, while the ele0en -agistrates of Athens allow& 'ell, So%rates, said Si--ias, then I will tell (o -( diffi% lt(, and !e.es will tell (o his& For I dare sa( that (o , So%rates, feel, as I do, how 0er( hard or al-ost i-)ossi.le is the attain-ent of an( %ertaint( a.o t 5 estions s %h as these in the )resent life& And (et I sho ld dee- hi- a %oward who did not )ro0e what is said a.o t the- to the tter-ost, or whose heart failed hi- .efore he had e1a-ined the- on e0er( side& For he sho ld )erse0ere ntil he has attained one of two things$ either he sho ld dis%o0er or learn the tr th a.o t the-/ or, if this is i-)ossi.le, I wo ld ha0e hi- ta*e the .est and -ost irrefraga.le of h -an notions, and let this .e the raft )on whi%h he sails thro gh life4not witho t ris*, as I ad-it, if

he %annot find so-e word of God whi%h will -ore s rel( and safel( %arr( hi-& And now, as (o .id -e, I will 0ent re to 5 estion (o , as I sho ld not li*e to re)roa%h -(self hereafter with not ha0ing said at the ti-e what I thin*& For when I %onsider the -atter either alone or with !e.es, the arg -ent does %ertainl( a))ear to -e, So%rates, to .e not s ffi%ient& So%rates answered$ I dare sa(, -( friend, that (o -a( .e right, . t I sho ld li*e to *now in what res)e%t the arg -ent is not s ffi%ient& In this res)e%t, re)lied Si--ias$ "ight not a )erson se the sa-e arg -ent a.o t har-on( and the l(re4-ight he not sa( that har-on( is a thing in0isi.le, in%or)oreal, fair, di0ine, a.iding in the l(re whi%h is har-oni=ed, . t that the l(re and the strings are -atter and -aterial, %o-)osite, earth(, and a*in to -ortalit(+ And when so-eone .rea*s the l(re, or % ts and rends the strings, then he who ta*es this 0iew wo ld arg e as (o do, and on the sa-e analog(, that the har-on( s r0i0es and has not )erished/ for (o %annot i-agine, as we wo ld sa(, that the l(re witho t the strings, and the .ro*en strings the-sel0es, re-ain, and (et that the har-on(, whi%h is of hea0enl( and i--ortal nat re and *indred, has )erished4and )erished too .efore the -ortal& The har-on(, he wo ld sa(, %ertainl( e1ists so-ewhere, and the wood and strings will de%a( .efore that de%a(s& For I s s)e%t, So%rates, that the notion of the so l whi%h we are all of s in%lined to entertain, wo ld also .e (o rs, and that (o too wo ld %on%ei0e the .od( to .e str ng ), and held together, .( the ele-ents of hot and %old, wet and dr(, and the li*e, and that the so l is the har-on( or d e )ro)ortionate ad-i1t re of the-& And, if this is tr e, the inferen%e %learl( is that when the strings of the .od( are nd l( loosened or o0erstrained thro gh disorder or other in6 r(, then the so l, tho gh -ost di0ine, li*e other har-onies of - si% or of the wor*s of art, of %o rse )erishes at on%e, altho gh the -aterial re-ains of the .od( -a( last for a %onsidera.le ti-e, ntil the( are either de%a(ed or . rnt& Now if an(one -aintained that the so l, .eing the har-on( of the ele-ents of the .od(, first )erishes in that whi%h is %alled death, how shall we answer hi-+ So%rates loo*ed ro nd at s as his -anner was, and said, with a s-ile$ Si--ias has reason on his side/ and wh( does not so-e one of (o who is a.ler than -(self answer hi-+ for there is for%e in his atta%* )on -e& # t )erha)s, .efore we answer hi-, we had .etter also hear what !e.es has to sa( against the arg -ent4this will gi0e s ti-e for refle%tion, and when .oth of the- ha0e s)o*en, we -a( either assent to the- if their words a))ear to .e in %onsonan%e with the tr th, or if not, we -a( ta*e ) the other side, and arg e with the-& Please to tell -e then, !e.es, he said, what was the diffi% lt( whi%h tro .led (o + !e.es said$ I will tell (o & "( feeling is that the arg -ent is still in the sa-e )osition, and o)en to the sa-e o.6e%tions whi%h were rged .efore/ for I a- read( to ad-it that the e1isten%e of the so l .efore entering into the .odil( for- has .een 0er( ingenio sl(, and, as I -a( .e allowed to sa(, 5 ite s ffi%ientl( )ro0en/ . t the e1isten%e of the so l after death is still, in -( 6 dg-ent, n)ro0en& Now -( o.6e%tion is not the sa-e as that of Si--ias/ for I a- not dis)osed to den( that the so l is stronger and -ore lasting than the .od(, .eing of o)inion that in all s %h res)e%ts the so l

0er( far e1%els the .od(& 'ell, then, sa(s the arg -ent to -e, wh( do (o re-ain n%on0in%ed+ 'hen (o see that the wea*er is still in e1isten%e after the -an is dead, will (o not ad-it that the -ore lasting - st also s r0i0e d ring the sa-e )eriod of ti-e+ Now I, li*e Si--ias, - st e-)lo( a fig re/ and I shall as* (o to %onsider whether the fig re is to the )oint& The )arallel whi%h I will s ))ose is that of an old wea0er, who dies, and after his death so-e.od( sa(s$ He is not dead, he - st .e ali0e/ and he a))eals to the %oat whi%h he hi-self wo0e and wore, and whi%h is still whole and nde%a(ed& And then he )ro%eeds to as* of so-eone who is in%red lo s, whether a -an lasts longer, or the %oat whi%h is in se and wear/ and when he is answered that a -an lasts far longer, thin*s that he has th s %ertainl( de-onstrated the s r0i0al of the -an, who is the -ore lasting, .e%a se the less lasting re-ains& # t that, Si--ias, as I wo ld .eg (o to o.ser0e, is not the tr th/ e0er(one sees that he who tal*s th s is tal*ing nonsense& For the tr th is that this wea0er, ha0ing worn and wo0en -an( s %h %oats, tho gh he o tli0ed se0eral of the-, was hi-self o tli0ed .( the last/ . t this is s rel( 0er( far fro- )ro0ing that a -an is slighter and wea*er than a %oat& Now the relation of the .od( to the so l -a( .e e1)ressed in a si-ilar fig re/ for (o -a( sa( with reason that the so l is lasting, and the .od( wea* and short4li0ed in %o-)arison& And e0er( so l -a( .e said to wear o t -an( .odies, es)e%iall( in the %o rse of a long life& For if while the -an is ali0e the .od( deli5 es%es and de%a(s, and (et the so l alwa(s wea0es her gar-ent anew and re)airs the waste, then of %o rse, when the so l )erishes, she - st ha0e on her last gar-ent, and this onl( will s r0i0e her/ . t then again when the so l is dead the .od( will at last show its nati0e wea*ness, and soon )ass into de%a(& And therefore this is an arg -ent on whi%h I wo ld rather not rel( as )ro0ing that the so l e1ists after death& For s ))ose that we grant e0en -ore than (o affir- as within the range of )ossi.ilit(, and .esides a%*nowledging that the so l e1isted .efore .irth ad-it also that after death the so ls of so-e are e1isting still, and will e1ist, and will .e .orn and die again and again, and that there is a nat ral strength in the so l whi%h will hold o t and .e .orn -an( ti-es4for all this, we -a( .e still in%lined to thin* that she will wear( in the la.ors of s %%essi0e .irths, and -a( at last s %% -. in one of her deaths and tterl( )erish/ and this death and dissol tion of the .od( whi%h .rings destr %tion to the so l -a( .e n*nown to an( of s, for no one of s %an ha0e had an( e1)erien%e of it$ and if this .e tr e, then I sa( that he who is %onfident in death has . t a foolish %onfiden%e, nless he is a.le to )ro0e that the so l is altogether i--ortal and i-)erisha.le& # t if he is not a.le to )ro0e this, he who is a.o t to die will alwa(s ha0e reason to fear that when the .od( is dis nited, the so l also -a( tterl( )erish& All of s, as we afterwards re-ar*ed to one another, had an n)leasant feeling at hearing the- sa( this& 'hen we had .een so fir-l( %on0in%ed .efore, now to ha0e o r faith sha*en see-ed to introd %e a %onf sion and n%ertaint(, not onl( into the )re0io s arg -ent, . t into an( f t re one/ either we were not good 6 dges, or there were no real gro nds of .elief& E%h& There I feel with (o 4indeed I do, Phaedo, and when (o were s)ea*ing, I was .eginning to as* -(self the sa-e 5 estion$ 'hat arg -ent %an I e0er tr st again+ For what %o ld .e -ore %on0in%ing

than the arg -ent of So%rates, whi%h has now fallen into dis%redit+ That the so l is a har-on( is a do%trine whi%h has alwa(s had a wonderf l attra%tion for -e, and, when -entioned, %a-e .a%* to -e at on%e, as -( own original %on0i%tion& And now I - st .egin again and find another arg -ent whi%h will ass re -e that when the -an is dead the so l dies not with hi-& Tell -e, I .eg, how did So%rates )ro%eed+ Did he a))ear to share the n)leasant feeling whi%h (o -ention+ or did he re%ei0e the interr )tion %al-l( and gi0e a s ffi%ient answer+ Tell s, as e1a%tl( as (o %an, what )assed& Phaed& Often, E%he%rates, as I ha0e ad-ired So%rates, I ne0er ad-ired hi- -ore than at that -o-ent& That he sho ld .e a.le to answer was nothing, . t what astonished -e was, first, the gentle and )leasant and a))ro0ing -anner in whi%h he regarded the words of the (o ng -en, and then his 5 i%* sense of the wo nd whi%h had .een infli%ted .( the arg -ent, and his read( a))li%ation of the healing art& He -ight .e %o-)ared to a general rall(ing his defeated and .ro*en ar-(, rging the- to follow hi- and ret rn to the field of arg -ent& E%h& How was that+ Phaed& ,o shall hear, for I was %lose to hi- on his right hand, seated on a sort of stool, and he on a %o %h whi%h was a good deal higher& Now he had a wa( of )la(ing with -( hair, and then he s-oothed -( head, and )ressed the hair )on -( ne%*, and said$ To4-orrow, Phaedo, I s ))ose that these fair lo%*s of (o rs will .e se0ered& ,es, So%rates, I s ))ose that the( will, I re)lied& Not so if (o will ta*e -( ad0i%e&

'hat shall I do with the-+ I said& To4da(, he re)lied, and not to4-orrow, if this arg -ent dies and %annot .e .ro ght to life again .( s, (o and I will .oth sha0e o r lo%*s/ and if I were (o , and %o ld not -aintain -( gro nd against Si--ias and !e.es, I wo ld -(self ta*e an oath, li*e the Argi0es, not to wear hair an( -ore ntil I had renewed the %onfli%t and defeated the-& ,es, I said, . t Hera%les hi-self is said not to .e a -at%h for two& S --on -e then, he said, and I will .e (o r Iola s goes down& ntil the s n

I s --on (o rather, I said, not as Hera%les s --oning Iola s, . t as Iola s -ight s --on Hera%les& That will .e all the sa-e, he said& # t first let that we a0oid a danger& And what is that+ I said& The danger of .e%o-ing -isologists, he re)lied, whi%h is one of the 0er( worst things that %an ha))en to s& For as there are -isanthro)ists or haters of -en, there are also -isologists or s ta*e %are

haters of ideas, and .oth s)ring fro- the sa-e %a se, whi%h is ignoran%e of the world& "isanthro)( arises fro- the too great %onfiden%e of ine1)erien%e/ (o tr st a -an and thin* hi- altogether tr e and good and faithf l, and then in a little while he t rns o t to .e false and *na0ish/ and then another and another, and when this has ha))ened se0eral ti-es to a -an, es)e%iall( within the %ir%le of his -ost tr sted friends, as he dee-s the-, and he has often 5 arreled with the-, he at last hates all -en, and .elie0es that no one has an( good in hi- at all& I dare sa( that (o - st ha0e o.ser0ed this& ,es, I said& And is not this dis%redita.le+ The reason is that a -an, ha0ing to deal with other -en, has no *nowledge of the-/ for if he had *nowledge he wo ld ha0e *nown the tr e state of the %ase, that few are the good and few the e0il, and that the great -a6orit( are in the inter0al .etween the-& How do (o -ean+ I said&

I -ean, he re)lied, as (o -ight sa( of the 0er( large and 0er( s-all, that nothing is -ore n%o--on than a 0er( large or a 0er( s-all -an/ and this a))lies generall( to all e1tre-es, whether of great and s-all, or swift and slow, or fair and fo l, or .la%* and white$ and whether the instan%es (o sele%t .e -en or dogs or an(thing else, few are the e1tre-es, . t -an( are in the -ean .etween the-& Did (o ne0er o.ser0e this+ ,es, I said, I ha0e& And do (o not i-agine, he said, that if there were a %o-)etition of e0il, the first in e0il wo ld .e fo nd to .e 0er( few+ ,es, that is 0er( li*el(, I said& ,es, that is 0er( li*el(, he re)lied/ not that in this res)e%t arg -ents are li*e -en4there I was led on .( (o to sa( -ore than I had intended/ . t the )oint of %o-)arison was that when a si-)le -an who has no s*ill in diale%ti%s .elie0es an arg -ent to .e tr e whi%h he afterwards i-agines to .e false, whether reall( false or not, and then another and another, he has no longer an( faith left, and great dis) ters, as (o *now, %o-e to thin*, at last that the( ha0e grown to .e the wisest of -an*ind/ for the( alone )er%ei0e the tter nso ndness and insta.ilit( of all arg -ents, or, indeed, of all things, whi%h, li*e the % rrents in the E ri) s, are going ) and down in ne0er4%easing e.. and flow& That is 5 ite tr e, I said& ,es, Phaedo, he re)lied, and 0er( -elan%hol( too, if there .e s %h a thing as tr th or %ertaint( or )ower of *nowing at all, that a -an sho ld ha0e lighted )on so-e arg -ent or other whi%h at first see-ed tr e and then t rned o t to .e false, and instead of .la-ing hi-self and his own want of wit, .e%a se he is anno(ed, sho ld at last .e too glad to transfer the .la-e fro- hi-self to arg -ents in general/ and fore0er afterwards sho ld hate and re0ile the-, and lose the tr th and *nowledge of e1isten%e&

,es, indeed, I said/ that is 0er( -elan%hol(& Let s, then, in the first )la%e, he said, .e %aref l of ad-itting into o r so ls the notion that there is no tr th or health or so ndness in an( arg -ents at all/ . t let s rather sa( that there is as (et no health in s, and that we - st 5 it o rsel0es li*e -en and do o r .est to gain health4(o and all other -en with a 0iew to the whole of (o r f t re life, and I -(self with a 0iew to death& For at this -o-ent I a- sensi.le that I ha0e not the te-)er of a )hiloso)her/ li*e the 0 lgar, I a- onl( a )artisan& For the )artisan, when he is engaged in a dis) te, %ares nothing a.o t the rights of the 5 estion, . t is an1io s onl( to %on0in%e his hearers of his own assertions& And the differen%e .etween hi- and -e at the )resent -o-ent is onl( this4that whereas he see*s to %on0in%e his hearers that what he sa(s is tr e, I a- rather see*ing to %on0in%e -(self/ to %on0in%e -( hearers is a se%ondar( -atter with -e& And do . t see how - %h I gain .( this& For if what I sa( is tr e, then I do well to .e )ers aded of the tr th, . t if there .e nothing after death, still, d ring the short ti-e that re-ains, I shall sa0e -( friends fro- la-entations, and -( ignoran%e will not last, and therefore no har- will .e done& This is the state of -ind, Si--ias and !e.es, in whi%h I a))roa%h the arg -ent& And I wo ld as* (o to .e thin*ing of the tr th and not of So%rates$ agree with -e, if I see- to (o to .e s)ea*ing the tr th/ or if not, withstand -e -ight and -ain, that I -a( not de%ei0e (o as well as -(self in -( enth sias-, and, li*e the .ee, lea0e -( sting in (o .efore I die& And now let s )ro%eed, he said& And first of all let -e .e s re that I ha0e in -( -ind what (o were sa(ing& Si--ias, if I re-e-.er rightl(, has fears and -isgi0ings whether the so l, .eing in the for- of har-on(, altho gh a fairer and di0iner thing than the .od(, -a( not )erish first& On the other hand, !e.es a))eared to grant that the so l was -ore lasting than the .od(, . t he said that no one %o ld *now whether the so l, after ha0ing worn o t -an( .odies, -ight not )erish herself and lea0e her last .od( .ehind her/ and that this is death, whi%h is the destr %tion not of the .od( . t of the so l, for in the .od( the wor* of destr %tion is e0er going on& Are not these, Si--ias and !e.es, the )oints whi%h we ha0e to %onsider+ The( .oth agreed to this state-ent of the-& He )ro%eeded$ And did (o den( the for%e of the whole )re%eding arg -ent, or of a )art onl(+ Of a )art onl(, the( re)lied& And what did (o thin*, he said, of that )art of the arg -ent in whi%h we said that *nowledge was re%olle%tion onl(, and inferred fro- this that the so l - st ha0e )re0io sl( e1isted so-ewhere else .efore she was en%losed in the .od(+ !e.es said that he had .een wonderf ll( i-)ressed .( that )art of the arg -ent, and that his %on0i%tion re-ained nsha*en& Si--ias agreed, and added that he hi-self %o ld hardl( i-agine the )ossi.ilit( of his e0er thin*ing differentl( a.o t that&

# t, re6oined So%rates, (o will ha0e to thin* differentl(, -( The.an friend, if (o still -aintain that har-on( is a %o-)o nd, and that the so l is a har-on( whi%h is -ade o t of strings set in the fra-e of the .od(/ for (o will s rel( ne0er allow (o rself to sa( that a har-on( is )rior to the ele-ents whi%h %o-)ose the har-on(& No, So%rates, that is i-)ossi.le& # t do (o not see that (o are sa(ing this when (o sa( that the so l e1isted .efore she too* the for- and .od( of -an, and was -ade ) of ele-ents whi%h as (et had no e1isten%e+ For har-on( is not a sort of thing li*e the so l, as (o s ))ose/ . t first the l(re, and the strings, and the so nds e1ist in a state of dis%ord, and then har-on( is -ade last of all, and )erishes first& And how %an s %h a notion of the so l as this agree with the other+ Not at all, re)lied Si--ias& And (et, he said, there s rel( o ght to .e har-on( when har-on( is the the-e of dis%o rse& There o ght, re)lied Si--ias& # t there is no har-on(, he said, in the two )ro)ositions that *nowledge is re%olle%tion, and that the so l is a har-on(& 'hi%h of the-, then, will (o retain+ I thin*, he re)lied, that I ha0e a - %h stronger faith, So%rates, in the first of the two, whi%h has .een f ll( de-onstrated to -e, than in the latter, whi%h has not .een de-onstrated at all, . t rests onl( on )ro.a.le and )la si.le gro nds/ and I *now too well that these arg -ents fro- )ro.a.ilities are i-)ostors, and nless great %a tion is o.ser0ed in the se of the- the( are a)t to .e de%e)ti0e4in geo-etr(, and in other things too& # t the do%trine of *nowledge and re%olle%tion has .een )ro0en to -e on tr stworth( gro nds/ and the )roof was that the so l - st ha0e e1isted .efore she %a-e into the .od(, .e%a se to her .elongs the essen%e of whi%h the 0er( na-e i-)lies e1isten%e& Ha0ing, as I a- %on0in%ed, rightl( a%%e)ted this %on%l sion, and on s ffi%ient gro nds, I - st, as I s ))ose, %ease to arg e or allow others to arg e that the so l is a har-on(& Let -e ) t the -atter, Si--ias, he said, in another )oint of 0iew$ Do (o i-agine that a har-on( or an( other %o-)osition %an .e in a state other than that of the ele-ents o t of whi%h it is %o-)o nded+ !ertainl( not& Or do or s ffer an(thing other than the( do or s ffer+ He agreed& Then a har-on( does not lead the )arts or ele-ents whi%h -a*e har-on(, . t onl( follows the-& He assented& For har-on( %annot )ossi.l( ha0e an( -otion, or so nd, or other ) the

5 alit( whi%h is o))osed to the )arts& That wo ld .e i-)ossi.le, he re)lied& And does not e0er( har-on( de)end ele-ents are har-oni=ed+ I do not nderstand (o , he said& )on the -anner in whi%h the

I -ean to sa( that a har-on( ad-its of degrees, and is -ore of a har-on(, and -ore %o-)letel( a har-on(, when -ore %o-)letel( har-oni=ed, if that .e )ossi.le/ and less of a har-on(, and less %o-)letel( a har-on(, when less har-oni=ed& Tr e& # t does the so l ad-it of degrees+ or is one so l in the 0er( least degree -ore or less, or -ore or less %o-)letel(, a so l than another+ Not in the least& ,et s rel( one so l is said to ha0e intelligen%e and 0irt e, and to .e good, and another so l is said to ha0e foll( and 0i%e, and to .e an e0il so l$ and this is said tr l(+ ,es, tr l(& # t what will those who -aintain the so l to .e a har-on( sa( of this )resen%e of 0irt e and 0i%e in the so l+4'ill the( sa( that there is another har-on(, and another dis%ord, and that the 0irt o s so l is har-oni=ed, and herself .eing a har-on( has another har-on( within her, and that the 0i%io s so l is inhar-oni%al and has no har-on( within her+ I %annot sa(, re)lied Si--ias/ . t I s ))ose that so-ething of that *ind wo ld .e asserted .( those who ta*e this 0iew& And the ad-ission is alread( -ade that no so l is -ore a so l than another/ and this is e5 i0alent to ad-itting that har-on( is not -ore or less har-on(, or -ore or less %o-)letel( a har-on(+ > ite tr e& And that whi%h is not -ore or less a har-on( is not -ore or less har-oni=ed+ Tr e& And that whi%h is not -ore or less har-oni=ed %annot ha0e -ore or less of har-on(, . t onl( an e5 al har-on(+ ,es, an e5 al har-on(& Then one so l not .eing -ore or less a.sol tel( a so l than another, is not -ore or less har-oni=ed+ E1a%tl(&

And therefore has neither -ore nor less of har-on( or of dis%ord+ She has not& And ha0ing neither -ore nor less of har-on( or of dis%ord, one so l has no -ore 0i%e or 0irt e than another, if 0i%e .e dis%ord and 0irt e har-on(+ Not at all -ore& Or s)ea*ing -ore %orre%tl(, Si--ias, the so l, if she is a har-on(, will ne0er ha0e an( 0i%e/ .e%a se a har-on(, .eing a.sol tel( a har-on(, has no )art in the inhar-oni%al+ No& And therefore a so l whi%h is a.sol tel( a so l has no 0i%e+ How %an she ha0e, %onsistentl( with the )re%eding arg -ent+ Then, a%%ording to this, if the so ls of all ani-als are e5 all( and a.sol tel( so ls, the( will .e e5 all( good+ I agree with (o , So%rates, he said& And %an all this .e tr e, thin* (o + he said/ and are all these %onse5 en%es ad-issi.le4whi%h ne0ertheless see- to follow fro- the ass -)tion that the so l is a har-on(+ !ertainl( not, he said& On%e -ore, he said, what r ling )rin%i)le is there of h -an things other than the so l, and es)e%iall( the wise so l+ Do (o *now of an(+ Indeed, I do not& And is the so l in agree-ent with the affe%tions of the .od(+ or is she at 0arian%e with the-+ For e1a-)le, when the .od( is hot and thirst(, does not the so l in%line s against drin*ing+ and when the .od( is h ngr(, against eating+ And this is onl( one instan%e o t of ten tho sand of the o))osition of the so l to the things of the .od(& <er( tr e& # t we ha0e alread( a%*nowledged that the so l, .eing a har-on(, %an ne0er tter a note at 0arian%e with the tensions and rela1ations and 0i.rations and other affe%tions of the strings o t of whi%h she is %o-)osed/ she %an onl( follow, she %annot lead the-+ ,es, he said, we a%*nowledged that, %ertainl(& And (et do we not now dis%o0er the so l to .e doing the e1a%t o))osite4leading the ele-ents of whi%h she is .elie0ed to .e %o-)osed/ al-ost alwa(s o))osing and %oer%ing the- in all sorts of wa(s thro gho t life, so-eti-es -ore 0iolentl( with the )ains of -edi%ine and g(-nasti%/ then again -ore gentl(/ threatening and also

re)ri-anding the desires, )assions, fears, as if tal*ing to a thing whi%h is not herself, as Ho-er in the 7Od(sse(7 re)resents Od(sse s doing in the words, 7He .eat his .reast, and th s re)roa%hed his heart$ End re, -( heart/ far worse hast tho end red:7

Do (o thin* that Ho-er %o ld ha0e written this nder the idea that the so l is a har-on( %a)a.le of .eing led .( the affe%tions of the .od(, and not rather of a nat re whi%h leads and -asters the-/ and herself a far di0iner thing than an( har-on(+ ,es, So%rates, I 5 ite agree to that& Then, -( friend, we %an ne0er .e right in sa(ing that the so l is a har-on(, for that wo ld %learl( %ontradi%t the di0ine Ho-er as well as o rsel0es& Tr e, he said& Th s - %h, said So%rates, of Har-onia, (o r The.an goddess, !e.es, who has not .een ngra%io s to s, I thin*/ . t what shall I sa( to the The.an !ad- s, and how shall I )ro)itiate hi-+ I thin* that (o will dis%o0er a wa( of )ro)itiating hi-, said !e.es/ I a- s re that (o ha0e answered the arg -ent a.o t har-on( in a -anner that I %o ld ne0er ha0e e1)e%ted& For when Si--ias -entioned his o.6e%tion, I 5 ite i-agined that no answer %o ld .e gi0en to hi-, and therefore I was s r)rised at finding that his arg -ent %o ld not s stain the first onset of (o rs/ and not i-)ossi.l( the other, who- (o %all !ad- s, -a( share a si-ilar fate& Na(, -( good friend, said So%rates, let s not .oast, lest so-e e0il e(e sho ld ) t to flight the word whi%h I a- a.o t to s)ea*& That, howe0er, -a( .e left in the hands of those a.o0e, while I draw near in Ho-eri% fashion, and tr( the -ettle of (o r words& #riefl(, the s - of (o r o.6e%tion is as follows$ ,o want to ha0e )ro0en to (o that the so l is i-)erisha.le and i--ortal, and (o thin* that the )hiloso)her who is %onfident in death has . t a 0ain and foolish %onfiden%e, if he thin*s that he will fare .etter than one who has led another sort of life, in the world .elow, nless he %an )ro0e this/ and (o sa( that the de-onstration of the strength and di0init( of the so l, and of her e1isten%e )rior to o r .e%o-ing -en, does not ne%essaril( i-)l( her i--ortalit(& Granting that the so l is longli0ed, and has *nown and done - %h in a for-er state, still she is not on that a%%o nt i--ortal/ and her entran%e into the h -an for- -a( .e a sort of disease whi%h is the .eginning of dissol tion, and -a( at last, after the toils of life are o0er, end in that whi%h is %alled death& And whether the so l enters into the .od( on%e onl( or -an( ti-es, that, as (o wo ld sa(, -a*es no differen%e in the fears of indi0id als& For an( -an, who is not de0oid of nat ral feeling, has reason to fear, if he has no *nowledge or )roof of the so l9s i--ortalit(& That is what I s ))ose (o to sa(, !e.es, whi%h I designedl( re)eat, in order that nothing -a( es%a)e s, and that (o -a(, if (o wish, add or s .tra%t an(thing&

# t, said !e.es, as far as I %an see at )resent, I ha0e nothing to add or s .tra%t/ (o ha0e e1)ressed -( -eaning& So%rates )a sed awhile, and see-ed to .e a.sor.ed in refle%tion& At length he said$ This is a 0er( serio s in5 ir( whi%h (o are raising, !e.es, in0ol0ing the whole 5 estion of generation and %orr )tion, a.o t whi%h I will, if (o li*e, gi0e (o -( own e1)erien%e/ and (o %an a))l( this, if (o thin* that an(thing whi%h I sa( will a0ail towards the sol tion of (o r diffi% lt(& I sho ld 0er( - %h li*e, said !e.es, to hear what (o ha0e to sa(&

Then I will tell (o , said So%rates& 'hen I was (o ng, !e.es, I had a )rodigio s desire to *now that de)art-ent of )hiloso)h( whi%h is %alled Nat ral S%ien%e/ this a))eared to -e to ha0e loft( ai-s, as .eing the s%ien%e whi%h has to do with the %a ses of things, and whi%h tea%hes wh( a thing is, and is %reated and destro(ed/ and I was alwa(s agitating -(self with the %onsideration of s %h 5 estions as these$ Is the growth of ani-als the res lt of so-e de%a( whi%h the hot and %old )rin%i)le %ontra%ts, as so-e ha0e said+ Is the .lood the ele-ent with whi%h we thin*, or the air, or the fire+ or )erha)s nothing of this sort4. t the .rain -a( .e the originating )ower of the )er%e)tions of hearing and sight and s-ell, and -e-or( and o)inion -a( %o-e fro- the-, and s%ien%e -a( .e .ased on -e-or( and o)inion when no longer in -otion, . t at rest& And then I went on to e1a-ine the de%a( of the-, and then to the things of hea0en and earth, and at last I %on%l ded that I was wholl( in%a)a.le of these in5 iries, as I will satisfa%toril( )ro0e to (o & For I was fas%inated .( the- to s %h a degree that -( e(es grew .lind to things that I had see-ed to -(self, and also to others, to *now 5 ite well/ and I forgot what I had .efore tho ght to .e self4e0ident, that the growth of -an is the res lt of eating and drin*ing/ for when .( the digestion of food flesh is added to flesh and .one to .one, and whene0er there is an aggregation of %ongenial ele-ents, the lesser . l* .e%o-es larger and the s-all -an greater& 'as not that a reasona.le notion+ ,es, said !e.es, I thin* so& 'ell/ . t let -e tell (o so-ething -ore& There was a ti-e when I tho ght that I nderstood the -eaning of greater and less )rett( well/ and when I saw a great -an standing .( a little one I fan%ied that one was taller than the other .( a head/ or one horse wo ld a))ear to .e greater than another horse$ and still -ore %learl( did I see- to )er%ei0e that ten is two -ore than eight, and that two % .its are -ore than one, .e%a se two is twi%e one& And what is now (o r notion of s %h -atters+ said !e.es& I sho ld .e far eno gh fro- i-agining, he re)lied, that I *new the %a se of an( of the-, indeed I sho ld, for I %annot satisf( -(self that when one is added to one, the one to whi%h the addition is -ade .e%o-es two, or that the two nits added together -a*e two .( reason of the addition& For I %annot nderstand how, when se)arated frothe other, ea%h of the- was one and not two, and now, when the( are .ro ght together, the -ere 6 1ta)osition of the- %an .e the %a se of their .e%o-ing two$ nor %an I nderstand how the di0ision of one is the wa( to -a*e two/ for then a different %a se wo ld )rod %e the sa-e

effe%t4as in the for-er instan%e the addition and 6 1ta)osition of one to one was the %a se of two, in this the se)aration and s .tra%tion of one fro- the other wo ld .e the %a se& Nor a- I an( longer satisfied that I nderstand the reason wh( one or an(thing else either is generated or destro(ed or is at all, . t I ha0e in -( -ind so-e %onf sed notion of another -ethod, and %an ne0er ad-it this& Then I heard so-eone who had a .oo* of Ana1agoras, as he said, o t of whi%h he read that -ind was the dis)oser and %a se of all, and I was 5 ite delighted at the notion of this, whi%h a))eared ad-ira.le, and I said to -(self$ If -ind is the dis)oser, -ind will dis)ose all for the .est, and ) t ea%h )arti% lar in the .est )la%e/ and I arg ed that if an(one desired to find o t the %a se of the generation or destr %tion or e1isten%e of an(thing, he - st find o t what state of .eing or s ffering or doing was .est for that thing, and therefore a -an had onl( to %onsider the .est for hi-self and others, and then he wo ld also *now the worse, for that the sa-e s%ien%e %o-)rised .oth& And I re6oi%ed to thin* that I had fo nd in Ana1agoras a tea%her of the %a ses of e1isten%e s %h as I desired, and I i-agined that he wo ld tell -e first whether the earth is flat or ro nd/ and then he wo ld f rther e1)lain the %a se and the ne%essit( of this, and wo ld tea%h -e the nat re of the .est and show that this was .est/ and if he said that the earth was in the %entre, he wo ld e1)lain that this )osition was the .est, and I sho ld .e satisfied if this were shown to -e, and not want an( other sort of %a se& And I tho ght that I wo ld then go and as* hi- a.o t the s n and -oon and stars, and that he wo ld e1)lain to -e their %o-)arati0e swiftness, and their ret rnings and 0ario s states, and how their se0eral affe%tions, a%ti0e and )assi0e, were all for the .est& For I %o ld not i-agine that when he s)o*e of -ind as the dis)oser of the-, he wo ld gi0e an( other a%%o nt of their .eing as the( are, e1%e)t that this was .est/ and I tho ght when he had e1)lained to -e in detail the %a se of ea%h and the %a se of all, he wo ld go on to e1)lain to -e what was .est for ea%h and what was .est for all& I had ho)es whi%h I wo ld not ha0e sold for - %h, and I sei=ed the .oo*s and read the- as fast as I %o ld in -( eagerness to *now the .etter and the worse& 'hat ho)es I had for-ed, and how grie0o sl( was I disa))ointed: As I )ro%eeded, I fo nd -( )hiloso)her altogether forsa*ing -ind or an( other )rin%i)le of order, . t ha0ing re%o rse to air, and ether, and water, and other e%%entri%ities& I -ight %o-)are hi- to a )erson who .egan .( -aintaining generall( that -ind is the %a se of the a%tions of So%rates, . t who, when he endea0ored to e1)lain the %a ses of -( se0eral a%tions in detail, went on to show that I sit here .e%a se -( .od( is -ade ) of .ones and - s%les/ and the .ones, as he wo ld sa(, are hard and ha0e liga-ents whi%h di0ide the-, and the - s%les are elasti%, and the( %o0er the .ones, whi%h ha0e also a %o0ering or en0iron-ent of flesh and s*in whi%h %ontains the-/ and as the .ones are lifted at their 6oints .( the %ontra%tion or rela1ation of the - s%les, I a- a.le to .end -( li-.s, and this is wh( I a- sitting here in a % r0ed )ost re$ that is what he wo ld sa(, and he wo ld ha0e a si-ilar e1)lanation of -( tal*ing to (o , whi%h he wo ld attri. te to so nd, and air, and hearing, and he wo ld assign ten tho sand other %a ses of the sa-e sort, forgetting to -ention the tr e %a se, whi%h is that the Athenians ha0e tho ght fit to %onde-n -e, and a%%ordingl( I ha0e tho ght it .etter and -ore right to re-ain here and

ndergo -( senten%e/ for I a- in%lined to thin* that these - s%les and .ones of -ine wo ld ha0e gone off to "egara or #oeotia4.( the dog of Eg()t the( wo ld, if the( had .een g ided onl( .( their own idea of what was .est, and if I had not %hosen as the .etter and no.ler )art, instead of )la(ing tr ant and r nning awa(, to ndergo an( ) nish-ent whi%h the State infli%ts& There is s rel( a strange %onf sion of %a ses and %onditions in all this& It -a( .e said, indeed, that witho t .ones and - s%les and the other )arts of the .od( I %annot e1e% te -( ) r)oses& # t to sa( that I do as I do .e%a se of the-, and that this is the wa( in whi%h -ind a%ts, and not fro- the %hoi%e of the .est, is a 0er( %areless and idle -ode of s)ea*ing& I wonder that the( %annot disting ish the %a se fro- the %ondition, whi%h the -an(, feeling a.o t in the dar*, are alwa(s -ista*ing and -isna-ing& And th s one -an -a*es a 0orte1 all ro nd and steadies the earth .( the hea0en/ another gi0es the air as a s ))ort to the earth, whi%h is a sort of .road tro gh& An( )ower whi%h in dis)osing the- as the( are dis)oses the- for the .est ne0er enters into their -inds, nor do the( i-agine that there is an( s )erh -an strength in that/ the( rather e1)e%t to find another Atlas of the world who is stronger and -ore e0erlasting and -ore %ontaining than the good is, and are %learl( of o)inion that the o.ligator( and %ontaining )ower of the good is as nothing/ and (et this is the )rin%i)le whi%h I wo ld fain learn if an(one wo ld tea%h -e& # t as I ha0e failed either to dis%o0er -(self or to learn of an(one else, the nat re of the .est, I will e1hi.it to (o , if (o li*e, what I ha0e fo nd to .e the se%ond .est -ode of in5 iring into the %a se& I sho ld 0er( - %h li*e to hear that, he re)lied& So%rates )ro%eeded$ I tho ght that as I had failed in the %onte-)lation of tr e e1isten%e, I o ght to .e %aref l that I did not lose the e(e of -( so l/ as )eo)le -a( in6 re their .odil( e(e .( o.ser0ing and ga=ing on the s n d ring an e%li)se, nless the( ta*e the )re%a tion of onl( loo*ing at the i-age refle%ted in the water, or in so-e si-ilar -edi -& That o%% rred to -e, and I was afraid that -( so l -ight .e .linded altogether if I loo*ed at things with -( e(es or tried .( the hel) of the senses to a))rehend the-& And I tho ght that I had .etter ha0e re%o rse to ideas, and see* in the- the tr th of e1isten%e& I dare sa( that the si-ile is not )erfe%t4for I a0er( far fro- ad-itting that he who %onte-)lates e1isten%e thro gh the -edi - of ideas, sees the- onl( 7thro gh a glass dar*l(,7 an( -ore than he who sees the- in their wor*ing and effe%ts& Howe0er, this was the -ethod whi%h I ado)ted$ I first ass -ed so-e )rin%i)le whi%h I 6 dged to .e the strongest, and then I affir-ed as tr e whate0er see-ed to agree with this, whether relating to the %a se or to an(thing else/ and that whi%h disagreed I regarded as ntr e& # t I sho ld li*e to e1)lain -( -eaning %learl(, as I do not thin* that (o nderstand -e& No, indeed, re)lied !e.es, not 0er( well& There is nothing new, he said, in what I a- a.o t to tell (o / . t onl( what I ha0e .een alwa(s and e0er(where re)eating in the )re0io s dis% ssion and on other o%%asions$ I want to show (o the nat re of that %a se whi%h has o%% )ied -( tho ghts, and I shall ha0e to go .a%* to those fa-iliar words whi%h are in the -o th of e0er(one, and first of all ass -e that there is an a.sol te .ea t( and

goodness and greatness, and the li*e/ grant -e this, and I ho)e to .e a.le to show (o the nat re of the %a se, and to )ro0e the i--ortalit( of the so l& !e.es said$ ,o grant (o this& -a( )ro%eed at on%e with the )roof, as I readil(

'ell, he said, then I sho ld li*e to *now whether (o agree with -e in the ne1t ste)/ for I %annot hel) thin*ing that if there .e an(thing .ea tif l other than a.sol te .ea t(, that %an onl( .e .ea tif l in as far as it )arta*es of a.sol te .ea t(4and this I sho ld sa( of e0er(thing& Do (o agree in this notion of the %a se+ ,es, he said, I agree& He )ro%eeded$ I *now nothing and %an nderstand nothing of an( other of those wise %a ses whi%h are alleged/ and if a )erson sa(s to -e that the .loo- of %olor, or for-, or an(thing else of that sort is a so r%e of .ea t(, I lea0e all that, whi%h is onl( %onf sing to -e, and si-)l( and singl(, and )erha)s foolishl(, hold and a- ass red in -( own -ind that nothing -a*es a thing .ea tif l . t the )resen%e and )arti%i)ation of .ea t( in whate0er wa( or -anner o.tained/ for as to the -anner I a- n%ertain, . t I sto tl( %ontend that .( .ea t( all .ea tif l things .e%o-e .ea tif l& That a))ears to -e to .e the onl( safe answer that I %an gi0e, either to -(self or to an( other, and to that I %ling, in the )ers asion that I shall ne0er .e o0erthrown, and that I -a( safel( answer to -(self or an( other that .( .ea t( .ea tif l things .e%o-e .ea tif l& Do (o not agree to that+ ,es, I agree& And that .( greatness onl( great things .e%o-e great and greater greater, and .( s-allness the less .e%o-es less& Tr e& Then if a )erson re-ar*s that A is taller .( a head than #, and # less .( a head than A, (o wo ld ref se to ad-it this, and wo ld sto tl( %ontend that what (o -ean is onl( that the greater is greater .(, and .( reason of, greatness, and the less is less onl( .(, or .( reason of, s-allness/ and th s (o wo ld a0oid the danger of sa(ing that the greater is greater and the less .( the -eas re of the head, whi%h is the sa-e in .oth, and wo ld also a0oid the -onstro s a.s rdit( of s ))osing that the greater -an is greater .( reason of the head, whi%h is s-all& 'o ld (o not .e afraid of that+ Indeed, I sho ld, said !e.es, la ghing& In li*e -anner (o wo ld .e afraid to sa( that ten e1%eeded eight .(, and .( reason of, two/ . t wo ld sa( .(, and .( reason of, n -.er/ or that two % .its e1%eed one % .it not .( a half, . t .( -agnit de+4that is what (o wo ld sa(, for there is the sa-e danger in .oth %ases& <er( tr e, he said& Again, wo ld (o not .e %a tio s of affir-ing that the addition of

one to one, or the di0ision of one, is the %a se of two+ And (o wo ld lo dl( asse0erate that (o *now of no wa( in whi%h an(thing %o-es into e1isten%e e1%e)t .( )arti%i)ation in its own )ro)er essen%e, and %onse5 entl(, as far as (o *now, the onl( %a se of two is the )arti%i)ation in d alit(/ that is the wa( to -a*e two, and the )arti%i)ation in one is the wa( to -a*e one& ,o wo ld sa($ I will let alone ) ==les of di0ision and addition4wiser heads than -ine -a( answer the-/ ine1)erien%ed as I a-, and read( to start, as the )ro0er. sa(s, at -( own shadow, I %annot afford to gi0e ) the s re gro nd of a )rin%i)le& And if an(one assails (o there, (o wo ld not -ind hi-, or answer hi- ntil (o had seen whether the %onse5 en%es whi%h follow agree with one another or not, and when (o are f rther re5 ired to gi0e an e1)lanation of this )rin%i)le, (o wo ld go on to ass -e a higher )rin%i)le, and the .est of the higher ones, ntil (o fo nd a resting4)la%e/ . t (o wo ld not ref se the )rin%i)le and the %onse5 en%es in (o r reasoning li*e the Eristi%s4at least if (o wanted to dis%o0er real e1isten%e& Not that this %onf sion signifies to the- who ne0er %are or thin* a.o t the -atter at all, for the( ha0e the wit to .e well )leased with the-sel0es, howe0er great -a( .e the t r-oil of their ideas& # t (o , if (o are a )hiloso)her, will, I .elie0e, do as I sa(& 'hat (o at on%e& sa( is -ost tr e, said Si--ias and !e.es, .oth s)ea*ing

E%h& ,es, Phaedo/ and I don9t wonder at their assenting& An(one who has the least sense will a%*nowledge the wonderf l %lear& of So%rates9 reasoning& Phaed& !ertainl(, E%he%rates/ and that was the feeling of the whole %o-)an( at the ti-e& E%h& ,es, and e5 all( of o rsel0es, who were not of the %o-)an(, and are now listening to (o r re%ital& # t what followed+ Phaedo& After all this was ad-itted, and the( had agreed a.o t the e1isten%e of ideas and the )arti%i)ation in the- of the other things whi%h deri0e their na-es fro- the-, So%rates, if I re-e-.er rightl(, said$4 This is (o r wa( of s)ea*ing/ and (et when (o sa( that Si--ias is greater than So%rates and less than Phaedo, do (o not )redi%ate of Si--ias .oth greatness and s-allness+ ,es, I do& # t still (o allow that Si--ias does not reall( e1%eed So%rates, as the words -a( see- to i-)l(, .e%a se he is Si--ias, . t .( reason of the si=e whi%h he has/ 6 st as Si--ias does not e1%eed So%rates .e%a se he is Si--ias, an( -ore than .e%a se So%rates is So%rates, . t .e%a se he has s-allness when %o-)ared with the greatness of Si--ias+ Tr e& And if Phaedo e1%eeds hi- in si=e, that is not .e%a se Phaedo is Phaedo, . t .e%a se Phaedo has greatness relati0el( to Si--ias, who is %o-)arati0el( s-aller+

That is tr e& And therefore Si--ias is said to .e great, and is also said to .e s-all, .e%a se he is in a -ean .etween the-, e1%eeding the s-allness of the one .( his greatness, and allowing the greatness of the other to e1%eed his s-allness& He added, la ghing, I a- s)ea*ing li*e a .oo*, . t I .elie0e that what I a- now sa(ing is tr e& Si--ias assented to this& The reason wh( I sa( this is that I want (o to agree with -e in thin*ing, not onl( that a.sol te greatness will ne0er .e great and also s-all, . t that greatness in s or in the %on%rete will ne0er ad-it the s-all or ad-it of .eing e1%eeded$ instead of this, one of two things will ha))en4either the greater will fl( or retire .efore the o))osite, whi%h is the less, or at the ad0an%e of the less will %ease to e1ist/ . t will not, if allowing or ad-itting s-allness, .e %hanged .( that/ e0en as I, ha0ing re%ei0ed and ad-itted s-allness when %o-)ared with Si--ias, re-ain 6 st as I was, and a- the sa-e s-all )erson& And as the idea of greatness %annot %ondes%end e0er to .e or .e%o-e s-all, in li*e -anner the s-allness in s %annot .e or .e%o-e great/ nor %an an( other o))osite whi%h re-ains the sa-e e0er .e or .e%o-e its own o))osite, . t either )asses awa( or )erishes in the %hange& That, re)lied !e.es, is 5 ite -( notion& One of the %o-)an(, tho gh I do not e1a%tl( re-e-.er whi%h of the-, on hearing this, said$ #( Hea0en, is not this the dire%t %ontrar( of what was ad-itted .efore4that o t of the greater %a-e the less and o t of the less the greater, and that o))osites are si-)l( generated fro- o))osites/ whereas now this see-s to .e tterl( denied& So%rates in%lined his head to the s)ea*er and listened& I li*e (o r %o rage, he said, in re-inding s of this& # t (o do not o.ser0e that there is a differen%e in the two %ases& For then we were s)ea*ing of o))osites in the %on%rete, and now of the essential o))osite whi%h, as is affir-ed, neither in s nor in nat re %an e0er .e at 0arian%e with itself$ then, -( friend, we were s)ea*ing of things in whi%h o))osites are inherent and whi%h are %alled after the-, . t now a.o t the o))osites whi%h are inherent in the- and whi%h gi0e their na-e to the-/ these essential o))osites will ne0er, as we -aintain, ad-it of generation into or o t of one another& At the sa-e ti-e, t rning to !e.es, he said$ 'ere (o at all dis%on%erted, !e.es, at o r friend9s o.6e%tion+ That was not -( feeling, said !e.es/ and (et I %annot den( that I aa)t to .e dis%on%erted& Then we are agreed after all, said So%rates, that the o))osite will ne0er in an( %ase .e o))osed to itself+ To that we are 5 ite agreed, he re)lied& ,et on%e -ore let -e as* (o to %onsider the 5 estion fro- another

)oint of 0iew, and see whether (o agree with -e$ There is a thing whi%h (o ter- heat, and another thing whi%h (o ter- %old+ !ertainl(& # t are the( the sa-e as fire and snow+ "ost ass redl( not& Heat is not the sa-e as fire, nor is %old the sa-e as snow+ No& And (et (o will s rel( ad-it that when snow, as .efore said, is nder the infl en%e of heat, the( will not re-ain snow and heat/ . t at the ad0an%e of the heat the snow will either retire or )erish+ <er( tr e, he re)lied& And the fire too at the ad0an%e of the %old will either retire or )erish/ and when the fire is nder the infl en%e of the %old, the( will not re-ain, as .efore, fire and %old& That is tr e, he said& And in so-e %ases the na-e of the idea is not %onfined to the idea/ . t an(thing else whi%h, not .eing the idea, e1ists onl( in the for- of the idea, -a( also la( %lai- to it& I will tr( to -a*e this %learer .( an e1a-)le$ The odd n -.er is alwa(s %alled .( the na-e of odd+ <er( tr e& # t is this the onl( thing whi%h is %alled odd+ Are there not other things whi%h ha0e their own na-e, and (et are %alled odd, .e%a se, altho gh not the sa-e as oddness, the( are ne0er witho t oddness+4that is what I -ean to as*4whether n -.ers s %h as the n -.er three are not of the %lass of odd& And there are -an( other e1a-)les$ wo ld (o not sa(, for e1a-)le, that three -a( .e %alled .( its )ro)er na-e, and also .e %alled odd, whi%h is not the sa-e with three+ and this -a( .e said not onl( of three . t also of fi0e, and e0er( alternate n -.er4ea%h of the- witho t .eing oddness is odd, and in the sa-e wa( two and fo r, and the whole series of alternate n -.ers, has e0er( n -.er e0en, witho t .eing e0enness& Do (o ad-it that+ ,es, he said, how %an I den( that+ Then now -ar* the )oint at whi%h I a- ai-ing$ not onl( do essential o))osites e1%l de one another, . t also %on%rete things, whi%h, altho gh not in the-sel0es o))osed, %ontain o))osites/ these, I sa(, also re6e%t the idea whi%h is o))osed to that whi%h is %ontained in the-, and at the ad0an%e of that the( either )erish or withdraw& There is the n -.er three for e1a-)le/ will not that end re annihilation or an(thing sooner than .e %on0erted into an e0en n -.er, re-aining three+

<er( tr e, said !e.es& And (et, he said, the n -.er two is %ertainl( not o))osed to the n -.er three+ It is not& Then not onl( do o))osite ideas re)el the ad0an%e of one another, . t also there are other things whi%h re)el the a))roa%h of o))osites& That is 5 ite tr e, he said& S ))ose, he said, that we endea0or, if )ossi.le, to deter-ine what these are& #( all -eans& Are the( not, !e.es, s %h as %o-)el the things of whi%h the( ha0e )ossession, not onl( to ta*e their own for-, . t also the for- of so-e o))osite+ 'hat do (o -ean+

I -ean, as I was 6 st now sa(ing, and ha0e no need to re)eat to (o , that those things whi%h are )ossessed .( the n -.er three - st not onl( .e three in n -.er, . t - st also .e odd& > ite tr e& And on this oddness, of whi%h the n -.er three has the i-)ress, the o))osite idea will ne0er intr de+ No& And this i-)ress was gi0en .( the odd )rin%i)le+ ,es& And to the odd is o))osed the e0en+ Tr e& Then the idea of the e0en n -.er will ne0er arri0e at three+ No& Then three has no )art in the e0en+ None& Then the triad or n -.er three is <er( tr e& To ret rn then to -( distin%tion of nat res whi%h are not o))osites, and (et do not ad-it o))osites$ as, in this instan%e, three, altho gh not o))osed to the e0en, does not an( the -ore ad-it of the ne0en+

e0en, . t alwa(s .rings the o))osite into )la( on the other side/ or as two does not re%ei0e the odd, or fire the %old4fro- these e1a-)les 2and there are -an( -ore of the-3 )erha)s (o -a( .e a.le to arri0e at the general %on%l sion that not onl( o))osites will not re%ei0e o))osites, . t also that nothing whi%h .rings the o))osite will ad-it the o))osite of that whi%h it .rings in that to whi%h it is .ro ght& And here let -e re%a)it late4for there is no har- in re)etition& The n -.er fi0e will not ad-it the nat re of the e0en, an( -ore than ten, whi%h is the do .le of fi0e, will ad-it the nat re of the odd4the do .le, tho gh not stri%tl( o))osed to the odd, re6e%ts the odd altogether& Nor again will )arts in the ratio of ?$@, nor an( fra%tion in whi%h there is a half, nor again in whi%h there is a third, ad-it the notion of the whole, altho gh the( are not o))osed to the whole& ,o will agree to that+ ,es, he said, I entirel( agree and go along with (o in that&

And now, he said, I thin* that I -a( .egin again/ and to the 5 estion whi%h I a- a.o t to as* I will .eg (o to gi0e not the old safe answer, . t another, of whi%h I will offer (o an e1a-)le/ and I ho)e that (o will find in what has .een 6 st said another fo ndation whi%h is as safe& I -ean that if an(one as*s (o 7what that is, the inheren%e of whi%h -a*es the .od( hot,7 (o will re)l( not heat 2this is what I %all the safe and st )id answer3, . t fire, a far .etter answer, whi%h we are now in a %ondition to gi0e& Or if an(one as*s (o 7wh( a .od( is diseased,7 (o will not sa( fro- disease, . t fro- fe0er/ and instead of sa(ing that oddness is the %a se of odd n -.ers, (o will sa( that the -onad is the %a se of the-$ and so of things in general, as I dare sa( that (o will nderstand s ffi%ientl( witho t -( add %ing an( f rther e1a-)les& ,es, he said, I 5 ite nderstand (o &

Tell -e, then, what is that the inheren%e of whi%h will render the .od( ali0e+ The so l, he re)lied& And is this alwa(s the %ase+ ,es, he said, of %o rse& Then whate0er the so l )ossesses, to that she %o-es .earing life+ ,es, %ertainl(& And is there an( o))osite to life+ There is, he said& And what is that+ Death& Then the so l, as has .een a%*nowledged, will ne0er re%ei0e the o))osite of what she .rings& And now, he said, what did we %all that )rin%i)le whi%h re)els the e0en+

The odd& And that )rin%i)le whi%h re)els the - si%al, or the 6 st+ The n- si%al, he said, and the n6 st&

And what do we %all the )rin%i)le whi%h does not ad-it of death+ The i--ortal, he said& And does the so l ad-it of death+ No& Then the so l is i--ortal+ ,es, he said& And -a( we sa( that this is )ro0en+ ,es, a. ndantl( )ro0en, So%rates, he re)lied& And s ))osing that the odd were i-)erisha.le, - st not three .e i-)erisha.le+ Of %o rse& And if that whi%h is %old were i-)erisha.le, when the war- )rin%i)le %a-e atta%*ing the snow, - st not the snow ha0e retired whole and n-elted4for it %o ld ne0er ha0e )erished, nor %o ld it ha0e re-ained and ad-itted the heat+ Tr e, he said& Again, if the n%ooling or war- )rin%i)le were i-)erisha.le, the fire when assailed .( %old wo ld not ha0e )erished or ha0e .een e1ting ished, . t wo ld ha0e gone awa( naffe%ted+ !ertainl(, he said& And the sa-e -a( .e said of the i--ortal$ if the i--ortal is also i-)erisha.le, the so l when atta%*ed .( death %annot )erish/ for the )re%eding arg -ent shows that the so l will not ad-it of death, or e0er .e dead, an( -ore than three or the odd n -.er will ad-it of the e0en, or fire or the heat in the fire, of the %old& ,et a )erson -a( sa($ 7# t altho gh the odd will not .e%o-e e0en at the a))roa%h of the e0en, wh( -a( not the odd )erish and the e0en ta*e the )la%e of the odd+7 Now to hi- who -a*es this o.6e%tion, we %annot answer that the odd )rin%i)le is i-)erisha.le/ for this has not .een a%*nowledged, . t if this had .een a%*nowledged, there wo ld ha0e .een no diffi% lt( in %ontending that at the a))roa%h of the e0en the odd )rin%i)le and the n -.er three too* ) their de)art re/ and the sa-e arg -ent wo ld ha0e held good of fire and heat and an( other thing& <er( tr e&

And the sa-e -a( .e said of the i--ortal$ if the i--ortal is also i-)erisha.le, then the so l will .e i-)erisha.le as well as i--ortal/ . t if not, so-e other )roof of her i-)erisha.leness will ha0e to .e gi0en& No other )roof is needed, he said/ for if the i--ortal, .eing eternal, is lia.le to )erish, then nothing is i-)erisha.le& ,es, re)lied So%rates, all -en will agree that God, and the essential for- of life, and the i--ortal in general, will ne0er )erish& ,es, all -en, he said4that is tr e/ and what is -ore, gods, if I a- not -ista*en, as well as -en& Seeing then that the i--ortal is indestr %ti.le, - st not the so l, if she is i--ortal, .e also i-)erisha.le+ "ost %ertainl(& Then when death atta%*s a -an, the -ortal )ortion of hi- -a( .e s ))osed to die, . t the i--ortal goes o t of the wa( of death and is )reser0ed safe and so nd+ Tr e& Then, !e.es, .e(ond 5 estion the so l is i--ortal and i-)erisha.le, and o r so ls will tr l( e1ist in another world: I a- %on0in%ed, So%rates, said !e.es, and ha0e nothing -ore to o.6e%t/ . t if -( friend Si--ias, or an(one else, has an( f rther o.6e%tion, he had .etter s)ea* o t, and not *ee) silen%e, sin%e I do not *now how there %an e0er .e a -ore fitting ti-e to whi%h he %an defer the dis% ssion, if there is an(thing whi%h he wants to sa( or ha0e said& # t I ha0e nothing -ore to sa(, re)lied Si--ias/ nor do I see an( roo- for n%ertaint(, e1%e)t that whi%h arises ne%essaril( o t of the greatness of the s .6e%t and the fee.leness of -an, and whi%h I %annot hel) feeling& ,es, Si--ias, re)lied So%rates, that is well said$ and -ore than that, first )rin%i)les, e0en if the( a))ear %ertain, sho ld .e %aref ll( %onsidered/ and when the( are satisfa%toril( as%ertained, then, with a sort of hesitating %onfiden%e in h -an reason, (o -a(, I thin*, follow the %o rse of the arg -ent/ and if this is %lear, there will .e no need for an( f rther in5 ir(& That, he said, is tr e& # t then, O -( friends, he said, if the so l is reall( i--ortal, what %are sho ld .e ta*en of her, not onl( in res)e%t of the )ortion of ti-e whi%h is %alled life, . t of eternit(: And the danger of negle%ting her fro- this )oint of 0iew does indeed a))ear to .e awf l& If death had onl( .een the end of all, the wi%*ed wo ld ha0e had a good .argain in d(ing, for the( wo ld ha0e .een ha))il( 5 it not onl( of their .od(, . t of their own e0il together with their so ls&

# t now, as the so l )lainl( a))ears to .e i--ortal, there is no release or sal0ation fro- e0il e1%e)t the attain-ent of the highest 0irt e and wisdo-& For the so l when on her )rogress to the world .elow ta*es nothing with her . t n rt re and ed %ation/ whi%h are indeed said greatl( to .enefit or greatl( to in6 re the de)arted, at the 0er( .eginning of its )ilgri-age in the other world& For after death, as the( sa(, the geni s of ea%h indi0id al, to whohe .elonged in life, leads hi- to a %ertain )la%e in whi%h the dead are gathered together for 6 dg-ent, when%e the( go into the world .elow, following the g ide who is a))ointed to %ond %t the- frothis world to the other$ and when the( ha0e there re%ei0ed their d e and re-ained their ti-e, another g ide .rings the- .a%* again after -an( re0ol tions of ages& Now this 6o rne( to the other world is not, as Aes%h(l s sa(s in the 7Tele)h s,7 a single and straight )ath4no g ide wo ld .e wanted for that, and no one %o ld -iss a single )ath/ . t there are -an( )artings of the road, and windings, as I - st infer fro- the rites and sa%rifi%es whi%h are offered to the gods .elow in )la%es where three wa(s -eet on earth& The wise and orderl( so l is %ons%io s of her sit ation and follows in the )ath/ . t the so l whi%h desires the .od(, and whi%h, as I was relating .efore, has long .een fl ttering a.o t the lifeless fra-e and the world of sight, is after -an( str ggles and -an( s fferings hardl( and with 0iolen%e %arried awa( .( her attendant geni s, and when she arri0es at the )la%e where the other so ls are gathered, if she .e i-) re and ha0e done i-) re deeds, or .een %on%erned in fo l - rders or other %ri-es whi%h are the .rothers of these, and the wor*s of .rothers in %ri-e4fro- that so l e0er(one flees and t rns awa(/ no one will .e her %o-)anion, no one her g ide, . t alone she wanders in e1tre-it( of e0il ntil %ertain ti-es are f lfilled, and when the( are f lfilled, she is .orne irresisti.l( to her own fitting ha.itation/ as e0er( ) re and 6 st so l whi%h has )assed thro gh life in the %o-)an( and nder the g idan%e of the gods has also her own )ro)er ho-e& Now the earth has di0ers wonderf l regions, and is indeed in nat re and e1tent 0er( nli*e the notions of geogra)hers, as I .elie0e on the a thorit( of one who shall .e na-eless& 'hat do (o -ean, So%rates+ said Si--ias& I ha0e -(self heard -an( des%ri)tions of the earth, . t I do not *now in what (o are ) tting (o r faith, and I sho ld li*e to *now& 'ell, Si--ias, re)lied So%rates, the re%ital of a tale does not, I thin*, re5 ire the art of Gla % s/ and I *now not that the art of Gla % s %o ld )ro0e the tr th of -( tale, whi%h I -(self sho ld ne0er .e a.le to )ro0e, and e0en if I %o ld, I fear, Si--ias, that -( life wo ld %o-e to an end .efore the arg -ent was %o-)leted& I -a( des%ri.e to (o , howe0er, the for- and regions of the earth a%%ording to -( %on%e)tion of the-& That, said Si--ias, will .e eno gh& 'ell, then, he said, -( %on0i%tion is that the earth is a ro nd .od( in the %enter of the hea0ens, and therefore has no need of air or an( si-ilar for%e as a s ))ort, . t is *e)t there and hindered frofalling or in%lining an( wa( .( the e5 a.ilit( of the s rro nding hea0en and .( her own e5 i)oise& For that whi%h, .eing in e5 i)oise,

is in the %enter of that whi%h is e5 a.l( diff sed, will not in%line an( wa( in an( degree, . t will alwa(s re-ain in the sa-e state and not de0iate& And this is -( first notion& 'hi%h is s rel( a %orre%t one, said Si--ias& Also I .elie0e that the earth is 0er( 0ast, and that we who dwell in the region e1tending fro- the ri0er Phasis to the Pillars of Hera%les, along the .orders of the sea, are 6 st li*e ants or frogs a.o t a -arsh, and inha.it a s-all )ortion onl(, and that -an( others dwell in -an( li*e )la%es& For I sho ld sa( that in all )arts of the earth there are hollows of 0ario s for-s and si=es, into whi%h the water and the -ist and the air %olle%t/ and that the tr e earth is ) re and in the ) re hea0en, in whi%h also are the stars4that is the hea0en whi%h is %o--onl( s)o*en of as the ether, of whi%h this is . t the sedi-ent %olle%ting in the hollows of the earth& # t we who li0e in these hollows are de%ei0ed into the notion that we are dwelling a.o0e on the s rfa%e of the earth/ whi%h is 6 st as if a %reat re who was at the .otto- of the sea were to fan%( that he was on the s rfa%e of the water, and that the sea was the hea0en thro gh whi%h he saw the s n and the other stars4he ha0ing ne0er %o-e to the s rfa%e .( reason of his fee.leness and sl ggishness, and ha0ing ne0er lifted ) his head and seen, nor e0er heard fro- one who had seen, this region whi%h is so - %h ) rer and fairer than his own& Now this is e1a%tl( o r %ase$ for we are dwelling in a hollow of the earth, and fan%( that we are on the s rfa%e/ and the air we %all the hea0en, and in this we i-agine that the stars -o0e& # t this is also owing to o r fee.leness and sl ggishness, whi%h )re0ent o r rea%hing the s rfa%e of the air$ for if an( -an %o ld arri0e at the e1terior li-it, or ta*e the wings of a .ird and fl( )ward, li*e a fish who ) ts his head o t and sees this world, he wo ld see a world .e(ond/ and, if the nat re of -an %o ld s stain the sight, he wo ld a%*nowledge that this was the )la%e of the tr e hea0en and the tr e light and the tr e stars& For this earth, and the stones, and the entire region whi%h s rro nds s, are s)oilt and %orroded, li*e the things in the sea whi%h are %orroded .( the .rine/ for in the sea too there is hardl( an( no.le or )erfe%t growth, . t %lefts onl(, and sand, and an endless slo gh of - d$ and e0en the shore is not to .e %o-)ared to the fairer sights of this world& And greater far is the s )eriorit( of the other& Now of that ))er earth whi%h is nder the hea0en, I %an tell (o a %har-ing tale, Si--ias, whi%h is well worth hearing& And we, So%rates, re)lied Si--ias, shall .e %har-ed to listen& The tale, -( friend, he said, is as follows$ In the first )la%e, the earth, when loo*ed at fro- a.o0e, is li*e one of those .alls whi%h ha0e leather %o0erings in twel0e )ie%es, and is of di0ers %olors, of whi%h the %olors whi%h )ainters se on earth are onl( a sa-)le& # t there the whole earth is -ade ) of the-, and the( are .righter far and %learer than o rs/ there is a ) r)le of wonderf l l ster, also the radian%e of gold, and the white whi%h is in the earth is whiter than an( %hal* or snow& Of these and other %olors the earth is -ade ), and the( are -ore in n -.er and fairer than the e(e of -an has e0er seen/ and the 0er( hollows 2of whi%h I was s)ea*ing3 filled with air and water are seen li*e light flashing a-id the other %olors, and ha0e a %olor of their own, whi%h gi0es a sort of nit( to the 0ariet( of earth& And in this fair region e0er(thing that grows4trees, and

flowers, and fr its4is in a li*e degree fairer than an( here/ and there are hills, and stones in the- in a li*e degree s-oother, and -ore trans)arent, and fairer in %olor than o r highl( 0al ed e-eralds and sardon(1es and 6as)ers, and other ge-s, whi%h are . t -in te frag-ents of the-$ for there all the stones are li*e o r )re%io s stones, and fairer still& The reason of this is that the( are ) re, and not, li*e o r )re%io s stones, infe%ted or %orroded .( the %orr )t .rin( ele-ents whi%h %oag late a-ong s, and whi%h .reed fo lness and disease .oth in earth and stones, as well as in ani-als and )lants& The( are the 6ewels of the ))er earth, whi%h also shines with gold and sil0er and the li*e, and the( are 0isi.le to sight and large and a. ndant and fo nd in e0er( region of the earth, and .lessed is he who sees the-& And )on the earth are ani-als and -en, so-e in a -iddle region, others dwelling a.o t the air as we dwell a.o t the sea/ others in islands whi%h the air flows ro nd, near the %ontinent$ and in a word, the air is sed .( the- as the water and the sea are .( s, and the ether is to the- what the air is to s& "oreo0er, the te-)era-ent of their seasons is s %h that the( ha0e no disease, and li0e - %h longer than we do, and ha0e sight and hearing and s-ell, and all the other senses, in far greater )erfe%tion, in the sa-e degree that air is ) rer than water or the ether than air& Also the( ha0e te-)les and sa%red )la%es in whi%h the gods reall( dwell, and the( hear their 0oi%es and re%ei0e their answers, and are %ons%io s of the- and hold %on0erse with the-, and the( see the s n, -oon, and stars as the( reall( are, and their other .lessedness is of a )ie%e with this& S %h is the nat re of the whole earth, and of the things whi%h are aro nd the earth/ and there are di0ers regions in the hollows on the fa%e of the glo.e e0er(where, so-e of the- dee)er and also wider than that whi%h we inha.it, others dee)er and with a narrower o)ening than o rs, and so-e are shallower and wider/ all ha0e n -ero s )erforations, and )assages .road and narrow in the interior of the earth, %onne%ting the- with one another/ and there flows into and o t of the-, as into .asins, a 0ast tide of water, and h ge s .terranean strea-s of )erennial ri0ers, and s)rings hot and %old, and a great fire, and great ri0ers of fire, and strea-s of li5 id - d, thin or thi%* 2li*e the ri0ers of - d in Si%il(, and the la0a4strea-s whi%h follow the-3, and the regions a.o t whi%h the( ha))en to flow are filled ) with the-& And there is a sort of swing in the interior of the earth whi%h -o0es all this ) and down& Now the swing is in this wise$ There is a %has- whi%h is the 0astest of theall, and )ier%es right thro gh the whole earth/ this is that whi%h Ho-er des%ri.es in the words, 7Far off, where is the in-ost de)th .eneath the earth7/ and whi%h he in other )la%es, and -an( other )oets, ha0e %alled Tartar s& And the swing is %a sed .( the strea-s flowing into and o t of this %has-, and the( ea%h ha0e the nat re of the soil thro gh whi%h the( flow& And the reason wh( the strea-s are alwa(s flowing in and o t is that the water( ele-ent has no .ed or .otto-, and is s rging and swinging ) and down, and the s rro nding wind and air do the sa-e/ the( follow the water ) and down, hither and thither, o0er the earth46 st as in res)iring the air is alwa(s in )ro%ess of inhalation and e1halation/ and the wind swinging with the water in and o t )rod %es fearf l and irresisti.le .lasts$ when the waters retire

with a r sh into the lower )arts of the earth, as the( are %alled, the( flow thro gh the earth into those regions, and fill the- ) as with the alternate -otion of a ) -), and then when the( lea0e those regions and r sh .a%* hither, the( again fill the hollows here, and when these are filled, flow thro gh s .terranean %hannels and find their wa( to their se0eral )la%es, for-ing seas, and la*es, and ri0ers, and s)rings& Then%e the( again enter the earth, so-e of the-a*ing a long %ir% it into -an( lands, others going to few )la%es and those not distant, and again fall into Tartar s, so-e at a )oint a good deal lower than that at whi%h the( rose, and others not - %h lower, . t all in so-e degree lower than the )oint of iss e& And so-e . rst forth again on the o))osite side, and so-e on the sa-e side, and so-e wind ro nd the earth with one or -an( folds, li*e the %oils of a ser)ent, and des%end as far as the( %an, . t alwa(s ret rn and fall into the la*e& The ri0ers on either side %an des%end onl( to the %enter and no f rther, for to the ri0ers on .oth sides the o))osite side is a )re%i)i%e& Now these ri0ers are -an(, and -ight(, and di0erse, and there are fo r )rin%i)al ones, of whi%h the greatest and o ter-ost is that %alled O%ean s, whi%h flows ro nd the earth in a %ir%le/ and in the o))osite dire%tion flows A%heron, whi%h )asses nder the earth thro gh desert )la%es, into the A%her sian La*e$ this is the la*e to the shores of whi%h the so ls of the -an( go when the( are dead, and after waiting an a))ointed ti-e, whi%h is to so-e a longer and to so-e a shorter ti-e, the( are sent .a%* again to .e .orn as ani-als& The third ri0er rises .etween the two, and near the )la%e of rising )o rs into a 0ast region of fire, and for-s a la*e larger than the "editerranean Sea, .oiling with water and - d/ and )ro%eeding - dd( and t r.id, and winding a.o t the earth, %o-es, a-ong other )la%es, to the e1tre-ities of the A%her sian La*e, . t -ingles not with the waters of the la*e, and after -a*ing -an( %oils a.o t the earth )l nges into Tartar s at a dee)er le0el& This is that P(ri)hlegethon, as the strea- is %alled, whi%h throws ) 6ets of fire in all sorts of )la%es& The fo rth ri0er goes o t on the o))osite side, and falls first of all into a wild and sa0age region, whi%h is all of a dar*4.l e %olor, li*e la)is la= li/ and this is that ri0er whi%h is %alled the St(gian Ri0er, and falls into and for-s the La*e St(1, and after falling into the la*e and re%ei0ing strange )owers in the waters, )asses nder the earth, winding ro nd in the o))osite dire%tion to P(ri)hlegethon, and -eeting in the A%her sian La*e frothe o))osite side& And the water of this ri0er too -ingles with no other, . t flows ro nd in a %ir%le and falls into Tartar s o0er against P(ri)hlegethon, and the na-e of this ri0er, as the )oet sa(s, is !o%(t s& S %h is the na-e of the other world/ and when the dead arri0e at the )la%e to whi%h the geni s of ea%h se0erall( %on0e(s the-, first of all the( ha0e senten%e )assed )on the-, as the( ha0e li0ed well and )io sl( or not& And those who a))ear to ha0e li0ed neither well nor ill, go to the ri0er A%heron, and -o nt s %h %on0e(an%es as the( %an get, and are %arried in the- to the la*e, and there the( dwell and are ) rified of their e0il deeds, and s ffer the )enalt( of the wrongs whi%h the( ha0e done to others, and are a.sol0ed, and re%ei0e the rewards of their good deeds a%%ording to their deserts& # t those who a))ear to .e in% ra.le .( reason of the greatness of their %ri-es4who ha0e %o--itted -an( and terri.le deeds of sa%rilege,

- rders fo l and 0iolent, or the li*e4s %h are h rled into Tartar s, whi%h is their s ita.le destin(, and the( ne0er %o-e o t& Those again who ha0e %o--itted %ri-es, whi%h, altho gh great, are not n)ardona.le4who in a -o-ent of anger, for e1a-)le, ha0e done 0iolen%e to a father or -other, and ha0e re)ented for the re-ainder of their li0es, or who ha0e ta*en the life of another nder li*e e1ten ating %ir% -stan%es4these are )l nged into Tartar s, the )ains of whi%h the( are %o-)elled to ndergo for a (ear, . t at the end of the (ear the wa0e %asts the- forth4-ere ho-i%ides .( wa( of !o%(t s, )arri%ides and -atri%ides .( P(ri)hlegethon4and the( are .orne to the A%her sian La*e, and there the( lift ) their 0oi%es and %all )on the 0i%ti-s who- the( ha0e slain or wronged, to ha0e )it( on the-, and to re%ei0e the-, and to let the- %o-e o t of the ri0er into the la*e& And if the( )re0ail, then the( %o-e forth and %ease fro- their tro .les/ . t if not, the( are %arried .a%* again into Tartar s and frothen%e into the ri0ers n%easingl(, ntil the( o.tain -er%( fro- those who- the( ha0e wronged$ for that is the senten%e infli%ted )on the.( their 6 dges& Those also who are re-ar*a.le for ha0ing led hol( li0es are released fro- this earthl( )rison, and go to their ) re ho-e whi%h is a.o0e, and dwell in the ) rer earth/ and those who ha0e d l( ) rified the-sel0es with )hiloso)h( li0e hen%eforth altogether witho t the .od(, in -ansions fairer far than these, whi%h -a( not .e des%ri.ed, and of whi%h the ti-e wo ld fail -e to tell& 'herefore, Si--ias, seeing all these things, what o ght not we to do in order to o.tain 0irt e and wisdo- in this life+ Fair is the )ri=e, and the ho)e great& I do not -ean to affir- that the des%ri)tion whi%h I ha0e gi0en of the so l and her -ansions is e1a%tl( tr e4a -an of sense o ght hardl( to sa( that& # t I do sa( that, inas- %h as the so l is shown to .e i--ortal, he -a( 0ent re to thin*, not i-)ro)erl( or nworthil(, that so-ething of the *ind is tr e& The 0ent re is a glorio s one, and he o ght to %o-fort hi-self with words li*e these, whi%h is the reason wh( lengthen o t the tale& 'herefore, I sa(, let a -an .e of good %heer a.o t his so l, who has %ast awa( the )leas res and orna-ents of the .od( as alien to hi-, and rather h rtf l in their effe%ts, and has followed after the )leas res of *nowledge in this life/ who has adorned the so l in her own )ro)er 6ewels, whi%h are te-)eran%e, and 6 sti%e, and %o rage, and no.ilit(, and tr th4in these arra(ed she is read( to go on her 6o rne( to the world .elow, when her ti-e %o-es& ,o , Si--ias and !e.es, and all other -en, will de)art at so-e ti-e or other& "e alread(, as the tragi% )oet wo ld sa(, the 0oi%e of fate %alls& Soon I - st drin* the )oison/ and I thin* that I had .etter re)air to the .ath first, in order that the wo-en -a( not ha0e the tro .le of washing -( .od( after I a- dead& 'hen he had done s)ea*ing, !rito said$ And ha0e (o an( %o--ands for s, So%rates4an(thing to sa( a.o t (o r %hildren, or an( other -atter in whi%h we %an ser0e (o + Nothing )arti% lar, he said$ onl(, as I ha0e alwa(s told (o , I wo ld ha0e (o loo* to (o rsel0es/ that is a ser0i%e whi%h (o -a( alwa(s .e doing to -e and -ine as well as to (o rsel0es& And (o need not -a*e )rofessions/ for if (o ta*e no tho ght for (o rsel0es, and wal* not a%%ording to the )re%e)ts whi%h I ha0e gi0en (o , not now for the first ti-e, the war-th of (o r

)rofessions will .e of no a0ail& 'e will do o r .est, said !rito& # t in what wa( wo ld (o . r( (o + ha0e s

In an( wa( that (o li*e/ onl( (o - st get hold of -e, and ta*e %are that I do not wal* awa( fro- (o & Then he t rned to s, and added with a s-ile$ I %annot -a*e !rito .elie0e that I a- the sa-e So%rates who ha0e .een tal*ing and %ond %ting the arg -ent/ he fan%ies that I a- the other So%rates who- he will soon see, a dead .od(4and he as*s, How shall he . r( -e+ And tho gh I ha0e s)o*en -an( words in the endea0or to show that when I ha0e dr n* the )oison I shall lea0e (o and go to the 6o(s of the .lessed4these words of -ine, with whi%h I %o-forted (o and -(self, ha0e had, I )er%ei0e, no effe%t )on !rito& And therefore I want (o to .e s ret( for -e now, as he was s ret( for -e at the trial$ . t let the )ro-ise .e of another sort/ for he was -( s ret( to the 6 dges that I wo ld re-ain, . t (o - st .e -( s ret( to hi- that I shall not re-ain, . t go awa( and de)art/ and then he will s ffer less at -( death, and not .e grie0ed when he sees -( .od( .eing . rned or . ried& I wo ld not ha0e hi- sorrow at -( hard lot, or sa( at the . rial, Th s we la( o t So%rates, or, Th s we follow hi- to the gra0e or . r( hi-/ for false words are not onl( e0il in the-sel0es, . t the( infe%t the so l with e0il& #e of good %heer, then, -( dear !rito, and sa( that (o are . r(ing -( .od( onl(, and do with that as is s al, and as (o thin* .est& 'hen he had s)o*en these words, he arose and went into the .ath %ha-.er with !rito, who .ade s wait/ and we waited, tal*ing and thin*ing of the s .6e%t of dis%o rse, and also of the greatness of o r sorrow/ he was li*e a father of who- we were .eing .erea0ed, and we were a.o t to )ass the rest of o r li0es as or)hans& 'hen he had ta*en the .ath his %hildren were .ro ght to hi-42he had two (o ng sons and an elder one3/ and the wo-en of his fa-il( also %a-e, and he tal*ed to the- and ga0e the- a few dire%tions in the )resen%e of !rito/ and he then dis-issed the- and ret rned to s& Now the ho r of s nset was near, for a good deal of ti-e had )assed while he was within& 'hen he %a-e o t, he sat down with s again after his .ath, . t not - %h was said& Soon the 6ailer, who was the ser0ant of the Ele0en, entered and stood .( hi-, sa(ing$ To (o , So%rates, who- I *now to .e the no.lest and gentlest and .est of all who e0er %a-e to this )la%e, I will not i-) te the angr( feelings of other -en, who rage and swear at -e when, in o.edien%e to the a thorities, I .id the- drin* the )oison4indeed, I a- s re that (o will not .e angr( with -e/ for others, as (o are aware, and not I, are the g ilt( %a se& And so fare (o well, and tr( to .ear lightl( what - st needs .e/ (o *now -( errand& Then . rsting into tears he t rned awa( and went o t& So%rates loo*ed at hi- and said$ I ret rn (o r good wishes, and will do as (o .id& Then, t rning to s, he said, How %har-ing the -an is$ sin%e I ha0e .een in )rison he has alwa(s .een %o-ing to see -e, and at ti-es he wo ld tal* to -e, and was as good as %o ld .e to -e, and now see how genero sl( he sorrows for -e& # t we - st do as he sa(s, !rito/ let the % ) .e .ro ght, if the )oison is )re)ared$ if not, let the attendant )re)are so-e&

,et, said !rito, the s n is still )on the hillto)s, and -an( a one has ta*en the dra ght late, and after the anno n%e-ent has .een -ade to hi-, he has eaten and dr n*, and ind lged in sens al delights/ do not hasten then, there is still ti-e& So%rates said$ ,es, !rito, and the( of who- (o s)ea* are right in doing th s, for the( thin* that the( will gain .( the dela(/ . t I a- right in not doing th s, for I do not thin* that I sho ld gain an(thing .( drin*ing the )oison a little later/ I sho ld .e s)aring and sa0ing a life whi%h is alread( gone$ I %o ld onl( la gh at -(self for this& Please then to do as I sa(, and not to ref se -e& !rito, when he heard this, -ade a sign to the ser0ant, and the ser0ant went in, and re-ained for so-e ti-e, and then ret rned with the 6ailer %arr(ing a % ) of )oison& So%rates said$ ,o , -( good friend, who are e1)erien%ed in these -atters, shall gi0e -e dire%tions how I a- to )ro%eed& The -an answered$ ,o ha0e onl( to wal* a.o t ntil (o r legs are hea0(, and then to lie down, and the )oison will a%t& At the sa-e ti-e he handed the % ) to So%rates, who in the easiest and gentlest -anner, witho t the least fear or %hange of %olor or feat re, loo*ing at the -an with all his e(es, E%he%rates, as his -anner was, too* the % ) and said$ 'hat do (o sa( a.o t -a*ing a li.ation o t of this % ) to an( god+ "a( I, or not+ The -an answered$ 'e onl( )re)are, So%rates, 6 st so - %h as we dee- eno gh& I nderstand, he said$ (et I -a( and - st )ra( to the gods to )ros)er -( 6o rne( fro- this to that other world4-a( this, then, whi%h is -( )ra(er, .e granted to -e& Then holding the % ) to his li)s, 5 ite readil( and %heerf ll( he dran* off the )oison& And hitherto -ost of s had .een a.le to %ontrol o r sorrow/ . t now when we saw hidrin*ing, and saw too that he had finished the dra ght, we %o ld no longer for.ear, and in s)ite of -(self -( own tears were flowing fast/ so that I %o0ered -( fa%e and we)t o0er -(self, for %ertainl( I was not wee)ing o0er hi-, . t at the tho ght of -( own %ala-it( in ha0ing lost s %h a %o-)anion& Nor was I the first, for !rito, when he fo nd hi-self na.le to restrain his tears, had got ) and -o0ed awa(, and I followed/ and at that -o-ent& A)ollodor s, who had .een wee)ing all the ti-e, .ro*e o t in a lo d %r( whi%h -ade %owards of s all& So%rates alone retained his %al-ness$ 'hat is this strange o t%r(+ he said& I sent awa( the wo-en -ainl( in order that the( -ight not offend in this wa(, for I ha0e heard that a -an sho ld die in )ea%e& #e 5 iet, then, and ha0e )atien%e& 'hen we heard that, we were asha-ed, and refrained o r tears/ and he wal*ed a.o t ntil, as he said, his legs .egan to fail, and then he la( on his .a%*, a%%ording to the dire%tions, and the -an who ga0e hithe )oison now and then loo*ed at his feet and legs/ and after a while he )ressed his foot hard and as*ed hi- if he %o ld feel/ and he said, no/ and then his leg, and so )wards and )wards, and showed s that he was %old and stiff& And he felt the- hi-self, and said$ 'hen the )oison rea%hes the heart, that will .e the end& He was .eginning to grow %old a.o t the groin, when he n%o0ered his fa%e, for he had %o0ered hi-self ), and said 2the( were his last words34he said$ !rito, I owe a %o%* to As%le)i s/ will (o re-e-.er to )a( the de.t+ The de.t shall .e )aid, said !rito/ is there an(thing else+ There was no answer to this 5 estion/ . t in a -in te or two a -o0e-ent was heard, and the attendants n%o0ered hi-/ his e(es were set, and !rito %losed his e(es and -o th&

S %h was the end, E%he%rates, of o r friend, who- I -a( tr l( %all the wisest, and 6 stest, and .est of all the -en who- I ha0e e0er *nown& 4THE END4