PLATO

OF
MYTHS

THE

THE

MYTHS

OF

P-LATO

""*

TRANSLATED
WITH

AND

INTRODUCTORY

OTHER

OBSERVATIONS

BY

STUDENT
OF

J.

A.

STEWART,

AND

TUTOR

OF

MORAL

CHRIST

PHILOSOPHY

IN

HON.

CHURCH
THE

LL.D.,

M.A.
AND

UNIVERSITY

WHITE'S
OP

PROFESSOR

OXFORD

EDINBURGH

fLonlion
MACMILLAN
NBW

YORK

AND
:

THE

MACMILLAN

1905

All

rights reserved

CO., Limited
COMPANY

4-4'

K.o.oS'f
"2

PREFACE

The

of

object

for

this

Mythologist,

it

which

of

the

Context

to

the

Myths

they

therefore,
the
or

the

material
Plato

of

the

Plato

from

the

not

Myth

pieces

the

or

and

PhcLedrus

the

in

Myth

Dialogues

the

indication

Observations

series.

as

the

possible

confine

to

find

to

expect

shortest

reasonable

from

Myths

the

and

case,

individual

as

the

only

each

in

within

The

reader,

Observations
of

Study

say,

on,

the

Phaedo

Phaedrus.
Greek

The

by

preferred

readings

Platonis

them

large

in

given

are

debt

of

few

to

(1867).

friends

two

where

Stallbaum's

of

Oomprehe'nsa

gratitude

and

places

is that

footnotes,

Volumine

Uno

in

except

Translations

the

opposite

throughout,

Omnia

Opera
owe

printed

text

followed

with

occur,

must

Phuedo

with

influence

special object

extract

to

necessary

in

and

distinguished

as

this

effect

to

was

reader

the

furnish

to

Eeasoner.

or

order

space,

Prophet,

or

Dialectician,

is

characteristics

the

estimating

In

volume

for

help

received.
Professor
in

proof

detected
in

places

to

make
The

is

gone.

serious

the

with
in

of

use

friend

other

few

anxiety

his
who

to

his

the
and

through

Translations
which

errors

feel

other,

sure,

turn

be

to

out

failed

have

may

be

may

suggestions.
helped

before

weeks

or

cause

some

all

care

will,

Translations
from

proper

read

friendly

most

these

where,

S. Phillimore

J.

his

friends,

me,

last
he

Frederick
illness
read

York

began
through

Powell,
to

all

cause

the

vi

THE

Translations
and

also

read

The

sympathetic
of

feeling

parts,

of

he

deep

on

of

which

of

various
I

by

me

gave

points
shall

December

the

to

his

clesed

Theory

long
back

gratitude.

1904.

A.

STEWART,

of

and

suggestive

look

always

J.

OXPOBD,

and

Introduction,

the

relating

those

inclusive,|

Myth,

Phaedrus

the

whole

then

discussion

friendship

the

especially

help

to

up

nearly

PLATO

OF

manuscript
him

to

other

Poetry.

acts

in

MYTHS

series
with

of

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

1.

Platonic

The

Drama

Two

elements

2.

General

and

remarks

described

Myth,

iwBoXoyla,

and

Anthropological

Argumentative

j^tpoXoyia

Zoological

Primitive

Story-telling

or

xal

distinguished

as

it

1-4

.....

AvSpiawoXoyia

as

in

distinguished

Pages

Mjth
on

be

to

"

Conversation

Allegory,

an

Myths,

or

(2) Aetiological

from

"

Story-telling

"

Stories,

(3) Esohatological

has

'

(1) Simply

are

Moral

no

A
"

Other-

or

meaning

4-20
...

3.

Plato's

....

Myths
Part

"

distinguished
the

of

expresses
rather

or

Myth
the

in

not

essentially
the

of

sense

shall

the

exemplify

Platonic

"theoretic

effect

produced

in
of

us

this

in

the

by

us

^tatpnic

Feeling,"

which

and

was,

the

from

which

part

"value-judgments,"

in

"That

Passages

"

that

what

to

; "Transcendental

Poetry
of

To

but

produced

presence

awakened

production

by

experience,

appeal

judgments,"
The

that

what

"

Myth

"

overshadowing
is

be,"

To

Allegories

the

"value-feelings"

is

ever

does

Soul,"

itself,

from

is, and

quoted

Poets,

effect

to

20-39
....

4.

"

Transcendental
the

of

Life

principle

in

Life

is

production
that

the

of

Feeling

the

"

the

first

Platonic

Platonic

The

is

for

the

"Life

which,

it

of

of

is

good

and

be

to

The

Platonic

Myth

(1) Imaginative
of

Deduction
Distinction

and

rouses

generally,

of

of

the

"Ideas"

between

"

"

6.

Plato's

distinction
"

represents
deduces
treatment

"

explained

mode

Ideas

of

Categories
of

the

of
"

Idea

Understanding
of

God

It

"

the
"

Feeling
concerned
"

"Transcendental

of

Feeling"
and

Reason,"

Plato

God,

Cosmos,
and

implicit

employ

Moral

by

(2) Imaginative
"Moral

and

"Categories"

Soul,

Reason,
the

that

is with

39-42

of

does

Why

is

"

"Transcendental

Ideas

and

"

there

Conviction

chiefly

are

Understanding"

"

Kant's

Conduct

Science

regulates

Representation
"Categories

of

that

"

and

5.

timeless

Transcendental

"

this

in

Transcendental

"

Metaphysics

of

life

living,"

Being,
of

regulates

Conduct

rational

ness
Conscious-

fundamental

silently,

is worth

end

Poetry

and

which

in

the

Soul,"

whole

phases

two

and

the

Timeless

and

these

rouses

use

of

beginning

Myth,

Myth

of

the

that

Sense

as

of

reflection

the

creatures,

which

on

and

Solemn

and

good,

Part

living

assumption

which,

thus

is

all

assumption

in

"

genetically

"Vegetative
in

rests, the

Cosmos,

explained

the

and

the

Science

Feeling

of

us,

makes

sleep,
and

"

Feeling

Virtues"
in

"

when

Myth
and
Virtues

Plato

when
?

he
he
42-51
51-60

....

viii
7. Plato's treatment

"Idea

Plato"

PLATO

OF

Plato's

""Agnosticismof

of Soul

Immortality of

and

of

matter

of the

the

regard to
by Pindar
8.

MYTHS

THE

day with

Orphic Belief as felt

the
Myths plainlyreproduce
Eschatological
Influence of

the Soul"

Plato's

Orphic teaching

Pages 60-71

"

"

of Pla"

of a defence
in the form
Introductory Observations
Vernunfl,
d. remen
KrUik
againsta charge broughtagainsthim by Kant,
as
(1)representing
Einleitung," 3" Plato's Myths (roughlydistinguished
Faculties,
Categories,
Ideas
of Reason, or
(2) deducing
Ideals, and
taken
m
be
will
the^
back
to their origins)
Virtues,i.e. tracing them

Summary

of

Myth,
Ideas of Eeason, the Phaedo
(a) as representing
Myths
^or
Eschatological
three
the ffor^ira
Myth, the Myth of Er (the
order
following

Golden Age,
Myth togetherwith the Myth of the
;
the ProtagorasMyth (Aetiological
Myths), and the Discourse of Timaeus
the
Virtues,
or
of
deduction
with the
Categories
(6) as chieflyconcerned
Phaedrus
Myth, the Meno
Myth, and the Myth told by Aristophanes
the PolUieus
excellence),

and

Discourse

and

the

Ideals

of
of

Myth

and

Diotima

deduce

the

in

Earth-born,

the

(c) the Atlantis Myth

represent the
respectively

Symposium;

the

Categoriesof

which
the

Nation,

as

from
distinguished

72-76

the Individual

THE

Context

77

of the Myth

...

Observations

1. Plato's method
with
and

....

79-93

Translation

2. The

^^^^

MYTH

PHAEDO

of

the

"

on

giving verisimilitude
Modern

Science

from Henry
paralleled

subjectof

the last section

Phaedo

the

"

to

of his

More
further

Myth

Myth, by bringing it into

day,

illustrated

from

ity
conform-

the

Phaedo,

the

parallel

94-101

....

illustrated by reference

to

of the
Surface
Geography of Tartarus and the "True
Earth"
and
Dante's
Geography of Hell, Purgatory, and the Earthly
Paradise
The
dwelt
Plato
and
Dante
on
chiefly
parallelismbetween
with the view of suggesting the method
stand
best underwe
by which
may
the function
of Myth in the Platonic
of
Philosophy,the method
the
of
master
on
us
sealing the Impression made
one
by
Myth
great
by the study of the Myth of anothei with whom
we
happen to be
may
in closer sympathy
101-113
distinction
between
and
insisted
Dogma
Myth
by Socrates,
upon
Plato's

between

"

......

3. The

114

Phaedo,

Myth

"

"Moral

THE

Context
Translation

.....

Responsibility"the

motif of

the

GOBGIAS

Phaedo
113-114

....

MYTH

1X5

117-125

CONTENTS

Observations
1.

on

Myth

Goegias

the

"

Eesponsibility is the motif of the Gorgias Myth, as it is of the

Phaedo
The
Gorgias Myth sets forth, in a Vision of Judgment,
Myth
and
of the Active,
Purification,the continuityand sameness
Penance,
from the Passive, Self,the Self as activelydeveloping
its
as
distinguished
under
the discipline
of correction,riXao-is,
not as being the
native power
victim of vengeance,
n/iapia Death as Philosopher Pages 126-128
mere
Vice with Large Opportunity
The mystery of the infinite difference between
"Moral

"

"

2.

and

Vice

with

Narrow

on

Tablets

3. Observations

Judgment, and

Opportunity
affixed

the Three

on

THE

Context

to

Judged Souls,

the

Ways

on

Meadow

....

MYTH

OF

ER

1.

Cosmography

2.

Dante's

135-151

...

and

on

Eunoe

taken

which

to

Plato

Myth

the

of the

Geography

and

Lethe

Mythology,

Myth

in
is

op

Er

with

the

152-154

....

connection

largelyindebted

Orphic

for his

the

"

...

"

"

"

"

BeTnarks
IvH/roAuetory

173-174

.....

177-191

........

Myth of the Oolden

of the

Translation

Observations

2. Is Plato
from

.175

...

TrcmslaMon

1. Relation

MYTH

POLITIOUS

THE

on

Age

"

in earnest

the

Politicus
"

Science
Myth to the
in supposing that God,

government of the World

and Metempsychosis

Problem
suppose

"

the

Myth like
helping us

Evil"

of

to

of

raised
of this

solution
that

193-195

....

the

of the Politicus

3. Resurrection
4. "The

and

of

of Forgettingand Eemembering
164-161
as a Process
The
Pillar of
Cosmography and Geography of the Myth
in the lap
Light, the Spindle of Necessity,the Model of the Cosmos
of Necessity
162-169
to
question raised and solved in the Myth, How
great philosophical
with the
of
Law
reconcile
Free Will
169-172
Reign
the

about

...

Context

Ritual

account

Soul's Kidapns

4. The

133

....

Observations

More

of

130-132

....

Translatitm

3.

129-130

the

the

in

problem

"particulardifficulty"
"

to

helps

us

196-197

time, withdraws
.

197-198
198-200

Politicus

Myth

be furthered

"

How

does

Plato

by an Aetiological
AetiologicalMyth as
from a
as distinguished
difficulty"
to "put by" the former
kind of
to

The

"universal
It

time

the

"

day

of Plato's

from

....

Politicus 1

"solve"

"

Mtth

value

of

THE
The
difficulty"

Myth"
Myth
and

The

KaUwala

Story

the

to

MYTHS

quoted to

of the

"Creation

the Discourse

PLATO

OF

Birth

illustrate the function

Myths"

of Timaeus

THE

"

"
.

215-219
.

Observations

2. It

"Platonic

Myth,"

settingforth

sets

the

forth

or

discussed in Kant's

only a

"

Apologue
Sophistic
in man's

between

the

"

?" It is a true

experience

the

220-222
and

the

its parts" It raises the

of

Origin

Virtue

from
distinguished

as

.......

the

Sculptured Myth,

Prometheus

Sarcophagus

in

Capitoline

the

228-229

difference

Myth and Allegory

of
Interpretation The interpreters

Philo"

between

"

The

GhsistianFathers"

of the CaveJ^hich is
"""""^Allegory
the

of

Eitual

Crew

DisdMerly

The

Sketch
Homer

"

of the

gorical
History of Alle-

and of Greek

Myt^ogy

Dante-^lato'

Neo-Platonists"

Myth as well as
Allegory and

...

Allegory) His
Myth
compared

an

"

......

259
.

261-297

........

Obseevations
observations

Purification

3. On

and

the Creation

on

its scope

on

Timaeus

the

298-302

.....

Metempsychosis

302-304

of Souls

304-305

......

THE
Context

of the Myth

Translation

PHAEDRUS

MYTH
306-307

.....

......
.

Observations
1.

Preliminary

2. The

"

on

the

Peaedrus

But

309-335

Myth
333

........

Myth

Phaedrus

with

TIMAEUS

Translation

2.

gory
Alle-

230-258

....

THE

1. General

question
222-226

"

Context

"teleo-

"

Museum

"

'

226-228

Art

5. The

Myth,

"

"mechanical"

and

World

of the

Myth

Myth

Protagoras

Critique of Jvdgment

in the

given

the

distinction

logical explanation of
3. Account

on

priori elements

"

4. A

Myth,
Profos-oross
200-211
Pages

"
.

as

PolUvMS \

the

MYTH

PROTAGORAS

Translation

"

212-213

of the Myth

1. Is it

called,the

so
strictly

Context

Transition from

of Iron"

Aetiologioal

of

as

givinga

"

Deduction

it also sets forth the Ideas

"

of the

of
Categories

of fieason
.

the Understanding

837.339

CONTENTS
3. The

doctrines of 'Avd/xviins,
'Bpus, Immortality

The

6. Poetic

Myth translated,

sense

is the

and

of the

seine

en

the

Inspiration

down

mise

339-349
349-350

of the Soul"

350-381

382-395

MYTHS

SYMPOSIUM

TWO

397

....

THE

TOLD

MYTH

BY

ARISTOPHANES
.

....

the

Observations

THE

on

and

Zagreus Myth

II."

399-407

Myth

the

with

Rabelais

408-413

DISCOURSE

Tra/nslation

OF

DIOTIMA
415-427

....

Observations

on

Discourse

the

of

Diotima

Allegory and a Myth

May be
The
of
nature
PropheticTemperament
Prophecy
The History of the Doctrine of Daemons
Discourse

at

once

an

taken

"

the

as

study of
428-434

"

434-460

OBSERVATIONS

GENERAL
which

forth

set

Myths

in which

Nation's, as

the

the

have

we

of
spectacle

of its Future, (6) conditioned

Myth

in the

Timaeus

and

Ideal

State

of the

account

Hellenic

Empire

and

by

on

the

prom

CATEGORIES

Nation's

life,(a) led
These

B^ublic,

are

by

on

in the

Vision

[a] the Atlantis

in connection

sets forth

the Earth-born

with

the Vision

iJepw^Zic

the
of

an

451-456

MYTH

ATLANTIS

Observations

distingdished

its Past.

in the

translation,or rendering

Geologyand Geography of

MYTHS

Critias,which, taken

(J)the Myth.of

THE

Abbreviated

ON

InDIVIDDAL's,IdEALS

THE

in

for subsequent

seine

en

to Dante

.......

of the Myths

and comparison with

The

Doctrine

"History

of that

Myth,
importance
and religious
philosophical
thought

General

The

' '

Pages
.

PJiaedrus

Trcmslation

Meno

In what

"

....

astronomical, mise

I."

2.

Myth

...

THE
Context

Phaedrus

"

729

celestial,
or
the

the

"mythical"?.

Number

5. The

with

compared

of Ideas"

1.

The

"

and

4.

xi

467-464
.

...

the

Myth

Atlantis

Myth
465-469

xii

THE

THE

MYTHS

MYTH

OP

OF

PLATO

EARTH-BORN

THE

Trwnslation

471-473

Pages
.......

Note

the

on

Myth

of

the

.....

CONCLUSION"

THE

OP

The

than

important
it

is

MYTHOLOGY

THE

Plato
for

contended,

the

the

"

associates

PLATONISTS

represent

Plato

Dialectician,

or

understanding
are

Platonists"

METAPHYSICS

AND

CAMBRIDGE

Platonists"

"Cambridge
rather

474

Earth-born

of

Mythologist,
and

Reasoner,
modern

our

of

the

the

same

this

in

English
kind

or

as

"

Prophet,
respect

Idealists,"

Cudworth

are

who,

and

475-519
.......

his

INTEODUCTION

The

1.

Platonic

The
in

which

are

the

Socrates

form

right
But

is
are

it is

compelled

conversation,

The
Platonic

ofUhe

interrupts

which

of

this

Myth

in

order

Platonic

wl^ich

Sophists

'

Of.

probably

Cratyhu,

387

reader

tA

consists

in

Myth

the

organic

an

is

Plato

ida

tIs

i"m

consists.

the

of

the

organism

part

of

the

about

point

discourses

twv

other
tion
conversa-

have

can

their

times
some-

some

examples
in

ornament,
of

style.

or

the

we

argumentative

mainly

is

that

greatest,

its function

\iyci.v

Dialogues,

argumentative

examine

to

the

element,

traditional,

Drama

ornamented

b,

to

some

Socrates

the

added

an

experienced

the

with

the

discover
IThat

not

the

which

is

work
to

in

tale, sometimes

of

show

may

philosophical

concludes

Drama.

Drama,

them

Plato's

movement

object

Plitonic

Thb

the

which

on

another

present

it, equally

or

has

matters

matters

Drama

contains

of

some

with

although

about

always

Platonic

ostensibly

fanciful

is

everybody

yet

is,

consists

which,

discussion

the

It

to

invented,

newly

in

is

companions

action

part,

Drama

part.

that

not

his

in

that

in

or

regard

is

Myth

the

which

as

and

"

essential

as

interlocutor

discussed

others,

to

which

argument

conversation.

in

Socrates

leading

or

mainly

though

described

conversation

take

wholly

only

striking

The

in

opinions

wrong,

which,

so

speech

profitably

argumentative
Myth,

and

may

workaday
or

action/

conversation

be

can

men

be

another
The

say.

the

Deama

broadly

argumentative

of

or

be

may

The

actors.

that

which

is

speech

mainly

his

Dialogue

Platonic

doubt.

no

and

made

irpd^euv.
B

THE

them

interesting
by

more

like
allegories
is not

Choice

the

illustrative

results

alreadyobtained

reader

of Plato

is silenced for
opens
Drama

is well

in

his mouth

Allegory rendering
He

aware.

Myth,

Socrates

this the

Of

pictoria'

experieno

the brisk

feels when
or

My^

the Platonic

but

by argument.

debal

greatinterlocutd
of the PhilosopI

another

that the movement

arrested,but

is not

of Hercules

while, and

the insertion of illustrative fables ot

it is not

"

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

being sustained, at a crisis, on

the Dialogue wif
bursts in upon
is

plane. The Myth

mattei
and strange ; the narrow,
a revelation of something new
con
the argumentative
of-fact,workaday experience,which
versation
puts in evidence, is suddenly flooded, as it were,j
and transfused
by the inrush of a vast experience,as froi
Put
off thy shoes from off thy feet,for the
another world
thou standest is holy ground."
placewhereon

another

"

"

of the dramatic

It is in the mouth
those

Myths

make

us

be

that

here

the so-called

"

Plato

that Plato

wondering surmise
EschatologicalMyths. It

best fitted to fillus

think

Socrates

represents

with

trait

of

the

real

puts
and

may|

Socratei

argumentative conversation, it is full]

the
dialogue-form of the PlatonSi
recognised,determined
writings. It may be that also the introduction of Myths, at
least of the Eschatological
Myths distinguished
by
Myths
and
style was
suggestedto
great impressivenessof matter
Plato by something in the real Socrates.
The personalinfluencfl
Plato's mind, an^
of Socrates worked
as
a vital principlein
bodied
itself forth in Socratic dramas
plays in which, as 1{
have
said, Socrates and his companions are the actors, andj
discourse is the action.
philosophical
Any element, then, in
the Platonic
writings which the experienced reader finds of
and the Myth is such
is likelytoj
great dramatic moment
represent some
strikingtrait in the person and influence of th"
real Socrates.
In the Myths put into his mouth
Socratea
tha
prophesies sets forth,by the aid of imaginativelanguage,,
method

Socrates'

of

"

"

"

"

"

"

fundamental

conditions

of

conduct

and

knowledge.

Hel

and his hearers listen spellbound. That Socrates'

prophesies,"
influence is very likely.
called mesmeric
possessedwhat is now
The comparison of his influence
(in ordinarydebate)with that

"

See Grote's

Plato, ii. 38,

note

e.

INTEODUCTION
of

the

imply
be

electric fish,r] OaXarna

much

as

taken

; while

evidence

as

vdpKT)}
may

his familiar
of

be

thought to
or
must
spirit,
Satfioviov,

"abnormality."^ i

to offer

venture

the

it may
for what
be worth, that the Platonic
suggestion,
if not
Myths, in manner
always in matter, represent (directly
Socrates
as
spoken by
himself, indirectlyas spoken by
"Timaeus,"
Critias,""Protagoras,""the Eleatic Stranger")
certain impressive passages
in the conversation
of the real
Socrates,when he held his hearers spellboundby the magnetism
of his face and speech. Be this as it may. Myth distinguished
for all by weight and ring from
once
Allegory' is an essential
of Plato's philosophical
element
style; and his philosophy
"

"

"

be understood

cannot
The

main

apart

plan of

it.*

from

this work

is to

append to the English

translation of each of the Platonic
Myths observations and
notes relatingspecially
to that Myth
itself
Each
Myth is a
be dealt with individually
in its
unique work of art, and must
But
I hope that the general effect of these
context.
own
specialobservations will be to leave the reader,at the end,
with an adequate impressionof the significance
of Myth, first
in Plato's philosophy,and then in present-daythought.
Before beginning,however, to carry out the main
plan of
"
'

Meno, 80 A.
Hegel (Gesch.d. Philos. ii. 94-101) regardsthe

SaL/i6vtov
as
a "magnetic"
des
phenomenon, physiologically
explicable.C. R. Volquardsen {Das Ddmonium
Socrates und
seine Interpreten,
Kiel, 1862) holds (pp. 58 and 71) that it cannot
be explained by any law of anthropology or physiology,but is a
singular
Zeller {Socratesand the Socratic Schools,pp. 72-79, Eng. Transl.)
phenomenon.
concludes
that it is "a vague apprehension of some
good oriU result followingon
"

"

certain actions."
of Socrates
Myers {Himum Personality, ii. 95 S.) cites the Saijibviov
the
of
of
that
automatism
the
which
vnse
example
possibility
;
messages
mind
from subliminal
strata of the personality
^ conveyed to the supraliminal
^whether
sometimes
from far
sounds, as sights,or as movements
as
come
may
"

F. W.

as

H.

an

"

beneath

the

convey to us
(Du Dinum,

Xenophon
is

realm
a

de

and

wisdom

of

dream

and

confusion,
"

profounder than

Socraie,1856), who
Plato that Socrates

we

argues
was

know
from

from
"

some

self whose

monitions

(p.100). Against L.
the

records

of the

insane, Myers contends

F. Ldlut

in
Sai/iiviov

(p. 95)

that

"it

explanation; to placethese old records in juxtaposition

that the messages
which
to show
with more
instructive
parallels
; and
Socrates received were
examples of a process which, if supernormal,
only advanced
characterises
that form
of intelligence
which
is not abnormal, and which
we
of Socrates"
describe as genius." Dr. H. Jackson's article on "the Sai/xtviov
aij/ietov
also be referred to, and
in the Journal
of Philology (vol.x. pp. 232 ff.) may
Mem.
to his edition of Xen.
Kiihner's Prolegomena (v. de Socratis SaL/iovlif)
now

possibleto give a

truer

See infra, p. 16 and pp. 230 ff.

Zeller's Plato, pp. 159-163
(Eng.
this and preceding paragraphs.
s

Transl.),may

be read

in connection

with

THE

MYTHS

OF

PLATO

,
preliminaryremarks on fivBoKo^^"''
to
I
hope
or
in general,
of which
in the course
story-telling
indicate what I conceive to be the ground of Plato's methodical
employment of it in philosophy.

this work, I will offer

2.

General

some

Kemarks

Myth

Stoky-telling.

or
fiv0o\oyia,

on

distinguished

Allegory

from

that Imagiiiationrather than

profound remark
and brute...
the primary difference between
man
Eeason makes
of
the immediate
The brute lives mainly among
impressions
The after-images
of these impressions are evidentlyof
sense.
little account
in his life,being feeble and evanescent.^
the brute, in
not only,with
But man
lives a double life
It

is

-'

"

the

world

narrow

of his own,

of

present sensations,but also

his mind

where

is

in

continuallyvisited

world

wide

re-visited

and

though often grotesque and grotesquely

combined, images of past sense-impressions.It is in this wide
the narrow
wonder- world of waking dream, which
|
encompasses
familiar world of his present sense-impressions,
that man
begins
crowds

by

of vivid,

his human

It is here

career.

that

the

and

savage

child

the

begin to acquire what the brute has no such opportunityof

does acquire, a sense
of vasti
beginning to acquire,and never
and
environment
of the long course
of time.
This waking |
"

dream, which

constitutes

experience,
probably owes
of sleep. Some
of the
have dreams
in sleep.

great

so

much
lower
But

part

man's

of

of its content

animals, as well
man,

we

may

to
as

the

man,

suppose,

childish^
dreams

to]

seem

differs fromi

"In
the lower stages of civilisation Imagination,
than
more
Reason, dis-^l
from the animals ; and to banish art would
men
tinguishes
be to banish thoughtrlj
to banish language,
to banish the expressionof all truth.""
Jowett, Dialoguea of?

Plato, Introduction
2

"At

the

to the

Eepublic,p.
these

clxiv.

birds

all day long to be im-J

(swallows)seem
their habits change ; they become
in flocks.
Whilst
the mother
are
-bird is feeding on
noisy, and congregate
her
t
he
maternal
instinct is probably
over
nestlings,
brooding

pressedwith

migratory ;

proper season
the desire to

but

restless.J

migrate ;

the instinct which

is the

more

strongerthan thai
victory anfl

persistent gains the

and^

her young
when
not in sight,she takes
ones
are
flight
arrived at the end of her long journey,and
the migratorvl
of remorse
instinct has ceased to act, what an agony
the bird would
feel if
mental
with
she
could
endowed
activity,
not
great
being
the
at

last,at

deserts them.

moment
When

froml

prevent

constantlypassingthrough
cold and
from
p. 173, ed. 1901).

north

her mind

hunger

"

of her young
ones
The Descent

(Darwin,

imaeBl
perishingin the bleakl
of Man, part i. ohao iv I
^'

THE

of

the

scientific

which

that

'supplying
an

emotional

another

with

these visions,has

good

how

the

of

ordinary

of

Self

the

used,

be

visions

The

by

does

of the existence, m
strange surmise
world, of another Self which, while it reveals itself in

consciousness

is

it

phrase may

if the

context,

the
fantastical context.
along with
mythopoeic fancy are received by

This

confined.

he

must

within

also indicates limits

it
understanding,

exercise

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

that

small

a
a

deep

man

should

part

of

him

be reminded

the

not

lies the

it

is

present value

the

of

the Eeason

that it is not

"

Herein

chiefly
Poetry,
equivalent.

Man.

(or

Scientific

the

that

"

Whole

Myth

feel in his heart

to

is

head

his

Understanding should
Part, that

made

be

thus

It

disclose.

it will not

which

secret

of its

else)for civilised man.

world
of the dreamThe stories which
the primitiveinhabitants
love to tell one
another
are
always about the wonderful
adventures
and doings of people and animals.
'KvOpcoiroXo^iM
^
Kot
ZipdXoyia may be taken as a full descriptionof these
Once
and doings happened
stories. The adventures
a
upon
that is preface
time
Somewhere, not here
Long ago
enough for the most improbablestory, it receives belief or makebelieve simply because it is very interestingbecause the animals
speak and behave like people,and everything else happens
Music,

whatever

or

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

topsy-turvy
bloodshed
i.e.not

in

and

wonderful

indecency. If
is not
I

make-believe, which
attention

and

there

the story is not

at
interesting

have

is

"

all.

lack

no

of

interesting,"

very

indecent,it does

marvellous,gruesome,

make-believe, and

or

manner,

carry belief
The attitude of

not

mentioned, is worth

the

careful

of the

psychologist.This is not the place to analyse

it.* I will only say that it seems
to me
likelythat it is very
often the attitude of the primitive
and his audience.
story-teller
The

without
Zulu

'

tale

as

of
a

story is very
I

lAddell

very

being believed.

or
probability

the

be

story may

hope

that

to
interesting

This is

modern

as

novel

jeu d'espritlike

be

pardoned

for

true, I take it,of

written

Alice in

there
interesting,

I may

its teller and

will

with

due

always be

regard

two
introducing

words

to Lyrical Ballads, speaks of "that

Coleridge,referring
which
constitutes poeticfaith."

But

to

if

make-believe
which

to be justified,
in the sense
Scott,but seem
in which
I
Aristotle's d,vepunroKlryoi
(E. N. iv. 3. 81)= "fond of personaltalk."
^

grotesque

Wonderland.

and

of disbelief for the moment,

audiepce

use

are

not in

them, by

willingsuspension

INTEODUCTION

least,and

at

often

serious,deliberate

make-believe.

the

that
spiritof this serious make-believe
girltalks about her dolls,but we ourselves
make
pilgrimagesto placesassociated v^ith
fiction.

adventures

Johnson

of Dr.
of

The

followed

are

actuality. The
Forum

Eoman

interested

student

in each

experience may
with

his

from

any rate, we
other
cases,

he

tells and

be

may

well

as

that

stories,we

and

the

the
in

journey
sense

our

that

of the

spiritby

same

from

instances

or

of great

events

Inferno and

much

the

civilised

the line must

be

of

her

"

If make-believe
is

proteg^ stops
have

assume,

be

to

this case,

superfluous

belief,which

as

in

Nature
is

sometimes

he

stops
At

all,a small matter.

is,after

that

sure

That

is told.

does

"

purpose
take
care

the

Dante,

our

little difference

vague
in the mind

nothing that
ovBe /xdTTjv
"n-epiepyov
r] ^wo-t?.
"

the

little

primitiveman
feelingsand vivid imaginationcontrolled by
fact.^ His tendency is to
of ascertained

of belief at make-believe

short

read

how

make-believe

standard

believe whatever

only the

not

Crusoe

These

case.

to show

serve

turbulent

uniform

no

with

topography of
approached in

are

dividingbelief

of Eobinson

It is in

ovhev

Nature's

serve

Certain

make-believe.

wonderful

troiel

she will
difficult,

more

at

in all

as

horrid

or

up

to

pitch,in order to give full expressionand relief to

feelingand imagination at a certain stage of development ;

certain

and

the belief without

themselves

maintain
which

which

these

all,we

at

further

comes

easiest,i.e.make-believe.

is

in

It

plain that
extravagantlywonderful

proportion

or

horrid,the

believe to be the attitude of tellers and

this is the
and

This
a

wonderful

familiar,it comes
tion
more

as

to

it is believed

and

Professor

imagination

story

is

be believed

; and

hearers
go

towards

more

told

that,where

becoming

on

met

and

another.

by

becomes

seriously
; and,

more

in

very

proper-*

itself
it tends to disembarrass
seriously,
which pleasedwhen
wilder improbabilities

it

was

still that

Tylor (Primitwe Gultwre,

among

often

more]

likelyis make-

more

likelyto

are

that

more

of the

more

the attitude
1

are

stories

as

be

will

assume,

extravagantlywonderful or horrid.
is one
tendency which, however, is

more

When

attitude,stories

could not

stories

necessary

ancient

and

savage

conditions of a healthy prosaic modern

in a fever-ward."

An

of make-believe.

im-

usual state of the

"a
the
between
"intermediate

i. 284) describes

peoples"

as

citizen and

raving fanatic

or

patient

story full of extravagant

promptu
of

revolting
indecencyis told

some

afterwards

one

this

as
story itself,

who

him

become

They

rationalise and

hero

of the race, those

him.

improb-

the

it,either leavingout

moralise

the sole

on

old story about

of the

ashamed

be

may

god

or

and if that

When

one.

some

it
regarded,

be

authorityof
revere

and, it may be,

improbability

about

to

comes

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

retainingthe partsthat are probablej

and proper; or allegorising
it,i.e.
showing that the improbabilities
and indecencies are not to be regardedas historical facts,but to
scientific or
or
be interpretedas figuresof some
philosophic
religiousdoctrine favoured by the interpreters.Thus makebelieve accumulates
material for the
highercriticism."
koX ZcpoXo'^La about peopleand animals
'AvOpom-oXoyla
of what
is a suf"cient account
always is and
story-telling

abilitiesand indecencies,and

"

"

"

"

"

it is

why

interesting.

Sometimes

1.

which

happened

once

the interest which

time, and

upon

people and animals.

Simply Anthropologicaland

Such

about
"

beautiful
bosele's."

The

children

children

bosele's."

The

trustingto

self-confidence

them

both,

-away.
In the
children

and

left the

afternoon
"

little

The

elephantwith

an

the

"

hance
en-

story

called

those

are

replied,

child

Whose

"

those

are

Unanana-

"

replied,

built in the

road

on

purpose,
swallowed

He

superiorpower."
The
elephant then

little child.

mother

and

came

girlsaid, "They

"

said,

have

Where

been

Unanana-bosele

markably
re-

Unanana-

"

time,

The

She

"

Whose

"

child

second

and

tusk."

one

to

be

story may

said,

The

elephantsaid,

results

no

as
intrinsically

and
"

elephantasked

beautiful

remarkably

doings

Zoological."

large elephant came

very

left

it

belongs to

and

adventures

story is about

the

went

are

the

taken

said,

away
Where

"

by
did

"
he put them ? "
The littlegirlreplied,
He -ate them."
Unananabosele said, "Are
The little girlreplied,"No,
they dead?"

do

retired to rest.

They
and

put

knife

it into

She

antelope; she said,"

which
has eaten
my
very

"

You

came

morning she ground

with

amasi, and

the

to
are

place where

one

was

the

the

went

an

elephant
antelope

The

place where
She

was

the

me

maize,

carryinga

there

tusk."

white."

much

out,

to the

children ; she has

go till you come

where
the stones
to

set

place where
Mother, mother,pointout for
came

will

high and
She

In the

largepot

hand.

in her

said,

know."

not

trees

are

on.

leopard;

she

said

INTEODUCTION
"

Mother, mother, point

children."

my

the

me

elephant which

has

eaten

The

will go on and on, and

leopardreplied,"You
placewhere the trees are high aifd where the stones

the

to

come

for

out

white."

are

She
she

went

still at

was

white

passingall animals, all saying the

on,

distance

great

below

them.

she

She

some

saw

"When

same.

high trees, and

very

the

elephant lyingunder the

She
she came
stood
trees.
went
to the elephant she
on
; when
still and
for
the
out
said, "Mother, mother, point
me
elephant
which
children."
has eaten
The
"You
will
elephant replied,
my
the
the trees are high and where
to where
go on and on, and come
white."
The
stood
and
asked again
stones
are
woman
still,
merely
the
for
out
me
elephantwhich has
saying, Mother, mother, point
children."
The
eaten
elephant again told her just to pass
my
But the woman,
onward.
seeingthat it was the very elephantshe
and
she
that
was
was
seeking,
deceivingher by tellingher to go
forward, said a third time, Mother, mother, point out for me the
stones

saw

"

"

elephantwhich

eaten

children."

my
her

and
elephant seized
the elephant'sstomach,

The
reached

rivers,and
and

there

and

many

high

many
were

many
dogs and

elephant;
them

has

she

We

"

said,

people

who

nothing,we

eaten

saw

had

Why

die."

roasted

it and

roasted

and

kindled

She

with

ate

built

merely lay down."

?
They said, If

thing1
All the

The

the

were

this

She

They

cut

the

cut

liver,and

also the flesh and

we

there

wondered, saying, Oh, forsooth,

have

remained

"

"

said, Yes, yes.

woman

and

people cut

And

eat

we

said,

; it will itself die ; you

fire.

children.

She

"

ate.

peoplewhich
they eating,whilst
"

great

her

All the
are

great

were

"

will not

she

rocks ;
many
their villages
there ;

side there

one

When

too.

large forests,and

did you not roast

this flesh
"
She said," No
beast,will it not kill us 1
"

her

inside
the
cattle ; all was
there
there.
She
children
own
sitting
gave
she
what
before
ate
came.
They
they

them

asked

have

on

many
too, her

saw,

amasi, and

lands ;

swallowed
she

The

ate.
"

the

be eaten."

elephantcan

the other beasts,saying,

elephant-fcold

I swallowed

eating any^

without

I have

woman

been

ill ; there

has

From
been

the time
a

pain in

woman

be, 0 chief,it
may
there are
now
so
people in your stomach."
many
The
it came
to pass after a long time that the elephantdied.
divided
the elephant with a knife,cutting through a rib

with

an

stomach."
my
arises because
And

see

The

other

animals

said,

"It

said, Moo, moo, we at length

and
out
said,"Mey, mey, at
country." A goat came
out and
said, At length
the country." A dog came
see

axe.

the

cow

and

out

came

"

"

length we
we

see

the
"

saying,

At

country."
length we

And
see

out
laughing and
people came
made
the woman
country." They

the
the

10

THE

MYTHS

PLATO

OF

gave
her

cattle,some
goats, and
children,being very rich. She

because
rejoicing

she

had

arrival

girl was

presents;
She

set

some

with

out

her

little

thinkingthat

her

On
she

because
rejoiced,

she

home

went

was

dead."^

was

adventures

doings and

story is about

the

sheep.

some

children.

with her

back

come

there;

her mother

Sometimes

2.

her

are
remain, and
produced interestingresults which
when
as
of these doings and adventures
explainedby means
the shape of a hill is explainedby the action of some
giant or

which

"

wizard""

He

cleft the

This

Hills in three."

Eildon

is the

AetiologicalStory. It is not only interestingas a piece of

that intrinsic
have
simple anthropology, every story must
"

interest,

but

"

"

"

class of

which

the

creation

is set

forth

which

called

be

of

causes

the

"

scientific

things.

It sets

cause.

the

To

may
the

desire to know

the

curiosity
forth the

it satisfies what

the

"

forth

set

faculties and

in

AetiblogicalStories belong those myths

of the
so-called

the

and

heavens

earth

as

; also

Cosmological Myths
of

creation

virtues ; also

whole

one

myths

origin of his
Myths describingthe

and

man,

Foundation

the

well
as
origin of societyand of particularnations and cities,
as
myths describing the invention of the arts and their
instruments
a
myths
large and important section
; and
explainingthe originof ritual practices the so-called Cultus
features
Myths ; and lastly,myths explaining topographical
and the peculiarities
of animals
and plants.
The
scientific
logical
curiositywhich
inspires these Aetio"

"

"

"

"

Stories
"

To

know

to the

the

the

one

idle.
"

cause

as

savage

cause

is not

can

well

indeed,
Curiosity,

is matter

as

control

to

the

the

wound

made

by

iron.

That

story duly recited

heal

the

iron

one

must

of

much

civilised
effect.
know

the

becomes

idle.'

never

practicalconcern
If

man.

For

is

knows

one

example, to

story of
the

charm

the

heal

originof

which

will

wound.^

Many Aetiological
Myths doubtless have
their rise in the practiceof magic.
illustrate the Aetiological
Let me
Myth by givingexam{)les
of its principal
varieties,
beginning with a Cosmological
Myth
'

Nursery Tales,Traditions,and
332

pp.
^

See

Histories

of the Zulus, Callaway,1868, vol

ff.

infra,pp.

204 ff.,where

the Finnish

Story of

the

Origin of Iron is given.

INTEODUCTION
the

"

down

"

Story of the Children of

by Sir GreorgeGrey among

From
all

11

Rangi,the Heaven,

and

Heaven

and

Earth," written

the Maoris.^

Papa,the Earth, it is said,sprang

earth clave together,
and darkness

and

things;but sky and

them
and
the beings they had
begotten,till at last
upon
their children
took counsel whether
they should rend apart their
Then
Tane-mahuta, father of forests,said
parents or slay them.
to his iive great brethren, It is better
to rend them
apart, and
men

rested

"

let the

heaven

feet.

Let

remain

god

stand

the

close

and

become

sky

to

father

far above

us

as

of

the

as

of

matauenga, god
Tane-mahuta, god

cultivated

food

of

to part them
parents, striving

and

rose

but
struggled,

fierce

Then

men.

his hands

our

earth

strove

in

reptiles,

and

of Tu-

slow

uprises

wrestles

with
"

and

to

vaia_;_and

of fish and

forests,and

with

the

Rongo-ma-tane,

wild-growingfood,

of

father

but

So

Tangaroa, father
of

lie under

us,

of man,

he

earth;

father

and

earth

to

stranger

father
Haumia-tikitiki,
and

the

nursing mother.''

our

separate the heaven and the

the efforts of
vain, too, were
and

us, and

his

Lo,

arms.

he

the earth,
is now
firmlyplanted on his mother
pauses ; his head
his feet he raises up and
rests
against his father the skies,he
strains his back
and
limbs
with
rent
are
mighty effort. Now

apart Rangi and

shriek

and

Papa,

aloud.

But

with

cries and

Tane-mahuta

not

pauses
he presses down
the earth ; far,far above
sky." But Tawhiri-ma-tea, father of winds
.

him
the

consented

never

there

now

realms

in

arose

So

brethren.

the

his breast

and

hide

and

to the

and
from
to

hollows

there.

Then

their father

rushed

forests stood
hurricane
trunks
and

and

the

down

burst

lash

to

the

unsuspecting

and

them, snapping the mighty

on

branches

grub

to

upon
unconscious

and

rent

prey

on.

waters

torn

Then
into

the

clouds

of

fish,and

in

trees

his

dense,
midst

the
his

and

giant
raging
leaving

the

when

the

across,

the ground for the insect

upon
the father of storms
swooped

billows

till Tangaroa, god of ocean

cliifs,
therein,fled affrightedthrough his
father

forth

came

Tane-mahuta

foe.

to

boundless

of the

mighty winds, the fierce squalls,the

dark, fiery,wildly drifting,wildly bursting; and
his

lord,and

against his

war

the

progeny,,

storms, had
her

his father

followed

sheltered
nestle

cling and

they

woe

; far,far beneath
him he thrusts
up

be torn

fierce desire

Storm-god rose

above, hurrying

skies,to

should

that his mother

of

groans

and

whose
father

seas.

Tu-te-wehiwehi,

His
the

summits

rose

of all that

like
dwell

children,Ika-tere,
father

of

reptiles,

myth as it is quoted from Grey'sPolynesian Mythology (p. 1,

this myth,
Tylor (Prim. Cult. I 290 ff.). Mr A. Lang compares
ff.)by
tion
and others like it found in India and China, with the Greek myth of the mutilaof Uranus
by Cronus {Cfustom and Myth, "The Myth of Cronus ").
'

give

Prof.

this

12

sought where
cried,

"

they might

Ho, ho, let

reptilesshouted
and

these

so

the forests

who

them

gave

shelter

of fierce men,
his trees, and

from

since

ever

supplying the

return,
father

has

in

waged

with

nets

should
reptiles

the

Tane,

his brother

on

him

attacks

fish-hooks madeii

spears
from his fibrous

plants,that

Sea-god'schildren

and
his

overwhelms
Forest-god,

the

in

Tu-matauenga,

brother

fish,the

upon

the

and

woven

the

But

scrubs.

and

Tane

his

and

canoes

with

the

war

woods.

his

flyinland,"

the fish fled.into

children

offspringof

they may
destroy withal
the Sea-god turns
in wrath

the surges of the sea, sweeps

with floods his trees and
into the boundless
Next
the god of storms
ocean.
pushed on

with

canoes

houses
to

his

father of

the

rather

us

of fish

father

but

sea;

nay, let
separated,for while

reptiles
sought safetyin
sea-godTangaroa, furious that
him,

"

Nay,

"

answer,

creatures

deserted

safety; the

the

to

sea, the

have

PLATO

for

escape

all escape

us

in

OF

MYTHS

THE

attack

and

the

and

so

that

the

his

brothers,the gods and progenitorsof

wild; but Papa, the Earth, caught them up
these

last of his

for

Tu-matauenga
the

planned
brave

and

he

and

fierce

in

onset

of

his

bosom

but

of

Heaven

now

he

might be

to

stand

leaves
of Tane

of their

been

shore
still

man

mother

the

had

Storm

them,

their mother

he

wrath

Earth,
became

He

parents, and

gods

had

the
of

shown

had

himself

yielded before

depths of
food

and

erect

and

had

who

was

the

his progeny
; the Forestand
in pieces; the
torn

broken
fled to

it

ocean

been

in

safe

upon
hearts
of

the

had

unshaken

last

at

the

tranquil,and

the

their

or

the

passion was

Tu-matauenga,father of fierce men, took thought how

avenged upon his brethren who had left him unaided

the

the

the

stood

against the god

of

by

So

in vain.

his brethren
war;
the Storm-god and

the

his

and

But

put

his children
of

recesses

hiding;

concealed

hid

fell upon
the
of fierce men,
but him he could not
forth all his strength. What
cared
them

brother's

oifspringhad

Sea-god and
the

his

destruction

tremendous

god

children

tilled field

and

brothers,the father

shake, though

even

her

safely
Storm-god sought for
were

the

of storms.

He

twisted

nooses

of

the

whanake

tree, and the birds and beasts,children

fell before him ; he netted nets from the
Forest-god,

and
flax-plant,
dragged ashore the fish,the children of Tangaroa!
the Sea-god; he found
in their hiding-place
underground the^
children
of Rongo-ma-tane, the sweet
potato and all cultivated
the fern-root and all wildfood, and the children of Haumia-tikitiki,
growing food ; he dug them up and let them wither in the sun.
his four brothers,and
Yet, though he overcame
they became his
fifth
he
could
the
not
and
food, over
prevail,
Tawhiri-ma-tea the

Storm-god,still ever
to

destroy him

both

attacks

him

in

by

and

land.

sea

tempest
It

and

was

hurricane,
striving
burstingforth

the

14

THE

of cases,
order of

engenderedby
production.^

the

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

practice,thus reversingthe supposed

"

Myth
complete my illustration of the Aetiological
for the
by giving the pretty Japanese story which accounts
effect produced by tea :
physiological
Let

me

"

It
Before
at

he

legend credits

whom

is Daruna

off into his

went

present

of the ninth

end

the

at

he

made

he awoke

they

and

fallen to

forth leaves.

sent

of Buddha
and

shrub

to

appeared
drink

then

all the world

now

the

do, and

ground
As
and

has not

the old monk

told

thereof.

knows

than, lo !
him

they

looked

to

Daruna

brew

slepta

in

tea.

effort

root,

leaves
the

vision

vexed

so

No

wonder,

plucked

tea, did as the

since.^
minute

was

off.

took

the

as

another

he

them

for their drooping that he cut

at his eyelids
had

origin of

asleep
throughfalling

failed

When

year.

the

trance

had

and
permanent contemplation,

with

sooner

sprouted,
a disciple

of the

new

leaves,which

commanded

him

the

Simply AnthropologicalStory and from the

a third kind
Aetiological
Story it is convenient to distinguish
of story,the Eschatological
Story. Here the teller and his
audience are not concerned
with the adventures and doings of
a
time, long ago, but with adventures
and
people once
upon
doings which they themselves must take part in after death,
3. From

like all who

have

before them.

gone
"

"

It is not

to

mere

love

scientific curiosity that the

personal talk or to mere
EschatologicalStory appeals,but to man's wonder, and fear,
and hope with regard to death.
This seems
to make
a great
in
difference,and to justifyus
putting the Eschatological^
Where
fear and
Myths in a class by themselves.
men
hope,
tend
believe
if
and
to
ritual
strongly;
they
ated
practiceis associwith
their fear and hope, more
strongly. Hence we findthat EschatologicalMyths as
class have
a
more
actuality,
and
a
nd
more
more
consistency
sobriety,
than
other"
dignity,
of

Miss

The

reader

who

"

wishes

to pursxie the
Monuments

"

subjectof

Harrison's Mythology and

the Cultus

of Ancient

Myth

may

consult

Ei-ichthonios

of the storyof the birth of

treatment
a very interesting
instance of aetiological
myth-making of a specialkind, of a legend that
the originalmeaning of which had
arisen out of a ritual practice,
become
Smith's
obscured "; also Robertson
Religionof the Semites,pp. 20 ff.,
where the
that "in the study of ancient religions
rule is laid down
we
must bewi'n
not with
and traditional usage" ; cf. p. 16" "The
with
ritual
but
Myth
he will find

"as
has

an

had

for the

most

part

no

creed ;

antique religione

they consistedTentirelyof institutions and

practices."
2

The

'^

Athens, pp. xxvi. if. where

Heart

of Japan, by C. L. Brownell

(1902),p. 197.

INTEODUCTION
in

myths,

the

15

belief

given is,for these reasons,

is enough for other myths, Eschatostronger. If make-believe
logicalMyths demand
genuine belief,and iasilyget it from
It is in no
that he
primitiveman.
spiritof make-believe
will be
performs the rites for the departed,which he knows
performed one day for himself, when he shall have gone to the
other

proportionas

world

of which

the

stories telL

It is not

always easy to assigna story to its class. The

of something that attracts notice may be found in somecause
thing
done
of adventures
which
by somebody in the course
have alreadybeen recounted
ing.
as
being in themselves 'interestA
started as
Simply Anthropological,"
story which
be annexed
being told from pure love of avdptoiroXoyla,
may
by the scientific imagination and become Aetiological.And,
started as Aetiologicalmay
again,a story which
easilyforget
become
and
its original
scientific inspiration
a
pieceof simple
avOpairoXoyia.Lastly,the interest of Eschatology of talk
is so peculiarand
about man's latter end
engrossingthat it
tends to compel into its service Simply Anthropologicaland
The
Phaedrus
Stories alreadyin existence.
Aetiological
Myth
be mentioned
as
showing this tendency at work.
may
"

"

"

We

have

seen

in

that

of the

to whichever

form

three

world,
every story of the dreamis anthropoclasses it belongs,
logical

and
zoological;that it is about the adventures
and men-like
beasts and
men
people and animals
that
it is intrinsically
a
as
interesting
story,and

and

doings of
gods ; and

belief,or,

receives
add

that it has

no

at

any
moral
"

We

rate, make-believe.
i.e. the

teller and

has

no

make
which

it,and
reads

of those
other

meaning

for whom

indecency of stories
work
of those
! rationalising
' stories
but cannot
entirely,
stories which

which

seem

to need

in

the

it is made.
into

it, when

Parable

minds

now

do not

criterion
:

'Myth

of Those

It is

who

later age

the

improbability
told by savage
men
provoke the
who are unwilling to give up the
The
receive them
as
they stand.

meaning

and

most

is the

of

moraI~or~l)'tHer

must

his hearers

anything but the story itself This

Myth as distinguishedfrom Allegory or

think
of

"

this work

most, and

on

which

it is

the treatment
done, are apt to perish under
effectually
filled
fulor
Becoming transparent allegories
they receive.
and
to be
are
soon
interesting,
prophecies,they cease

16

THE

forgotten.But
which

some

MYTHS

PLATO

out

among

the

has not

been

able

there stand

rationalism

OF

myths of the world

even
to destroyor

the creations,not of
impair. These, we may be sure, were
but of "divine
poets" and "inspired
ordinarystory-tellers,
prophets" of genius,using, indeed, material supplied by
but transformingit in the use.^ Such
ordinarystory-tellers,
myths
chieflyEschatologicalMyths, created and originally
received in the spiritof genuine belief,
not of make-believe
yield preciousfruit to interpretation.But the interpretation
be
of a
masterpiece of imagination,to be fruitful,must
psychological."The revival,in any shape,must be eschewed
treated
which
of that
a
now
formally discredited method
masterpiece of creative imagination as an allegoryby which
the accepteddogma of the day might be supported,or
as
a
if not
in some
already fulfilled,
predictionto be fulfilled,
particularevent of history. Fruitful interpretationof a
of creative imagination will consist in showing
Hnasterpiece
in so placing his creation
of its maker, and
the mind
before:,
minds
of some
our
own
by means
accompaniment or rendering
corroborative appealto imaginationand feeling
some
parallel
"

"

"

"

"

"

that it does for

us

in

pause
age, making us
he paused in the midst

of

his,filled

admiration

and

deep muse,

thingsso high

and

strange.

With
Of

in

it did for him

age what
of our
the midst
workaday

our

in

his

life,as

to hear

The

of old myths (which were

allegorical
interpretation
made, it is hardly necessary to say, without thought of the
doctrine got out of them
doubtless sugby the interpretation)
gested
the deliberate making of allegorical
tales and parables.
When
their makers
of genius,these tales are often
are
men
and
myths as well as allegories
parables. Such are Plato's
and
Gme
which
I shall consider,
Bimyan's Pilgrim'sProgress,

later with

reference

to this

point.^

Aesop's Pables, again, though retainingmuch

1

of

the

We
if we come
must not be astonished
across
myths which surpKse us hy
ingeniousdirection,or even by their profound philosophy.This is often
the character of spontaneous products of the human
mind.
The human
mind, when it works thus spontaneously,is a philosopher
just as the bee is a
mathematician."
Eeville,ProUgomhies de VSistoire des Heligions,
Eng. Transl.
"

their

"

112.
See infra,"Excursus

by Squire,
p.
^

on

Allegory,"
pp.

230

flf.

^
'

INTEODUCTION

17

and
"anthropological

zoological"interest which
belongsto
the African
Beast-tale on
which
modelled, were
they were
doubtless,for the most part, deliberately
composed for the
sake of their morals or applications.
As the Beast-tale is rewritten
with a purpose
in Aesop's
in
the moral
Fables, so
"The
zoology of Physiologus even
Natural
is rewritten
and turned
into
History of Animals"
The following,
about the Lion, based on- Physiologus,
allegory.^
in a British Museum
occurs
Bestiary(Codd. Eeg. 2 C. xii.)
in his instructive work, der Bestiaire Divin
quoted by Mann
le Clerc (p.37):
des Guillaume
"

"

"

"

Jacob
'

De

Tiatura

iestiarum
leonis,

benedicens

Catulus

filium

leonis

suum

seu

Judam

Judas

filius mens,
Fisiologusdicit tres naturales habere
"

Prima

animalium

ait

quis

49.

suscitabit

eum

9) :
?'

ut queratur
contigerit,

odor venatoris et de cauda

venatoribus, venit

(Gen.

leonem.

in montibus, et si

ambulat

regis. Etenim

sua

post tergvmi

ierit,ut secutus venator per

cooperitvestigiasua quocumque
inveniat cubile ejus,et capiateum.
Sic et
vestigiaeius non
Salvator
Noster
leo de tribu Juda, radix Jesse,
spiritualis
filius David'
(Apoc. 5. 5), missus a supemo
patre, cooperuit
Et hoc est : factus est
intelligentibus
vestigiadeitatis sue.
cum
angelis angelus, cum
archangelis archangelus,cum
thronis thronus, cum
potestatibus
potestas,donee descendit in
uterum
humanum
virginis,ut salvaret hoc quod eiraverat
Ex
hoc
ascendentem
ad patrem hi
ignoranteseum
genus.
erant
Domino
qui sursum
angeli,dicebant ad eos qui cum
ascendebant
(Ps. 24. 8 f.): 'Quis est iste rex
glorie?'
illi
Dominus
virtutum
est
Eesponderunt
:
rex
ipse
glorie.'
'

'

'

Greek form, compiled at

is a work, in its original
of the second
century, consistingof chapters, in
each of which
an
animal, real or fabulous, (ora precious stone) is first described
in the manner
of natural history(or rather, as if in that manner), and then presented
aa
a
type of Christian doctrine and life. After being translated into
Latin,Physiologusspread over the whole West, and versions of it were made

Physiologus,6 ^vnoX"yos,

Alexandria

towards

the

end

the vulgar tongues

in Anglo-Saxon, Old English, Old High
Grerman,Meiliish,Icelandic,Proven;al,Old French, and Italian. In the East,
too, it appearedin Syrian,Armenian, Arabic, Ethiopic,and Slavonic versions.
Aftierthe Bible it was probably the most popular book throughout the Middle
Age. Examples of it the so-called Bestiaries are to be found in all the
See der Bestiaire Divim des Guillaume
le Clerc (FramzSsische
libraries of Europe.
Studien, 1888), by Max Friedr. Mann, pp. 17 ff.;Pitra, Spicilegium Solesmense,
1855, t. iii. pp. xlviL ff.; Cams, Qeach. d. Zoologie, pp. 108 ff.; and article,
by Prof. J. P. N. Land, in Encycl.Brit.
Physiologus,

everywhere in

"

"

"

18

THE

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

dormierit, oculi eius vigilant,

"(Secunda natura.) Cum
aperti enim sunt, sicut in Canticis Canticorum testatur sponvigilat.'
meum
et
cor
dicena
sus
(5. 2): 'Ego dormio
et
in cruce
obdormiens
Etenim
Dominus
meus
corporaliter
dormiet
qui
non
sepultus,deitas eius vigilabat. 'Ecce
custodit Israel' (Ps.121. 4).
leena paritcatulum, generat eum
(Tereianatura.) Cum
"

mortuum

veniens
ficet

custodit

et

eum.

pater eius die tercio insufflet in faciem ejuset viviJesum

Nostrum
Sic omnipotens pater Dominum

Christum

filium

Jacob

Mos.

(4

catulus

diebus, donee

tribus

mortuum

eum

tereia die suscitavit

suum

24.

'Dormitabit

9):

Quis suscitabit

leonis.

eum

mortuis, dicente

leo,

tanquam
?'

sicut

et

"

"

has
Physiologus The^ Natural History of Animals
facts,"but,
double
character : it is not only a narrative of
a
dramatic,
at the
same
time, a divinelyappointed,as it were
of doctrine for the benefit of man.
representation
History is regardedby Philo
Similarly, Old Testament
In

"

"

"

"

and

his

school

at

as

once

of actual events, and

chronicle

of
representation
great allegorical

or
symbols of philosophictruths
figures
intention
of God, not merely in the mind
are

shall

have

allegory;

meanwhile

the

to

occasion

and

return

be
a

of

to

"

and
of the

events

that, in the

interpreter.

strange school

this

ol

ence
introductoryreferserved if I quote in
sufficiently

purpose

comment,

of

this

in
classical passage
between
distinguishes

Myth
or
allegorical
mystical truth

great masters

the

the

subjectwill

passing,without
of the

to

which

in

doctrine

of

events

which

one

the literal
recorded

in

history.
In
the

the letter to Kan

Commedia,
"Ad

Dante

evidentiam

Grande,^which

is

reallya prefaceto

as.foUows, ""7, 8 :
itaque dicendorum, sciendum

writes

"

est

quod

istius

est simplex sensus,

immc
operis[the Commedia] non
dici potest polysemum, hoc est plurium sensuum
alius
; nam
est qui habetur
sensus
per literam, alius est qui habetur pei
Et primus dicitur litercdis,
secundus
significata
per literam.
sive mysticus. Qui
modus
vero
cdlegoricua,
tractandi, u1
Church (Dante and other Essays,p. 103, ed. 1897) refers to this lette:
"which, if in its present form of doubtful authenticity,
without
an]
is incor
questionrepresents Dante s sentiments, and the substance of which
poratedin one of the earliest writingson the poem, Boccaccio's commentary."
1

as

one

Dean

INTEODUCTION"
melius

pateat, potest considerari

Israel

de

Judaea

Aegypto, domus

Jacob

19

in

his

de

populo barbaro, facta

versibus

sanctificatio eius,Israel potestas eius.'"

In

'

Nam

exitu
est

si literam

solam

nobis exitus filiorum Israel de

inspiciaraus,
significatur
Aegypto, tempore Moysis; si allegoriam,nobis significatur
nostra
redemptio facta per Christum; si moralem
sensum,
conversio
nobis
animae
de luctu et miseria peccati
significatur
ad statum
exitus animae
gratiae; si anagogicum,significatur
ab
huius
sanctae
Grloriae
corruptionisservitute ad aeternae
libertatem.
Et quamquam
isti sensus
mystici variis appelleutur nominibus, generaliter
dici possunt allegorici,
omnes
siut

quum

literali sive, historiali

diversi.
.

manifestum

quod duplex oportet

est

His

visis,

suhjectum,circa quod
alterni sensus.
currant
Et
ideo videndum
de subjecto
est
huius
de subjecto,
operis,
prout ad literam accipitur
; deinde
Est
prout allegoricesententiatur.
subjectum totius
ergo
animarum
operis,literaliter tantum
accepti, status
post
mortem
de illo et circa ilium
simplicitersumptus.' Nam
totius operis versatur
Si vero
processus.
accipiaturopus
allegorice,
et demerendo
subjectum est homo, prout merendo
arbitrii' libertatem
Justitiae
per
praemianti aut punienti
esse

'

'

est." '

obnoxius
In

the

Convivio

exactly

in

as

13)

the

the

four

Letter.

"senses"

Of

the

are

moral

tinguished
disand

he

anagogic senses
third

and

Q.i.1

1, p. 252, 1. 42, Ox" ed.):"The

says (ii.
is called moral; it is that which
readers ought

sense

attentivelyto note, as they go through writings,for their

be noted
in
own
profitand that of their disciples
; as it may
the
Christ
into the Mount
went
to be
Gospel, when
up
'

Gebhart

(L'ltalieMystique, pp.

318

that the literal interpretation

of the JHvma
belief of the mediaeTal
church, the other

personalreligion. M.
instructive:

"

le Convito, est
lui-meme
qu'ilen

dans

Saint-Pierre

Le

analysisof

Gebhart's

nomm^e

dernier

mot

ff.),referringto this Letter,remarks

Commedia
representsthe traditional
interpretations
represent Dante's own

de
au

sa

' '

Dante's

croyance,

cette

"

personalreligion is very
'religiondu ooeur' qu'ila

vingt-quatriemechant
fait la confession.

du

II est

revenu

Paradis,
au

et c'est k

symbole

tr^s

lui comme
et I'amour ; pour
simple de Saint- Paul, la foi, I'esp^rance
pour
elle-mlme
la
foi
n'est,_at.-foad,
fides
sperandarum
I'apfltre,
-"jue Pegp^ranoe,
Pour lui, le p^ch4 suprSmS; celui qu'il punit d'un
ferum.
substantia
n'est ni I'h"^sie, ni Tincr^dulit^, qu'ila montr^es, par le
ce
m^pris ^crasant,
k I'enfer ; c'est la viltd,,
d^ain meme
et la figurealtiire des damn^s, sup^rieures
.

le renoncement
pape

timide

au

devoir actif,au

d6vouement,

Celestin,
Che

fece per viltate il gran

rifiuto."

la vie, la lachet^ du

20

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

the

him
he took with
that of the twelve apostles
transfigured,
three ; wherein
morally we may understand, that in matters
of the greatestsecrecy we
ought to have few companions.
that is,above sense
The fourth sense
is called anagogic,
"

which,
writing is expoundedspiritually
sets forth
signified,
in its literal sense, by the matters
even
in that
be seen
the high things of glory everlasting
: as
may
Song of the Prophet which says that in the coming out of the
people of Israel from Egypt, Judah was made holy and free.
and

this

is when

plainlytrue accordingto the letter,is

is,the Soul, in
: that
less true as understood
not
spiritually
coming out from sin, is made holy and free."
The
rest of the chapter(Conv.ii. 1) dwells on the point,
which
Dante
evidentlyconsiders of great importance,that the
literal sense
must
always be understood before we go on to
Which,

although

seek out

the other

is

"

Book

which

known

better

of

the

irratioTial

to

Myths

Plato's

and

not

begin

to

to the natural

literal

literal

"

ok

sense

First

it would

with

be

order.

distinguished

Myth

Platonic

besides,the

and

the

us," as the Philosophersay? in the

Experience,

WHAT

in

contained

are

senses

envelope;

Physics;

contrary

"

3.

other

their

is

reversal of this order is,indeed,

The

senses.

the

for
impossible,
sense,

it is

Allegories.

fkom

Part

of

the

Soul,"

does

To
the

appeal?

Phaedrus^
Republic^ and
of Myths, and his own
interpretation
deprecatedthe allegorical
taken
not
to be
are
as
allegories;but
Myths, we assume,
in the action of the Platonic
rather as representing,
Drama,
natural
consciousness
which
products of that dream-world
the field of ordinary wide-awake
in
consciousness
encompasses
Plato,

know

we

minds

educated

as

from

well

the

in

as

the

minds

of

children

and

primitivemen.
In appealing to the dream-world
consciousness
of hu
readers by a brOliant
literary
representationof its natural
leave uncannot
products those stories which primitivemen
"

'
2

Phaedrus, 229

Bep. 378

b-b,

and

D.

see

infra,pp.

231

ff.

22

degrees,by
art.

The

comes

over

the

of

sense

of

sense

as

our

the aid of

herself,without

Nature

us

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

we

other

or
literary

which
"might, majesty and dominion"
look into the depths of the starry sky,
with
passing,
passing,

time

short

own

which

again these,and many like them, are

natural experiences
which
closelyresemble the effect produced
these natural
When
in the reader's mind
by Plato's art.
and
is,and
moods
feel That which
was,
are
we
experienced,
shall be"
ever
overshadowing us; and familiar things the
become
the
lilac bloom
suddenly strange and
stars, and
wonderful, for our eyes are opened to see that they declare its
in his cultivated reader
of feeling
It is such moods
presence.
and regulates,
that Plato induces,satisfies,
by Myths which set
we

the lilacs bloom

see

"

"

"

"

forth

God, Soul, and

The

Cosmos,
of

charm

essential

in vision.

is that

Myths

these

of

Poetry

be expresslyeschatoof a poem
the theme
whether
generally,
like that of the Divina
Commedia, or of
logicaland religious,
other kind, for example, like that of the Fairi/ Queene,
some
The
song.
Poetry,for the sake of which in the

like

or

that

of

love

essential charm
it

last resort

of

all

exists,lies

what
and regulating
its power
of inducing,satisfying,
may
of
form
that
be
called Transcendental
Feeling,especially
in

Feelingwhich manifests itself as solemn sense

shall
of Timeless Being
of
That which
was, and is,and ever
Where
this power
be," overshadowing us with its presence.
is absent from a piece be it an epic,or a lyric,
a
or
play,or
of observation and reflection
there is no Poetry; only,
a poem
Transcendental

"

"

"

"

best, readable

at

verse,

"

an

exhibition

of wit

and

worldl^

interesting anthropology,"of pleasingsound, all

either helpful or necessary, in their several places,for the
production of the milieu in which poetic effect is felt,but
of them
none
forming part of that effect itself. Sometimes
of callingup Transcendental
the power
to be
Feeling seems
exercised at no point or pointswhich can be definitely
indicated
of a poem ; this is notably the case
in the course
the
where
wisdom, of

form

of

"

the

grasping
"

'

"

one

poem

is

complete action."

the

all turns

Sometimes

"

on

our

lonelyword

"

Coleridgesays {Anima Poeiae,from unpublishednote-books of S. T. Coleridgei

Deep sky is,of all visual impressions,
; p. 125),
a feelingthan
nearest akin to a feeling. It is more
a sight,
or
rather, it is
and sight!
meltingaway and entire union of feeling

1895
edited by E. H. Coleridge,
the

dramatic, i.e. where

"

"

INTEODUCTION
the

IS

great difference.

iousness

apparatus,

23

At

such

rate, elaborate

any

as

find

we

employed

dreamin

the

"nic

like
Commedia, and in poems
Myths, in the Divina
imion and Hyperion, is not essential to the full exercise
tie power
of Poetry. Some
is simply
common
scene
red for the mind's eye ; some
placehaunted
by memories
3motions is picturedfor the heart ; a face declaringsome
in circumstances

[ is framed

fantasia of sound

or

which

colour

it and

match

its mood

fillseye or ear ; some

sudden
us ; there is perhaps nothing

of

amazes
personification
than
the turn
of a phrase or the use of a word
the
or
and
straightway all is done that the
ig of a cadence
and
elaborate
sustained
employment of mythological
:e

"

could

ratus
1

we

do

we

"

are

in

away

dream-world; and

the

presentlyreturn, we are haunted by the feelingthat

"seen the mysteries
by that Transcendental
Feeling
finds language to express in the twenty-fifth
Dante
of the
of the Vita
Nuova} and in the last canto
''

ave

"

h
et

diso

:
"

ond'
grazia,

abbondante

io

presunsi

Ficcar lo viso per la luce eterna

Tanto, che la vednta vi consimsi
Nel

profondovidi che s' interna,

suo

Legato

con

amore

in

volume,

un

Ci6 che per 1' universo si squaderna;

Sustanzia ed acoidenti e lor costume,

Quasi
Che
La

conflati insieme

cio ch' io dico feun

forma

Credo

Let

di questo nodo
ch' io vidi,perchfe
piiidi

questo, mi

the

means

scene

is

Sole
With

'

sento

examples

some

loyment of
common

modo,

semplicelume.
largo,

godo.
punto solo m' fe maggior letargo,
secoli alia impresa,
Che venticinque
d' Argo.^
1' ombra
ammirar
Che fe' Nettuno

give

me

tal

universal

Dicendo
Un

per

which

ch' io

the

from

I have

justnow

the
simply "pictwredfor

Poets

'

where,this

sonnet

Paradiso, xxxiii. 82-9.

is

their

mentioned.
mind's

Duddon
! to the breeze that played
listener,
thy clear voice, I caught the fitful sound

See infra, p. 38,

of

quoted.

eye:

"

24

THE
Wafted

MYTHS

o'er sullen

PLATO

OF
and

moss

mound

craggy

that seem'd to
Unfruitful solitudes,
The

in heaven

sun

For

"

alders have

thee,green

Their

foliage
; ashes

And

upbraid

to form

but now,

"

shade

togetherwound

flung their

around

arms

risen in silver colonnade.

birch-trees

tempted here to rise.

Mid sheltering
pines,this cottage rude and grey ;
Whose
luddy children,by the mother's eyes
day,
Carelesslywatched, sport through the summer
Thy pleasedassociates : lightas endless May
On infant bosoms
lonelyNature lies.

And

hast also

thou

"

Sometimes, again,the
than

for

the eye

S.nd after him

Row
So

look upon

we

"

is

scene

picturedfor the
place haunted,

There

out

to

There

beneath

Came

that

"Frater

Sirmio

the Eoman

Ave

atque

of Roman

"

Vale

of the Poet's

"

as

"

we

wander'd

years
to and

Lydian laughterof the Garda Lake

Sirmio
aU-but-island,
Catuljus's
olive-silvery
the

Again, it is a face
framed in circumstances
At

eve

There
Backward

that
which

dry
came

we

see

!"

glow,
grow,

ago,
fro
below
!

declaringsome

match

"

hopelesswoe,

hundred

poets nineteen

atque Vale

Ave

Gazing at
Sweet

"

"

row

0 venusta

"

the groves of olive in the summer

the purpleflowers
ruin where

thro' aU

me

Tenderest

Sirmione

from

Desenzano, to your
they row'd,andjthere we landed
us

for the Poet,

emotions

and

ourselves,by memories

for

rather

heart

its mood

it and

cicala sung,
a sound
as of the

sea

mood, and
:

"

the lattice-blind she

flung.
And
lean'd upon
the balcony.
There
all in spaces rosy-bright
her tears,
on
Large Hesper glitter'd
And
thro'
the
silent
deepening
spheres
Heaven
Heaven
the night
over
rose

Again, some
of sound, like

fantasia of
this

sound

or

lightfillsear

"

Sometimes
I heard

a-droppingfrom
the

the

sky

skylark sing ;

all little birds that are.

seemed
to flU the sea and
they

Sometimes
How

With

their sweet

jargoning!

air

or

eye,
"

'i

INTEODUCTION
And

like

And

now

That

Or

like this

'twas like all

now

Now

25

instruments,

lonelyflute ;
it is an angel's
song,
a

makes

be mute.

the heavens

"

The

silver

With
The

did meet

soundinginstruments

the base
Water's

of the Water's

murmur

fall with

difference

fall :

discrete.

soft,now
loud,unto the Wind did call :
gentle warblingWind low answered to all.

Now
The

Of

sound

and
A

like
lighttogether,
shaft did

sunny
From

And

sky

"

behold.
it slanted

to earth

poisedtherein

this

bird

bold

so

"

bird,thou wert enchanted !

sank, he rose, he twinkled,he trolled

Sweet
He

Within

that shaft of sunny

His

his beak
eyes of fire,
All else of amethyst !

And

thus

he sang:
dreams
prove

Love's
The
The

"

of

mist ;

gold.

! adieu !

Adieu
seldom

trua

no
delay:
will
not stay.
dewdrops
sparkling
month
of May,
Sweet

blossoms,they make

We

must

Far, far away

away
!

*"

To-day! to-day!"

Again, it
amazement
see

one

that fillsus with

of personification
thought that Nature was most solitary,

stroke

some

where

"

some

is

we

is present !

up-perchedhigh.
nightingale,

The
And
She

How

cloister'damong

singsbut

to her

tiptoeNight

cool and

love,

holds

nor

back

bunched

leaves

"

e'er conceives
her

dark-greyhood.

Or, it may

Nature

and

we

be, the presence is that of Great

what
she feels what
feel,and knows
we

know

hope to gentlemind !
As Eve's first star thro' fleecycloudlet peeping;
than the gentlesouth-west
wind.
And sweeter
waters
creeping.
O'er willowy meads and shadowed
the sultryhind
Ceres' golden fields;
And
and stays his reaping.
Meets it with brow
uplift,
O

fair is Love's

first

"

herself
:

"

"

26

THE

Lastly,it
a

cadence

is

that

the heart

I heard

His

mates

the

or

failof

"

the

spring;
idlysporting,

were

stayedto

Nor

phrase

courting

linnet

lady in

His

of

but the turn

perhaps

touches

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

of love

His

sing

him

hear

song
I fear my
speechdistorting
His tender love.

So

"

as
poetic effect produced,
by way of illustrating
how
to produce it, by very
inspired poet knows

much

only the
simple means.
believe with

that the

me

effect

quoted,by these simple

that produced by the use

the

ask

to

venture

student
the

produced,in
does

means,

of

passages

to

just
from

kind

differ in

not

Plato

the

Myths
effect is always the
with which
this work is concerned. /The
induction
of the dream-consciousness, with its atmosphere of
solemn
feelingspreading out into the waking consciousness^
which

of

elaborate

apparatus in

follows.

It will be

well,however,

not

ourselves

confine

to

to

the

other
examples from
examples given, but to quote some
closely
Poetry,in wjiichthis effect is produced in a way more
it is produced in the Platonic Myths.
to that in which
parallel
I will therefore ask the reader to submit
himself to an experiment
all
three
take
the
first,to
:
following passages
and carefully
relatingto Death
reading and re-readingthem,
allow the effect of them
to grow
upon him ; and then, turning
to Plato's Eschatological
Myths in the Fhaedo, Gorgias,and
Bepuhlic,and reading them in the same
way,_to ask himself
"

"

whether
effect

or

has

produced by

that the
Poets

he

no

more

the

these

are

foretaste

other

habituate

we

better

had

pieces.

ourselves

likelyto

we

of their

to

receive

venture

the
the

Prophets.
Deh

che pensosiandate
peregrini,!
Forse
Venite

Come
Che

cosa

che

non

vol di si lontana
alia vista voi

ne

fepresente,

gente,
dimostrate ?

quando voi passate

piangete,

non

'

di

La

Vita

Nuova, " 41, Sonetto

24.

effect in the
to

think

influence

of the

message

of the

INTEODUCTION

27

Per

lo

Come

quellepersone, che neente

che intendesser la sua gravitate.

Par

suo

la cittA.dolente,

mezzo

Se vol restate, per volerla

Certo

lo

ne'

core

Che

lagrimandon'
ha perdutala sua
le parole,
ch' uom

Ella
E

Hanno

To

udire,

dice,

sospirmi

virtti di far

uscirete

pui.

Beatrice

di lei

pu6 dire,
piangerealtrui.

that

where
high Capital,^
Kingly Death
Keeps his pale court in beauty and decay,
He came
: and
bought,with priceof purest breath,
A

the eternal
Come
among
away !
while
the
vault
of
blue
Italian
Haste,
day
grave

"

Is yet his

chamel-roof ! while stiU

fitting
if
in
lies,as
dewy sleephe lay ;
Awake
him not ! surelyhe takes his fiU
and
of all iU.
deep
liquidrest,forgetful
He

Of

He

will awake

Within
The

the

His
The

more

"

oh, never

chamber
twilight

shadow

Invisible

no

of white

extreme

Soothe

her

So fair

to her

way

eternal

Hunger
pale rage,

dim

at the door

trace

to

but
sits,
nor

spreadsapace

Death, and

Corruptionwaits

more

dwelling-place
;
pity and

awe

dares she to deface

prey, till darkness and the law

Of change shall o'er his sleepthe mortal curtain

Oh,

for Adonais

draw.

The

quick Dreams,
passionwing"d Ministers of thought,
Who
his flocks,
whom
the living
were
near
streams
Of his young
he taught
spirithe fed,and whom
The love which
its music, wander
was
not,
Wander
from kindlingbrain to brain,
more
no
But droop there,whence
their lot
theysprung ; and mourn
Eound
the cold heart,where, after their sweet pain.
weep

"

The

"

ne'er will

They

nor
gatherstrength,

find

home

again.

tremblinghand claspshis cold head.

her moonlight wings, and cries :
Our love,our
hope,our sorrow, is not dead ;
the
silken
See, on
fringeof his faint eyes,
Like dew upon
a sleeping
flower,there lies
And

one

And

fans him

with

with

"

tear some

Dream

has loosened

Shelley,Adonais.

from

his brain."

28

THE
Lost
She
She

Angel
knew

from

had

bow

in her

Another

Which

With

its rain.

which

one

fire

anadem,

whence

mouth

to draw

wont

was

cheek.

alit,

his mouth

it

weak

more

was

againsthis frozen

Splendour on

if to stem

winged reeds,as

and

greater loss with

And

stain

pearlsbegem
griefwould break

wilful

dull the barbed

That

no

of starry dew

urn

him, like an
upon
frozen tears instead of

Another

the breath

gave it strengthto piercethe guarded wit,

pass into the panting heart beneath

lightningand

with

caress
Quenched
upon
And, as a dying meteor

damp
icy lips;

music
his

its

Of

outwept

wreath

Her

with

as

his

Which

own

which

lucid

Another

And

'twas her

cloud

Paradise !

ruined

PLATO

OF

lightlimbs, as if embalming them

cUpt her profuselocks,and threw

Washed

The

of

not

faded,like
One

MYTHS

stains

which

the

death

wreath

the cold

night clips,
moonlight vapour,
through his palelimbs,and passedto its eclipse.

It flushed

And

others

Desires and

Adorations,
and veiled Destinies,
Winged Persuasions,
Splendours,and Glooms, and glimmeringIncamatioiks
Of hopes and fears,
and twilightPhantasies ;
And Sorrow, with her femily of Sighs,
And
blind with tears, led by the gleam
Pleasure,
Of her own
dying smile instead of eyes.
Came
in slow pomp
the moving pomp
might seem
;
came,

"

"

Like

pageantry of mist
AU. he had

and

an

autunmal

moulded

stream.

into

thought
sweet
sound,
Lamented
Adonais.
Morning sought
Her eastern watch-tower,and her hair unbound,
with
Wet
the tears which
should adorn the ground,
Dimmed
the aerial eyes that kindle day ;
Afar the melancholythunder
moaned,
Pale Ocean in unquietslumber
lay,
the wild winds flew around, sobbingin their dismay.
From

And

loved

on

shape,and

Lost

Echo

And

feeds her

hue, and

sits amid

odour,and

the voiceless

mountains.
griefwith his remembered
lay,
winds
And will no more
to
or fountains,
reply
birds perched on the young green
Or amorous
spray.
Or herdsman's horn, or bell at closing
day ;
Since she can mimic
not his lips,
dear
more

30

THE
He

is

Which
His

MYTHS

portion of

the loveliness

he made

once

part, while

its

And

to the forms

From

each

likeness,

own

as

burstingin

trees and

its

they

wear

that checks its

may
its might

into the Heaven's

men

flight

bear ;

mass

beauty and

beasts and

bear

world,compellingthere

dull dense

Torturingthe unwillingdross
To

he doth

stress
plastic
Spirit's

one

successions

new

lovely:

more

the

Sweeps through the

AU

PLATO

OF

light.

splendoursof the firmament of time

but are extinguished
not ;
May be eclipsed,
Like stars to their appointedheightthey climb,
The

And

death is

low

mist

which

And

blot

cannot

The

When
it may
veQ.
brightness
Lifts a young
heart above its mortal

loftythought

And

what

love and

Shall

be its

move

like

The

life contend

lair.

it,for

earthlydoom, the dead live there.

winds of lighton dark and stormy air.

inheritors
from

Rose

in

of unfulfilled

their

renown

thrones,built

beyond mortal thought,

Unapparent. Chatterton
Rose pale,his solemn
agony had not
Yet faded from him ; Sidney,as he fought.
And
and as he lived and loved.
as he fell,
Sublimelymild, a Spiritwithout spot.
Arose ; and Lucan, by his death approved :
like a thingreproved.
as they rose, shrank
Oblivion,
Far

in the

And

many
whose

But
So

long as

Rose, robed
"

Thou

"

It

was

Swung

more,

When

thy

names

on

Earth

eflSuence cannot

are

dark,

die

fire outlives the parent spark,

in dazzlingimmortality.

art become

of us,"they cry ;
as one
for thee yon kingless
spherehas long
blind in unascended majesty,

Silent alone
Assume

whose

transmitted

amid

Heaven

wingfedthrone,thou

lilacs last in the

of

Song.
Vesper of

our

throng!

"

dooryardbloom'd,i

And

the great star earlydroop'din the western

sky in the
I moum'd, and yet shall mourn
with ever-returning

night,
spring.
bring,

Ever-returning
spring,trinitysure to me you
and droopingstar in
blooming perennial,
And
thought of him I love.
Lilac

Walt

Whitman,

Leams

the west

of Grass (Memories of President Lincohi).

INTEODUCTION
From
With
A

In
A

this bush, in the

delicate-colour'd

sprig with

31

blossoms

its flower

and

dooryard,
heart-shapedleaves
,

in secluded recesses,
the swamp
and
hidden
bird is warblinga song
shy

Song

of the

Death's

of rich green,

I break.

"

bleedingthroat.

outlet song

of Ufa

of the

spring,the land, amid cities.

through old woods, where latelythe violets peep'd from
the ground,spottingthe grey debris.
the grass in the fields each side of the lanes,passing the endless

Over

the breast
lanes and

Amid
Amid

grass,
Passing the

yeUow-spear'dwheat, every grain from its shroud

dark-brown
fields uprisen.
the
blows of white and pink in the orchards.
apple-tree
Passing
Carryinga corpse to where it shall rest in the grave.
Night and day journeys a coffin.
CofSn

in

the

through lanes and streets,

night with the great cloud darkeningthe land.
of the inloop'd
with the cities drap'din black,
flags,
of crape-veil'd
of the
States
themselves
as
women

that passes
Through day and
With

the pomp
the show

With

standing.

With

countless

the

torches

lit,with

the

silent

sea

of

faces

and

the

bared heads.

tollingtollingbells' perpetualclang.
Here, coffin that slowlypass^
I giveyou my
sprig of lilac.
the

With

Sing on there in the swamp,

0 singerbashful and tender, I hear your notes, I
I understand
1 hear, I come
you.
presently,
But

The

star, my

0 how

moment

linger,for the lustrous

departingcomrade, holds

myselffor

shall I warble

And

how

And

what

star

the dead

one

call,

your

has detain'd me,

detains me.

there

I loVd

soul that has gone

song for the large sweet
I love ?
of
him
the
for
be
grave
perfume

shall I deck
shall jny

and

hear

my

32

THE

Sea-winds
Blown

from

With

from

East and

the Eastern

the

on

I'n

blown

MYTHS

prairiesmeeting

these and

West,
and

sea

from

blown

Loud

of my
chant,
I love.
of him

grave

of the

song, with

liquidand

0 wild
You

dusk, out

only

bushes,

pines.
reedy song.

your
voice of uttermost

woe.

tender !

free and

and

loose to my soul
0 wondrous
I hear
yet the star holds me
"

"

Yet the Ulac with

the

chant from

your

of the cedars and

dearest brother,warble

humsm

sea,

"

Sing on, singon, you grey-brown bird,

Sing from the swamps, the recesses, pour
Limitless out

the Western

the breath

perfume the

Sing on,

PLATO

OF

the

mastering odour

singer!
(butwill soon

holds

depart).

me.

knowledge of death as walking one side of me.

the other side of me.
the thought of death close-walking
I in the middle
with
as
companions,and as holding the

With

the

And

And

hands

of

companions,
I fled forth to the

hidingreceiving
night that talks not,
Down
to the shores of the water, the path by the swamp
To the solemn
shadowy cedars and ghostlypinesso stiU.

in the

dimness,

singerso shy to the rest received me,

grey-brown bird I know received us comrades three.
he sang the carol of death,and a verse
for him
I love.

And

the

The
And

*******
*******

And
As

the charm
I held

And

of the carol rapt me.

if by their hands my
comrades

as

the voice of my

tallied the song

spirit

in

the

night,

of the bird.

and soothingdeath,
Come, lovely
round the world,serenely
arriving,
arriving,
In the day, in the night,to all,to each,
Undulate

Sooner

or

later delicate death.

Dark

mother

Have

none

Then

I chant

',

'

alwaysglidingnear with soft

feet,
thee
chant
a
for
offullestwelcome
it for thee,
I glorify
thee above all,

chanted

bring thee

song that when

thou must

indeed

come,

come

unfalteringly.

"*"""""

*******

i'Vom

me

to thee

gladserenades,

And

for thee I propose salutingthee,adornments and feastings

for
the sights
and the high-spread
of the open landsca/pe
are
sky

And

lifeand

Dances

thee.

fitting,

the

and
fields,

the

huge and thoughtful

night

INTEODUCTION
The

night in

The

ocean

silence under

shore and

the

star,

many

33

wave
huskywhispering

whose

voice I

And

the soul

And

the

turning to thee,0 vast and well-veil'ddet^h.

bodygratefully
nestlingclose to thee.

Over

the

I floatthee
tree-tops

Over

the

risingand

know,

song,

sinkingwaves,

the

over

myriad fieldsand

the

prairies

wide,
Over
I

the

cities all and the teemingwharves

dense-pack'd
joy,with joy to thee,0 death.

and

ways,

floatthis carol with

The

conclusion

examination

of what

of which

"

quoted

at

charm

of

which

the

follows,as

"

for the

"

sake

lies in its power

of

circumstances, that
fully chosen
Feeling which is experiencedas
of

presence

he."

The

fUfiTj/iara

and

"

That

Poet, always by

products

"

often with

from

me,

experiencesin perusinggreat Poetry

I have
widely dissimilar pieceswhich
eminent
examples is that the essential

three

"

to

seems

one

length are
Poetry that

resort, it exists

it

of

the

of

solemn

df

the

last

certain

care-i

Transcendental
of

the

shadowing
over-

is,and

ever

shall

sense

and

was,

in

which,

inducing,in
mode

which
means

of

Eepresentations images,
"

dream-consciousness

in

himself,

'

aid of

Ehythm and Melody which call up

certain
shadowy Feelings,strange,in their shadowy form, to
sciousness
ordinaryconsciousness,induces in his patientthe dream-conin which
such Eepresentations
and Feelingsare
at.
home.
in the patient
But
the dream-consciousness
induced
by the imagery and melody of the Poet lasts only for a
The
the most
sustained Poetry is a
moment.
effect of even
succession of occasional lapsesinto the state of dream-consciousness,
each
of which
occurs
one
suddenly and lasts but
for

the

the

in

moment,
with

way,

manages
the moment

of
"

"

That

at

the

theme,"

his

of

dream-world

that

which

was,

heard

moment

of

one
sense

is,and

these

of the
ever

hears

ago

"

the

or, was

a
"

continuous

matter-of-fact
how

the

poet

It is at

things.
lapses into

immediate

shall be

sees, in the

one

image, or

only a

the dream-world

and

when

moment

from

solemn

the

otherwise

an

is about," and
poem
other
and a hundred

waking

the
consciousness,
or

the

what

of

is concerned, in

which

waking- consciousness
"

midst

world

"

is

presence

experienced

of wide-awake

melody, which
it not

the

one

saw

ages ago ?

"

:
"

in

THE

34

Un

e maggior letargo,
venticinquesecoli alia impresa,

punto solo m'

Che

fe' Nettuno

Che

It is

It is essential

us.

d'

succeed
that
to

of its

the power

not

for its immediate

needs

grows
of
power

intervals of
of

sense

"

in which

the

realisation

at

Poetry

experiencingthe

our

be,

another, it may

one

Poetry that there should be intervals,and

the lapses. The
length,between
heard
or
seen
thingsbelonging to a world
"

Argo.

each followed immediately

lapses,

sudden

these

thus, as

1' ombra

ammirar

by waking and amazement,

in a poem,
long intervals,
upon

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

siderable
con-

having
Time

is

presence, in the

waking consciousness,of thingswhich shall remind

is not
Time
of the things of that other world in which
be no
such
without
us, there would
things to "remind"

world

"

of

"

us
"

recollection

"

us

the

into

visit to

our

the

in

world

to which

consciousness

we

are

which

returned,and

now

"

Time

"

is

began by throwing
the state of waking

poet'simage, therefore,which
dream-state, must
persistin

The

not."

of

"

"

there, as

we

1
blance
resemus by its
day,amaze
lightof common
Time
in which
in the world
to an
archetype seen
of waking conAnd
its persistencein the world
sciousness
is not."
less wide
be guaranteed only by a more
or
can
and
addressed to our
context
ordinaryfaculties to the senses
this
Over
understanding and to our ordinary sentiments.
"

look at it in the

"

"

"

"

matter-of-fact

context, however,

the

produced in

amazement

image, or other product of the

Poet's
set
dream-consciousness, which
just now
us, too,
double
is
is
both
in
the
world
without
a-dreaming,
something
casts
Time, and in this temporal world
a
glamour for a
while.
Then
the glamour fades away, and we
find ourselves
accompanyiag the Poet through the every-dayworld ; and it
us

when

perceivethat

we

the

"

"

may

be

in

accordance

with

the

secret

scheme

which

he

is

carrying out that we are kept in this every-day world for

a
long while, in order that we may be taken the more
by
surprisewhen
suddenly,as we journey,the lightfrom heaven
shines round
about
Whatever
us.
specificimport," says
"

we
Coleridge,^
"

attach

involved in it,as

length neither

can

poetry, there will be found,

to the word

necessary consequence,

be,

nor
'

ought

to

that

poem

be, all poetry."

Biog. Lit. oh. xiv.

of any

iJN

The

chief end

1 JKUJJ

UHUiN

3D

of

Poetry,then, is to
Feeling experienced as solemn sense
"

of
Poet's

That

"

which

and

was,

is,and

induce

Transcendental

of the

immediate
"

be
ever^hall

"

sence
prein the

him

suddenly,for a moment, into

the state of dream-consciousness, out of a waking consciousness
the
Poet
which
supplies with objectsof interest; the
sudden
tion
lapse being effected in the patient by the communicaof images and other productsof the Poet's dreamto him
of language generally,
but
consciousness,through the medium
not always,distinguished
from that of ordinarycommunication
by rhythm and melody.
patient,by throwing

But

the

result

same

Transcendental

induction

the

"

of the

of

form

same

Feeling is produced,not only by the means

which
the Poet
employs, dream-imagery communicated
by
not
language generally, but
necessarily,rhythmic and
melodious, but also by different artistic means
by the
which
Painter
the
the
and
Musician
means
respectively
of firstto be a matter
and this seems
to me
employ ; indeed
rate
importance for the Theory of Poetry it is sometimes
Nature
herself without
the aid of any art,
produced by mere
and
by events as they happen in one's life,and, above aU, by
and situations and persons remembered
out of the days
scenes
of childhood
We
and
are
always dreaming,"Eenan
youth.
knew
when
of faces we
we
were
(I think) says somewhere,
let me
ask
the reader to
eighteen." In this connection
consider Wordsworth's
lines beginning
"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

There
And

It
a

to

seems
scene

me

to which

was

Boy

ye knew

islands of Winander

the

that

mere

it would

not

him

well,ye

cliffs

"

scene

be

described

in these

difficult to find

lines

"

in
parallels

experience is,entirelyapart from the language in

of
which
it is described,and simply as a picturein the mind
remembers
the person who
it,and in tbQ"*lindsof those to
true poeticeffect
he describes
whom
it,the milieu in which
is experienced. As I write
this, I can
hardly recall a line
ing
the readof Wordsworth's
description
; but the picturewhich

any

one's

"

descriptionhas left in my mind is distinct ; and

is in dwelling On the picturethat I feel the poeticeffect
it was, I am
convinced, in dwelling on the picture,before
of his

it
as

"

36

THE

he

composed
the

than

to enhance

of
re-reading

poem

is

to

perienced
exme.

likelyto impair

more

has

who

one

once

scene.

I read

more

such

communicated

has

by
feelingexperienced

the

picturedthe

The

he

poet himself

the

that

poem,

feeling which

And

PLATO

OF

line of the

the

for all

MYTHS

of the

re-read the works

and

great poets,

study the writings of those who have some

I convinced that
am
Theory of Poetry to set forth, the more
the question What
be properlyanswered only
is Poetry ? can
it does it.
if we
WTiat
it does take precedence of Mow
make
The
result produced by Poetry
identical,I hold, with that
sometimes
by the
produced by the other fine arts, and even
and

the

more

"

is the one
Life
and Human
contemplation of Nature
thing of prime importance to be kept always in view, but is
of the means
too often lost sight of in the examination
by
from
those by
which
Poetry produces it, as distinguished
that is now
which, say"JPaintingproduces it. Much
being
with
the impresthe Theory of Poetry leaves one
written
on
sion
that the writers regard the end of Poetry as something
sui generis in fact,something not to be distinguished
from
the employment of technique peculiarto Poetry among
the
fine arts.^ I shall return to this point afterwards.
In making the essential charm
of Poetry
that for the
mere

"

"

"

sake
of

of

which,

of

sense

That

"

that

there

distinct

which
with

us

the

last resort, it exists

lie in its power

circumstances, and so
"

chosen
inducing,in certain carefully
regulating.Transcendental
Feelingexperienced as

of

in

is

was,

and

its presence,

is, and

shall

ever

I must

be

not

taken

be

solemn
"

shadowing
over-

to

mean

is not induced
as
Poetry where this sense
ecstatic experience. Great
Poetry,just in those
no

it is at its very
its
places where
greatest,indeed shows
peculiarpower not otherwise than by inducing such distinct
ecstatic experience; but generally,
poetic effect not the very
greatest,but yet indisputably
poetic effect is produced by
of this form
of Transcendental
something less
by the presence
Feeling in a merely nascent
state, ^justa little
"

"

"

"

and

more,

'

it would

Mr.

of the

be

Courthope{Life m
rightmetrical form

of

idea

distinctly
; as

it

is,there is

"

Poetry,p. 78) aays :

Poetrylies in the invention
epic,dramatic,lyric,or satiric for the expression
to the imagination." And
universallyinteresting
of. p. 63.
"

some

there

be it

"

38

THE

MYTHS

they

rouse,

mere

of
understanding

sentiments

and, at

the

PLATO

OF

in check, behind

time, hold

same

picturesand
familiar though they are,

their literal meaning.

conjuredup, simple and

our

The

yet that about them which I can only compare with

are
mysterious quality of those indifferent things which
have

the
so

carefullynoticed, and those triflingthoughts which are so

seriouslydvelt upon, in an hour of great trouble.
But
the Transcendental
Feeling which, being pent up
behind
our
understanding of their literal meaning, makes the
burst
magic of such lines, may
through the iridescent film
figuration
which
have
contains it. We
an
example of this in the transThe
of the Earthly into the Heavenly Beatrice.
Transcendental
understanding of
our
Feeling latent behind
and eanzoni of
the praise of Beatrice
in the earlier sonnets
the
Vita Niiova
distinct experience when
we
a
as
emerges
assist at her praise in the Paradiso.
Contrast
the eleventh
of the Vita Nuova
sonnet
with the twenty-fifth,
which,'with
its commentary, is a prelude to the Paradiso.
The eleventh
sonnet

of the

Vita

ends

Nuova

:
"

Aiutatemi,donne, a farle onore.

Ogni dolcezza,ogni pensieroumile
Nasce

Ond'

Quel
Non

core

chi

parlarla sente ;
prima la vide.
quand' un poco sorride,
a

chi

ch.'ella par
si pii6dicer,nfe tener

Si h

Here

nel

h beato

miracolo

nuovo

mente,

gentile.

it is the

magic of the lines which is all in all. Now let

to the twenty-fifth,
turn
the last,
of the Vita Nuova,
us
sonnet
and
after it ending the book with the proijiise
to the words
of more
worthy praise more
worthy, because offered with a
of the encompassing presence
of
That
which
deeper sense
"

"

was,

and

is,and

ever

shall be

Oltre la spera, che

Passa

il

"

:
"

pii largagira,

sospiroch'

Intelligenza
nuova,

esce

del mio

core

che 1' Amore

Piangendo mette in lui,pur au lo tira.

Quand' eglife giunto1^,dov" el desira,
Vede
una
donna, che riceve onore,
E luce si,che per lo suo splendore
Lo peregrinespirito
la mira.
Vedela tal,
che,quando il mi ridice,

INTJRODUCTION
lo

non

Al

cor

So

lo

intendo,si parla sottile

che lo far parlare.

doletite,
el parla di queUa gentile,

io ch'

Perocche

"
apesso ricorda Beatrice,
Sicch' io lo intendo ben, donne
mie

after

"Straightway
unto

this

marvellous

sonnet

care.

writ, there

was

vision,wherein

V*^

appear

I heheld

things whi
made
determine
me
not to say more
concerning this Bless
until
I should
One
be able to speak of her more
worthi
To this end I studied with all diligence,
she knoweth
as
we
Wherefore, if it shall be the pleasureof Him
through Whc
all things live that my
hfe endure
for some
years, I hope
say

me

of her

And

that which

then

it

may

before hath

never

pleaseHim

Who

been

is Lord

said

of

woms

of

Courtesy th
Lady, to wit,

Soul may
the
glory of her
my
go to behold
that Blessed Beatrice,who
in glory doth gaze upon
Him
Who
is blessed for evermore."

the

face

M
4.

Transcendental

Feeling,

Platonic
APPEAL,

Myth
explained

Transcendental
every
another

and

mood,

Experience

the

all

to

Forms

other

ti

which

Poet:

of

GENETICALLY.

Feeling

whatever

its

I would

explain genetically(

present value

that

be,

may

"

ought to be explained)as an effect produc

within consciousness
(and, in the form in which
Poetry
t
with
Transcendental
chieflyconcerned
Feeling, within
in us of that prime^
dream-consciousness)
by the persistence
matter,

condition
sound

"

which

from

we

are

Death, and

asleep as

sprung,
there

no

Time

fall for

while,

now

then, from

still

was

yet.

That

waking, tin
marking life,into the timeless slumber of this primeval life
; for the principlesolelyoperativein th
easy to understand
primeval life is indeed the fundamental
principle of o
whi
nature, being that
Vegetative Part of the Soul
made
from
and still silently
the first,
makes, the assumpti
should

and

was

Life

when

our

"

"

on
"

which
the

which

our

whole

assumption
Keason

can

rational
that

Life

life of conduct

living.
against,this

is worth

bring for,or

and

No

science

rei

argumei

ultimate

tru

40

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

stir without
assuming the
relevant; for Eeason cannot
to disprove.
very thing which these arguments seek to prove or
Live thy life
by
is the
Imperative addressed
Categorical
Nature
of her creatures
to each one
accordingto its kind.
At
the bottom
of the scale of Life the Imperative is
are

"

"

in
obeyed silently,
tropicalforest :

timeless

the

by

sleep,as

trees

of

the

"

fair and

statelythings.
Impassiveas departedkings,

The

stood,

still in the wood's stillness

AH
And

dumb.

other

and

brooded,bloomed

art, no

hope,they knew.
seek the blue.

the earth and

Than

clutch

touched
eyes were
the wood
for what it was

with

My

saw

dreamed,

It seemed

nndivined.

Unmeaning,
No

multitude

rooted

The

and

Nodded

the victorious

sight.

The

lost and

The

deadly battle pitchedin line.

cause,

and shine :
cross
weapons
Silent defeat,
silent assault,
Saw

battle and

burial vault.

Green

from overhead
conquerors
Bestrode the bodies of their dead
The

Unused

"When

Caesars of the

For

in the

The

cancers

the

sylvan field,
foredoomed
to yield:
fail,
of
groins branches,lo !

to

of the orchid

grow.^

"

"

Sensitive
Soul is first
Vegetative the
added, the Imperative is obeyed by creatures
which, experiencing
only isolated feeUngs,and retainingno traces of them
to

"

still live

in memory,

timeless

"

life,without

sense

future, and

of

past

or

consequentlywithout sense of selfhood.

Then, with Memory, there comes, in the highgrSnimaJs,
dim
of a Self dating back
and prospectingforsense
some
ward.
be.
the
to
Time begins
But
of its paseage brings
sense
no
melancholy; for its end in death is not yet anticipatadi
by reflective thought.
Man's
anticipationof death would oppress his life with
'

Songs of Travel, E.

L. Stevenson

"The

Woodman."

INTEODUCTION

insupportablemelancholy, were
especiallythose which
engrossing that is, I would

it not

conscious
"

Soul
holds

on

is

there

leisure.

but
some

past

in which

into that
future

or

enough

If comfort

to

comes

him

his

of

it is worth

in

so

the

self,silently

or

good to
melancholy in his

for

that

Part

"

it is

his

from

not

of

duties,are

as

it not

implicitfaith that

Cosmos

there is still room

and

the

of

its roots

ments,
employ-

current

spoken
explain,were

with
sense

Life, in

to

that

"

without

which,

that

are

"

life feels down

41

be.

living

hours

such

it is,

As

of

ease

it is

hours,

solution

of his melancholy,
thinking out some
from his putting by thought,and sinking,alone, or led by
/jLvcrraryaybi;
tov
^lov,for a while into the sleepof that

fundamental

"

Part

of the

life again,it is with

the

When

he

elementary faith

newly confirmed in
strengthof it,to defy all
Soul

Soul."

his heart
that

; and

wakes

into

daily

of this Part
he

is

of

ready,in

his

the

give it the lie in the

world of the senses
and scientific understanding. Sometimes
him
the very melancholy, which
overclouds
at the thought
in the
of death, is transfigured,
glow of this faith,into an
I shall pass, but He
exultant resignation
abideth for ever.'5
figure,
Sometimes, and more
often, tihe faith does not merely transthe
but dispels,
melancholy, and fills his heart with
of personal
sweet
hope, which
fancy renders into dreams
immortality.

"

to

seems

"

"

To

sum

in effect what

up

I have

said about

Transcendental

in our
indeed
Feeling: it is feelingwhich
ordinary
appears
but
time
does
-distinguishing,
-marking consciousness,
object
not
originatein it. It is to be traced to the influence on
of

Soul"

holds

which

living.
-

the

consciousness

shall

be

as

i;obe
'

See

normal

"

and

which
the

was,

Part

and

is

"

Transcendental

experience of

our

Feeling may

conscious

p. 38.

life : it
Vita

the

worth
solemn

that

"

good

of

is,and

conviction

Paradiso, xxxiii. 82-96, quoted supra, p. 23, and

jkxv.,
quotedsupra,

"

phase Transcendental
experienceof our conscious
^
in its other phase
state ;

ecstatic
Life

that

first-mentioned

abnormal

well-marked
that

an

That

"

"

In the

good.

Iappears
a

Being of
overshadowing us

"

of

sleep,to life as
the
Feeling is at once

Transcendental

Hence

of Timeless

sense

is

in us
presence
in timeless
on,

ever

Life

Feeling
life,as
as

viction
con-

be said

is not

Nuova, Sonnet

42

MYTHS

THE

PLATO

OF

experience occasionallycropping up alongside of other

ences
but a feeling which
accompanies all the experiexperiences,
thaF"'swee"t hope," yXvKeta
of our
conscious,life
take the trouble to seek
in the strength of which
iXirk,'^
we
make
after the particularachievements
which
up the waking
life of conduct
Such
science.
and
though normal, is
feeling,
of the
it is not
one
because
rightly called Transcendental,^
but the condition, of our
ing
effects,
enteringupon and persevermakes
in that course
which
of endeavour
experience.
an

"

5.

The

Myth

Platonic

Feeling
TATioN

Ideas

OF

Deduction

of

Categories

offered these

I have

(2)

and

Understanding

the

of

Imaginative

Virtues.

Moral

AND

Ebason,

of

Eepkesen-

Imaginative

(1)

by

scendental
Tran-

eegulates

and

kouses

remarks

Transcendental

about

Feeling

which
I now
venture
prefacea general statement
Platonic
about
the
to make
Myths- that they Oire^JDr-eams
Feeling,told in such a manner
expressive,_Qf_Ti2jascendeiital^
the
tellingof them"regulates,~for
[and such a context_^J;hat
the feelingexpressed."
the servide of conduct and science,,
How
then are conduct and science served by such regulation
,
Iof Transcendental Feeling?

in order

to

"

the

In

wide-awake

left to

Sense,

to

be the

life of

itself,claims
criterion

of

conduct
to

good

be
and

and
the

standing,
science, Under-

measure

bad.

of

truth ;

Transcendental

Part of the Soul," whispers

Feeling,wellingup from another
Sense that they are
to Understanding and
thing.
leavingout someWhat
?
Nothing less than the secret plan of the
And
is that secret plan ?
what
Universe.
The other
Part
of the
Soul
indeed comprehends it in silence as it %,' hwt
[ can
explain it to the Understanding only in the symbolicaH
language of the interpreter,
Imagination in Vision.* Jn|
assiat_.at",-a..
the_JPla.tQJllc
.Jdyth,-^w_e
Yjsion in jghictujbh^
"

"

"

"

yXvKeti,o! xapSlav iriWoLffa

yt)paTpb(f"oi
crwaopci AttIs, 4 /idXtirraBvaTdiv

iroKidTpo^iov7^i4moi'Kv^epvq,. Pindar, quoted Rep. 331

"

As

'

Plotinus, Enn.

Tim.

71 D,

B.

A.

"Empirical Feeling" ; see infra,p. 389.

iii. 8. 4, and see infra,p. 45.
The liver,the organ of Imagination,is a fmvTeiov.

distinguishedfrom

INTEODUCTION

life of

jgjde-awake
seen

and
ordinary p.xpe^ip.nnes

our

in

an_act

as

The

habitudes

and

intellectual constitution,which

and

are

reveals.

the Vision

which

planned

as

determine

of

"

And

than

more

wise

and

mindful

He

is of the

welfare

ol

Virtues

are

deduced

from

Plan

selves
them-

which, in turn,
of the Universe
the

"

good

our

priori

life,are

this,

shows, is the work-^"

the Vision

difficulties

under

faculties of

experiencesand doings in this wide-awake

by causes
clearlyseen to be determined
the
Plan
clearlyseen to be determined by

our

doings.is

"f- fehe--frea4;ioB-"Bdcon_vas.t.-draiBa

snnimatioQ_fif all things.

moral

43

Universe,

albeit

accomplished

God

for

how

see

throughout all its

the
Vision
as
wanderings from creation to final purification,
We
unfolds them !
ought, then, to be of good hope, and to
use
strenuously,in this present life,habitudes and faculties
with a universal
which
are
so
plan
manifestlyin accordance
so manifestlybeneficent.
in us that the Platonic Myth,
It is as producing this mood
ing
Feeland Eschatological,
regulatesTranscendental
^etiological
and
In Aetiological
science.
for the service of conduct
Myth the Categoriesof the Understanding and the Moral
a

man's

soul

of the

which

Universe, of

together with the whole,

remembered
in a former
life,and
piecemeal in this ; in
and Eschatological
(but chieflyin Eschatological)
Aetiological
of Eeason," Soul, Cosmos, as
completed
Myth the "Ideas
system of the Good, and God, are set forth for the justification
of that "sweet
hope which guidesthe wayward thought of mortal
should not take the trouble
the hope without which we
man
fuller
and persevere
to enter upon,
in, that struggleafter ever
wider
ever
correspondencewith
comprehension of conditions,^
they are

representedas

parts

seen,

"

"

"

"

"

and

intellectual
and

structure

the Moral

habits

the

which

environment,"

Virtues

the

"

and

Categoriesof

enable

"

us

of

faculties

to

the

carry

on

moral

our

ing
Understandin detail.

ling
point,before I go on further to explainPlato's handof Transcendental
Feeling,I will make bold to explainmy
metaphysicalposition. A very few words will suffice.
that it is in Transcendental
Feeling,manifested
I hold
At

own

this

'

'

Kant

part e.g.

makes

"

Eeason

"

"understanding")

"conceptionsof the
of any

(t.e. the whole

the

source

unconditioned,"

thing that

is

given as

man

in

oppositionto

of "Transcendental
"conceptions of the

conditioned."

this

or

that

Ideas," described

totalityof

the

as

ditions
con-

Faith

normally as

OF

MYTHS

THE
in

the

PLATO
as
ecstatically
Thought proceedingby

of Life, and

Value

Beiag, and not in

comes
Consciousness
of speculativeconstruction, that
way
Ultimate Eeality. It is
"o the objectof Metaphysics,
in Transcendental
Feeling,not in Thought, that Consciousness
that
Ultimate
nearest
to
comes
Eeality,because without

sense

iFaith

of Timeless

in the Value

of

is the

Life, which

normal

manifestation

It is
Feeling,Thought could not stir.
of
Transcendental
Feeling that Consciousness is aware
it is good
The
Good
of the Universe
as
a placein which
ho be.
Transcendental
Feeling is thus the leginning of
start without
make
a
for Metaphysics cannot
faphysics,
as
a
place in which
Good, or the Universe
assuming "The
of Metaphysics,for
it is good to be
; but it is also the end

\oiTranscendental
"

"

"

"

SpeculativeThought does not reallycarry us further than

the
Feeling,which inspiredit from the first,has already
brought us : we end, as we began, with the Feeling that it
To the question, "Why is it good to be
is good to be here.
elaborated by Thought are no more
here ?
the answers
really
preting
than
those supplied by the Mythopoeic Fancy interanswers
have
former
the
Transcendental
Feeling. When
not
value, but
value (and they are sometimes
only without
mischievous)they are, like those suppliedby the Mythopoeic
"

"

impressiveaffirmations of the Faith in us,

of its ground.
not at all as explanations
Conceptual solutions
further along
of the
no
problem of the Universe
carry us
the pathway to realitythan
imaginative solutions do. The
reason
why they are thought to carry us further is that they .1,
mimic
those conceptual solutions of departmental problem^
Fancy,

valuable

as

"

"

which

we

are

accustomed

to

do

accept, and

well

to

accept,

Imaginative solutions of the

are
problem of the Universe
thought to be as inferior to
conceptualsolutions as imaginativesolutions of departmental
problems are to conceptual. The fallacyinvolved in this
analogy is that of supposing that there is a
problem of the
Universe
a
difficultypresented which
Thought may
solve."
The
first prowas
problem of the Universe
pounded,
and
Life
when
straightway solved,at the moment
began on the earth, when a livingbeing as such, from the
lacking nothing which is essential to selfhood or
very first,

from

the

positive sciences.
"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

Kant's

of the Understandipg
Categories

"

which

there

of that

which

could

alone is

"

no

"

known," the world

priori

Structure,

Mental

experience

no
"

certain

"

"

be

are

"or^the

Characters

Conceptions,certain
without

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

46

of

ledge
know-

sensible

not
Categories,however, if they are
be regarded as
to remain
mere
logicalabstractions, must
functions of the Understanding as active manifestations of
funcAs
consciousness.
the unifying principleof mind
or
the
tions,the Categoriesneed for their actual manifestation
In
the absence
qf_sensajionsjEey
presence'bf'^sSasatipns."
They are functions of the mental organism or
aig^''emt)tv."
from
called into operationby stimulation
which
structure
are
or
figurations
environment," and that only in schemata

These

phenomena.

"

"

"

"

of Time.^
vehicle
Thus, the
or
involving the
garment
of the perCategory of Substance is realised in the schema
sistent
is
in time
perceivedas
Something present to sense
attributes
Substance
persisting in change of
; the
of succession in
Category of Cause is realised in the schema
of which
is antecedent
time," two sensible phenomena, one
"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

and

the

other consequent,

latter

the

former.

"

is
The

conceived

as

amounts

to

are

saying

rightlyconducted^will_never

'But

as

cause

and

effect"

following necessarilyfrom

schemata, then,

This
if

conceived

are

the

true

scientific categories."^

that

the

Understanding,

make

use, of any
onlj^n^_emgirical

the

transcendental

of its

use,

priori principles.
These
forming
principlescan apply only to objectsof sense, as conconditions
of a possibleexperience
to t^e universal
to things as such
(phenomena),and never
(noumena),or apsirt
in
which
from the manner
we
are
capableof perceivingthem.'
In contrast

the

to

of
Categories

"immoiwew^-^adequatel?"realised

are

the
in

Understanding^which
sense

experience;we

is cause
of
Bay, for instance, that this thing present to sense
that other
of Eeason
transcendent:
thing theldeas
are
"

they overleap the limits of all experience in experienceno

objectscan be presentedthat are adequate to them.
They
"

'

See

"

Wallace's

'

See

Wallace's Kant, p. 172.

Kritik

Kami, p. 173.

d. reinen Vern?
A conception is employed
pp. 297, 298, 303.
when
it occuis
in a proposition
transcendentally
regardingthingsas such or in
themselves ; empirically,
when
the propositionrelates merely to phenomena, or
objectsof a possibleexperience.

INTEODUCTION

defined, generally,as

47

"

problematic conceptions of the

totalityof conditions of anything that is given as conditioned
aloiJk makes a totality
; or, since the unconditioned
of conditions
as
possible,
conceptionsof the unconditioned,
in so far as
it contains
a
ground for the synthesisof the
^
There are three Ideas of Eeason, products of
conditioned."
in
its activity
carryingthe fragmentary and detailed results
of human
experienceto their rational issues in a postulated
These
three
ideas are
the Soul, as the supertotality.
sensible
the
of
substance from which
Consciousness
phenomena
World
derivative manifestations
are
[Cosmos,Universe],
; the
ultimate
as
totalityof external phenomena; and God, as
vmity and final spring of all the diversities of existence.
The
as
ideas,strictly
ideal,have a legitimateand a necessary
thought. They express the unlimited obligation
placein human
which
feels
laid
itself
the
details
to
unify
thought
upon
of observation ; they indicate an
anticipatedand postulated
between
the various lines indicated by observation,
convergence
even
though observation may show that the convergence will
never
visiblybe reached; or they are standards and model
experiencemay, and indeed must, if she
types towards which
of truth, conceive herself bound
to approxiis true to the cause
mate.
of
is
the
function
Such
ideas, as regulative : they

are

"

"

"

govern

and

direct

the

action

of

intellect

in

the

effort to

the ideas
^itemafis^e__3iui'--6Sife"Es"lJ6"5fIfi3gerTTT
into
another
natuially^sink
knowledge.
place in human

stimulatingresearch, they become, as Kant once

puts it,a cushion for the lazy intellect. Instead of being the
ever-unattainable
they play a part in
goals of investigation,
Ceasing to be regulativeof
founding the edifice of science.
to be constitutive of a pretended knowXSSearch^they come
Instead

of

~~

"dge."'
The
but

of

Ideas
have

they
The

three

Eeason, then,

are

ideals
aims, aspirations,

adequate objects in

no
"

Sciences

"

which

venture

ence.
possibleexperito define objects
Cosmology, and

Psychology, Eational
Theology are, according to Kant, sham sciences. The Idea
of Soul, the absolute or unconditioned
unity of the thinking
for

them

"

Eational

"

i"iWi,2pp. 379,
2

Wallace's

(Prof. "Watson's Traiisl.).

Kant, pp. 182, 183.

384

subject,has
of

We

it.

to

no
are

we

objectunder the
ultimate
totalityof
as

possible experience answering

an
illegitimatetranscendental use
the subjectof all knowledge
conceive
the
Similarly,
Category of Substance.

object
making

Categorywhen

an

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

48

in

Cosmos
the
as
phenomena
is not an
absolute whole
objectof possibleexperience; it is
not
something given in sense, to be brought under Categories
the Idea of God is perverted
or scientific conceptions. Finally,
external

"

"

from

its

regulativeuse, when
Dogmatic Theology

the foundation

it is made

of

applies the Categories

of Substance, Cause, and the rest, to a Supreme Being, as if
He were
an
objectpresentedin sense experience.
of the Understanding are so
The Categories
To sum
(
up :
Human
of thought which
conditions
Understanding,
many
does
it is, expects to
find, and
find, fuUy
as
y constituted
Isatisfied in the details of sensible experience,f The Ideas
Iof Eeason indicate the presence of a condition of thought
satisfied in any
is not
particularitem of experi/ which
Uence. They are aspirationsor ideals expressing that nisua
alEer fuller and
fuller comprehension of conditions,wider and
in short, that nisus
wider correspondencewith environment
would
which
after Life, and faith in it as good, without
man
the experiencerendered
not will to pursue
possiblein detail
by the Categories. But although there can be no speculative
Ideas
of Eeason, we
science of objects answering to the
such
did not act as if there were
should come
to naught if we
of objectsanswering to these
objects
; and any representation
does not invite exposure
Ideas which
by pretendingto scientific
act as if." The
rank is valuable as helpingus to
objectsof
bufef^u; fyhh. "WTjen
theseJd"aa.are_abjaeta^.noiJQt"s"en"e,
Ithe scientific imderstanding proves that God exists,or that
science

"

"

which

"

"

"

"

"

Ithe

Soul

is immortal, refutation

of the moral
Viij,s_i"."

agent

rests

lies
on

near
sure

at

hand

; but

the

foundation.'^

*
have three postulates
of practical reason
"We
which
related to
are
closely
These Ideas reason
the three Ideas of theoretical reason.
in its theoretical use
unable to supply the solution.
set before itself as problemsto be solved ; but it was
the permanence
of the thinkingsubject
Thus, the attempt to prove theoretically
led only to paralogism
of the subjectpresupposed
a confusion
in
; for it involved

all knowledge of objects,and only in that point of view permanent, with an

But now
find that a faith of
we
objectknown under the Category of Substance.
existence
of
the
endless
self-conscious
the
in
reason
subject is bound up with ffie
the moral
law.
of his fulfilling
Again, the attempt speeulatirelylo
possibility
the world
as
a system
determine
complete in itself landed iis in an antinomy

INTEODUCTION
To return

from

now

49

to Plato

Kant

Plato's Myths induce

:
"

of conduct
regulateTranscendental Feelingfor the |ervice
and knowledge by settingforth the a 'priori conditions of conduct
and knowledge
that is,(1) by representing
certain ideals
in concrete
form
of
the presuppositions
or
presuppositions,
immortal
Soul, of an intelligible
an
Cosmos, and of a wise and
all three being natural
good God
expressionsof the sweet
lives and struggles
and on ;
on
hope in the faith of which man
and (2)by tracingto their originin the wisdom
and goodnessof

and

"

"

"

of the

God, and the constitution

in

faith

or

or

virtues),
belongingto the make of
moral nature, which prescribe
the various

intellectual and

modes

habitudes

certain

and
(categories

faculties
man's

Cosmos,

he

which

order

must

hope impels

sweet

in

him

detail the

life which

maintain.

to

his

_Myth,

not

argumentativeconversation, is rightlychosen by Plato as the

conditions y
vehicle of erposiiiQa when .Jia.4eals
witn_.ajinon
of conduct and knowledge, whether
they be ideals nr"7ac'ulties.
When

man

asks

himself, as

he

struggleson

in which

hope

faculties,he is fain

Soul,created
under

whose

finished

guides the
expressionreacts
which

which

if it

as

wise

Universe

and

good God,

which

is

Hisl

answer,

"

"

It is
to

But

God

Good, and

the

I live in

by

immortal/

an

am

"

true.

were

"

true

naught

"

answer

if he did

Soul, Cosmos
not

are

"

in

the

sense

not

act

and

that
think

completed system of
along
particularobjects
presented,
as

able to escape only by the distinction of the phenomenal from

which we
were
which
theoretic reason
world"
the intelligible
a distinction
suggested,but which
the moral law forces us to think ourselves as free,
it could not verify. But now,
world which
further obliged
and therefore as belongingto an
are
we
intelligible
the phenomenal world is the appearance. Lastly,
of which
to treat as the reality
ideal which
a mere
the Absolute
knovrledgecould
Being was to theoretic reason
not

realise ; but

now

His

existence

of the objectof a Will

possibility
we
reason
gain a conviction
praotical
the

three Ideas of Pure

called
of

knowledge

them

Keason.

of these

assertion
under
perception

into

prescribedby hisl

"

it expresses.
life would
come

man's

ways
Because I

of thel

reason

accordingto Plato, as I readj

and legitimate
sweet
hope
expressionof the
and
of
the
mortal
man
;
wayward thought
that
on
givesstrength and steadiness to
This

natural

the

in

faculties

government

work."

him, is the

answer

for the

must,
"

to
these

with

he

an

bringany
judgment regarding the

We

is certiiied to us as the necessary condition of

determined
by the moral law. Thus, through
to the
of objectscorresponding
of the reality

acquirewhat is properlyto be
only change the problematicconception

do not, indeed,

objects. We

not able to
we
of their real existence ; but, as
are
to make
unable
such Ideas,so we
are
any synthetic
Caird's
assert."
we
objectsthe existence of which
"

Critical'Philosophyof Kant, ii. 297.

E

50

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

particularobjects,in sensible experience. Ihisit tries to

the Scientific Understandiog fails to graisp.- When
indTiTis ready enough to make the venture
deaTwith them
it must
needs envisagethem, more
suo, as though they were
with

other

"

"

in
which could be brought under its Categories
particular
objects
the
sensible experience. Then
are
question arises, "Where
And
the answer
later, They are
or
sooner
comes
they ?
chills the
sweet
nowhere
science
Thus
to be found."
hope
in which
man
lives,
by bringing the natural expressionof it
"

"

"

"

"

"

into discredit.

This, I take
rather

than

wishes

to set

it, is Plato's

for

reason

language and method

forth the a priorias it

of

the

"

employing Myth,
when
science,''

expresses

he

itself in Ideals.

Myth of Er, Soul,

Cosmos, and God are presented concretelyindeed, but in such
visionaryform that there is little danger of mistaking them
for particularsof sense
requiring "scientific explanation."
Faculties
of man's
or
Again, as for the a priori Habitudes
moral and intellectual structure, whereby he correspondswith
In

the

his

mise

en

sUne

of

in

detail

environment

set forth
are

in

Myth
"

deduced

"

Cosmos

matter

"

"

It is
that

as

in

the

question of

Timaeus

the

or

these, too, Plato holds,are

"

; for

they

traced

to

are

their

properlyset forth
which
is
origin,

to

when

that

be

they
of the

standing.
beyond the reach of the Scientific Underin a Myth
of Beminiscence, therefore, such

Fhaedrus, that

take

must

we

the

origin of knowledge ; in a Myth such as

that of the Golden Age in the Laws, of the questionof
the
^
originof society."
and other ultimate
These
questionsof origin,"carrying
back as they do to the nature
of God and the constitution
us
"

the

of

account

"

"

"

of

the

Cosmos,

are

in the

minds

invested

tradition

of old

had
tragedians
2

and

has

the

influence

'

Plato
'

any
minds

and

for

not

of his
the

bestowed

new

upon

of the

other

Master

Plato

contemporarieswith

value, he found
of

"science."

charm
it ;
it

Pindar

associated,in his

that

Myth
authority

the

perhaps,too, if

Socratici
where

which

found

viri, with
influence

and
my
own

the
was

the

suggestion
mind

personal
most

im-

and much
in the detail,
of the Craiylusjustify
spirit,
the view that
approachedthe questionof the "origin of language"too Sid ni'6o\aylas.

The

Supra, p.

3.

INTEODUCTION

gressiveand

mysterious

hand, and

took

he

it up, and

philosophicalpurpose,
Sculpturetransformed
Further

remarks

forth

set

as

Faculties

he

"

by

and

51

found
used

Myth
it in

an

thus

ready
originalway

it%s

transformed

the

to

his

for

Genius

of

^oava of Daedalus.
the a prioriin conduct
and knowledge
of the
of
mythological deduction

the

on

means

will be best deferred

till

we

to the Phaedrus

come

general observations on the a priori as set

forth by means
of the mythologicalrepresentationof Ideals
forms of hope,"^
be helpful at this
objectsof faith
may
Plato's
introductory
stage. Let us then consider broadly,first,
Idea of God," and then
his handling of the
handling of the
of his handling of the
Idea of Soul."
Consideration
Idea
Myth

; but

some

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

of
"

Cosmos"

well

may

be

deferred

till

we

to

come

the

Xj

Tiinaeus.

Treatment

Plato's

6.

To

of

Idea

the

God

of

religiousconsciousness, whether showing itself in

the faith which
find privately
non-religious
people sometimes
and cling to in time of trouble, or expressedto the world
in
the creeds and
the Idea
mythologiesof the various religions,
of God
is the idea of a Personal
God, or, it may be, of personal
the

"

"

Gods.

Thfl

he

be, is first of all

may

Gnd

of

the reLLgJQua-CfljisciQusness. whatever

other

individuals, human

whom

he

limited.
be true

stands

one
ffl(]j,vid^iia.l
sep"j;jite,
among
be, superhuman, to
and, it may
"

Sr
'^*

relations

he is determined
or
by which
is Maker, King, Judge, Father, Friend.
It may
inconsistent with
attributes logically
his being a

He
that

in

else

person

creeds ; but

when
inconsistency,
perceived,is always so
the
all important idea of his personality

dealt

with

the

that

is left with

the

moral

to

him

in

of

some

the

undiminished

or
individuality

to

are

ascribed

'^

finite individual

power.

personalityof the
consciousness

than

The

idea

Self is not
the

idea

of the
more

of

the

separate
essential

separate

of God is to the religious

ness
consciousor
individuality
personality
consciousness,at any rate, both of
; and in the religious
'

To lay down

It never
yet did hurt,
likelihoods and forms of hope.

Hmry

IV. (Part ii.),

i. 3,

ideas

these

are

involved

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

52

in

stands

individual Self

an

"

personalrelation

to

God^
jmo|hgr.^2iyiduai,

thinking
^'^SuTBgi^I

metaphysics
"

with
be

of

fond

too

in

or

doing,

this cannot
jcasdusion
Idea_ofGod," agciaea.at...a,
the cpMicj^oPPfthe
0jlP"M8ed.-t9stated^^fljatly
pTafnly

the

too

it is
itself,
as

it busies

when

science

natural

in

whether

"

"

"

Aristotle's ivepyeiadvev Svvofieox:

reUgjous-^fionssJansness.
is Spinoza'sSubstantia Infinita
is not
Person ; nor
; nor
a
of later systems, although its true logical
is the Absolute
character

of modern

been

sometimes

has

disguised
; nor

Logicalor

science.

is the

Nature

"

"

scientificthinking presupposes

explicitthe idea of an orderly Universe, of an

of its
organic whole determining necessarilythe behaviour
parts, of a single system realisingitself fully,at every
which, for the most
and at every place,in events
moment
part, recur, and recurringretain a imiform character, or only
be here,
should
not
gradually. We
change their character
science assures
us
livingbeings,actingand thinking if the
not
were
orderlyand
catastrophic,
changes in our environment
be orderlyif we
must
gradual. But although the Universe
follow that it is orderlythat we
to live,it does not
are
may
scientific
scouts
live.
as
such,
teleology
thinking,
Logical or
cherished
the
c
ness,
onsciousform
in
which it is
in that
by
religious
belief in a Particular
Providence, logicalor scientific
thinking,as such, that is,when it is not deflected from its path,
it sometimes
is,by the attraction of religiousconviction,
as
just as the religiousconsciousness, on the other hand^ is
disturbed
sometimes
taken
by science. Teleology,when
up
is
method
which
not
a
assumes
seriously, merely played with,
of
the intentions of a Personal Euler
the Universe, and explains
which
he
the means
employs in order to carry out his
makes

and

"

"

"

intentions.^ Logical
'

Cf.

In

or_ scientific

it

thinkiiig,,
_as such, finds

A. S. Pringle-Pattison,
Hegelianiamand Personality,
pp. 217-218.
which recommends
itself to the
saying that "science" scouts the teleology
I do not think
that I contradict the view, so ably
"religiousoonsoionsness
enforced by Prof. W. James, that
is the essence
of intelligence that
teleology
"science"
the translation,in which
consists,of the perceptual into the conceptual
order
alwaystakes placefor the sake of some
subjective
interest,
with which
handle
and the conception
we
a bit of sensible
experienceis really
but
instrument.
This whole fuTietion of coaetiving, of
a
teleological
nothing
to meamings, has no significance
fixing,and holding-fast
apart from the fact that
"

"

"

"

"

the conceiver

Psych, i. 482.

is

creature

with

partial purposes

and

private ends."

"

Princ.

of

MYTHS

THE

54

of

learned

life,"as

common

yet understand

cannot

then, with

what

PLATO

OF

in fact.

is true
"

Their

only faculty is

Hence

it is all

important to

stories to

good

have

begin,

must

being interested

of

that

"We

stories.

fictions,with

with

is false in fact

what

children

primer. Young

the

in

stories.

in

tell them

"

good tendency. Thej^re Ja. be

getJioldof
in order that they may
/oafse,
tald_wijati8-iitoa^^
invent

to

with

Myths

the
tru""wE^^J"^spirituaUy
"

^s

"

great fundamental truth that God

"truthful"

beneficent "and

both

"

to
applicai"le
adjectives

to believe

person ; and a finiteperson, for they are

the author only of what is good.

That
tell

God

; not,

us

is such

then, is true, Plato would

finite person,

indeed,true in the

that he is

in which

sense

the

description

experiencemay be true, but true, as

at least for children,
best possible
expression,
of the maxim
or
principleof guidance without which human
If children believe that God is the
life must
to naught.
come
author,not of good only,but of evil also,they will grow up to
be discontented
and without
hope without faith in the good
ready
helps those who help themselves
providence which
God
bad luck, rather than themselves, for
or
always to blame
their troubles and failures.
If they do not believe that he is
truthful,they wiU grow up to be careless observers and abstract
and
due
to accident,"
as
neglecting,
insignificant
reasoners,
those so-called little things which
the careful interpreterof
nature
They
recognisesas important signs and symptoms.
will grow up without
and
the principles
which
Conduct
on
Science respectively
depend. On the one hand, they will be
without
that
hope which guides the wayward thoughts of
men"
the faith (which indeed
all struggle for existence
ing
implies)that honest effort will,on the whole, succeed in attainfar as it is possible
so
good ; they will believe instead
for a livingbeing to believe this
that "life is not worth
living ; and so far as they are not, and cannot be, consistent
pessimists,
they will be selfish,individualistic citizens. On
the other
been
not
hand, if they have
taught in their
childhood
God
is truthful," they will
to believe that
grow
faith in the order
up without the first postulateof science
of the world.
In
and
interpretability
one
sentence, "The
the spiritof pessimism in conduct
Lie in the Soul"
and
of

phenomena or
being the only or

data

of

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

INTEODUCTION

scepticismin
not

science

will

"

55

bring to naught

believed, in their childhood, that

and

In

true.

afterwards

their childhood

is

have

Person, good

they,will

May
Personalitywhen

belief in his

the

God

all those who

they,give

it has

done

up

its

work?
Most

of them,

and
sense
continuingto live in
imagina
under
tion," albeit,
good guidance,useful lives, will have no
in retainingthe belief of their childhood ; but a few
difficulty
will become
so
"logical" that they will hardly be able to
"

"

"

retain

it.

It is in relation
to consider

and

Plato
have

they

fact without
"that

idea

by

the idea of

ought

we

Personal

God

Personal

of

Immortality of the Soul,

has put into his Dialogues. In these MythSl
of what
believed
as I
representations
they once
questioning. They see the world of childhood)

dream-world

for them

of these latter that

needs

Myths settingforth

correlate

the

which

the

to the

which

once

was

great Maker

real

so

put

"

on

the

stage

Mysteries and Miracles.

I
But why
representit ? That the continuityof their lives
that
be led to
to them
may~Bebrought home
they may
sympathise with what they were, and, sympathising,to realise
that what
It is
are-en-isdue to what
they now
they were.
the continuity of life is lost sight of, that religious
because
conviction and scientific thought are
brought into opposition.
The
scientific thinker, looking back
his life,is apt to
over
divide it sharply into the time during which
he believed what
is not true, and the
time
the
during which' he has known
a

of

"

truth.
Thus
with
and

sympathy

happy condition of
the feelingswhich

the

with

when

fail in

to

hour

the

of his death

with

the

his

childhood, and

own

majority of

may
draws

yet
near,

and

men

women,

to comfort

return

betokens, Plato

him
would

philosophy of life." The man

life.
abstracts
the present time" from its settingin his whole
He plucks from its stem
the
knowledge of truth," and thinks
The
that it still lives.
knowledge of truth," Plato would tell
say,

serious flaw

in

man's

"

"

"

"

us,

does

formed

not

and

come

except

man

understandingguided,in

unquestioning faith
Personal

the

to

God.

And

in

the

this

whose

character

childhood

goodness

faith he must

and

and

has

youth,by

truthfulness

reverence

been

of

all his life

through,looking back
death.

To

past, is what

will

Thinker

no

Present, and
which

is

Future

life is all

His

does not

"

of the
"
"

cut

the
the

up

of Past, and
Present

is non-existent.

is

which

imaginary point. Future

mere

Thinker

abstractions

the

which

Past

"

"

his

to

thing

The

do.

to

care

life into

of his

false,and

as

all existence

spectatorof all time and

organic unity

faith

of this

speak

forward

and

childhood

his

to

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

56

existent.
non-

Present, concrete, continuous,

one

indivisible.^
The

man

so

with

does

private use.
whole, will
both

who

life into

cuts

up
the intent of

Past, Present, and

Future,

appropriatingsomething for his own

The
Thinker, who sees Life clearlyand sees itl
belief and scientific knowledge as I
regard religious
for

means

sake

the

of

conduct,

corporate action.J

or

by setting his face

steadily
againstindividualism in the pursuitof knowledge.and
the holding of belief
ideal
against the scientific specialist's
of the
indefinite accumulation
of knowledge
against the
doctrine of the opus operatum, effectual in securingthe
priest's
only true good, as it is thought, the private profitof the
individual
hardest of all,against the refined form of individualism
by which he is himself tempted,the individualism
He

will

show

his

devotion

end

this

to

"

"

"

of the schoolman,

or

who
doctrinaire,

withdraws

himself

within

his

and
logicalfaculty,
pleaseshimself there with the construction
of
"a
System"
i^emrriSei;a\\"?Xots
prjfiaTa
mfioitofiiva.
"

of
Allegory^

In the
the

Thinker

last into
and
pay
which

The

daylight,and, when

enjoy it,he
his rpo^eia

will not
the

"

he

Cave, Plato shows

individualism.

over

the

the

has

received

stay,but

debt
"

he

which

us

Thinker

the

has

into

he

by carryingon,

the

for the

owes

in

the

out

come

might stay in

returns

victoryof
it

at

always

Cave

to

education

trainingof

the regime to which

he owes
generation,
it that he has
the light. We
shall compel him to return," Plato
says,
he adds, We
do him no injustice.''
The
compulsion is

new

"

seen

and

"

moral,
'

He

for "our

not

external.'

realises in

an

eminent

It is the

degreewhat

'present'is always an extended

i. 351.
Bosanquet's
Loffic,
'"'
and Myth ; see infra,p. 252.
3
Eep. 520.
"

peifectlv
obliQationjwhichthe
seems

time,"

to be the
not

an

experienceof

us

indivisible point:

all ;
see

INTEODUCTION
educated

in

inherence
of

feels laid upon

the continuous

man

his

it that

seeingto

57

him

his consciousness

by

life of

his

of his

city the obligation

generation"shall have worthy

own

"

successors.

How

faith in which

the

with

alive in the elders

important,then, to keep
Consciousness

young generation!
and earnest
desire
will do most

it is necessary

to

sympathy
bring up the
they owe as rpo^ela,
to worthy successors,

they should

of what

pass the State on

alive this sympathy ;

but, on the other

keep
hand, the logical
understandingwill always be reminding them
that "in truth" (though perhaps not "in practice")
the doctrines
consciousness
of the religious
of science and the convictions
are
I
this
incompatible ; and it is here, take it,with regard to
awopla started by abstract thought,that Plato hopes for good
thinkers may
from Myth, as from some
great Ritual at which
the scientific
feel that
there are
assist and
mysterieswhich
fathom.
understandingcannot
Th,at the scientific understanding,then, working within
its own
region,must rejectthe idea of a Personal God, was^ I
to

"

"

it,as clear

take

Would

to

GodMs

be

not

taught
did

the Gods
fact.

it

as

this

scientific

"

say

"
"

it is

that

"

which

proposition
"

"

is not

"

"

all the

say that what children

time God
that once
or
a
upon

within

true

is

There

would

its
"

or

be

true

historical

as

fact is concerned, the

scientific

or

understandingcannot

foundation

the

that

thing or

understanding is

to

scientific

believe

to

historical

Where

He

true

to Aristotle.

was

that

Plato, then, say

Personal
are

to Plato

is

region,and

own

it is not
allowed

true."

petent
com-

the

But

criticise its

to

faculties of the

livingman,
granted

own

the

that
understandingitself included, take for
I have
life into which
it is good to go on living the human
while employing my faculties
been
born ; and that it is worth
in the conduct of my
life,for they do not deceive me^
carefully
This fundamental
assumption of Life, It is good to live,and
into the proposiPlato throws
tion,
my faculties are trustworthy,"
There is a Personal
God, good and true, who keeps me
in all my
ways." He wishes children to take this proposition
that abstract thinkers will say that "It
literally.He knows
"

scientific

"

"

"

is not

true

"

traininghave

; but

made

he

is satisfied if the

them

influential

men,

in their

whose

parts and

read
generation,

58

it to

mean

things happen

"

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

as

if they

were

by

ordered

and true.
ToJbhii.as_:y"=3"blua-J
Go3J.good
they are
Prind^le"-"
as
/Of "Perg4alGod"
"Kegulatiye,
of which
agenciesT
hetpe*--so I take Plato to Jwik" by W

Personal

the
the logicof the Dialogue with
upon
of the religious
experienceof childhood, and of
r^re'sentation
The other
is one.
venerable
old age like that of Cephalus,
portant
is Ritual.^ This
is recognised
by Plato as very imagency

Myth, breaking in

andllythmay

be taken

its literary
counterpart.

to be

ference
things in the Bepublicis the designificant
paid to Delphi. Philosophy that is,the Constitution
of orthodoxy,"
indeed laysdown
of the Platonic State
canons
^
dogma ;
the TVTToi
rrepldeoXoyia"! determines the religious
from without, by Delphi.*
but the ritual is to be determined
One

of the

most

"

"

"

"

Eeligionis

be

to

at

rational

once

of catholic

reformed, and conservative

a

positionto

It is

some

cases

and

traditional
Plato

use.

involved in
difficulty
that ritual reacts
discovery,

realise the

modern

creates

even

Plato

it.

seems

at

"

to

this
on

once

not

was

in

arrangement.

dogma,

take

for

and

in

granted

be
the pure religious
dogma of his State will not
that
ritual.
At any rate, he assumes
affected by the priestly
and Delphi, as
his State,as the civil head of a united Hellas,*
in time

that

the ecclesiastical head,

will,like Empire and Church

Monarchia, be in sympathy with

Be

'

other.

indicated
plain,then, from the placq if I have rightly
place which Plato assignsto Ritual in daily life,and to

It is
the

each

in Dante's

"

"

A rite is an assemblage of symbols, grouped round

a
religiousidea or a
religious
act, intended to enhance its solemn character or develop its meaningjust as a myth is the groupingof mythic elements associated under a dramatic
form.

"

Thus

we

hare

the

rite of

baptism,funeral

rites, sacrificialrites."

Edville,ProUgomhies
by Squire),p. 110.
Religions(Eng.
2
Bep. 379 a.
'
In iv tjiuv XotTriK t^s vo/nofleo'tas
Rep. 427 B, T" oiv,i"jyii.
eftj
; Kal iyi) etTOK
Sti 'Kfitv itJkvoiSiv, tQ liivToi KirhWiiivi Tip iv AeX^ot; rd re
/ieyurra xal
K"Wurra
xai wpurra
re
li, iroio ; ? S' 6s.
'Ie/)i3"'
iSptfiros
tuv
vo/ioSeni/iiTui/.
Kal $vfflai Kal "\\ai
$eun" re
Kal Sai,f),6vuv
Kal iipiiuv
reXevTiiaavTar
Bepaireiat,
^/tti Sei iirqperouvTas tXeias airoii
aff S^Kat Kal iira toU
re
^x^'"- '''^ 7*P ^
oiSr iiruTTd/ieSaij/teUolKl^ovrh re
TriXiK oiSevl d\\(p TeuTO/ieBa, iav
roiaCro
a\K
a
vow
Sljiroi/
^aiiev, oiSi xp);(r6/U69o
i^riyitT^,
1) r(f ""raTpl"foSros yap
Beis ireplTct ToioDTa jtoo'u'
iy liiaifTijtT^s iirl roC
dvSpJnrois Tarpioi ^Ji/yijrijs
6li,"t"a\ov
Kadi^juevos
^^Tj^eiToi.
"*
stood
See infra,pp. 454-5, where
it is argued that;Plato's
icoXXiTroXis is misunderfor an
(as in part by Aristotle)if its constitution is taken to be drawn
de I'Sistoire des

Transl.

'

isolated

Athens
Empire-city(likethe antedilavian
civil head (Delphibeing the ecclesiastical
againstbarbarians for the propagationof liberty

and not for an

municipality,
Myth),under which,

of the Atlantis

head), Hellas

should

be united

and culture in the world.

as

INTEODUCTION

Myth

59

literature/what
philosophical

in

place he assigns to

the scientificunderstanding.

Xhe jeieatificunderstanding, which

and

late

developedpart, of

is

the whole

flnlya

related

as

man,

part/
to his]

small

whole

environment,Js_apt,chieflybecause it has the gift of

speech and can explain itself,while our deeper laid faculties
dumb,

are

tQ_flaltoLjJsd^"WTth~fehe-c"iKjeit_jihat.it is the

of

meagme

all things" -that

It cannot

jmposgMe.
therefore
a

it says that
"

God

Personal
Plato

has,

conceive the
the

is not

far

is
what^Ju).Ji^jneonceiirable
Part

ruling the

the World

"

proposition

Whole

is ruled

true.
I

by
-"

to this
gather, two answers
of the scientific understanding. The first is,
pronouncement
Life would
acted as if the scientific
to naught if we
come
understanding were
right in denying the existence of a
Personal
God
he trusts to Eitual and
Myth (among
; and
other agencies)to help men
His attitude here is
to feel this.
:
very like Spinoza's
so

as

can

"

"

"

Deum

nullam

est, talia Dei

15, 16).
Deo

Deo

; nempe
.

Fidem
.

Plato's other

credere

carta

hoc

vivendi

eumque

hoc
caritatis,

rations

imitari

docet

(22.

praeter simplicem fidem

revereri,
sive,quod idem est,
tam

non

requirerevera,
ad

animum

veritatem, quam

tam

prophetas

nihil

est, talia,quae

non

per

verbis
expressissimis

Sequiturdenique fidem

pia dogmata,

movent.

homines

Jeremias

hominibus
et
justitiae

suae

Evangelicadoctrina

obedire.

quam

cognitionemab

attributa,quae

quod quidem

possunt;

sui

cognitionemdivinae

petere, quam

continet

aliam

obedientiam

pietatem exigere.^

deeper. It consists in showing

that the
be grasped
Whole," or all-embracingGood, cannot
but must
be seen
scientifically,
imperfectlyin a similitude.^
The
logicalunderstanding,as represented by Glaucon, not
satisfied with
knowing what the all-embracingGood is like,
wishes to know
it is
if it were
what
an
as
objectpresented
to knowledge. But
the Good
is not an object presented to /
knowledge. It is the condition of knowledge. It is like I
answer

goes

"

"

"

Or

all,with
followed
continued

Platonic Dialogues,after
only offered as models to be
conversation
being essential to the

conversation ;
rather,in philosophical
their written
discussions and myths,
in

actual
conversation
life of Philosophy.

"

Spinoza, Tractatvs

"

Sep. 506.

"

actual

for the
are

chapters13
Theologico-polUicus,

and

14.

60

which

Light
of

is not
To

seeing.

read

finds

him,
I

might,
follows

with

think, be allowed
The

"

of

conception

its

of

proof
"

conception

Universe
"

part

"

the

of the

Whole.

Its

"

conception

is not

that

"

of

which

Whole

"

the
a

argument

that

because

the

does, with

this

God,
it

also

always

The

juggling, as

Whole,"

the

which

conceive

is

Personal

as

is not

God,

cannot

whole

"

"

manipulates

and

Personal

understanding

Universe

rule

cannot

sham

of

something indefinitely greater.

of

Ruler

Part

have,

to

criticism

Universe

"

or

professes

The

finished

as

"

all.

at

Whole

"

non-existence

the

"

as

Platonist

Master's

the

develop

to

and

object,

an

Plato,

which

fault

the

logicalunderstanding

the

logical understanding

the

"

is

is

Good,

or

condition

the

but

seen,

Whole,

the

that

suppose

things

the

objects, of knowledge,

among

in

of

one

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

also

is not

"

Part

"

is inconclusive.

7. Plato's
Let

Treatment

turn

now

us

represented

the

in

Eschatological, as
him

for acts

ava^fKT]

"

it

after

ever

is

subject
of

terms

for

incorrigible
"

into

the

which

it

cycle

it
to

peace

is

God

death

to

Soul

The

responsible

and

body,

body

an

"

limits

which

will

existence

it is

in

during
the

flesh ;

thoroughly

of

in

which

own

till

receives
last

at

purified by

never-ending
its

it

continue
which

in

it
and

penance,

disembodied

with

recompense
if

"

is

it

not

enters

state, like

peculiar star, before

to

by

set

existence

an

the

strictly

not

agent within

this

this

and

by God,

free

in

Myths

is

of

periodical re-incarnations, alternating

done

enjoyed

of

other

throughout

its incarnation

disembodiment,
deeds

the

which

Soul."

of

in

created

Person

the

Idea

Republic, and

responsible

before

began
for

in

"

Soul

of

strictlyEschatological Myths

three

Gorgias, and

Phaedo,

the

to

Idea

the

of

began

that
the

of incarnations.

Zeller,^ while

admitting

that

many

details

in

Plato's

authorities.

They

like

that

which

Eth.

Nic.

i. 10

avoid

to

\lav

TO

feeling.

Eohde,'

says

a^iKov,

of what
deliberate

\d0oiev

of

his

relatives

world

his

than

language

of

is little

fame

among

offered
condition

famous

with

that

great

well

describes

departed

of the

master

Simonides,

to

land

"

of

will

T(6vaa-i

oflerings

in

this

to

the

exalted
the

to

solations
con-

higher

attained

in

agreement

are

word

of their

assigning

but

places

deeds, which

the

their

lasts,

"

(ird

(rcj)'
dperfj KaOvirtpdfv

identified

'AtSeai.^

adavaaia

expressly

with

"

o^6e

His

The

look

interest

body

is buried

the

required
influence

diroXXvrai

yrji jrep iwv

VTTO

in peace,

Dramatists,
at

ia-OXbv

kA."os

TTOTt

aXX

to

had

the

blessedness

blessedness,"

avdyti Su"paTOi i^

Similarly Tyrtaeus*

rav

epitaph- writing, as Eohde^

never

memory

davovTK,

KvSaivovcr'

KKeo's

the

last, in this world

ouSe

has

who

with

ytyvofiivov

reference

Orators

of

art

eternal

immortality entirely in
and

the

sciousness
con-

rtve?

miss, among

any

Here

its

deceased

the

life of conscious

dead."

et

from

Even
we

mourners,

eternal

an

the

by

to

to

"

the

to

orations

death,"

afi"rmed

vvv

Apart

tender

but

only

in

chiefly

after
;

tov

survivors.

funeral

solemn

is

to bind

more

much

wound

to

orators

rivl

frequent.

there

remarks

qualifications as

rpoiro)

aiadija-ivare

his

Soul

the

the

very

concerned

are

world

this

in

Such

uncertainty.

irpcryfiaro'!

of

existence

belief

of

likely

statements

happens

reTeXevrrjKOTayv

him,

questioned by

is not

"

basis

the

and, like

continued

The

"

11

granted

for

makes

Aristotle
and

take

to

seem

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

62

dead
that

too,
in

did
the

but

dead

his

much
same

here

ovop.' auroC,

dddvaroi

yiyverai

prominence

of the

ov8'

"

name

to

liveth

induce
for

way;
should

be

rather

than

for

their
the

given
to

evermore.

public
dramatic

to

their

the

thumous
pos-

personal

INTKODUCTION
condition
old

in another

national

Eohde^

world.

When

the

legends on

pointsout, from

mere

events

of

the

hitherto

motives

personages

now

presented,for

plotswere

by

the audience

as

of the

legend with

hearts

of modern

he

not

Motives

of

else not

or

men,

so

the

which

merit

not

shadowy legendary

to
time, clearly

the

moral

and

evil

deed.

merit

the

would

of the audience

sense

by

events

to

ing
mov-

than

story

have

must

understood

the

now

traditional

agents who
be

sense.

important

more

combine

the motives

story to the

curiouslyattended

became

to

put the
turned, as

was

of the

of the personages

the characters

had

first

tragicconflict between
is fated that a good man
shall do an
for such
be responsible
a
deed, and
Hence

It

the

and

known,

before their eyes.

The Dramatist
events.

Dramatists

the

and

well

the

stage, attention

characters

The

63

the

the

ence.
audi-

motives.
How

can

retribution

resent

if he

did

tragicairopLawhich the Dramatists

suggest,by taking the Family, rather than the

it ?

This is the

solved, I would

Individual, as the moral

unit.^

The

descendant

is free because

doing the ancestral, the fated, thing a

to Aeschylus,
doctrine which
Eohde,^ in ascribingespecially
of av^KardOea-i^.* The
with
the Stoic doctrine
compares
human
interest of tragedyrequiresthat the penalty for sin
in Hades.
This is why
shall be paid here on earth rather than
about
there is so little in the Greek
Dramatists
the punishment
he

is

of

conscious

"

in the

of the wicked
is in
have

this world
any

the

moral

is ancestral.

children

sin must

interest.

hiunan

is the
here

that

other

unit, it

Nay,

suffer for

the

TOWS

etV
TO)

1
^

and
3
*
'

yap
ovv

/"7T"

for their

own

sins.

It

is to
punished if the drama
Since the Family, not the Individual,
matters
not that the sin punished
tragiceffect is heightened when

the

fathers live in their children

know, the only life they

world

have

davovTas

be

sins of
that

their

fathers.

is,for aught

we

The

dead

can

ever

:
"

el OeXei'S "Vfpy"Ttiv

KaKQvpyelv,dp^iSe^ms

\a'i,pav
p'ljTe

e\ei

X-vTretcrdaiveKpovs.^

Psyche, a. 225.
nv/minis mndicta, 16, on the continuityof the
See Plutarch, cJe sera
the justiceof punishing children for the sins of fathers.

Family,

Psyche, ii. 229.

Cic. defato, 18, where trvyKaridens is rendered
by adsensio.
all circumstances,"
Aeschylus,/rajr.266, quoted by Rohde, Psyche,ii. 232. "Under
(ReligiousThought in the West, edit. 1891, pp. 91, 92),
says Dr. Westcott

If the dead, then,

livingmust
of

the

Gods

formulate
and

unconscious

are

punished for

be

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

64

or

the sins of the

barelyconscious, the
dead, that the justice

be satisfied.^Aristotle did little

may

widely-prevalentopinion supportedby

the

defined the Soul

he

Dramatists, when

Orators

the function

"

as

than

more

of

and Plato himself bears witness to the prevalence

body
Glaucon
he makes
of the opinion when
express surpriseon
hearing it suggestedby Socrates that the Soul is immortal*
"

the

"

It had

that

to Glaucon

occurred

never

of the Soul's

the doctrine

immortalitycould be taken seriously.Socrates then offers a

he offers,
scientific proof of its immortality a proof which
I would
suggest,only or chieflythat he may supersede it by
the Myth of Er.'
"

"

"

for considerations

much

So

that
Plato, like many
suppose
day, felt at least serious doubt

which

make

others

in

as

to

it reasonable
Athens

the

whether

to

of his

anything

could

life of the Soul

about
the conscious
scientifically
after death, if he did not actuallygo the length of holding,
individual,
his discipleAristotle
did, that, as conscious
as
function
it is. That, while
the body whose
it perisheswith
entertainingthis serious doubt, Plato did not go so far as
in which
to me
to be shown
Aristotle,seems
by the manner
class of opinions
he allows himself
to be affected by another
known

be

"

the view

clearest

condition

of the

lightin

of the

describingthe

Dead, which

condition

of the

Aeschylus brings out

Guilty,is consistent.

into

the

The

ness
ful-

The part of man,

earth.
in all his energy and
on
capacity
the curtain falls there
action, is played out here ; and when
unbroken
rest,or a faint reflection of the past, or suffering
wrought by
life is

of human

passion and

for

remains
the ministers

fold
justice. The beautyand the power of iBe,the manibe regretted,
but they cannot
be

of inexorable

of sense, are gone.

They can
but not joy.
replaced.Sorrow is possible,
ministers

"

different this

However

and

the

teachingmay be from that

which
they witnessed to

popularbelief

vague

from

different,
again, even

that

of Pindar, with

which

of the

Myths

of Plato,

and

fostered ; however
Aeschyluscannot have

it is
unacquainted
,

Plato clothed
in a Greek
dress
pre-eminentlyGreek.
instincts of humanity ; Aeschylus works
the common
out a characteristically
Greek view of life. Thus it is that his doctrine is most
As a
clearlyHomeric.
like Homer, the nobilityof our
Greek he feels,
present powers, the grandeur of
of our
strengthand wealth, the manifold delights
complex being ; and what was
of ashes which
the close-packed
survived
the funeral pyre' compared with
urn
been

'

the heroes
man

the whole

"

work

out

its record
'

whom

On

scheme

is

it

?
represented

man

"

of

could

That

'

tear-stained dust

'

the witness

was

that

not live

again. The poet, then, was constrained to

divine justiceupon
earth,and this Aeschylus did, though

strain of sorrow."

the necessityof

the justiceof
satisfying

the

Gods,

see

Rohde, Psyche,

ii. 232.
'

'

Bep. 608 D, on which

See infra, p. 73.

see

Rohde, Psyche,ii. 264, 265,

and

Adam,

ad

loc.

INTRODUCTION

65

I refer to the
opposed to the agnosticism of his time.
opinionsassociated with the Mysteriesand the Orphic revival
in Athens.*
The Eleusinian
throughout Greece, and especially
Mysterieswere the great strongholdin Greece of the doctrine
of a future
life ; ^ and
the same
doctrine was
taught, in
definite form, by the Orphic societies which
appeared in
in close connection
with
cases
Italy and Sicily(in some
the spread of Pythagoreanism) before
the
close of the
latter

and

half

of

the

sixth

the centre

more

thither.

We

Greek

of

find

century. As

Athens

became

life,the Orphic cult

more

gravitated

it

the
at
representedby Onomacritus
Court of the Pisistratids ; and, meeting the need of
personal
the
felt
tribulation caused by the
religion," especially
during
it had, in Plato's
PeloponnesianWar and the Great Plague,^
day, become
firmly rooted in the city. The sure
hope of
"

and

salvation,for themselves

life,the details
before

the

Orphic
it

made

was

and

rites.

to rest

on

to

them, in

future

held
minutely described,was
afflicted who
duly observed the prescribed
all
because
The
the
was
surer
hope
of having one's self
the consciousness

of which

anxious

dear

those

were

something ; it was all the surer, too, because the comfort

but to sympathetic
which it brought was
offered,not to selfish,
ancestors
feeling for even
long dead could be aided in their
of their
purgatorialstate by the prayers and observances
piousdescendants.^
done

"

History, p. 397, and Gardner and

275.
Antiquities, p.
See Eohde, Psyche, ii. 105, 106.
See important note (5),Eohde, Psyche, ii. 128, in which
Hep. 364 B, c, Eibs apa Xiiirett re koI KaBapfiol
is cited especially
365 A, veWovret
See

Jevons'
'^

'

365

Gardner's

Mmvual

Nivi

Chapters in

Greek

of Greek

"

el"rlniv In iwnv, eUrl Si icol TcXfun)Sii, Bvirtav xal iratSidi -fiSovav

iSimiijATiiiv
AvoKiovaiv
4s
"
tQv
ixel
KaKwv
reXeris
Si)
Ka\ov"Tir,
tiims, /ai]Siaavras
aanv,
could be aided by the
ancestors
Si SetvA, reptfiireiaa showing that deceased
of descendants.
Although the Orphic Fragm. 208 (cf.
prayers and observances
\
\iirtv vpoybvuiv ide/ilaTwn^
iiV.
t'
Ph.
Gr.
i.
Mullach,
188) d/)7ia iicreMffova-t,
ab Si raiaai ixw
oBs k' edi\ri"r8a
\\i"reis (k re irbvuiv xaKcirwv
(c/jdros
liatd/ievM,
it quite
to make
Kal ivelpovos otrrpov,quoted by Kohde
in the same
note, seems
clear that dead ancestors
oonld be aided by their descendants, I think that the
in doubt ; see Paul Tannery in
passage quoted from Hep. 365 A leaves the matter
Sev. de Fhilol. October
1901, on reXero/ {Orphica,Fr. 221, 227, 228, 254), who
explainsthe eM /livIn ^Qiaiv,elal Se xal TeKexrriaaaiof Rep. S65 A to mean
"

that the
his

expiatoryrites clear
of them
earthlylife,some

TcXerai

Ka\ov"n.

himself (to whom

they cannot
Rep, 364 c,
affected by

ItKeral

the initiated person, some

for his life after death.

cannot

affect any

one

of them
These

for the time of

Ss Si\
latter are

except the initiated person

they supply directions as to his journey in the other world) :

the reference in
ancestor.
According to this explanation,
an

clear
eire n
tou
iSlieinjA
yiyover airov ^ irpoydvuv,is not to ancestors
the observances
of their descendants, but to sin inherited from
F

as
an

66

THE

"

Orphic cult ? This

:
difficulty
least,without

this

to

be answered, in

derived

He

PLATO

OF

is Plato's attitude

Now, what

questioncan

MYTHS

the main

part at
doctrine,together with

of the

most

the doctrine of the preof his Eschatological

"details,
Myths
of the
existence,penance, re-incarnation,and final purification
"

through Pindar, from Orphic sources, the

view
of
chief of which, if we
accept the carefullyformed
Dieterich, was
a
popular Orphic Manual, the Kard^aai"{
eU AiSov, in which the vicissitudes endured
by the immortal
Soul, till it frees itself,
by penance, from the Cycle of Births,
described
work
which
of
were
a
lay at the foundation
Pindar's theology,
ridiculed by Aristophanesin the Frogs,
was
the ultimate source
of the NeKvtai
of Plutarch
and Virgil,
was
Soul

and
directly,

"

"

and

greatlyinfluenced

doctrine.^

Neo-Platonic

Pindar, a

poet and
always quotes with

theologianafter Plato's heart, whom

he
deep respect,was, we may
suppose,
brought into contact with the Orphic cult in Sicily,where,
it had found
along with the Pythagorean discipline,
a
genial
conhome.*
that

of

difference

The

the

Athenian

between

Orators

and

Pindar's

outlook, and

Dramatists

and

their

agnosticpublic,is very striking. In certain placeshe indeed

alone
speaks of the dead as gone, their earthly fame
surviving. But this is not his dominant
Not
tone.
only
have
favoured
few
heroes like Amphiaraus
a
been
lated,
transand
a
miracle, body
by
soul," to immortal
homes, but,
"

"

"

ancestor, which
that

the

reference
quotedby Mullach

cleanse
himself of. I do
may
the Xiitric rpoydvuf iSeijU"rruv of
(i.188) and Rohde
be to this.
can
man

not

in

the

' See
Dieterich, Mkyia,
Sistory of Religion, pp. 353,

116-158

think, however,
fragment

Orphic

and

cf. Jevons, Introduction

to the
had
descended
into Hades
; hence
to be regardedas
of verses
came
of Hades, which
descriptive
were
in thiasi, or
current
disseminated
by itinerant agyrtae.
In Rep. 364 E,
xal 'Op^ius, the reference
pi^\av Si SiulSov -rapixovrax Uvaalov
is, doubtless,
to this and other Orphic guide-books for the use
of the dead.
These Orphic
books
be compared with
the Egyptian Book
may
of the Dead, a guide for the
of tlie Ka, or " double " (on which
use
see
Budge'sEgyptian Ideas of the Futvre
Life, p. 163), which wanders from the body, and may lose its way ; cf. Petrie'e
Egyptian Tales, second series,p 124 ; see also Meusinia, by le Comte Goblet
d'Alviella (1903), pp. 73 If.,on the connection
between
Greek
and Egyptian
guide-booksfor the use of the dead. To Dieterich's list of eschatological
piecesin literature inspiredby the Orphic teachingwe ought perhaps to add
the Voyage of Odysseus to Hades
{Od. xi.) ; see v. Wilamowitz-MoUendoref,
Horn.
Untermch.
that
the
p. 199, who
supposes
was
put in by
passage
Homer
Onomacritus, when
was
being edited at Athens in the tune of the
354
the author

Orpheus

I'yrants.
" See
UoMe, Psyche, ii. 216, 217 ; and,
Keligion,Bury, Sut. of Greece, chap. vii. sec.

for
13.

the

spread of

the

Orphic

INTEODUCTION
when

ordinaryman

any

that,

not

as

conceives

dies,his Soul

it, is

immortal
the

not

philosophersand

it, but

the

Double

comes

Double

the

Gods

the

Kai

of

Being

in

the

The

is immortal

"

eireraL

mpurdivel, ^uiov

yap

God, the

immersed

responsible

as

body, and

AcHTCTtti ai'bivos"?Sa)A.oi/"

"Tt

rh

and

TrdvTiav
/jiAv

(Tto/JM

davdria

life.

but

his

Pindar
as
*\/pu;^j;,
totalityof the bodily functions,"as
agnosticAthenian
public conceived
has its home
in the body.
This

"

which

from

survives

vanishing shade,

poor
for

destined

person

the

67

tort

Ik dttiivA

[lovov

Soul

is

necessarilyimmortal,

because

body

of

ancient

sin

but

is

iraXaiov

"

iTev6o"i.
At

the

where
done

death

it is
in

judged

the

reappears
it goes

of its first

purged.

But
in

earth

second

and

flesh.

on

Then

body, the
recompensed for
its sin
second

time

it returns

body, at
where

animate

to

the

is not

Hades,

to

Soul

Hades,

to

goes

deeds,good

or

ill,

wholly purged.
the

death

its

sin

third

It

of which
is further

body

on

earth

(see Pindar, 01. ii. 68 ff.). Then, if these three lives on

earth,as well as the two periods of sojourn in Hades, have
been

spent

time

to

ninth

of this

third

be

born

sojourn

for iraXaiov

in

the

(see Pindar, quoted Meno,

a

holy Hero,

Soul

has

at

or

last

'

Pindar,fr. apud

'

am

indebted

Daemon

Plut.

Eschatology.

In

of Souls which

"

it returns

for the third

fault,Persephone,in

in

Hades, receives the full

and
irevdo';,

of

b), who,

at

sends

kvkXo";

it back

Philosopheror King
his

death, becomes

finallydisembodied

of the

the

:
spirit

This
yevea-eeov.^

the
is

Coniol.

ad Apoll. 35.
{Psyche,ii. 207-217)for the substance

to Rohde

of Pindar's

person

81

out

got

if,when
without

there

satisfaction due

earth, to

to

fault,and

Hades, it lives

year

tale of

without

the

of this sketch

the
paragraph I have tried to combine
doctrine of 01. ii. 68 if. and the fragment.Men. 81 a
The life of Philosopher
or
King is indeed a bodilylife on earth, but it is not one of the three bodily
lives necessary (togetherwith the three sojournsin Hades) to the final purification
of the Soul.
The
Soul has been finally
purifiedbefore it returns to this
fourth and last bodilylife which
immediately precedesits final disembodiment.
the

In

last

do not pass three faultless lives here and in Hades,

of re-incarnations would be greater. Pindar's estimate seems
to be
that of the time requiredin the most
We
take
favourable circumstances.
may
it that it is the time promised by the Orphic prieststo those whose
ritual
the

case

number

observances were
most
regular. According to Phaedrus, 249 A, however, it
would appear that a Soul must
have
been incarnate
in three
a
as
Philosopher

68

THE

MYTHS

OF

PLATO

plainlyOrphic doctrine, with heauty and

distinction added to it by the geniusof the great poet.
Plato's Eschatological
Myths also, like Pindar's poems,
plainlyreproduce the matter of Oi-phicteaching. Is it going
for the genius of
too
far,when we consider Plato's reverence
Pindar's form which
helped to
Pindar, to suggest that it was
he reproduces in his
recommend
which
to Plato
the matter
Pindar's

doctrine

"

of
that the poet'srefined treatment
EschatologicalMyths
the Orphic /^u^o?helped the philosopher,himself
a
poet, to
that
how
see
/ivdo"s
might be used to express imaginatively
what
indeed- demands
kind, man's hope
expressionof some
risk of fatal
of personalimmortality, but
cannot, without
injury,be expressedin the language of science ? It is Pindar,
divine
who
chief among
is quoted,in the Mejio (81),
as
seers
and
for
the
pre-existence,transmigrations,responsibility,
Socrates
is careful
immortalityof the Soul ; but the Platonic
"

"

"

"

"

say that he does not contend

in Pindar's
doctrine embodied

for the

to
the

myth,

literal truth

but

insists

of
its

on

practicalvalue in giving us hope and courage as seekers after

knowledge (Meno, 86 b). It is Pindar, again,who is quoted
at the beginning of the Republic (331 b) for that
yXvicela
which
is
in
visualised
outlines
and
colours
at
i\.7ri"i,
Orphic
the close of the Dialogue,in the greatestof Plato's Eschatological
Myths. Orphic doctrine,refined by poeticgenius for
his
philosophicuse, is the material of which Plato weaves
almost to go out of his
Eschatological
Myths. And he seems
Not only is the Meno
Myth introduced
way to tell us this.
with
of the priestly
from which
it is
source
specialmention
derived {Meno, 8 1 B),but even
brief allusions made
elsewhere
in it are similarly
introduced
in
to the doctrine contained
as
the
the doctrine of the transmigrations
Phaedo, 70 c, where
"

Soul

of the
the
Kara

Phaedo,
tmv

successive

is said to be derived
81

A, where

from

it is connected

in
fiefjuvrj/^ivcov
; and

the

Laws,

TraXato?
with

872

what

in

is said

E, where

the

before entering on
the disembodied
state : see
Zeller, Plato,
cf. Phaedo, 113 D if.,where
five classes of men
are
p. 393 ; and
with respect to their condition
after death
which
Rohde,
distinguished
on
see
Psyche, ii. 275, n. 1. "''EturpUiKaripwdi.,"says Prof. Gildersleeve in his note
Find. 01. ii. 75, " would
six times,
three
on
naturallymean
^orpls may mean
The
Soul
descends
times
in all.
to
Hades, then returns
to
earth, then
descends
again for a final probation." I do not think that this last interpretation
be accepted.
can

Eng.

lives

X070?

Tr.

"

Let

of the heart
Platonic

takes

of the

such

"

On

contrary,

it is

of iropo's and
in Diotima's Myth in the
child
IjOft)?,

truth

in the Neo-

a
"ro(j}ia
strictly
"f)i\oa-o"f"la
"

"

the parentage
as
a-iropLa,

Symposium

Plato

which

is not

Plato

but

"

regarded

be

to

view

non-scholastic,concrete

of ascertained

ticism
the scholas-

"
"

find afterwards

we

as

the

"

mysticism

"

Philosophy. Philosophy to

of

system

mere

"

teaching.

evidence

as

that this is

think

not

us

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

70

is set forth

Philosophy is

not

what

finallysatisfies or surfeits the intellect: it is the organic

it is Human
functions
and
play of all the human
powers
Life, equipped for its continual struggle,eager and hopeful,
its hope being
and
successful in proportion to its hope
These
state.
future
of a
naturally visualised in dreams
"

"

"

"

dreams

human

the

holds, will

outgrow,

never

so

"

aside

ultimatelycast

never

"

will

race

the Platonist

untrue

as

; for

the

generation,and the
of genius
will cherish them, and men
and bereaved
weary
will always rise up to represent
saints
poets,philosophers,
be largely
The
them
anew.
Philosophy of an epoch must
How
it "represents" them.
judged by the way in which
much
virtue Plato finds in
representation philosophical
and
be
poetical may
gathered from the fact that, while
he attaches
the highestvalue
to the Orphic doctrine which
himself
borrows
for philosophicaluse, he
ascribes
the
he
moral
influence to the actual teaching of the Orphic
worst
will

young

in

believe

in

them

every

"

"

"

"

"

"

priests.^
I

said

that

it

is reasonable

to

suppose

that

Plato

affected

by the agnosticismwhich prevailedin Athens,

he ventured
felt, notwithstanding some
proofs which
"

"

offer,serious doubt

as

immortalityis
"

to whether
matter

the

even

of scientific

bare, fact of

knowledge.^

was

and
to
scious
con-

It may

"Der

des
des
Mysticismus ist die Scholastik
Herzens, die Dialektik
Maximen
und
dritte
Spriiche in Prosa:
:
JCeJlexioneti
Abtheilang.
^
In Aristoph.Ranae, 159, and Demosth.
de Corona, 259 ff.,
Repmhlw, 364 E.

GefilMs,"

of
practices

the
up

Goethe,

the

agyrtae, or

itinerant

celebrants of

rites,are
initiatory

held

to ridicule.
'

But

Zeller's Plato, p. 408

future retribution

(Eng. Transl.). Zeller holds that the fact of

was
regarded by Plato as established beyond
doubt ; only details were
uncertain.
Couturat
[dePI. Myth. p. 112) thinks that
doctrine of immortality
the whole
in Plato is "mythic."
Jowett
(Introduction
that in proportionas Plato succeeds
to Phaedo) remarks
in substituting
a philosophical
for a mythologicaltreatment
of the immortality
of the Soul, "the contemplation
of ideas
under the form of eternity takes the placeof past and
see

immortalityand

'

'

INTRODUCTION
be

now

added, however,

religion,in which
profound, and moved
from

the

Official

the

'

existence.''

of

Plato

Mr.

Aristotle

left

personal) religionoffers
Eecognising this,

Plato

almost

of

entirely

free

own

way

civil status,

or

sex

no

took

presented religionas

their

Adam

iirmly convinced

is

and

Gardner

See

Jevons'

and

choice,

enter

can

that soul is
(iJep.vol. ii. p. 456) says,
transmigration he regards as probable, to
"

Manual

in the

Greece,

is

century B.C., both

sixth
a

against
conception

reaction

sacramental

with

communion

actual

Greek

of

Jevons'

Introducticm,
Orgiastic Cults,"
"The
374.
leading characteristic," says
"

older

borrowed

least."

the

say

openly

pursue.^

states

immortal,

MytH

distinction

beings, of

personal

agnosticism, was

subjectswhich

from

all,without

human

as

and

future

distinct

in

the

from

strictlyEschatologicalMyths

which

of salvation

upon

with

Orphic teaching,which

the

simply

deal,

to

with

sympathy

refuge

agnosticism.

of his

matter

from

him

(as

from

refuge

his

took

many

religious teachers,

alone.
safe

that

71

the
of

Semitic

area,

gift theory
offeringand
flesh

and

blood

to the

reversion

sacrificial meal

the

and

transplanted into

as

sacrifice,and

the

whose

History of Religion, pp. 327(o.c. p. 339), "of the revival

Jevons

of

God

the

in the

to

Dr.

iii. ch. iv.

Antiquities, Book

the

affording

as

consumed

were

by his

The
it
unifying efficacy(p. 331) of the sacrificial meal made
worshippers.
We
have the principleof voluntary
possible to form a circle of worshippers.
to all.
Membership did not depend on
religiousassociations which were
open
constituted
birth, but was
by partaking in the divine life and blood of the sacred
formed
fhiasi or
for religiouspurposes
animal."
These
voluntary associations
that
all
the
cult
tke
national
in
differed
from
of
erani""
gods
women,
(p. 335)
In short,
of the State.
admitted, not merely members
were
foreigners,slaves
to religious
took
the place of civitas as the title of admission
imUiatio
(.ii.ii](Ti.s)
privileges.
closes the chapter on
Prof. Gardner
"Orgiastic Cults," referred to above, with
of
several
thiasi
In
the
were
respects the
following words :
precursors
If they belonged to a
it entered.
Christianity, and opened the door by which
full of vulgarity
intellectual level than the best religionof Greece, and were
lower
.

"

"

"

"

' '

"

imposture, they yet

and

in

common

properly Hellenic
did

not

which

had
the

with

divided

future

religionwas

nor
proselytise,

cities

were

certain

in them

as

pulled

as

forei^
down

least,

and had
of progress,
mankind.
of
past histiiry

elements
the

thing, belonged

tribal

admit

even

well

not

; and

converts

it sank
tribal

and
it

to the
so

when

decayed.

sought

and

state

the
The

converts

thing
some-

All

the

race,

barriers
cultus

of
all

among
Cybele was,
Slaves
having found them, placed them on a level before the God.
idea
of
The
and
office.
common
admitted
to
a
to
and women
membership
were
philosophers before the ago of the Stoics,
by Greek
humanity, scarcelyadmitted
that men
of
learned
who
to believe
these
found
sectaries,
despised
a hold
among
the
to
superior
low
birth
and
might be in divine matters
foreign extraction
for this great lesson we
pardon them
In return
may
wealthy and the educated.
this
Gardner
subject further
much
superstition."Prof.
pursues
follyand much
and
the
"Christianity
in his Sxploratio
Emngelica, pp. 325 ff., chapter on
i.
oh.
i.
19,
20,
i.
(vol.
Grote's
also
History of Greece, part
thiasi";
see
Sabazius

or

ranks, and

ed.

1862).

of

at

72

8.

MYTHS

THE

Summary
OF

Defence

AGAINST

Let

close

meaning, in
brought by
The

Plato

of

form

Kant

in

of
a

lightdove, in
Even

narrow

wings of
He

so

Plato

limits to the
the

did not

Here

free

flightcleavingthe
that

up

of its

againsta charge

passage.^

in

airless

left the world

and
understanding,

brings against Plato

air and

would

she

space

feehng its
fare

it sets so
of sense, because
ventured
beyond, on the

Ideas,into the empty space of

he
see
that,with all his effort,

Kant

form

brought

summing

of Plato

defence

well-known

resistance,might imagine
better.

with

this Introduction

the

Charge

against

the

in

KaNT.

BY

HIM

me

Observations

Introductory

of

PLATO

OF

the pure
made
no

understanding.
way.

the

dental
transcencharge of
standing
rather,misuse, of the Categoriesof the Underuse, or
"^
of supposingsuper-sensible
Soul, Cosmos,
objects.
Ideas
have
which
God, answering to
no
adequate objects
in a
and
then
possibleexperience,
determining these supposed
of conceptions the Categories
objectsby means
the applicationof which
ought to be restricted to sensible
objects.
In bringing this charge,Kant
to me
to ignore the
seems
which
function
Myth performs in the Platonic philosophy.
I submit
that
the
Plato
for the
objects which
supposes
"^
Transcendental
Ideas
are
imaginatively constructed
by
him, not presented as objectscapable of determination
by
scientific categories that Plato, by means
of the plainlynonscientific language of Myth, guards againstthe illusions which
Kant
of
criticism
guards against by means
; or, to put it
otherwise,that Plato's employment of Myth, when
he deals
"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

with

the ideals of Soul,

of Eeason

of the

shows

"

The

part

action

of

evidence

nothing

in

which

the

his
the

Myth
BepuUic may

Republic,to

Kritik

and

der reinen

God

attitude

for this view

the
'

'

that

Cosmos,

Kant's

"

is

mind,

plays in

taken

of Plato's
my

as

attitude.
so

dogmatic.
the philosophic
specimen
There

significant
as

Vemunft, Einleitung,
" 3.
Dialectik,Einleitung,
1.

See Krit. d. rein. Vem.

: die transc.
" " Ideas " ill Kant's
sense, not

Ideas

"critical,"not

of Er
be

three

the Platonic ISiai.

is
the

INTEODUCTION

73

deep sympathy of its ending with the mood of its beginning.

It begins with
the Hope of the aged Cephalus
The sweet
hope which guides the wayward thought o^ mortal man
it
;
ends with
the great Myth
in which
this Hope is visualised.
As
his Hope is sufiicient for Cephalus, who
retires to his
devotions from the company
of the debaters, so is the Eepresentation of it
the Vision of Er
in the
given as sufficient,
"

"

"

"

end, for the

here

"

debaters

themselves.

To

rationalise

to

attempt

for such a Hope, or against

give speculative
reasons
be to forgetthat it is the foundation
it, would
of all our
specialfaculties,
includingthe facultyof scientific explanation;
and that science can
neither
explainaway, nor corroborate, its
to

"

foimdation.

own

The

half of the Tenth

attempt

Book

of

which

is made

in

latter

the

the

Republic to place the natural

man's
belief in the immortalityof
expressionof this Hope
the Soul
scientific basis," to determine
Soul
a
on
by
of
of the Understanding," I regard as
means
Categories
intended
to lead up
to the
by the great philosopher-artist
to give
Myth of Er, and heighten its effect by contrast"
the reader of the JRepublica vivid sense
of
of the futility
rationalism in a region where
Hope confirms itself by vision
^
splendid."
Of course, I do not deny that passages may
be found
in
which
God
the Ideas of Soul, Cosmos, and
treated by
are
Plato, without Mythology, as having objectsto be determined
the scientific categories
under
of Cause
and
Substance
e.g.
in Phaedrus, 245
to have
Fhaedo, 105
c,^we seem
E, and
"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

'

"The

argument

about

any organicconnection
follows it. It would

and

either with
seem

608c
to 612a),"
Beinains, ii.355), " does not

immortality {Sep.

{PhilosophicalLectures
Nettleship
that

what

Plato

actuallyprecedesor
plans in his

Iiad two

with

says

actually

what

inind

E. L.

to be in

seem

to how

as

to

finish the Republic." I cannot

think
that Plato had
two
plans in his mind.
The
is formally
argument for the immortality of the Soul in Sep. 608c-612a
inconclusive
that it is impossible
Plato to be serious with it. The
to suppose
so
Deaih
equivocal use of the term
{66,vaT(K)in the argument could not have
The argument is,that, as Injustice
acute as Plato.
{aSiKla),
escaped a logician
so
the proper vice (icoieio)
Death
of the Soul, does not cause
{edvaroi),iu the
Death
of the separationof Soul from body, nothing else can
cause
sense
ever
of the
annihilation
the
the
be
understood
in
of
($"vaTm\ now, however, to
sense
"

"

"

"

disembodied
^

Soul

itself.

"Nemesius,
note on Phaedo, 105 c,
{Plato,ii. 190) has an interesting
the Christian bishop of Emesa, declares that the proofsgiven by Plato of the
immortality of the Soul are knotty and difficult to understand, such as even
Grote

"

belief in
adepts in philosophical
study can hardly follow. His own
of the Christian Scriptures(Nemesius,de Nat. Homin.
inspii-ation

the

ed. 1665)."

it rests upon
o.

2, p. 55,

serious

scientific

by Kant,
such

fade

passages
We

Myths.

into

lapses

Plato

treating them,
for
The

well

is

this

latter

Platonic

in

"

while

"

these
"

Places

sense
"

two

science, but

or
"

Here

and
order

The
amounts
as

the

"

to

and

the

Myths

shall

end

with

The

the

so-called

some

of them

latter
I
and

the

take

do

of

limits

"

set

In

and

carries

us

in

not

was

a,n"

(2)

either

following

involved

take
in

the

to

away

the
the

ken

of

concrete

mainly

which

are

be

may

concerned

ever,
how-

with

roughly

only
as

to

ideals,

with

answer

but

described

begin,

concerned

mainly

"

according
faculties

trace

I shall

remarked,

scarcely

Myths
classes

two

both.

are

properly

to

roughly,

for

Aetiological ;

the

Aetiological Myths.

first

Myth
Myths,

within

them

them

which

it

to

of

those

the

to

shall

be

to

Eschatological Myths

answer

conduct

indeed, beyond

propose

of

more

of

tion
regula-

them

represent ideals, or

to

former,

are

ference
pre-

ordinary experience.
I

most

with

of

way

the

"

between

Myth

are,

felt

are

of

object is, either

origins.

which

which

origins, for

their

"

"

purpose

origins.

their

arrangement

an

Ideas

"

profitably distinguish,

may

we

Platonic

yet

Now
in

to

the

Times

"

great

or

(1) by representing ideals,

back

ways

and

the

marked

service

the

distinction

the

mind:

by tracing faculties
of

which

that

Plato's

in

explicit

for

Peeling

ways

admitting

that

another

is
shows

its

then, effects

Myth,

two

of

ideals,

these

he

that

submit

way.

of Transcendental
science

and

"

passages,

that, if sometimes

there

that

aware

Myth,

in

"

of

side

the

least

at

logicaltreatment

he

Eeason,"

of

saying

in

safe

"

understood

as

but

insignificance by

into

are

Idea,

and

Soul

the

such

no

were

mind

Plato's

explicit in

is not

if there

Category

between

of

immortality

the

astonishing

be

distinction

the

for

for

argument

indeed, it would

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

74

Er
which

by

the
in

Myths
the

the

Fhaedo

JRepublic,
"

the

present
avar/Kr],

in

and

Soul

and

strictly
as

Gorgias,
"

logical"
Eschato-

immortal,

responsible,

under

free
God's

INTEODUCTION
Then

Timaeus}

I shall go on
to the
Ideas of Eeason

ideals,or

"

"

75

in which

the three

Soul, Cosmos, and

"

God

"

are

representedin one vast composition.

these Myths
all chieflyinteresting
Having examined
as
I shall
Ideas
of Eeason
representationsof ideals, or
examine
three Myths which
are
chieflyconcerned with the
deduction
of Categoriesor Virtues.
These are the Myths in
the Phaedrus, Meno, and
cerned
Symposium. They are mainly conwith
showing how man, as knowing subjectand moral
by his past. Although the Eschatoagent, is conditioned
logical outlook, with its hope of future salvation, is by no
absent from these three Myths, their chief interest lies
means
in the way
in which, as
Aetiological Myths, they exhibit
the functions of the understanding and moral
facultyas cases
of avdfwr]"Ti";
which, quickened by epw?, interpretsthe particular
and
the
impressions,
recognises
particularduties, of
the present life,in the lightof the remembered
vision of the
Place.
Eternal Forms
in the Supercelestial
seen
once
the
set forth the Ideals
Having examined
Myths which
and Categoriesof the Individual, I shall end my
review with
the
examination
of two Myths which
set forth respectively
an
of which
Ideals and the Categoriesof a Nation
one
gives us
the spectacleof a Nation
led on
by a vision of its future,
while the other shows us how the life of the "social organism
is conditioned
by its past. These are the Atlantis Myth,
in the fragmentary
introduced
in the Timaeus
and continued
in the Republic. The
Critias,and the Myth of the Earth-Born
of the Ideal
Atlantis Myth (intendedto complete the account
State given in the Republic)is to be regarded as an EschatoMyths of
logicalMyth ; but it differs from the Eschatological
in representing,
not
the other class which
have
been examined
"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

the future
Nation

before

has

Hellas, under

Earth-Bom

it in

this

Soul, but
world

"

the

the

ideal which

ideal

of

united

Athens, maintaining civilisation against

New

the assaults of outer

After

Individual

lot of the

barbarism.

Myth I shall take the Myth of the

Myth,
J;heRepublic,which is an Aetiological

Atlantis

the
in

ipse totus
Plaionis
Mythia (Paris, 1896), p. 32, Tirmeus
of
investiture
whole
"The
and
160
Traiisl),
Zeller,Plato,.
est;
mythwus
(Eng.
t^.
the Timaeus
is mythic" the Demiurgus, togetherwith the subordinate
gods,and
'

Couturat, de

all the

historyof

the creation

of the world.

"

76

MYTHS

THE

differing
have

from

Aetiological

the

been

faculties

and

virtues

of

Myths
deducing,

in

examined,

PLATO

OF

of

other

the

the

not

which

Categories

but

Individual,

the

class

the

"

deep-cut

"

characteristics
while

again,

"

of

deduced,

are

KaXXi'jroXi';

the

more

less

or

man's

exhibit

is

of

ante

and
the

Mythology

continuous

"

of

part

as

blended

sub

the

great

"

and
in

the

one

"

Vision.

the
this

Indeed,

They

aeternitatis

in

all
God

"

plan
be

reviewed

Especially

post.

of

Myths.

of

to

that
"

represented.

specie

here

yet,

Ideal

an

Platonic

the

progress

parte

Genesis

all

life

present

it

term

of

true

And

organism."

social

"

view

see

the

Categories

life

orderly
is

of

Providence

as

"

in

Apocalypse

at

the

once

Timaeus
"

of

the

one

parte

do
Platonic

we

MYTHS

THE

78

107c-114c

Phaedo
107

'AWo

eiirep r)
ypovov

Br) Selrai ov)(^ mrep

adavaTo";, e-7ri/jie\eia"!
'^V')(r}
"S KoXovfiev ro
^rjv,aW
Toiirov
virep
fxovov, ev

diraXKayq,

iravrof
Te

ovSefiiaav
TrXrjV

TOV

^eXrlarriv

ft)?

oiiBev yap

aXko

dvodavovai

t^?

avrmv

KaKia"s

^aiveTUi
ovBe

ovaa,

a-WTijpia

yevecr"at.
"j)povifjitoTdT7}v

Koi

"yjrvj(r]
e/aj^erat irXfjv

rj

a
Btj
Tpo"f)rj"!,

xal

re

KaKoii

eU "AiBov

e')(pvaa

Trji}vaiBeiai;

"^v to2";

diro^vyr)KaKwv
re

eivai,

6dvaT0"; rod

eTTetS^dddvaTOf

avTrj aWrj
el'i;

tov

^v 6

dTrrjXXdyOaiKoi
Be

tov

yap

/lev
olv

epfiaiov

a/ia

amfiarot

Beivoi

Bfj xal Bo^etevav

vvv

VVV
T^9 "\lruY?j9'

fieTa
D

KivBvvoi

el
aiirrjidfieX'^aei,

Tt?

TOV

Kol

iravTo^,

et

Biavo'rj0r]vai
on,

SUaiov
avhpe"i,

7', e^r),w

ToSe

PLATO

OF

koI

Xeyerai

/leyia-ra

dp^fj rij?
TeXevTrjcravTa evdvi ev
m^eXelv "^ ^XdirreLV tov
XiyeTat,Be oOtws, ""? dpa TeXevrrjcravTa
eKeiae
iropeui";.
6

^KoerTov

St; Tiva
et?
eiri'x^eipel

ayeiv
E

BalftMV,o"nrep

exdcTTOV

'

eli
BiaBiicaaap,evov";

oS Brj irpoaTeTaKTai
iiceivov,

B'
Tvy(6vTa";
aXXo"{
")(p6vov

108

ft)?

evQevBe

oifiov"^r)abvel"s

(^aiverai
p-oi

AiBov

elvai,. ovBe yap

av

TO,

orrep

T"v
vofiLpiCOV
Kal

irapovTa'
ev

rm

fiev

eBei'

ovar^f;.

ej(ei,v

TeK/jLaipo/ievo^

ep/irpoadev
eiTrov,
Trepv

tov

opaTov

iradovaa, /8ta Kai

BaLp,ovo"i
oi^erai
Tr}V

evddBe

oBov

dirX^v

yap

ov

vvv

Xeyco.

Be

rj

fioyi'i

viro

tov

Kat

ti

re

dyvoel
e')(pv"ra,
"ypovov

dvTiTeivacra

7rpo"7TeTay/Mevov

Be oOnrep ai
d/yo/jbivr).
d^iK0/ji^VT}v

axdOapTOV

eoixe

/jLev oJ)V

iroXvv

iroXXa

irov

oaimv

t"v

otto

irepleKelvo
tottov,

fila

ydp

Kal
eireTal re
ovk
^povi,fio";
""^vj(ri
Be
tov
iiri.ffv/j/rjTi.K"'i
17
aa"p,aTOi

eirrotifievt} Kal

Kal iroXXd

j(p-q

dirXrj ovTe

ovre

riyefiovav

oi/Ba/iocre
Biafidproi.
/x.(a?
Kal TrepioBov;
TToXXat
Te
"Tj(i"Tei"!

KoafiiaTe

iropevaai.

eKelvo"; fiev

"pepetv,
17 B

av

Kal

eKelae

hv
fji^ivavTa"!

Kal

rv^elv

Aio-^uXou TjjXe^o? Xeyer

'

Ti";

"^ye/iovo'}

iropeveaOai fj,eTa
tous

Bel

^vXXeyevTa"i

tov?

iroXXal^
ev
Bevpo irdXtv "qyep^v Ko/il^ei,
Be dpa t] TropeLaov')(
eaTi
fiaxpal^ TrepioBoi"i.

Kal

"ypovov

"v

eKel

ol Bel

tottov,

AiBov

^Sivra etXrjy^ei,,
outo?

Treiroi/riKvlav
TOtovTOv,

aXKai,

^ "}"6v(ov

THE

PHAEDO

MYTH

79

Translation
It is meet,

"

this

that

"

the
in

care, not

only

regardof

the time

Soul.

Were

wicked

wickedness

"

she

riddance

she

taketh

standeth

of this

be

inasmuch

of

in

of

need

but in
present life,

to-day,

even

all,'twould be good luck for the

rid

as

thought

will still be careless of his

man

of

evil
esca^e^from

other
that

; but

take

end, and that 'tis now,

great, if
and

time

the

without

die

to

should

we

being immortal,

regard of

death

man

friends,that

Soul,

the jeopardy is

that

no

my

of

body

the Soul

hath

she

is
nor

and

soul

and

his

immortal^
manifestly
salvation

save

this

be

perfectedin righteousnessand wisdom.. For

hence
of Hades,
nothing with her to the House

that, to wit, whereonly her instruction and nurture

from
dead
to the
or
they say the greatest profit cometh
greatestdamage straightwayat the beginning of their journey
thither ; for when
Familiar
which
a
man
dieth, his own
Spirit,
had gotten him
and leadeth
to keep whilst he lived, taketh
him
the
dead
be gathered
to a certain place whither
must
together; whence, after they have received their sentences,
they must journey to the House of Hades with him who hath
been appointed to guide thither
those that are
here; and
when
they have received there the things which are meet for
another Guide
them, and have sojourned the time determined',
of time.
long courses
bringeth them
again hither, after many
The way, belike, is not as Aeschylus his Telephus telleth ; for
he saith that a singlepath leadeth
of Hades.
to the House
But, methinks, if it were
single and one, there would be no
would
need of guides,for no
man
go astray. Nay, that it
hath many
partingsand windings I conclude from the offerings
save

"

which

men

use

to make'

unto

the dead.

arightand hath wisdom,

understandeth
well her presentcase, and goeth with her Familiar.
lusteth after the body, having fluttered
But
the Soul which
about
it and the Visible Place for a long while, and having
her appointed Familiar
withstood
with
great strife and pain,
and carried away ; and when
is by him
at the last mastered
the other Souls are assembled
she is come
to the placewhere
she is impure and hath wrought that
as
together,inasmuch
"

The

Soul which

ordereth

herself

"^/Jbfiev^v
rj aW'

aBUmv

TavTtjv

0VT6
^vvefiTTopoi

iv

"v

Aevyei

cnra"!

uev

Be

r)

"^yefiovavffemv

Kal
^Dve/iTToptov

o'ia oiire

ovre

koX

eyib vtto

ta?

Tavra,

Xeyei";, "
e"f"Tj,

oiv
ye

rivo's

To3
%L/j,fiLa,

fiTjKei

IBeav T^s 7^9, o'lav

fie

KtoXvei

iv p,eacp

ajia

aWa

TOtawTi??,
rov

rw

Xoyov

ireireiafuii,

ovpavov

iKavrjv

airov

oup^

ofioim^S'
rovro

fiexpi

o?,

tou?

eym,

yap

avrrjv

re

fievroi

avTrj^

tottov;

w?

irpStrov/lev, el
Belv

rijv ofioionjra
'la')(eiv

irdvry Kal
-irpay/ia

oiiS'

rrji yrji

ofwiov

opOuf

arTJX"v
'i{paKXei"ov

diro

rivo";

avrfj";rrjv
ev

p.eo'to

"^rrov ovBapJxre KkiOrjvai,,

fievel. irp"rov

elvai
"jrd/jL/ieyd
ri

vepl

old?

av

i^apxeiv, ttjv

ovk

elvai,Kal

S'

17

elvai

e^ei fiaXXov

"ireireia-/iai. Kal

fiopCtp,
marrep

rijv

Kara

oZaa, p/tjBev
avrr}
7repi^epr]";

eavrtS

e')(pv aKXivh

rolvvv, e^,

ecrrCv

pJqireaelv p.'^re
aXXi;? dvdyKr]^/j,'r)Befua

IffoppoTTiav'
KToppoTTOV
redev

BirfyrjaacrOai,
a
y

6 'S.ip.fiUi'},
Kal ravra
'AW', e(f"r)

ovpavm
to

ireLdei.

ce

Xififiia,
ov'x, ^

iyo) 'icrm^ ovS'

fiev

rov

Xeyeiv.

depo^ Trpo?

p,'qre

"
/xivTOi,

elvai

rrj^ 7^5

rot

ravra,

jievroi

'AWa

dpKel. HeTreKTfiairoivw,
eariv

avrrj

;8i'os/iot BoKel 6 ifuxs,

Tfiriardp/qv,
o

eiijv,dfia Be, el Kal

ovBev

ireplyap
"ZcaKpare^;
;

BoKel
ri'xvri

T"j(vr]v, Kal

Y*XavKov

Kal

roiroi,

dX7]6rj,
fj
j^aXeTrcorepov
/loi (padverat

fievrot

rov

-rrepl
yrjiieladorav
d %Lfip,M"i,
IIw?
Tre-Treia/jiai,. Kai

aKovaai/jLi.

p,oi,

co/";i;"re

rv^ova-a,

t"v

viro

Bt) dxi^Koa, oil

iroXXd

avToi;

TXavKOV

109

yevwvTai,

xpovoi

dav/iaaToXt^? 7^?

So^d^erat

oarj

Xeyeiv,

"ffBemi
av

Se TrXavarai

irpocrriKOVTa.

Et(rt Se TToWol

ovre

fiiovSie^eXdovaa,
rov
/jteTpieo^

koI

KaOapS)^re

tottov
avrf} eKdcrri]

tt)?

Sj? ri,ve";

av

kul

^eperai el"sTrjv avrfj irpeirovaav

i^eXOovTcovi/tt'dvdyKr)"i

KoL

Kal

yiyvecrOai,
avrr)

iOeXei

Tfyefiav

rvy^dveiovra,

epya

vireKTpeirerai,

Kai,

re

eo)?
irda-f)
diropia,
I'xpp.ht]

oiKTia-iV

a
elpyaa-fiiprfv,

Toiavra

arra

aZeK(^S)V
"^v^"v

koX

oSeTi^dre

TOVTOJv

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

80

ye,
avro,

(lev

rolvvv, ?) S'

os,

6
"Ert
e"f"T)
'Zifi/ila^.
koI

r)na"i oiKetv

4"tto-tSo?ei*

tov";

a-fUKpoirivi

reX/ia /ivpfirjKai; fj /3aTpd')(^ov"i,

Treplrijv

THE
which

is

impure, having

deeds which

Sonls

eschew, and

none

she wandereth
been

PHAEDO

that

shed

in

her

blood,

companion

fit for her.

is she

But

wherefore

guide ;

o"

constrained

the Soul

like

do, her all flee and

to

use

done

or

great stress,until certain

accomplished; then

habitation

81

innocent

her like

are

will be

alone

MYTH

to

which

times

have

go unto
lived aU

hath

the
her

days in purity and sobrietyhath given unto her Grods to be

her companions and guides,and she maketh
her habitation in
the placemeet
for her.
The Earth hath many
and wondrous
and it is of a
places,
fashion and greatnesswhereof those who use to tell concerning
have
the Earth
is one
who
hath
true
no
opinion. There
persuadedme of this."
Socrates,"quoth Simmias, how sayest thou this ? for I
also have
heard
things concerning the Earth, but not
many
this of which
I would gladly
thou art persuaded. Wherefore
"

"

"

hear it."

Well, Simmias," quoth he,

"

skill of Glaucus
the

truth

Glaucus
unto

to

forth

set

to

find

haply

out,

if I knew

nay,

methinks

that

thereof, which

"

wot

which
it

be

not

life is too

it,my

I have

not

the

heard; but
skill of

surpasseththe

should

it needeth

able

attain

to

far spent, methinks,

for the

length of the discourse which should declare it : but

and the placesit hath
my persuasionas touching the Earth
nothing hindereth me from declaringunto thee."
That
is enough,"said Simmias.
I am
persuaded,then," said he, of this first that if the
Earth, being a globe,is in the middle of the Heaven, it hath
to keep it from
need of air or any other like constraint
no
is of one
but 'tis sufficient to hold it that the Heaven
falling,
substance throughout,and that itself is equallybalanced : for
that which
is itself equallybalanced and set in the midst of
"

"

"

"

that which

hath

one

substance, will

have

no

cause

any side, but will continue

Of this first I am
inclination.

all of

at

incliningtowards

the

remain

persuaded."

without

"

And

"

Moreover,

and

that

the

river

or

said
rightly,"

we

who

Phasis

frogs round

am

Simmias.

persuadedthat

inhabit

dwell
about

imto

in
a

and

same

the

small

the Earth
Pillars

is very

great,

of Hercules

part thereof,like

pool, dwelling round

from

unto

this Sea ;
G

ants

and

OaKarrav

oiKovvrav,

roiovTOK

ToiroK

TToWd.

oiipavS,
C

he

avrrjv

elvai

Kal

oiKovvTa"s

iv

v-rroaTadfiTivravra
^/uaf

7^?.

ovv

Kal

okadak

T"5

wO/jLevi

olKeiv

Kal

darpa

ttjv

7^?

t^?

Bia

6BaTo"i

rov

Tvyj(avei,

e'ir}rov

etopaKoroi.

olKelv, Kal
6vro";
E

Kal

veiav

eV

oi

evOdSe,
iKavr)
o

OaXdrrr)^

av

ovrm"i

Kal

ivddSe

^Be

pev

eari,

t)

Sie^Oappkva

rrj daXarrr/
Xoyov

yap

iv

roiovrov

^op^opoi

eia-tv,

Bk
oirov

"v

iirdvto

airov

ixei

Kal

oi

ovpavov

eX6oi

aKpa

dvaKV'^avra,

on

av,

dppa"s
Kal

Kal

Kal

oiire
w?

aairep

f) "j}V(rK

eKeivo^

iariv

to?

dXijdm

dira"s 6

7r/30?

roirois

mavep

(jiveraiovBev

TrrjXo^

yrj rj, Kal

el

17

Itto?

rj

opSxri rd

KariSeiv, Kal

Kara^e^papeva,
reXeiov,

dtrde-

"^pd^ Bie^eXOetv
iir

av

XlOoi

avrrji

vir

aX7j6S)"; "}"mi Kal

yrj Kal

Kal

clkt^kook

rovrov

elvai

re

rit

rd

rrj daXdrrr), oiire

aripafyye":

Kal

elvai

tj)? dXp/r)^' Kal

vrro

KadaptuTepov

i^6ve"! dvaKvirrovre^

ro

iarl

t^?

oXeaOai

etrj dve-^feaOaiBetopovaa, yv"vai

dXrfOSit: ovpavov

yfj.

Kal

riva

dvaKiri}ra"iex

mt

dvdirroiro, KariSelv

ri]v

^aXam;?

t^?

Bid

oiov"s

depa' eirei, et

rov

eK

Be

ro

ovj^

fipaovr^rd

irenovdevai'
"f)pa";

Kal

rovro

KaXeZv,

ovpavov

^(eopovvra.

yevopevo"s

evddSe

Sri

KolXip t^? 7^?

rivi

^paSvrrjro^

ea-^arov

rrrTjvoi

110

darpa

ra

koI

aXXa

ra

p/r/BeaXXov
a-tfjicri,

rrapa

rairov

depa

rov

Be

aKpa

oam

roirov,

rov

av

ev

yap

Kal

^\iov

rov

etrj, iKBv";

ivOdBe

rov

KaXXiav

oiKovvrai

op"v

pAatf)

iv

tk

iirl tj}? daXaTTTji

re

p/qBeiruyiroreiirl rk

a^irffievof p,T)Be eapaKO}^

e^?

ototTO

ei

av

"^yoiTO ovpavbv elvai, Sia

OdXarrav

OaXaTTTji;

mairep

oiKeiv,

-ireXdyovi;oIk"v

Tov

daOeveiav

Kol

Te

iirl

avto

t^s

avrrji} XeXTjBevai

koCKok

rot?

Bij

o5

KolXa

ra

et?

reS

ovo/Ma^eiv

Xeyeiv

ael

^vppeiv

rov

Keia-Oai,

Si) aidepa

eladormv

roiavra

fieyedrj,

Kal
op.ij^Krfv

Kudapm

ev

ov

atrrpa,

trepX ra

T"v

TToWov?

Toii?

rh

eari

tA

koX

lSea";

t^v

vSap koL
yfjv KaBaphv

"iroWoii

irepl t^v y^v

iravrayri

t^?

koX

iu

"n'o\\ov"i

re

to

rrjv

(Swep

iv

yhp

elvai

iravrohava

Kal

^weppwiKevcu

aepa'

aXXoBt

aXkovi

oUeiv.

KoTXa

eis

koX

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

82

rd

ev

d^iov

elTreiv, ovSev

dpi]y(avo"i Kal
rd

rrap

rjptv

THE

PHAEDO

that many
other men
all parts of the Earth

magnitude;
and

into

in many

83

other

hollows,many,

are

these

flow

and

water

lifted up clear in the

clear Heaven
This Heaven
is that which
those who

thi"k

We,

think

that

then,
dwell

we

his

dwellingdown

he

was

the

on

the

water
the

above

surface

mounted

up

head, and
excelleth
neither
it.

looked

wherein

had

This

that

is

Earth,

think

Air

we

call Heaven,

are

the

that

colluvies which

the

hollows

hollows,being ignorant,
he who
had
Earth, even
as
of the

would

sea

of the

courses

think

the

being sluggish and

of

that

the

sea,

the

upon

think
stars

he

weak,

and

put

Earth

it is that

that

whereas, by

never

his

far

it

beauty,
had

hollow

of

itself;and

reason

be

forth

who

Heaven

the

to

sea

how
place,and saw
place in purity and

our

the

the

conceit

at

and

of

stars, would

dwell

we

stars.

of these

speak

things of his own

heard concerning it from
another
for we,
our
case
:
dwelling in a

the

the

are

to

use

itself is

beholding through

surface

out

Earth

air,

thereof, and

as,

the

to

the

bottom

the

heaven, inasmuch

in

on

the

at

and

sun

dwell

who

places; for in
in shape and

clouds and

the

things call the Aether, whose sediment is

is alway being gathered together into
Earth.

like

various

gathered together; but

therein

are

dwell

MYTH

seen

the
the

wherein

of weakness

and

cannot
we
sluggishness,
go forth out of the Air : but if
could journey to the edge thereof, or having
a
man
gotten
could
it
would
that
fishes
to pass
come
even
as
flyup,
wings
the things here, he,
here which
rise out of the sea do behold
if his
behold
the
looking out, would
things there, and
strength could endure the sight thereof,would see that there
and
the True Heaven
the True Light and the True Earth.
are
For

the

Earth

here, with

the

thereof, and

stones

the

whole

corrupted and eaten away, after the

there
is
of things in the sea
manner
by the salt wherein
brought forth nothing either goodly or perfectat all,but only
and
hollow rocks, and sand, and clay without
measure,
miry
also
earth
wheresoever
not
there is
things
worthy at
sloughs
all to be compared with
the things here that are
fair,albeit
excel the thingshere in beauty.
the thingsbeyond do much
more
place where

are,

we

is

"

"

Wherefore,

of the

Heaven."

Things

if ye

that

desire of
be

me

beyond

upon

Tale, hearken
the

Earth

to the Tale

under

the

e^

lir)v,

Sw/tpare?,17/tiet?
a"
tiftfiMVi,

av
fivdov"f/Sim'!

ISeiv,et

avTi)

Be

Kal

ix

T"v

Kal

"irKeioviov

tA

ravra

avra

dXKeov

'x^pat/MaToav voiKiXua,

ma-re

Be
ev
"}iavrd^e(T0ai.
dtvofievaAvetrOai, BevBpa

TTOiKiXov

rd
Kal

rd

av

\6yOv

avrov

tou?

\Cdov"i eyfeiv

rov"i

ypoifiara KoXXio)' "v Kal rd evOdBe XidiBia

xal
IdamBaf
rd dyarrdyfieva
/juopia, a-dpBid re
Bov; Kal
elvai
on

rrdvra

Kol

en

ixel

roiavra'

KaWico.

rovrtov

oi

eKeivoi

rd

Xidoi

el"rl

Be ovBev
B'

to

xaOapol

Kapirov^dva
rov

Kal

ov

elvai

ov

roiovrov

elvai,

rovrov

KareBTjSea/iivoi
Kal
trrjireBovoi

ol
evddBe
vtto
Bie^dapfievoimairep
d Kal \i0oi^
Bevpo ^vveppvijKoriov,
aKfvt]"ivirb r"v
Kal
Kal Totv
aWot?
^moi? re Kal "f"vroK aXa-^rj
re

KoX

r^v Be

yrjv

avrrjv

rovroK
KeKocrfiijadai

re

y(pv(7m

jieydXa Kal rroXKa-^^ovTJ;? 7^?,

6ear"v.
^a"a B' err
deafia evBaifioveov

eoTi

voaovf

diraai

mare

avrrjv

ISeiv elvat

out^? elvai dWa

re

Kal

"TToWd

ovaa";'

yy

kuI

Kal

rovf

re

Kal

dWoit
roil
av
dpyvpcp Kal roil
rrolCKd rfKriQei
ydp aird Tre^vxivai,
avra
eK"f)avrj

en

roiovroK.

T0U9

ravra

afiapdy-

Kal

ri

atnov

ovBe

7rape')(ei,

Xoyov

Kal rd
rijv Biatf)dvetav

Xeiorrira Kal

re

rrjv

dvOt) Kai,

koI

re

fwej^e?

dvd

rotavry

ovcrrj

tmv

ttj

ev

avTrji; elBof

ri

ev

ravrj)

koX

m(Tavra""s

opri

Se

Tr/v

eapdicafiev.koI y^p
Kal
re
depoi efiirXea

anX^ovTa
irape-)(ea6ak

eZSos

ti

ij/iets

o"ra

avTrji, t/Saros

KoTXa

"ypm/iaro'i

ovra,

"x^pafia.Tav

KaXKiovtov

AcaWo?,

yvylrov rj '^i.6vo"sXevKorepav,
icaX en
^vyKeifievTjv
waavroK,

XevKT]

oa-q

aKKoiv

davfuurrijvto

icaX

elvai

yhp aXovpyfj

^pvffoeiBfj,
TtjV

roiavri)

al SioSeKda-Kvroi,

dearro, axrirep

avmdev

tk

eivai

fiev

irpmrov

eraipe,

evddSe
^v
'''*
*"'
a-^aipat,nroiKiXrj,
"x^pmnain Siet\ij/ifievv"
icara0I9 S^ ol ypa^eK
elvai jfpwfiara
Beir/fiara,
mairep
elvai, Ka\
Be iraaav
Toiovrtov
r^v yfjv sk
e/cet
j(^pS)VTai.
iroXii ert, e'/e 'KafiTrporepmv koX Kadaptorepmv ^ tovtcov
tt)v
/i"V

tov

tovtov

76

aKOvaaifiev.

Aeyerai roivvv,e^,
17 717

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

84

Be
Be

roiis fiev ev
fiecroyaiaoiKovvrav,
dv6pmrrov";,
irepl rov
dipa (txrirep rjiiei"s ireplrr}V OdXarrav^
ev
rov
dipa, tt/so? t" rjireip^
vrjaoit;, as
rrepippeiv

Kal

evl Xoyy,

7r/oo9 rrjv

oirep

rjiierepav

o
drjp,eKeivoK
rjiiiv

rov

rjfuv

ro

vBap

jf^peiav,
rovro

aidepa. rd"; Be

Kal

"^ ddXarrd

depa, o Be
"pa"!avroi^
Kpdaiv

eKei

rov

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

86

eKeivovt avotrov}
mcrre
ej(^eivroiavT7]v,
Kal
ivGdSe
^fjv iroXii trXeiio r"v
Hcal
6a"j"p'^"rei.^

aTToa-rdaet,"girep arjp
etvai, iv

oh

reS

S^'^eikoX

re

Kal lepa avToh

6eov"} elvai, Kal ^rjfiaire
olK7jTa"s

ovri,

eSr]'re

de"v

Kal
6e"v
aladri"Tei"it"v
fiavTeiai Kal
Kal top
avrov^'
7rpb"i
C^vvovaiaiiyiyveadai avTot?
Kal

Kal
ovra,

Tr)v

t7e\rjvi}vKal

ireplo\r)V

Tvyx^vei

^fiiv TOTTOV,
ivOdBe

iv

rjnel'soiKovfiev,

tp

elvai, Kal

frKaTinepov^.

"/roWa^, kuI

re
avvTerpfjaOai

aW";Xous

^dOei

rov

yrjv

arevoTepa

Kara

Ste^oSow? eyeiv, "" iroXii

Kal

evpvrepa,

trap

trdvra'i vtto

Se

tovtov^

0aav-

tow

e^eiv
^pay(yTepov^tc3

S' oft? Kal

eari

Se

tow?

eXaTTov

avTov"i

j(a,(rfia

to

dvaire-

roir? fj,ev ^a6vTepov"sKai

ttoWow?,

/laXKov ^

ovTa"i

Tepov"i

Kal

ola

avrmv

rjkiov

ye

aKoKovOov
eivai.
Tovrav
Tijv aWTjv evBaifioviav
Kai
ire^vKevaikoX ra irepi
oXtjv fiev Sri ttjv yfjv owtoj
S
iv avrjj elvai Kara
ra
eyKoCKa avri}^
yrjv TOTTov?

"jTTa/ievovi

et?

Inr

opaadai

aarpa

TOiavrai

Kal

kvk\^

Kal

aKoy

toiovtok

KadapoT-rfra.Kal SfjKal

7rpo9

re

y(povov

a^eaTuvai rrj avry

rifiStv
koX aldrjpdkpo"s
iJSaTO? d^ecrrrfKe

rolt

iravi,

Koi

eivai

vStoppeiv

fiev

devacov
eh KpaTr}pa";, Kai
i^ dXXijXeoveh aWijXou?
wairep
v-tto
fjueyeOr}
QeppMV vhdrav
dp/rij(ja.va
TTorapMV
rrjv ytjv Kal
Kal ylrvj(pS)v,
Be vvp
Kal ttv/jo? p^eydXov^ "jroranov'i,
iroXv
"7roXXov"; Be
E

trrepov,

TTOTa/iolKal

alcapavnvct

rov

irpo

B^ Kal

av

eKd(rT0i"i TV'^r)

av

Be
iv

evovaav

trdvra
ry

Kivelv

eKao'TOV^

aWw?

0X179 T^?

7?7S,

TOVTO

oirep

Be

dpa

Kal

aXXodi,

iKetvoi

Tdprapov KeKXr^Kaaiv.
re

irorapal

y'vyvovraiB\

eKaaroi

alna

peco(7iv
B

01

Travre?

irdvra

"

rf
ra

pevputra,

toiovtoi,

icrrl
on

tov

aXXoi

yap

Kal

avrrj

""Tirep
17 aidtpa
t^? 7^5

Biap/7repe";
reTp7)p,evov
elne, Xe7")v avro
"0/jLrjpo"s

Kal

eh

Karm

irepippor)

j(acrpMT"ov

vjrb ;^0ovds
TrjkefidX, gxi /SaOi/rrov
ecrri

h Kal

17

Kal

avca

tottow?

tov"!

eAcoffTOTe

eari

yy.

ttt/Xov peojrrev

pvaKOf

ev
Tt
twv
^vffiv TOidvBe Tivd.
bv Kal
T6
p,iytcTTov
rvy^fdvei

Bia

112

pva^'

ravra

yLyvop,evr].

Bi

%iKeX[a oi

ouTos

"v
irXrjpovo'dai,

0opl3op(oBe-

irrpuiv Kal KaOaparepov Kal

vypov
""Tirepiv

tovto

iK

tovtov

^epeOpov,

ttoXXoI
to

rrv6p.evaovk

ttoitjtcjv

")(dapxL
"Tvppeov"ri
trdXtv
iKpeowf

St' o'ia";av

iKpelvre

t"v

Kal

ivrevOev
ej^et ovBe

t^?

Kal

7^?

elarpelv

fidaiv

to

THE

Moreover,
them

not

their

distant

parts, are

Water, and

are

87

tempered

so

that

disease

smiteth

of
they live far beyond the measure
touching eyesight,and hearing and wisdom,

as

all such

seasons

MYTH

all,and

at

days, and

PHAEDO

Aether

from

is distant

as

Air

Air

in

purity.

stars

are

us

even

from

is distant

our

and
from

Also

they
Gods
-temples wherein
verilyare
groves
dwellers ; into whose
men
hearing their
come,
very presence
voices
and
their prophecies and
face to face.
seeing them

have

of the

Moreover,

the

truly; and,

men

is blessed.

The

Earth
the

whereof

in, and
shallower
channels

that

bowls,

under

bored

places,some
so

broader

and

much

some

clearer, some

fieryflood
these

time

waters

narrower

Earth

which

swayeth

There

is

mud,

and

upward

moved

are

like
in

cavern

swing.

the

also

telleth

about
than

that

and

this

and

some

to

one

another

in

it

Earth, which

into

as

the

fire floweth, and

rivers

of

place is

And

given

much

running mud,

filled

each.

fieryflood.
according as at
Now,

by that in
swayeth after
is the

before

run

the

cometh

unto

many

is

under

run

Sicilythere

then

downward

are

joined together,having

in

round

in

whole^girth,
place we dwell

mouth,

many
as

they

her

perennial rivers

even

floweth

stream

the

from

floods,therefore, each
the

parts that encompass

cold ; also

and

of

these

the

wide, whereby passage

into
from
another,
one

some

thicker,

rivers

of

are

great rivers of fire,and

are

each

floods of

hot

streams

there

With

open

floweth

water

measureless

and

Earth, and

the

and

state

seen

else

Tale

the

all these

the

narrow

the

more

with

deeper

are

as

places round

deeper and

are

there

things

But

hollow

many

some

all

fashioned.

are
some

in

itself,then, and

thus

Earth

and

moon

likewise

Earth

are

and

and

sun

are

"

Gods

all these
the

Earth

this wise.

greatest of them

pierceth right through the whole Earth,

whereof
off, where
Homer
maketh
mention, saying, 'Afar
in other
he
deepest undergroimd the Pit is digged,'which
Now, into
of the other
places,and' many
poets, call Tartarus.
it flow out again,and
all the rivers flow, and from
this cavern
all,and,

each

becometh

one

through.
is that

moreover,

The

such

cause

this flood hath

as

part of the Earth

is that

flowing out

of all streams
no

bottom

or

foundation.

and

it floweth

flowing in

Wherefore

it

ava"
Bf) koI KVfUiivei
altopelTai
ravrov
to
irepXavro
irvevfia

TOVTo.

vypov

6 ar)p

yhp

KoX

TO

avT"S

koI

ek

oTav

eK-TTvel

orav

iirl

to

koX

re

TaBe,

koI

piov

avairvei

iypm

opfirjffavu7roYft)p"jerj7
Ka\ovfievov,
Te

Kol

TrXifpotavTa

eKeWev

Be

TO,

ol

oTav

re

Stj Karca

etrainKovvref

otov

ts

evdaBe

av

irTuripol

opiJurjari,ra
Kal
Bia r"v
6-)(eT5"v

irXripadevTa pet

ow

t^? 7^? eirrpei

Be

Bevpo

ave/iov^

tov

Bia

ixel

xai

Tivav

tottov

pev/iara

to,

ael

ovtw

i^iov.

Koi

tov

et?

ma-nrep

avoTuirr},

fiev

aWK,

eKelva

kwt

tok

vBap

to

koX
6pfi'q"rg

avairveovTiov

Beivov^

el"ribv

koX

^vveTrerai

Troiei-

wevfia,

to

irvevfia

to

ical aiutj')(avov"iirapeyeTai

t"v

aairep

xai

Kara,

"ai

Trj(syfji

etrUetva

to

et?

t"b
^vvaitopovfievov

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

88

Sia

t^?

et?
ow
a"j"iKvov/ieva,
Kal Xlfivaii
6aXdTTa"!
Kai
eKdoTovi oBoiroielrai,
Te
iroTafiov;
Be ttoKiv
evrevdev
Kol
t^9 yfi"{,
BvojievaKara
Kpriva"; iroiel.

yfj9, Kal

eh

TO,

fiev

Be

eKaTTOVf

/jMKpoTepov;

Kal

ifi^aXXei, tA

fiev

oKi/yov' irdvTa

Be

eari

Kal

eh
E

KoiX

elapelt^?

viroKarcD

Ta

TapTapov
Be

Kara

fjuepo^'

aino

to

/ikv

evia

Kau

eKporif.

Be

rj ana^
trepieXdovTa,

kvkXm

irdXiv

Kadevra

Karto

o"f"eK,

01,

mairep

rj

ifi^aXXei. BvvaTov

Kadievai, iripa B' ov.

'""''
f'^XP''
f^ecrov
to
eKaTepaOev
TOt?
d/j,"jiOTepoi";
pevfiaai

eKaTepcaae

dvavTe";

TrXetow?,

eirrjvTXelro,to,

irepltijv yfjv
irepbeKi/^fOevTa

BvvaTov

iarlv

"TroXii KartoTepa

iravrdiraffi

tfKeovdKK
TO

irepieKdovraKal
tov
^pajfyTepovs,irdXiv et?
toitov;

e^eireaev,evia
elcrpet

KaTavTiKpi)y
Be

eKaara

tottov?

tov?

yap

ylryveTai
p.epo'i.

Xr.

Ta

fiev

ovv

Brj dXXa

"travToBa-ira pevfiaTa

fot?
Kal

TToWots

TovTov

113

Be

Te
ep'^fitov

Trjv

UTTa

peov

irepl KVKXtp
Kal

KaTavTiKpv
TOTTtov

pel

rpiTo^

Be

iroTafio"i

tovtwv

Tfj(;
eK^oXi]'}eKiriirreL

et?

to

tovtok

ev

fieyiffTOV

fiev

KoXovfievo'; 'Xl/ceavo? eaTi,

Kal

B^ Kal

K^^epcov,os
inro

yfjv

petov

'

ai
ov
Kj(epov"TidBa,
voXXmv
Kai
d(f)iKvovvTai

Kara
Toirov

fieaov
fieyav

fiaKpoTepovt,
t"v

^"a"v

Bi

eh
t"v

Trjv

i^v)(alt"v
ai fiev
fieivacrai,
ecfjMpfievov"! ")(p6vov";
ttoKiv
el"sTa?
^paj(yTepov";,
eKirep-irovTat
TeTeXevTrfKOTWv

ovra

evavTL(o"; peav

aXXmv

XlfiV7]v d^iKvelTai

"v

pevfiaTa,

fieydXa Kal

Kal

Te

Tvyj(dveiS' dpa

ea:Tf

TeTTap

i^wrdTco

iroXXd

Tiva"!

ai

Be

yevetreK.

eK^dXXei, Kal eyyi)^

irvplttoWw

Kao/ievov,

THE

PHAEDO

MYTH

89

swingeth and surgeth up and down, and the

with it ; for the wind
goeth with it when
further
and

Earth, and

side of the

with

air and

wind

surge
the

it rusheth

it returneth

to

hitherward

livingcreatures is driven forth and

in as
drawn
there also the wind,
stream
a
so
continually,
swinging with the flood,cometh in and goeth out, and causeth
terrible,
mighty tempests. Now, when the water rusheth back
into the place "beneath," as
men
speak, coming unto the
which
run
region of the streams
through that part of the
even

the breath

as

Earth, it floweth
reservoirs with
and

of

into

; but

pumps

it ebbs

when

hither, it fiUeth

rusheth

fiUeth

and

them

again

the

them,

as

again

from

fill

men

thence

here, which,

streams

being full,run through their conduits and through the Earth,

to those placeswhither
they are bound, and
coming severally
Thence
fountains.
make
and lakes and rivers and
they
seas
fetched
sink under the Earth
a
longer
again,and some, having
far
and some
a
shorter,fall again into Tartarus, some
compass
the
beneath
channel
into which
pumped up, and
they were
little way beneath ; but all flow into Tartarus
again
a
some
beneath

placesof

the

that, coming forth

their

Earth

of the

out

in at the contrary side ; and

the

side; and

same

Earth

and

times, like

the

far

as

as

low

is

side of the

other
there

"Now

These

down

as

at

flow
thereof,,

side

one

it

once

rivers
water

out

come

on

whole

the

yea, perchance,many
back
their waters
pour
"

can

in each

there be

waters

that go in and
be that go round

way, but
hill against the stream

the centre

Earth

about

serpents.

into Tartarus
as

wound

are

some

there

some

Some

outflowing.

Now, it

fall.

further

no

that

each

can

half of

from

floweth

fall

the

half.
are

many

great rivers of

divers

sorts, but

amongst these there are four chiefest : whereof that one which
is
is greatest,
and floweth round the outermost, is that which
called Ocean, and over
againsthim is Acheron, which floweth
contrary way, and flowingthrough desert placed and
Lake, whither
under the Earth, cometh
to the Acherusian
the

Souls

of

the

most

part of the

dead

do

river

part whence

issues

forth

betwixt

these, and,

it issues forth, falleth into

the

having
longer,some
and

come,

sojourned there certain appointed times, some

in the
shorter, are again led forth to be born
third

also

near

flesh.
unto

The
the

great place burning

Ka\

Be

ir7)\ov' evrevffev

Kol

kvk\"p do\epo";koX

xmpet

(uftiKveirai
^fifi,iov
\ifiv7}";,
Tfj"s A')(epovai,dho";

Se [ry yrj] aXXotre

TTijXwS?;?,
irepieXiTTo/jievoi:

Kal

Se itoXXukk
irepieXi'^del^
8'
rov
Taprdpov. ovro";

vSarf

T^

re

'

Trap' effj^ara

rfvvfievov

^eovaav
fieit^mt^? irap" rffitv6a\dTrr)"},

Tufivriviroiel

vSaroi

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

90

viro

yTJ"s

ea-rlv ov
ifi^aXXei Karanepo)
ol
koX
airoeTTovofid^ovaiJlvpi^XeyeOovra,ov
pvaKef
Be
av
(Tirda-fjMTa
oirrj
dva^v(rS"cnv,
rv^iocri, t^? 7^?. rovrov
i/cTrivTeiet? tottov
irp"rov Seivov
av
KaravTiKpi)6 Terapra
olov o
Kal
re
dypiov,a""; Xiyerai, j(p"/J.aBe e^ovra oXov
Srvyiov, Kal Ttjv XCfJ.vr]v,
rjv
Bt) e-irovofid^ovat
ov
Kvavoi,
6
S'
6 Trorafioi
evravoa
ifiirea-av
ifi^dXXav, ^rvya.
TTOiei
Kal Beiva'i Bvvd/ieK Xa^iov iv rm
vBari, Bv"i Kara
tt)? 7^?,

ei"avrio";

TrepieXiTTo/ievoi'Xcopei

rm

Xifivrj
i^
'A'^epovo'idBi

diravTO, iv ry

HvpKpXeyedovTi Kal
ivavTia";' Kal

ovBe

to

Kal
kvkXo)
outo?
vBcop ovBevl fiiyvvrai,dXXa
tov
Tdprapov evavrito"s rm
irepieXOoivifi^dXXei ew
ol "n-oiijTai
Be
icTTLV, a)?
rovrea
'n.vpi,"j"Xeye0ovTf
ovofia
TovTOv

Xiyovcri,Kw/curo?.
Be

TovTcov

TeTeXevri]Kore^

01
ire^VKOTcav,eireiBav di^uKoyvTai,
ol 0 BaificoveKacrTOv
Kop,i^ei,
tottov,

ovra
tov

ets

irpStTov/jLev BieBtKOffavTO o'i re

Kal

ol

eTrl
7ropevffevTe"}

tov

ia-Tiv, iirl
6y(i]fMiTd
Kal

iKei

oLKOvtyi

BtBovre^

St"a9

Kal

otrieo";
^icoaavTet

o'i

Kal

fii].

KaXai

re

So^qxti,fie(Ta""! ^e^itoKevai,
pAv av
Aj^epovTa,dva^dvTe"i a Brj airroK
tovtcov
dtpiKVovvraieh ttjv Xi/iv7)v,
Kal
tSsv
dSiKTj/idTcov
Te
KaOatpofievot

t"v
Te
"^BvKTjKe,
ot
B
eiiepyeaiaiv
rrjv d^iav eKaaro^'
Tifia"; tpepovTai Kara
r"v
Bo^eoaivdvidrco";e')(eiv Bia ra /leyedr)
av
dfiaprrjfidroDV
Kal
TToXXa?
fj lepoavXia"!
fieydXai;"^ (jjovovsdBiKOVi Kal
ttoXXov'}

irapavofiovi

Tuy^dvei ovra,
TOV

d-TroXvovTai, e'i

Tt

i^eipyaerfievoi,
rj SXKa
Be

rovrov^

Tdprapov, oOev

Tt?

ovvore

oaa

roiavra

ew
fiolpa pitrret
eK^alvovaiv, o'i S' av
Idaifia

17

irpoarjKovaa

olov wpo's
fjbeydXaBe Bo^atriv'^fiaprrjKevai
dp,aprijpMra,
vir
Kai,
rj p/qrepa
opyri"}0iatov ri
irpd^avre'i,
rrarepa
aXXov
^iov ^imaiv, rj dvBpo^ovoi
rov
p"erafie\ov avroK,

fiev,

114

roiovrm

rivl

fikv el"s rov

evtavrov

eKel

aXXm

rporro)

yevtovrai,

Be

tovtov;

Tdprapov dvdr/Kt},
e/jLirea-ovrai}
yevop,evov";

iK^dXXei

to

Be

kv/jm,

ejj/ireo'et

avTov"i
tow?

xal
p^ev

THE
with

much

fire,and

at last unto

not

with

the

Earth

This

it

is the

and

mud

muddy,

which

greater

than

it fetcheth

of the Acherusian
Then

they

Sea,

our
a

compass,
the Earth,

winding 'round

and

Lake, mixing

after many
windings under
lower
a
part of Tartarus.

itself into

poureth

91

thence

thereof.

river

lake

the coasts

the water

MYTH

maketh

seethingwith water
and going thick and
Cometh

PHAEBO

Pyriphlegethon,whereof
also the fieryfloods which
boil up
in divers places of the
Earth
derivations.
Over
the
fourth river
are
against him
issues forth, first into a fearful savage
place,they tell,which
hath wholly the colour of blue steel ; and
they call it the
his
with
Stygian place,and the Lake which the river maketh
flood they call Styx ; whereinto
this river fallingconceiveth
mighty virtues in his water, and afterward sinketh under the
Earth, and windeth
round, going contrary to Pyriphlegethon,
and

Cometh

neither
round

the

to

doth

Acherusian

his water

about, and
The

Lake

the

of

but

any;
Tartarus

into

name

from

with

mix

falleth

name

this

contrary side

also

he

goeth
against Pyriphlegetho

over

river, the

poets tell, is

Cocytus.
his
place whither
Familiar
bringeth each, first are they judged,and according
as
righteously,
they have lived righteous and godly lives, or lived unThereafter
all those who
are
are
they divided.
lived indifferently
well journey unto
deemed
to have
Acheron,
and go on board the vessels which
are
prepared for them, and
and
the Lake;
to
so
come
abiding there, get themselves
cleansed, and
paying the price of their evil deeds, are
acquittedfrom the guilt thereof; and for their good deeds
"

When

the

are

the reward

receive each
incurable

dead

by

temples,and those who

or
wrought other
appointed Angel doth
come

not

out

sins
entreated

at

all :

great but

father

or

the

is meet.

that

whoso

But

oftentimes

have

iniquitiesthat
cast

and

into
whoso

and

are

are

have

deemed

great, them

in wrath

thence

have

been

there

one

year,

the

surge

casts

them

mitted
com-

violently

repented them

days of their lives thereafter,or who in like

manslayers,they must needs fall into Tartarus, but

the

they

have

to

of

fully,
unlaw-

blood

Tartarus, and

curable, who

mother

shed

all the

have

deemed

are

greatness of their sins,robbers

of the

reason

unto

come

thereof

manner

when

are

they

forth, the

92

THE

avSpotjjovovi

Kara

fi7)rpaXoia"!
vot

Kal

T"

eK^rjvai

et?

"49

Kai

TavTa

ireLtTtocriv

TO

T"v

ev

oaiasi;

Tjj

iirl

t^?

Be

iKavAi!

Ka07)pdp"voi,

et?

eireiTa

TOV

a"f"iKvovvTai,
iv

To3

peTaaj(elv

a?

re

eh

Bo^coai,

av

TmvBe

t"v

BiaipepovTO)^
t"v

p,ev

tottcdv

"a*irep

oticijaiv
Be

d"jii,Kvovp.evoi
ol

avT"v

^"en

crmpATWV
olKrjaei';

eTt

ovTe

(piXocroipia
irapdvav

to

KoXXiovi;

TOVTav

Ixavb^

j(povo^

"

B^

TOVTiov

irav

av

vtto

airaWaTTop^voi

Kadapav

Brjk"aai,

paBiov

irpiv

Bikt)

rj

ol

tovtcov

Kal

ovTe

Br)

Ka\

re

dvev

"^povov,

Be

iroTap.ov'i,

tov?

iravovTai,

yap

elauv

Tr)v

et?

eit

^epovrai

p-r),

irapovTi,

AWa

2tippia,

oi

olxi^op^voi,

yrj^

iraXiv

Be

a^a^

"TreKTtuxnv,

fiev

el

KaK"v,

avTrj

eKevOepovp^voL
ava

iav

Koi

ot?

Be

iatrai

Beovrai,

irpoTepov

ovroC

^t"vai,

yfj

SeapiOTTipuuv,
leai

oi

eTci'^drj.

avToti

koX

KuKeiOev

rjBiKtjaav

oC)?

BiKaffT"v
irpo"i

t"v

wdayovTe^

"f"epofie-

aireKTeivav,

Be^aadai,

icaX

TdpTapov

TOV

Kav

ivravOa

'Aj(epovaidSa,

rrjv

oii";

/lev

Xi^yovcn

ical

re

hk

eireihav

iicerevovai,

XifiVTjv

irarpaXoiav

ol

oi
B'

ttjv

eK^aivovai

XifiVTjv

KaXovaiv,

KoXiaavre^

ij^piaav,

avdi"s

rijv

Kara

Se

tou?

UvpupXeyedovra-

tov

yevosvTai,

fio"ffi

K.q)kvt6v,

tov

Kara

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

dpeTr]";

maTe

voieiv,

KaXbv

evexa

yap

to

a"Xov

^(^pr]

koI
Kal

mv

BieXrjXvdapev,

(f"pov^aea"^
fj eXirX";

ev

peydXtj.

to*

"

j8t"i"

94

MYTHS

THE

Observations

OF

on

PLATO

Myth

Pbaedo

the

noting that Plato here, as elsewhere,

Myth by making it explain facts, or
I
1 what he accepts as facts,and bringing it,as far as possible,
Linto conformity with the modern science
of his day. The
{7actof the Earth's rotundityhad alreadybeen ascertained
'
or
guessed in Plato's day ; ^ and Ihe geographyof the Myth
is made
consistent with this fact,as well as with the supposed
fact
of the
Earth's
central position in the Cosmos
a
positionwhich it retains for a sufficient reason, which Plato
The Phaedo
sets forth
scientifically."
Myth, startingwith
of the Earth's
the
scientific truths
rotundity and central
it easy
position,gives a consistent geography,which makes
for the reader to localise the
and Tartarus,
Earthly Paradise
real places continuous
with
the part of the world which
as
inhabit.
men
Geography is treated in this Myth, as ancient
cally
romantihistorymay, or must, be treated accordingto Plato
: the
true to facts ;
general scheme is,as far as possible,
but blanks
filled in by fivdoXoyia.^The
line betvifeen
are
uncritical
science
and /MvdoXoytais difficult to draw, and

We

begin by
may
givesverisimilitude to

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

''

"

"

"

"

"

"

Plato
than

knows
that

how

to 'turn

the

to artistic,
and
difficulty

more

A sophistic
of the difficulty
use.
philosophic
use
he happily has no
temptation to make, because he holds no
brief obliginghim
for a largeamoimt
to contend
of literal
in
the
traditional
truth
myths which he borrows.
itself to the
Again, the Phaedo Myth recommends
tific
scienmind
the originof hot and cold springs,
by explaining
to

"

"

"

volcanic

action, winds, and, I think, the

Ocean.

The

'
^

too, that
suggestion,

See Zeller's Plato, Rugl. Transl.

See Jtepiiblic,
382 D, khI iv als

gems

tides of the Atlantic

"

objectswhich

have

pp. 379, 380.

Sij iXiyofievrais /iveoKoyiats,

SiA ri nil
TraKiuSiv,
itpoiioioSnTe!
^eCSos in
rifi iXriSeito
Kal iiiXa, J S' 8s. Cf. Legg. 682 ff.,
where
the
as
earlyhistoryof mankind
a myth, founded
on
fact,but embellished"
appears
/car' d^Beiav yiyyoixhuiv ^iv run
TToXXui'
Tu"i"
lal Moi)(rois ^^dTrrrroi
xi^P^t^t
vvy

dSivai

Sir-nT"krfBh (x^i irepltuiv

ItAXiara oIItu xpiio-i/toK
iroiovixev ;

exdurToTc ; and

cf.

Campbell'sPolUicus,Introd.

p. xxxi.

THE

always

PHAEDO

MYTH

95

been

regarded with wonder, as possessingmysterious

virtues
are
fragments which have found their way down to
this part of the world from the rocks of ^e
dise,"
Earthly Parais a touch of fine imaginationwhich
helps to bring the
two
dise
regions our part of the world and the
Earthly Parainto physical connection.^ Tartarus
and
the True
Surface
of the Earth, or Earthly Paradise, are
indeed
real
there are
real approaches for the
places to which
ghostly
travellers from
this olKov/iivrj.The
half
playful,
care,
half earnest, which
Plato
takes to prove
this scientifically
from
effects
observed
volcanoes,tides,precious stones
has
its parallelin the
and
other great
method of Dante
of
of Myth.
Skilful use
modern
masters
science
is indeed
Before
of the marks
of the great master.
one
referringto
for this,let me
first compare
Dante
Plato's delicate handling of
in the Phaedo
science
tainly
Myth with the work of one who is cerof Myth
the Cambridge Platonist,
not
a
great master
"r. Henry More ; but let me
with
few
a
prefacehis
Myth
science
which
words explanatoryof the
foundation
serves
as
to his
mythology."
The
Spiritof Nature, according to More and his school,
is an
incorporealsubstance, without sense, diffused through
the
whole
universe, exercising plastic power,
producing
be explained mechanically.^
those phenomena
which
cannot
This
plastic principle in nature
explains "sympathetic
bodies
astral
borrows
cures," the
(the phrase More
of witches, in which
from
the Paracelsians)
they appear as
"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

hares, cats, weasels

(so

that

hare

or

other

to

be

animal

is

More
similarlywounded
firm
believer
in all that, and could give
scientific
a
was
the growth of plants and
for his belief),
reasons
embryos, and
instinct
of
the instincts of animals, such as the nest-building
The
Soul
birds, the cocoon-spinninginstinct of silk-worms.^
and by means
of it
of man
partakesin this plasticprinciple,
for herself a body terrestrial,
constructs
aerial, or aethereal
celestial),
(i.e.
accordingas the stage of her development has

wounded, the witch

is found

if the

"

"

"

'

Cf. Conv.

iv. 20, p. 323, Oxf. Dante

:
quale in noi slmilmente discende da somma
pietrada corpo nobllissimo celestiale.

la

More's

"'

More,

Immortality of the Soul, book

o.c.

ili. 13.

"

cosi
e

difinita

^uestanostra

come
Virtii,
spirituale

iii.eh. 12.

Bonta,

virtute in

96

Soul

As

"

aether.

the

is

that

earth,air,

of

part
see,"he says,^that the perceptive
"

we

vitallyaffected

has

which

that

with

that

there

be
may
modified,and that

of

life in it,

no

be

plastickpart thereof may

an
Harmony betwixt matter thus
that we call plastickthat
Power

it is reasonable

so

the vehicle

her into vital relation with

brought
or

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

the

too ;

so

and
is

thus

utterly

perception. And in this alone consists that which

either to be
call Vital Congruity in the prepared matter
we
mal."
organisedor alreadyshaped into the perfectform of an Ani^
axiome
that
there
He then lays it down
an
as
is a Triple Vital Congruity in the Soul, namely, Aethereal,
this is the
Aerial, and Terrestrial" ; and proceeds: "That
common
opinion of the Platonists, I have above intimated
(Immortality of the Soul, ii. 14). That this opinion is also
in itself,appears
Of the
from
the foregoing axiome.
true
be no
doubt ; and as little can
Terrestrial Congruity there can
of the other two is to be granted,
there be but that at least one
devoid

of all

"

"

else the

Soul
after

matter

would
Death.
with

least,to unite

be

released

Wherefore
Aire.

from
she

has

Aire

But

all vital

is

a
a

"

union

vital

with

at
aptitude,
receptacle

common

and

of bad

is of all sorts of men

good spirits(as the Harth
and beasts),
sort
nay, indeed, rather of those that are in some
other
bad, than of good,as it is upon Earth.
But the Soul
or
is capableof very high refinements,
of man
to a condition
even
whence
Eeason
will judge it fit,
and all Antiquity
purely angelical,
voted

has
a

due

pitch

of

it, that

the

souls

of

men

arrived

to

at

last

obtain

Celestial

purificationmust

such

vehicles."
The
vehicle

"

of
Soul, by means
earth, air, or aether

having been
body,

first habituated

her
to

"

to the

plasticpower,

moidds

the

she pleases;but
any form
human
trial
shape in the terres-

she

the aerial and

celestial
naturally moulds
vehicles to the same
shape. This is why ghosts (in whom
is a firm believer),^
More
being the Souls of the departed in
their aerial bodies,are easily
recognisedby their features,when
'

=
More, o.e. ii. 14.
More, o.c. iii. 28.
See Immortality of the Soul, ii. 16, for the wonderfully-weU-told
story of
Marsilius
Ficinus
appearing (by arrangement) on the day of his death to his
3

friend

Michael

Meroatus.

horse, saying, "Michael,

and
finds
window.

that

Marsilius

He

rides

Michael,vera
died

the

up
sunt
same

Michael's window
ilia." Michael sends

to

hour

his

on

to

white

Florence,

ghost appeared

at

the

THE

they

return

the

to

PHAEDO
of

scenes

MYTH

97

terrestrial life.^

their

Now, it

the effect of the Final Destruction

may be asked what
World
by Fire at the Last Day will be on the human
which

then

souls and

have

still only terrestrial bodies,and

of the
souls

the human

on

souls of Daemons

(or Angels) which have still only

aerial bodies.
These bodies,unless saved by a miracle, will be
burnt up, and their souls,having no vehicles,
will cease
to live
the life of active consciousness.^ Therefore,More argues,^
using
Stoical terms, an
and
o/iroKaTaaTao'i.'i
afterthe
iraXi/yyeveaia
avdaTacn"; and
soul whose

body
iraXiyyevealawould
different being.
a
had

and

to

means

Angels)
'

eKTrvpoia-i,'}would

been

rescue

the

the

time

at

Of. More's

burnt

souls
of

not

of

the

Poems,
Philosophical

their

meet

would

have

case

ceased

; for

to be

scious,
con-

sciousness
only bring it back to conIt wiU
require supernatural
and Daemons
men
good
(or

Final

p. 260

or
Conflagration,

(ed.1647) :

even

"

shape they walk much like to what they bore

Upon the Earth : for that lightOrb of Air
Which
they inact must yielden evermore
In

To

Phausie's beck,

To

their

So cloath'd and
The
Their

Of him

SimilarlyDante
Purgatory :

inward

when

so

selves alive

own

eyes

as

conversant
of Phansie

the Souls appear

once

they were,
a place,

in such

thither stear

glidingvehicle,that bears the face

that llv'd,that men
reade what
may
{Pwg.

Wight

it

was.

91-99) explainsthe aerial bodies of the sonls in

xxv.

"

quand' k ben piorno,

raggio che in s4 si riflette,
Di diversi color diventa
adomo,
Cosi r aer vicin quivi si mette
In quellaforma
che in lui suggella

1' aer,

come

Per

r altrui

Virtualmente

V alma

che ristette

poi alia fiammella

simigliante
Che

segue il foco li
alio spirtosua

Segue

'vunque si muta,
forma

novella.

See also More's Irrvmortality

of the Soul, iii. 1, " 8, p. 149, where it is stated
that the Soul, although she has a marvellous
power, by the "imperium of her will,
of changing the temper and shape of her aerial vehicle,and of solidifying
it so
her
that It reflects lightand becomes
visible,she has a much gi-eater
power over
of her
temper the solidity
to ascend
descend, and
or
"
"
looks forward
More
vortex
to another.
(Defence of the Moral
pass from one
oh.
ii.
Cabbala,
as the time
when, instead of occasional
p. 165) to the Millennium
communications
between
and aethereally
souls terrestrially
embodied, there will
aethereal vehicle.
The aethereally
embodied
soul
vehicle (see Immortality of the Soul, p. 233), so

be close and
2

"The

nature

actuating Body."

or

as

intercourse.

constant

very

can

"

it is a Soul, is an aptitudeof_
informing
as
Cabbala, ch. ii. p. 167,
Defence of the Moral

of the Soul,
More's

ed. 1662.
^

More, Im/mortality
of the Soul, iii.18.
H

before

spots recentlydiscovered by

his

by

of

miracle,survive such heat

Shiner

one

place.

takes

"

tion
the interven-

such cold.

or

^presaged

"

it is

But

only

agencies
affected by

that such destructive

universe

the

part of

in this lower

sun

could,without

aerial bodies

terrestrialnor

Neither

the

of

extinction

the

time, when

that

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

98

operate. The aethereal region will not be

reached
the stage of aethereal
have
them; and souls which
can

for the

So much
to the

the Bad
made

up

of Salt at

the

moulded

conceive

well

as

up
whether

form

and

it be done

by

Vehicles,

own

of

virtue

in is

than

Aire

compleatingin

wishes, but
capableof,which

some

humidities

that

they change into these

they have given them

forms

mere

in

moment,
such

that

no

storm

tempest

nor

be

it were, the full

the Element
as

of most

Orchards

ous

ponderosity

upper

engage
design of

they

are

parts of the Aire

the transparency of

colours

we

see

it is in

quiettill the heat

never

vitrified the
it will

fruits and

Earth

then

be
"

'into
very

part of the
put to no such

that
be

the

as

Regions,that
send
silently

delectable

lustre,as
particular

Ghymislsare

can

reach, need

the

to

and

inhabit

able in them

as

the Spirit
ofNature,may
Universe,
and

that

activity,and

her

SuperiourDaemons, which

may
the tranquillity
of those

and

of these
priviledge
to pierce
Imagination,

keen

as

such

of

the

be

matter

touch

small

some

such

is this crude
Aire ; whence
and vaporous
be very dilute and
a
nd
rather
a
flashie,
mockery
solid satisfaction and pleasure.

shifts,though they

in

must

any
But
those

shape

the
forbidding

power

the

first dabled

design,which

own

their food

that

hard to
is very
of Imagination

Viands, and then withdraw, when

with
a
colour,and consistency,
figure,
it
or
a
tincture; or whether
sapour
Aereal Creatures,
by a sharp Desire and
the Spiritof Nature, so as to awaken
her to the

them

dissolvingof

it
consistency,

of

their

"

all aqueous
hinderingtheir congelation.But how Aire

the fittest for their

are

their

from

Feasts,as

having a

into that

their

upon

giveplausibility

it

emptiness of

and

faintness

those

at

it

them,

substances,as
is

to

well caU

may

we

serves

whence
is to give a rational account
greatest difficulty
Genii have their food,in their execrable Feasts,so formally
of it is a vaporous Aire,
That
the materials
into dishes.

well from
as
appears
have been entertained
use

as

which

"

science

"

followingMyth,

The

unharmed.

will remain

celestial embodiment

or

other.

For

of the

Promus-Condus
forth whole

flowers

of

they grow
these

an

Gardens

equilibri-

in, to

Plants

precious stones.

in

whose

adde
may
the
And

of their

Fancy have calcined

crystalline
conceiting
pellucidity,

fine

thing indeed, and

More, Immortality of the Soul, iii. 19.

all that

then

THE

in

of it

out

grows

which

perfect
higherRegions of the
a

more

of this

offend

distinction

with

that

of such

they

if,for

the

with

Birds

and

of whose

accents

Fruits

whose

as

in th

will arise from

will recreate

natural

th
the;

juicewill vi

and

find

the

Quintessences. For such ce:

blood
of the Grape, the rubi(

Nectarines.

look

the

less like

Beasts

voices

ing of their notes

kindly to bring us

is discovered

of

compleatingof

tations,that they may

meet

thei

trace the very Roots

c
may
with their eyes, and
if it ma
Earth
through it,bounding the;

Extractions
there

Cherries,and

And

under

they

brightnessthat
Water; and if they

and

their noblest

coloured

Soifethen

very

faint

difference

taste

tainly will

the

opake
splendour as

white

of Land

palats,may

which

this

see

such

with

For

SuperiourParadise

them,

sightwith
Moon,

Aire.

spectacle
they may haply enjo
into thos
they are admitted

whenever

transparent,in

the Trees

MYTH

desirable

manner

shall be

not

PHAEDO

silent and

of curious

are

very
perfectmusical

pleasantnessof

hab

dead

the
solitude,
colours,the sing]
Ear, and the varj

shapesand
the

to
grateful

these

harmony ; they would doe ver

back of the certainty
of these things,
an
make
this more
than a Philosophical
Conjecture.
But
that
there
Food
be
and
Feastingin those hight
may
Aereal
Regions,is less doubted
by the Platonists;which mak(
Maximus
call
the
when
she has left the body, dpiiifi
Tyrius
Soul,
aWepiov; and the above-cited Oracle of Apollodescribes the Felicit
of that Chorus

togetherwith

word

of immortal

Lovers

the blessed

Genii

ocroil

that the Nectar

fable.

For
of

ment

such

the

God,
and

feastin

"

Keap

Ambrosia

Spiritof Natwe,

may

liquors,as

Daemons,

and

there,from

iv

OaXiycTLV

laivcTai.
ev(f"pO(rvvria-iv

aiev

So

he mentions

enrich

being

of the Poets

be
not
may
is the immediate

which

the fruits of these

received

into

the

it self
diffusing

Aereal

bodies

Paradises
of

mei

Instn

these

wit
pun

their

more

Vehicles,may cans
through
gratefulmotions
analogicalto our tast,and excite such
than ordinaryquicknessin their minds, and benign chearfu

ness,

that

such

it may

far transcend

the

most

delicate Refection

the

Earth ;
invent
greatest Epicures could ever
upon
without
with
all satiety,
them
burdensomeness, it filling
Devotion.^
but Divine
and
Love, Joy,
It

is very

the

to

difficult to

production of

disentanglethe

passage

like

this.

motives
We

and

tha
tha

nothin

which
should

g
sa

Tl
Immortality of the Soul, iii. 9, pp. 183, 184, ed. 1662.
Stoic mythology (
of More's
to the Platonic, and
"Myth"
For furthi
and human
tA ireplyrjv inhabited by Saifioves
souls, is obvious.
reference to that mythology see infra, pp. 437 ff.
1

More's

indebtedness

100

THE

without

hesitation

discourse
his

with

science

"

MYTHS

that

and

was,

writer

the
if

myth,

"

PLATO

OF

did

we

to

know

how

not

credulous

how

adorn

wished

he

in

was

his

uncritical

as
accepting,

described.
literally
true,thingsquiteas visionaryas those
In his Antidote againstAtheism
how
he shows
thoroughlyhe
believes current
stories about
the doings of witches and ghosts
Book
iii.chap.vii. of that work, for the story of
(seeespecially
Anne
Bodenham, a witch, who suffered at Salisburyin 1653),
here

and

how

valuable

holds

he

the

immortality of
FhilosophickalPoems

the

these stories to

Soul; indeed,

he

goes the
that stories of witchcraft and

wish

recorded

in every

parish,"for

of the best
prove one
disease of Sadducisme

Cudworth

Cudworth
and

dwells

and

the

not, like

while

credulity seemed
which

his age.
There

is

continued

course

that

on

makes

just one

be

believer in

for demoniacal

afforded

would

on

feel that

one

the

the
to

the

apparitions,
possession,

himself
in

was

I should
"

facts,as

More.

stories ; ^
occasion
when

an

present:

make

explanationafforded by

he

as

modern

by

required,^
expresses

general remark

of

credulous

so

preached

sermon

to

substantiation

not

cautious

taking leave of More for

scientific explanationis apt
scientific

"

"that

are

in

the

his

length of expressing the

publicly
apparitions were

Scriptureevidence

More,
in

Smith,

manner

Smith

be said to be

on

to

antidotes

and

may

Preface

the

for

evidence

as

against that earthlyand cold

and Atheisme
which
easilygrow
may
the
hazard
of all Eeligion and
prevented,to
of Philosophy." It is to be noted, however,

us, if not
upon
the best kinds

that

in

be

men

facts.

in

advance

of

like to make

That

of
facility

indifferent about
The

facilityof
hypothesisof plastick
"

it more
power" doubtless made
and
other
easy for More
Platonists
to
Cambridge
accept as sufficient the evidence
forthcoming for the actual appearance of ghosts and Daemons.
Facilityof scientific explanationis a danger which we have to
be on our
guard againstat the present day too.
the Phaedo
Myth is,indeed, moral and
Y^ The true_filyect^of
'

Intellectual

Discourse

System, vol. ii. p. 640 (ed. Mosheim).

10, 0/ a Christian's Conflictswith and Conquests over
Satan,
"delivered
in publickat Huntingdon, where one
of Queen's College,
in every
25, preached a Sermon againstWitchcraft,Diabolical Contracts,
year on March
etc." ;

see

Worthington'sPreface

to Smith's

Select Discourses.

MYTHS

THE

102

element

of

fire

aether, Dante

or

top of
rises up
The
owes

momitain

Earthly Paradise
of Purgatory

Mount

own

the

on

^which

"

Myth

Phaedo

the

and

Olympus;

at least its altitude

from

the

the

probably
Earthly

Commedia

of the Divina

belief and

of medieval

of fire.

of
"Earthly Paradise"
good deal to the Homeric

derived

have

his

"

into the element

Paradise

also, in agreement with

belief,places the

medieval

common

PLATO

OF

may
But

source.

same

bored right through the Earth,

of Tartarus
as
description
unique in Greek mythology,in no way countenanced by Virgil,
modelled
which is so largely
and yet reappearingin the Inferno,
this is surelya strange
the Sixth Book
of the Aeneid
on
The
Timaeus
coincidence.
(in the version of Chalcidius)was,
knew
Dante
of Plato which
it would
the only work
appear,
the

"

There
directly.-'

be
the

Latin

is

no

evidence

regardedas

evidence

version

the

of

century.^It

"

Phaedo

whatever
that

he

unless

"

acquaintedwith

was

which

this coincidence

was

made

the

in

however, but I hardly think

possible,
likely,that the passage in the Meteorologica(ii.2, 355 b,
in which
the Phaedo
of Tartarus is referred
3 2 ff.),
description
the idea of an
to, may have given Dante
antipodalexit from
Hell ; although it is to be noted that Aristotle,in criticising
the hydrostatics
of the Phaedo
Myth, curiouslyenough omits
Plato's emphatic hia^Treph
to quote, or paraphrase,
TeTprjfiivov;
does not make
and S. Thomas
mentary
good the omission in his comtwelfth

the

on

Aristotelian

readingthe

one

any
the

Phaedo,

is

I do not
passage.
Aristotelian passage, without

think

that

having

read

would

easilygather that the Tartarus of the

Phaedo
is bored
is
Aristotle
right through the Earth.
concerned
to show
that the theory of a central
almpa, or
oscillation,
gives a wrong explanationof the origin of seas
and rivers ; and, more
of
suo, he is careless in his description
the theory to which
he objects. Although the hydrostatics
of the Quaestio de Aqua et Terra^
with
agree in the main
'

See

Moore's

Dictionary,
"

s.v.

Studies

in

Dante, first series,p. 156, and

Toynbee'sDante

"Platone."

See Rashdall's

Universities of Europe in the Middle

Ages, i. 37, ii. 744,
Henrious Aristippus
PhilologischeStudien zu Plato, pp. 33, 34.
There
is a
(Archdeacon of Catania) translated the Phaedo and Meno in 1156.

and

Immisch,
of his

MS.
1423
'

see

With

in

translation

Corpus

Christi

College,Oxford

(243),written

in

Coxe, ii. 100.

regard to

Dante, second

the

of
authenticity

series,pp. 303 ff.

this

treatise

see

Moore's

Studies

in

THE

of

PHAEBO

MYTH

103

the Inferno is not

influenced
Meteorologica,
by the Meteorologica. The Inferno follows the traditional
risers, and, indeed,
mythology in supposing subterranean
of these rivers given in the Phaedo,
agrees with the account
to the extent, at least,of regarding them
as
forming a single
those

the

system

of

surface

of

view

the

Earth.

Brunetto

by

Plato

as

way
the

connected

waters

somehow

Dante

with

have

may

been

Latini, who

does, of

Earth, like blood

waters

speaks,very
in
waters
circulating
through the veins

helped

channels
of

the

this

to

in the

much

the

on

same

through
body, and

the Poet
these
how
uses
coming out in springs.^But mark
mere
hydrostatics how his genius transforms the physical
the livingworld
relation between
and Tartarus
into a moral
"

is the tears of this world

relation !

It

of Dante's

Hell.^

Let
Hell

me

with

close this passage

the remark
that an

the Mount

of

Purgatory,is
If

of the Commedia.
from
indirectly

or

such

the

that flow in the rivers

Plato's

on

and

Tartarus

antipodalexit

from

Dante's

Hell,

near

necessary to the movement

derived directly
exit
whether

almost
an

Phaedo,

"

from

obtained

or

some

other

Dante's
mythological
already exist among
have
been obligedto invent it,and
data,he would practically
offer some
explanationof it,such as that which he actually
the Fall of Lucifer (Inf.xxxiv.).
offers
Plato's "True
Now
to pass
to the parallelbetween
on
and Dante's
Surface
of the Earth
Earthly Paradise on the
of PurgaDante's Mount
of Purgatory :
tory
top of the Mount
source

"

did

not

"

"

"

It is an
island,
a
definitely
part of this Earth.
which
of the ocean
antipodal to Jerusalem, in the middle
the southern
covers
hemisphere. This island rises up, in a
series of circular terraces, into one
loftyheight on which is
first parents
situated
the
our
Earthly Paradise, where
been
have
the souls which
purifiedby
created, where
were
is

"

"

"

Schmidt,
Aqua et
Inferno,xiv.

See

I. Tail, de
*

in the
is

ilher Dantes
Terra

Stellung in
(1876), p. 7.

der

Geschichte

der

Kosmographie,

Dante
probably profited
by the crade fancy of predecessors
of the contents of the infernal rivers ; see Gary on Inf. xii. It
worth
noticinghere that Dante's River of Blood (/"/" xii.) has its

matter

perhaps

in
parallel

the Scottish
It

was

And

mirk

ballad
mirk

they waded

of Thomas

the

Rhymer

there was
night
through red bluid to
and

nae

"

stem-light,

the knee

a' the bluid that's shed on earth

Elf-land).
Rina through the springs o' that oountrie (i.e.
For

during their ascent

together,before they drink the

penance

the

twin

Mount

the

of

Eunofe,

and

translated into the

are

Purgatory is

That

Paradise.

gathered

are

of Lethe

waters

of this Paradise, and

streams

Heavenly

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

104

real

the

place,on

globe,which an adventuroiis voyager from our

is suggested
hemisphere might possiblyreach vrjifieXaivrj,
xxvi., where
in the Inferno, Canto
consummate
art
with
surface

of this

left and
and

Seville

south

on

the

over

"

through

months, till the

for five

ocean

Ceuta

with

last voyage
how,
he sailed out
his right,

his

Ulysses describes

the Straits,
of the

stars

hemisphere sank beneath the horizon, and

appeared in the sky, and he sighted

northern

stars

new

methought,
dim, loftiest,

Mountain

his

on

Of all I e'er beheld i"

and

the storm

then

Dante's

of

Mount

him.

overwhelmed

which

burst

that

for

Purgatory
"

land

the

was

loftymountain
dise;
belief placed the Earthly Paramedieval
the top of which
on
agination
imbut Dante
apparently drew entirelyon his own
its slopes.^This
when
he localised Purgatory on
of the Earthly Paradise
Mountain
rises, according to the
*
i.e. its upper
medieval
belief,as high as the Lunar Sphere
the

is identical with

Ulysses sighted

which

"

"

parts

above

are

of

Surface

the

the air,in the aether

Earth.

Earthly Paradise
further

remarks

in it ;

also,that

will not

he

that

Enoch

fire,like Plato's True

explains,the

S. Thomas

as

reached

not

was

by

and

flood.* S. Thomas

the

Elias

are

said

be

to

now

circvlo ; but
aeqwinoctiali
only expressinghis
position,

it is said to be sub

vouch

for its exact

^
The Arabians,
temperate clime."
geographicaltreatises,and epitomes of the Greek

belief that it must

whose

geographers,Dante
^

Gary'stranslation.

See
I

be in

knew

"

in

Latin

versions,"
spoke

of

great

Soartazzini (Companion to Dante, Bntler's

far

so

may,

Hence,

or

as

form

think,have

climbed

see

Transl. p. 419).
tory,
"PurgaIt
positiongo, is a creation quiteof the poet'sown."
the
hill
of
virtue
which
Stoics
to
the
relationship
steep
and

Lucian, Vera

"

"

Hist. ii. 18

"

no

Stoics

were

to be

seen

in

Island, because they were

climbing this hill: t"v Si ^tuikuv
tpdiov\i(j"ov.
Trapfjv In 7ctp iXiyovTO iva^alveiv Ti"v rrji "peT'ils
' See S. Thom.
Aqui. Summa, i. 102, 2.
*
Of. Schmidt, Cosmographiedes Dante, p. 23.
'

Summa,

'

See

i. 102, 2.
Lelewel, Eistoire de la GiograpMe, i. Ixxxv., and
Dictionary, arts. "Alfergano" and "Tolommeo^."

the

tunate
ForoiSdi

Toynbee's Dante

THE
mountain

in

the

Albertus/ and
India.^

The

Christian
is

PHAEBO

far south.

Mons

that

Schoolmen

Mons

by Eoger Bacon,
this

with

105

It is called

Malcus

view

MYTH

the

mountain,
seat

of the

Caldicus

by

who

placesit in
identified by the
Earthly Paradise,

island

in the middle
of the
antipodal to Jerusalem
Southern
Ocean
due entirely,
it would
{Purg. iv. 70), was
scientific imagination or "-mythopoeic
seem,'to Dante's own
faculty." According to the doctrine of Orosius, generally
accepted in Dante's time, there is no land at all in the
southern
land, its inhabitants
hemisphere. If there were
would be cut off from those of the orlis notus
the unity and
continuityof the human
race,
postulatedby the command,
Go ye into all the world
and preach the gospel to every
an

"

"

"

"

creature,"would

Empire (and

exist.

not

The

ideal of

Church

one

and

one

Aristotelian

Philosophy,as Dante adds in

the Conmvio, iv. 6) requiresthe geographicalcondition of one
continuous
Dante's
oiKov/jievri.*
antipodal island, however,
being peopled only by the souls of the departed,is in no way
inconsistent
with
the teleological
geography of Orosius
one

"

indeed,is made, with

the

which

cause

art, to corroborate

consummate

produced

the

island
solitary

of

it;

for

Purgatory in

'

Meteor, ii. 2. 7. Cf. Schmidt, Oosm. d. Dante, p. 23.

Op. Maj. pp. 192, 195, ed. princ.Jebb, London.
'
See Scartazzini's Companion to Dante, p. 419, Butler's Eng. Transl.
It is,
however, an island in the Exeter Book (an Anthology of Anglo-Saxon Poetry
given to the Library of Exeter Cathedral by Leofric, first Bishop of Exeter,
1050-1071): see Exeter Book, edited by Israel Gollancz for the Early English
Text Society,1895, poem
the " Phoenix,"pp. 200 ff.: " The Earthly Paradise
on
in
is
it is all plain
eastern
is an island.
There the door of
parts
^

...

Heaven's

Realm

...

is oft-times

It is green and flowery. There is no

rain there, nor
frost nor
fire. It is neither too hot nor too cold.
The
snow
nor
plain (which is quite smooth) is higher than any mountain
by 12 fathom
It escaped the flood.
It shall abide perenniallyblooming till
measures.
the Day of Judgment.
Water
falls not there, but rises from
the turf in the
midst
of the forest each month
of the year, and irrigates
the grove [we are

opened.

...

...

reminded

of Dante's
Lethe
and Eunoe]. The
beautiful grove is inhabited
by
"
the Phoenix
which the Poet then goes on to describe.
It ought to be mentioned
"the
that Claudian
i. 1. Phoenix) makes
{Idyll,
Earthly Paradise " an island :
"

"

Oceani
Trans

summo

lucus

circumfluus

Indos Eurumque

aequore
viret.
.

had any acquaintance

thinks it doubtful whether
Dante
"
da Imola, in his
Benvenuto
Dante
Diet.
art.
Claudianus
(see
").
Commentary on the Divina Commedia, quotes Claudian several times, describing
Mr. Toynbee'sliidex of Authors
as
him, erroneously,
quoted by
a Florentine
; see
Benv. da Imola
in his Commentary on the D. C. (Annual Report of the Dante
Mr.

Toynbee, however,

with

Claudian

Society,Cambridge,Mass., 1901).
*

Orosius,Eiit. adv. paganos, i. 2, "" 87-89 ; vi. 22, "

Studies in Damie, first series,pp. 279 ff.

of. Moore's

1 ; vii. 1 ; vii. 3, 4 ; and

v

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

106
.

hemisphere, simultaneouslyproduced the

of the northern
hemisphere. Lucifer fell on
olKovfievr]
southern
hemisphere (Inf.xxxiv.),and the shock of his

the

one

southern

the
fall

existed there, and caused

submerged the land which originally
hemisphere
of land in the northern
an
equivalent amount
of Purgatory,the only
to bulge up above the sea ; the Mount
in the southern
land
hemisphere, having been formed
now

extruded, as Lucifer, with

the material

by

bored

down

passage

Earth.

of the

to the centre

fall,

the force of his

Thus

does

give verisimilitude to his mythology of the abhorred

that boreth through the world"
(Inf. xxxiv. 108), by
worm
making it explain a physicalfact,or what the science of his
of
time, by means
day accepted as a fact ; and, at the same
so
the explanation,he brings the fact
important for the
clear coninto
nection
and
Church
doctrine
of one
one
Empire
with a vast system of belief alreadyaccepted. When
the rebel angels about a tenth part of the originalnumber
"

Dante

"

"

"

created
was
race
Heaven, the human
to make
good .the loss.^ The descent of the Prince of these
rebel angels produced,at one
blow, Hell, and Purgatory,and

created

lost to

were

"

the One

is the condition

which

Continent

civil unity of the human

and

"Science"
consistent

recommends

the ecclesiastical

All

race.

Myth,

of

and

hangs togetherclearly.
Myth "Science," in one

whole.

Again, in Furg. xxviii.,the distribution of plants in

is explained
centre of creation,
hemisphere,from a common
dise
the existence of an Earthly Parasuch a way as to make
the
only hypothesis consistent with "science."
appear

our

in

wind

The
of

the

from

which

Dante

the trees
among
is caused, he is told, by the rotation,

notices with

Earthly Paradise

east

to west, of the

primum

wonder

mobile,or crystalline
sphere

Conmvio, ii. 6 : " Dioo che di tutti questi Ordini si perderono alquanti
della decima
tosto oiie furono creati,forse in numero
parte ; alia qualerestaurare
So also Spenser {An Hymn
fu r umana
natura poi oreata.
of Heavenly Love) :
I

See

"

But

that eternal Fount

of Love

and

Grace,

Still showing forth his goodness unto aU,

Now
seeing left a waste and empty place
In his wide

Palace, through those Angels' Fall,

and to enstall
Cast to supply the same,
unknowen
Colonic therein,
A new
Whose

In

this

Paradise

Boot

from

Earth's base Ground-work

worked
the whole drama
Hymn
Regained is indicated in outline.

out

by

Milton

should

begin!

in Paradise

Lost

and

THE
the

PHAEDO

MYTH

107

ninth

sphere counted from that of

rotation of the primum
mobile carries round
air or aether
in which
the Earthly Paradiie
"

this aether

is

the

The

moon.

with

it the pure
is hathed ; and

the seeds of the trees of the

impregnatedwith

Earthly Paradise,and carries them round to our hemisphere,

where they germinate accordingas they find soils and climates
suitable to their various virtues.
Here
have a "Myth,"
we
in which
in the true
blended
Eaith, Fancy, and Science
are
Platonic

manner.

The

close

"

Earth

parallelbetween Plato's
Dante's
Earthly Paradise

and

I trust,by what
Surface

I have
"

of the Earth

connected

with

from

the

our

which,

we

domain

of "science"

of Dante's

elements

crass

men

sufficient altitude, aether

beneath

aether, air will be

the

inhabitants

of

and
vigorously,
in

the

been

mists

found

beside

souls of the virtuous

may
in

existence

elsewhere.

There

the

loftyterrestrial

Paradise

the

"

Islands

ireplyrjv

of the

of the

of
ovpav6";

the

virtuous, who
return, after
order
'

answer

.to

of

can

not

thousand

journey thence

our

With

its

aether

"

the

into

up

region

the

definitelyto
the

as

"

"

Er,

to believe that

live

longer,more
poor frogs,do, down
A placehas
hollow.

the
by science,"where
enjoyment of the rewards

be

in the

no

from

an

blessed

more

even

doubt, I think, that

Myth answers
GorgiasMyth, to the

Fhaedo

Myth,^ and

of

is distinguished

"

"

of the

Blessed

Myth

we,

preparationfor

Phaedrus

have

altitudes

live in the

virtue,and

as

physically

Purgatory,bathed

"science"

with

found

as

of their

or

True

"

aethereal

good

It

"

regionsof
have
direct experience. Given
will take the place of air, and
This is
water.
as
scientifically

the waters

as

of

Dante

happily,than

more

or

"

the

Plato's

its altitude.

of fire

and

It is also in accordance

true.

e-vident,

inhabit.

belonged

for Plato

air^^efwhich

made

been

air,it rises

and

element

the

of the

this world,

Island

of water

remember,

must

and

placein

real

Surface

latter.

the

region which we
by
regionessentially

region occupied by

water

is

has

the

foundation,like that
in

said about

True

"

to

which

"

the

to,

"

heaven

souls

the

to

or

of

the

course,
yet completed their purgatorial

years'sojourn,to the
to the plain of Lethe,

"

meadow,"

and

Pkaedrui, 257 A ; and cf. 248 B-249 A, where roipavoO ns

with t4 iiri yrjsin 257 A.
to ri ireplyijv,as contrasted

drink

rinros

seems

in

the
to

river,and

of the

water

"Islands

The

Hesiod

Pindar

and

be

Ocean;
aerial,not

them

singularin making

is

Plato,in the Phaedo,

rounded
sur-

sense,

Western

the

out- in

by water, somewhere

ordinary

the

in

by
.pictured

doubtless

were

islands

as

terrestrialbodies.

in

again

born

Blessed"

the

of

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

108

charming, he not only gives

for believingin the existence of his
direct
scientific reasons
of
aethereal altitudes of the Earth's surface (the configuration
deep hollows of
the Earth in its envelopesof air and aether
naturally
its surface being compensated for by loftyheights
With

oceanic.

that

art

an

is

"

"

"

"

how
to
but he also knows
produces such blessed altitudes),
of
science,"
add the authorityof the poets to the reasons
by making his descriptionof these altitudes recall,not only
"

Olympus,*but

Homeric

the

by Hesiod and Pindar.

in Greek
originalconception,

described
The

of Islands

of the Blessed

somewhere
which

the

on

also

surface

certain

that of

was

elect

of

Islands

the

as

in Celtic ^

an

Elysium

mythology,
or

Paradise,
translated

been

have

heroes, who

as

by gods,in

Earth, inhabited

of the

Blessed

the

ception
flesh eternal felicity.This is the conthe
in Homer,* Hesiod, Pindar, and
which
meets
us
of
Harmodius
and
to
Aristogeiton. But in course
Hymn
modified
in the interest of
time this originalconceptionwas
morality and religion,
especiallythe religionof the Orphic

thither, enjoy in

cult,and

the

of the

the Islands

the abode

of the

sovls of

is acquiescedin in the

Blessed

the virtuous

where
Gorgias,

suppose
to the
1

that

virtuous

Islands

Hesiod, 0.

of the

et D.

Tots

Zeis

167

souls which
Blessed

regardedas

generally.

This

view

indeed appears as
sojournfor the majorityof
Tartarus

Purgatory or placeof temporary

the souls which
go thither after judgment

be

to

came

; but

go at once
remain
there

we

after

are

left to

judgment

thenceforth

for

:"

Si Six' ivBpilnriov
pioTov xaX ijBc'67ri"raas
KpovlSiisKwrivaisae irar^p is ireipara70(1)5.

Kal Toi ftiv valovaiv

6vn6v ^ovrej
i.K'^Sca
liUKipuv v-fjaouTi
Tap' '(ixeaviv fiaBuSb/riv,
Toiaiv
8X/3ioiijpuies,
fie\ir]Sia
Kapvbv
rpU Ireos BiXKovra
^ipu ^eiSmposApovpa.
iy

See Thiemann, die Platonische EschoMogie in ihrer genetiscJien

Entwiekelwiq
(1892), p. 20.
'
See Myer and Nutt's Voyage of Bran, i. 329.
* See
Rohde, Pri/che,i. 69.

THE

no

It is

certainlyimportant

the souls

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

the

that

note

to

go in the three Platonic Myths

Islands of the Blessed," True Surface of the

of the virtuous

variouslycalled

"

"

"

"

Heaven
ovpav6"s,

Earth," and

"

is, for

"

some

least,a temporary abode,a stage in their

at

just as Tartarus
incorrigible.
"

the Blessed
Phaedo
that

"

even

allow

are

not

all

the

of the True
say ; but
from
our

of these

souls

purgatorial
course,
except the

Platonic

"

utterly

Islands

Surface -of the Earth

we

are

allowed

of
"

to suppose

in another
olicovfievq,
Perhaps Plato, in writing the Fhaedo
for them.
We
imagine a definite locality
for this possibility,
but, in doing so, we

far away

did not
to

world

the

does

Myth
they are

for

Purgatory

Altitudes

world.

bound

are

or

the

part of

Myth,

is

part of

In what

The

place to which

evidence
which
be
scruple to consider some
may
thought to .pointto the conclusion that he did localise them
where Dante's Mount
of Purgatory
and that, in the antipodes,
stands.
The Axiochus, a pseudo-Platonic
identifies
Dialogue,^
the antipodalhemiwith
the world of the departeddefinitely
sphere.
of the Axiochus
The
author
probably thought that
in accordance
the identification was
with
the geography and
cosmography of Plato ; at any rate, those who accepted the
have
We
pieceas written by Plato must
thought so.
may
safelygo the length of saying that the identification would
not be impossiblefor Plato,so far as his view of the position
and
He
holds, with the
shape of the Earth is concerned.
the
writer of
Axiochus, that the Earth is a spherein the centre
need

not

"

of the

Cosmos.

(371

: Tr}v
ff.)

Tov
fiicra
fih"erepov

'

in

passage

VTToyetov

the Axiochus

is

as

foUows

iv rj ^aclXeia TlXovTOivo';,
oUrjO-iv,

'^'o? avXTji;,
rd,
are
rrji;fiev yfj^ iypvarj';
Be ttoXow
6vto"; "r^aipo"Lhov";'
ov
to
/cocriJiov, tov

V'^''''" '''V^ ''""^

o^X

and

The

deal e\aj(pvovpdvtoi,
Be
rjpLia^aipiov
to

ol

eTepov

See Thiemann, Plat. Eschat. p. 26, and Rohde, Psyche,i. 314

; ii. 247, n. 1,
Rohde
hardly be earlier than the third century B.C.
says that it can

422.

It is

\6yos containingexpressionswhich
irapafi,v6riTi.Kbs
of Orphic teachingand
practice. Axiochus

fluence
point to the direct inis described (371 d) as

and therefore {rvyY^viis

yevv-^ristCiv ffeuiv i.e. as /le/ivri/i^vos,
dcQv
/card t^jk
tuv
which
wolriaiv by adoption, with
iiir)aiswas
For
identified.
commonly
yevoiuTrisin Philebus, 30 D (a passage on which, I think, Plut. de gen. Soe. 22
where iiovdsis said to be priorto voSs
throws
light),
yew^ris, I think,ought
"

"

"

"

to be read

Ehein.

; but

Mus.

"

coCs, by

R. G. Bury's note
ad loc.
see
Apelt (zu Platans
vol. 55, 1. p. IS; 1900) suggests that yevoiarrismeans
punning derivation !

Philebus

in

"parent

of

THE

virevepOevi.e.the

PHAEBO

Palace

"

"

MYTH

of

111

in

Pluto,"

addition

to its subterranean,

properly "infernal"
parts, includes the whole
antipodal hemisphere of the Earth, with its sky lighted by
the sun, when
it is night in our
hemisphere, rola-i Xdfiirei
ivddhe vvktu
aekiov
rav
Karco
(Pindar,/ra^'Wi.
jM"v fieva
129),
aii
8e
7ralBa";ev "^pcoecra-i
AriToyeve";,
(fivKdaaot'i,
evcre^eav
alel "x"pov iirep'xpiievo'i
(Kaibel, ep. lap. 228 b 7, 8).^ To
this
under
the
world
dead
are
go to be judged. Some
sent into the subterranean parts, while others enjoy the light
of day, in a land
of flowers and
streams, apparentlystill in
the hemisphere of ol virevepOev
of the antipodalgods,
Oeoi
call them.
as we
it is distinctly
Among these blessed ones
may
or

"

"

"

"

"

stated
Tot?

the

we

Plato's

say

this

with

judgment-seat in
"

and
Heaven
iugs of
the region across
which
of light; and so (as I
"

river of Lethe.^
of the
be

"

in

again

suggest,up

the

from

D.

is

"

of

Earth

the

Axiochus.

But

two

points:

First,

mention
of

the

"

Er, between

Tartarus, is above
the

towards

pilgrimstravel
in

all

Greek

the

souls

plain of Lethe, on the

shoot up
(dvco,Hep. 621
bodies

"

that

is,

lower, antipodalhemisphere
or

the

of

cave

Earth,

pillar

accounts) is

the

Secondly, the hollow

right through the globe of

as

to

surface

b)

to
to

sphere.
hemi-

our

extends

have

we

the

venture

Tartarus

Bi' oXrj^ rijs7^? (Phaedo,

Bia/ji'Trepei
reTpTjfiivov
has

in

the openground, and so is

terrestrial

the

evTavOa

"

nothing
positionof the

and

Myth

believe

the

precedence

there

world
to

It is from

Earth, that

born

under

I venture

more

take

371
irpoeSpia,

Tt?

safely say
of the
shape

may
doctrine

inconsistent

"

that

we

Platonic

initiated

"

/iefiVTjfievoi"! icrri

Now,

can

that

111

seen

e)
"

"

i.e.

opening in the lower hemisphere as well as in this.

Without
going the length of supposing that Plato's unseen
world is mapped out with the definiteness of Dante's, we
may
his
take it that
with
of
Plato,
visualisation,
poet'sfaculty
clear mental
must
have formed
a
pictureof the opening of
Tartarus in the
lower
or
antipodalhemisphere,and of the
one
comes
on
issuingfrom it. The anticountry into which
an

"

"

^
^

Quoted by Rohde, Psyche,ii. 210, n. 1.

I shall
Thiemann, Plat. Esch. p. 18.

See

observations
Dante

on

follows

the
the

surface of the Earth.

Myth

of Er.

universal

Greek

VirgU's Lethe
tradition

in

return

to

this

is of uncertain

making

Lethe

subject in
position;
a

river

my
but

of the

112

MYTHS

THE

podal opening was

vain.

Those

not,

imaginedby

assume,

Plato

in

which, after being judged (whether above

souls

but probably
appear in the Fhaedo
to the Islands of the Blessed,but down

ground does
underground),go, not
or

may

we

PLATO

OF

under

not

"

(which is certainly
subterranean),have entered the infernal regions,we
may
fairlysuppose, by the opening in our hemisphere, and will
the antipodal
come
out, after their penance, by the other
opening,and will start thence on their journey always above
Plato actuallythought
That
ground to the river of Lethe.
of the souls as going into Tartarus, and coming out of it,by
know
distinct openings,we
from the Myth of Er.
But while
the entrance
and
exit are
placed in the Phaedo
antipodally
takes careful account
of cosmographical and
Myth, which
geologicalconditions, in the Myth of Er the pvirpose of
pictorial
composition is served by placingthem side by side,
Meadow,"
oppositethe entrance and exit of Heaven
; the
the place of judgment and
at once
the starting-place
for the
Tartarus
and
Heaven."
It
plain of Lethe, lying between
be easy to give examples,from
would
Greek
of
vase-painting,
similar compressionin pictorial
composition. I call attention
the Phaedo
to this discrepancybetween
Myth and the Myth
the river

to the

Acheron

Acherusian

Lake

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

of

Er,

to

show

one

topographicalscheme
rigidas the one scheme

Myths,
in

as

the

however,
shall

absurd

Divina

is

that,

I say
far
so
"

the

in

how

Commedia.
in

probably

?
"

it is not

other

somewhere, but

to

to which

What

Myth,
thinking of

to

is

venture

to

is

so

the

ful
faith-

suggest,

possibly

the world

or

"

of the

subterranean,or celestial,
as
of

struct
con-

Eschatological

Dante

Plato

dream, in which

for

attempt

for Plato's

hemisphere

in

as

be

the Phaedo
"

as

it would

terrestrial

parted,
de-

where
some-

globe,

inconsistencies

"

are

"True
Surface of the Earth,"
accepted as natural;
in the antipodalhemisphere,beneath
though somewhere
us,
is yet a region above us, whence
have
found their way
gems
down

to

our

I have

hollow
dwelt

on

the

the

parallelbetween

the

geography of

the

Myth and that of the Divina

Commedia
with
the
of
not
view,
clearingup particulardifficultiesin mythological
geography,but of suggestinga method
by which the function
of Myth in the Platonic
philosophymay be better understood
Phaedo

THE

"

the

method

Myth

of

great

master

one

PEAEDO

MYTH

113

of

sealingthe impressionmade on us by the

by study of the Myth of another
great master
with
whom
we
happe* to be in closer
may
The
service which
Myth, and poeticaltreatment

sympathy.
render
can
to the faith on which
generally,
conduct and science
ultimatelyrest is,I think, more
easilyand finelyappreciated
by us in Dante than in Plato ; for we live,though in late days,
in the same
Christian epoch with the medieval
poet.

Ill
Let

close these

me

observations

Socrates
callingattention to what
narrative
(114 d), that, while it

in

the

that all about

the

at

says
would

"

maintain

the Fhaedo

on

Soul and

the

end

be

not

the next

Myth

by

of

the

sensible

world

to'

contained

is

Myth

absolutelytrue, yet, since the Soul is plainly

immortal, one
ought to hazard the pious belief that, if not
other
like it,is not
far
absolutelytrue, this Myth, or some
from being true, and
an
sing it over oneself as if it were
"

"

enchanter's
B'xeiv,

(B?

fievTot,
Kol

song

to

/lev

ovv

ecrrlv rj

ravT

KoX

Bua-'^vpl.a-acrOai
ovrco^

ravra

roiavr

irpeireiv

fiot BoKei

ical

e^^ovn

avSpC'on

Treplrai; "\]rv'x^a';
"^fiaiv

arra

aOdvarov
0t/cjyff6t?, iireoirep

Ta"i

TovTO

"

BieXip^vda,oil irpiireo
vovv

67a)

r)

76

oficra,
^ ''|''i'%^
cf"aiveTai,

d^iov KivBvvevcrai olo/jbivo)

ey(^eiv KaXoii yap o kIvSvvo";'xal ')(prjra Toiavra

wcnrep
iiraBeiv eavrS, Sto Sy eycoye Koi irakai
rbv
fivdov.
p/t)Ki)V(c
The distinction between
and
is
i
nsisted
Dogma
Myth
carefully
ouTWS

on

here, and

of moral

value of Myth as an expression

practical
feeling. Myth, it is suggested
religious
^may_be_
^t
will
rpup.t favpnrablyon
tbp. fpf^Hng
form. tiba"-.

also the

and

_"iit_mtosuch
expressed, and
reaction

the
as

man

is

of
"

make

it

expressionon
is

matter

apparent from

surer

that which

about
his

guide

which

whole

to

what

is_-g.Qfld.

it expresses
Plato

scheme

had
of

"

of

reflected

The

styleon
deeply,

education, mental,

of
physical,in the Bepublic. If, then, the sense
of being a continuously
and the attendant
sense
responsibility,
existent Self,naturallyexpress
themselves, as Plato holds, Bia
in visions of an
immortal
it follows
life,
fivdoXoyla";,
pictorially,
from the general law of the reaction of expression
on
feeling,
shall be able to
and ennobling fivdoXoyia,
we
that, by refining

moral,

and

MYTHS

THE

lU

refine

and

which

fivOo'i

young

children,

models

the

like

of

in

pictorial
and

fresco
of

fiiyedoi

together

In

PAaec^oMytE

responsibility

is
other

among

TO,

pictured

be
of

the

is

'

true,"

Buskin's

iverroes

"

et

so

one

Mornings
I'Averrolsme,

Self

Penance,

taken

eTraSeiv

mairep

Toiavra

not

be

deeply
is

able

in
pp.

in

pictured

"

Florence,
245,

in

answer

chap,
246.

its

place

proper

attaches

moral

terms

of

by
iv., "The

"

Ke-incarnation
dwelt

charm

of

Vaulted

as

if

'

{")(^pr]

on

it

touches

"

uninitiated

acting

the

Pre-existence,

be

to

the

the

bility
responsi-

representing

but

till

continuously

the
"

Choice,

as

Myth

Free

when

that,
to

literally,
eavrm),

terms,

explained,

be

cannot

responsible

to

not

deeply

it

Judgment,

Myth

one

if

Myths.
moral

responsibility

phenomena

the

responsibility

into

moral

all

of

subject

But

Eeminiscence,
a

for

his
taken

scientific

put

in

poetry

"

Moral

in

being

by

and

has

his^ece.

explained

be

the

Self.

continuity

of

motif

As

all

in

in

highest

his

at

whole,

together

philosophy

are

on

noble

most

Italy."

in

poet -philosopher

explained

to

may

"

the

so

fresco

"

blended

as

poetry,

the

the

"

are

seen

"

is

phenomena;

immediately
existing

Plato

"the

knows,

phenomenon

Td^i"i

koI

where

as

he

cannot,

is

great

like

divinity

composition

philosophy

blended
the

and

of

use

Chapel

as

conversations

"

"

of

readers

own

painting,

great

Spanish

the

pictorial
the

its

of

or

the

to

use

mature

to

"

"

education

the

their

is

philosophy

"

beauty

This

things.

of

offered

mould

may

in

only

not

dialogues

they

wall

philosophy
that

but

Plato,

Gommedia,

left-hand

piece

by

highest

Dante's

the

put

which

on

about

is

the

is

This

faith.

and

morals

ennoble

PLATO

OF

"

say
it

Book";

it

true.

were

of.

Benan,

THE

GOBGIAS

MYTH

Context

GoRGiAS,

the

disciple Polus,
Athenian

What
Polus

Truth

to

igrwres

the

wish
"

the

on

Knowledge

true

an

ence
differand

the

It

well

as

think

they

best

Good

after the

To

seek

it is better

to

sufferevil

than

better

him

evil, it

is

for

is

tinction
dis-

"

itselftestifies for
"

and

Good,

bad

what

for themselves, do

to do.

Good

the

nature

the

It

of Flattery.

and

human

wishes

believe, without

to

Art

the

Art

the

Art

the

nor

answers

of Justice,

wish

is

good, wish

as

Socrates

and

Pleasure

between

Gorgias

Professor of

themselves

Justice.

or

Neither
;

the

realityof which

bad

what

done

young

of Callicles,

Simulation

what

they

distinction

to the

all men,

of

his

turns

asks.

the

as

believe

to

believe, and

regard

doing

Socrates

by describing it

to

Way

intelligibleansvjer

an

of getting people
them

Rhetoric

give

them

for

house

conversation

the

and

of Life.
is

can

and

the

at

the

and

Rhetoric

Conduct

true

meet

Rhetoric,

of

Socrates

gentleman

ietween

teacher

famous

they

of the

very

essence

and

if

to

do

evil ;

to

be

chastised

in

men,

do

not

of Life
has

man

than

to

escape

chastisement.
Here

Oallicles,speaking

this

distinction

Good.

that

mv"h

there

Rhetoric

holding
Good

as

up

its

kinds

in

the

before them

view,

Bay

will

there

Pretence

will

avail.

only

issue will
With

the

not
be

Myth

Is

There

this

of

be

the

the

points

out

that

which

that

"

uses

them,

deceives

which,

keeping

the

better.

Myth

the

which

of Judgment,

declares,

and

them

makes

Socrates

Socrates

flatterspeople,and

and

and

Right.

silenced, and

is

the

up

recognise

not

Pleasure

of Statesmanship

instrument,

Pleasure

always
At

two

are

is

takes

does

between

Might

Callicles

talk

world,

the

Statesmanship

Good.

is the

of

man

Socrates

by

drawn

Pleasure

After

that

maintains

and

argument,

as

place for

mo

will

be

no

the

side

told

now

of Flattery.

Art
issues

then.

man

righteous or

is he

wicked

Bay

of Judgment

the

Gorgias

115

by
The

?
ends.

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

116

Gorgias 523a-527c
"A.Kove Sj?,"\)aaL,
fidXa

e23

fivOov,m?

olfMh iyo) Be \6yov

67a)

Xefft)a

(701

eVt

aXv^V

a"";

ijyjfo-et
o"'^"

7"P

eTreihav TeXevTijary,e?

^Lov

tov

deoi";,t"v

ev

eanv

en

vvv

ZiKaCw;

fiev

fi-ev

oSe ireplavOpmiriov
v6fio"!

otiv

Kol

ael

Kol

Kpovov,

tov
avOpayirasv

ap^VV

irapeXa^ov. ^v

"jraTpoi

ffv

Xiyeiv. "ilaTrepyhp "O/M7/30?Xeyei,

Zeixi ical 6 UXovTmy, eireihi]
irapa
o

fieXKa

hieveifiavro
rrjv
Tov

\6yov, ov

koKov

Kol

hieXdovTa

oiKelv

diriovTa

vrj"ov^
Cixaicdpaiv

offtws,
ev

dOeax}
Be dSt"o)9 Koi
evSaifioviae'/tro? KaK"v, tov
"n-dajj
b Bi)japTapov
koX Blicrj'i
eh TO
re
Bea-fiCDT^piov,
T7j"; TLaetof
^

livai.

KoXovcnv,

Ato9

TOV

e/ceLvrj

Tfi rjpApa BiKa^ovTe^,y

ai

XriToi

6
eieplvovTO.

BUat,
01

ex

fiuKapcov

Zevi, 'Aw'
at

KaKW

yap

o'i,

KoXa

Kol

yevrj

koX

ol

Ata,

tov

ovv

eiirev

fiev

vvv

ycyvofievov.

Kai, hreiBav

ttXovtov^,

o5i/,r)

rj

rj,

KpicTK

fidpTvpe^p,apTvp'q"TOVTe"i, cbs Bixaitof

BiKaaTal

ovv

inro

re

tovtchv

eKirXriTTOVTai,,

BiKd^ovai,irpo Tfj";"'/'"f^^?
dfiire'xpfievoi,
Kai "Ta xal oXov
to
o"j"6aX/iov";
aSifia irpoKeKaB^

Xv/i/ievoi,.TavTa
avT"v

/JLev yap

TOVToov

etrrt

Trpotaaau

OTTiBS
Upo/MTidel

dirdvTidv

irdvTa

aurots

xal
dfi^Leo'/iaTa

oZv, e^fj,TravaTeov

"

eTri/jie-

dfia Ka\ avTol

T?}? avTtov

vvv

ol

Bixd^ovTai. dp/rre'x^ofievot.
ydp, 6^17,ol

avTol"; ttoXXoI

^e^mKaaiv.
Kai

BUai

KaK"9

tt/jo?

dvd^ioi,

tovto

^mvTOJV,

etal acofiaTdre
i/ru^a?irovqpd^e-ypvTe's '^/j,(f)ieer/j,evoi

ep^ovTai

TO,

lovTei eXeyov

vrjawv

kuI

UXovtcov

o5v

ert

Kai

rjaav

KpivovTai'^"VTe";yhp KpivovTai,ttoWoi

Kpivo/jLevot

B'

re

iravam
ecjii],

67(",

Kpovov

TeXevTav.

p,eWoiev

dvOpcoTTOi
t7"j"tv
eKaTepaere
"poi,T(pev

C oTi

iirl

dp'^r}v
e')(pvTO"; ^"vTe^

vetBo-Tt

ovv

TTjv

BiKacrTal

Be

tovtcdv

av

to,

tS"v

eirl'irpoadev
yvyveTai,

tovto

fjiev oZv

-rravcrT) avT"v.

irp"Tovfiev

Kpivofievmv.

irpoeiSoTa^avTov"i
xal

eireiTa

TedveS)Ta"i yhp Set

Kai

tov

ddvaTov

t"
Bij eipr)Tat

yvp,voii"i
KpiTeov

KpLveadai.koX

tov

MYTHS

THE

118

elvai, redvetoTU, air's T17

Set yvfivov

KpiTrjv

PLATO

OF

"^v^V

dirodav6vT0"s
"^V'xrjv ffewpovvra i^aitjjvt}^
trdvTtav

t"v

ixeivov

TOP

efiavTov,
824

Se

eva

iic rrji;'Affta?, Miveo

/lev

iie

rrj'i

6S(o,

Tft"
"f)ipeTOv
-./"^ rdprapov. Kol

tow?

iyo"

iravTa

/lev

Tfj rpioBq),i^
B'

v^aoviiir)
/laKtipcov

eh

fjLev

7)

vieii;

o?iv, iireiSav

ovroi,

Xei/i"vi, iv

reS

iv

o?)v

fiev

'FaBdfiavdvv,

Koi

re

EupwTTi;?, AlaKov.

reXevrija-axn,SiKaa-ovaiv
17?

eprjfiop

t^? 7^?

Kpi"n"srj.

rj

ttjv

rj vfieli iirovqaap/qv Bixaara^

wpore/sos

Zvo

kKOUTTOv,

eVt

KaToXiirovra

ZiKala

'iva

Koa-fiov,

iyvmKoav

TaOra

koX

"rvyyeva)v

avTrjv

et?

rfji 'Ao-ta? '^aBdfiavOvi Kptvel,

ex

Mt'i/m Be irpea^ela Bcoaio

EupcoTri;?AlaKOi'
Xva ""; BiKaiordT'q
iav
eiriBiaKplveiv,
dvoprjrov ti to) eripo),
f) Kpiatf 7} irepXt^? wopeCa"sTotf
dvOpdnroi,^.

Be

Tovi

rrji

eK

TauT
B

"

eanv,

oKTjdri elvaf

koI

ex

avfi^aiveiv. 'O
rj Bvoiv

aXKo

cra"fiaTO"},

KaWi/cXet?,

"Trpay/idroivBidXvaK,

dtr

avTOv

rj

veKpof
TaXKa
Kau

iv

Karewyora

re

reQveSsTO'i

fiob

rj

BoKei

yvfivaOr) tov
Bia

acofiaTi

TTjV

TeOve"TO^
ei

TOVT

to,

inro

to

ttoXXo,

Kal

evBriXa irdvTa
ra

"f"v"rei,
rj

atroOdvp

Kop/rjrr}';

tovtov

tvvrj elve

r"v

rj aXKtov
ISeiv

ecrTcv

amfia

diro6av6vTo"i, Kal

fiaaTiyoov

^aiv, evBrjXa

apa

tTm/iaTO'^,

rj

rr/v

iradij/uiTa,

cra/ia

Kal

^v

rt?

e^iv

rrjv

Tavra

Tjv fiiXr)rj BteaTpafifjiiva

fcoi/TO?,
evBr)Xa. evl Be Xoycp, olo"; elvai

tov

a-afia
rj

to

dv

awfw,

iireiBav

Kal

el'

av

ravTa

to

vavTa

KaXXt.KXei"!'

Tm

ravTa

TrapeaKevacTTO
(TavTC}

Tjv

fieya

rov

apa

ep^et

Kal
vrap^u?, Trap^v?
aZ
iirerijBeveKOfiav,

el

^aiv, Kal

TpavfiaTCOv

Kal

tivo"!

fia"TT(,yLa";

irXr)yS}V ovXa"i

el

Kal

veKpo"i,

e^ov.

ei

dfju^orepa ^SivTO'i,tovtov
Kal

avrolv

to
re
dv6puyiT0";,
Oepairevfiara Kal ra

to,

olov

ovToa";.

SiaXvdrjrov

e^rj o

ore

Koi

fieya'i'

Kol
rrj'i'yfrv'xfj'i

Tjttov ixdrepov

xal

rjvirep

Xoyl^Ofiai

ri

eiiol Bofcei, ovBev

cos

Be

iireiBav

oKKriKoiv.

(pvaiv rrjv avrov

evBrjXa iravra.

rpo^

rvyxdvei "v,

Odvaro';

dXXijXoiv, oil TToXii

Tr)v

\o7"i)i'TOiovBe

t"v

Tovrav

iyot dK7)icoa"i iriaTevo)

re

eirirriBevaiv eKoa-rov

eiri

Tiva

irepl

Trjv

ia-nv

iv

-nj?

Kal

Tavra

TeXevTi^Tainov

'^ovov

Bt]

'^vyrjv elvai, "

ttj

eireiBav
"\jrv)(rj,

Kal
^iJo-eo)?

to,

iraQrujbaTa

"TrpdyfiaTO'}
e"ryev

iv

rrj

THE

GORGIAS

MYTH

119

The Judge also must

be naked, dead, withjrery
judged dead.
Soul beholdingthe very Soul of each,as
sqgn afe he is dead,
bereft of all his

adornment

he

kindred, having left

had

there.

So shall

the

upon

earth

all the

the

judgment be just. I
therefore,having considered all these things before that ye
unto
have
made
came
me,
sons
Judges two from Asia,
my
Minos
and
from
Ehadamanthys, and one
Europe, Aeacus.
These, when
they are dead, shall sit in judgment in the
Meadow
at the Parting of the Ways, whence
the two Ways
"

lead

the

"

And

Tartarus.

the Isles of the Blessed,and

unto

one

of Asia

those

shall

the other unto

Ehadamanthys

of

those

judge,and
appoint t^e

But unto Minos

will I
Europe, Aeacus.
chief place,
that he may givejudgment at the last,if the other
be in doubt
Thus
shall the
two
as
touching any matter.
judgments concerningthe Passage of Men be most just.
These
I have
the things,0 Callicles,
heard ;
which
are
and I believe that they are
therefrom
I contrue ; moreover,
clude
this,to wit : IDeath is only the separationof two things.
and
Soul
When
Body, from each other.
they have been
is well
separatedfrom each other, the state of each of them
it was
while the man
lived. The Body keepeth
nigh the same
the natural
fashion it had, and
the marks
plain of all the
that was
taken for it and
of all that happened unto it.
care
For if any man
while he lived was
great of body, by nature,
"

or

nurture,
if

and

also, if

hair;

he

man

wore

if any

man

body

the

scars

of other

prints of
woimds

his
"

see

great when

is fat when

long hair, his corpse

a
was
whipped cur,
made
beatings scars
while

he

and

by

same

he

; and

is dead

he

is

dead;

hath

long

if any
he

lived,when

bore
the

on

man

his

whip, or

is dead

he

lived,when

he

also

"

his corpse with the

and disjoint
broken
while

mayest
limbs

also is

corpse

fat,his corpse also

was

any

and

both, his

or

had

is dead

thou
his
also

soever
of the whole
matter
is,that whatplain. The sum
hath
conditions of Body a man
while he Bveth, these
while.
are
plain when he is dead, all or most, for some
that which
Now, O Callicles,
happeneth unto the Body,
happeneth,methinks, unto the Soul likewise,to wit, there are
plain in the Soul, after she hath been strippedof the Body, her
in
conditions and those affections which, through use
natural
the

any

same

is

matter,

man

hath

gotten

in his

Soul,

yltVYJ)6
E

rfj'j'Atrta?

Ik

fiev

a"j)l,K(OVTai
irapa

oZv

avSpcoTTOv.'^veiSav

ol
ScKatrrijv,

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

120

etcdtrrov

dedrai
'PaSd/MvOvi iKeivovi i-n-ia-rrja-a';

etSo)9

ovK

dWov

/Sao-tXew? eVtXaySo/i.ei'os
tj
Bwdarov

ovX"v

aStKia?, "

eKdartp

yfrvy^v,Kol

irdvra

oiSev

evOi)

Bid

ffKoKid

koX
i^ova-iaiKal Tpvi^rj'i
Kol
re
dcrvp,fi"Tpi,a"!

IScov Be

fieWei

i^at/iop^aTOet?

rrjv

kol
ilreuSou?koX dXa^ovei,a"i

v-jro

koX dKpana";
v^peeo";

Kai,

inro

irpd^ecav

t"v

iravTi

t?}? "f"povpa^,ol

ev6v
dTreTre/jLiJrev

TrpdarjKOvra irddrj.

dvarKfjvai rd

TlpoaijKeiBe

/cat

eiruopKiwv

yifwva-av ttjv yjrv^rjvelSev.

aia--)(p6r7iTO";

dTifJLa"";
ravrriv
eXOovaa

'^^JCI'^'oXXa

dXrjOeia'ireOpa^uai'

dvev

rb

/8ao-t\eo"? rj

viro

fiecnrjv

nrpd^i^ avrov

r)

rov

t^?

ov

"^Irv^vv,
/leydXov

ttjv

orovovv

vyiki

ovSev

KareiSev

Koi
Stafiefiaarnycofievrjv
525

iroXXdKii

ia-riv, dWa

oTov

'TaSdfiavOvv, 6

rov

irapa

top

iv

rm

dWov

vtt

ovti

Ttfitopia

fj
"^ ^eXriovi 'yiyvea'BaiKal ovLvaaOai
aXKoi
aWot?
yiyvecrOai, iv
"jrapaBeiy/juiTi
rot?
opwvTe"}
dv
a
^o^ovfievoi /SeXTt'ou?yiyvcovrai.
Trda-j(pvra
7rdcry(j)
opOStf Tifiwpovfieva)

6e5"v
koI
BIkijvBiBovrei vtto
re
axfieXovfievoi
Kal
ol
av
ido'ifia afiaprrj/jLara
re
dvOpmirwv ovroi,
Kal
oBvvwv
Bk
St'
yLyverai
dXyTjBovwv
dfidpTtoaiv o/MOf

elal Be

avTOL'i

re

ol /lev

ri

axpeXeui

rd

rovTcov

Bid

iv "AcBov

Kal

o'i B

ol

rd

roiavra

oiiBev, are

rovrovi;

opeovre?

Bid

ov

rd

dv

Kal

dviaroi

e"T')(aTa
yevcovrai,

avrol

ovtoi

dXXoi

ovret;,

olov

yap

dBiKT^fiaradviaroi

TrapaBeOy/jbaTa
yiyverai,

ovivavrai

ovKeri
rai

ev9dBe

dXXa)"! dBiKiat; dTraXXdrreffdai'

Kal
dBiKija'ioirt
eK

Kal

rd
rd"; dfiapria";

Be

fiev

ov'ivav-

fieyKrra

Kal

del
rov
oBwTjporara Kal (^o^epmrara irdOr) Trdaj^ovrat;
iv AiSov
eKei
y^povov, dre^i/w? irapaBeiyfiaradvTjprTjfievovf
iv
r"v
del
dBiKcov
rS
SeafjieoTTipia),
tow
d^iKvov/ievoi^
Kal
lav
Kal
vovderrffiara.
Oedfiara
eva
iyeo "fyr)fii
Ap'^eXaov
'

eaeaOai,
roiovro^
rov"i

ei

dXrjdi] Xeyei Tl"Xo";, koI

olfiai Be Kal
j],
rvpavvo";

rovrcov

Kal

Bvvaar"v

ovroi

yap

rS)v

rd
rr/v

r"v

troXecov

i^ovaiav

dv

o"rTt?

ttoWou?

rov?

eK
irapaBeiy/jidrofv
rvpdvvav

koI
Bia

dXXov

Kal

eivai

^aaiXemv

irpai^dvrav yeyov6ra";'

pAyiara

Be
dfiaprrjaaradfiaprdvovcri.
p,aprvpei
Bvvdara";
^a"nXea"s ydp Kal
eKeivoi

Kal

dvoaianara

Kal'

0/j,ripo";'
iv
TrerroiijKerov";

rovroii

THE

Wherefore,

GORGIAS

when

they
Ehadamanthys

of
presence
stand, and looketh
Soul

from

Asia

their

Soul

121

are

soundness, but

no

is seamed

the

them

to

knowing

hold
or

before

causeth

each, n9t

of

perchance having gotten

other
King, or of some
King

that it hath

come

Judge, he

it is ; but
Great

the

the

at

MYTH

of the

whose

Soul

of

Euler, pereeiveth

with

the

marks

of

and full of the scars

of perjuries
and unrighteousstripes,
ness,
according as the doings of each have stamped on his
Soul their signs; and all therein is crooked by reason
of falsehood
and
boasting,and nothing straight,because he hath
without
been bred
truth ; and
of pride and
by reason
up
and
luxury and wantonness
incontinencyin his life,his Soul
is altogether
and
deformed
This Soul then
the Judge
foul/^
dishonour
seeth, and having seen, sendefh with
straightway
the
whither
it
endure
the
and
unto
ments
tormust
prison,
go
appointed for it. Now, it is appointedfor every one
who
is punished, if he be punished righteously
by another,

many

either

to become

forth for

example

an

fear and

may

become

they pay unto

sins
are
they whose
pains there cometh
of

But

Hades

better.

they

Gods
may
unto

who

Now, they

have

to be set

who

the
profited

are

penalty of their sins,

be cured.
Through afflictions and
them
profitboth here and in the
and

Men

otherwise

; for

receive benefit,or

others,that they,seeinghis torments,

unto

while

House

himself

better and

sinned

the

can

to

the

no

man

rid

be

utmost, and

of

righteousness.
un-

by reason
examples

beyond cure, they are the

be benefited,
whereof
I spake ; for now
they cannot themselves
inasmuch
are
benefited,
as
they are beyond cure, but other men
of their sins suffering
when
torments
they see them by reason
being verilyexamples
exceedinggreat and terrible for evermore,
for a
of Hades, in the
prison-house,
hung up in the House
cometh.
unto
spectacleand admonition
every sinner which
forth
for
be
that
Of
these
set
examples I say that
will be, if Polus
Archelaus
speaketh truly; and any other
of their

that

Prince

and

by

great sins

Kings
reason

other

men.

they which

are

is like unto
and

Eulers

and

him.

Chief

Most, methinks,
Men
do

of the

tormented

in the

House

Princes

in their cities ; for

sin

more
they have,
power
is witness, in that
Homer
Whereof

are

were

of Hades

they,
heinouslythan
he

telleth that
for

evermore

E"At8ou

Tov

Kul

TtTVOv.

526

oi

aWo?

n";

810

olfiai,
i^rjvavrm'

'yap,

KaWi'/eXet?,

"

yap,

Kal

iccoXvei

p.r)v

iv

Kal

XaXeTTOv yap, " KaWUXeK,

dZiKelv
fieydXr/e^ova-iatov
oi

oXCyoi Se yCyvovTat
Xodi

olfiaihe Kal

yeyovaaiv,

rrjv

dpeTrjV,
rr)v

eh

Be

Kal

irdw

tS"v

eirel Kal

eXXoyifioi

6
"RXXtjvat,'Api"TTeiSTj"!
Avaip.d'xpv.oi
KaKol

apicTTe,

"Oirep
ToiovTov

ovd'

ovd'

oaTti;

KaTiBwv

^e^iasKvlav

TO,

Kal

Kal

Bixd^ei.

Be

Be

iroKKoi,,

otBev ovSev,

ovk

kov

Tit'

irovrjpoi

tovto

B'

fiev

e?

KlaKotMtyto?

oil

oXXtjv elcriBmv

oaLwt

iv
TroXvirpayp.ovriaavTot

t"J

Taina
vijcovtd-jretrep.-"^e.

fiaKapcov

eKdTepot Be
iirKTKOirav

pd^Bov

tovtcov

KdQriTai,fiovot
6

eyjiov
e')(a"v

IBelv
'Op,rjpov

depicrnvovTaveKvaviv.

(TKrjirTpov
exovTO,

odv, "

d"f"iKOfievoi

6"eto"e

""; "^r)aiv'OBvaaevt
a-KrJTTTpov,

\pv"TiOV

Eyo)

Be

aXXov"{

" KaXXt/cXet?, ^iXoao^ov

(fyrjfii,

eycoye

TTpd^avTOt Kal

avTov

'xpvaovv

Toiii

dXTjdeia";,
dvBpot IBiairov rj dXXov

p^T

Kal
yStm, rjydcrdrj
re

oti

evioTe
"Trday^ei,

fidXiaTa p,ev,

TavTa

vepl aiiTOv

fiev

mvnveov,

eiriTpe'sry

'TaSdfiavOv'; eKelvot

dviarot BoKjj elvai' 6 Be

re

"TrpoarjKOVTa

Tivot,

aXKo

Tit

eit Tdprapov eirio'ijfjLrjvd/j.evo';,

re
eav
dTreirefiyJrev

edv
ld(Tifio";
TO,

eXeyov, eireiBav

Xd^rj,

Tvva

aX-

Kat,

Bvvaa-T"v.

yiyvovTai t"v

ovv

iv

KoryadolTavTTjv
eli

Kal

yeyove

d^tov

evoaoe

koXoI

ecroVTai

yiyvo/jsvav

St/cottB? Sia^i"vai.

StAcatoj?Bia^eipL^eiv
av
a

tov

apaptoiroi'

eiraivov

iroXXov

yevofievov

Toiovrof

t"v

e/e

dyadoix; avSpat eyyl-

TOVTOi"s

a^iov ayacrOai
a-(f"6Spa
ye

yvea-dai,Kal

evoaifiove-

Kau

elffl Kal ol a^oBpa nrovripoX

Bvvafiivcov
yiyvo/JLevoi
ovSev

el

Tjv rj 0I9 e^jji'.dXXa

"Trepo"i

2,urv^ov

irovqpixi
r)v
fieydXai";Ti,/juopiat"!
"n-eiroirjKe
awexofievov
koX

Se,
"ep(ri,TT)v

dvioTov

koI

niMopovfievovi}, TdvraXov

aei vpovov

ovBeU
IStwTTi^,
"B?

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

122

KaXXiKXeit,

utto

"TreTreiaftai, koI

aKoirS), ottw?

vyiea'TdT7}v
ttjv

ovv
'^vj(r)v.^(alpeiv

t"v

tovtwv

aTTo^avovp-ai tw
idaat

Tat

Xoycov

KpiTrj w?
Tip"h";
Tat

THE

GOROIAS

MYTH

123

Kings and Eulers,to wit, Tantalus, and Sisyphus,and Tityus.

are

But

of
no

Thersites,or any other Commoner

poet hath told that he is held

which

was

an

doer,
evil-

^reattorments

in

as

being beyond cure : nay, methinks, such an one had not the
also he was
opportunity to sin greatly. Wherefore
happier
than
those who
had
0
Callicles,'tis
opportunity. Verily,
from

those

among

who

have

that

power

the

greatest sinners

arise ;
notwithstandingeven among these may good men
when
whom,
they are found, it is most meet to reverence,
for 'tis a hard
and worthy of all praise,
thing, 0 Callicles,
for a man,
who
hath great opportunityto do injustice,
to live
found ;
justlyall his days. Few such are found ; yet are some
come,

for both
will

and

here

arise

of

again,men

of whom

was

all Greece

throughout

there

of these

one

noble

but

in cities the

power
When

have

tell thee. Sir, of

most

part

alway

are

he

is

be

he

that

suffereth that

place,there

can

perchance the Judge

fBut
holiness

and

of

other

some

truth
; but

Callicles,who

busybody

in
and

In

like

; it may
in most

his life.
he

manner

which
seeth

his
Soul

it away

Aeacus

also

told,
else

nought

whose

but

son,

mark

only

no

him

upon

and

to

he, coming

to

is due.

Soul

Soul

of

hath

that

Common

likelihood,say I, of

That

sendeth

or

be, the

minded

hath

perceivingthis,sendeth

; and

cured

signifywhether

that

evil.

knoweth

Tartarus, having put

unto

away

of the wicked

one

them

therefore,standeth, as

evil men,

Ehadamanthys the Judge, he

he is nor
concerning him, neither who
him

and

virtue

before

this,that

arisen,and, methinks,

just conduct in
whereof
charge at any time is given unto them :
famous
Aristides,the son of Lysimachus, a man

those matters

have

elsewhere

own

pleaseththe
to the

And

"

or

no

manthys,
Ehada-

of

eye

BlessedJ
of these

each

judgment holding a rod in his hand.

seated as president over
them ; and he alone
his Odysseus telleth,that
sceptre, as Homer
with
a
giving
golden sceptre in his hand
sitteth in

Man

been

Islands of the

judgeth.

in

Philosopher,

and

matters

lived

Minos

But

is

hath

golden

he

saw

him

laws

unto

the

Dead."
I

am

told

are

Soul

most

persuaded,0

Callicles,that

things

these
I

shall

consider

how

faultless before the

Judge.

I will take

true.

Wherefore

my

that

show

^
are

my

farewell

THE

124

T"
E

avOpayircav,

TToW"v

rmv

ovTi

aTrodvrii7K(o, airo6vr]"TKeiv.

iirl

avriTrapaKoXco

Ati/jli avrl

iyd

ov

ovetSi^a
r)

""

aoi

Kal

hiKaaTrjv

TjTTOv
iirl

ivOdSe

iym

7}

fiv66";

Kal

ei

o'nrep cro"f)d"TaToiecrre
Kal

Vopyla's,

^rjv
ev

edv
TovTO

Kal
Tr)v

Kal

elvai
Ti"!

BevTepov

Kal

BiBovai
Kal

eavTov

irepl

'X^prjO'Teov,

TTpd^ei.

fieTa

em

ttoWou?,
to

dvSpl
Kal

yiyvrjTai,
to

BiKr)v
ttjv

to

elvat

to

KaKb";

ti

dyadov

KoXa^o/j,evov

irepl

dXXd

dryadov,
KaTd

earl

fidXXov

7ravT0"}

elvai
Kal

irepl

HcoXos

Kai

^lov

Tiva

(rvfi"f)epa"v,dXX'

dStKeiv

Kal

Bi^fioaia-

KoXaKeiav

Kal

Kal.

Trj
ttj

to

Kal

yLyveadat

to

aXXov";,

tou?

ov

icrri,

KoXa"TTeo";

irdaav

dei,

koI

BcKaiov,

fi

jjLaXXov

fieXeTijTeov
IBia

(pevKTeov

BtKaiov

re

dXKov

Bel

vfiel"!,

iXey^ofiivcov fj,6vo";oSto?

evXa^TjTeov

to?

dSiKeicrdai,

6Xiyov";
ovToa

X0709,

KOTa-

Kal

ovTei

crv

i^aiveTai

dXXcov

ovv

peKTim

Tpei"s

to?

xat,

KaTa"f)poveiv

avT"v

oti

eKetae

t"v

Xoyoi^

Be

Kal

Kal

ypao";,

'EiXXrjvcov,

vvv

ovBev

rt?

Tdy^a

BavfiaaTov

opa^,

dnroBel^ai,,

oairep

TocrovToi";

SoKeiv

t"v

e^ere

tovtov,

T]

TJpefiel
TO

ovk

Se

vvv

aWa

ejreiSdv

TvirTrjaei,

mairep

rjv

Kai

ekeyov,

TrpoTrrfKaKiei.

ei'^o/jLev

^rjTOvvTe?

Try

eivai,

tXtr/yidaei';

iaa)":

"re

av

tovtov,

Alyivi]"; vlov,
Kal

Xiyetrffai,

ovSev

d'kridea'Tepa evpelv

Kai

irdvTfO';

SoKei

croc

"l"pov6i";avT"v.
TOVTtov,

Kal

aTl/MO';

Kopprj^

TavTa

cri) ixet,

ae

j3or]6'rja'ai,
orav

Btj iym

t^?

tov

kui

or)

aycovcov

vvv

aXKov;

ay"va

tov

aavrw

dyrj, ^aafjuqcrei,

iiriXa^o/ievQi}

erov

ecrei,

rjv

KpLcn";

rj

tov

trapa

t'

eTreiSav

tov";

koI

ivdaoe

t"v

olo?

ov^

Kal

^lov

top

irdvToov

on,

"roi,

BiKr]

iXOmv
527

tovtov

Kal

Be

Zvvafiai,

ocrov

ireipaa-ofiai,

^fjv Kal,

Kal

a)V

"TrapaicaXai

KaS"

avdpayirov;,

Trai/ra?

crKoir"v

aXrjdeiav

rrjv

^eKTi(TTO";

Swcofiai

av

a)9

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

koX

irepl

prjTopiKy

oKXri

irdcrri

Observations

Here, again,as
which

continuityof
"It

is in
of

cause

that
'

the

Self

"

for

"

Consciousness

of

praise and

takes

he

of

conscious

first becomes

experience.

Eesponsibilityof being

of

which

Self

active

an

"

as
a

Self, is formally prior to consciousness

sensitive. Self

realised

the

as

life-stages.

its

series of

the

through

consciousness

actions

man

moral

the

Myth, it is Besyonsibilitv
picture a pictureportrayingthe

Phaedo

the

representsin

Plato

Myth

Gorgias

the

on

in

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

126

one

mirror

blame

the
"

in

constant

or
responsible,
of a passive,

in

which

sense-

Thus, the Gorgias

successivelyreflected.
impressions are
Myth gives a strictlynatural representationof the Idea of
it sets forth, in a vision of Judgment, Penance,
Soul, when
of the active,as
and
Purification,the continuityand sameness
distinguishedfrom the passive -of the responsibleor moral,
as
distinguishedfrom the sensitive Self. \ It is only in vision
that
and not scientifically,
the Idea of Soul, or
in Myth
held up
be represented,
to contemplation as
or
Subject,can
that
is,in the
an
Object at all ;jand it is best represented,
most
suitable,not only to our consciousness of responmanner
sibility,
is
and
if
it
but to our
fear,
hope
representedin a
"

"

"

vision of

Judgment and Penance and Purification,where the

departedare not the passive victims of vengeance, Tifitopia,
but

activelydevelop their

native

of correction,"o\afft?.^ In

under
the. discipline
powers
vision it is consciousness
a

such

done and fear (that fear mentioned

of wrong
by Cephalus in
^ which
the Bepublic)
conjureup the spectacleof punishment ;
but
the

hope,springingfrom the sense of personalendeavour

good,speaks comfortablyto the heart,and says,
"

after
If

only

^
What
call sin
we
I could believe a painful opening out
Of paths for ampler virtue.

Clouoh, Dipsychus.
0 felix culpa, quae talem au
Meruit habere Kedemptorem
Easter hymn

tantum
!

quoted by Leibniz, ThSodicSe, p. 507, ed. Erdmann.

'

"

380 E.

THE

will strive

man

life,and

very
good, for

so

we

Plato's
This

which

the

past which
home

bring
Kadapa-Ks Pardon
a
thought which
Pardon

is not

Science

describes.

It

received

under

ourselves

to

only chill,but

Toiavra

iiraSeiv

oxrvep

Besides

man

still be

Pardon

deeper meaning
in

in the realm

which

the end.

can

forth

by

the

comes

by

Myth

may

of

which

It is

Nature

"Paith"

of

way

of God."

that

of

Punishment.

of Nature

Grace

dispensationthan

this

his ultimate

undone."

set

of the

comes

in

which

the

be

cannot

which

ra

him

is thusinvolved

dispensationunder
can

be

passionsin

hi for

future

cannot

found

"

another

Science

evil

overcome

punishment regards the

may

Science.

127

he fears will

"

is

MYTH

lives,all will be well with

punishment

modified,not
for

to
steadfastly

in future

The

OOBGIAS

"

Faith

"

confirm.) Xpr]

eavra.

this

notable
containing
theory of Punishment
and Pardon, the Gorgias Myth is remarkable
for its powerful
of
the
wonder
with
imaginative rendering
which
man
death
which
is best taken
a
side by side
regards
rendering
with
another
given in the Cratylus,403, 4. Hades, Ai'Si;?,
the God of Death, Socrates says in the Cratylus,
is not called,
most
as
people in their fear suppose, airo
aetSoOs he is
rov
terrible
Unseen
not the
One, who
keeps the Dead in Hell,
against their will,bound in the fetters of necessity. He is
"

"

rather

called

All-wise,

rod

-iravra

desire

disembodied

in

which;

necessity the desire of

Hades
as
disciplescleave

wisest

his

of

men

/ the Sirens-^
"

'

see

go

to

companionship.

The

Chthonian
Miss

Monuments

elBevai

"

he

Philosopher,who, indeed, holds the

not againsttheir will ; for his fetters are

so

that

to

learn
He

souls,

is

knowledge. (The

"

'

KcCKa

ra

the

but
fetters,
that

airo

great
of him,

charms

they

master

and

the

will not

is

the

Dead

in

those

stronger

Dead

than

cleave

of wisdom.

will not

charmers

leave him.

from

themselves
is

to

The

return

He

of

"

rightly

Sirens, although they became eventuallysimply Sluses,were

originally
deities,and as such are sculpturedon tombs and painted on lekythi^
Harrison's
Myths of the Odyssey, pp. 156-166
Mythology aTid
; her
ff.
and
Ancient
582
her
article
in J. U.S.
vol. vi.
Athens,
of
;
pp.

and
the
Sirens
Dionysiac Boat-races
Cylix of
pp. 19 ff. ("Odysseus
"As
Nicosthenes
monuments
on
"), 1885.
tombs, the Sirens," writes ilisa
filled a double
to have
Harrison
(Myth, and Mom.
p. 584), "seem
functiojj;
to
fit
be
the
set
of
sweet
on
singers,
they were
poet or orator,and tliey
grave
for the beauty of youth and maiden.
to lament
It is somewhat
mourners
were
"

curious
makes

"

that they are never

sculpturedon Attic tombs in the
their relation to death clearlyintelligiblei.e. that of
"

one

function

that

death-angels.The

called
we

MYTHS

THE

128

have

wonder

deep

which

with

traditional

cultus

into his

go down
oracles than
who

livingwho

sleepin

his

disembodied

Lebadia.^

at

learner

declares

all and

leave

call it

may
the

of

the

Tov

are

occurs

blindness
and

through

the

"

a-mfiaToi

souls, without
souls

appears
and
Myth

or

naked
also

It

is at

this

the

point

^for
GratylusMyth
The judges
Gorgias Myth.
souls (the phrase rj ^jrvx^i
in Gratylus,
403
b) naked
"

"

bias of the
and

through,

makes

soul.Hades

Philosopher.
between

which

disembodied

true

the

bodily
knowledge,

In this,that

with

Gorgias Myth

yvfivr}

them

of the

Teacher.

his

to

the^

for only [
dialectic,

desire

only

converse

himself

cleave

the

to

only with

the distractions

soul,freed from

that the connection

in

his

invincible

he will hold

we

It is

truer

"

sends

experiencethat
which
hidkeKriKriis vain,
6/3Q)s without

that
the

hold

will

Hades

can
passions,

death

sleepthe sleep of
which
Trophonius

cave

soul that

oracles to those

true

to

cave

dreams

those

disembodied
the

"

Plato

returns.

of

communicates

Hades

traveller

the

etymology" in support
suggest, also appeals tacitlyto

would

"

of

undiscovered

that

regards
no

Here

wisdom.

"

satisfaction

in

offered

"science

appeals openly to the

of his
myth," and, I

riches

true

man

bourn

whose

country from

the

reallya Myth

is

what

has

he

Pluto, because

PLATO

OF

flesh,which
true

pass

naked

see

judgment

upon

"

There

must

dead

The

be wisdom
shall look

,The wondering thought, that

/"enigmaof life, has

/than

in these

Dead

Judges

twin

never

Myths

with

death

been
of

Great

thro' aud

me

the

Death

thro'.

perhaps solve the

more
impressivelyrendered
PhilosopherDeath and the
may

of the Dead.

Siren of the Attic graves must

connected
with
surelybe somehow
angels that appear on the Harpy toinb, but her function as such
been usurped for Attica by the male angels Death
and Sleep."
Eriuna's epitaph

the bird deathseems

to have

"

Kal Seip^Kcs eiial,

Kai tt^vBiikKpuaai,
(7Ttt\ai,
StTTii ^X^'s 'AtSa rd.v iX"7ay o-jroSiiv
"

brings the

Sirens

and

Hades

into

connection

just as

OrcU. 403

does

"

did, TavrH

o65ii/a deSpo iSfKijiraL

iireXBeiv t"3k eKciBeii,
oiSi aiirds
ipa (^S/uv, Si 'Ep/iiyeves,
xal Tois "\\ovt
exdvas
rds Seip^xas, iXKi. KaTaKeK\rj"rffai
Tt
Trivras- offrw KoXois
date
Tixos, lis loiKev,eTrioTttToi X670US Xiyar o "AiSijs.Accoiding to Mr. J. P. PostExamination
of the
{Journal of Philology, ix. pp. 109 S., "A Philological
Myth of the Sirens"), they are singingbirds = souls winged for flighthence.
1
Cf. Rohde, Psyche, i. 115 ff.

THE

GOBGIAS

MYTH

129

II

Another
of the
because

point,and
Gorgias Myth.
I know

that

I have
I

with

the

to

have

anxious

am

the

done

"

Philosophy

"

done

with

it,

"

too easily
Philosophy of a Myth
becomes
the dogmatic teachingwhich
it covertlyconveys
;
but I trust that in the foregoingremarks
I have avoided, and
in the followingremarks
shall continue
to avoid, the error
of
an
Allegory. The point is this.
treatinga Myth as if it were
The
who
suffer eternal
incurably wicked
punishment are
and
like Archelaua
had
Tantalus, who
mostly tyrants men
the opportunityof committing the greatest crimes, and used
had the opportunity and did
it. All praise to the few who
it.
But
not
use
Thersites, a mere
private offender,no poet
He
had not the
has ever
condemned
to eternal pimishment.
opportunityof committing the greatest crimes, and in this is
Here a mystery is set
happier than those offenders who had.
The
forth.
who
has the opportunityof committing the
man
greatestcrimes, and yieldsto the specialtemptation to which
is
he is exposed,is held worthy of eternal damnation, which
escaped by the offender who has it not in his power, and has
such crimes.
been
First,
never
effectively
tempted,to commit
"

"

"

"

the

crime

greatness of the

quantitystanding in
and

then

the

quantity of

no

crime

to the

relation

quality

the

is estimated

of
so

the

as

if it

were

qualityof

the

mere

agent

agent is determined
vice

that

with

by the
large opportunity

than
vice with
worse
narrow
infinitely
tunity,
"opporthe former
receivingeternal punishment, the latter
This mystery of
correction only for a limited time.
suffering
vice with largeopportunityand
the infinite difference between
.vice with narrow
opportunity the mystery which is set forth
this mystery is set forth
in
lead us not into temptation
any
by Plato in the Gorgias Myth as a mystery, without
do
not
Men
born
to great power
attempt at explanation:
comes

out

as

"

"

"

"

"

start

with

the

same

chance

of ultimate

salvation

as

born

men

Gorgias Myth leaves us.

but
In the Vision
of Er, however, an
explanationis offered
less than the mystery to be explained,
still the explanation,
no
but
the understandiug,
not
is mythicallyset forth
to satisfy
to

With

privatestations."

that

the

"

"

as

be

of fact does choose, its station in life

matter

the

"

that

this way

the

it

whether

large opportunity of doing

of a privateperson with narrow
opportunity. In
mystery of the Gorgias Myth is explained
of

station

evil,or

the Soul, before

limits,to choose, aid

certain

incarnation,is free,within

each

is that

of Er

Vision

in the

The

imaginative expression.

feeling in

give relief to
explanationoffered
to

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

130

tyrant with

"

"

"

Myth.
so
So
Philosophy of the GorgiasMyth
add a
let me
for the great problems raised in it. Now
of
other points,for the better appreciation
notes
on
some
Myth itself as concrete product of creative imagination.
another

explainedby

for the

much

much

few
the

"

"

"

Ill
The

judged

marked

are

"incorrigible."So,
those

to Heaven

sent

tablets

Tartarus
sentences

from

dead

the

of

with
he

which

Purgatory

"

was

of tablets

idea
of

custom

placing in

See

letter that denotes the inward

been

graves

taken

and

of
the

times
stain

When

entered,that

thou

wash

"

these

point
Look," he cried,
scars
away." ^

judgment-seat of Minos, Ehadamanthys, and Aeacus

Xeifi"vi,ev rr} Tptohip,
e| ?i"}(jiepeTov
tw
oSp, t)

rm

Comparetti,J.
of

Thurii

and

H.

S. ill.Ill, and
Dieterich,Nekyia, 85, on the gold
of. p. 156 ff. infra.
The
Orphic custom

Petelia ; and

have
Itself may
from Egypt, where
come
texts from
buried with the corpse.
The Book
of the Dead was
from
the body and
Double, which is apt to wander
IrUrodiiction to the Sistory of
Tales, second series,
p. 124.
^

have

"

with the blunted

on
forehead,
my
Of his drawn sword, inscribed.
And

tablets

the

and

deeds

journey through the other world.^

enters
Purgatory the Angel at the Gate
sins {peccata)
seven
P's,to denote the seven
in
be cleansed
his passage
to
through

He

is iv

be

to

way

Seven

The

may

to

"

The

"

their

sent

the

on

Dante

him

The

which

on

describingthe

be done

Before

behind,

Orphic

the

tablets

things to
marks

fixed

b) as "corrigible"or
of Er
(Bep. 614 c)

tablets fixed in front, those

have

recorded.

are

derived

too, in

(Gorg.526
the
Myth

Purg. ix. 101,

and

see

Beligion,p. 323, and

Gary'snote

ad loc.

the Sook
a

of the Dead

guide-book for

were

the Ka, or
See Jevons'

lose its way.

Flinders Petrie's Egyptian

THE

GORGIAS

17 B
/jutKaprnv v^crovi;,
topography of this passage

649

fiev
Thfe

614

also the

judgment-seat is
from

their

131

Tdprapov {Qorg. 524

et?

correspondswith
that^the

it is added

where, however,
ff.,

MYTH

in

spot

which

the

that of

A).
Bep.

Xeifuov of the
souls, returned

thousand

years'sojourn in Tartarus and Heaven

the Islands of the Blessed),
(i.e.
meet, and rest,before going
lives before
to the place where
on
they choose their new
of Lethe.
In the Gorgias the two
drinking of the water
mentioned
are
(1) that to Tartarus,and (2) that to the
ways
the Xetficovof judgment is "at
Islands of the Blessed; and
the parting of the ways
iv t^ rpioSip,no reference being
made
to a third way
leading to the throne of Necessity,and
of Lethe.
In
in
the parallelpassage
thence
to the Plain
"

"

Bejo. 614

they

three

are

Heaven,

ff. the

and

"

(3)

divergingfrom
The
to

"

Tartarus,

the surface

are

not
to

the

way

the

way

to

mentioned

Plain

of Lethe

in the

indicated

the

the

third

lean

Abide,

Oh

rest a

show

is the

upon my
little space,
you ferlies three.

in the

Though
And

not

see

lies

That

is the

in

Ehymer

the
:
"

Thomas,
:

road,
and

briars ?

ye that braid braid

the lilyleven ?

Though

road,

And

not

path of wickedness,
call it the road

ye

That

winds

That

is the road
thou

that

about

and

to Heaven.

bonny road,

the fernie brae ?

to fair

Elf-land,

I this

night maun

See Dieterich,Nekyia, 89, 90, and

gae.

Rohde, Fsy.
especially

of

literature

across

some

see

(a river

appear

the

one

"

path of righteousness,
few inquires.

after it but

That

true

knee

see
ye not yon narrow
thick beset wi' thorns

Where

'

now,

head

your

and

I wiU

That

all three

of Er,

Lethe

to

"

Light down, lightdown

So

to

way

"

Myth

Earth), constantlyoccur
which
reflects Orphic influence.^ They even
folk-lore representedby the story of Thomas

And

the

Tartarus, (2)

the

Heaven, and

to

And

three; but

as

XeifiMv.

"Ways,"as

one

of

ways

(1)
the

Three

"

ii. 221, note.

132

The
the

three

main,

the

is

alien

especially

as

greatest
its

matter

the

doctrine

the

come

of

the

noble

such

Hebrew

spirit,

Platonic

doctrine

of

imaginative

and

to

came

of

the

Kd6apa-i,";
"

reflecting
We

to

from

mainly

Myths

gives

in

doctrine

theological

The

Dante

correspond,

Commedia

Divina

Ways."

Three

"

which

to

the

PLATO

OF

"

expressiiSh,
Church

of

parts

to

Purgatory,

of

MYTHS

THE

Orphic
to

now

Plato's

or

found

See

Eschatological

teaching.^
the

Myth

Eschatological
the

in

expression

of

Er

Myths,

splendour

of

Thompson's

note

its

on

form

Gorg.

(Bep.
whether
be

525

614

the

considered.

B.

ff.),

the

fulness

MYTHS

THE

134

PLATO

OF

Republic 613e-621d
*A
614

re

ToLvvv, ?iv S'

fiev

Kal

avOptowmv

7r/90s

eKeivoi"irots

avvT),

TOiavT

av

irpo's eKecva,

Xva

aKovcrai,

vov

fiKrOolKoi

Aeyot? dv, e^t),"a?

oil fievroi

diroXoyov ipS),dXK!

aXKifiov

TO
'Ap/ieviov,
yevo"i Tla/i^vKov

TTjo-ai,

dvaipeOevTwvBeKaraicav

fievcov,

vyirj^

aoi,

fiev
nrore

0?

t"v

Tff

ixel iBoi.

ttoWcI

ov

dvSpo^,'Hpo?
iv

tow

iro\efi(preXev-

^St; Sie"j)0ap-

vexp"v

irvpa

rov

oixaBe

/leWcav

Keifievo^dve^ito,

ov
""pr)Be, iTreiBr)

eK^fjvai

rfjvyjrvx^qv,
fierd iroKKoav, Kal d"f"iKveia'6ai
iropeveaQai,
cr"j"ai
645

TOirov

Tiva

Saifioviov,
ev
9)

ey(pfjieva"aWrjXoiv
KaravTiKpv,

Kai

tov

ttj?

re

ovpavov

BiKarrra^ Be

7^9 Sv* elvai '^da-fiare

aZ

Trjv

el"iBe^idv re

r"v
"yfravrai
rrjv

61?

oiria-Qev

Kal

dvea Bid

iv rm
BeBiKaa-fievcov

dpiarepdv re

Kal

ai}fielairdvrmv

dovro"} elirelv,
on

Beoi

iv

fiera^v rovrmv

Toii'ifiev BiKaiov^
BiaBi,Katreiav,
eTreiBr)

fieyeOei

^v B' iym, 'AXki-

B'
dvgpeBr],K0fii,a6ei"i

ddirreadai,, B(oBeKaralo"i eirX

jSe^aia.

Kai

tA vtto
d7r6tX'ij"jyjj

A\X'

dva^iovt B' e\eyev

re

irepifiivei.
^(pr] S" avra

avr"v
e/cdrepo'i

fiev

yiyverat

ovSe
irXrjdei,

itrri

TeXevrrjcravraeKarepov
reXeo)?

S"pa

aiirr}irapel'^eTo
17 Sixaio-

iyco,ovSev

^8102;aKOvovTi.
ye

Kal

kclSA
fiaX',e(pr),

eii). Kal

dKova'ai,
6"j)eiK6/ieva

X070U
aW'

re

ayaOoli oh

roivvv, fjv 8

Tavra

adXd

de"v

Sixalipirapa

^rnvri to*

eyw,

Kara,

"v
avrov

rov

tS

dveo

aXKa

KaOrjaOai, ovf,
KeXeveiv

ovpavov,

airjfieia

irpotrBev,
tov?
e'xpvra"; Kal

eirpa^av, eavrov

tropeveffdai

irepid-

Be dSiKOV!

rovrov}

Be

ev

rm

irpocreX-

dyyeXov dvOpmiroi's
yeveaOai

THE

MYTH

OF

EE

135

Translation
"

Of such

giftswhich
Gods

sort, then,

the

and

just man

Men,

spake which

Justice

Yea, in truth

"

prizesand

receiveth,while

and

over

the

are

"

above

the wages and the

he is yet alive,from

those

good thingswhereof I
herself provideth."
goodly gifts,"
quoth he, and exceeding
"

sure."

"Well,"
and

said, "they

are

even

as

greatness,in comparison with

each

the

of

when

he

them

may

oweth

two,

to

wit, the

is dead.
have

him

to

be

Of

just

these

full payment
said

those

and

man

thou
of

nothing, for
things which

must

that

the

await

unjust

hear, that
which

number

this

man,

each

of

Discourse

concerninghim."

Say on," quoth he, there is little else I would hear

more
gladly."
Nay," said I, but it is not a Tale of Alcinous I wiU tell
thee, but the story of a mighty man, Er, the son of Armenius,
of the nation of the Pamphylians.
"

"

"

"

"

It

to

came

taken

pass that he
the

fell in

battle ; and

when

the

day alreadystinking,he
taken
sound ; and when
was
they had carried him home
up
and were
about
the twelfth
to bury him, on
day, being laid
the pyre, he came
to life again ; and
on
began to tell of the
things which he saw there.
"He
said that when
his Soul
went
out, it journeyed
certain
unto
a
togetherwith a great company, and they came
Mouths
of the Earth
two
ghostly place wherein were
open
hard by each other,and also above, two Mouths
of the Heaven,
seated between
over
these,
against them : and Judges were
who, when
they had given their judgments,bade the righteous
take the road which
and up through
leadeth to the right hand
Heaven
in front, signifying
; and they fastened tablets on them
the judgments ; but the unjust they sent by the road
which
leadeth to the left hand
and
down, and they also had
all that they had
tablets fastened on them
behind, signifying
done.
he himself
But
when
before the Judges they
came
corpses

said

were

unto

him

the

up

on

that he must

things there, and

be

tenth

for

they

unto men
cerning
conmessenger
that
charged him straitly

ixei

Twv

"jravra

to,

Kal
iv

^dafia

TO

totto).

Tov

aviivat e'"

Be
E

Kal

del

Tcbf

^aiveaOat

o"rai,

615

Kal

yvmpifiai,

Kal

XBoiev iv

Tr}v

rrope'iav
j^tXter^
"

6ea"s

rrj

iK

av

voWov

oa-ov";

BeKdxt^

"

^Lov
ay;
piBa "Kd(rTi]V,
ro

davdrwv

oirive^ TToW"v
Kal
(TrparorreBa

eh

KaKovy(_ia"s
/leratrioi,
inrep

eKdarov

ravTct

TTjv

eh

Be

o5v
B

Biijy^aaadai' to
ircoirore

^BUrjaav

riva

iv p.epei,

eKarovraer'q-

Karci

dvdpioirivov

rov

"

Kol

^
^aav aXrioi,"rjTroXet? irpoBovre^

SouXet'a? i/i/Se/SXrjKorei;,
ij rivof
trdvrwv

BiKaiot

Kal
Kal

Kal

aXKij"!

BeKa-rrKaa-ia';
dT^rjBova^

rovrtov

eX

av

oaioi

^lovvrcov irept, dXXa

6eovi! dcre^eia"ire

avToj^eipa^

fiev

iKrivoiev
dBiKi^fiaroi

rov

d^iav KOfii^oivro,r"v

oKlrfov^povov

r^

KdXXo"s.

rocrovrov

ovto";

einra0eui"}

ovpavov

S" elvai

rovro

KOfiiaaivro,

Kal

evepyeT7]K0Tei

fiev

rai

BlktjvBeBtOKevai

diravroov

eKTicrfia

7^5

ovpavov

rov

a.Wj;\a(9

j(povov

Kal

vrrep

t^9

eK

eK

rai

rov

roBe elvai.Sera
Ke"j}dXai,ov
e"j"7i
sKaa-rot,

re

"

o?iv

BeKairXdo'iov

tropeua'i

755? rropeia elvai, Be

vrro

rb
dfirj'^dvov^

TXavKav,

eKdcrrov

KaOapd^.

Kai
oaa
re
dvap.i/ji,V7](rK0fj,eva";,

B'

ra"s

"

Xva

Kal

eKel

ra

K\aov"Ta"i,

irddotev koX

vrrep
B

rdi

rrvvOdveadai

ereptov

ola

TToXXa,

eK

"Keifi"vaairiovaais

"

Kal
Bi/riyeladai,

fiev

Koveo)"s,

ttoW^s

rov

"Trap'iKeivai";, Bir)yeL"r9aiBk

re
oBvpo[ieva";

eV

Kal dffird^eo'dak
re
dXKriKaracrKrjvda-Oai,

fjKovaa^ rrapkrmv
ra

Kal

ovpavov

eK

eh
daiJLeva";

Kal

rfKeiv,

ra?

erepco

rw

rov

e"

eKurepov

aviovaai

re

avj(^fiov

fiearai

d^iKvovp.eva"!
mairep

olov iv "Travrjyvpei
Xa?

7^?

irepov Kara^aiveip ere/sa?

TOV

Be

Kara
BiKaffQeli],

ttj?

Kad

fiev

tj}? 7^?

Kal

re

ovpavov

Oedtraai

koI

re

aKoveiv

Bri ravry

opav

avrah
eTreiBij
""^vj(a"!,
TOV

oi

BiaKeXevoivro

r^

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

136

riva^

elev, Karh

yeyovore^

Be

evOin;

ekeyev

yevo/ievrnv

ovk

eiae^ela"sKal

en
^ovov fiel,^ov";
tow?

evepyeaiai:

a^ia

Kal

iivrjfi/q's.

yovia^

Kal

fiia-0ov"s
BiTjyeiTO.e^V

THE
he

should

MYTH

give diligenceto

EE

OF

hear

and

137

all the

see

things in

the

place.
^
"

Now, he told how

of the Mouths

that he beheld
of Heaven, and

the Souls

some
departing,

by oneof the Mouths

of Earth, when
judgment had been given unto them ; also
how
that he beheld Souls returningby the other two Mouths,
covered with
some
coming up from the Earth travel-stained,
dust,and some
coming down from Heaven, pure. And he said
that all,as they came,
belike from a long journey,
being come
and
turned aside with
joy into the Meadow
encamped there
in a Congregation
as
they that were
acquaintances
; and
another
and
greetedone another,
they
they questioned one
that were
from
the Earth
come
questioned them that were
from
Heaven
come
concerning the things there, and in like
Heaven
from
manner
come
questioned the
they that were
others
concerningthe things that had happened unto them.
So they discoursed with one
of them
another
some
groaning
and weeping when
they called to mind all the terrible things
they had suffered and seen in their journey under the Earth
he said that their journey was
for a thousand
years ; and
by

one

some

"

"

"

"

others of them, to wit, those

tellingof blessingsand
"

but

Time

the

thereof

sum

of the wrongs
of them
whom

which

their' course,

ten

he

years that he
lifetime of a

this

each

so

each:

is it

if any

just

and

rewards.
were

have

said that

thus

as

years

other

are

lived

or

casting men
iniquity,they are

not

for those

worth
and
that

short

were

men,

while,

and

there

As

those

murderers,

died

he

who

pensed
recom-

things;

have

and

receive

measure

remembering.

Parents,

of these

one

other

but

into

and

for each

torments

for the

counted

are

to

armies,

or

hundred

it is every

now,

all in

pass that the price of

if certain caused
the death

done

Gods
and

"

good unto
religious,
they in the same
that
Also concerninginfants

born,

the number
the number

done, and

ever

brought

by betraying cities
bondage, or taking part of
but

accordingto

hundred

of many

with

"

hath

for

is paid tenfold :
evil-doing

tenfold

That

man

payeth,for
:

sights.

wronged, he payeth penalty for

times

man

Heaven,

0 Glaucon, to relate all that he said,

was

hath

from

come

were

fair

marvellous

fail me,

would

which

as

soon

were

for those

their

they
things he
as

who

honoured

spake of

been

honoured
dis-

them,

their wages

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

138

irepov,oirov
rfkp Bri irapayevea-Oai
epcoTafievtp hepq} viro
6 Se 'ApSialo";
t^? Ila/i^v\ia"s
ovto";
o
elr)'ApSiato?
/liya';.
ev

iroXei

rivi

eKelvov
D

yipovrd

ypovov,

TOP

rjSt)^iXioarov

eyeyovet,

Tvpavvo";

KaX
dSe\(f)6v,
irpeff^vrepov

Zrj iroWd

akXa

ovv
iXeyero. e"jyr)
co?
elpyaa-fievo"i,

TjKei,, ^avai, ovS"

OvT^

ideaa-d/jueda
yap

eKelvov
ireirovQoTet;,

aKkov";

o-yeBovTi

Be

IBiMrai

koX

fj fir)

616

avrSsv

oiroTe

t"v

Tt?

aW

arofiiov,
ets

ovi

Trovqpiav

Brj

evTavda

Koi
KaraIBeiv, TrapearuTei
Bia/jrvpoi,
avSpei,e(jyr],
aypioi,
Be
to
tov^
liav9dvovTe";
"f)diyfJM,
p"ev BvaXa^ovre's ^yov, tov
Kal TroSa?
Kol
ciX\.ov"scrvfjuiroBia-avTe';
re
')(elpd";
'ApBialov
elKKOv
Kal Kei^aXr)v,
Kara^aXovTet; koX eKBeipavTe^,
irapa

oBov

rrjv

a-rjfiaivovTe'i,

el";

OTi

virep^dXXeivtov

TovTov

ore
"p9eyp.a,

dva^rjvai.

yevoivTo,

Kal

Tavra

TravToBair"v

"f"o^ov,p,r)

Kal

rot?

p^v Br) Si/ca? re

ra?
av

tiS

ev

Belv

Kal

ovpavov

pdXiaTa

ry

7JJ9

Toiamai
Tip.(opLa"i

dvTiaTpo"jiOV'!
eirTCL

Trj oyBorj

Kadopav

TeTap.evov

to

"TiyTi(ravT0"i

Xeip,S)Vi eKaaToi';

dvaa-Tdvra'i evTevOev

TOV

eKdaTtp

yevoiTO

Kal

Br)

evOa

"r^t"rtyeyovoTtov

ravTai"!
evepyeaia'i

to,^

d"piKvela-0ai
TerapTaiov;oOev

7rai/T09

dyoivTO.

aei

Kal

virofievoiev

dva^aivoi,Kal da-p,eveaTaTa
eKacTTOv

Kal
Ttv^? eXiiai,

iiretB^ Be

Te

ep.treaovp.evoi,

Kal

(jio^cov,
e^Tj, TToXX"v

Kiova,

eveKa

wv

TdpTapov

TOV

KvdirTOVTe'i,KciX toIm

dairaKdQwv

eir

ckto?

"jTapiovat

eBeyeroto

avievat.
BiKr)veiri,')(eipo'l

SeSw/ew?

iKava)";

irXeicrrov^ rvpawovi'

dvidrco^ e-^ovTcov

ovT(o"i

Kat,

/leydka rifiapTrjKortov

t"v

rivef

avievai

KareiBofievi^ai^vq'i

re

tow

rjBrjdva^rjaeaOai,ovk
oio/ievov";
e/iVKaro,

avoaia

dea/iarcav.

Betv"v

t"v

aTOfiLov^fiev /ieWovTe?

ToKKa

'^aav

koX

re

eLireiv,
ipoorcofievov

tov

tovto

tov

Kot

Br) koI

iveiBr) iyyv";
iravTa

Kat

rj^etBevpo.

av

ovv

aTTOKTetvav

irarepa

re

et?

ero?

r)p.epav

iropeveadai,

dvcoOev

"/)w? ev6v,

ipiBi irpocfipepr),
Xapirporepov

Bk

Biob
olov
Kat

oBov,
KaOapmrepov. el";o d^iKea-daivpoeXBovTa'}r)p.epr)aiav
C

Kal

IBeiv avTodi

Kara

p.eaov

Tavra

to

"j}"^e/e

inro/iivoiev
om.

rov

ovpavov

tu

THE

as

another

inquired,Where

Ardiaeus

had

thousand

years
his

father,and

made

evil deeds, as

ever

tell.

made

stood beside
the

He

Great

of whom

one

Now

was.

this

beheld

said,then, that

the

is not

saying,He

for

"

in

King

answered

hither

come

139

cityof Pamphylia just a

before that time, having slain the old man
his
elder brother, and having wrought many
other

men

inquirywas

he

Ardiaeus

himself

EE

OF

greater; for he said that

eveu

he

MYTH

this,indeed, was

come

whom

will

nor

of the terrible

one

nigh unto the Mouth,

and about to go up after all our
the sudden
we
sufferings
; on
in sight of him, and
of them
others, most
came
kings,but
also privatemen
of those that had
sinned greatly
there were
alreadyabout
amongst them : these, thinking that they were

things that

we

to

the

go up,
belloweth

like unto

cure

priceof
^

men

upon
took

"

of

him

of every

that

hath

up.

In

go

for

wicked

are

full

paid
place he

that

it

beyond
the

not

said

Voice

his

great joy did

Of such

each

be
one

they

fear

go up

kind, then,

placeapart by the
thorns, signifying
taken, and

were

the

that

said,there

he

came

he

the

feared lest

of them

one

when

when

were

on

neck, and

greater than all the fears

before ; for each

for himself

Then,

Tartarus.

companions

they had

should

wherefore

into

be cast

to

; but

away

foot and

and

them

there carded

them

carried

and

arms

they bound hand

flayed,and dragged

passed by

and
sort

their

and

way,

they should

"

one

any

others

down, and

all that

the

in

some

and

side of the

upon

these, or

of those that

one

any

bellowed

not, but

received

"

Ardiaeus

to

were

standing by savage men, as coals of fire to look

who, hearing and understandingthe Voice of the Mouth,

hold

threw

as

we

sins,essayeth to

his

were

Mouth

often

as

when

of

one

went

up

and

with

kept silence.

Voice

judgments and

the

ments
punish-

blessingsthat answered unto them.

been
both companies had
seven
days in the
Now, when
constrained, on the eighth
Meadow, Er said that they were
the fourth day
on
day, to arise and journey thence, and came
tended
to a place whence
they could behold a Straight Light ex; and

there

were

"

from
it

were

through

the

colour

most

for
pillar,

brighter and
gone
the

above

forward

purer.
a

Unto

whole

which

like

unto

they

came

day'sjourney,and there, at

Light,beheld

extended

from

the

and

Heaven

Heaven

the

Earth,

rainbow,

when

as

but

they had

the middle
the ends

part of
of the

^vvBeafiovrov

olov

ovpavov,

^m?

to

tovto

vTro^oyfiaraTtav

ra

rpii^pcov,
t5"v axpcov

Se

^weyov rrjv irepi^opdv'e"

Bi oil
eincrTpe^eadai
irava's
'Avdr/Krj"i
rerafievov
arpaKTOv,
Kol ro
re
arfKiarpov
Ta"s
irepKpopdv ov ttjv /msv fj'KaKa.Trjv
re
rovrov
Be
elvai i^ dhdixavTO"i,
e/c
rov
cr"f"6vBvXov
fiiKTov
Be
Koi
^vaiv eivai
rov
aXXajv
a-"j"ovSvXov
yev"v.
rrjv
ovreo

Tera/iiva'etvai yhp
Se"rfiS"v

r"v

avTov

aKpa

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

140

"jraaav

ToidvBe-

r/

a-y(r]fui oiairep

fiev

TO

ev6dBe'

tov

Be

vorja-ai

el ev
evl
elvat,,matrep
av
i^ "v ekeye ToiovBe avrov
aXKo";
Bia/iirepei
KolXip koX i^ey\vfifievq"
/leydXtpa-"f"ovBvXM
iX^TTcov
KaOdirep ol xdBoi oi
iyKeoiTO dpixoTTCov,
TotouTO?
Kal ovtco
Kai
eh dWij\ov"; dpiMorrovTe'i'
Btj TpuTOv aWov
Bet

Kal

Teraprov

aWov"!

avtodev

Tci

v"tov
^aivovTa";,
y(eL\7]

cwej^e?

Kal

TrXarvTOTOv
e^toTaTO)a-"f"6vBvXov

ey(^eiv,

Be

tov

tov

Be

epoo/iov,

be

eKTOv

tov

tov

tov

tov

tov

fieaov

irp"Tov

re

"^eiXovi;kvkXov
Be

oyBoov, TrefiiTTov Be
irep/irTOV,

tov

a^ovBvXov
Bia

ovv

BevTepov,Tpirov

cktov

Terdprov,TerapTov

fiev

kvkXov^

evo?

eKeivrjvBe

ireplrijv rjKaKdTt^v
direpya^ofievov;
eXrjXdcrdai. tov
oySoov Biafiirepe^
tov

tov?

eivai

dXKrfKoi,';
eyxeifievov^,

ev
^v/iiravTa's
cr^ovBv\ov";,

yhp

oktw

TerTapa^.

epoofiov

oe

tov
tov
tov

tov
tov
tov

tov
oyBoov Be tov
tov
BevTepov Kal tov
/lev
Be tov
e^Bo/iov Xafi/irpoTarov,tov
fieyla-TovttoikLXov,tov
Be TOV
e^Bofiov e)(ei,v irpoa-tov
oyBoov to
airo
"x^pci/ia
Be tov
XdfiTTOvTOi;,
TOV
Bevrepovkoi
irapairXria-La
irefiirTOV
Be XevKOTaTov
aKKrjXoi";,^avdoTepa eKeivcov,TpiTOv
'x^p"fia

TpuTOV,

617

Be

virepvOpov,BevTepov Be XevKorrjTi tov

Be
6KT0V
Btj aTpe^ofievov tov
virep^dXXeiv. KVKXelaOai,
Be
oXov
oXa"
ev
rm
tf)opdv,
TTjv
avTTjv
fiev
CLTpaKTOv
ey(eiv, TerapTov

roii?
Trepi"f)epo/ieva)

fiev

evT09

e-TTTa

kvkXov";

ttjv

evavriav

Be tovtcov
avTwv
6X"p rjpefjM irepufiepea-Oat,
raj^to-ra /ttev
levai TOV
Be Kal ajjui dWjJXot? tov
oyBoov, BevTepov";
T6
Kal "jrifiTrTov
Be (f"opalivai,
tov
e^Bofwv Kal BKTOv
TpuTOv
ft)9
crtpiai ^aiveaOai, eiravaKVKXovjjLevov tov
TeTaprov
Be
Kal
tov
tov
Bevrepov
irepmrov
TerapTOV
TptTov
Be avrov
itrl
ev
roif
a-rpe"f"eff6a(,
t^? ^AvdyKri";yovacriv.
Tea

'

Be

dvto6ev

^e^-rjKevai
ecf) eKdarov
rovov
%eipfjva
^covrjvfiLav ielaav, eva
a-vfirrepL^epofievTjv,
eK

Tosv

iracmv

kvkXcov

Bk

okto)

avrov

ova"v

dXXa(;
fiiavdpfioviav^viM"f"(oveiv.

Bk

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

142

KaOrjfieva'!
irepi^ Bt'

Opovw eKda-rijv,

T/set?, iv

'iffov

Mol,pa";,
a-re/jifiara
Xevxeitiovovcra";,
dvyarepa^tjj? ^AvdyKrj"s,
iirl T"v
"

A.dyeo'iv
i'vpvaa'i,

KeAaX"v

Arpoirov,Vfivecv
rd

fiev

fiiWovra,

koX

rd

Be

T^\co6a"

yeyovora,

fiev KXw^cb

ttjv

KXwaoj

icai

Kai,

Aa')(e"nv
2"eiprivmvdpfiovi,av,

t"v

Tr/ao? ttjv

re

"ArpoTrov Be

ovra,

Be^ia

T17

rd

ii^aTrrofievrfv

xeipi

rov
drpuKTOV r^v e^co vrepi^opav,BidKei,(Tvve'iria'Tpe"\"etv

irovcrav

aS

wcrauTft)?'

Be

rrjv

'xpovov,

Ad^^eenviv

Be

ttjv

"Arpoirovtt} dpitrrepara?

evrof

eKaripatt}

/J-epet eKarepa^

e^diTTeaOai.
'Xeipi
ev6v"; Betv
dtpiKeo'dai,,
a"^d";oSv, eireiBr]
oZv
Ad'^ecriv.irpo^rjTr)v

nvd

'iirena Xa^ovra
Biaarrjaai,,

KXrfpovf Te

Kal

er"pdiirpSiTOVfiev iv rd^ei

davaTT]"j)opov.
ov'^

Ti/MMV

Kal

alna

eXofievov

dn/Ma^av

TrdvTai; Toi)^

BrjXov elvai,

tov
KXijpov;,

ov'

Be
Be

yrjv, ttoXv

Tr]v

^mmv

ydp

Te

diravTa's.

Kal

TrXeto)

irdvrwv

t"v

Be

^vyd";Kal

Kal

eh

to

ydp

Be

tovto

dveXofievtp
aWi^

Td

delvai

iiri

elvat Be "jravToBaird'

Bt) koI
iv

exaa-Tov

Be

irpoadev a^"v

irapovTwv.

phh-ai iirl

irea-ovTa

t^

e^ei.

e/eao-TO?

elirovTa

edv

ovk

dBecirorov, fjv

avTrj^

irap'avTov

filov;koI

TvpavviBai;Te

BiaTeXeli,ra?

eXuTTOV

elXij'^eiv
fieTa

oiroaro^

v/iei^

alpei"T9a)
Xaj^oivirpS)TO";

Kal

eh
/3io)VirapaBeiy/jiaTa

T"v

Te

irXeov

yevov"s

Bai/Mov X'^^eTai, dW'

v/m"!

Beo'; dvairi,o"i.TavTa

ttXtjv
dvaipeia-Bat,
"18

Aa^eceo)?Xoyo^,

i^ dvdyKT]^. dpeTrjBe

iTweaTai

^rj/ui

Ti

aXXr)"! TrepioBov dvrjTov

Balfiova aiprjo-etrde,
irp"TO'iB
a)

t^? Aaj^eaeeo^yovdrmv

t"v

eK

Amy/ciy? 6vyaTpo";Kopij^

"^v^al e^rjfiepoi,
dp^r/

^Lov,

irpo's rrjv

^i(ov TrapaBeij/jbaTa,
dvafidvTa iiri

elirelv
{jyfrTjXov

levai

tovi

dvOpmirivov;

aiTOi"s elvai, Td";

fiev

p^Ta^v Bia"f"deipo/u,eva^
Kal et? irevia^
TTTwp^eia?

BoKLfiasv
dvBp"v ^iovi, tov"s

fiev

reXeuToJo-a?

elvai

Be Kal

iiri eiBea-i Kal

KUTd

koXXt)

"

THE

Eound

"

about

MYTH

OF

three

others

EE

143

seated

equal distances
apart,each upon a throne : these be the Daughters of Necessity,
the Fates, Lachesis, and
Clotho, and Atr"pos. They are
clothed in white raiment
and have
garlandson their heads ;
and they chant to the melody of the Sirens ; Lachesis chant.eth
of the things that have been, and
Clotho of the things that
with
are, and Atropos of the things that shall be : and Clotho
her right hand
and anon
taketh
hold of the outer round
ever
of the spindle,
and helpeth to turn it ; and Atropos with her
doeth

left hand

either

with

the

hand

Now

"

are

with

same

taketh

the inner

hold

of outer

said that when

he

Lachesis.

unto

first marshal

in order ; and

go
them

of the

earthlylife which
not

lots,to get

cast

Life

the

Virtue

hath

"

threw

the

beside

he

shall

shall

him,

save

As

them

Prophet

having

taken

did

lots out

you shall choose his

first turn, first choose

the
bound

of

necessity.

honoureth

man

of her

more

for it.
the

of

one

be

have

he

answer

lots unto

each

shall

master.

no

said that when

Er

it behoved

Wherefore

faUeth

to whom

her, so

chosen

but

you,

which

unto

honoureth
hath

him

Let

Angel.

alternately.^

inner

come,

then

Lachesis

Ensamples of Lives, went up into a

saith
: Thus
Necessity's
Daughter, Maid
of a day, now
of
course
beginneth another
For
bringethdeath.
you
your Angels will

Souls

"

and

; and

and

lap of Lachesis
high pulpitand said
Lachesis

rounds

they were

straightwayto

at

God

her

and

is not

and

less.

But
dis-

He

who

answerable.

Prophet had spoken these words, he

all,and

took

each

only himself;

for the

up

lot which

the

Prophet

fell

suffered

him

not.
"

Now

number

when

he

ground

had

each

had

taken

Now
persons there.
there were
Lives of all kinds

that

some

to

of

men

lasted for

downfall,and

Also

there

were

for
a

there

whole

were

of

men

plain what

was

laid

Prophet

of creatures, and

more

of

and

renowned,

some

on

flightand
some

the

on

than
all

of

for

sorts

of all

moreover

kingships among

lifetime,and

ending with poverty

Lives

the

lot,it

Ensamples of Lives, far

these Ensamples were

the

the

conditions

his

Thereafter

gotten.

before them

up

them,
the

way

beggary.

them^or

explains (note on 617 c, r), she lays hold of outer (the

I.e.,as Mr. Adam
Same) and inner (the circle of the Other) in turn, using her j'ight
haud
for the former, and her left for the latter.
1

circle of the

MYTHS

THE

144

KaX
Kol

trpoyovcov

he

re
Icr'^vv

aXKriv

Trjv

8' dWa

voaoi'i,

dWiyXotv

Sij, "?

evda

KoX
dvOpanTtp,
C

Sid

Kal

re

dXXwv

jjLWTOii Kal

Kal fjMdr}rr}"!
^rjrrjTTj^
ecrrai,

Kal

i^evpeiv,rl^

^eXrico

TOP

Svvar"v

t"v

eK

r"v

roiavra

^vvride/iepa
eyet,

kal

fjuerdttomis
tL

dr/adov ipyd^erai,Kal

-q

Kal
ei/fiaOiai,

Kal
SvafjLadiai,
Kal

elvai

rh

iravra

r"v

eiriKTr\Tmv

i^

diravTav

avWoyiffd/ievov aipeladai,irpit's
Tt]v

fitov,'^elpto
fiev KaXovvTa,

o?

t"

^ei/aa)

avTtjv

eKeicre

Kal

tov

a^ei,et?

Se oaTi^
d/ieivco
yiyvea-6ai,
dSiKooTepav
to
et?
SiKatOTepav,
Se dXka
irdvTa
idv
j^aipeiv
iapaKafiepyap, oti ^avri

TO

Td

Kal

Si) Sei
ri

KaKov

^vaei "Trepl
y^v)(r)vovrcov

SwaTov

afieiva

alpeladai,

iravra'^^ov

ttKovt^ xpadev Kal

d-TToffKeTTOVTa,
tov
'^vj(fi";
cjivo'iv

T^S

619

rj

Kal

Siaytyvdaa-Kovra

"aTe
^vyKepavvvfJxva
irpo'i dWrfKa ipyd^eTai,

avT"v

re

Svvarov

Kal ISieoreiai Kal dpval Kal tVywe?

Sv"ryiveiai

dcrdeveiai Kal

Kai,

TL

Kal

del

fia^rj-

ol6";t

trodev

iroirjcrei,

irovripov

exaaroi

rov

St} ptjOevraKal

vvv

m-evia

e^ew?
"\jtvy(TJ"!

evyeveiai

kIvSwo^

7ra?

Siatpovfieva
irpoi dperr/vfiiovttw?

elSevat, tL /caWo?
Tti/05

Kal

avrov

")(pr]a-TovKal

dvaXoyi^ofievovTrdvra rd
aWjyXot?

a/^teXjfo-a?
rovrov
fiaOrffidTosv

iirta-Ti^fiova,
^Lov Kal

tovtcov,

fieaovv

idv

to

yirfueaQaf

fidXiara iirifieXrjreov,
ottq)?

Tavra

Tjfi"vT"v

fiaOelv

Kat,

TXavKtav,

^t\e

oia

Se
ireviai,"i,
ra

KaX

Se

uxravrai}

ivelvai

ovk

irXovToii

rd
/le/U'^Oai,
"

eoiKev,

ravrd,

Kara
aSoKifiasv

eXofievqv ^iov dXKoiav

Se vyieiaK

TO,

8' iirl yeveai

tov?

aycovuiv,

Se rd^iv
"\^vy(i]";

dvajKaiO)^ e')(etv aXKov

TO,

Kol

koI
dperai';,

yvvaiK"v

Kol

PLATO

OF

Kal

KaK"v,

TeXevTi^aavTi
TavTrjv

eKel

Kal

ttjv

So^av

KpaTia-TT)
ey^ovTa

viro
dveKTrXrjKTO'i

fiev

aipe(ri"s.

el"s"AiSov

itXovtcov

t6

Kal

dSafiavTivto^

levai,otto)?
t"v

TvpawCSat Kal aWa?

Kal
ipydanrirai
dvijKea-TaKaKa,

fiT} e/Mirea-mv

irpd^eK!TToWa
avTOf

avTn)

fiei^o)
TraOy, aXXa

et?

yvw

Kal ^evyeiv ra
^iov aipeia-6ai

tov

p.e"Tov del t"v

civ

Toiovrav

rotawTO?
eri

Se

toiovtodv

VTrep^dXKovTaeKaTepaxre

Kal

comeliness

and

THE

MYTH

beauty,or

for

OF

EE

145

strengthand

for
prowess, some
birth and the virtues of their forefathers ; likewise also there
Lives of men
of no such renown.
Theft were
were
also Lives
of

But

women.

the

Ensamples ;
chosen

conditions

certain Life

all other

thingsboth

riches and

"

whereof

reason

of the Soul

not

were

is this,that

amongst the

Soul

which

hath

is of

necessitychanged accordingly
; but
good and evil were there mixed together

poverty,and

health

and

disease,and

also states

these.

between

'^^"Theie,
methinks,
Wherefore

let each

dear

Glaucon, is man's

of

heed

great peril.

how
to
give
chiefly,
that, taking no thought for the knowledge of other things,he
shall seek after the knowledge of one
thing,if peradventure

he may
learn and
and wise, so that

one

find out
he may

us

who

this

it is that shall make

discern

the

good

him

Life from

able

the evil,

and, according to his ability,

alway and everywhere choose
the better Life, and reckoning how all the things that have
been

the
concern
togetherand severally,
Virtuous
understand
what
Life, may
good or evil,for what
state of the Soul, beauty joinedwith poverty or riches worketh,
and what
good or evil noble birth, and base birth, and private
and rule in the city,and
station,
strength,and weakness, and
quicknessof wit, and slowness, and the other native qualities
of the Soul like unto
which
the Soul
these, and the qualities
with
do work, accordingas they are mixed
variously
acquireth,
of all these,
another
one
; to the end that, having taken count
of his
he may
be able to choose, havingregard to the nature
and the better Life,callingthat the
Soul, between the worse
which will lead his Soul to become
worse
more
unrighteous,
and

said,both

now

taken

the better which

callingthat

will lead it to become

else will he let go by ; for we

this is the best choice for a man,

righteous. All
know

that

liveth and
as

when

adamant

he is dead.

within

him,

must

also he may
be amazed
not
and may not fall into the
such

evil-doer, and

remedy, and
discern
eschew

to

the

himself
choose
extremes

suffer

on

With

both

and

seen

whilst

he

this doctrine,then, as hard

there
go unto Hades, so that
at riches and such like trumpery,
he

Life of

work

alway

have

more

tyrant

or

of

and
iniquities
many
still worse
things; but

the

either

Life

between

hand,

both

such

other

some

without

all

rather may
states, and

in this Life,as
L

far

"v

TwSe

/8tp Kara

TtB

Kal

Srj oZv

Koi

Tore

^"vti

eXofievM,avvTovco^
6

fiijre

ev6v"s iiriovTa

fiio";arjairiyrof;,ov

Keirai,

oKX'

aXKa

T"v

avTov

e/c

tov

irpoTepo)

Ta

Be

Kal

aXiaKop-evov^

dvd'

ehrelv, ovk

tov?

re

awTov?

6"

dyvfivdoTovi' t"v

"jrovwv

iK

tow

Kal

KXrjpoi

TTOpeiav
Xeiav

aWa

deav
620

dXXd
ovk

re

Kal
av

Kal

Te
fiiovs'iXeeivjjv

KaTci

Tr)v

ovk
ktopaKOTa';,

Te

Bf/

Bio

koI

iroXXai^

rat?

rots

are

i^

fieTafioXrjv

t"v

iirel el

""^v')(jS
Tii

TeXevTaioK

ydp

ivdivBe

j^QovtavKal

ovpavlav.

awrjQeiav

alpeladai, IBeiv

iroXXov!,

aTrayyeXXofiivtov
ov

d^tav elvai IBeiv,d)?

fflav.

iroXiTeia

del,

Kal
fiiov d(j)iKvotTO,
vyi""} (fnXoffO^ol

iKeWev

t"v

evBai/iovelvdv,
iraXiv

elvai Be

are
rJKOvTai;,

tou?

Trj"!alpea-eayi;
fir) iv

avTtS

KivBvvevei iK

Tvy(r]v

elvai iv

ovpavov

KXi^povTvj(riv

tov

ttjv

ivddBe

el"i tov

oTTore

dyaO"v

T"v

Kal Bia
ylr/ve"Tdai
E

ttjv

irpo-

dXXa

TeTayfievrj

Tij"!777?

aXXov";

ireirovqKOTa'i

KaK"v

tov

eavTov,

eXaxTOU?

i'inBpop,rj"i
Ta?
alpeaeifTroieiadat,
T"v

oBvpeaOai

KaK"v,

t"v

KUTa

edei dvev (j)tXo"ro^iai

film fiefiuoKOTa,
aperrj^

p^TeiXri^oTa. "?
TOiovTOK

eireiSrjoe

iv
"f^KovTtov,

ovpavov

eifiapfiePTjv

Kal

Kal irdvTa fiaXXov

Bal,/JLOva"i

Kal

vtto

avaaKeifra-

evovffav

re

MTiaa-Oai

eavTov

KaKO";,

Kai,

vtto
nrpopp'qOela'iv

i/ifievovTa
rots
yap

tKav"f

Kaica'

KOTTTeadai
(TKey^aadai,

ovie
atpetriv,
"fy^Tovov

vm

reXevr"v

fiijre

travTa

\a6elv

avTov

tov

irp"TOV \a')(pvTa e"f)Ti

tov

Tavra

^pwaei"iicaX

avTOv

"^yyeW^

iTriovri,^vv

reKevTaia

ov
XaifiapyicK

Kol

eXiadai,

a"voXriv

eireira'

rm

/jLeyLaTTjv
TVpavviSaeKeadai,

ttjv

re
a^poa-vvrjf;

TraiScov

ayyeXos

a/ieXeiTco
alpeaea)"i
cip-)(0)v

elirovTO'iSe
advfieirca.

C fievov

ixetdep

elirelv,kal

ovrm^
irpodiriTrfv

fi"V

iv

iv iravrX

Kal

Buvarov

to

dydptoirois.
'^'i/yverai,
ryhpevhai,fiove"TTaTO"i

ovTU)

Te

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

146

eKaaTai

TavTijv

al

IBeiv elvai Kal

yap

fJ.ev yap

tov

iriTTTOt,

ivOdSe

fiovov

Kal

eKelae

Bevpo

Tpaj^elav iropeveadai,
B^, e(f"r),
Trp)

yap

'"^v')(al
ypovvTO
yeXoiav

irpoTepov

Kal

ffiov ra

""^vf(rjv
e(f"r)
ti]V

iroTe

Toix;

6avp,airoXXd

'Op"f"60"s

MYTH

THE

as

he

is

man's

able,and

chief

"

Now

went

happiness.
Messenger who

the
and

on

for him

said

whose

that

the

Life

EE

147

hereafter

for in this lieth

brought this Tal8 from that place

Prophet then spake thus : Even
"

last,if he hath

cometh

turn

chosen

with

standing,
under-

is

there

bear
prepared a Life, which, if only a man
Neither
let him
not wretched.
manfully,is tolerable,

himself
who

in all the

OF

cometh

cometh

end

careless of his choice ;

be downcast.

that

when

first be

at the

He

who

Prophet had spoken these words,

the one
that had
he came
as
gotten the first place,as soon
of
forward, chose the greatest kingship there ; and by reason
follyand greedinesslooked not well enough into all before he
not
that therein it was
chose it,and marked
appointedof Fate
"

said

let him

nor

that he should

When

befall him.

began

to

eat

of the

himself.

than

had

bewail

Ill-Luck,
he

Now,

that other evils should

looked

for he did not

and

of them

was

city,and
Knowledge
least
had

they

that

part, belike, of

not

from

virtuous

become

under

endured

labours,

choice

luck

of the

that

had

and

hastily. For
lot,a change

this cause,
of

good

and

so

fall that

he

is not

of

were

the

come

well-ordered

without
were

most

as

True

the

not

for

they

part of those

of evil befalleth

whenever
if any man,
part of the Souls ;Cfor
heart
his whole
this life,seek alway with
if the lot

thing

they themselves
enduring, made
well as through

as

others

seen

self
him-

any

caught thus;

were

inasmuch

Heaven

labours ; but

with

Earth,

the

their

them

Custom

from

come

were

exercised

been

through

blame

that

life in

leisure,he

abiding by

Gods, and

Heaven, having spent his former

from

at it at

his choice, not

Prophet ;

evils, but

for these

he

and

his breast

beat

children,and

own

therefore

the commandment

rather

his

the

he

cometh

after wisdom,

had
not

the

most

into
and

last to choose, there

is

the
Messenger said, not only that he
good hope, from what
to
will have happiness here, but also that the journey hence
that place and back again hither will not be under the ground
and
and rough, but smooth
heavenly.
Truly it was a sightworth lookingat,he said, to see how
chose
their lives
sight,and
the Souls severally
yea, a pitiful
as
and a wonderful
they chose mostly
; inasmuch
a laughable,
"

"

after the custom

of their

former

life ; for

he

told

how

he

saw

yevo/jLevTjv

/litreirov
j3iov aipovfjkipTjv,

kvkvov

Bia

yevov"!

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

148

rbv

iiceivoiv Odvarov

vir

"a/ivpov a7]Bovo":

e\ofihn}vIBeiv

fiera^aXXovra eii avdpumivov

Be ical

Koi
^Lov a'Cpeaiv,

kvkvov

fwa

aXKa

Te\afuovlov, ^evyovaav

XeovTov

Ka\

BiaWd^ai ^iov.

iv

IBeiv

TavTTjv

iovaav

yvvaiico"i

Be

livai' /ivrj/ij) Be r"v

^ryrelvnrepuovaav

Kvlav

koX
dvpdr/fiovo^,

dXXofv, Koi

T"v

uTTo

fioyii} evpeiv

Kal irpmri]

dBiKa

fiev

el"! t^

rd^ei
eiXero

vpocrievai

BaLfwva,

xal

irov

rd

ori

t"v
dvowXr)pa)Tr)v

T'^? TOV
TavT7)"i

rd

Be

irapijfieXrjfjii

avrd
koX

KXw^o)

el"s aXXijXa,
elv rd

irp"rov

t^v iKeivrji
X^^P^

aZdi,"ieirX
i"f)ay^dfievov

ra
vfjatv,dfjberdarpo^a

rjfiepa

rjv

'''^

fiev
*"'

oiv

eXa^ov, iv
eKoar^

rov
(fyvXaxa ^vfi'jri/JLTreiv
^lov

drpaKTOV BlvTi"i,
Kvpovvra
8'

eKeLvT]VS"

Kdyeaw

aipeOivTOJV.ov
vtro

eirpa^e

tS)v a\Xa";"

eK

kcu

Slxaia

av

fii^enpiyvvaOat. eTeiBrj8'

irpo"i Tr)v
tovtov

tuj^ijv

IBvatrov
^iov dv8po"s

^pfja-Bai,
"^v^A? Tois /Si'ov?
mtytrep

ra?

TTpixs
rriv

Kara

t^v

iroXirv

eXeaOai.
dafievijv

fiera^aXXovra,Kal vdaai
Traffas

IBelv

^iXoTifiCa^
XeXatfyri-

xeifievov

ar/pia,

re'xyiicrji

vaTdroK

Br] d'qpimvdxravrm'; el"s dvOpmirov;levai

rd

et?

Be

iroveav

elveiv ISovaav,

k"u
Xa-^ovtra,

nerd

vardr-qv,alpija-o/ievfi

traa-mv

^(povov

Xa'^ovtrav

Xafieiv.

8' iv

irpoTepwv

rointo

fieyd\a"irifia^ affX-^rov

evBvopivqv
@ep"TiroviriOrjKOv

'OSva-ffieois,
Xaj(pvaav

TTjv

iirl

Be

HavoTriiai!

rov

"})V"nv troppw

yeXasToirotov

Tov

'ETretoi)

rrjv

fieaoi^

dXXd
irapeXdelv,

Bvvacrdai

ttjv

avOpeamvov yevovi

rov

ravrriv

Be

avdpoyirovyeve"r6at,

KpL"reai";.
rTjv

o'/rXtov

KartBovaav
rifv'AraXavrr}^-^uj^iji/,

dvSpo^, oil

elvai

^iov

A|"H'To? rov

irdBr}derov

elKoart)v

waavTox;.

eketrOai
"^frvyfijv

ra

rrjv

/lovaiKa

Be 'Kayovffap

Bia

eV

ISeiv Se

'Ayafi,efivovo"!'
e'^dpaBe

iOeKovaav

ovk

yeveadaf
yvvaiKlyewTiOeia-av

fjLefivrmivTjv
t^? t"v

yvvaiKeiov

ov

kcu

dyeiv avriiv
iiriarpo^TfV

Xay(a"vetXero fwipav

tt/v

eiriKXaxrdevTa

t'^? ^Arpoirov
ayeiv
iroioOvTa'

ivTevOev

Se

621

S^

Kal

Bi

sKeLvov

nropeveffdai,
T6

Koi

re

Koi,

eh

(TKrjvaadai

oiv

vaph,

tov

'Afii\i)Ta

troTapLOv,

elvai

dvaiyKalov
iriveiv

TrXeov

eTreiBt)

eiTtXavQdveadai.

yeve"r0ai,

^povT-qv
dWov

i^airlvr/^
Tovra^

"Trielv

owr)

elBivai,

Keip,evov

eirl

eamOri

Kal

Kal

dddvaTOv

dve')(ea6ai.,

irdvra

Xva
H

Kal

warrep

y(^tXieTet

Be

dr/add,

^povqffeo)^

^iXoc

Kal

tjv

'

Kal

rrj^

"p,ev
Ta

avco

etodev

dv

ip.ol

del

T0t9

dQXa

eiJ

TreiOcop^da,
p^v

KaK"t

Kal

e^op^da

Oeoi^,
auTTj?

xal

irei0"o-

eiriTtjBevaopxv,

Tpoirta

Kal

pvdo";

BiafiTja-opsOa

irdvTa
oBov

ovk

avTov

dv

e5

Bwar^v

irepiajeipopevoi,

BieXTjXvffap^v,

o^ikolto,

aaxreiev,

dXX

aT-

KcaXvd'^vai

TXavKcav,

troTapov

iravTi

eireiBhv

viKr]i}"6pqi

Tropeia,

Ai^0rj"s

"^jrv^riv

avTol"s

evddBe,
ol

tij?

dv

"qp^'s

ivrev6ev

vBarov

at

ovt(o";,

vvKra"i

yeveiriv,

IBeiv

p,iav97}a6p"da'

peTa

ripiv

pAvovTe"i

tov

ov

vop^l^ovre^

BiKaio"Tvvi]v

Kal

dirmkeTO,

ovk

y^v^rjv

TTjv

Kal

irdvrmv

Kal

acop^

dvapKef^af

irvpa.

Ty

to

(ra^op.e-

p.r)

p,e"ra"i

rrjv

p^v

tov

et?

07r""?

i^ai"}"vr]^

aiiTa,

psOa

Kal

p,evToi

Be

avro?

et?

voaro?

iriovTa

yeveffdai,

dvco

^epeaQai

darepa^.

dXV

Kal

dWy

marrep

treKTp,6v

Kal

re

tov

Kal

KOip/ijdrjvai

Be

vSap

to

ti

dei

Se

eaTrepav

ov

"f"povTj(rei

tov

p-eTpov

tov

hevBpav

rjOTj

ovv

Se

tov?

irieiv,

Kav/taro^

Kevov

cr^ai

pjev

p,eTpov

(TTeyeiv.

oifjkOov,

Sia

avro

"f"vei.

ovSev

vov"s

elvai

yhp

dpovov,

aXKoL

ireBlov

yrj

6"Ta

TTcia-iv

ol

Koi

Aiy^ij?

t^s
Kal

Seivov'

irvirfov"i

ayyeiov

iireiSi]

to

Uvai

^AvSyKr)"s

t^?

tov

Sie^eXOovra,

airavTa"{

yvyvofiivrji

tnrb

dfieraarpeirrl

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

150

evBoBe

TrpdTTcop,ev.

avTov

Te

Kopi^wpsBa,
Kal

ev

t"

THE

"

straight

on

even

journeyed
and

under

the

beside

said

the

holdeth.
of

wisdom

and

midnight

and

of

born

in

was

how

he

the

he

said

flew

drink

of
his

unto

his

and

eyes,

each,

all

together

burning

or

heat

herb

any

that

that

when

thence

the

and

he

body

knew

not

was

and

means

but

be

to

himself

what

and

morning,

was

parts

he

by

yet

asleep

earthquake,

an

But

meteors.

water:

fallen

divers

unto

by

drank,

man

had

they

certain

preserved

each

as

pitcher

no

drink
not

thunder

was

like

should

and

that

whereof

were

measure

up

lo ! it

all

already evening,

was

water

that

there

flesh, shooting
to

when

went

he

suddenly

he

lying

was

on

pyre.

and

Thus,

"

it

Glaucon,

will

"This

is

immortal,

always

ourselves

and

when

receive

the

both

told,

Games

here,
we

may

with

the

the

which
and

in

fare

Gods,

prizes
go

the

well."

of

ill

about

journey

may

so

perishing,

shall

Souls

good,

we

be
we

the

Soul

and

their

thousand

friends

wages
years

is

let

both

sojourn
unto

pass

undefiled.

practise justice

justice, like

gathering
of

all

whilst

both

from

that

and
and

we

our

our

believe

way,
that

it ;

in

keep

us

all

bear

understanding,

with

we

let

upward

the

preserved

believe

we

counsel:
to

Tale

safely, and

Lethe

able
to

if

us

my

and

keep

things

of

the

was

preserve

Eiver

the

over

at

the

it

the

they

than

they

came

opened

but

come,

sudden
the

trees

when

necessary

Then

suffered

not

was

more

all.

forgot

and

terrible

without

back,

it, they

through

Forgetfulness,

water;

drank

through

Lethe,
is

turning

Necessity,

they encamped,

it

the

of
out

Plain

of

Now,

measure

of

151

without

man,

come

EE

forth.

that

Eiver

OF

throne

was

this

bringeth

He

each

Plain

the

and

earth
"

last,

to

frost

he

said,

the

unto

the

Er

Thence,

MYTH

in

us

all

with

here, and

Conquerors
;
of

and
which

that

Observations

Let

the

Myth

the

on

begin with

us

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

152

Er

of

geographyand

cosmographyof

the

Myth.
Judgment-seat,between the two openings
and
the
two
the
and
side,
of Tartarus
one
out) on
(in
the other side,is also
on
openings of Heaven
corresponding
from
their
return
the
meeting-place of the Souls which
From
the
thousand
years'sojourn in Tartarus and Heaven.
to
Meadow
they journey,always above ground,till they come
"rainbow-coloured
a
light,straight like a pillar,extended
This
and
the Earth."
from
on
high throughout the Heaven
Light is the axis, I take it, on which the whole heavenly
Meadow

The

of the

system revolves,the

Earth

fixed

in

the

of the

centre

system

being a globe on the line of the axis. The destination of the

Pilgrim Souls is that part of the surface of the globe at
which, in the hemisphere where they are, the axis enters on
its imaginary course
through the centre of the Earth, in order
sphere.
out again at the antipodalpoint in the other hemito come
The
Souls, arrived at the very point where, in the
hemisphere where they are, the axis of the Cosmos enters the
in the place of all placeswhere
which
the Law
Earth, are
controls all things is intuitively
plain they see the Pillar
of Light as the Spindle of Necessity. Then, suddenly, the
outlook presented to us in the Myth changes like the scene
in a dream.
It is no longer such a view
of the Cosmos
from
"

within

as

had,

we

Pilgrims on
of Light in

the

sky :

we

if it

were

outside,as

cups
her

rings; and
lap,and the three
or

mounted
Souls

are

on

are

while

stood

we

Earth, lookingup

looking at

now

at

with

the

the Pillar
from

the Cosmos

of concentric
a model
orrery
Necessityherself is holdingthe model in

eight cups,

on

an

"

Fates

are

seated

each

of

which,

round, and
its

on

keep

edge,a

ing
turn-

Siren is

singsin tune with her sisters. But the Pilgrim

standing near, lookingon at this spectacla They

who

their way, we
Lethe, both placeson

are

ago,

the surface of the

the

the

moment

know, from
the

surface

the Meadow
of the

the Plain of

to

Earth

it is

on

the

MYTH

THE

Earth

then, after all,that

OF

the

EE

153

is

throne

placed

which

on

Necessity sits holding in her lap the model, which, like a

the great Cosmos
and
true dream-thing,is both a little model
of Necessity on
itseK.^ In this place,in the presence
her
throne, the Pilgrim Souls are addressed by the Prophet from
his pulpit; then choose,in the turns which the lots determine,
of

lives

images
1

Let

men

at

beasts

or

their

feet ;

scattered, it would
then

of the

illustrate this characteristic

me

Book

in the Fifth

before

go

of "WV"rdsworth'sPrelude
and
poletry

On

three

the

little

as

seem,

Fates, who

"dream-thing" from

the Dream

:"

geometric truth,

their high privilegeof lastinglife,

all internal injuryexempt,
From
these chiefly: and at length,
I mused
; upon

And

yieldingto the sultryair,

My senses
seized
Sleep
me, and I passed into a dream.
stretched a boundless plain
I saw
before me
Of sandy wilderness, all black and void,
And

as

around, distress and

I looked

when

Came

fear

side,
shape appeared
high.
at my

creeping over me,

side,an uncouth
Upon a dromedary, mounted
Close at my

tribes
seemed an Arab of the Bedouin
arm
lance he bore, and underneath
one
A stone, and in the oppositehand a shell

He

Of

surpassingbrightness.
,

******

Was

told

The Arab
"Euclid's

that the stone

"
; and "This," said he,
worth " ; and at the word

me

Elements

"

Is something of more
Stretched forth the shell,so beautiful in shape,
In colour so resplendent,with command
I did so,
That I should hold it to my ear.
that instant

heard

And

in

unknown

an

tongue.

yet I understood, articulate sounds,

loud prophetic blast of harmony ;
Ode, in passion uttered.

Which
A
An

******

this

While

I wondered

'

to be

The

one

Nor

doubted

Having

uttering,strange as it may
not, although I plainly saw

a
once

stone, the other a shell ;

but that they both were

perfectfaith

in all that

that Plato may have borrowed

and
images of trades and callings,

I think

votive

or

horses,pigs,doves),were,

first-fruits of

least

hunting. Seferringto

probablethat

successful

here from
ptiovirapaSelyfuiTa
"The
:
Argive Heraeum,"
298), "yielded hundreds of animals
oxherds,goats, sheep,cocks, ducks,

Rouse

Mr.

human

huntsman,

These
supposes,

discovered

in the tomb

of "Aristotle

"

found

either

may

be

sacrificialvictims

p. 79, "It is at
artist, craftsman, trader, would

I remember

(to which

animals

he
figures

for
figure,in character, as a thank-ofiering
that
little
as
a
recognised
figure,
rightly,

dedicate

books.

passed.

his ret t"v

of animals

{Greek Votive Offerings,p.

says Mr. House
and
and clay : bulls,cows, oxen
in bronze
and other birds, including perhaps a swan."
added

seem,

was

near

says,

in his

success

of

Chalcis

"

some

calling."If

Philosopher,"was
years

ago.

ratify the

Necessity; and thence

dusty region,till they come
no
thing grows, and to
green
When
no
pitchercan hold.

the throne
a

hot

where
which

pass severallyunder
travel together,
through

each; then

of

doom

chosen

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

154

of

to

the

Lethe,

Eiver

the

water

of

Souls

have

drunk

of

the
the

of

Plain

asleep; but at
midnight there is an earthquake and thunder, and suddenly,
like meteors, they shoot up to be born
again,in terrestrial
this

water

bodies, in

foolish,too

the

"

much

they

"

fall

part of the Earth.

our

in accordance
given by Plato here is strictly
river entirely
Lethe
makes
with
the popular belief,which
a
the rivers of Tartarus.^
it among
above ground, never
counts
in Aen. vi. 705, 714, may
be thought to placeit under
Virgil,
pression
ground; but his descriptionsuffers in clearness from comit is not
likely that he willinglydeserts
; and
of such importance as the
traditional authority in a matter
His vexvia,
whole, is derived from a
as
a
positionof Lethe.
source
(considered
by Eohde and Dieterich to be the /eoraySao-t?
with
ek A'lSov)common
to himself
Pindar, Plato, Plutarch,
does
Lucian, and (accordingto Dieterich,though here Eohde
^
the writers of certain sepulchralinscripnot agree with him)
tions
The

account

which
Lethe

shall describe
in

appears
as

appears

one

about
of

to

his

by
be

Lethe

born

has

the next

section; and where

I believe,
any of these authors, it never,
of the infernal, or
subterranean, rivers.

Indeed, all reasonable

be barred

in

doubt

statement

again

its

own

above

are
sun

to
Virgil's
orthodoxy seems
that the plain in which
Souls
the banks
gathered togethernear
{Aen. vi. 641). It is evidently
as

to

the writer of the Axiochus

ground somewhere
perhaps say in the antipodalhemisphere of the Earth.
"

would

11"
The

object of

this

twin-streams, Eunofe and

xxviii.)
"

'

in which

See Thiemann,
Dieterich,Nek.

section

is to

point

to

detail

the

"

Lethe, of the EarthlyParadise

Dante's

vision

of

{Pwrg.
Purgatoryreproduces I
"

Platonische

Eschatologie,
p. 18.
128 f.,135, and Bohde,
ii. 217.
' It
be
mentioned
that
this
section
to
was
ought
written,and the substance
of it read in the course
of a publiclecture,and also to a privatesociety,
before
the appearance
of Miss Harrison's
Prolegomena to the Sttulyof Greek Beligion,
^

and

her

"

Query

"

in The

Psy.

Classical Beview, Feb.

1903, p. S8.

THE

think, independently
"

ritual and

mythology

his account

of the

and

MYTH

to

Soul's

EE

OF

distinctive
which

155

feature

Plato

is

as
Kd6ap"n";

of

that

Orphic

largelyindebted

for

of

forgetting
transmigrationsthrough
process

remembering as a series of
sins of the flesh,
which
the particulars
of sense, the evils and
scured,
are
forgottenor left behind, and the universal Ideas, long obremembered
that they can
never
are, at last,so clearly
be forgottenany more,
but become
the everlasting
possession
disembodied
of the Soul, finally
and returned to its own
star.
the literarysources
It is easy to account, from
open to
of
of rivers, and
more
Dante, for the presence
particularly
On the one hand, the descripLethe, in his Earthly Paradise.
tion
of Eden
in Genesis would
suggest the general idea of
the other
rivers girding the Earthly Paradise;^ while, on
hand, the proximity of Purgatory to the Earthly Paradise
"

makes

it natural

should

that Lethe

first reached

that

by one coming
Lethe, according to

be

one

from

up

of

rivers

these

Purgatory.

"

The

vi. and
the current
Aen.
drinking of
a
period of purgatorial
mythology, is the act with which
about
to pass
is closed by those Souls which
are
discipline
again into the flesh. In placing the Earthly Paradise on the
Dante
followed
a
prevalentmedieval
top of a loftymountain
drawn
his own
on
to have
belief; and, although he seems
the
slopes of this
imagination in placing Purgatory on

mountain, it

natural, and

was

in

the current

accordanot^with

mythology, that he should place it there, close

Paradise or Elysium ; for the Lethe of Aen. vi.
the same
region as Elysium,

Earthly
evidentlyin

to the
is

"

nemus

et

Lethaeumque

domos

Seclusum

The
Dante's
the

to

presence,

then, of Lethe, the

of Eunofe, the

of

stream

of

does

not

it
Forgetfulness,

in this way.
1

virgultasonantia aylvis,
placidas
qui praenatatamnem.^
stream,
purgatorial

Earthly Paradise is easilyaccounted for by

But
mythological authorities open to him.

association
stream

in valle reducta

videt Aeneas

Interea

The

See Vernon's

Earthly Paradise
"
Virg, Am.

on

on

the

on

reference

account

alone.

Lethe

the side of Heaven.

for the

Lethe, the

possibleto

Purgaiorio,ii. 285-293.

the side of Earth, Eunofe

vi. 703.

seem

mythology gives Lethe

common

headings

Memory, with

in

It

girdsthe

is not
and

likelythat
Mnemosyne

of evidence

absence

Orphic cult;

the

of

"

heard of the twin

had

Dante

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

156

Lethe

"

the

rate, in

any

heard of them, it

had

that he

at

streams

better

seems

of Memory
that the very natural pictureof a stream
occurred to him
of Forgetfulness
stream
the
taneously,
spon-

to suppose

beside

it had

as

occurred

himself,were

others,who, Uke

to

expressionfor their hope of KaOaptri'}.

resemble
of the Orphic cult which
For the twin streams
to the
turn
must
Eunofe
and
Lethe
we
Dante's
so
closely,
last
of the
end
the
at
sepulchralinscriptionsmentioned
These are certain directions for the ghostlyjourney
section.
to find

deeplyconcerned

made

to be

by

initiated

gold tablets
South
Italy,and

on

written

persons,
in

found

Thurii

at

graves

in hexameter

verse

Petelia in

and

preserved in the British Museum.

described
tablets were
These
by Comparetti in the Jowrnal
and are printedby Kaibel
of Hellenic Stvdies, iii.p. Ill fif.,
to
Kaibel
in his Insc. Gr. Sic. et It. p. 157.
assignsthem
the third

I shall quote the

century B.c.
Petelia.^ It gives directions to an

fourth

or

found

was

now

at

that

one

initiated

hopes to get out of the Cycle of Incarnations

ab \Y\^aikoX avairvevo'ai
kvkXov
having been
t
KaKorr/TO';
completely purified. Such a person, the verses
say, must
who

person

"

"

avoid

fountain

the

growing

left hand

it, evidentlythe

near

tablet does not

name

it.

with

white

of Lethe,

water

It is to the

cypress

although

right that

the

the

purified

of the /ivoTT]^ must

turn, to the cool water of Mnemosyne.
guardiansof the well he must address in set form of words,

Soul
The

thus

"
"

the child

am

well

of

drink

dwell

of Earth

and

Heaven

am

parched

perish; give me cool water to drink from the

And
the guardians will give him
water
Memory."
he will be translated to
from
the holy well, and

with

thirst ; I

to

the

on

for

with

ever

the Heroes

"

6' 'AtSao Sofuavor'- dpicrrepa

eip^orets
KprfVTjV,
S'
Trap' avrg A.cuk^vItrnj/cviav
KVTrapurvov.
(r)^fShv
"/tjr"A,a"r"ios
TavTtjS rrjsKpr/vrj^ firjSi
'

For

Ornament

further

description of the Petelia Tablet

Table-case

Boom,

Eleuthemae
consult

Tablet
Miss

may
with
pp. 573 ff.,
'
See Lobeck,

H)

and

other

(in the

from Crete, in the National

Museum,
Harrison's
Prolegomena to the Study

Appendix by

Mr.

Aglaoph. p.

800.

G. G. A.

Brit

Orphic golden

Murray, pp.

660

Museum, Gold
{e.g. the

tablets

Athens),
of Oreek
ff.

the

reader

Religion,

Sins

the sinner does

the

on
as

tabula

rasa

sets

thought

avdfwriffKrests.
Philosopherin the

virtue

working
mysteries

the

TrpcK!

eKsivoK

yap

"

as
purification

deiof ia-rf

6eo"; wv
ola-irep
"7rpb"i

devotee

of

^iKoaoi^ov
Svva/itv,

Si} roiovroi^

Se

rot?

dvrfp

del reXexA? TeXou/xevo?,

TeXeov"s
'xpcofievo';,

vtro/jivijfiaa-ivopdw

the

its sins, that

/lovrj

"

Sidvoia-

the Platonic doctrine

irTepovrai, ^ rov
del ia-ri fi'^f^V
"o"

"

"

true

which

flesh,with

his

out

clearer memory,

good

forgets; but of the things of

he gains always clearer and

Fhaedrus

of truth and

"

Here

actions.

of his

on

It is the

of

the mind

not

he retains

memory
forth the

sinned ; but,

has

he

begin his heavenly existence

served
continuityof his conscious life is pre-

the

"

fullypardoned,that

so

that

remember

even

the

by
Dante

not

hand, he does

other

and

after penance,

wiped out

are

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

158

yiyverat,
{Phaedrvs,249 c). The parallel
the
between
philosopher who "always, as far as he can,
to those
cleaves in memory
things by cleavingto which the
Deity is divine,"^ and the purified/ivarrji who finallydrinks
is plainlyin Plato's mind
here, as
of the well of fivij/jLoa-vvr},
Dieterich
{Nekyia,pp. 113, 122) and others have noticed.^
iKav"i}
in the Phaedo, 114
c, he says oi "j)i,\offo"f"ia
Similarly,
dvev atdiidrmv^"cri,speaking of those who
are
KaOripd/jievoi
Celestial Paradise, i.e.
the Earthly to the
translated from
6vrw"; fiovof

TeXeo";

Surface

True

the

from

of the

en
Blessed, to olKrjaei";

Earth,

the

or

Islands

of the

KaXKiovi.

rovriov

iKflvms.
See Thompson's note on the construction
irpbs
"Platons
then
stimmen
in allem, was
Dieterich
122)
{Nek. p.
My
says:
Thurioi
Beste zu kontroliren uns
die erhalteneu
gestatten, zu den Tafelchen ron
und Petelia : in diesen uud in jenen der himmlisohe
Ursprung der Seeleu,der
'

'^

Eingehen

alter Siinden, das

wegen
tritt
Seligkeit(Persephone
allerdingsbei Platon
Rechten
wie
in
Platons
gehen
Bepublik so nach den

Ereislauf,das Abbiissen

schmerzenvoUe
in

Gefilde

die

ztiriick)
giinzlich
;

zur

luschriften die
Lethe in beiden

Belohnenden

Platon
Lehre

und

Linke

zur

Sollten
Uberliefeningen.

als rAew
reKerai ? Es ist
in Besitz der /ixiJAH?
gewesen

abstrakt

symbolisch
in

ihrer

SoUte

es

gesagt,
soil.

sein

die
nun

Strafenden,links

nicht

die

ist die

Anspielungenbei

was

der

Quell

(s.bes. Laert. Diog. viii. 4). Dort ist

Mneme
konkret, mythisch, uud

der

Wiedererinnerungan

Die

das, was

die

Seele einst aali

gbttlicbeuHeimat, hilft sie edbsen ; wer sie empfangt, ist erlbSt.

kiihn
noch
sein, in jener ofifenbar viel alteren Vorstellungder
zu
Mysterien, die

unteritaliscben

spiiter durch
Lehre

wii-

seligenPhilosophen-seelen,
TrpJsyi.piKtlvois
unmittelbar
daneben
die Bezeichnung der
dasselbe,wenn
von
Pythagoras gesagt wird, er

vou

sei immer
nur

Schuld

der
der M'"i/'"J
249
(Phaid.
c), und
iJ-viii-T)

verstehen

6,el ijTi

zii

der

der

von

diese
der

Tafelchen

ivd/mrins

zu

fiir

nun
ans

Rnden

dass
herausstellen,

erst urn
Platons Zeit oder etwas
treten, eine QneUe der platonischen

uns

Licht
Das

kaun

hier

nur

angedeutetwerden,

viel
diese Mysterienlehreiiberhauptvon
sonst
die
auf
die
EInflusse
Ideenlehre
ja
ganze Psyohologie,
gewesen
grosserem
ganze
hatte'annehmen
kbnnen."
sind, als man
wiirde

sioh

MYTH

THE

OF

I may
perhaps be allowed to
curious
between
point of contact
effected through
as
Kciffapa-i^
Dante's

representationof
of

terrace

Plato

says

drink

of

the

Mount

that

the

of

here, in passing,a
Plato's representationof
of

and
aietempsychoses,

Souls

In

to Lethe

come

from

ascent

an

Purgatory.

water, and

the

as

159

notice

series

it

ER

fall

terrace

to

the

Myth of Er
in the evening,and
at midnight there

asleep; and
is thunder
and an earthquake,and they shoot up like meteors
born
to be
tells us
again in the flesh. Similarly,Dante
Soul passes
a
to
a
{Purg. XX. and xxL) that when
higher
of its purification,
the Mount
terrace in the course
of Purgatory
is shaken, and
of the
there is a great shout
spiritspraising
The
God.
Soul of the poet Statius, which
had just passed
to a higher terrace, thus explainsthe matter
to Dante
(Purg.
"

xxi. 5 8

The

:
ff.)
"

it says,

Mountain,

Trembles

when

any

feels
spirit

itself

that it may
rise,or move
purified,
For rising; and such loud acclaim ensues.
So

*****

And

I, who

Five

hundred

years

Free

wish

happierclime.

The

in this

for

punishment
and

but

more,

lain
have

now

Therefore

; and

felt

thou

felt'st

devout
spirits
all
its
utter
Heard'st,over
limits,
praise
To the Liege Lord, whom
I entreat
their joy

earthquake
of the

passage

bring
song

forth

both
of

is
the

Souls
a

of

and

from

terrace

of

by

Eyes

Dante
to

series of re-incarnations
of

or

when
of

the

An

shouting
"

the
of

the

in Plato's

are

and

with

pared
com-

to
"

the

earthquake and
associated

thus

The

birth.

new

births, and

of

Mount

in

answers

ascent

Purgatory
Dante

to

tion
representamythological

KaOapati.

Orphic mythology of
Mnemosyne in the world of

That

Heaven,"

the

"couched

Latona

field."

with

terrace

spiritualnew

of the doctrine

and

of Delos

thunder

Plato

series

the

shouting which attended

to a higher terrace
are

Bethlehem's

in

"

of

Statius

twin-born

first heard

by

of

shaking

the

great sound

sound

and

Soul

the

with

mountain

hasten.^

To

The

tremble

had

the two
the

fountains

departed

Pwrg. xxi. 58 ff.,Gary'sTranslation.

"

of Lethe

vouched

for

by

goldtablet

the

consulted

in
originated

"

of

oracles

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

160

ritual

probable by

dead, is rendered

the

those who

by
practised

be

supposed
of consulting Trothe method
have
to
known), in which
phonius at Lebadeia is described. The priestsof Trophonius,
lead him
to
before they take the applicantto the fiavTelov,
are
certain fountains,Lethe and Mnemosyne, which
very close
in

passage

each

to

drink

must

of

other

Be

of Lethe

before;

have

ai

"

he

then

given

power
down

him

forgetall that he thought

Mnemosyne that he may

he

may
drink of

must

he

what

remember

to

First, he

eltrcv aXXijXtov.

eyyvTaTo,

that

cannot

(which Dante

ix. 39

Pausanias

into the Cave of Trophonius.

goes
the mythology of
between
connection
a

when

sees

There

is

evidently
into

Descent

the

that of

practiceof consultingoracles of the dead

Trophonius. It is to consult his father Anchises

Aeneas

goes

Dante's

Inferno(forinstance, Farinata, Inf. x.)have

and

Hades

power.
To

the

down

the results

summarise

mythologicaldata

to

Elysium

near,

but

is

there

the

or

no

"

like
that

inmates

the

even

far reached

so

of

prophetic

Dante

true

was

disposalin placing Lethe in, or

Earthly Paradise, and making it a
his

subterranean, but

not

stream,

at

and

Avernus;

into

he

evidence

the

on

to show

that

surface
he

had

of the
any

Earth

knowledge

have it
we
as
Orphic mythology of the twin-streams
in the Petelia inscription.Nor
can
we
suppose that he knew
of the streams
and
of Lethe
of Pausanias'
(ix.39) mention
Mnemosyne at the entrance of the Cave of Trophonius.'The
is to allow that Dante, taking the generalidea
safest course
of streams
encirclingthe Earthly Paradise from Genesis,and
of

the

the

idea

of Lethe

as

one

of these

have

hit, quiteindependentlyof

very

natural

stream

of

of Eimo^
and

idea of

Neo-Platonic

It is

from

Aen.

stream

the

with

the

of

in which
the
passages
that of avd/ivria-Ki.

that
possible

he

may

have

seen

vL, may

tradition,
on
mythological

Memory to contrast
of the
Oblivion, althoughhis description
of Memory
stream
as
certainlyresembles

is identified with
'

streams

Pliny,S.

process

iV. xxxi.

of

15.

attributes
Platonic

Kddapin"s

For

Dante's

Plinius,"and his
acquaintancewith Pliny,see Toynbee'sDante Dictionary,art.
Index
da Imola in, his Commentary on the D. C,
of Authors quotedby Benvenvio
published as Annual
Report of the Dante Society(Cambridge,Mass.), 1900,
"

art. "Plinius."

THE
With

regard to the
appropriateto the stream
make,

to

perhaps
it may

MYTH

not

of

be worth,

suggestionis

as

that

connection

the

Dante's

obviously

name

have

suggestion

direction at

right

all,

I offer it, however, for what

very
contribution

with

in

161

(not a

Memory)

far.

go

EE

Eunoe

name

which, if it goes
does

OF

to

of the

use

difficult subject. My
Euno^

name

have

may

the idea of

which apparently
refrigerium,
found its way into Christian literature ^ from the earlyChristian
epitaphswhich reproducethe yfrvx,pov
vSwp of the pagan
ing
epitaphs. Thus, we have such pagan epitaphsas the followpublishedby Kaibel, and referred to by Dieterich in his
in his Psyche: ^jrvxpovvBap hoir]a-ot,
Nehyia and Eohde
kuI
ava^ evepmv 'Ai'Soji/eus
(Kaibel, /. G., 1842)
evyjrvy^ei
hoit)croi 6 "Ocripi';
to
vBap (Kaibel,I. G., 1488)
yfrv^^pov
some

"

"

D.M.

IVLIA

HYDOE

POLITICE

DOESE
in Via

found
(inscription

I. G.,

1705;

cf.

OSIEIS

Dieterich, Nek.

TO

PSYCEON

Nomentana,

Eome

and

such

Christian

p.

95);

epitaphs(quotedby Dieterich, Nek. p. 95,

ii. 391) as in refrigerio
anima
et pace
tua
spiritumtuum Dominus
refrigeret.

and

Eohde, Psyche,

Deus

"

Kaibel,

refrigeret

te

"

I
was

"

from

suggest,then, that the

chosen

by Dante,
he

whom

rather

or

borrowed

Euno^

name

it,

to

by

"

an

benevolentia

evvoia,

unknown

indicate

that

authority
a

boon

was

bestowed
graciously
by God through the water of this stream
of refrigerium "^v')(^pov
the boon
ava^
vSeop Soir)aot
Eunofe
te refrigeret.Dante's
ivepcov'A'cStovev'iDominus
thus
the
would
Stream
of the Loving-kindnessand
mean
"

"

"

Grace

of God.

Consideringthe probable descent

of

the

Christian

re-

itself felt in the lines

frigeriwm (the idea of which makes
from
the
with which
the Pwrgatorioends),through epitaphs,
it is to
that
inclined to think
Orphic -^v^pov vBmp, I am
Christian
ought to go for the more
epitaphs that we
immediate
there

in

connection

confidence

some

of Dante's

source

that

with
it had

Eunofe.

If the

word

found

were

we
might infer with
refrigerium,
occurred in Orphic epitaphs.^

Tertullian,Apologeticus,
xxxix., speakingof the Lord's Supper,says, "inopes
isto
jiivamus"; and Dante, Par. xiv. 27, has "Lo refrigerio-refrigerio
quosque
1

dell' eterna
^
In the

ploia."
"Query"

in the Classical Review, Feb. 1903, p. 58, referred to on

154
Miss
Harrison
conjecturedI^iv\olasin Kaibel, I.G.S.I. 642. In
p.
supra,
"
"
1903,
in the Classical Review, March
The Source of Dante's Euno"
a note on
M

MYTHS

THE

162

OF

PLATO

III
Dante's
to

the

in Plato's

Tartarus,

top

eVl yrji

mansions

Lethe,

Earth."

of the

Surface

True

aethereal

the

the

described

places are

these

as

Earthly Paradise on
to the
Purgatory answers

of

the

"on

to

to
eirl yfjii,

mansions

Blessed, or

The

Myths.

of the Mount

Purgatory has characteristics belonging

of the

Islands

of Lethe, and

Plain

"

of

Mount

well

as

as

Purgatory; and the

punishment undergone by those not incorrigibly
disciplinary
is

Eunoe,

wicked,

Plato's

in

Tartarus,

of

Mount

top of the

the

on

in

answers

the

to

part

penance
of Dante's

terraces
cornices or
undergone on the various
Purgatory. Looking at the compositionof the Myth of Er as
have
the
sketch
in this Myth we
a
whole, we may
say that
of a Divina
Commedia, completewith its three parts Inferno,
The
Inferno is paintedwith a few
Purgatorio,and Faradiso.
"

touches,

the

where

Purgatorio is given in
to

what

those

who

these Souls

to the

Lives, and

new

of

out

come

also in

throne

further

only

Tartarus

in the

Necessity,and
journey on to the
of

reference

suffered

have

the account

The

described.

are

detail,not

more

imprisonment,but

their

of Ardiaeus

torments

of the

during

march

of

their

choosing of

water

of Lethe:

Harrison's
"Until
Miss
"Query," I wrote:
pp. 117, 118, in reply to Miss
Harrison's E[to]o(as has been proved to belong to the originaltext of Kaibel,
I. O.S.I. 642, and the reference in that inscriptionhas been shown
to belong
"

the Orphic Kp'/ivri

it will
Myrnioaiinis,
certainly.to
Orphic writer in the third century B.c. might

enough to admit that an

very naturally speak of the
of Memory
of the Well
cSyot towards
those liicrrai,
whom
as
(pffkaKes
on
they
bestowed
rb ^vxP^" ^Sup, or refrigerium, and
that he might very naturally
describe that well itself as "Eivolas Kp^vri the Fountain
of Loving-kindness."
I have been reminded
Since writing the above
reference in Dieterich's
a
by
be

"

Mithraslitwgie (1903), p. 74, n. 1, that Plutarch, in his Is. et Osir. ch. 47,
made
six gods, the first of whom
is the God of
says that the Persian god Ormuzd
d ii.h'Qpo/idfijs
(k toO KaSapuTirov ifi"ovs
6 S' 'Apa/idvios
eivoia.
ix rod ^6"j"ov
dXX'^Xois"Kal 6 fi^v ^^ deoiK ^Trot7}aej
rbv fiJkv
evvoias
troXefiovirtv
yeyovojs
irpwroy
rbv 5k rpirov eivofiiat,
rbv S^ Se"r^pov dXrideiaSj
dk XotTrwy rbp fiiv (ro^faf,
Twy
Mne

"

Si irXoirov, rbv 5k twv

iwl rdis xaXou
iiS4uv Sri/uovpybv 6 dk TO"rovs
Sxrwep ivnTix''ovs tirovs rbv ipiBfibv. Here, I take it, rbv iih" vpQrrov is the

rbv

first counted

Ormuzd

himself

of eilcoiawould
be the last
; so that the God
of the initiated person on its way up the Mithraio
It is a strange coincidence
that the last stage in Dante's
KXt/iaik-irTirvKos.
of purificationthe Mount
of Purgatory shoidd also be WIvoia, having
/cXf/ial
from

reached by the ascending Soul

"

passedwhich

"

his /i6a-nis
is
Puro

dispostoa salire alle stelle.

Harrison
(Prolegomena, p. 584) refers to tomb-inscriptions,
with
civolat
I take it, "in
affectionate remembrance,"
/iv/ifiris
x^P''"- This only means,

Miss
Kal

and

can

hardly give the

clue to the

problem

of Dante's

Eunoe

Mnemosyne.

THE

MYTH

EK

OF

163

these

experiences,leadingup, as they do, to yev"ai"s in the

flesh,are all parts of a purgatorialdiscipline.Lastly,
have
we
the Paradiso
of the Myth of Er in the visiqjpi
of the orrery
the little model
of the great Universe, by means
of which
the
astronomical
theory of Plato's age^essentiaUy the same
as
that of Dante's
is
illustrated
and
presented in a form
age
which
appealsto poeticalfancy,and yet so Plato thought
is scientifically
This ancient astronomy, first poetised
correct.
by Plato, has indeed played a notable part in the historyof
poetry. Dante's Paradiso is dominated
by it renders it into
and Milton, although he
poetry,and yet leaves it "scientific";
was
acquainted with the Copernican system, adheres, in
"

"

"

"

"

the

old

spheresrevolving round

the

Paradise

Dante's

Lost,
Paradiso

dominated
the
must

touched

Earth.-'

the

into poetry

by

when

concentric

we

that

say

of all

"

"

poetry and

forgetthat

But

its

Eschatological
Myths
astronomy, renders its theory

ancient

into

with

astronomy

the noblest

"

the

by

heavens
not

to

still leaves

theory

down

came

influence

an

it

"

is
of

scientific,"^we

to Dante

already

considered

commonly
rendering owes

not

much
of
to which, however, Dante's
poetical,
its poetical
effect. I refer to the influence of Aristotle.
He
he explained the revolutions
put poetry into astronomy when
of the spheresas actuated by the attraction
of God
the Best
all things unto
with
draws
Himself
Beloved, Who
strong
desire (see Met. A
*7; de Coelo, ii. 2 ; and Mr. A. J. Butler's
Paradise
note, The
of Dante, p. 8). It is Aristotle who
"

dictates the

first line of the

gloriadi

La

and

it is

Paradiso

Colui

muove

doctrine

or

"

poetry
"

that

"

All' alta fantasia

Si

qui maac6

possa :
disiro e '1

velle,
gi4volgevail mio
che igualmentei mossa,
ruota

Ma

come

L' Amor
^

"

che tutto

Aristotle's

with

ends

Paradiso

che

muove

Milton's

See Masson's

U Sole

Poetical

1' altre stelle.^

Works, vol. i. pp. 89 ff.

things are moved.

His

glory by whose

Here

vigour failed the towering fantasy ;

yet the will rolled onward, like a wheel

might

all

Cakt.

But
In

even

That

motion, by the Love

moves

the

Sun

in Heaven

impelled
and

all the Stars.

Caby.

the

164

THE

The

Aristotelian

forth

fullyin

There
is

follows

as

doctrine

the

are
:

MYTHS

poetry

or

"

PLATO

OF

Convivio,ii. 44

lines

of these

"

is set

nine

moving heavens, and

The

first that is reckoned

the order

of their

position

of the Moon

is that

; the

; the

fourth,the
second,that in which Mercury is; the third,Venus
the
the
the
seventh, Saturn;
Sun;
fifth,Mars;
sixth, Jupiter;

eighthis that of the Stars ; the ninth is that which can only
is called
be perceivedby the movement
above
mentioned, which
But
the crystalline
outside
or
diaphanous,or wholly transparent.
of these,Catholics suppose
the Empyrean Heaven, which is as much
the

as

the

to say

this to be

Heaven

immovable,

part, that which

the

of

primum

the fervent

since

its matter

longingwhich

that

with

it

this

requires.
rapid movement
part

is the

that

by

of

joined to

Heaven, it
is,as
velocity

its

why

reason

be

to

of every

reason

because

of it has

motionless

desire

great

so

they suppose

has, in itself,in respect

every
divine

most

; and

the luminous

or

And

mobile has most

part of that

every
within

Flame,

revolves

it were,
is
peaceful Heaven

incomprehensible. And this motionless and

the placeof that Supreme Deity which
alone fullybeholds
itself.
This is the place of the blessed spirits,
accordingas Holy Church,
which
will
have
it
and
this
cannot
to whoso
stands
underlie,
Aristotle,
;
him aright,seems
in the first book de Coelo.^
to mean,
This
in

is

ii.

human

reason

To

surface
of the
the

he

says that
things, little can be

formed

to another

orrery
rov

of

emerge

in

Hence, it is inferred,the

they

assembled

choose

known,

yet that

little which

delectation

more

than

all the

new

"

of

ovpavov

sphere

outermost

are

Spindle of ITecessity
Dante
sufficiently
recognisesin
although,as regards the truth

point: The vSsrov,or continuous

edges or lipsof the concentric whorls
e),has been identified by some
with

by the
{Bep. 616

Chariot-Souls

Er

has

the

sense.

now

pass

v5)Tov

know

can

certainties of

the

of Er ; which

3, where

these

of

"

Vision

the

Gonv.

as
fjLv6o";
truly/tv0o?as

before
Lives

Phaedrus, 247

the

sensible

"

Cosmos,

the
on

outside
which

of
the

sight of the Super-sensibleForms.

placewhere the Souls of the Myth of
the

before

throne

of

and
where
Necessity,
they journeyon to the Plain of

view here advanced"

that Aristotle'sdoctrine of God is "
poetry
consult
an
article on "The
interesting
may
Conceptionoi iviiryeia
dKivrialas,"
hy Mr. P. C. S. Schiller,in Mind, Oct. 1900, republishedin revised and
expanded form, under the title of Adivity and Sulstcmce,
as
xii. in Mr.
1

"the

Againstthe

"

reader

Essay

Schiller's Hiimumism
"

(1903).

A. J. Butler's Translation

of Soartazzini's

Companion to Dante,

p. 420.

166

Er

the Souls

again

to be born

about

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

do

vSrrov ovpavov.
Be this as
described

it may, the region of the v"tov

the Phaedrus, is either the actual

in

close touch

with

the

{Tim.

stars

remember"

"always
from

the

Earth," as

of the

Surface

abode,or

we

in

actual

the

Mnemosyne,

have

as

ovpavov,

are

of

who
"philosophers,"

"

True

"

drunk

have

who

abodes,of the purifiedones

b),which

42

the

actuallyvisit

not

been

and

lated
trans-

read

in the

avev
re
iKavSi^ Ka0T)pdiievoi
(114 C): ol (jii,Xoa-o"f)ia
'inreira j(povov icaX eif
eh tov
fwo-t to irapdirav
aca/idtcav
ovre
KoXKiovf oufyiKVovvrai
a?
tovtwv
olKriaei's
en
paoiov
abode of
6 "^povo^ iKavb^ ev rm
SfjX"aai ovre
irapovTi. The
these purified
region,
ones, in or within sightof the super-sensible
of Dante,
correspondsto the Empyrean or motionless Heaven
the blessed really
the tenth and outermost
Heaven, in which
dwell, although they appear, eV elBdoKov eiBei,in all the nine
moving Spheres to the poet as he ascends.^

Phaedo

I wish

Myth
Mr.

of Er

Adam

observations

this section of my
about
the
few words

to conclude

with

in his note

Bep. 617

on

'AvdyK-qsyovaa-iv.

Plato

B, 11

the

on

maintained

view

by

:
"

imagineNecessityas
notion
is probably
Pythagorean ; for Parmenides,who attaches himself to the Pythagoreans
i. p. 572),speaks of a
in this part of his system (Zeller,^
central 'Ava-yKij
the cause
of all movement
and
as
birth; see
Diels, Dox. Gr. 335. 12 S. tQv Se trvfifuyiov
(so.a-re^avQv)tt/v
djrocrats
Kot
TOKea
fieo'aiTa.TTjv
ttootjs Kivqartoi's
"yevecreojs mdp^eiv,
Kol
koI kX.-qSov)(ov
iirovofid^"i
"ijvTiva Sat/iovaKvlSepvrJTiv
SiK-qvkoI
and
I.e.
this
3
identifies
Zeller,
(Zeller
dvayK-qv;
p. 577, n.
'AvdyKTjwith the central fire of the Pythagoreans). The same
seated

in

the

centre

"

of the

means

to

us

The

Universe.

"

school

of
'AvdyKrj

external

it is

thinking
'

Par.

Sphere is
or

that

which

Plato

quiteclear

that

Plato's

here

Zeller

avails

himself

is in
'AvdyKTj

rejectingZeUer's
Plato

is
'Avd/yKT)

here
in

holds

it is this

(I.e.
p. 434,
the middle.

view

avails

the

and

thinks

that it is

himself,and

middle.

But

in

of a certain Saint in a certain moving

The
appearance
in
his
her
of
or
position the gradedhierarchyof the Empyrean,
sign
A Saint who
Heaven, in which all the Saints have their real abode.

iv. 28-39.
a

Unmoved

appears

surrounds
'AvdyKr/

that Plato's

in
I agree with Mr. Adam
external 'AvdyKT)of which

the

in

But

3).

n.

held

together(Diels,I.e.321),and

world

the

also to have

seem

to Dante

Empyrean

than

in the Lunar
one

who

Sphere, for example, has a lower

in the Sphereof Jupiter.

appears

positionin

the

THE
what

middle

which

Not

is not

the

MYTH

in the

with,

Earth, but the Central

maintains
"

If the

616b,

is in

venture

the

of the

Fftre.

either

much

the

on

Earth.

'

No

other

natural

of the

middle

or

the Earth

of the

surface

is

in

light will be
interpretationof Kara
'

It would

easy.

throne

seem,

Mr.

for

light is straightlike a pillar,'he

stretches 'through all the
13), "and

Universe,

within

or

"

as

The

on

regard

'

Universe,the

end

167

of his Universe.

it is within, not

Earth,'it follows that

either

Plato

middle

think, too

to

that

EE

Pythagorean middle

is certainlyplaced by
'AvaryKT]

Earth, which

OF

the

Adam,

aKpt^oXoyla,
of, the Earth.

writes

(note on

Heaven

the

of

and

middle

at the

of

centre

fiia-ov
to

therefore,that

the

the

of the

(f"m
at

is

the

fourth

the Souls are

day after leaving the Meadow
of the Universe
and of the Earth, as
at the central point both
is maintained
others,Schneider and Donaldson
by, among
; and
this view is also in harmony with some
of the most
important
features of the remaining part of the narrative."
My view is that the throne of Necessityis on the surface
of the Earth, at that spot where
the pillarof light the axis
which the Cosmos
revolves
on
was
seen, by the Pilgrim Souls
the
as
ground, seen, luith the
they approached, to touch
of dream-experience)
accompanying knowledge(so characteristic
that it goes through the Earth and comes
out at the antipodal
spot. I do not think that we ought to press the phrase Kara
Mr. Adam
does.
as
Apart from the fact that
fiea-ov TO
^S)"i,
in
the Pythagorean or Parmenidean
not
central ^Kvar^icr)
was
and
the centre
of the Myth
of the Earth, the whole
scenery
its generalfidelity
to me
to be
to mythological tradition seem
does,
againstputting Plato's throne of Necessity,as Mr. Adam
in the centre of the Earth.
The
Myth begins by tellingus
"

"

"

that the
them

Souls

down

certainlyon

came,

from
the

"

of them

some

Heaven,"

to

surface of the

the

out

of the

The

Meadow.

Earth.

Their

some

of

Meadow

is

Earth,

journey thence

to

Necessity is evidentlyon the surface of the

Earth, they have the sky above them ; they see the pillarof
lightin the sky before them for a whole day, the fourth day
of
is no suggestion
There
of their march, as they approach it.
their going down
that day into Tartarus in order to reach
on
Those
of the light at the centre of the Earth.
the
middle
the

throne

of

"

"

"

of them

who

came

out

of Tartarus

are

still out

of it,and

are

described

with
Mr.
c,

the

"

Adam

"

n.),that
the

in

Myth

both

view, were

or

of Lethe

infernal

is

are

Eiver

of Lethe, eh

appear in the list of the

^
the
given in the Phaedo ;

rivers

"

which

Trjv

(citingAen.

Souls,justbefore
to me,

on

re-incarnation,are

subterranean

under-world
the

"

(pepeaOai

(621 b),from

".) infers that the

underground,"seems
"

contrary,entirelyin accordance

the

with

the

view

face
they are on the surof the Earth, under
the open
sky, up into which they
in various
directions like meteors,
surelyan inappropriate
in a cavern
down
somewhere
at the
pictureif they were

that, encamped
shoot

their

vi. 748

The

mythological
seen) places it

SaTrep acrTepai

aTT0VTa";

yevecrtv

Adam

Mr.

yevea-iv.

does not

(observedeven by Dante, as we have

under the open sky
probably the sky of the
And
the antipodalhemisphere of the Earth.
6t?

this

the
Xecfimv was
equallyleft when
Third
now
journeying along the
the
sky, by the throne of
open

tradition

ava"

him

"

Souls

The

leads, under
Way," which
and then by the
Necessity,
Kiver

by
apparentlyalong

as

the

The

reached.

it

Xei/imv

described

of -the Earth

Surface

Phaedo, and

the

of the

thinks
probability

in view of the
Souls progress imtil they come
accordTrue
Surface of the Earth and Tartarus, ing

surface that

to my

all

the True

on

light."

in

Plato

"

somewhere
in

out

came

"

if

Hence,

of the

region
Heaven," are still out of that region.
as
ovpavo^,
of the Bep.
I am
right in identifyingthe ovpav6";
of the Phaedo
Myth,
Surface
of the Earth
True
11
he
(of.614
be rightwhen
cannot
says, 616 B,
those who

into it. And

goingback

not

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

168

near

the Eiver

of Lethe,

"

of the Earth.

centre

The

whole

movement,

in

short,of the

Myth

of

Er, from

companies of Souls at the Meadow

afar
onwards, is above ground, under the open sky. From
they see a pillarof light reaching down through the sky to
the

of the

meeting

two

'

Olympiodorus,Schol. in .Phaedonem, connects the list of infernal rivers with

iroTafiolKarh t^v 'Op^ius "jrapABociv
T4(r(rapes
Orphic tradition oi irapaSt.Sdfiei'ot.
"

iiroyeioLSdvaXoyovat 5' aroix^ioLSre Kal K^VTpois /caxA 5i5o dvTi64(reLS, 6

Tt^ irvpl Kal r^ dj/aroX^,6 5^ Ku/ci;t6s ry y^ Kal rg
fikv yiip Jlvpupiey^dojv
6
roirovs
8i
Kal fie"rTifi,pplg,.
Te
d^P'
iiiv 'Op^eis oOt-u Stdrafer,
'Ax^pw
dicra,
of
airrbs S^ rbv ^ClKeavhvrQ Hdari KoX t^ "pKT(fiirpoff'otKeioi. Here
the River

Tots

Lethe

does not

appear.

of Lethe:
(art. " Lethe ") gives the followingmentions
Simonides,
184
Spig.
(Bergk) this is the first mention, but the authorshipis doubtful ;
Aristoph.Manae, 186 ; Plato, Hep. 621 ; Plutarch, Cims. ad Apoll. oh. 15, in
quotation from a dramatic writer ; Virg.Aen. vi. 705, 715 ; Lucian, de luctu,
Dial. 13. 6, 23. 2 ; Ovid, Ep. ex Pant. 2, 4, 23.
"" 2-9 ; MoH.
Roscher

"

THE

MYTH

OF

EE

169

Earth; and, because Plato, the Dreamer

this pillaras the axis of the Cosmos
recognises
the

the

the

"

Myth,
of

cause

its necessary

revolutions

foot of

it is no
pillar,
longer a pillarreaching down
sky that they see, but Necessityherself sittingon

the

through the

"

her throne, with

Earth, on
her

lo ! when

of

the Souls

model

of the

are

Cosmos

to the

come

revolvingin

lap.
There

is

differ from

another

Mr.

Adam.

c),"that

616

point

the

the Universe, but

"It

lightnot
also,since

which

feel

obliged to
he says (note on Bep.
is clear,"
only passes through the centre of
it holds the heavens
togetherlike
on

undergirdersof men-of-war, round the outer surface of the

i.e.the ends of the lightwhich passes round
heavenlysphere
surface are
the outer
brought inside the sphere,and, being
to
to me
joinedin the middle, form the pillar. This seems
make
of the man-of-war, or trireme.
It is enough
too much
to take Plato to say that the pillar
(which alone is mentioned)
the
holds
Universe
together in its particularway, as the
in their particular
vTro^a"fiaTa,
way, hold the trireme together.
And
if there is a lightpassed round
surface of the
the outer
Heaven, as weU
as
one
forming its axis,why do the Pilgrim
Souls see only the latter ?
The Heavens
are
diaphanous. The
Pilgrimsought,if Mr. Adam's view is correct, to see not only
the

"

"

of lightrisingvertically
from the horizon at a certain
pillar
which
fixed point towards
they journey,but also another band
of light that which
surrounds
the outside of the Universe
fixed
of the sphere of the
travellinground with the motion
the

"

"

stars from

to West.

East

IV
I shall

of Er

with

raised in it.
Will
The
with
stand

the

with

Pilgrim Souls
their

the

are

the

the

axis

working

on

which

revolutions

axis of the

what

conducted

eyes, the

own

beside

clearlythat
that

Myth
the great philosophical
few words
question
on
to reconcile Free
I mean
the questionof How
afi"rmed in the Myth.
Both
are
Eeign of Law.
conclude

now

Cosmos

"

have

to

to

spot

of the

the

cannot

is the

at

which

Universal

Cosmos

the

about

say

they

Law

they

"

revolves,and

be otherwise."

spindle of

see,

see

They see
'AvdyKT]: and.
"

behold

! there sits

herself
'AvarfKrf

very

stand, the
words

are

of

accordingto the law of 'AvayKi?.Yet, within

in which
they
precinctsof the court of 'Kvol'^kt]
in
the
Pilgrim Souls hear the Prophet tellingthem
Lachesis, that
they are free to choose, and will be

of

"

held

for
responsible

Idea

of Freedom

of choice

prenatalact

carefuUy noted,

the choice, it is to be

"

of

the form

mythicallyunder

presents the

here

Plato

choice."

their

of ticular
parof
choice

not

"

the prenatal
things,but of a Whole Life
in which particular
whole complex of circumstances
things
in this earthlylife. Each
chosen
Soul, according to its
"

"

that
are

itself in

nature, clothes

has

certain

circumstances

which

is,in circumstances

"

it

forcing it, or dominating

without, but as being the environment

regarded not
from

as

its freedom

exhibits

natural

or

of

the circumstances

Among

Soul

the

itself,we

character
Life

"

told, is

are

as

which

not

to

are

it
be

mechanically
in

it

which

livingcreature.^

chosen,"

into,

comes

"

circumstances

in

earthlylife

goes through,this
itself chosen
that

and

of

there

in time

events

the

her throne, and

on

ritual,ordering the succession

solemn

three Fates, with

the

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

170

fixed character

included

"

Se
-^^vyfit

the Soul is modified

ivelvai {Rep. 618 b), because
TOL^ivovK
This means
that the Soul,
by the Life which it chooses.
itself
choosing the circumstances, or Life, chooses, or makes
character,as afterwards modified,and
responsiblefor,its own
In other
modified, by the circumstances, or Life.
necessarily
is responsible
for actions prohere on Earth
words, a man
ceeding
"

from

with

accordance

character

connate

the circumstances

which
of

is modified

generalscheme

here

in

of life

unalterable

by Necessityand the Fates before he was

born
^iov S a-vvea-rai,
i^ avdyKiji;(Mep. 617 e).
alpeio'Oo)
In presentingMoral
Freedom
under
the Eeign of Natural
Choice
made
irrevocable
Law
mythically, as Prenatal
by
the
'AvdyKT},Plato lays stress, as he does elsewhere, on
unbroken
continuity of the responsibleSelf evolving its
made

"

character
before
^

It

in

the

was

may

throne

of

It is the choice made

life-changes.
'AvdyKTjwhich dominates the behaviour

order to express this relation between livingcreature and

his theory of Pre-established Harmony.
Leibniz formulated
he says himself
of Leibniz's theory what
of Plato's doctrine of

that
say

ivd/ivrins that
"

series of

in
chiefly

environment
We

"myth"
Erdmann).

it is

propos, p. 19(5 b, ed.

"

"

toute

fabuleuse"

{Nouveatix Essais,

Avant-

THE
of the
but

Soul

the

itself

has

the

choice
a

on

chooses

in

OF

bodily life

made

the

formed
disposition

in

made

it, but
dvev

been

operari}

in

To

be

virtuous

the

who

man

as

soon

in

he

as

previous
had
been
merely
consciouslyrealised

virtue

upon
thus

to enter

"AvayKj)
depended

of

his choice

rues

foundation
"customary," without
principle(Bep. 619 c). Plato
in esse, not

it is about

previouslife ;

his

"

171

throne

tyrant, and
too late, had

^ikoao"j)M^

ER

which

on

before

the life of

life. Wet

MYTH

makes

free is to

Freedom
be

reside

continuously
afi"rming,environment
-choosing personality,
manifesting itself in actions which
proceed, according to
itself as
for
law, from
all in the
necessary
placed once
existing, self

environment

which

the

"

It

of the

power

liberum

the

chosen

which

is vain

its

"

is the

to look

natural

own

counterpart

for freedom

of the

ment
environof

its

will in

own
some

personalitywhereby it may interfere with the

accordingto which character, as modified
up to

necessary law
date,manifests
a

it has

environment

character.

itself in

ariitrium

therefore

Self.

"noumenal,"

actions.

Such

would
indifferentiae,

continuity,and
of the

certain

with

be

the

It is,in other

with

inconsistent

freedom

words,

such

power,

the

and
freedom

sibility,
responof

the

distinguishedfrom the "phenomenal" Self,

which
Plato presents as the
prenatal choice of a Life
such
a
mythically; which is,indeed, the only way in which
transcendental
idea can
be legitimatelypresented, alpetadoi
A
^lov (p avvearab
e^ avay/cijs' 17 8 aperr) aSeairorov,
as

"

"

"

certain

all

Life, with

character, when
the

none

In

chosen,

once

less,it is

mistress."

its fortunes

being

is

and

all its

of Virtue

on

irrevocably.^ But,

chosen

life of freedom, for

conscious

influences

"

"

Virtue

that

is her

is,of

own

Self

as

For the distinction,see Schopenhauer, Parerga wnd Paralipoinena, ii." 117 ;

als Wille -a. Vorstellung, vol. ii. pp. 364, 365 ; and Die Grundlage der
tinction
In the last of these passages
Moral, " 10.
Schopenhauer (explainingthe disbetween
the "intelligible"
and the "empirical" character, the latter of
Die

Welt

operari sequitur esse)quotes

yd.p SKov ^oiXri/iatoioCt' (oikcv
tl\dT(ijvos^X"^ M^^ "^^ a^e|oiJ(rtoi'
tAs
elvai Tov
^uxo^s Tpii' els (r(6/iaraKal
rbv ^iov sK^adai
eU rb fj tovtov
^ "KKov,
fiiovsdia^dpovs ifiTreffeiv,
^
"
tion-myth
is a " foundaafterwards
irremovable,"
Hobbes'
Sovereign,once chosen, ever
which

is related

to

the

Porphyry (in Stobaeus,

"

accounted

; the

for

social

former
Eel.

order

which

"mythically" by

They
out of it.

willed
A

"

operari is

as

8. "" 37-40)

themselves

to

esse

constrains

prehistoricact

into

the

"

rb

individuals
of

choice

to

conformity is
viduals.
by indi-

exercised

not will themselves

social order, and may
"
them
to act as social
is laid upon

categorical
imperative

172

after

striving
of

its

in

of

with
it

Though

admitted

were

is

if

as

practical

to

true.

not

were

of

opinion

this

that

it

Butler

As

reality.

applicable

not

them

to

respect

logical faculty

the

necessity

speculatively

were

The
in

other

made

of

use

life,

man's

whole

that

so

done

in

which

Its

is

It

the

governing
by

they

are,

which
so

if

as

to

crisis

comes,

but

"

in

to

The

liberal

class,

is
rather

education

distinguished

as

workmen

are

the

fitted

for

slaves.

'

Analogy,

i. 6.

of
in

than

to

the

crisis
and

the

will

any

difficulty
given

of

to

special
free

technical
routine

to

kind.

this

impart

suitable

from

be

to

the

of

training

"

does

thing

very

education

his

in

crises

nature

training

them.

faculties
"

the

trustworthy

KaWtVoXt?

Plato's

speak,

for
"

chief

The

preparation

the

be

to

dominate

and

these

The
of

were,

become

they

for

man

be

to

have

afterwards.

rightly.
it

have

decisions

irrevocable,

describes

Plato
which

acts

Er

of

Myth

the

which

conduct

decide
as

with

Great

are

prepare

rehearsal,

is

life.

made,

cultivate

to

knowledge.

like

presented

be

may

aim

of

to

which

by

(j}v\aKe's of

the

pattern

and

anticipated,

judgment

choice

once

may

the

be

cannot

of

natural

is
he

when

is

it

practice

to

done

have

act

career

education

consist

not

the

life, which,

man's

the

is

in

in

prenatal

Myth

performed

regard

with

yet

and

point

momentary
this

true,

false."

were

One

of

is

necessity

the

for

evidence

of

its

involved

freedom,"

"

better

against

is

of

of

inability

the

is conscious

Soul

the
"

is

"Virtue,"

than

notion
i.e.

subjects,

it

consciousness

freedom

The

"

This
of

freedom

understand

says,

self-realisation

consciousness

reality
to

or

good

freedom.

own

the

the

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

men

tion
instrucof

which

(Pol.2*72d)

7ei'os

God
of

and

"

the

of

age

Cronus

destroyedall

the

Then

in

its

God, and
from

bad

men,

now

to

due

time

he

destruction

helm

Cosmos.

evil, and

and

good
which

lack

of

government
he

and

"

of the

Such,

in

as

man

Then

God

this
at

be

deals

influences

of power
hardly matters
differs from those which we
have

have

"

the

with

free to

once

"

of the

do

over

from

himseK, whether

non-use

or

Zeus

will

one

cosmic

by
Creator

the

of
by means
Hephaestus.

brief,is the Myth

creature

determined

even

volving
re-

struggling

that of

"

Changing World-periodsin the Politicus.

the
Like
Myths already examined,
God's

and

present period

of the Dead.

Eesurrection

animals.

while, though

will close the

by again taking the

and

men

the arts of Athena

and

fire of Prometheus

the

for

longer earth-born, from

no

few

saved
goodness,

; till God, of his

worse

God's, yet remembered

afterwards
forgot him, and went

well ; but

fared

direction

the

in

direction,not

own

end:

an

accompanied by great

down, and

calmed

Cosmos

but

to

came

changed

the Cosmos
let go the helm, and
its revolution, the change being

earthquakeswhich

In

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

174

control.

no

examined
in not
Myth
It is told by an
Eleatic
being told by Socrates himself.
is present
Socrates, who
Stranger,who says that the younger
with the elder,will appreciatea /juvdo's,
or
story. Similarly,
he
tells (Prot. 320 c)
Protagorasprefacesthe Myth which
by saying that it will suit Socrates and the others
younger
The

"

men

himself

than

Eleatic

The

Stranger in the Politicus tells his Myth

to the
that
ostensiblyin order to bring it home
company
kingship too absolutely as if the king
they have defined
and
not a human
were
a god,
being. Gods directlyappointed
kings on this Earth in a former period;
by the great God were
but in the period in which
live men
we
now
the only
are
be conceived
now
kings. Kingship must
naturalistically
and
human
a
as
like
product of human
society;
societyitself,
"

"

"

"

"

"

the whole
"

Cosmos

of which
"

naturalisticallyas

divine
of

guidanceab

it

followingits

extra.

we

introduced

shall see, above

to

serve.

intrinsic

own
a

"

the

law

naturalistic

objectof the

Myth

argument which

conceived

be

part, must

To enforce

kingship is the ostensible

high, as

is

"

estimate

; but

it is

without

it

soars

ostensibly

THE

POLITIGUS

MYTH

175

Context
"

the

subject of

the

The

best

of government,

rule

of

form

better

far

because

than

the

could

he

But

could

before

Statesman

True

the

if

it

distinguish
in

order

we

laws

is

ruled

the

hut

Gods

and

were

It

their
is

and

with

the

of

lieutenants

by

which

to

to

eyes

an

instrumentality
and

Earth,

the

try

to

to

the

lived

this,

judge

the

the

personal

form,ulate

Golden

of

do

standard

higher

even

and

Art,

of

for
loe

in

and

on

King,

administration

before

"

men;

the

through
his

were

o%vr

try

substitute

as

his

must

the

of

make

to

we

whose

had,

accept

raise

us

Ruler

not

men,

to

standard

Statesman,

True

True

and

good

let

standard,

God

it

the

of

and
"

were

initiative.

define

to

only
as

nature

like

try

we

would

rulers

the

of

art

made

unlimited

should

we

arts

get

siu)h

with

the

"

laws

"

he
and

initiative

exactly

before

other

obliged

are

initiative
this

all

rulers,

we

and

may

"

trusted

whom

from

that

work-a-day
"

him

find

could

we

because

would

knew

possessed

of

determine

to

who

personal

and

it,

get

man,

and

People,

be

man

"

wise

administration

not

try

we

Statesman.

could

we

and

found,

he

True

unlimited

best

not

available

actually

His

the

if

his

of

them.

for

is

good

Good

Chief

it

securing

eminently

one

the

desired

he

Politicus

The

human

Age

he

rulers,

among

men,

Kings.
this

Golden

present

age,

and

Age,
and

the

the
cause

difference

great

of

the

between

difference,

that

the

Myth

Theodorus
concerned.

told
the

to

the

elder

mathematician,

and

'the

by

the

younger

Stranger

Socrates,

and

to

from

Mea,

is

THE

176

MYTHS

PLATO

OF

PoUticus, 268E-274E

SE.

268 E

hi] Tw

'AX\a

^v6(p

ol TratSes* vavra';
KaQa/irep

irai8ia"ierr},
eK"jievy"i"i

irdKKa

ov

vovv,

Sfl. A^7ot9 av.

NE.

SE.
TToWa

irpocre'xe rbv

jJLOV irdvv

'Hv

Toivvv

@veaTov

irdXai

tSuv

earai

en

hrj KaX

KaX

oKKa

re

Koi

re
'AT/sew?

ireplrr/v

to

"KeyQevTWD

\ej(6e'iaav
epiv ^dcTfia. dxi^icoa'}
yap

koi

xal

irov

6 (fiacri,
dirofiVTifioveveK
yeveadav Tore.
NE.

Sn.

To

irepX t^?

ypv"yri"i

dpvo"; I'cro)?{rrjfielov

^pd^eii.
SE.

269

Kal
/j.ev

aWa
OuSa/[tft)9,

dvaTciXrj^r)\iovkoI
avareWet

dvereXKe

eic

oKKcdv

tcov

eh

vvv,

hvae(o"sre
ireplTrj"; fieTa^oKri";

to

rovrov

evavriov.

tov

0eb"} Arpet fiere^aXevavrb

NE.

HE.

Sn.

Aiyerai

Kal

fir]

NE.

zX2.

SE.

Ti

aS

p,r]v

TToW"v
K.povo"i,

rbv

Tore

Be

Tore

iirl rb

Kal

vvv

ttjv

oOev

ehvero,

roirov

Stj fiapTupria-a"s dpa 6

Si) koI

ovv

dpa

eo?

(Tvrifia.
tovto.

^a"7t\eiav, rjv rjp^e

ye

dKtjKoafiev.
Tl'KeLcTTcovfiev
Se

Toiis efiirpocrdev
koI
(f"vea-0ai,
yr)yevet"i

TO

ovv.

e^ dXX'^Xcovyevvacrdai;
NE.

SE.

ZiD,. K.al

tovto

Trpa

Be

Ta
dire(T^r}Ke,

vvv
e'iprjKe,

Be

eari

fivpia Kal

erepa
'X^povov

Trdcri

to

rai/TOV

fiev

%""/3t9

aiTiov

ex

rovrcav

ttXtjOo'srd

tovtol^

Brj XeKTeov

Xe^x^devTcav.

^vfiTravra

fiev

Siea-Trap/ieva
eiprjTai

S' earl
Be

TroXat

tmv

tovtok

Bid
0av/J,a"TTOTepa,

dXXriXav.

ev

to'lvvv

Tavra

Trddov}, Kal

yap

acrrpeov,

eTt

avT"v

eKoa-Ta

irdQo's,ovBeh

el";

yap

koI

Xeye /irjBkv
eXXeiTrav.

ttjv

tov

^aaiXem'i

diroBec^iv
prjOev.
irpe-^ei
NE.

So.

YidXXia-T

etire?,

dir

THE

POLITIGUS

MYTH

177

Translation
Here

Stranger.
child,and

"

beginneth my

listen ! for indeed

wonderful

far art

not

thou

Tale !

Be

gotten

from

as

the

years of childish things.

Socrates}
Let us hear it.

Stranger. Well, of
old

time, there

those

thingswhich

have

been told from

which
shall yet
to pass, and
came
many
I count
the Sign which
to pass : whereof
again come
appeared
that Strife the Old Story telleth of was
when
between
Atreus
and

be

Thyestes; for,methinks,
then

came

to pass, and

thou

heard

what

they say

it well.

rememberest

of the Golden

Is it of the marvel

Socrates.

hast

Lamb

that thou

speakest?
Stranger. Not of that, but of the change in the setting
and stars ; for the story goes that in the
and risingof the sun
rise in that did they then set, rising
quarter whence they now
from the oppositequarter ; but that God, bearing witness for
keep.
Atreus,changed them into the way which they now
Socrates.

story also

That

Stranger.

of

And

I know.

kingshipof Cronus, too, have

the

we

heard

tell.
many
Socrates.
Yea, very

Stranger. And,
first grew

do

moreover,

of the

out

many.

earth, and

they not

tell of how

not

were

at

men

begotten of

their

kind?
also is

That

Socrates.

Stranger. Well,

all

of

vanished, and

each, as

of

that

things. But

the

of

man

hath

spoken.

hath

been

set

rest

which

of that

these

hath

which

of the old stories.

things one

thingsalso
by reason

other
yea, of innumerable
than these things; but
are

one

is

which

thing is
are

more

cause

ful
wonder-

lengthof time most

of
is made
mention
separately
no
fellowshipwith the other
the cause
of all these things no

Let it therefore

forth,it will help to

of

now
our

be told ; for when

it

proof concerning the

King.
Socrates.
'
Socrates
translated.

the

Good

Younger

Go
is the

on,

and

leave out

interlocutor

nothing.

throughout

the

whole

passage
N

HE.

dv.

'Akouoi?

at

koX

aiiTO

dpya?.

Kar

6^

Sn.

He.

To

Aia

avrm

koL

TavTa

Svcrii

TavT7]"i

irpocri^Kei
novoi"s,

Tm

oQev

BvvaTOV
Kivelv

Be

Be

avro

itKtjv
TOVTO)

Tive

9ea"

OTrep

apTi

^povovvTe

tov

ivavTta";

eaurot?

koI
eppridi]

fiovov

KaTcl

eaffai
Kai

levai.

Kaipov

ttoWA?

B'

rfyovfievw.

ivavTieo"; ov

del

q\ov

6eov

v'tto

Bvo

av

aW

erTpe"f)et,v
avTov,
Tore

^rjv

/jiev

"iraXLv

eavTov

""7Te

Bid
irepioBcov
/ivpidBa";
eiri

Kivr)a-ea)";

fii^Te aiiTov "^pr/

eirKTKevaaTrjv

d"f"edevTatoiovtov,

KToppoircoTaTov

ev

dva-

ttjv

irepiayayd'i,
fjurjT

dvedfj,Bi

OTav

Bio

"jravTCOV

a5

Xoivov,

Xa/jLJ3avovTa ddavacrLav

TOTe
Brjfiiovpyov,

fiaKiffTa

Ti

at"di"! Be

evavTia

0eLa"s alTia"},to
i7Vfj/7roBrjyei(T6at,
Koi

Koafiov

del, firiT

koi

ov

aWto"s,

tovtcov

aTpe"l"eiveavTov
(f"avai,

270

koi

"TTpe"^eivdeX a'yeBovovBevl

fiev

Brj

aTpe^eaOai Bitto,^

tov

ye

Trj"!avTOv

Kivovfievtov

Tore

0e/ii";.eie TrdvTwv

KeKOivcovriKe

firjv

trfUKpoTaTTjv
eavTo

t5)V

Tm

Se

Kotrfiov

-irapa

"f"opdvKiveiTUf

fiiav

6 Tt
e'LK7j')(ev,

irapaXKa^iv.

kui,

ovpavov

Br)

ovv

Tairrov

trcofjMToi

jiaKapicav

Bvvafiiv ye

KUTO,

TavTCL

KaTo,

kvkKt](ti,v

oia

fieTa^o\rj";afioipa yiyveaOat Bia

avTm

dBvvaTov,

aiiTm

Be

Koi

/j,ev

yevvijffavTO";
(leTeLKrj^ev,
aTap

TTfiH/To?

Levai

ael kuI

e^eiv

ov
t^s Td^eei)";.

ttoXX"v
iirmvofiaKafiev,

avairaXiv

to

axravTox;

deioTuToi^

iravTosv

tTa}fiaTO"i.

a-vvapfioa-avTO"{

S^ ;

TToiov

TO

kuto,

elvai Tot"i
ov

Be

tovto

irepia-

efitftVTOv
yeyovev.

avayxt}^

NE.

ravavTia

ei5

avTopMTOV

avrjKev,

ei\rj"f"u)(T

fierpov

iic rov
^povijaivelKrjjf^b';

^S"ov bv xal

yerai,

To8'

iToXiv

S"

avyKVKXel, Tore

avTo";

fxev

Tore

airm
7rpocriJKOVTO"!

tow
irepiohoi

V^V XP^^""'''"" ^^
D

ToSe

irav

yap

TO

Oeot ^v/iiroSrjyet
iropevofievov
orav

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

178

crfjuKpoTaTov

inr

aWi;?

iiriKTOifievov
tov

irapa

ievai,

avTov

dvdiraXiv
to

iropev-

fieyiaTov

^atvov

ov

ttoSos

POLITIGUS

THE

Stranger.
time, God

Hearken

himself

then,

179

Universe, for

certain space of
propelin the circular

help to guide and

thereof; and

motion

This

doth

MYTH

the

when

cycles of

the

time

it have

he letteth
accomplished their measure,
Then
doth it begin to go round in the contrary direction,
it go.
of itself,being a living creature
which
hath
gotten
understanding from him who fashioned it in the beginning.
This circuit in the contrary direction
belongeth of necessityto

appointedunto

of the

the nature

Socrates.

Stranger.
alway, and to
which

that to

be

same,

the

of this order.

belongeth only

which

that

in the

be constant

divine of all ; but

Now,

"

Because

the most

are

of what

Because

of this

because

Universe

the

to

call Heaven

we

those
of

nature

state

same

things
is not

Body

and

Universe

begat it,partakerof many

this well. Body also is of the
blessed possessions
; but, mark
Wherefore
it is not possiblethat it should
portionthereof.
it
be wholly set free from change,albeit,as far as is possible,
motion : for
in the same
revolveth
place,with one uniform
made, through him

hath

been

this

reason,

motion

in

the

of

be

to

are

moved

again
that

we

him

who

that

say
in

now

the

again

alway, or
one

all

From

not.

is

direction

must

must

nor

hold

remaineth,

to

by

this

Universe

wit, that

which
at

one

was

time

the power
of God
it, and receiveth

supervening,and
immortality from

then,

time, when

at

another

smallest

it

alway wholly
and

then

it.
possible
im-

things which
and

foUoweth

either

of

itself

moved

in the

we

that

the

direction

this

in

now

circular

is, methinks,

all the

ruleth

itseK

belongeth unto

self-motion

them

may

is

say that there be two

it so to
contrariouslyminded, do cause

direction ;

we

not

must

to revolve

being

in

move

he

that

itself

moveth

God

and

in

alway

only with

save

unto

which

motion

the

constant

took

direction, which

contrary

possiblealteration
Now,

changed,it

it

when

who

by

contrary

Gods

which,

revolve ; but

said and alone

just now
it is holpen and guided by
hath
the

more

life added

Creator

unto

afresh ; and

self,
of itit is let go, it moveth
opportunely released that thereafter it

having been so
able,
journeyethin the contrary direction throughout ages innumering
being so great of bulk, and so evenly balanced, and turnon
so fine a point.

NE.

'Zil. ^aiverai

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

180

Br) kuI fiaXa

yovv

eiprjcdai

et/coTO)?

iravff' o"ra

BieXifKvda^,
SE.
Aoyiadfievot Br) ^vworjaafji^vro
etvai
XevOevTwv, o
iravrwv
vvv
e"f)afi"v
oiv Br) tovt
a'iTiov. eari
avro.
yap
2f2. To

NE.

SE.

To

Tr)v

Sn.

(popav

iravTcx!

tov

S' eTrl

rare

C ovpavov

i(j)a

fiev

vvv

ravavria.

Br);
Bei
Tavrr)v Tr)v )iera^o\r)vfjyeicrOai,
eivai
rpoir"v iraawv
yiyvofievtov

HE,

dav/iaa-r"v

t"v

^epecdai,rare

KVKXeirai

NE.

irolov

vd6o"i iic r"v

Hw?

irepltov

t"v

/j.eyia'Trjv

km

T"\e(0Tar7)V Tpoirrfv,

Sil. "Eot/ce

NE.

yovv.

yieyiaTaistoLvvv koX fi"ra^o\a"! ^pr)

Toi"; eVro? r)fi,ivoIkovciv avrov.
yiyveadaiTore
HE.

2fi. Kat

NE.

HE.

elKoi;.

TOVT

MeraySoXa?

iravToia^

Be

koX TroWa?
/cat
fjisydXa";
ia/j,6v
Tr)v tS)v ^cotov^vaiv

ap' ovk
avfj^epofievai;

OTi

j^aXe-

;
dvi'xeTat

TTws

Sn.

NE.

HE.
D

vofiL^eiv

^dopal

T"v

vovat

B" oii ;

Hw?

aXKmv

Te

^Vfi^ai/jiiyterTai,

i^ dvdyKr)^ TOTe
^camv, Kal Br) koI

TOivvv

oXiyov tl TrepiKeiireTai.irepXBe
koI
BavfuuTTa koI
Trad'qpLaTaTroXXa
Be ToBe Kai
^vveTTOfievov
Ttj tov
/leyiaTov
yevo"!

TOTe

OTav

t^9

r)

dvOpdiTriitv

t"v

to

aXXa

tovtous

^vp/irLvTei,
dveOd^ei,

xaivci
iravTO^

KaOecrTr)KVM"s evavria

vvv

re

ylr/vrjTai

TpOTrr).

NE.

:Sn. To
'Hi/

HE.
/lev

effTT)

trolov

sKaaTov
rjXiiciav

TrdvTtov, koI

t"v
ely(e

iiravaaTo

irdv

^coeov,axnr)
oaov

r)v

6vt)t6veVl

IBeiv Tropevofievov, /ieTaj3dWov Be irdXtv

yepaiTepov
olov vewTepov
Kal diraXcoTepov
TOvvavTiov
e"f"veTo.Kal
TO

irp"Tov

fiev

ai
irpev^vTepatv

yevei"VTCovai

\evKal

irapetai,

dovaav

"pav

(rcofiaTa

Xeaivojieva Kal

eKauTOV

eKdaT7)V yiyvofieva
"pva-ivdirrfei,KUTd

t"v
efiekaivovTo,
TpLj(e";

XeaivojMevai,TrdXtv

KaBiaTaaav,

t"v

a-fiiKpoTepa

Kaff

iraXiv

ets

Tr)v

tov

"7rt

Be

ein

t"v

S'

av

t^v TrapeXto,
'f)^a)VTU)v

r)pApavKCLi
veoyevovi

vvKTa

iraiBoi

Kal
""^V)(r)v
KaTo,
to
a"fia
B' evTevdev ^Bt)
to
d"f"op,oi,ovfieva'
KOfuBfjto
fiapatvofieva^
t"v
B' ad ^iai"o"}
TeX6VTwvTa)j"
ev
irdfiirave^T)"f)avi^eTO.
Te

Tr)v

Tw

271

Tore

'XP^^'P

'"''''

tr"fiaTavra

vexpov

aZrjKov ev

iradrjiJMraBia Ta^ovs

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

182

ravra

tratrypv

^fiepaiiSie^Sei-

oXiyat?

pero.

2n.

NE.

Sif

rei/""rts Se

Kal riva rpovov

eyevv"vro;
i^ aWvKav
3E.
to
on
ArjXov, " ^toKparei;,
fiev

rfj

rare

\6"ya)v,
01

inrb

vvv

iroW"v

Toil? irpea^vra^ eirl r^v

tov

airiffTovvrcu.

to

iari
i'x^o/ievov^
yap

t"3

t"v
TrotSo? levai "j)v"riv,
eic

yrj,iraXiv ixei ^wurraKal ava^iwaKOfievovi eireaOai t^ t/jott^

crwavaKVfievov?
^
koI
el"i TavavTia
tjj? yevea-ew;,
K\ovfievov"i
yr)yevei"; Brj
Karh rovrov
ovrtoi
tov
\6yov i^ avdyKt]^ ^vofievovi;
ey(eiv
\6yov, 6"tov^ fi^ 6eb^ avT"v
et?
aWr/v
Toiniofiaicai tov
B'
TeTeXevT-qKoTcav ai, Keifiivtov

fioipav

Sfl.

Ko/itS^

/lev

Br) tov

epfirpoaOev.clXKa
elvai

ev

exofuaev.

NE.

ttjv

BrjXovto?

fiev yap

ev

He.

eKaTepaif

oZv

tovto

fitov

ov

eireTai

ye

ivl

T0t9

tiJ? K.povov ^iy?

^ ev
Kal rpdov fieTa^oXrjv
t"v
Te
dcrTpcov
^v/i'TrLirTei
Tat?
Tpoiralfyiyveadat,.

Svvdfieoxs,
iroTepov

TaiffBe ;

opBw

ovk

ivrevOev, olfiai,
'^pri ^vvvoelv.

yap

oiiK

i^ aW7]\mv

Se yrjyeveii eivai
ttotc
to
"f"va-et
yeway/ievov,
"'" 7^9
rov
eKeivov
')(p6vov
fjv to kut
TovT
761/0? XejdSev,
Be inro t"v ^/lerepav
ttoKiv
avaa-rpe^ofievov,
airefi.vrjfiovevero
ot TeXevrtoaij fiev t^ irporepa
r"v
irpdrreov,
vpoyovav
rfjaSeBe Kar
rov
e^rji"xpovov eyeirovovv,
apj(ai
"rrepKpopd
yhp ovtoi
i^vovro- Tovraiv
KijpvKei; iyevovd "fffuvt"v

fjv ev

fevc, ^a"a"v
;

^i*. w

tot

rt?

ev

eKeivai,"s
fjv tow

TpotraK

b B' r/pov
KaXei)? Tc3 "Sjoycp^/nrapr)KoXov6'ijKa^.
irdvTa

ireplTOV

airofiaTaylyveaOat Tot? avdpca'rroti,

rjKiaTa
effTi
KaOe"7TriKvia";
T^? vvv
t^?
^opds, dXX' ^v Kal tovto
TOTe
avTfj"sirp"Tov t^? /ew/eXjJo-cw?
efiirpoadev.
^pj(ev
yap
oKrj^ 6 6e6i'
eirt/ieXovfievoi
toOto

vvb

6e"v

vvv

""?

Kara

dp^ovTav irdvTri to.

towtov

tottow?,
tov

Koar/iov

fieprj

koI Bi} Kal to,

koI dyeKa^
BieiXrifi/ieva.
^"a Kara
yevr)
olov vofirji; Oelot BieiXij^etrav
Baifiove"s,
Travra
et?
aiiTdpKt}^
E

6/cao'To?

eKd"rroi"s"v

ovBev

oiire

(TTatTLt

TO

olv

avTO?

evefiev,

"aTe

d\Xr]X,a"veBtoBat, TroXe/io?
Trapatrav

KaTaKoa-fi-qvew;

'

eirofieva,

iwbiuvov.

dXKa

6
,

av
/j,vpC

'

oaa

eirj

t"

ovr
ovk

t^?
XeyeM/.

ayptov

evfjv ovBe

TotauTJj?
to

^v

S' oZv

e\nia"aKVK\oviiilvrit.

ecTi

t"v

THE
wise

the

POLITICUS

of them

that

MYTH
have

died

after

the

183

by violence at this
time go through the same
changes quickly,and in a few days
dissolved and gone clean out of sight. *
are
But
how
Socrates.
then
creatures
were
brought forth,
and after what
manner
were
they begotten of their kind ?
then
Stranger. It is manifest, O Socrates,that none
was
naturallybegotten of his kind, but that the earth-born kind
they tell of was that which came
again from the earth in
up
those days, whereof
first forefathers
had
remembrance
our
corpses

lived

who

in

the

time

Period, being born

From

their
down

unto

but

herein

they

the old

After

the

their turn

graves ; these
elements, and

err

which

who

go

who

men

motion,

he

earth-born

God

whom

in

time

cometh

For

to

tell

But

true
some

me

and

the

were

name

portion.

did

whole

revolution, and
were

divided

God

life thou

all the

amongst

their
their
in

of those

sayest

Period

that

in

or

which
led

men

thou

this ?

speakest in
happen in each.

falleth to

control

in

which

that

from

the

argument
the

That

"

before ; for then

"

necessity,

all,save

foUoweth

whereof

them

of

men,

other

in

of

of earth-born

Stranger. Well hast thou followed

thus :
thy question is to be answered
all things came
forth spontaneous for
grueth not with this present motion,
was

next

contrary to the former

of them

the

sun

each

name

it
reigned,was
'tis plain that the change
of the stars

is

Thus

this

"

Cronus

course

foUoweth

unto

motion

days,and

is the

believed ;

not

already dead and lying in

to be compacted anew
out of

Yea, indeed, this

before.

when

to

the dead.

translated

Socrates.
went

those

received

have

we

riseth from

is

childhood,there follow

cycleof generationwhose

the

of

back

are

his

former

the

consider

begin therein
when

of

many
what

for

end

beginning of this present one.

word
concerning these things

hath
us

men

the

at

mouth

come

next

the

with

of

use

with

but

his

parts of the

age

the

; and
when

man

con-

that

which

providencethe

Universe

gods appointedto rule

over

where
every-

them,

certain places; and, moreover,

living\
gods rule over
assigned unto angels,
creatures, accordingto their kinds, were
cient
flocks unto divine shepherds,each angel being wholly suffias
then
in all things for his own
flock,so that there was
sedition
or
no
devouring of one another, no war
savagery, no

as

now

avdptoTrmvXej(dh avrofidrov
0"o"! evefiev avroi)^

eip7)Tai.

bv

^"ov
avdpcairoi,
avr"u
272

airriv nrdvTa, Kapirov'i

fj^fivrj/ievoi

Kal

dffTpwToidvpavXovvrei

dtpSsvavT0i";

aKvrrov

eK
dva"f"vop,evr]^

\6yo";eVt
S'

Kpivai

ave^iaxTKOvro

oix

ra

Ato?

vvvi, irapmv

TovBe

yaOtjaai.

avTOi

Bvvaio

av

ecy(pv

^lov,

orj
"

evBai/ioveffTepov
ap

tov

avToiv

tov

eivai,

yap

to

evva"s

K.p6pov

iirl

re

yvp,vol

eve/jLOvro'

Se
/j,a\aKd"{

t"v

p-ev

yea"pyia"!

vtto

d"f)66vov.rov

tov

p.ev

rjaav

diro
el-)(pv
a(f)d6vov";

nroXKa

tol

eKeKparo,
iroat

yrjij

aKOveif
'ZtuKpare';,
ov

ovk

dvaSi,Bova-r]";
t^? 7^?.
avTop,dT'i)"i

dW'
"f)vop,evov9,

Se

vX-ij? aWrj^,

ttoW^s

(jtavXorepa

yevr)

nrpocrdev aWa

t"v

roiavra

TMV

KaOairepvvv

sKeivov TroXireiaC re

oiSev

roiovBe

to

e-jna-rarmv,

aX\a
ffeiorepov,

erepov

Travref,

Be Kal

Sia

0iov

yap
yvvaiK"v koX "rratSeov iic yfj'i

ovSe KTrjaeif

SevSpmv

-irepi

avTO"i

vep.ovro'i Se

vofievova-i.

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

184

Te

Kai

edeXriaeia^
;
tn.

NE.

SE.

OvBafi""i.

BouXet

NE.

Sfl.

SE.

Et
ovTO)

avTot?

BfJTa eym

Udvv
p,ev

fiev

Toivvv

7roX\^9

Tivd

Tpoirov

Biaxpiveo
;

oZv.

K.p6vov,
7ra/"ou"ri/?

Tpo^ip-oitov

01

Kal Bvvdfi"a"";
(Tj(okfj(;
nrpof

p,6vov dvdpcinroKdXXa
C

aoi

Kal

BijpioK Bid

Xorfcov Bvvaadai

Kal /ter*dXKrfXcov 6fiiXovvTe"s,

Kal
dTjpiasv

vofievot

e'i
irapd 7rdt77)^^v"Te"o";

ej(pvcra

rjadeTo

Btd^opov t"v

ti

t^povqaeo)^,evKpnov,

otl

t"v

Tivd

dXXiav

vvv

01

IBiav

t(9

BieXeyovTOirpo^ aSXrjXov": Kal

Bri Kal
KaTd
op.w"i

Ta

Trjv

S' oZv

vvv

eprjv
TavTa

ireplavT"v

XeyovTai, Kal

d^"p,ev,eia?

dv

dBrjv Kal

ola
Bifpiap.v9ov";,

Kal
Bo^av diro^rfvaadai,
p.ev

Bvvap.iv

p.vpitptt/jo?

tot"

Ta

irvvda-

"rvvayvpp,ov

et?

evBaifioviav
Bieipepov.el Be ip/jmrXdfievoiariTtov
iroT"v

fir]

^vp.vatTiverrl (j"iXo(T0(j)i

tovtoii
^vyyiyvea-Oai,
KaTejf^p"vTo

fieTd Te

to

tovto,

/idX'

w?

ye

evKpuTov.

"qpZv p.rjvvTrj'i

tk

THE
at all

nay, time

POLITIGUS

would

MYTH

185

fail to tell of all the

of

consequences

dispensation.

that

therefore,hearken, and

Now,
is in the

old

spontaneous.
of men,

Tale

of the

time

God

himself

was

even

as

which

creatures

now

God

all

then

the

as

him, is the

Shepherd

truth

that
forth

things came

the Overseer

being

our

was

ded!are

when

man,

beneath

are

When

tribes.

I will

and

herd
Shep-

god amongst the

shepherd of their

there

was

civil

no

had not wives and children, but all came

government,and men
of
into life again from
the Earth, without
remembrance
up
aught before. Instead of these thingsthey had in abundance,
without
from
other plants,fruits which
the Earth
trees and
husbandry brought forth spontaneous. For the most part they
lived without
for the
beds

seasons

had

and

raiment

without

tempered

were

couches,
do them

to

they

in the grass which

have

I told

sprang

no

in

air ;

the open
hurt ; and

soft

abundantly from

the

Earth.
Ifow

Cronus

reigned;

is under
what

it is.

these two

for the life which

as

the rule

thee,Socrates, of

of Zeus, thou

Canst

thou, and

lives is the

now

here

art

wilt

the

life which

is,which

thyselfand

thou, determine

when

was

they say
knowest

of

which

happier?

I cannot.

Socrates.

Stranger.

Shall

I then

Prithee

do.

"Well

then,

this for thee after

determine

some

sort?

Socrates.

Stranger.
so

facultyof

great leisure and

with

but with

men

nurslingsof Cronus, having

joining in discourse not only
of their opportunityall
use

if the

beasts,made

getting of wisdom, conversing with beasts and one

if haply any
with another, and inquiringeverywhere of Nature
better
and
perceived,
peculiarfaculty,
part thereof had some
than another part, aught which
might be of advantage for the
ingatheringof true knowledge, if this,I say, was their manner
hard matter
our
question:
to determine
of life,'twould be no
for

the

"

they were

thousand

if,after they had

be

and

eaten

tellingtales one to
to this day are
even

time
as

times

easy

to

determine

happier than

another

"

And

are.

even

fill,
they passed the

to the beasts

and

told of them,

our

their

drunken

we

"

such

tales

I declare,
'twould still,

question; nevertheless,let

us

put

THE

186

ol
iroripas^
"})avy,

iKavoi;

OF

PLATO

Ta"s

eiTi,6vfiia"s
ei^ov

MYTHS

Tore

ical Trj"!rSiv "Koyuv

iirKTTTjfi"v

fiv6ov 'ff/eipafiev,
rovro
\"kt"ov,

iva

ttcLv avqXwTO
yrjivov rjBr]
Ta?

eh

ToaavTa

fjiev

yrjv airipiuiTa
"jretrovarj^,

KaTa

dp^rj^ t"

aeiafwv

iroXvv

a^ieaav av
Se

to,

iv

Se

Kal

TO

oZv

p^TS'Xpv

irapa

fiev

avTrn

aiiTm

iraXai,

Koi
rfir)Trav6fievo";

eiwdoTa

tov

tt/v

tov

i^ iKelvq';ovto?

ivavepyd^eTai,

iieTo.
afiiKpa

hrjfuovpyov

Bvvaiiiv.

koo-ijlov

koXcl

Se

KaT

dp,^Xv-

oiv

fiev

re

tov

d"f"iKe(T0ai

e^et, Kal

tov

irapa

iv

ovpavw

rot?

Kv/Sepv^Tovto,

(j)Xavpa,
fieydXa Be

Be iKeivov
dryadd- '^a"pi^6fievo"s

'/roXXij^

iceKTrjTaf

Kal aBtKa
j(aXe'rra

TavTa
ylrfveTai,

aiiTm

vvv

avv6evTo"; irdvTa

fiev

t"v

Bpofiov

"f"vareo)'i
^vvTpoAov,OTt

Be Tfji}
efew?, oaa
efiirpoaOev

Tpetjxoviv

tov

eavTov,

dTa^La";nrplvel"s tov

yhp

opfL7)6ei"s

am/jMToeiBe^Trj^ avyKpdaem^

to

iroTe

^vfi-

/cal KpdToi
jjei,i'TrifieXeiav
KaX

re

Koafiov

"^6opav ^mcov

aKpi^eaTepovdireTeXei,TeXevT"v
Be

T^9

?iv

a5

eh
dvofiVTjfiovevwv
Zihaj^rjv

TOVTwv

Tepov.

iv

t"v

dpj(w; fiev

ave-

iKavov
TrpoeXdovTO^

TavTa

Tapajfrj^

KaTaKoa-fiovp,evo"s

avTO"s

Tr/v

ofli/

tov

op/iT/v

irotSiV,aXKr)v

eavTa

Oopv^tov Te

iraTpo^

aiTiov,

nravTo^

ttoXip

fieprj

ical T"\evTrj"sevavTtav

drreipydaaTO.p-era

eavTov

Kal

tov

koI
fiETaaTpe^ofievo^

el'?re
aeifffi"v,
yaXrivr)";iirCKa^op^voi}

ej(wv

yfrvxTJii

^v/i^vTOf iiridv/iia,Travre?

yiyvofievov,

^dWcov,

')^povov,

koI

re

6
eTrifiekeiai;.

ttJ?-avT"v

"jravToLwv

"7

tot"

to

to3 /MeyiffTO)
T6irov"; a-vvdp'^ovTe^
Baifiovi6eoL,

TOv";

yv6vTe";rjZr}
to

tov

koI

irpoaTajfdev,

eKaaTy

hrj Koa/MOV

8e

tov

Trepicoirrjv aire"TT7i,

aTpe(f)ev
eifiapfievT)

273

fjv

to

j^povo?

otov "irrjBaXiav
o'laKOf a^e/i"vo";,
et?
Kv^epvqTT)!;,

avTov

oi

tovtcov

TravTcov

irdaai; eKdffTrf"s
Trj"!

yevo^,

aTroBeSeoKviai;,otra

yeveaei^

rov

ei?

fieTa^oXrjVeSei yiyveadai ical Br}

eTeXecidrjkoI
E

evexa

rovTo

fiera

to

'ETretS^yap
nrpoffdev
irepaiva"/j"v.

oii

'^peca^'

"rrepi, re

iyyvraTa

fwot?
fwa

iveTiKTev

"ypovov

del

THE
it away,

until

of

knowledge

for the
of

some

crediblywhich

us

sake

POLITICUS

When

whereof

this Tale

change
rendered

and

come,

of the Earth

out

arose

needs

must

let

was

appointed for

her

did the Governor

to

fall and

be

left,and

sown

part

the
upon

the

let go, as
watch-tower, and

the

them

every
number

of the Universe

and

that

the next

generationof

her tale of births, accordingto

regard
of

and
fulfilled,

was

none

in

speak

us

show

to

inclined

were

men

of the

there

is able

started,that

was

go forward.
of all these

time

187

who

appear
ancients

way these
discourse : meanwhile

and

the

shall

one

argument may

our

MYTH

that

Soul

had

of times

Earth, then
it were, the tiller,

Fate
and inborn
depart into his own
backwards
the Universe
to revolve
Impulse began to cause
again. Straightway all the gods which, in their several
they
places,bore rule together with the Great God, when
what
knew
done, likewise left their provinceswithout
was
shaken
with
the Universe
a
was
as
oversight. Then
great
of
of
the
concussion
his
depths by reason
earthquakethrough
the

reversed

revolution

motions

and

the

the

one

whereof

beginning; whereby was

of every
livingcreatures
Universe

last

at

the

wherein

course

due

and

time

trary
con-

other

destruction

of

into

it useth

confusion

and

calm, and

accomplished,the

was

tumults

from

being set

to go, therein

superintendencyand dominion
callingto mind alway, as it
Maker

the

and

fresh

two

kind.

ceased

and coming
earthquakes,

ending

was

wrought

the

Thereafter, when

the

strife betwixt

and

in order for

went, itself

having

that in it is,

over

itself and

aU

was

able, the

teaching of

the

of all.

Father

more
things which it brought forth were
roughly: the cause
perfectlywrought, but at last more
the
in
mixed
the
whereof
was
was
corporeal part which
full of confusion
of things,the which
was
originalnature

At

before

first the

that

composed
from

it

Universe

it the

the former

the

unto

came

state

present order.

unrighteous which

in

the creatures

it fashioneth.

which

itself

the

Governor, the evil

and

the

good

were

in

Him

who

things fair and good ; but

all the things difficult and
come
it hath, and bringeth to pass in

hath

thereof

From

creatures

abundance

all

Therefore
it

brought

; but

when

when

forth
it

was

it

was

were

with

few,

separated

TtJ?

iv avra
\q0r}"!iyyiyvofievrj"i

KoX

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i^avdei rov

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ijBri

re

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iva

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vtto

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iv yy

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avTov

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av

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rot?

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wo

inr

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tov

fieTeiravTof

dvdr/KTjf.ov

vir

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re

vvv

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yap

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/lipecriv
Kal

yevvdv

o5 Se
t^s ofj.oia"i
dyoi)yrj"!.
aiiTm

fiev

yevvrjaeoi';

avTOKpdTopa

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re

^"ov,
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o"Tov

to,

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B

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av
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e"

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to

eiprjTaf

Kal ^vvaKo\ov6ovvTa
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iradrifiaTi,

i^v

to

dyrjpmv

koi

aTravTcov

oXiyov SeovTa

yij? veoyevri

6"

diroOv^aicovTaet?
274

avrov

drrreSiSov

Tavavna

a/iiKpoTriTOf

TO,
7)v^dveT0,

oSbv

StaXu^et?

voaijaavTa koi

a-TpetjidevTOf
yap

yeveaiv

diropiai^

irepioSa "rTpe-\Jra"

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TOV

tov
\6yov.
dtrTojjLevoiis

Tr)v

reXo?

iv

or)

Bvri,iraXiv

to,

irpoTepa

oiv

oio

tottov

iiravopd"v dOdvaTOV

direpyd^eTai.tovto
i-rrl Ttfv

ovTa

rrjv

Sia"f"$opd"i

Tapayri";

irtiSaXitov
yir/vofLevoi,
KaS"

Ty

Se

avrm.

KaOop"v

viro
fiij"yeifiaa-del's

t"v

iv

iv

rS)v

KO(T/j,i]a-a';avTov,

r^? dvofioioTTjTOf
airecpov

Tov

e^eZpof avTov
E

xal
d"j"iicveiTai

avTov

TOT

iirl
iireyKepavvvfievoi;

Kpaaiv

KivSvvov

elf

Swa-

k"u

rdyaffd,iroWrjv

cr/MiKpa fiev

koi

^(^povov

ivavTitov

ovTa,

fiaXXov

rov

iradot, reXewroii/TO? Se
T^? "rraXatd^ dvap/j,oarrla"i

TO

rS)v

Sidiyei,
irpoiovro';Se

irdvra

KoiKKtara
dtfteffecoi

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

188

/cat

ev"Ka

iafievfjBr).ireplfiev

dWav

T"v

yap

yiyvoiTO,

"v

rov

yap

Kal

d(j)v\aKToi
Kal

d/iij'^avoi
are

ovK

Trj'i

i-maTdfievoL

66ev

Br)

sTreiSr)

fiev

to

eTriXiirev

Bt)
TTjOO?

avT0v";

^vfj,/j,ifiovp,evoi Kal

fMvOov

tov

KaTiSeiv,

TO

/SaaiKiKov

T6\o9

re

Kai

cOCKxav

Trap

Bi

eK

avT"v

^vveirofievoi

e')(eTm,

6(Tov
ttoXitikov

del

yeyovev,

rffidpTOfiev

Be

i7ri/j,e\ela"!

ttji;

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0X09

avTov

Kal

fiev

to

/j,ev

Troirjaofieda

d'jro"j)j]vdfjievoi,

trpoaOev

Kal

Kocrfj.o';,

vvv

y^povov

"j"v6fjje0a.

^pi^ffifiov

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re

Trjv

tov

Kal

re

ev

OTrotra

tovtwp

Kaddirep

e^etv,

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irap

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av

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kr

Kai

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Teyvai

Se

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ev

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vir

Trpdyrovi

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fiST

to

tovtcov

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D

Sid

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ix

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a-nrept)-

oaa

da-0evei"i

Se

airol

Tpo(f"rji iiriKeXonrvta';,

avTOfidTi}"!

fiev

Orjpicav,

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Kara

are-xyoi

dvayKd^eiv.

Tai

yeyov6re"s,

irpoarjKovTa.

'^fiai Sat/iovo?

av

airaypitoOevreov,

^v,

fiera^e^XriKe-

fioXXov

km,

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alriai

vifiovroi

Kal
t"v

Kol

^?

Si"

^payvTepa

eVt/ieXeta?,

^vtreit

"v

Koi

KeKrrj/ievov

ra?

PLATO

OF

iroXKa

sKaa-ra

avdponraiv

fji-mdevre^

dtjpieov

e'f

Se

Trepl
T^?

MYTHS

THE

190

"Koytp.

tov

THE

As

for

the

they

causes

proper

gotten

were

to

keep
of

more

and

; for

arts

and

the

aforetime

need

By

of

reason

old

the

and

time

just

life

the

watch

when

failed

now,

ourselves,
must

alway

and

Statesman

in

Before
I will

go

also

of
in

after

that

on

the
the

to

; the

set

we

former

our

supplement

translation
appears

live

Myth
Laws.

; and
have

the

said

as

lives

whole

up,

grow

from

since

our

by

Universe

and

following

now

after

imitating

and

the

this

manner.

whereof

use

the

be

will

the

of

nature

to

make

King

and

Discourse.

offer

the

forth

ever

spend
the

as

we

do

Tale

our

even

with

which

Gods,

the

to

us

which

the

again

wrongly

behoved

whereof

mate

things

by

us

over

fore
where-

wit, fire
his

forth,

brought

ourselves;

all ages

then

endeth

how

it

itself;

for

Here
see

for

throughout

manner,

kept

all

yea,

thus

were

and

us,

caring

care

others

that

Gods

to

and

Hephaestos

the

provision.

together

needful;

of

because

the

us,

over,
more-

lacking,

straits

sore

from

upon

were

from

arts

from

man's

Gifts

bestowed
which

in

men

were

those

were

the

herbs

furnished

that

training

Prometheus,
and

things

pass
tell

and

teaching

seeds

all these

aid

make

to

weak

now

food,

us

were

and,

was

provide

to

nature,

the

spontaneous

had

become

without

constrained

not

by

them

by

our

because

pass,

were

harried

how

to

fierce

but

which

god

it

came

what

by

suf"ce.

the

ourselves

grew

yet

had

stories

of

helpless, and

which

and

story Vill

care

we
were

were

to

came

we

not

the

how

long story;

beasts, being
and

that

food

knew

we

it

wild

first, we

at

tend, then

savage,

defenceless,

shorter

of

and

be

191

tell

field, to

would

bereft

we

MYTH

the

and

is man,

us

become

of

changed

were

multitude

the

us

beasts

concern

When

POLITIGUS

observations

foregoing
of

the

on

translation
Golden

Politicus

the

Age

of
of

it

Myth,

by giving

Cronus

as

it

THE

192

MYTHS

712E-714

Laws

712

A".

"OvTioi; yap,

Se wvofiMKafiev
713

Kal
re
Secrwo^o/ievcov
SeaTTOTOv

rov

tov
e'lirep

Be

T"v
aK7)6S"";

elal

eKaarr)

ttoXiv

tov

eBei

olierjaei,
Ttai,

^'j

to
iirovofia^eaOai,

i'^ovTWv Bea7ro^ovTO";0eov

vovv

to

Kpdro"i.XPV^

Trpoa-ayopeverai

ttjv

Se

iavT"v

fiepeatv

a?

fieTej(eTe'

iroXireiai,,TroXecov

BovXevovaaiv

roiovrov

dpiaroi,iroXiTeimv

ovk

vvv,

PLATO

OF

tov

ovofia

XeyeaOai.
KA.

Tt'? S'

A".

'Ap'

^"09;

oZv

fivQtp (TfiiKpd
y

p,eXXofi,evc/x/ieXw?
ovKovv

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dp')(r)

vvv

epwTcop^evov

ovv.

p.ev

Sr] TroXeiov, wv

yap

6T4
SirjXdofiev,

o-6t?

to

hpav ;

'X,pv TavTf)

KA.

SriXwaai

ttw?

el
-Trpoa-y^prja-Teov,

en

eVt

yeyovevai

ijsfibfjLTjfia e-xpvadiaTiv, ^rt? t"v

^vvoikij-

Trdfj/iroXv
XeyeTai

tovtcov

irpoTepa

ical oiKTjcni;

efivpoaOevTa5

rt?

K.p6vovfidX^evBai/jLcov,
vvv

dpta-TaolieeiTai.

******

713

ToLvvv
"j"'r]fJi7]v

d^6ovd

CO?
^(ofj"!,
TOVTCOV

iKavT)

Ta

T6
v^pea)"!

re

KaX

7y/iet?

rt?-

yiyvaxricmv

fiaKapiai

tots

irdvT

avTOfiaTa

XeyeTai ToidBe

aiiTM

Kaddvep

vapaBeBeyfieBaTrji;t5)v

etvev.

Kpoz/o?dpa,

BteXrjfXvdafiev,
""?
ovBe fiia
dvOpcoTreia
^v(ri";

dvdpwirivaBioiKovca avTOKpdTcopirdvTa
Kal

Be

dBiKia"i peaTovadai,

^aaiXeaii
e"f)ia-T7i

t6

Kal

apy(^ovTa";

TavT

o5i/

Tat?

-rroXeaiv

dXXd
dvdpdiTTOv^,

yevov";

Baifiova^-olov

"^fiel'i
BpS"p,ev
rot?

vvv

deioTepov

re

Kal

iirt

ovv

Biavoovfievo";
rjfiwv

ovk

dfieivovo'i,

Kal
iroifivioia-i

oaiov

THE

MYTH

OF

THE

GOLDEN

AGE

Athenian

Stranger. The cities whereof we just now

spake
but
true
not polities,
are
or
the
cities,
mere
dwelling-places,
inhabitants
whereof
slaves in subjection
certain ones
unto
are
each
themselves
of these dwelling-places
is
one
; and
among
called
be

the

"

therein

masters

called

after

God, who

her

Aih.

the

masters,

And

over

who

convenient

True
of

men

such," after

of

that

cityshould

be

after

little while,

answering

that

them

City will be called

understanding.

is this God

for
still,

must

and

if it is meet

but,

verilyruleth

Gleinias.

more

of such

government

Fable

use

for

what

thy inquiry
"

the

thinkest

thou?

Gleinias.
Ath.

whereof
"

was

Before

and

best is

in

Settlement

former

when

of that

part

inhabitation
of

this

it is told that

"

Cronus

great, and

was

image

an

the

the

were,

before these

time

long

blessedness

ordered

cities

those
forth

set

yea, very
Government
the

Fable.

"

that

have

we

whereof
now

Yea

was

whichsoever

course
Dis-

there

King ;
city is

exemplar.

******

This, then, is the Tale which

the blessed
that
the
that

life of the

had

they

thereof

cause

Human

become

thought
and

of the

rulers

excellent

the

received

have

lived in those

who

men

concerning
It telleth

days :

stint,spontaneous, and that

Cronus, saith the Tale, knowing

things,without
this

was

in

could

Nature

authorityin
not

all

we

no

with

sole

and

set

and
yet
things human
took
insolencyand injustice,
our
cities,to be kings
over

men,

but

those

filled with

matter,

thereof, not

left

of all

administration

vessel

be

wise

sort, to wit. Daemons

;
193

just as

of
we

more

divine

ourselves

and

do with
0

THE

194

elaiv

^/jiepoi
ap'^ovrai;

ayekat,'

evBuLfiova
Kal

"jToXecov

ovBe

oieTat

714

Brjfioa-ia

Tr]v

TOV

Kal

vov

tov

aOavaai,a";

r]fuv

IBia

sttI

Tdi

Biavofiijv

Kal

eveaTi,

oiKija-ei^

i'irovop,d^ovTa";

Kal

vofiov.

alSai

Xeyei

yevr).

ocrcov

to?

av

KaK"v

ecrTi

Beiv

Xeyofievov

"^fid"s
fiiov,

ireiOofiivovi

TO'VTip

ra?

i"picrTr)

KaX

re

ovk

"ip6vov

tov

deo^

patrTcovr}';,

fj,i/j,eia0ai

oKXa

avr"v

dcrTacrlaaTa

'^pa"p,evo";,

SvrjTot;,

aiywv

rjfi"v

elprjvqv

direipyd^eTO

^PXV

rts

St]

irape'XPfievov,

akrjdela

dvdfj)v^i"S'

firj'^avy

ev

"qp."v,
SCk7]";

\oyo";

dXXd

ttoviov

iraarj

bcrov

dea

fir)

avToli;

Kat,

ouTOS

avTol^

fiev

dvOpajirmv

t"v

ij/xetv

dfieovov

ttoW^v

oA^Ooviav

to,

vvv

Bta

alya^

ravTov

yevo"s

to

eTTifieXovfievov

Kal

evvo/jbuav

Kol

Br)

-^filv

dWa

yevo"s.

av

ovBe

^o"v

nva";,

sKeivcov

Saifiovcov,

7roX.\^9
Kol

aiirolai

^i\dv0pa)'7ro";

T"v

TO

/Sou?

a/jueivov

[koI]

PLATO

OF

ov

trotovixev

Beairo^ofiev,

apa

MYTHS

TroXet?

BioiKeiv,

THE

cattle

our

and

POLITICUS

flocks

^for

goats,

over

of

than

which

Daemons,
their

great

own

for

providing

us

peaceable
This

and

happy.

Tale,

then,

ruler,

make

dwelleth
all

in

of

Myth,
Daemons

This
but

be

obedient

and

which,

must

the

all

when

Immortal
thereof

voice

in

households

our

interpreted,

being

by

was

is

govern

fore,
where-

we

which

for

man,

which

that

and

public,
Law,

to

Tale,

unto

signifieth

it

troubles

life

as

mankind

is

the

Reason}

Myth

ought

with
set

far

so

the

to
and

us,

mortal

and

the

unto

in

we

private

of

like

and

according

cities

Award

;
must

us,

doings

our

and

King

was

evils

admonition

life

our

from

they,

of

as

but

of

government,

nations

God,

say,

race

for

good

race

they

and

inasmuch

truth,

not

escape

the

to

it

hath

of

way

no

according

Cronus

in

city

hath

means

hath

and

the

caring

the

of

us

ours

ours,

made

being

over

goats

or

God,

than

modesty,

stint,

oxen,

manner

set

to

and

peace,

whichsoever

that

and

without

justice

like

men,

content

over

thejp,

excellent

more

195

oxen

over

In

toward

is

not

rule

theirs.

loving-kindness

his

and

ourselves

we

excellent

more

set

we

"

but

MYTH

the
forth

to

Discourse
in

that

be

taken
of
Discourse

in

close

Diotima,
;

connection
in

for

which

the

not

and

Symposium,
see

pp.

with

only

434

if.

the
the

infra.

Politicus
doctrine

of

Observations

Introduction

Politicus

remarks, indeed, leave

admirable

for

Myth to Jowett's
of Plato),where his
(Dialogues

Statesman

the

to

refer the reader

than

outset

of the

general characteristics

the

Myth

Politicus

the

on

do better at the

I cannot

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

196

little to

be

added.

The

Myth, it will be gathered from

' Jowett's
of the
tions
distincremarks, consists in its presentation
God causing and permitting evil,and between
between
of the

philosophicalimport

"

his

immediate

less

or

more

of

government

the

world."

Interestingobservations will also be found on the art with

which
Plato givesverisimilitude to his own
Myth
by adopting
received traditions (as the tradition about the sun
having
and that about
the 'yrjyeveZ';)
risen in the West
originally
he pretends to find an
traditions of which
explanationin his
own
largerconceptions." "We have had instances of this art
in the Platonic Myths alreadyexamined, which
have found
we
securing credit to themselves
by explaining not only old
traditional Myths, but the facts and
doctrines of
modern
have
found
science
the same
we
art
employed by
; and
"

"

"

"

Dante.

referred

Having
of this

view

Myth,

to

Introduction^ for

Jowett's

I will

add

now

some

observations

on

general
special

points.
doctrine

The
or

survivors
in the

versal
uniperiodicalterrestrial catastrophes,"
each
occasion
few
scattered
local, leaving on
a
to build up societyafresh,mythologically
explained

Politicus,was

afterwards

was

It
the

was

note
2

'

also

a
"

of the

I would

part

of the

scientific

"

"

tenet
in

also refer to

It

"

science
of the

of Plato's

Peripatetics.*

is

day to explain at least

phenomena as caused by the
thus that the phenomena of

Grote's Plato, ii. 480, note s

to the Foliticiis.
"

long and

Prolegomena
on

day,^and

Plato's

of terrestrial

Heavens.

to Stallbaum's
Laws, iii. 676 ff.
See Newman's
notes

; and

"

prominent

generalcourse

motion
'

of

Arist. Pol. ii, 5. 1269

5 and

6.

instructive

198

MYTHS

THE

sometimes
on

smaller

in

him

represents

scale and

more

ought

intermittent

be

to

not

anthropomorphicallythe
mythical. And
imagination,
"

forgottenthat

the

suppositionof God's

in

the

Politicus

is advanced

agency

shut

(stm

in

his eyes

to

order

Plato

to

does

he supposes
government the fact

the

in

even

in

which

fact

of course)the
explain (mythologically,
not

outlines,sometimes

cosmic

immense

representationis always for the

it

PLATO

OF

Timaeus,

where

continuityof God's
of the existence
of evil, both physicaland moral, in a world
ence
In maintaining the existsupposed to be governed by God.
of evil Plato is certainly in earnest."
It is worth
noting that the representationgiven by the
Politicus Myth of the oppositionbetween
and
Matter
God
to the
good and evil as an oppositionof motions is common
the
Myth with the astronomy of Plato's day ; but whereas
Politicus Myth
in God's
direction alternate
makes
motion
with
in the world's
motion
direction, astronomical
theory
makes
the two
i.e.
motions
for ever
simultaneously,
go on
Myth)

the

"

"

"

"

the

eternal

motion

carries round
from

West
For

the

the inner

Cosmos

whole

whose
spheres,

from

East

take

motions

own

to West

place

to East.
a

full discussion

I would

Myth

of

of

astronomy of the Politicus

the

refer the reader

vol. ii.
Republic,
295 if. Mr. Adam's
view is that the two
cycles(the motion
in God's direction,
and
that in the oppositedirection)
of
are
equal length,and that each of them represents a Great Year
the Great Year being 36,000
years.
to Mr.

Adam's

"

Ill

To
The

"

'^'qlvovijSrjirav
Eesurrection
"

may

be

"

of

avrjXmTo
the

regardedas

successive
in

(Politicus,272 d).

Politicus

Myth and
chosis
Metempsyparallelproducts of imagination.

a fixed
Metempsychosis assumes
for all and continuingalways in

created; the souls which

'"/evo'i

"

of soiils created

number

existence.

animate

generation are always

former
generations.

the

bodies

souls
In

New

which

of

souls

are

men

in

had

been

Rep. 611a,

Plato

once

not

each
carnate
inex-

THE

POLITICUS

down

presslylays it
always the same

MYTH

that the number

199

of souls in existence

augmentation or diminution.^
in
involved
tenet
Metempsychosis Plato, shares with
Messrs. Spencer and Gillen say
aboriginesof Australia.
The

idea is

of intercourse^
were,

without

"

prepares

firmlyheld

child
spirit

In

native

objectslodged
do not

in

with,

cave

the

Alcheringa ancestors, with

When

the

that

fact

has gone
then
that

result,been

born,

makes

of

store

old

it

already

an

centres.

each

of

one

which

them

is

intimately
of

and

child

is the

the

it is endowed.

of which

woman,

women

of, one
representative
a

wooden

Churinga(stoneor

livingchild

is

the

has, as

re-incarnation

of

there

The

store

upon ; but the store of adult

the Politicus Myth is at last
when

in its

away.
One

might develop

vanished

infants

which

the

body

the

which

Plato's

reappear

each

dead, grows

of

myth,

infant

an

and

after the

as

say
manner

new

it is drawn

Eesurrection

"

for

is

chosis
by Metempsy-

fast

as

bodies in the

exhausted,

There

life.

one

is of souls,upon
of souls assumed

it rises from

turn

till it becomes

smaller

than

exhausted, being recruited

never

Eesurrection

soul, so

same

more

as

bodies,

generationdraws.

birth of

storehouse,near

into

Metempsychosis makes
the same
body, serve

As

result

particularspiritindividual.*

that

^
:

merely,as

local totem

attributes

spiritpart

the

the

the

This

direct

this,which

of the
the

other

or

the

receptionand

of

is indeed

and

without

one

value

the

pass)lies in

associated

inhabits

who

mind

child is not

the

that it may
come
the mother
for the

formed
the

that

is

adult
smaller
and

"

of

body,
and

vanishes

that it is these
of

ordinary

Psyche,ii. 279.

Cf. Rohde,
The Native

Tribes of Central Australia, p. 266.

ception,
Cf. Myer and Nutt's
V"yyage of Bran, ii. 82, on the widespreadidea of conin a drink, or
male
without
intervention, through swallowing a worm
.

other means.
through some
*
Spencer and GiUen's
going to press I have not
GiUen's
the

book, The

new

followingsentences

"These

tribes

ancestor
marked

of

believe

Native
had

Northern
from

of Cerdral Australia, p. 138.

opportunityof
Tribes

notice

Before
and

seeing Messrs. Spencer

of Central Australia, but

I transcribe

(July 9, 1904) :
mythical Alcheringa
the places,
souls haunt

of it in the Athenaeum
child the soul of a

"

in every
These totem
is re-incarnated.
into the ground.' There
'went
ancestors
the
where
tree
or rock,
by a
of a type familiar in Europe and America
left stone amulets
the dying ancestors
his ancestral churinga is -sought,and
child is bom
When
a

given

totem

styledchuringa.
often is found

the

"articles

that

Tribes
an

Are
placewhere the totem spiritentered his mother.'
to
450
infra,
parallel
referred
to
p.
belonging to the deceased,"
near

these Australian

the

amulets

200

birth,and grow
the
the

Cosmos

of

of

"

"

soul

the custom

That

the

"

body

one

who

into

the

is

"

enters

of

the

from

mother.
of

the

The

procreation
mother,

not

obvious.

course

of Eesurrection, then, recommends

notion

real

tinguished
hardly dis-

"

returns

of the nature

view

"

child

the

that

counting kinship through

of

father,is

the

through

afid

such

between
relationship
and

ehUd

as

by Messrs.

is after all not

iutercourse

departedand

of the

primitiveminds

such

to

aborigines,observed

Australian

birth

as

world

confined

with

accordance

in

be

would

of

revolution

the

size,when

This

Gillen, that

of the

PLATO

OF

adult

into

means

no

the

Spencer and
cause

back

is reversed.

belief,
by

those

the

MYTHS

THE

itself

of
the same
imagination in much
way as the notion
Metempsychosis is what I wish to suggest to the student of
the Politicus Myth.
notions
The
two
are
closelyallied and,
to the

indeed, tend

body

is

coalesce.

to

hard

for the

one

distinction

between

soul

imagination to

maintain

; thus

The

is very
imperfectlymaintained
The Jesuits relate that among

the Hurons

ceremonies

who

in

"

months

for

little children

old; their

bodies

cemeteries, but buried

the

"

died

less

at

put in

not

than

the

ultimate

two

cofi"ns in

pathway in order
passingwoman
body of some
is practically
given up in the
on

it

following instance:
there were
special

the

upon

might enter
born again; ^ and it
Eschatology which insists
with its risen body.
into

were

the

and

union

that
and

the

they
so

be

Christian

of the

soul

IV

My
the

remarks

in this section

will

serve

as

introduction

to

Creation

Myths," which we shall examine next.

The Politicus Myth may
be distinguishedas Aetiological
from
the EschatologicalMyths
which
examined
have
we
in the Phaedo,
Gorgias,and Republic. The Eschatological
Myths are concerned immediatelywith the Ideas of Eeason.
They set forth the Idea of Soul as subjectof God's govern'

The

"

J. E.

King

on

souls of infants

ii. 411-413,

on

"Infant
seem

Supoi, and

Burial," in
always to have

caused

Adam's

Rep.

SKlyov XP^""" ptoivruv vipi

fiWa

note

on

Classical

Review,

Feb.

1903, p. 83.

difficulty
; see Bohde, Psyche,

615 c,

twv

8i ei6it

IXtyev oix ft|iajiviiiaji.

xoi
ytvo^vav

THE
in

ment

the

POLITIGUS

MYTH

201

Cosmos, by depictingthe future

the

of

not,
"^v)(ri,

without

course,

reference

to

vicissitudes

of

its past out

of

which

its future grows.

The Aetiological
Myth,
Keason
forth
either
Ideas
of
set
hand, may
or

on

the

other

Categoriesof

the

Understanding. Thus the Timaevs

(which is one
great
Aetiological
Myth) sets forth the Ideas of Soul and Cosmos,
by tracing their imaginatively constructed
objectsback to
which

causes

unfolded

are

and
"^uj^j?

of the

sets forth

the

material

in

of the Creation

account

an

world.

The

Phaedrus

Forms

in

of the

Myth, again,
Understanding aetiologically,
priori conditions of our knowledge of
abiding mental impressionscaused by

Categoriesof the

by showing that the a

sensible phenomena are
a
prenatal vision of the

Eternal

the

virepovpdvio^

myths which cannot be called either

but
are
merely Expository
Aetiologicalor Eschatological,
of the Understanding
of Categories
either of Ideas of Eeason
or
thus
Diotima's
Myth is an imaginative expositionof the
and
of Truth
Idea
of Soul
Love
as
Immortality, while
described
of
the functions
the
natively
imagiUnderstanding are
There

TOTTo?.

are

other

"

in

the

Timaeus

as

like

revolutions

those

of

the

Cosmos.
The

Politicus

Myth, settingforth

as

it does

the

Idea

of

logical
subjectof God's government in the Cosmos, is Aetioexists in the
for the Evil which
in supplying a cause
world and man's life under God's government.
think
that we
How
does Plato
are
helped out of the
logical
about
the
existence of Evil by an Aetioprofound difficulty
if we
Myth of Changing World -periods? The answer,
be a complete theory of the influence
could give it, would
of man.
the mind
which
AetiologicalMyths exercise over
Here is the greatestdifficulty
of morals ; and it is easilysolved
by a fantastic story of the origin of the thing which makes
!
the difficulty
to attach such
Let me
try to explain how Plato comes
value to this Aetiological
First, Plato thinks that the
Myth.
as
is best illustrated in this way
immensity of the difficulty
the tragicimport of a great crisis on the stage or in real life
behaviour
comment
is sometimes
illustrated by the trifling
or
Soul

as

"

of

some

his

one

Myth,

it may
its childish

present
"

with

be

of

child.

unconsciousness

Plato thinks
of

that

is
difficulty,

valuable

enhancingour

as

and

helping

so

which
difficulty

it

real

cause

know

the

have

got

it.

can

under
we

which

try

to

"

"

tions,
by particularexplanaonce
Plato's Myth puts the difficulty
But
versal
place exhibits it,in its immensity, as uni-

for all in its true

Xoyia-fia
"

"

moral

the

the

the

in

it atVta?

nostra.

; and

we

of the system
very nature
it puzzlesus, and paralysesus the more

live

remove

more

we

about
difficulty
with
difficulty
particular
universal difficulty
a

solution,but

inherent

we

very

When

immense.

grip of

of

sort

of Evil ; for it is not

contradiction

culty,
diffi-

of detail
difficulty
particular
and can
generallyovercome
were,

it

get this

"

more

appear

particulardiscoverable

remove

of any

never

the existence
a

makes

grip of it,as

We

to

immensity of the
the difficulty the

of the

sense

us

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

202

You

is
"

particulardifficulty.Do
it is !
Put it by

cannot

not

try

you solve
immense
See how

solve it

to do

so.

as

"

"

"

The

cloud

Others
But

This
to

ofier

we

are

to

who,
first

is the
the

helped

out

destiny,

of mortal

will front it
like

him,

fearlessly
"

will put it

part of the

by

which

answer

venture

Plato
think
that
does
question. How
of a profound difficulty
by a childish

Myth?
second

The

part

of

the

venture

to

state

as

"

impossibleunless
has
one
enough merely to fancy that one
is
which
one
somehow, at least partly,solved the difficulty
asked to "put by." An
or
attempt to solve a fundamental
universal
difficulty
logically,
by a thin process of reasoning,
ing,
can
only end in a sense of failure ; but a childish Myth, touchit is apt to do, a vast complex of latent sensibilities,
as
awaken
a
feelingof vague satisfaction. A childish Myth
may
to solve a fundamental
thus, after all,seem
so
difficulty,
may
in
far as to warrant
the
one
one
important
puttingit by
thing being that we should
put it by," and act, not think
follows

It is very
fancies
it is
:

hard

answer

to

"

put it by

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

about

the

it and

hesitate.

suggest,then, that

his

Myth is due to
Aetiological
many-sided genius with this

of

human

"

nature, which

the

instinctive

shall I

finds,amid

Plato's

and

of

sympathy

call it weakness

doubts

of

love

"

difficulties.

THE

US

POLITIC

satisfaction in fantastic

some

this

weakness, with

which

MYTH

203

Let

explanation.

Plato

suggest that

illustrate

me

is in artistic

sympathy, by an instance of the use of tha"Aetiological

Myth
in Finnish
Birth
Iron
in
of
mythology
by the Story of the
"

the Kalewala.
Kalewala

by

The
about

But

seventy years
had

been,

as

popular Laujola,or
of

Finnish

the

Epic, the Kalewala, was piecedtogether

Cantos
of Eunes
out
or
ago by Lonnrot
they still are, sung separatelyby the
Minstrels.

The

poetry, and

AetiologicalMyth

about

say a few words

to this story.

me

of introduction

way

great Finnish

which

unit

first let

be

may

growing

Eune,

of

out

or

is the

Canto,

fairlydescribed as an
the
magician's charm-

formula.
chief

The

the

in

personages

Kalewala

national

not

are

but great magicians; and

epics,
the interest of the poem, or poems, is connected
mainly with
their power
the manner
in which
these great magicians show
and
Men.
over
Nature, and Spirits,
According to the Finnish
the simplest thing done
belief,everything done in life,even
by the most
ordinary person, has its appropriate charmformula
is successfully
done in virtue of the accompaniment

kings and warriors, as

in other

"

of the suitable word

laying the

words

or

keel of

e.g. there

"

is

another

boat, and

for

word

for

fully
success-

fixingthe ribs,

of the
ordinary acts depend on the utterance
do the extraordinaryacts of great
more
proper words, much
the
chief magician-hero of the
magicians. Wainamoinen,
Kalewala
he was
Eunes, when
building his magic boat forgot
and

so

If

on.

three necessary words, and

at last found his way into

wandered

over

"World

the

Earth, and

the whole

of the

Dead,

in his search

mighty words, which are the

wielded by the magician-hero,are mighty in that they
arms
he exercises his power.
of the thing on which
contain the cause
ous
He is confronted
with difficulties and dangers in his adventurit is by tellinga difficult or dangerous thing
and
career,
for these lost words.

its

these

he conquers
it.
Birth
of Iron
that

originthat

it is the
relate
has

Now

to

(Kai. ix.
overcome

29
he

it

If it is

wound

magician

the
is

If

must

first tell the

must

monstrous

".).

story

to

of

cured

know

and
he

bear

that

the

Origin

of

he

to

{Kal. xlvi. 355). If it is a disease that

only do that by tellingthe disease
exorcise,he can
the Bear

be

has

its hidden

name,

and

which

it

came

healed,he
Thus,

place from which

{Kal. xlv. 23).

the

the

know

must

If it is

the

and

it came,
a

Ancestry of Snakes

snake-bite

to

be

695).

xxvi.

{Kd.

by

way

Aetio-

the
magician-hero

of the

of the charm-formula

out

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

204

the singer of the Eune,

when
logicalMyth arises especially
himself, as he often does, with his magician-hero,
identifying
"

the first person.

uses

is

Kalewala

The

collection of Cantos,

looselyconnected

the weapons,
magicians are the heroes, and charms
the charms
being words which reveal the nature and origin
overcome
of the things or persons
magic words which the
Eune -singers expanded into elaborate Aetiological
Finnish
it is the prayer
at the sacrifice
Myths. Among other races
as
or
Comparetti^ observes, which is developed into
offering,
the
then into the Myth ; it is only among
the Hymn, and
is so developed. Sorcery,not
that
the charm-formula
Finns

in

which

"

ritual

elsewhere

as

and

is

custom,

here

the

of

Iron^

of

germ

the

Aetiological
Myth.

The

Story
with

Wainamoinen,

of

streamingfrom a wound
buildinga boat, hurries

blood

by his axe when he was

place in his sledge,asking if

made
to

which will heal the

last he
old

to

comes

calls

streams,

tamed

three

of

out

his
A

house.
were

soon

him

to

"Wilder

by

in

sledge
silver
full

and

High

crossed
and

a
cup
of blood, and

'

Der

from

Kalewala,

fireside

this

Creator."

the

golden

knows

little

them.

sledgeat
have

ere

tion,
ques-

door

the

been

now

Wainamoinen

rose

entered

the

brought and

were

overflowing.The

At

grey-bearded

Wainamoinen's

courtyardand
tankard

place

from

little old

man

Speak, who art thou amongst men,

of what people and
nation, that already seven
great basins and
filled
with
blood
All
tubs
?
are
thy
magic words I know,
eight

cried out

the

his

in

than

is

in his knee

mighty words

the

one

to

answer

sits

rivers

of the

there

in

he

as

greater

words

any

which

who,
fireside,

out

knows

one

outrage." No

Iron's

house

the

by

man

"

Birth

the

oder

die

"

traditionelle

Poesie

der

Finnen,

p. 169

(German

edition,1892).
I liave translated this story (with considerable
compression and omission)
of the Kalewala
Hermann
version
the German
by
Paul, published at
the
fiftieth
commemorate
in
1885
to
of the first publianniversary
Helsinglors
cation
of the Finnish Epic.
^

from

and

the

on

his bellows.

He

look

to

near

forth

went

morrow
saw

seek

to

wet

place for

; he

morass

went

smithy and put

his

he built him

there

and

smithy

pieceof fenland, a

it ; and

at

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

206

up

his bellows.
Soon

"

the

matked

he

Bear

fen, and

the

on

discovered

the

in

of
footprints

the

track

the

of

Steel,

Bear's

the

in
footprints,

broad

Wolf's

the

found

rusty Iron,

the

saw

and

the Wolf

great

track.
Then

"

spake

happened
Bear

What

would

Iron, when

and

of

that
the

thou

clumsy

to

himself;

Fire, into

the

of death

the

took

hold

of

said : ' Fear

up his voice, and
his brother.
If thou
enterest
in

the

the

not,
into

furnace,thou

shalt become

Iron, and

stirred

day

take

shalt

sharp sword

for

for women.'

instrument

and

whispered
into the

of Fire.

name

beautiful,thou

first

day,

not

fear

layest thyselfdown

Smith
the

on

second

lifted

hurteth

again more

The

"

and

the Iron

the

the terrible

Smith

the

useful

it,if I cast

anguish of

the

poor Iron ; Fire

the smithy, and

men,

track

the

is

'

it heard

But

rise up

of

come

did

Then

"

heavy feet, in

bethought him,

he

sparklingglow
"

What

'

"Thereafter
'

'

What

Wolf's

the

unhappy Iron !
unworthy place is this

Smith

thee !

unto

under

hast,

the

cast

the

up

the third.

it

on

the

ilame, and

the

glowing hearth,
yet again on

the

Slowly
was
melted,
l
ike
leavened
spread itself,
up
dough,
within the flames of the mighty Fire.
cried the
Iron
Then
in anguish:
0
passion
Smith, have comtake
of
the
out
me
me
;
burning Fire,out of the hot
upon
!
flamingglow
and

boiled

in

glowing Iron

bubbles, and

"

'

'

"

answered

Then

the

Smith

'

If I take

thee

now

out

of the

Fire,thou

mightestgrow up to be evil,and all too dangerous;

mightestmurder thy nearest-of-kin,
regardingnot thine own

thou

brother.'
Then

"

said

break

Iron

There

'

are

lifted up his voice,and

swore
still trees enough to fell,
and

will I hurt

great oath, and

stones

enough

to

do

harm unto
brother,or
my
my nearestfairer and
honourable 'tis to live as
more
of man,
to be his friend,
the weapon
of
companion and servant
the
than
be
to
of one's kinsman,the
his hand,
of
enemy
never

Better

of-kin.

and

destroyer

one's brother.'
"

Iron

Then
out

till it

was

took
of the
bent

Ilmarinen

Fire, and
to

use

the
laid

; and

Smith, the famous Smith, the

it on
the anvil,and
hammered
therefrom

he made

implementsof every sort.

somethingwas still lackingto the

poor
it

sharp tools,axes

swords,and

and
"

Yet

Iron,the Steel

still

THE
needed

something.

lacked

the

unless

Water

"The
and

due

he

and

made

and

the blue

hardness,his

could

the

be

not

bethought him

little ash

what

mouth

forgedhard,

he
and

Water,

upon
bath, for

should

do;

dissolved

hardness

give

to

it
the

to

Steel.

he prove the Water

with his
is not yet made
fit to harden

Water

tongue,
the

and

then

rusty metal

glancingSteel.'

Behold

"

Iron

"

pungent

strengthto

The

'

207

it.

sprinkled a

said

The

Smith

Carefullydid

"

MYTH

Iron's tongue lacked

sharpness.

wetted

therein, and
Iron

The

renowned

then

POLITIGUS

Bee

flyingover the grass, sportinghigh and

low on brightwings,flitting
and humming round
him.
Then
the
renowned
Smith
Here !
spake
:
Busy Bee !
hither
the
noble
Bring me honey on thy wing, bring
juice,suck it
from
the cups
of the flowers,to give the right hardness
to the
Iron, to give strengthto the Steel.'
"Hiisi's
evil bird, the
the
Wasp, overheard
talk, as she
down
from
the
roof.
She
heed
peeped
secretlyto all,she
gave
the rusty metal
she
the
saw
saw
prepared,
glancingSteel brought
a

came

"

'

forth.
"In

haste
Hiisi's

together

serpent, and

flew the
away
horrors ; she

Wasp from thence, and

brought the black venom

gathered
of

the

the

deadly poison of the adder, and the bitter froth

of worms,
and the corrodingliquorof the toad, to give hardness
to
the Iron and strengthto the Steel.
Ilmarinen,the cunning workman, the renowned
Smith, thought
that the Busy Bee
had
him
had
brought
honey,
given him the
noble
juice; and he said : Now is the bath right to harden the
rusty metal, to give strengthto the blue Steel.'
In the bath he dipped the Iron,without
heed he cast the metal
"

'

"

therein,when

he had

drawn

of the

it out

Fire, out

of the

glowing

forge.
Then

"

Honour
which
him

came
even

he sware, and murdered

with sharp mouth, and

it out

foaming

in

The

little old

head

to and

now

I know

Iron !

for this

it

thy

into
brother,and bit wounds
opened paths for the blood, and poured
own

stream."
man

the

at

fireside cried

aloud, and

rocked

his

I know
the Beginning of Iron,
fro,and sang : Oh, now
who
unto
thee,thou luckless
draye it to evil. Woe
deceitful
Steel
Poor
!
unto
metal, taken
thee, thou
witchcraft

reason

mastery ?
"
Who

his

"

woe

captive by

Was

as

it to pass that Iron was

made
hurtful,and did rend
rendeth
and
broke
the sacred
oath
a
flesh,
dog

Is it thence

that thou

moved
Father

thee
or

to

thy

art

become

that
a

terror

wickedness, who
Mother

Was

thou

art

and

drave

thy

?
sprung
hast too

thee

to

Is it

great

treason

eldest Brother

guilty

208

MYTHS

THE

of this ?

Was

it

thee and
Neither

"

Sister

nor

done

this

thy youngest Sister,or

turned

Father

Mother

nor

gave

eldest Brother

nor

thee

Friend,

some

who

selled
coun-

evil deed ?

to the

thee

Friend

any

PLATO

OF

thou

accomplishedthe bloody

thou

hast
wickedness, thyself

youngest

nor

Thyself hast

this counsel.

deed.
Look

"Iron!
I go

at this wound

sorrow

turneth

himself

complaint
woman
thy

to evil and

Leave

"

off,and
spout forth

course,

head

and

the
Stand

run

more,

in

more

Stand

the

like

hast done

the evil thou

thy

to

ere

Mother.

The

if her

is increased

Mother

doeth

no

no

breast !

sedge by

Heal

against thee

in anger
with
of the old

child

wickedness.

foaming blood ! hold in thy

long-curved bow, bespattering
my
thou

wall

immovable,

like

fence,like

side,like the grass in the slimy fen !

the firm earth,like the cliffin the raging

water's

like the rocks upon

!

storm

If thou

"

hither

that

hot the red

the

earth

these

not

I call Hiisi's Kettle

do

to make

heedest

purple

gore

foaming

stream

nor

to

run

the

over

if power
be withheld
become
of the
master
flood,to
there

liveth

God

Father, a

will

the

not

devise

other

foaming

drop

down

And

"

seethe

that

juice,so
shall

words, I

means

blood

shall

flow away,

thereinto,and

wet

ground.

from

myself to stay the

me

wild

stream, know

dwellingabove

the

endless

that in Heaven

clouds, who

"

is the

hear

I call unto

thy

fingerwhich

thee

in time

so

the

not

mightiestleech for the closing-upof bleedingwounds.

of Heaven,
Ukko, High Creator, EverlastingGod
when

therein,

of need

bringethhealing,on

me

Lay thy soothinghand,

the

and

wound,

be

as

sure

lock to close it.

Take, 0 Lord, a healing

leaf to cover
leaf,
spreada water-lily
the
of
the
opening,stay
blood, so that it stain
strong current
"

my

cheeks

nor

Therewith
the swift

stream

over

the old

course

of the

my
shut

man

the
not

garments."
the

mouth

blood; then

sent

of the

he his

son

wound, stayed
into the

finest threads of the

a salve of the
prepare
grass, of
herbs
of the field,
of the flowers whence
honey,
to

smithy

thousand

healing balm,

droppeth.
boy brought the salve
strong healing salve, able to
The

his

to

cement

Father,saying:
Here is
stones
together into one
"

rock."
Father

The

therewith

and

by

power

own

my

proved
he

it with

anointed
do

his

the

this,but

tongue,

wounded

and
man,

found

it

saying :

only through the

power

good;
"

Not

of the

Highest."
the
bound
up
silk
of
the
Eternal
the

Then
"

May

he

wound

with

silken

Father,the bands

bands, saying:
of the

Almighty

THE

Creator,bind
look

down

wound

did

this wound.

help,put
the

end

an

Myth

209

gracious,0

Heavenly Father,

the bitter

unto

anguish,heal

this

sharpnessof pain."

Wainamoinen,

like this of

embellished

MYTH

Be

on

thereafter the wound

soon

and

and

without

Then
and

up

POLITIGUS

by

feel uiat

he

and
together,

was

sudden,

grew

the Birth

value

closed.^

of Iron,

indeed,
amplified,
originally
inspiredby the

poeticalart, but

childish belief in the

healed

was

of words

which

set

forth the

cause,

Plato's employment of the

helps us, I think, to understand
Aetiological
Myth. Confronted
by some
profound difficulty,
he laysit,or
it
of
of
fanciful
account
a
puts
by,"by means
the originof the state of things which presents the difficulty.
He seems
to feel that an
Aetiological
Myth is a comfortable
^
when
is hard
to conjure with
one
thing," and a charm
pressed.
The
have now
transition is easy from
the point which
we
his Aetiological
reached
Creation
to Plato's
Myths
Myths
These
the
Timaeus
are
(which is one great
]par excellence.
and Epimetheus in the
Myth) and the Myth of Prometheus
Protagoras(320 c ffi).
In distinguishing
from
the
these Myths as Aetiological
strictly
Myths of the Phaedo, Gorgias,and the
Eschatological
Republic,I do not ignorethe eschatological
prospect which is
in the Timaeus
presented in them, especially
; but aetiological
It is the
retrospectis wh'at is reallycharacteristic of them.
originof the Universe, and of Man, Soul and Body, not the
future life of Man's
Soul, that these Myths are
properly
Ideas
of
with.
Eeason, Soul,
concerned,
They set forth the
in a Vision
of Creation ; and
Cosmos, and God, aetiologicaUy
of the
deduction of Categories
a mythological
supply,moreover,
Understanding and Moral Virtues, which lies outside the scope
of the strictly
Myths ; i.e.they deduce Categories
Eschatological
"

"

"

and

Virtues

make

of

from

the

their

Cosmos

in

causes

the

nature

and

of God

the

they picture for the imagination the

and
of nature
as
expressingthe wisdom
explain always for the imagination
"

orderlyconstitution
goodnessof God, and
the
harmony subsistingbetween

"

"

faculties of
1

the

8 and
Ealewala, Kunes
Paul (Helsingfors,
1886).
^

"

Prisms

are

Thus

Soul.

in

Timaeus

9, vol. i. pp. 96-124, German

also comfortable

"

things (Bacon,

and

constitution

that

Nat.

40 E-42
version
Hist. cent.

the

the

by

Hermann

x.

960).
P

MYTHS

THE

210

PLATO

OF

standing
the Underprioriconditions of thought,the modes in which
of sense-experience,
brings order into the manifold
set forth as due to impressionsreceived by the Soul in its
are
its
it rode
on
speculativejourney round the Heavens, when
and
star-chariot,
learned

to

eternal

the

saw

Universe, and

the

thought,similar

in orbits of rational

move

of

laws

those

to

rule the stars.

which

begin our study of the Creation

It is on a small scale,and
ProtagorasMyth.
first the eye of imagination may
perhaps be
Although
contemplationof the vast Timaeus.

It will be convenient

Myths with the

by lookingat it
prepared for the
it is only a small part
allow

work

reader

Ideas

the

of

shapes for
Soul

"

of the

whole

that

Timaeus

to translate and

me

regard the

to

to

comment

book

as

God

wonder

the

our

World

"

and

Soul

Human

Soul

great

Created

Creator,

the

to

"

in

of the

relation

the

in which

forth

set

are

Soul
the

ask

the

Human

Body, the Origin

other
of Evil, the Hope of Salvation, and
cern
conthings which
Timaeus
visible. The
is a Myth, not
our
peace, are made
its fortune from
the very
scientific treatise,although it was
a
relation

Human

I would

great Myth

one

Soul, Cosmos, and

in which

on,

of this

limits

the

of the

treated

first to be

Plato's

if it

as

to

the latter.

were

read and

much

other

work

of

in

and
antiquity,
throughout the Middle Age, as the Timaeus; and that chiefly
because
it was
regarded as a compendium of natural
science,
so

was

all the

valuable

more

commented

No

because

its

"

on

natural

but
presentedas something apart by itself,
setting." Aristotle,of course, treats

lettre}

With

Christian

the

scientific and

Dante's

believe, all

to passages

reader

The

passages

"

it

the

Plato's

to

contained

test the

may

quoted in

references

Index

in the

justice of
Arist.

s.v.

this

au

took

with

actual

not

was

framed
it

theologicalauthority along

Genesis.^

'

Platonists

"

science

in

logical
theo-

pied

de

la

as

rank
the
text

Book

of

are,

Timaeus.^

statement

by referringto

"Ti/naiosPlatonis dialogus": and

the
see

Zeller,Plaio, p. 344, Eng. Transl.

2

the Platonist

"Numenius

is Plato but Moses

ed. 1662.)
Atticus."
remarks
See

was

Jowett
on

posterityis
'

It

speaks out plainlyconcerning his master : What

(Henry Here's ConjecturaCabbalistica,
Preface,p. 3 ;
author of the Timaeus
as
that Plato was
practically
"Moses
of Plato, Introd. to Timaeus) has some
(Dialogtces
interesting

Atticus ? "

the

text
partlydue

Moore's

Dictionary,arts.

"

"

to

The

Studies
"

influence

which

the Timaeus

has

exercised

upon

"

Platone

misunderstanding.

in
"

Dante, first series,pp. 156 ff.,

and
and

"

Timeo'."

Toynbee's Danie

THE

Like

the

Politicus

by

Eleatic

Stranger

Socrates

himself,

from
and

the

in

MYTH

Myth,
and

Socrates,

spoken

well

FOZITICUS

the

an

others

the

Protagoras

Protagoras,
Politicus,

older

man

present.

211

says

the
that

addressing

Myth
speaker,

Fable

younger

is

not

like
will

the

come

men

"

MYTH

PROTAGOBAS

THE

Context

The

of

scene

Protagoras is
gentleman,to which

the

house

the

of Gallias, a
takes his friend

Socrates
wealthyAthenian
him
introduce
that he may
to the celebrated teacher
Hippocrates,
the Art of gettingon in Life Protagoras,who
or
of Mhetoric
happens to he staying with Gallias. Besides Protagoras they
find two other Sophistsof repute there,Hippias and Prodicus,
also Gritias and
Alcibiades.
Hippocrateswishes to become a
pupil of Protagoras; and Socrates, aftercommunicating his
"

"

friend'swish

to

the great man,

of Hippocrates?
wiser

"

man

"

that

"

asks him,

and

Protagoras

is,he

will

teach

"

he will make

What
"

answers,

how

him

better and

to

do

the

right

public life. Socrates expresses

virtue
the science of right conduct, or
to whether
doubt
as
privateand politicalfor that is what Protagorasprofesses to be
able to teach
can
reallybe taught. The Athenians, as a body,
apparentlydo not think that it can be taught,
for they do not
it of their politicians;
do the wisest and
best
demand
nor
that it can
be taught,
citizens think
for they never attempt to
impart it to their sons.
with
it is a part)
the Lecture of which
The Myth (together
which
is the answer
Protagoras now
gives to the difficulties
The
raised by Socrates.
objectof the Myth and Lecture is
to
or
rather, the virtues,for Protagoras
show, that virtue
env/merates
holiness,courage
five: wisdom, temperance,justice,
be taught.
can
When
Protagoras has finished his Myth and Lecture, conversation
thing always

in

private and
"

"

"

"

is resumed

making

it

plain

that

between
the

him

and

five virtues
212

Socrates,and
must

be reduced

results in
to

one

"

214

THE

MYTHS

PLATO

OF

c-323

Protagoras320
320

'Hi;

C
D

yevi)

eTreiSi)Se

^v.

ovK

"ifiapfievo"! yevea-eo)'},
Kal

iTreiBijS'

KaX
Tipop/q6e2
eKa(rroi,"!

avTo";
E

to?

S' aotfKov

Se

avrd

avTm

Se

avrd
dfi"l)ievvv"!

rovvrevdev

Se

Ato?

e/c

eve

dpi^l

re

Kal

Kal

SSeoKev

Se
elvai

Tjv^e

iiravKrav

ovTeo"s

yevoi

"rrepeol"s
Bepfuwiv,

avrd

Kal

eKdarp'
avro(^vrf"i

dpt^l

Se

fiev

T^p/iri-

evfidpeuivi/ji/t)y(av

eopa?

viro

koI

Kavfiara,

Kal

a-rptufivt

ravra

iroSStv rd

fiev

Kal dvatfioi"i
Sepfiatri
"rrepeo2";
aWa?

e^eiropi^e,
rots

SevSpeovKapirow,
rpotp^v ^aav

fikv oKiyoyovCav Trpoaijyjre,

Tot?
rovrav

a-fiiKporriTi

Bia^tfyd"}
dWi]Xo"f)0opiS)v

rd
virdpjfpi

ottw?

rpo^d"!dXXoi";

^ordvrjv,dWoK
S" oh

avr"v

rdj^pv^

ifirfx^avaro

avTOi"i

SvvaToi"} Se
dfivvai ")(eifiS)va,

Kal

oTrXat?, rd

tiv

oiKrjaiv

avroi^

irvKvalf

el"i evvd"i lovo'iv

re

dXKrjv

ovtio

Be wTrXtfe,

rd

eiiXd^eiav e')(a"v,firj
ifj/rj'^avaTo

rd"!

eirripKeae, irpof

dvev
Iff^iiv

ecrco^e-Kal rSXXa

dltTTwQei'q.eireiSri8e

olKeLa

Sin/dfieii

veiftai

daOevearepa rdjfeteKoafiev
SiSoiii ^vaiv

ravra

fiev

Kal

fiev

(jivyrjv
rj Kardyetov

rmSe
fieyedei,,

iKuvoK

tok

a
a-turrjpCav.
fiev ykp

"T')(e,"TTTfjvov

eve/j,e.

"^(S? e/ieWov, irpotrera^av

ttjoo?

vefieou

S'

7179

Kepavvvrai.

717

Kal
S' i/iov,
Net/iai/ro?
e^, iiricrKey^at,

vei/jtai'

irpoaryrrre, tA

Z21

irvpl koI

oca

eic

Sk irapaiTeirai
'^irifj/tjOev
Upofj/tjOea

irpeiret.

Svvafiivei?

yfj^ evSov

oe

fi\6ev

^(povot;

6eol

'^TrifitjOei
Kocr/iijaal
re

TreCa-a? ve/iei.

Toct

?i"Tav,
ovrjTa

fiev

tovtok

avrh

rmv

avra

ayetv

Koi

rvTrova-iv

/M^avTe";Kal

TTvpo^

deal

ore
y^p6vo";,

lydp irore

iroXvyoviav,crarrjplav
rq"

rot?

dWtov
S'

Se

fji^v
eK
pi^av

^opdv.

xal

7^?
eari

rots

dvaXia-KOfievoKviro

yevet,

tropl^wv. are

Si)

THE

PROTAGORAS

MYTH

215

Translation
Time
after

when

was

their

kind

unto

these

there

Now

not.

were

also

Gods, but

were

when

mortal

the

creatures

appointed time
born, the gods

that

they should be
fashioned them
under
the Earth, compounding them-of
earth,
and of fire,
and of whatsoever
is made
of
the
fire
by
mingling
and
earth.
when
Now
to
they were
ready to bring them
Prometheus
unto
and
light,they gave commandment
Epi-

came

metheus
that

to adorn

But

meet.

were

to let him
"

them, and

whether

see

When

"

I have

it is done

each

unto

entreated

Epimetheus

distribute.

do thou

distribute

the

of Prometheus

distributed,"quoth he,

well."

So he

prevailedwith him, and distributed : and

strengthwithout swiftness,but the weaker

he gave
with swiftness
whom

unto

of

he

safety;

he

he

of

them

which

appointed winged

ground ; and
safetywhich

those

unto

cometh

he

some

adorned

he

those

unto

unto

for those
; and
gave weapons
other
he contrived
means
weapons

not

gave

wit,

to

smaUness

others

; unto

powers

escape, or
he increased

which

therefrom.

he

clothed with

habitation

with

under

bigness,the

this fashion, then, did

After

distribute,ever

making one giftequal unto another.

should be
contrived, lest perchance any race

things he
But

when

he

destruction

had

from

defence
with

thick

of winter
couches
went

against the
the

unto

lairs.

he

that

hairs

appointed unto
of the

the

trees, unto

others

roots ; and

he

appointed

for

ordained

that

others, which

might

be

food

the

they should
were

devoured

preserved.

shod
thick

them

earth,
ilesh

unto

some

skin

venient
con-

there

blood.
of food:

these, many,

fruits

the

were

beasts.

young,

with

them

without

others

of other

bring forth
of

of

some

different kinds

them

herbs

some

for

escaping

of the year,

and

the

unto

contrived

Moreover, he

with

for

means

off.

cut

clothingthem
sufficient to keep off the cold
might also be for
; the which
each one, of them, when
they

hides

native

their

others

stout

heat

and

with

seasons

burning

proper

hoofs,and

them

another, he

one

hairs and

and

to

After

furnished

These

some

that

unto

of

which

And

few,
their

he
and
race

ovv

Trdw

oil

Karava\a)iTa";

Swa/xet? eh

ra?

eVt

aKoa-firjTov

'ETTt/x^^ev?eXadev

6
av
"ro"j)b";

TV

Be
^p^a-aiTO.airopovvTi
i7riaKeylr6fj,6vo";
rrjv
vop,r)v, KaX
nrdvTmv
ififjieX"i;

e'x^ovra,

dvvTToBrjTovKoX

a(7TpcoTov

"^w?.

Ilpo/i7j0ev"
^(oa

aWa

Be

rpr}

e^opsvoi

re

/cat

Kai

rj

e^ievateic
avOpatirov

eBei Kal

rjvriva
Upop/qdevf,

Kal
'Htfyaicrrov
dv6pa)ira"evpoi, KKemei
'A^T/vasr^v evre'yyov ao^iav a-iiv irvpi
rjv
ap,T)')(avov yap
dvev "jrvpb'!
Kai
yeveadai
kttjT'^vT"p rj '^p7)a-lfir)v
avTrjv
vepX rov ^lov
ovra
Bt) Bcapeirai
dvdpd)'iT(p.
rtjv
/lev oZv

amTqpiav

aoirXov.

or)

rjiropei

avOpeoTTOVyvfivov

KaX

ovv

airopia

Koi

fiev

ra

opa

avrov

Xotirov

epxerai

avrm

Be

rov

iv
el/jLapfjAvt)
rffjiepaTrapijv,

dXoya.

"ra

avffpcaveov
'yevoi,

fjv to

avrm

Ti

eh
"yfj";

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

216

rm

"

"

ea-'^e, Tf)v Be

ao^lav dv6pwKo"iravrr)
?]V yap
iroXiv

TTjOo? Be
E

Ato9

rov

rrjv

ai

KaX

Ad-

rm

irapa

'A07jva";KoX

Ato?

rm

eli
llpo/ii]6ei

Be

322

ei')(ev'

tiji/ aKpo-

eiaekOelvive'^oopei
eh Be to rij?
(fto^epaX
(fyvKaxaX
rjcrav

tov

/St'oi'
yiyveTai,Tipop.ijOeaBe

tt/v

oXKtjv

"S

ev

koivov,

xaX
K\e\}ra"!ttjv
ela'epj(eTai,

koX
'HcftaiaTov
BiBtocriv dv9pa)ir(p
KaX 6"
tovtov
Trjv

fiev

ovk

ovKeri,

oiKrjcriv

o'iKripMto
'iltf"at(7Tov

Te'XPeiTTjv, Xa^wi'
Te'xvrjv

voXitiktjv

re

ttjv

i"f)t\o-

ep/jrvpov

Adrjvd'i

ttj?

tov
eviropiap.ev dvOpcoirtp

Bi

JSiirifirjOea
vaTepov,

yvep

XeyeTai, kXotttj?Bikt]p,eTfjX6ev.
6eia"; fji"Tea'')(e
"EiretBrjBe 6 dvOpanro";
fioipai,
irpGsTov
p.ev

Kal

Bid

TOV

0eov

^cavrjvKaX

6vop.aTa

ra^w

KaX eadrjTa';koI
olK'^crei'i

ra?

eK

yrj";Tpo(f"a"s
evpero.

dp')(a^dvdpcoiroi u)kovv
ovv

virb

17

Tevyy,

KaX
"7Tpa"p,vd";

Btj irapeo'Kevaap.evoi,

dijpiwvBtd

t"v

Se

ovk

kut

Tjaav.

TravTayj)avTwv
Br]p,iovpyiKr}
Te')(vri avToh
"7rpo"}

Uavrj ^07)do";^v,
Tpo"f"rjv

iroXiTiKrjv yap
TroXep.ov evBeri";'
p,epo"i

Trj
BiifpOpaxraTO

viroBeaei';KaX

ovtco

ivofiure,

dydXp.aTa dewv

^roXet?
"r7ropdBr]v,

elvai, KaX
daOevecTTepoi
fiev

6eov"i

p.ovov

IBpveaOai,KaX

KaX

diratXKvvTo

^axov

a-vyyeveoav

^copov"; re
eve'xelpei

eireiTa

TT/v

TToXeiiiKri. e^rjTOvv Br/

irpo^

to

Be

Tej(y7)v

tov

t"v

ovirw

d"poi^eadai KaX

Bripiav

elyov, ij?

a-a"^e"r6at

THE

PMOTAGOBAS

Now, inasmuch
lo ! mankind
what

not

look

he should

concerningthem.

him
cometh
unto
to
yet doubteth, Prometheus
his distribution; and
perceiveth that all other

creatures

and

furnished

duly

are

without

the

come

do

not

was

he

into

naked

the

217

wittingly
very wise, he unhad upon the brutes ; and
him
and he knew
unadSrned,

still left unto

was

While

Epimetheus
he
qualities

as

spent all

MYTH

shoes

or

appointed day

forth from

the

earth

in

on

all

things,but

bed

or

the

which

weapons

that

and

is

man

now

was

also should

man

go

into the

light.
Wherefore
Prometheus, being brought to his wits' end to
devise any
of safety for man,
stealeth the cunning
means
workman's
wisdom
of Hephaestus and Athena, togetherwith
fire

for without

"

and

this he
Thus

bare

it

giveth as

did

had

none

get this wisdom

can

giftunto

the wisdom

not, for it

with

Zeus

longer permitted to
dwelling-placeof Zeus ; moreover,
was

it ;

use

no

needful

wisdom

is needful

which

was

or

man.

get the mechanic

man

life ; but
he

fire

; and
into

enter

for

the

unto
the

for his

life

tical
poli-

Prometheus

citadel,the

guards of Zeus were

into
the
terrible ; but
and
common
dwelling of Athena
Hephaestus,wherein they pliedtheir craft,he secretlyentered,
and stole the fieryart of Hephaestus,and also Athena's art,
and
them
convenient
unto
Whence
man.
came
living
gave
afterwards arraigned
unto
man
; but as for Prometheus, he was
for theft because of Epimetheus, as the story telleth.
Now
having been made a partaker of the divine lot,
man,
of his kinshipwith the Godhead, alone among
by reason
living
believed in Gods, and
creatures
began to take it in hand to
Then
them
and make
set up altars unto
graven images of them.
articulate speech and
with cunning device did he frame
soon
names,

put

invented

and

on, and

Thus

there

wild

the beasts,and
food

enough, but

wild

beasts ; for

the art of warfare

Wherefore

craftsman's

was

they
is

were

art

scattered

shoes

earth.

abroad,

altogetherweaker
could help them

sufficient for

had

not

yet the

their
art

to

and

continually

were

men

not

part.

and

raiment

the fruits of the

first dwelt

beasts, for they

their

in,and

food from

at

cities.

no

by

to dwell

beds for rest,and

furnished, men

were

devoured

houses

the

war

than
to

with

get
the

whereof
political,

KTi^ovrei
are

iroXeii;.

ovk

or

airoXoiTo

alS"

"j"iKia";avvayayol,-

laTpiKrjv

e)(mv

Brj/iiovpyoL
D

avOpairoi'i,
Koi

oXiyoi
ye

de";

trap'

Kreiveiv

Bi,a

o'l

ravra

Trepl dper'!]";reKrovLKfi";
oiovrai

0X170*9
E

r"v

TO)?,

323

oKiyav
tB?

Xoyo"!

crvfi^ovXevri,
eyd)

elKorax;
craxjipocrvvT]';,

"Trpoa-fJKOv

ravrri"s

Bia

Be

aWr]";

rivof

edv

el";

/xere'^etv

ta?

KciX
koI

Adrjvacoi,

Zev"},
ei

vofiov

BiKr)"i

ZitoKparef,
orav

t{?

trii

eKro"i

^j;?'

fiev

levai

rraaav

dperr}";,

rj

Stv
elKO-

TroXiriKTJ^

dvBpo"i dvi'X^ovrai,""?
rfji

TOty

Br/fiiovpyiKrjiy

crvfi^ovXrjv

BiKaioavvi]";

onravro'i

ye

ol

dve')(pvrai,

ovk

"f)rj/jLf orav
Bel

Kal

iv

TroXet?,

Brj, Si

"Tvp.^ovXrj";, Kal

fieretvai

dperrji; 'iaxriv, fjv

iroXei'}.

aXKok

re

el"t
aWot

etfyq

alBov"i

Ovrm

7ro\ea)S.

voaov

a)?

65)

reyyoiV.

fii] Bvvdfievov

rov

efiov

"Be-

ot

yevoivro

aXKwv

matrep

iJ,ere')(pi,ev

Kol

-rravra^,

av

yap

re^vai

at,

Be

ovrto

'Etti

vei/ica;

7rdvra";

fjLerej(^6vrcavov

avrmv

fiere^etv

Kal

rj eVl

rpoTrov

ow

vevefirjvrai

alBS)

Kal

BiKfjv Brj

Seafwl

Kol

tt"9

lBtcoTat";,

Ikuvcx;

TroWot?

Kol

"7rdvre";

vel,/ia";

ravra^

tj/imv,

avOpumovi

riva

-rroTepov

triceoav-

yevei

re

KOfffioi

avOptoiroK.

Koi

ovrto

vevefi7]VTai,

rco

eh

'^pfirif Aia,

ohi

ipcora
alSS)

Koi

iroKemv

aX\7;\ow?,

traXiv

irepl

Set"ra?

ovv

elev

Xv

hUrfv,

BoiT) Bi,Kr)v

Zevi

Sxttc

Teyvrfv,

'Epfirjv irifiirei dyovra

irav,

koI

re

aOpoia-Oeiev, rfhlKOVv

iroXiTiKrjv

8ie"pdeipovTo.

PLATO

OF

ovv

Tr)v

eypvTei;

vvfievoi

fiTj

MYTHS

THE

218

fit)

Kak

iravrl
etvatr

THE

Wherefore
and

Now

they

scattered

again
But

mandeth
for

Hermes

and

distributed

be

to

distributed

after

other

some

Shall

of

who

death,
For

they

if

consult

will

have

'tis but
into

enter

virtue

with

reasonable

which

man

partake

of

this

and
as

those

thrust

they

needs

counsellor,
else

the
few

there

skill

and

let
of

not
or

all

the

be

arts,
he

that

me,

be

to

put

they,

of

walk

thou

in

all

city.

And

they
unto

path

the
do

that
no

when

pertain

reason

and

advise,

to

sayest.

that

considering
be

carpenter

enough,

But

alway

with

the

are

this.

when

others,

forward

things

could

or

thus,

shall

advisers

do

then

it

and

himself

those

have

from

Athenians

should

physic,

city.

do

Thus

him.

are

of

as

justice

the

that

law

and

think

must

virtue,

it

he,

quoth

men
"

partakers

need

temperance,
a

Zeus,

the

concerning

political,

any

of

none

counsel

righteousness

of

not

all," said

into

which

things

is

among

modesty

Socrates,

who

shall

which

art

modesty

were

he

the

the

gether
to-

men

these,"

many

make

plague

handicraftsman,
who

say

of

reason,

few

Also

bringeth

about

one

any

they

he

this

other

or

arise.

partake

for

and

if

Por

unto

Unto

"

hath

com-

justice,

how

distributed,

man

sufficient

"

them.
not

cannot

one

"

justice
all ?

imto

would

cities

is

distribute

partakers.

wise

and

art,

them

give

this

and

Zeus

"Are

are

utterly,

joining

of

they

so

destroyed.

modesty

bonds

men.

arts

be

to

perish

inquireth

unto

the

be

to

Hermes

as

like

bearing

wronged

political

art

should

race

men

modesty

the

were

cities, and

friendship.

give justice

and

unto

go

togeth*fer,
they

not

our

together,

cities.

had

lest

of

ordering

the
in

"

to

themselves

assembled

abroad,

fearing

Zeus,

building

they

219

assemble

to

were

because

another,

were

by

when

MYTH

sought

they

themselves

save

one

PBOTAGOBAS

they
men

of

bear
must

Observations

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

220

Myth

Protagoras

the

on

important pointsin this

critics
Myth, I must allude to a view maintained by some
that it is not a Platonic
Myth at all,but only a Sophistic
Choice
of
Apologue, or Illustrative Story, like Prodicus's
Hercides.
This view is stated,and objectedto, by Grote in
the followingpassage : ^
Before

callingattention

to

some

"

"

The

speech is

by

and

fable with
which

poeticalornament

prolix.

But

to

free from
argument, exceedingly
which
it opens presents,of

full of matter
The

critics as

some

rhetoric.

seems

the

censured

that

belongsto

of

manner

fluous
supercourse,

handling.

is, however, fully equal, in point of perspicuityas

charm, in my judgment, it is even
superior,to any

well

as

fable

in

It

"

"

it

me

Plato.
When

the

harangue,lecture,or

Sokrates
admits
as

both

the conclusion

well

it

"

"

be made

can

continuous

out

Schleiermacher

commentators.

will

counted

of

cluded,
con-

it,and

made

out,

exposition.

of the

Platonic
principal
allow
the
mythus of

not

Platonic
Protagoras
myths. He says
among
that it is composed in the styleof Protagoras,
and perhapscopied
real composition of that Sophist. He
from
finds in it
some
but
die
ilber die
a
grobmaterialistiche
nothing
Denkungsart,
sinnliche Erfahrung nicht hinaus
philosophirt {EinleUwng zwm
to

be

Protagorasis

expresses his profound admiration

that virtue is teachable
to be

by any
indeed,is the sentiment
Very diflferent,
as

of

sermon

the

"

"

Protagoras,vol.
To
what

i. pp. 233, 234).

like purpose
Ast
{Plat.Leb. p.
is expressedin the mythus is," The
the

and

manner

both

of

arts and

thought of

the social union

necessity."Apparently these
proof of

himself

Sokrates

derivingthe
ii. 369
K.

persons.

does

entire

from human
itself,
w
hen
critics,
they treat

have
vulgarity,

exactly the

social union

forgottenthat
thing in

same

from

human

wants

this

and
as

the Platonic

the

Eepublic

necessities

"

{Repvil.

o).
F.

Hermann

is

hardly less

the Protagorean
severe
upon
der
Plat.
Phil. p. 460).
Syst.
I
take
view
a
altogether
part,
opposed to these learned

und
(Gesch.

discourse
For

and

meanness

the

71),who tells us that

ment
sentivulgarand mean
Sophist; for it deduces everything,

my
I

think

the

discourse
'

Flat. ii.pp.

one

of

46, 47.

the

most

strikingand

MYTHS

THE

222

comic

PLATO

OF

the Myth put

similarly,

vein ;

the

None
and confused.
pompous
contend, and the other non-Socratic

is somewhat

these, I would

tagoras
of Pro-

into the mouth

Myths

less,
are

who,
always Plato the Dramatist
of Aristophanes,or
Protagoras,or the
through the mouth
Eleatic Stranger,sets forth for the Imagination the Universal
the SciejitificUnderstanding can
of which
give no account.
Platonic

true

It is

Myths.

II
second

The

that

is

Myth

Mechanical
and

its

I have

observation
it

and

the

"

the

on

Protagoras
the
is

Xant

which

with

distinction

the

between

explanationsof
Teleological

the

parts

make

distinction

the

forth

sets

to

world

occupied

Urtheilskraft According to Kant, the

minant
antinomy between these two explanationsexists for the DeterJudgment (the Judgment which, given the Universal,
it) but not for the Eeflective
brings the Particular under
Judgment (theJudgment which, given the Particular,finds a
Universal
by which to explainit). The Universal of Teleology
which
aU
or
a
things in the
Purpose, to serve
o-K07ro9,
is a Principle,
world
are
or
designed by a Personal God
Universal, which may be positedby the Eeflective Judgment,
without
contradiction,by the side of the mechanical
principle
of explanation indeed,must
be posited,
for without
the guidance
in

his

Kritik

der

"

"

"

it affords

for all that,we

we

could

understand

not

warranted

the world

at

all; but,

in

assuming that it is a principle

objectively
existingand operativein the world. Natural
understand
we
can
objectswhich
only as results of purpose
mechanism.
Purposiveness
may
very well be due to mere
is a concept which
has its origin solely in the
Eeflective
^
which
think
we
Judgment ; i.e. it is a Universal
of, which
find useful ; but it does not, therefore,
exist independently
we
of our
thought,as a real cause.
are

not

"

"

What^

in the

Does

it prove

only

proves

'

end

does

.that there
that

the

is such

accordingto

Bernard's

Transl.

of the

p. 18.
^
Bernard's

Transl.

of the

most

Kritik

an

the
der

complete teleologyprove?

Intelligent
Being 1
constitution

of

our

No.

It

cognitive

of Judgment),
Urtheilskraft
(Critique

Critiqueof Judgment,

pp.

311, 312, and

260, 261.

THE
faculties

we

...

of such

Supreme Cause
we

in

should

form

can

world

PROTAGORAS

thereof.
...

"

There

say,

223

absolutelyno concept of the possibility

save
by thinkinga designedly
working
If we
expressed ourselves dogmatically,

this

as

MYTH

"

so
saying is, Things
i.e. we
cannot
God";
are

is

God."

But

all

constituted
internally
otherwise

think

we
as

are.

justified

if there

were

that

purposiveness
cognitionof the internal
of many
natural
things,than by representing
possibility
it,and
the world in general,
Cause
as a product of an
a God.
Intelligent
based
on
an
Now, if this proposition,
inevitablynecessary maxim
of our
from
hwman
Judgment, is completely satisfactory,
every
of
for
both
the
and
of
view,
use
our
point
speculative
practical
lose by not being able to
what
we
Beason, I should like to know
it as also valid for higher beings,from
objectivegrounds
prove
It is,indeed,
faculties).
(which are unfortunatelybeyond our
less
cannot
adequately cognise,much
quite certain that we
explain,organisedbeingsand their internal possibility,
according
mechanical
of nature
to mere
can
principles
; and, we
say boldly,

which

must

lie at

the

bottom

of

our

"

it is alike

certain

it is absurd

that

for

such
any
will arise in the future,
to

men

make

hope that another Newton

who shall make
comprehensibleby us the productionof a blade of
We
laws which
to natural
no
designhas ordered.
grass according
But
must
then, how do we
absolutelydeny this insightto men.^
could penetrate to the principleby
know
that in nature, if we
which
laws known
to us, there cannot lie
it specifies
the universal
suflScient
hidden
its
mere
ground of the posmechanism) a
(in
sibility
in
their
of organisedbeings,without
design
supposing any
to say
it not be judged by us presumptuous
production1 Would

attempt,

or

to

this!
Probabilities

here

are

of

no

account, when

we

have

to

do

with

Reason; we
cannot, therefore,judge
judgments of the Pure
either affirmatively
or
concerningthe pronegatively,
objectively,
position
lie
the
at
to
Does
a
design,
:
Being, acting according
of the
basis of what
we
rightlycall natural purposes, as the cause
act
The
teleological
world, and consequentlyas its author ?
of judgment is rightlybrought to bear, at least problematically,
of nature, but only in order to bring it
the investigation
upon
and
under
inquiry according to the
principlesof observation
pretence to
analogy with the causalityof purpose, without
any
explainit thereby. It belongs,therefore,to the Reflective and not
and
to the Determinant
Judgment. The concept of combinations
.

forms

of nature

in accordance

with

purposes

for bringing its phenomena

more
principle
laws of simply mechanical
causalitydo not
in a teleological
ground, when we attribute
1

Is Kant

righthere

This

is the

is then
under

at

For

in
causality
of

we

one

the

rules where

suffice.

great Question

least

bring

respect of

Pliilosophy.

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

224

in
to be found
Objectto the concept of an Object,as if it were
rather
when
selves
we
nature
or
represent to our(not in ourselves),^
the possibility
of the Object after the analogy of that
causalitywhich we experiencein ourselves, and consequently
think nature
as
through a specialfaculty. If,on the
technically
an

other

hand,

did

we

causalitywould
on

the

have

be

to

supply to

contrary,we

of

method

action,its
blind mechanism.
If,
as
represented

ascribe

not

it such

to

nature

and
actingdesignedly,

causes

not
merelyas a regulative
consequentlyplaceat its basis teleology,
for the mere
can
judging of phenomena, to which nature
principle
be thought as subject in its particular
laws, but as a constitutive
derivation
of
its
products from their causes, then
principleof the
would
the concept of a natural
no
longer belongto the
purpose
Keflective but to the Determinant
Judgment. Then, in fact,it
would
to the Judgment (likethe concept of
not belongspecially
but as a
formal
subjectivepurposiveness),
beauty regarded as

rational

concept

it would

introduce

into

which
we
only borrow
causality,
without
other beings,
meaning to
with

kind

let

mechanical
In the
was

them

and

new

ascribe

to be of the

to

same

the

methods
animals
not

the

very

products of

to

wise,"the world
mechanism

and

its parts

which

are

sented
pre-

regardedby
own
Afterthoughtas
design. The qualities
which
Epimetheus equips the animals are only those by
An
they barelysurvive in their strugglefor existence.
as

mere

due

foolish

which

ourselves

ProtagorasMyth, which I have

distinction between
the teleological
and the
of explainingthe world
and its parts.
as
equipped by Epimetheus,Afterthought,

return

us

said sets forth

with

assume

science

ourselves.

Now

"who

from

natural

animal

that

survives.

is small

But

are

to his

and

weak

burrows

in

that its power

suppose
view
to its survival
is to

to

the

of

earth, and

burrowing was

designedwith a
forget that it was
only Afterthoughtwho conferred the power, not Forethought.
To suppose
design here is as unnecessary surelyas it would
be to suppose that gold ore was
hidden
in the quartz in order
in finding
that men
it. As a matter
might have difficulty
of
fact,small weak
their enemies

by

do not

as

that
matter

perishin
generally

swift animals

on

animals

are

not

burrow
of

are

generallyfound

not

fact,animals

cold climate ;

generallycaught ;

The
proper understandingof the Doctrine
of the point here put
the proper appreciation

as
as

of ISiai

by Kant.

with
a

seems

thick

matter
matter
to

me

of

fur

fact,

of fact,
to

depend

THE
animals
prolific
extinct.

And

PROTAGORAS

MYTH

generallydo not die off fast enough to

yet Afterthought takes credit to himself

this !
In

225

become
for all

"

such

there

cases

is

reallyno

design

Forethought,

no

"

of blind natural
law ;
^merelythe inevitable consequence
and it is only foolish Afterthought who
pretends that there
is design Afterthought who
always begins to reflect after
the fait accompli, Afterthought the
Pindar
Father, as
'ETrt/ia^eo?
rav
o-^ivoov dvyarepa
says, of Pretence
But
the pretence of Epimetheus is found
out.
Ilp6"l)atTip}
has
He
He
to equip Man.
can
nothing left wherewith
seem,
to
work
where
mechanism
does
the
design only
really
he pretends to produce by
reallyproduces the results which
of structure
his "design." The
various
modes
and
habit
by which the lower animals
correspond with their various
modes
environments
list of these
(and the summary
given
in the
has
the
of the
that Plato
true
Myth shows
eye
naturalist) the various modes of animal correspondence are
without
indeed
best accounted
for mechanically,
any Epimethean
the
we
pretence of teleology. But when
pass from
of human
animal
survival to the koKov
dvayKaiov of mere
in this Myth
to tell us,
seems
civilisation,
we
pass, Plato
survival of animals
into another
order of things. The
mere
is not such
a
great thing that we must think of it as caused
as
by Prometheus
designed in the true sense ; but the
civilised life of Man
is too beautiful and good a thing not to
end consciously
be designed in the true
not
to be an
sense
the
Art
his means
aimed
at by the
uses
as
Creator, who
"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

which

Prometheus

Hermes

placed

to
gave
the
within

and

few,

of

reach

In

all.

which

Virtue

the

short,

Plato

explanation
teleological
of Man's
Place in the Cosmos
indispensable.But let us
offers is
he
that
the
note
explanation which
teleological
towards
Plato's attitude here
teleology
conveyed in Myth.
seems

to

say

in

this

Myth

that

is

is not

different

difference

Kant's,

from

between

the

expression. "Though
Eeflective Judgment,"
Bernard's

mythical
not

says
1

if allowance

for

and

"

Pindar, Py(h. v.

Transl.

made

have

we

yet

sufacient

34.

of the Grit, of

for

critical ways

Determinant,

the

Kant,^

the

be

Judgment

t^. 35.

for

the
of
the

ground

226

for

judging

here
or

MYTHS

to

be, not

mao

but
pv/rpose}

natural

THE

earth."

on

It

also

does

say that
earth."

not

the Oak

is

"

of nature

purpose

If oaks could
purpose

assumption

the

makes

here

the ultimate

organisedbeings,

said that

Kant

alone.

stand

ultimate

the

hardly be

need

all

merely,like

working hypothesiswhich

Man

PLATO

OF

of

behalf

on

speak,they would
of nature

here

on

Ill

given of the origin

in the ProtagorasMyth.
of Virtue
aperrj
and
The
gift of Epimetheus is ^vcrt? bodily structure
function, with the instincts and habits thereon
dependent,
but blindly,
whereby the lower animals correspondaccurately,
the
metheus
with
immediate
a
narrow
environment;
gift of Prois not adequate to the
to Man, whose
mere
ff"va-i"!
wider
environment
into which
his destiny advances
him, is
Art, re^vr), which, though imparted to few, benefits the whole
to
borrow
the phrase in which
race
by completing ^va-i';,
Aristotle^ expresses
the
close
relation
existing between
Nature
and Art, (j}vai";
and
Plato, too, wishes us to
rexv}look
at the relation as a close one ; for in the Myth
metheus
ProMy

next

observation

"

is

the

on

account

"

"

takes

up

his brother's

unfinished

work.

But

a/serif

the one
on
morality(as distinguished,
hand, from ^vo-k
the giftof Epimetheus to animals, and,
natural
constitution
the other hand, from ri'xyv aquired skill in some
on
ment
departthe
to a few men)
tinguished
gift of Prometheus
aperTj, as disfrom "f"va-K
and
to
re^i/i?,is distributed by Hermes
all men.
All men
have
what
be
implanted in them
may
called "an
originalmoral sense," which education appeals to

"

"

"

"

"

"

and

awakens.

capableof
is

All

speech.

learnt, without

men

Virtue

capable of morality as they

are

is

"

learnt

"

as

one's mother

are

tongue

specialinstruction like that through

which
some
particularart or craft is acquired by a person
and
specially
capable of acquiringit. Here the resemblance
difference
^

"

part is

between

any

Virtue

and

organisedproductof nature
reciprocally
(end) and
purpose

An

Judgment, p. 280 ; of. Watson's

'"'
Phys. ii. 8, 199 ". 15 : S\m
ri, Si /u/ieiTai.
dTrepyiffaaBai,

Art

"

(a natural

means."
Selections from
Sk

subjectapproached by

purpose)is
Bernard's

in which
one
every
Transl.
of CrU.
of

Kant, p. 345.
i)Tixvri rh ji^v iiriTeXet

"

r]

^i"ns idwarel

THE
from

Plato

PROTAGORAS

sides"

many

MYTH

is viewed

from

227

yet another

side,in

Myth, and, therefore,we may take it,with deep insight into

its metaphysical import. Art, though it i% the gift of Prometheus,
and
distinguishesMan, as working for consciously
realised
a

future

dream

and

ends, from

of the

Man

brutes,which,

present, is still only

does

regime

the

not

live

yet

of Prometheus.

the

"

most, live in

at

completion of nature,"

Life of

true

Man

under

the

The

giftof Prometheus, indeed, came

The
from Heaven, but it was
stolen.
of
Godlike intelligence
Man
employs itself in the pursuit of objectswhich, though
under the providenceof the Creator to the ultimate
reaUy means
human
realisation of the true
life,are not yet regarded by
Man

himself

dominant

than

more

as

animal

earth.

on

Man,

the lower animals

gift,conquers
him
But
the giftwhich
makes
and
a

respect,his fellow-man
of Ends

Kingdom

Grace

It

which

all may

epfiaiov
it is

given

Great

in

of

see, with
an

is

hope

in the

measure

to

moral

the

not

homini
of

the

stolen,but

stolen

lupus.
justice

of
men

is of

least

at

or

men,

course

ideal

the

eye
along with himself

End

some

life of the

received

yet still homo

giftwas
given to all

greater

teachers

as

convenient

having

this

"

of God.

to the

means

in

the
is

life to find ; and

than

arise, like

others.

to

great poets,

whether
their
speciallyinspired; and
power,
in
the
in the
silent example of their lives, or
of Myth, is felt in its effects by all ; but
utterance

manifested

prophetic
the secret

of it is incommunicable.^
The
to

in

eminent

is not, indeed, aUuded

in greater measure
giftof dperi]
the
Protagoras Myth, but it is, after all, merely an
The
described in that Myth.
instance of the giftas
in

whether
gift of apeT'^,

less

or

is of

greater measure,

the

properlyconveyed in Myth ;
it is conveyed is,I
and the discourse of Protagorasin which
submit, a true Myth, because it sets forth the a priori,not, as
Grace

of God.

Such

and

Schleiermacher

SophisticApologue
a

doctrine

some

is

other

critics maintain,

and
Allegoryillustrating

or

mere

popularising

posterioridata.

myth brought forward by Protagoras,"says

have
it as some
Schleiermacher,^ there is no need to number
"

As

to

the

"

1
2

Introduction,

See Mem,

to the

99, 100.
Protagoras, p. 96, Dobson's

Transl.

MYTHS

THE

228

done, good-naturedly
raisingit
of Plato's

own

the

it makes

there is

goras
Prota-

evidence

no

Plato

in which

to

applies

posed
is,at aU events, com-

it

probablethat

more

property of

the

not

seems

it much

those

exalted rank, among

an

though
likely,
supposition,
yet the manner

himself, as
confirm

to

contrary,if

the

on

PLATO

OF

preciselyas is natural to one of a

coarselymaterialistic mode of thinking,whose philosophydoes
the reasoning
not extend beyond immediate
sensuous
experience,
for their
is only viewed
a
as
recompense
principlein men
deficient corporealconformation, and
the idea of right with
in his

spirit. For

the

feelingof shame,
and
as
something not
later period."
a
"Not

introduced

requisitefor

as

introduced

into

into the minds

of

of

until

minds

the

existence,

sensuous

men

until

men

later

to be founded
on
a
objectionappears to me
of what
a
Myth is and does. [It is of the
misunderstanding
of a Myth
to represent as
having a historyin
very essence

period!"

This

time

in

what

itself is out

of time.

Soul, which

The

is the

set forth
Subjectof all experiencein time, is mythologically
an
as
Object or Thing whose creation, incarnation and earthly

life,disembodied
or
purification

How

absurd

received
is

damnation,

to draw

It is not

history!

the idea of

is the true

the Soul
"

says,
which

is not
we

may
is

Universal

throughout
matter

easy

from

historical

the

Virtue,whether
with ;

its

Thing

but

best^

"

or

always

of

Soul

forth

as

changes in

to remember

that

sooner,

of the Virtuous

"

to

or
permanence
discuss,but a Universal."

succession

time.

that

Plato

philosophicalquestion.

the

necessarilyset

in

chronology of such a
the mind
question.When
later

The

final

and

the

the

of Virtue

nature

itself at

re-incarnation
penance,
be traced as events
can

inferences

really concerned

What

and

state

Plato," as

Soul

"

Hegel

non-permanence
in Myth
Yet
a

of
^

of
this

Thing permanent

time.

Myth

It is indeed

is

no

Myth.

IV
A

Myth
as

remarks

well
on

may
as

the
'

be

told in

painting,or embroidery,or sculpture,

in words ; and I am
going to conclude these
ProtagorasMyth by asking the reader to look
Gesch, der Phil. vol. xiv. p. 187 (1842).

230

THE

MYTHS

{Excursus on
The

PLATO

OF

Allegory)

story of Prometheus, whether

as

told

in the

goras,
Prota-

CapitoKne sarcophagus,is, I.
forth
sets
a
am
a
genuine Myth
fathom.
the
scientific understanding cannot
mystery which
At the same
time, it is a Myth which
evidentlylends itself
examined
to
more
easilythan those which we have hitherto
hands
and, indeed, in Neo-Platonic
allegorical
interpretation,
the subjectof very beautiful allegorical
became
interpretation.
It would
have
then, that at the Protagoras Myth we
seem,
of the Platonic
reached
the stage in our
review
Myths at
which
connected
remarks
be offered on
some
a
point
may
which
has been already alluded to
the Difference
between
Myth and Allegory;and along with Allegory we may consider
the

representedon
prepared to maintain,
or

as

"

"

Parable.
I remarked

little while

that

compositionwhich,
not
as
a whole, is a Myth, and
an
Allegory,is often found to
be built up
of parts, some
of which
are
Allegories. The
Phaedrus
Myth and the Divina Commedia
are
compositionsof
this build.
This partlyexplains the circumstance
that
even
the noblest Myths have so often fallen an
gorical
easy prey to allethe
interpretation.Because
gories,
parts are
plainly Alleit is supposed that the whole
is an
Allegory. And
there
limits to allegorical
are
no
interpretation.Any Myth
"

nay,

true

any

account

of

ago

historical

events

or

of

natural

be interpreted
can
phenomena
an
as
Allegory,
settingforth
scientific.
or
philosophical,
any dogma, religious,
The
importance of the part played by the allegorical
of Homer
in the Greek
interpretation
philosophical
schools,of
the Old Testament
the Alexandrine
History among
Jews
and
"

Christian

Fathers, and

cannot
Platonists,^

of the Platonic

easilybe

Myths among the Neoover-estimated by the historian of

'"
The Myths were
acceptedby common
consent
as the
text for the deepest
speculationsof the later Platonic schools,and so have contributed
throuffh
them, more
largelythan any other part of Plato's writings to the sum
of
common
thoughts.""Westcott's Msays in the History of Religious Thought in
the West (" The Myths of Plato "),
p. 48;
"

THE

PROTAGORAS

MYTH

231

and religious
philosophical
thought. As early as the time of
felt that the tendency of the popular
Xenophanes^ it was
Homer
and HeSlod,"
he says, have
mythology was immoral.
ascrihed to the Gods all things that are a shame
and a disgrace
thefts and adulteries,
and deceptionof one another."
men
among
this verdict Plato is in entire agreement {Rep. 378 D) ;
"With
the
but not with
method
of allegorical
interpretation
(see
Homer
and
both
Phaedrus, 229), which
attempted to save
morality.^ Plato, objectingto the allegorical
interpretation
and
of Myth
on
literary
philosophical
grounds,as well as on
the practicalground alleged in Rep. 378
that children
D
and literal meaning,
cannot
distinguishbetween allegorical
"

"

"

"

"

banishes
of

Homer

his

from

for he
behave

in

invented

moral

"

which

in some

just as th^ good people behave

youngi

the

human

beings

of Homer
ii^4lisobjectionto the allegorisation-

But
stands

suppose,

may

ought to, be imitated,

modern
story-booksfor

and

can,

and

in lieu

stitutes
stories,sub-

tales,we
Gods

in which

"

with

begin

must

stories

specimens

manner

curriculum, and

educational

children

stories,since

newly
gives no

the

almost
well

after,as

we

get beneath

an

with

content

were

Homer
the

from

Greeks
is

an

culum.
curri-

literal

modern

of historical

instrument

Few
speculation.^

the

the

meaning, we find him

of
interpretation
allegorical
spiritof apology for revered/

i^e
The

by

that

was

banished

not/be

must

teachingthe highesttruth.
Homer
began doubtless in
tvires found to conflict
scrip
became

generallytaken

Defore, Plato's time

as

inspiredteacher, and
If

line

The

alone.

Plato

notions ; but

research
to

confine

and

it

soon

metaphysical

themselves

with

from
Homer
plain ethical lessons to be drawn
to read,
life and
and the poets as picturinghuman
nature
for example, the story of The Intrigue of Aphrodite and Ares,
if not
simply for the story, at any rate for nothing more

Plutarch

to the

"

He

was

alive

in

479

B.C.

see

Burnet, Early

Greek

Philosophy, p.

111.

beginning with Theagenes, see Lobeok,

which
feeling
prompted it is expressedin the
pp.
el fii]i/Wriydinia'ei'.
aphorism, Ofttipos7A/) "fiai^iiaev,
"

On

the

of Homer,
allegorisation
155

Aglaoph.

ff. ;

the

'

lishments
"Ion's allusion to his embelembellishment.
perhaps also of literary
he declares himself to have
surpassed Metrodorus
of Homer, in which
to show
of Thasos, seems
that, like them, he
of Lampsaous and Stesimbrotus
belonged to the allegoricalschool of interpreters"(Jowett'sIntroduction to
^

"

and

the Ion).

abstruse
Such

than

the lesson

the

luxury leads to such intrigue.^

satisfyeither the historians or

that

simple teaching did

philosophers.

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

232

not

a
body of young
(Palaephatustells us) were
first trained
from
the villageof NephelS in Thessaly,who
men
herd
of bulls
of repelhng a
and mounted
horses for the purpose
belonging to Ixi6n, King of the Lapithae,which had run wild
back,
horseand done great damage ; they pursued these wild bulls on

The

Centaurs

acquiring both
of joint
and the imputed attribute
of Prickers (Kevropes)
the name
Aktae6n
Arcadian, who neglected
an
was
body with the horse.
of his land for the pleasuresof hunting,and was
the cultivation
The
of his hounds.
thus eaten
dragon whom
up by the expense
in reality
Kadmus
killed at Thebes
Drako, King of Th"bes ;
was
and
from
said to have
he was
and the dragon'steeth which
sown,
in point of fact
of armed
were
whence
a
men,
crop
sprung
and

pierced them

Kadmus

teeth,which
elephants'
with

over

him

in

GygSs

and

the

inhabitants

whom
; Scylla,

Titans

of

Odysseus

vessel,as
sailingpiratical
horse

violent

was

brought

teeth
elephants'

KrSte

Kottus, Briareus,
ants
hands, but inhabitUpper Macedonia, who

storm

hundred
in

Olympus against the

Mount

fasta
narrowly escaped,was
also Pegasus, the allegedwingedso

Belleroph6n.^

of

Plutarch, de Audiendis

Poetis, u.

The

4.

de And.

Poet,

is worth

with the allegorisation

of Homer,
against which
study in connection
be
read
the
the
is
for
entertainment
to
On
hand,
one
Poetry
protest.
a
"good story" simply as a "good story" ; thus
carefullyat the things in Hades, in order that he

be derived from
may
bids Odysseus look

tell his wife abovt

and

and

Daedalus,

wings, had escaped from

on

one
persons
Hekatoncheiria
of
village

with

had

rich Phoenician

sold these

with

not

were

of the
warred

sons

the sea
flyingacross
under
sailing-boat

of

swift

the

as

of Drako

proceedsto levy troops againstKadmus.

the

employed
instead

spears, thus

their

with

them

careful
it is
which

Homer
iruay go

"

S^ irdvTa
^dtaffSerdxt^T-a XiXafeo,ravra
ta6',Iva Kdl neTbirtaBere^ elrriaBayvvaiKl.

dXXd

ets t^v vexvlav clirev,

lis yvvaixhs ixpSaaiv odaap
x^'P^^'rois
"O/iripos
yhp TOVTO
Sid 8t) t6 /wddSes (c.2). On the other hand, Poetry is to be read for the lessons
which
be learnt from
the characters and
in morality and worldly wisdom
may
but
conduct
of the personages
let
the
not
think
that these
portrayed;
young
Kai

personages
mixed
men,

abstract

are

of

Sii, Si
\(i(vSiai,
are

types

and

"

bad

TeXcLui' oiSi

o6
dvBpiiirtov
These

good

the

all-goodor all-bad ; the poets draw for us real

kclI /Sfuc Kai
qualities. Poetry is idiajaisiiBCiti

dXXd
KaBapuv
ir"0e"n Kai Sb^ai.!
/leiuyp^iibiv
airods TroXXdicis fiCTaTiBhriav irpis rb Kpeirrov (c. 8).
ii"t"vtav

advantages to

be

derived

from

Poetry.

We

must

partake

of

it

caution,however, for it is like the polypus pleasantto eat, but often gives
bad dreams
(c.1).
with

It
does

"

ought
not

to

eschew

de Is. et Osir.

he

noted

the

that,where Egyptian Myths are concerned,Plutarch

of allegorical
remarks
interpretation
see
on
; but
DUl's Soman
Prof
the
Last Century of the
m
Society

method

" 78, in

Western .Empire,pp. 76, 77.

"
Grote's Mist, of Greece,part i. ch. 16, vol. i. pp.

342, 343, edit 1862.

THE
While

those

PROTAGORAS

interested
"

"natural

MYTH

233

in

of
historyadopted this method
dealing with Myths, the philosophers
to which
it is iJfest
to confine the

in
explanation
adopted the method
description allegorical
interpretation."Homer's
"

and

the

which

names

proper

occur

in

whole

it, have

story,
hidden

scientific meaning which

it is the
religious,
philosophical,
work
of the method
to unfold, by discovering
analogiesand
etymologies. So far as etymologies were
concerned, this
method
probably owed something to the lead given by Plato
in the
himself
Gratylus; but while Plato's etymologies are
Sta fjLv6o\o'yl,a"i,
the
put forward
playfully,and as it were
of Myth
etymologiesof the Stoics and other allegorisers
seem
be
offered as the meanings which
to
Homer
seriously
really
had
in his mind
when
he used the names.
Magnam suscepit
necessariam
Zeno primus,
molestiam," says Cicero,^ et minime
fabularum
post Cleanthes,deinde Chrysippus,commenticiarum
reddere rationem, et vocabulorum
cur
quidque ita appellatum
sit causas
will
explicare." Two examples of the Stoic method
be
sufficient,with
a
general reference to Zeller's Stoics,
ff. (Eng. Transl.).
Epicureans, and Sceptics,
pp. 334
The
One
is called
God, of Many Names, "ko'Xvwvvimo's,
"

"

Zeus

airo

manifested

as

aijp:

manifested
If

"

^fjv:

tov

in

manifested

aether,is called Athena,

Hephaestus,"says
to

thereby meant

fire,matter

has been

be

Heraclitus

air,is called Hera, from

Poseidon, from
from
the

aWijp:

as

woo-k;:

and

on.'

so

Stoic, intended

the

"

representationof this world, what

but
that, by the infiuence of primary
shaped into a world ? *
a

"

'

See Zeller's Stoics,JEpicureans,and

""'

Cic. de Nat. Dear. iii.24, 63.

Diog. Laert. vii. 147.

in

in water, is called

shield of Achilles
else is

as

Sceptics,p. 335,

n.

1, Engl. Transl.

See Zeller's Stoics,etc.,p. 340, Eng. Transl.

"The
Stoics,"says Dr. Bigg
Christian Platonists of Alexandria, p. 146), "assure
that the heathen
us
but symbols of the forces of nature, and turn the hideous
deities are
myths
of physicalscience."
of Zeus or Dionysus into a manual
of Homer, both before and after
On the generalsubject of the allegorisation

{The

consult, in addition to Lobeck, referred to above,

may
Rep. 378 r, 24, with authorities cited there ; Zeller's
Stoics, Epicuream, amd Sceptics,pp. 334 ff., Eng. Transl. ; Jowett's Dialogues of
Plato, Introd. to Eep. p. xxxviti. ; and Grote's History of Greece, part i. eh. 16,
"which
I extract
the following passage
from
(vol. i. p. 344, edit. 1862) :
Plato's time, the
Adam's
note
Mr.

reader
on

"

"It
were

that
remains
received
and

which
them
others

we
on

hear, on
ethical

of his

we

should

dealt with
the part of

notice

by

the
the

in which
philosophers. The
manner

philosophy,is the

severe

the

censure

ancient

earliest

myths

expression

bestowed

upon

grounds by Xenophanes of KolophSn, and seemingly by some

contemporaries. It was apparentlyin replyto such charges,which

MYTHS

THE

234

The

Alexandrine, before

and

Jews, Palestinian

PLATO

OF

and

after

preters
intertime,^followingthe lead given by the Greek
to the Old
method
of Homer, applied the allegorical
Testament
scriptures. One may estimate the length to which
carried by
was
of the Old Testament
allegorical
interpretation
Philo's

^
and
BepairevraL

that

himself

Philo

even

of the Law, he

thought, makes

it.'

man

The

and

wise

observe

but

of

and

accuracy
Testament
from

Old

throughout the
time,

he
"

where

it

of

Hebrew

of the
the

the

allegorising
of

the observance

meaning,
without
will allegorise
not
the aUegorisation,
Testament
Old
tures,
scripthe

hidden

fear.

'At

once

an

Hebrews, he assumed

narrative

creation

stance
the circum-

of events

of the world

given

in

downwards

whole

believed

history

He

the

the substantial
the

But

out

from
The

laxityin

seek

loth

old custom.*

Platonist

ardent

for

History of the
concerned, Philo proceeds without

Law,
is

will

time

alarmed.

was

the letter of the Law.

breaking with
of the

Philo's

before

others

was

historyof his Eace ; and, at the same

that the history of his Eace
not mere
was
philosophy,or rather theology,as well as

did

admit
of being directlyrebutted, that TheagenSs of Rhegium
not
(about
520 B. c. ) first started the idea of a double meaning in the Homeric
and Hesiodic
narratives
interior sense,
different from
that which
the words
an
in their
obvious
meaning bore, yet to a certain extent analogous, and discoverable
"

by sagaciousdivination.
Gods

in the

Upon

this

the battle
principlehe allegorised
especially
succeedingcentury, Anaxagoras and Metrocarried
out
the
allegoricalexplanation more
comprehensively and
former
systematically
mere
representing the mythical personages
as
; the
mental
and gender,and illustrative of ethical
conceptionsinvested with name
and phaenomena.
precepts, the latter connectingthem with physicalprinciples
resolved not only the persons of Zeus, Her6, and AthenS, but also
Metrod6rus
those of Agamemnon, Achilles,and Heot6r, into various elemental combinations
and physicalagencies,
and treated the adventures
ascribed to them
natural
as
facts concealed under the veil of allegory.Empedocles, Prodicus,Antisthenes,
of Pontus, and, in a later
Parmenides, Heracleides
the
age, Chrysippusand
Stoic philosophersgenerally,
followed more
or less the same
principleof treating
the popularGods as allegorical
personages
; while the expositorsof Homer
(such
down
Stesimbrotus, Glaucon, and others, even
as
to the
Alexandrine
age),
of them
though none
extreme
proceeded to the same
length as Metrod6rus,
of explanation for the
employed allegoryamongst other media
of
purpose
or eluding
solvingdifficulties,
reproachesagainstthe poet."
Grote, in a footnote (p. 345, n. 1) to the foregoingpassage, calls attention
to the ethical turn given to the stories of Circe, the Sirens,and
Scylla,by
Xenophon, Mem. i. 3, 7, and ii. 6, 11-31.
'
The allegorising
Jewish
school began two hundred
years before Philo (fl.
A.D.
39) ; see Gfrbrer,Urchristenthum,i. 83.
^
See Conybeare's Philo, de Vita Gontemplativa, 293 : the
p.
eepairevral(also
called Ixirai,cvZtores deum
ascetic Jewish
congregationsor guilds)allegorised
of the
ddrus

Iliad.

In

the

"

"

the Pentateuch.
looked
^
*

for Plato
See

This

was

necessary

in order

to make

in Moses.

Conybeare'sPhilo, de Vita Cont. pp. 300, 301.

See Gfrbrer, Urchristenthum, i. 104.

Gentile

converts, who

THE

history. The
they constituted
He

looked at

actual

into

we

as

his

revelation

is very

of hidden

both

difficult to enter

far,at least,as

as

the

to

treat

down

to

de

"

"

the

meaning.

Abelis
Sacrificiis

dogma
double
must

we

if
seriously,

certain

currents

of

prevailedsince

Here

Gaini}

et

of

it very

have

time.

present

fact ;

chronicle

into ; but

tendency of
philosophical
thought which

book

in

true

great miracle-playin which

understand

and
religious
his day, even
from

continuous

only

not

were

235

stage of this visible worldly This

it,so

to

are

MYTH

history of his Eace

the

of view

point
enter

also

the

on

recorded

events

events, and

put

was

PROTAGORAS

is
in

passage

which

the

"

of
of
sacred history reminds
us
allegorical
interpretation
tional
the method
not
only sacred history but tradiby which
own
as
dogma is, in our
day, being rewritten
philosophy :
"

"

"

"

"

"

For

mands
Abraham, coming with great haste and alacrity,comof meal,
Virtue, Sarah, to hasten and ferment three measures
attended
and
cakes under
the ashes, when
to make
God,
by two
dvcoTaTw
Powers
vTrh
6
Qc"s
Sueiv
tcov
Supreme
(rjviKa
Sopvifiopov/j^evoi
in
the middle,
Dominion
and
Himself
one
Goodness,
Svvdfieuiv),

producedthree images
which
be
the

impossibleto measure
but [theymeasure
circumscribed),
of the

measure

good.His

the Euler

Himself
It is

incorporeal.
...

fermented,

persuaded
Powers,

all

Dominion
the

good

Powers

things.

the

for

measure

of every
three

measure

^^'^^ of

{opariKy^xv)"

soul

(forHis

it is

; and

and

in the visual

these

also
His

not

are

to

Goodness

is

ject
thingssubthing corporeal
of

be

to

measures

and
it were,
commingled in the soul, that being
of the existence
of a supreme
God, who surpasses His

and

as

is either

it may
receive
be initiated in

seen

without

them,

with them,
appears
and
beneficence, and

or

impressions of His might

the most
perfect mysteries (twv TiXi'unv p.-ia-ri's

"yiVOjjAvT)),
In
a

once

rj

the

Old

higher,or

mystic, and

VTTOVoia'; aTroSoffK

Si

The
Si'^yrjo-K-^

historical,and
the

history,then,

Testament

fact of

history
'

are

De

his

in the

mythical,and
et

historical,or

is

book

literal,sense

of Genesis
is

but
historical,

must

recognisesat

and
aW.Tj'yopia,

Adam
"yfrv^V'^-

existence

Sacrif. Ab.

"

personages
t/jottoi

Philo

be

ij
are

at

"

prjTr)
once

avdp(ovo"iyijyevij';;
the

details of his

:
interpretedallegorically

Caini, (15),59, ed. Cohn, p. 173, Mangey.

^
Gfrorer, o.c. i. 84.

MYTHS

THE

236

PLATO

OF

Noah
fiv0"8e"; nobody can take it literally.^
Similarly,
Enoch
is justice,
Xoyog 7rpo"j)^T7]'i.
hope, Moses
piety.^Again and here Philo's
Egypt is the body, Canaan
not
Platonism
God, but the \0709, who
prevails it was
are
satisfied,
appeared in the burning bush.^ Spiritualmen
thus

his rib is

"

"

"

he says, with
an

anthropomorphic

on

account

is

of

the

God.

understandingof his readers.

Moses
is like the physicianwho

This

weak

ought to be.
keep his patient in
it

as

exists ; but the irdXXoi need

Moses
gives God feet and hands,
God

that

the truth

must

for the
But
ignorance of the truth.
of God
reader
are
educated
such
dangerous.
representations
of dealing
They lead to Atheism, and the only true method
them
wisdom,
with
is that of Allegory.* The
allegorical
to the
the possessionof the few wise, is compared by PhUo
Hellenic
" fivarai
ra
KeKaOapfjuevoL
ara,
Mysteries: ravra
of

Here,
TrapaSey(^e(rde.

iepa 6vT"o"i fivarripia

to?

course,

often
Plato,^who
directly from
compares
when
Myth is its vehicle,to iiutiation,
Philosophy,especially
in Sympos. 209 E, 210 a, and
in Phaedrus, 249
as
c, 250 B.'^
from
Plato.
Philo
borrows
But
it is only a phrase that
A
What
a
Myth is
Myth is Philo does not understand.
Philo

borrows

indeed

followingare
the

For

by
refer the

and

mystery

remains

concerned

only

employment

the

mystery.

make

to

of the method

Christian

Fathers

it

of

Philo

and

his

stood.
under-

something

allegorical
tation
interpre-

cannot

do

better

than

reader

generallyto Dr. Bigg'sChristian Platonists of

to Lecture
Alexandria, especially
iv.,and to Hatch's Sihhert
Greek and
Christian
Lectures, 1888, Lecture iii.,
on
Exegesis.
I would
from
To these references
add
Professor
a
quotation
Smith's Modern
the Preaching of the
G. Adam
Criticism and
Old

Testament,
The

early

pp.

fathers

mainly

for its

became

the orthodox

types

were

:
"

interested

As
See

he does also at the end

Couturat,de

the

Old

predictionsof Christ. The

and was
at last reduced
exegesis,

Platonis

Testament

allegorical
to

theory

Gfrbrer, o.c. i. 88.

Gfrbrer, o.c. i. 97.
Gfrbrer, Urckristenthum, i. 100.
'

of the passage

et Gain.
'

in

and

Gfrbrer, o.c. i. 98, 99.

Gfrorer, o.c i. 87.
Philo, de cherubim, Mang. i. 147

Ab.

226-228

Mythis, p. 55.

quoted

above

from

the de

Saerif.

MYTHS

THE

238

Neo-

the

purpose.
Plotinus

{Enn.

which

sets

Plato

place,for

is fated

to

realised

their

olov

in

eyei

obey a universal
themselves.
They are free, as
they obey the necessitywhich is

kuBoXov

etvai koI

"^prja-ofievoK

viroTTiirTov
o

Kai

Trifiireraf
ovk
e^toOev

vo/iO";

SeBorai

aWa

that

irefvireiv,

vofim

Koi

TeKecrOrjvai
to-^et,

TO

Kat,

pov"{.

elfiap-

vov"s

Koa-fiov

oiroaov

KaOoXov

to

eKacrrcp

la'yyv6ts

eKel

fieveiv

law

Souls

6 fjLev irpo

koi

"

tS

ryap

eyxeiTai

tov

ttjv

yet it is free,

law; and

universal

by

nature

own

KadeKoa-Tov

TTjV

"

KdXovvTO"s
Kanacri
KrjpvKO^
Their
descent, he says,
"7rp6a-"j)opov
(ra/ui.

is free,for
Intelligence,

TO

an

embodying themselves.
is

fjLevijv

in

the

determined

or

for, in

of

Orphic doctrine
the Phaedrus
Myth, speaks of the
bodies prepared for them
as
taking
appointed time : KaX aXKos aXKy

nrapar/evofievov

ela-eBv ek

which

forth

this

the

13),adhering to

iv. 3.

Soul, at

each

ov
Yp6vo";,

KoX

of

of Souls into

Descent

and

deaKng with these Myths;

following specimens may be sufficient for
method

Platonic

perhaps

PLATO

OF

iv

avTot?

irepi^epovaivavrov.

Cosmos, then,"he continues, having many

Lights,and
illumined
receiveth
added
unto
beauty
being
by Souls,
beauty
and
from
the Intelligences
the great Gods
which
from
bestow
And
Souls.
this,methinks, is the meaning of that Myth which
Prometheus
that
is Forethought had
telleth how
that, when
fashioned
a woman,i the other
gods did thereafter adorn her : one
"

"

This

"

"

this creature

unto

gave

beauty

of

as

gifts;

who

she

and

and

human

water

speech,and
her one
gift,

goddess; and Aphrodite gave unto

another, and all the other gods added

the Graces

and

of earth

called

was

Pandora,

because

that

their several

all gave

her

unto

fashioned

But
by the Forethought of Prometheus.
who
is
this
Epimetheus,
Afterthought,rejected
gift of
that the choice of that
Prometheus, the Myth thereby signifieth
was

whereas

which

the Maker

Yea,
with

sort

some

of the nature

partakethmore

choice.

that which

constrained
releaseth

him

he

in him

Power

deliverance
'

and

In

Hesiod, 0.

from

et D.

warns

49

flF.

is the
Intelligible
for he

proceeded from

his

bonds,
he

the

is

Myth

yet

hath

him,

without.

are

whereby

his brother

of the

bound,

which

these bonds."

from

Prometheus

hath

bonds

by

Heracles
hath

is himself

able

better

contact

of

and

is therefore

But

whereas

that
signifieth
to

attain

unto

Hephaestus, not Prometlieus,

makes
not to accepther, but he pays no

Pandora
heed

to the

warning.
2

Plot. Enn.

p. 42.

Pandora

iv. 3. 14 ; and see A. Eitter,die

endowed
is the World
by the Soul

des
Psychologie
with

ideal

Flotin

gifts.

(1867),

THE
Another

that

was

of

"

from

which

Narcissus.^

MYTH

the

Their

Bowl

of

Dionysus."^

239

Neo-Platonists

drew

largely
Myth
Dionysus with

of
interpretation

the identification of the

hinges on
the

Myth

PROTAGORAS

The

"

Mirror

Soul

this

"

"f

remains

at

in

peace

its

heavenly home, till it sees its own

image in the water of this
mirror.
It plunges into the water
to emhrace
the image, and
drinks forgetfulness
of its heavenly estate :
Ihovra yap, says
Plotinus (Unn. i. 6. 8),Set to, iv
ato/iacri Koka
firjToi, irpocr"

rpey(etp, aXKa

yvovra,

koX aiciai,
X'xyr}
elKove?. el yap rt? iiriBpdfioi
ravra
qXtjOlvov,ola elBcaiXov kcCKov
e"f

^evyeiv Tpo"; eieelvo ov

Xa^elv ^ovXofievo'}tas
vSaTo";

etaiv

"?

Xa^etv
ov
oj(pvfjiAvov,

et/coi/e?

^ovX7jdet";,
W9

/tv^09,hoKS) fioi, alvirTerai,Bv"; ets

B^ rpoirov
a^avT]^eyevETO, rov avrov
koI

creofiarmv

Bvaerai

ov
d^iei'i,

koL

"rKOTeiva

""

ahov

ev

p/rj

xal

p.evcov

koI

rb
6

Karto

ivravda

KaKel

rov

rt?

pev/iaTO";

KuXav
rmv
iy(6fJ"vo";

tqJ (TmpMTi,

aTepiri]rm

irov

vm

Be

ry

"^ffvyyKara-

^ddrj, ev9a

aKiali

Ti/^\o?
(pev-

"7vve(TTai.

dv Tt?
Br) tpCXijve"s varpLBa, aXride"7repov
Ke\evot,To.
k.t.X. : and
ovv
jJ "f"vyi)
Tis
again, in
;

ytop,ev

3. 12, he

trapa"nn.

iv.

eiBccXa avT"v
IBovaai
dvOpwiraivBe ^jrv^^^al
says
olov Aiovva-ov
ixei iyevovro avmOev
iv KaroiiTpcp
opiJuqOelcrat,
oiiB'
eavr"v
xal vov.
ovK
dTTOTfirjdela-ai avrai
re
T7J";
dp'^rj^
ov

p,eTa

yap

Be

Kapa

Be

"

avral";

avrali

rjXdov,dXK

vov

eaTripLKrat

e^daaav
VTrepdvm rov

fiev

p-eypi

yff'i,
irXeov

ovpavov.

Kare'XjBelv

avTali
on
avp^^e^rjicev,
to
fieaov
rpieh b e"p6acrav(ppovriaai.
ayKaaOT) "f)povTiSo"i
Seop,evovrov
Zev? Be TraTTjp eX,eija-a";
dvTjra avrStv to, Seap,cl,
"7rovovp,eva"s
iroia"v
iroimv

irept,

BiBaxjiv

Trovovvrai

eKevdepa";,Xv

amp^aTtov

dvairavKa';
e'xpiev

ixeZ

'^v'^r)del
Souls, then, descending,at
iiria-rpe^opevT]?

yiveaQai, ovirep

r)

rov

Trai/ro?

iv

"ypovoi's

Koi

ovBev
their

avTat,

rd

TgBe
appointed

'

See Ovid, Met. iii.,

and Pausanias, ix. 31, for this Myth.
See Maorobius,in Som/n. i. 12. 66 : " Hoc est quod Plato notavit in Phaedone
animum
in corpus trahi noya
ebrietate trepidantem,
volens novum
potum materialia
^

alluvionis intelligi,
Arcaui
hujus indicium est Liberi
quo gravata deduoitur.
Patris crater ille sidereus,et hoc est, quod veteres Lethaeum
fiuvium vocaverunt,
i\iK6v
Liberum
Patrem
antem
vovv
Lobeok,
ipsum
Orphaici
suspicanturintelligi."
who

(Aglaoph. p. 736), criticises it as departing

quotes this passage from Maorobius
which is that of the bowl in which Plato's
the original
conceptionof the Kpm-fip,
first of the World-Soul, and then of human
souls.
Demiurgus mixes the ingredients,
' See Lobeck
{Aglaoph. p. 565, for the place of the k"tottpov in the Zagreus
Myth ; and Kohde (Psyche,ii. 117) for Zagreus as a type, along with Narcissus,
from

of the
sensible

passage

of the

phenomena.

Unity

of

the

Worid-Principle into

the

of
multiplicity

MYTHS

THE

240

times, come
and

the

to

enamoured

is, of

mortal

of it go
The wise

down

own

"

into

the

a-TrijXatov the

of this

cave

"

that
This

"

is the water

water

Aiovvaov,

KaToirrpov

images reflected therein

bodies
plunge into the water.
of oblivion,of X^dij,and
they that

of their

their

is the

which

water

PLATO

OF

drink

world.^

moderately; for to drink deeply is to

world.
The wise soul is
of the intelligible
lose all dvd/i,vT]cn";
thus the "dry" soul
^^ *^" phrase of Heraclitus^
^i]p^"^vx^'
to be understood
seems
quote it.'
by the Neo-Platonists who
The dry soul hearkens, in this life,
to the genius who
panies
accomall the geniiof particular
her in her KcidoSo^: but, over
a
souls,Eros rules as summus
genius. Creuzer* mentions
picture in which Narcissus is representedas gazing at his
own
image in the water, and the Heavenly Eros as standing
soul

drinks

"

with

behind

sad countenance

Ficino,^"id est,temerarii

says
vultum

non

et

corpore, et
admiratur."
The

from

escape

adolescens,"

Narcissus

animus, sui

sui

substantiam

et

virtutem

sed

in aqua
ejus umbram
sequitur
proid
in
conatur
:
est, pulchritudinem
amplecti
fragili
instar
animi
umbra
est,
aquae fluentis,quae ipsius

moral

"ecstasy"

"

imperitihominis

et

aspicit;propriam
animadvertit

nequaquam

him.

from
the

of the
the

Narcissus

life of

Stream

flux

Myth
and

of Pleasure

is :

Free

thyselfby

sensible

and

the

appearances
Flesh
97 peva-ri)
"

"

the Stream
of Generation, which
a-cl)/juiro";
^vctk
''
Mirror of Dionysus."
is the
With
the Myth of Narcissus
thus
the Neoallegorised,
Platonists
brought the story of Odysseus into very close
Thus the passage quoted above from Unn. i. 6. 8, in
relation.

ivvXov

Tov

"

"

which

the immersion

of the

Soul

is immediately followed
described,
deliverance

from

that

stream

is

in

the

Stream

by a passage
compared to

of Sense
in

the

which

is
the

flightof

1
\puxv ''"' Seir/iosrb aCifw, /toi T"i0osKal 6 k6itiu"s
airy aiHiKiuov Kal Avrpov,
Plot. Minn. iv. 8. 3 ; and of. iv. 8. 1, where the doctrine of the Fall or Incarnation
of Souls, as set forth by Plato in the Phaedrus
and
Timaeus and by Empedocles,is reviewed.
^

See

'

See Creuzer, Plotinus de Pulch.

Plot, de Pulch. p. Ixiii.

*
"

Bywater's Heraeliti Eph. Reliquiae,Ixxiv. Ixxv.

p. xxxvi.

Fieinus, in Plat. Sympos. cap. 17, quoted by Creuzer,Plot, de Pulch.

Ixviii.
p.
^
See Creuzer, Plot, de Pulch. pp. Ivi. Ivii.
' I take
it that the k"tottpov Aioviffov of the Neo-Platonists is due
to a
"
"conflation
of the Narcissus
Myth and the Zagreus-Dionysus
Myth.

THE

Odysseus
oJiv

from

PBOTAGOBAS

the

MYTH

enchantments
xal

Circe

and

Calypso:
"

olov

ava^ofieda;

fidyov
Bo/cel
^i,pKi)"i
^aXv rj KaXif^ou? 'OSvaaeii^ dlviTTO/ievo^,
St' o/ifidreov
/cairoi 'i')((ov
ovK
riBova";
apeaQeiis,
fioi, fieZvai,
KoXKei
iroWw
Kai
aiaOriTm avvdiv, iraTpii Sr)rjfuv, odev
Ti?

r)

(^XTfri
;

of

241

Kot
TraprfKOofiev,

^vrfrj
;

TToSe? eVt
oyfTj/ia rj

ixel,

irarrjp

Set

iroaX

OX)

ttms

Siavucrai'

yfjv aXX'rjv
OaXdmov

ri

d^etvaiSet

/cat

dXKd^aaOai

Kot

oSv

Tt?

yap

ovBe

olov

r}

"j)epovcTi,

Set

ae

aXKu
vapacrKevdaai,

pKeireiv,dXK
fifj
dveyelpat,
r]v

xal

aroKo^

vavrajfpv

aWrj^'

air

cltto

'iTrircav

vdvra

ravra

aWrjV
o-^jriv
ttSs, '^p"vrai Se

fivtravTa

ej^et fiev

oXljoi,
Numenius
Similarly,
(quotedby Porphyry,de Ant. Nymph.
^ makes
Odysseus the image of vov"i gradually,
through
cap. 34)
various incarnations,freeingitself from the flesh
elxova tov
diroKadSt^ TJjs e^efij? yeveaetoi
ovr(0"i
epj(pp,evov, koI
/cXuSmvo? /cat
6a\da'a'r)"}
tow
e^fo iravTOi
et?
larafievov
"

direipov;.
p.

Again, a Pythagorean quoted by Stobaeus,Ee. Phys. i. 52,

Be rrjv iv KVK\(p irepioSov
Kal TrepKpopav
1044, sa,j8,'
OfiTjpo^
'HXtou

7raXiyyevea'ia"!
KijO/ciyv
irpoo'ijyopevKev,

TraiSa :

and

Od. i. 51, says, on

Eustathius, on
KaXui^m, et fiev
ttjv
ol yea)ypa"j"ovvTe"!
^aaiXiaaa
/j,iKph
/cat
irapaBihoaat,,
rjv

Be avTrjv
ol iraXaioL
fieraTrXdrrovTai
Trepiepyd^ovTat
Ty
Kad' '^fia";
aSifia,t09 avyKoXinrTovaav
dWTjyopla ell to
BiK-qviXvTpov tov
evTO";
"^v^lkov fidpyapov tjtii /cat aiiTr]
'OSvcra-ea,m?
evBeBefievov
avOptoirov
"f)iX6a-o"j}ov
KaTei'X^e tov
Kal
elirelv,iv
fivdiKS"";
d/KpipuTy vrjcrcp ovTa
(TapKi.
ia-Ti
iv
TOVTeanv
6aXda(Tr)";,
"^tis o/i(f"a\6i
BevBprjea-a-T},
Kal
TiXaTOiv
av
o
eXirrj,
iirippvTto
"a9
vypS awfiaTi
ovti,
KoX diroppvTa(Timaeus, 43
a).
'E^/tovfievroi, "b?
.

iv

T019

/leToi,

alvi^eTaio

TavTa

\6yov, yeyove
tov
iraTplBo'},
rjyovv

icTTi

HXaTcoviKoii^ -^v^av

ttj?

ttjv

KaTa

o
woirjTi^'i,
fieaiTevovToif,
TroOov/jLevrji;
(j)i\,oao(f"lav

Koafiov,

vorjTOV

69

ecTt

tov;

KaTa

a\7]0')j"s'
iraTpl's
ofioia)"} yeyove

Kai

t^9

Xvdel"; Kal dtraXkayelis

Trj"!
TObavTTj';
n'j7j/e\o7r'?;9,
^iXoa'o"^la";,

VLdKv^ov"i.
his

With

words

treatise de Beo

Homerus

Socratis

docet, qui semper

'

to

the
"

"

same

Nee

ei comitem

See Creuzer, Flat, de Pulch.

effect
aliud

Apuleius

Ulixe

te in eodem

voluit

esse

closes

prudentiam:

p. Ixxii.
K

poeticoritu

quam

Quippe,
:

horrenda

adscendit.

sapientia comitante, Scyllam praeter

ereptus est : Gharybdi conseptus est, nee
est : ad LotoCircae poculum bibit,nee
mutatus

est

remansit

nee
phagos accessit,

Beautiful

of

introivit,sed egressus
ad Inferos demeavit, sed

Eadem

navigavit,nee

Plato's

that the less

the

Myths

understand

Sirenas

Neo-Platonic

the

as

to think

venture

specus

vidit,sed abstinuit

Solis boves

retentus

nuncupavit. Igitur,hac eadem

adversa
superavit.
subiit, omnia

adjutrice,
Cyclopia

ea

PLATO

OF

Minervam

comitante, omnia
est

MYTHS

THE

242

we

better.

accessit."

audiit,nee

aUegorisationoften is, I
associate it with our
reading
Neo-Platonists

The

did

not

gory
Myth and Allegory. Alleis Dogma
in picture-writing
Myth is not Dogma,
; but
does not convey
tained
Dogma.
Dogma is gained and mainby Dialectic,which, as Stallbaum
says (note on Bep.
be applied to the elucidation of the subjects
b), cannot
which
than
it can, at the other
Myth deals,any more
of the series,
be appliedto the elucidation of the particulars

and

614

the difference between

"

with

end

of sense,

such."

as

Por

light in understandingPlato's Myths, it is to the

such as Dante,
independent creations of other great /ivBoiroioi,
that we must
of the
go, not to the allegorical
interpretations
and

Neo-Platonists
What

Plato

know

we

from
In

(229):
"

thinks

that

Boreas

from

Socrates
answer,

called

surelynot
it,where

reply

the

near

the

to

of

allegorical
interpretation

beginningof

the

story about

the

the Ilissus is
height overlooking

that

if

Yes, it may
But

very

such

you to
stories in Greek

took

the

that

true

blown

by

the

learned

once

wind

true

line,he

upon

time

the

over

he

by

story,

might
a
girl

cliff and

rationalism,imposing and

happy

are

he
be

Fhaedrus

question of Phaedrus, whether

Orithyiabeing snatched away

the

matter-of-fact
1

thinks

passage

Orithyia was

killed."

the

himself

says,
"

like.^

their

as

method, for if you

stop ?

You

will have

ponderous, is
begin to employ

to

rationalise all

mythology, expending a great deal of

on
an
interminable,
task,and leaving

cleverness

allegorical
interpretationof three myths" that of Pan, that of
that of Dionysus" in his de Augmentis
Scientiamm, ii cap 13 ' is
worth comparingwith the Neo-Platonic examples
given above.
'
For Zeller's opinion of the Neo-Platonic
of Diotima's Mvth
interpretation
Bacon's

Perseus, and

"

in

the

Sympos.

see

his

Plato,p. 194,

u.

66

(Engl.Transl.).

THE

time

PROTAGORAS

MYTH

243

for

anything worth doing. As for himself,he declares

that, not yet having satisfied the Delphic injunction, Know
"if he spent his
thyself,"he should be acting ridiculously
the interpretation
precioustime over
of these stories: he is
no

"

willingto
just as
Dr.

receive

other

them

people believe

Westcott, in

they

as

are

told, and

believe

them

them.^

his

charming and suggestiveessay on

The Myths of Plato
(thefirst of his Essays in the History of
ReligiousThought in the West),to which every student of the
feel himself
under
subject must
contrasts
great obligation,
Myth and Allegory in the followingwords :
"

"

"

In the

and
allegorythe thought is grasped first and hy itself,
in
dress.
Jn the myth, thought and
arranged a particular
form
into being together: the thought is the vital principle
come
which
shapes the form; the form is the sensible image which
is the conscious
work
of an
displaysthe thought. The allegory
individual
the
of
truth which
he has seized.
a
fashioning
image
The
is
the
unconscious
of
myth
a
common
growth
mind, which
witnesses
laws by which
to the fundamental
its development is
ruled.' The
meaning of an allegoryis prior to the construction
of the story : the meaning of a myth is first capable of being
separated from the expressionin an age long after that in which
it had its origin.
is then

It will be understood
contained
of

competence
'

in

the

that

I do

last sentence.

not

agree with the suggestion

I do not recognisethe

to separate the
interpretation

"

meaning

"

from

Grote, Sist. of Greece, part i. cli. xvi. vol. i. pp. 362

S. (ed.1862), has remarks

exceptionalvalue on this passage, and generallyon Plato's attitude to the
old mythology.
discountenances
all attempts to transform
Plato," he says,
the myths by interpretation
into history or philosophy,indirectly
recognising
the genericdifference between
them.
He shares the current
faith,without
suspicion or criticism, as to Orpheus, Palamedes, Daedalus, Amphion,
any
Theseus, Achilles, Chiron, and other mythical personages ; but what chiefly
fillshis mind
of deep reverence
for these superhimian
is the inherited sentiment
characters
and for the age to which
The more
examine
we
they belonged.
of

"

"

...

this

sentiment, both

in

the

mind

of Plato, as well as
that it formed
be convinced
The
religiousfaith.
myth

in that

of

the

Greeks

shall we
and insepargenerally,the more
essentially
ably
both
a
portion of Hellenic
presupposes, and
social,
springsout of, a settled basis and a strong expansive force of religious,
and patriotic
feeling,
operatingupon a past which is little better than a blank as
It resembles
in so far as its form is narrative ;
to positiveknowledge.
history,
it resembles
philosophy,in so far as it is occasionallyillustrative ; but in its
it is created,
and substance, in the mental tendencies by which
as well as
essence
it is judged and upheld, it is the popularisedexpressionof the
in those by which
divine and heroic faith of the people." See further, vol. i. pp. 370 ff.,for a
summary

of Greece.

of Grote's

I
informing and

whole

discussion

acquaintedwith no
suggestiveas Grote's.

am

of Greek
Myths in part i. of
which appears
discussion' of them

his Sist.
to

me

so

"expression"of

the

its literal

dogmatic meaning behind

is,first,its literal

sense

is removed

one

origin,the

of this second

sort

the facile

is not

has

which

reading our

down

come

Myth had its

its meaning

"

"

be to

recover

it called up and
Our task
audience.

his immediate

and

of

one

told; and then,

is,the feelingwhich

that

its maker

in
regulated

Myth has no
Its "meaning"
The
regulates^)

the age in which

from

"

is
and

it calls up

difficult it must

more

sense.

story which

the

"

beyond this,the feelingwhich

further

(l_hold
that

Myth.

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

244

to

vastly difficult one of

life of a prophet in a bygone

the

into
enteringsympathetically

Myth

the

but

us,

into

doctrines

own

world.
While

into Allegorieshas
historical,
work

prosaicpersons,

of

happy

effect.

me

of this

instance

one

Let

that

saith

Sepulchreand
in

at the

Salome
Him

found

has

white garment, who

of the
allegorisation

Sepulchre:

"

Magdalene,and

Mary

Mary

and

James,

it
a-otpia
^(pmfievot,

beautiful

Dante's

"

story of the three Marys

Mark

rivl

a^poLKa

congenial

the

been

often

most

or

with
up by the great poets themselves
conclude this part of the subjectwith

taken

been

sometimes

narratives, mythical

old

of

conversion

the

find

to

went

Mary
the

a
not, but found
young
them
seek
said unto
: "Ye

of

mother

the

Saviour

at

clothed

man

the

the

Saviour

that He
is not
here ; but be not
I say unto
aflfrighted
; go
you
that
He
will
before
them
into
and
and tell His disciples
Peter,
go
these

By

shall ye

there

Galilee ; and

three

Him,

see

women

as

He

said unto

signifiedthe

are

you."

three

of

sects

the

which
life,the Epicureans,the Stoics,and the Peripatetics,
this
which
is
the
the
to
Sepulchre, wit,
present World,
go unto
of corruptible
things,and seek for'the Saviour,to wit,
receptacle
clothed
in
man
beatitude,and find it not ; but they find a young
the
white
of
Matthew
and
to
a
testimony
garment, who, according
the Angel of God ; thus,Matthew
also of the others,was
saith,
descended
from heaven, and
The Angel of God
and rolled
came
and
sat
like
back the stone
it, and his countenance
was
upon

active

"

like snow."
and his raiment
lightning,
This
Angel is the Nobility of

Cometh,

as

it is

said,from

God,

saith unto

each of these sects

beatitude

in the active life

and
disciples
those
denied

who
Him

Peter

have
"
"

"

that

"

erred
that

He

"

"
"

from

and

that

speaketh in

is,those who
the

Nature

every man
here ; but
go
go

rightway,
before

them

about

who

seeketh

and

tell the

seekingit,and

like Peter
into

which

Reason, and

our

is,unto

It is not

will go

Human

our

Galilee

who
"
"

had
that

ascribed

to deliberate

of the

Gospels by
Son," as distinguishedfrom stories
are
reallyAllegories.
and

There

of the

"

also narratives

are

with

be

must

class of Parables, strictly

The

intention.

it which

in

much

called,is representedby many

Testament

PLATO

OF

has
{O.D. 49 ff.),

Hesiod

givenby
so

MYTHS

THE

246

Parables

of

stories like "The

like

purpose,
and
Allegories
a

Prodigal

Sower," which

The

"

Old

the

which, like The

tinguished
Parables as disPilgrim'sProgress,are at once
in these
strikes one
most
from Allegories. "What
Parables is: How
narratives originally
written to be Allegories
or
much
old Myths tampered with
effective they are
than
more
by rationalism and converted into Allegories.These Allegories
indeed, present doctrine
originallywritten to be Allegories,
have
often thinly disguised,but
to exercise
their makers
creative imagination,not merely scholastic ingenuity. The
best of them
and appeal
true Myths as well as Allegories,
are
if not
to us, at any rate, by their avdpcoiroXoyla,
always by
of callingup Transcendental
Feeling a power which
I power
: properlybelongs to less consciously
planned productsof genius.
"Why is The Pilgrim'sProgress a Possession for Ever ? Not
it is an
because
ingeniousAllegory setting forth doctrine
rigorouslyheld by its author; not because it has a good
moral tendency,like Plato's tales for children ; but
because it
is a Myth
an
interesting,
touching, humorous, mysterious
story about people because its persons, albeit "allegorical,"
and
are
living men
sometimes, like Moliere's
women,
or
active in the dramatic
of the story,
Shakespeare's,
movement
"

"

"

sometimes

sketched

Characters
And

of

like

they stand,
Theophrastus.
as

the

people

in

the

the
slept,and dreamed
two
again, and saw
same
down
the
Mountains
the
towards
Pilgrimsgoing
along
High-way
the City. Now
these Mountains, on the left hand,
a little below
lieth

Country of

the

into the way

in which

Here, therefore,they
of that
avd

Country.

whither

he

on

Chr.
may

find

the left
But
some

met

So

with

Country

very
him

Christian asked

little crooked

brisk

there

Lad,

From

that

comes

Lane.

came

wJiat
parts he

out
came,

going?

was

Ignor. Sir,I
little

Conceit ; from
which
the Pilgrimswalked,

was

hand,

how

do

born
and
you

in the
I

am

think

there ?
diflBculty

Country that lieth off there

going to the Celestial City.
to

get in

at

the

Gate, for

you

THE

PROTAGORAS

MYTH

Ignor. As

other

good people do, said

Ghr.

what

have

But

that the Gate

cause

I pay every man

and have left
my

Chr.
the head
crooked

But

opened

thou

camest

in

not

of

this way ; thou

Lane, and therefore

that

at

Gate,

into the

the Wicket-Gate
in

hither

fear,however

; be content
will follow the

for the

as

is

in

Eeligionof
that

shall come,
thou wilt hear
and a Eobber, instead of

they matter
fine pleasantGreen

of him.

way, his wisdom

What, shall we
and

leave

so

getting

much

so

do

they
Lane,

as

no,

or

that

comes

that the

man

know

the way

since

we

down

as

in his

that
man

any

need

it,nor

to

our

And

that

that

have,
from

wise

was

you

be well.

knows

think

I cannot

When
he
said,moreover.
him, and he saith
faileth
talk further with
him,

him

to think

him

of him

good

any

laid to

see,

you

the

Country

Conceit,

own

fool than
that is a foolwalketh by the
to everyone that he is a fool.

for

stop again

of

Country,and

all will

hope

Hopeful whisperingly.There is

And

same

I know

me,

of,all the world

Country.

into the way.

Christian saw

he said to

mine.
talk

you

great way oif of our

all our
parts doth

way
When

is at

think

mayest

strangers to
ye be utter
follow the Eeligionof your

whether

next

that

City.

to

Gate

may

through that

thou

Ignor. Gentlemen,
not

that

to

at

camest

when
the reckoningday
thyself,
thy chargethat thou art a Thief

admittance

he.

you
Lord's will,and I have been a good liver ;
my
his own
tithes,and give alms,
; I pray, fast,pay
Country for whither I am going.

I know

Ignor.

should

shew

to

you
be

247

of what

outgo

or

heard

he hath

afterwards,and

see

hopes of

more

if

him

present

at

already,and

by degreeswe

then
do

can

******

So

they both

went

on,

Ignorancehe

and

after.

came

******

saw

then

in

Ignorance,whom
Chr.

Ay,
But

Hope.
with

us

Chr.

him.

So
Then

behind

had

far

Hopeful looked back and

Look,
behind, coming after.

that

left

saw

said

loitereth behind.

yonder youngster

our

company.
him, had he

kept

hitherto.

true, but

That

they

think

I warrant
he

you

he thinketh

doth, but, however,

let

otherwise.
us

tarry for

did.

Christian said to

him. Come

away,

man,

why

do

you

stay

Ignor.
great

Dream

ay, I see him ; he careth not for

hurt
have
I tro it would
not

That's

Hope.

so

they

how
Christian,

he to

pace

my

I take

deal than

in

pleasure in walking alone, even

Company, unless I like it the better.
my

more

he cared
and

for

not

let

talk

us

said

But, however,

company
the
away

our

he,

stands

Ignor.
that

and

God

it between

Chr.

I think

Ignor. Why,
So

Chr.
Chr.

do

So

that

many

Souls.

desire them.

and

of them

I think

But

Ignor.

like

never

are

us.

Heaven.

damned

the Devils and

do

tell

and

of God

good motions,

full of

I walk.

as

me

you?

now

always

am

to comfort
into my mind
What
good motions ? pray

come

Soul

your

for I

hope well;

up,
Then

do

how

directinghis speech to Ignorance,he said. Come,

How

come

solitaryplace.

this

in

time

tell you

I not

Did
Hopeful(butsoftly),

said Christian to

Then

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

248

to

The

there.

come

and hath nothing.

of the Sluggarddesires,
Ignor. But I think of them, and leave all for them.
matter
That
I doubt, for leaving all is an hard
Chr.
yea, a
But why, or by what,
of.
than
harder
aware
matter
are
many

Soul

"

persuadedthat

art thou

heart

Ignor. My
Chr.

The

Ignor.

good

so.

that trusts his

man

is

Heaven.

evil

an

heart is

own

heart,

fool.

is

mine

but

one.

Chr.

how

But

dost

Ignor.

It comforts

Chr.

may
minister

may
he
for which

Ignor.
hope is
Chr.

well

hopes of
him

to

Heaven.

deceitfulness,for

its

through

comfort

the

in

of

hopes

man's

that

thing

ground to hope.

no

and

heart

my

that 1

prove

in

be

has

yet

But

thou
me

That

heart

my

me

says. He
spoken of

wise

This

tells

and

hast left all for God

thou

life agree

and
together,

heart

life agree

therefore

grounded.
told thee

Who

tells

heart

Ignor. My

that
me

thy

and

?
together

so.

******

head

look

to

but

he

the

other

then

I turned
gazing upon all these things,
my
the
River-side
to
back, and saw Ignorancecome
up

while

Now

got

soon

two

in that

helpedhim
come

up
him

meet

was

and

over,

placeone
over

so

For

half
it

he, as

happened

the other

I saw,

he

alone

came

the least

which
difficulty

that

that

Vainhope,a Ferry-man,that

Gate, only

to the

with

with.

met

men

that without

with

did ascend
; neither
When
he

there

was

his Boat
the

did

HiU

any

to

man

encouragement.
up
Gate, he looked up to the writingthat was above, and then
began to knock, supposing that entrance should have been quickly
was

come

to the

administered
over

the

top

to

for

his

; but

he

was

asked

of the

He
you have ?
of the King, and
him

him

Gate, Whence
answered, I have
he has

taught in

that
Certificate,

by

came

eat
our

and

the

looked

would
you 1 and what
drank
in the presence

Streets.

they might

that

men

go

Then
and

shew

they asked
it to

the

THE
So

King.
Then

he

said

word.

Christian
and

fumbled

they, Have
they told

So

him,

see

in

you
the

but

commanded

and

Hopeful

bind

him

hand

his

bosom

King,
the

and

for

But

none

the
to

MYTH

but

249

one,

and

man

answered

the

he would

not

City, to

go
have

foot,and

that

and

out

that there
well

from

as

was

was

to Hell

way

from

him

even

the

City of Destruction.

day

drew

the

So

never

to

conducted

take

Ignorance,
they

Then

him

saw

none.

down

come

Shining^nes

two

found

away.
up, and carried him through the air to the
in the side of the Hill,and
put him in there.

took

door

that

Then

Gates

of

awoke,

and

saw

Heaven,

as

behold

it

Dream.

Now
Road

the

which

were

Gate.

People to see
beyond the River

she

of Farewell

to

last word

So

down

come

So

thee and

she

from

Christiana
her

those

that

heard

was

take

to

her

here

the

to

behold

City

beckon

River-side.

The

Lord, to be vMh

I come,

was,

the

Chariots,

and

accompany
the River, with

entered

say

gone.
her Journey. But

her to the

to

followed

So

be

must

full of Horses

were

above

forth and

came

bless thee.
her Children

those

that

on

full of

was

all the Banks

So

PBOTAGOBAS

that waited

she went

and

Ceremonies

of

and

returned

Friends

for Christiana

called,and
that

Joy

her

had

their

to

of their

carried

her

out

in at

the

Gate

entered

Christian

Husband

that

place,for
with

had

sight.

all the

done

before

her.
******

In process of time there came

Post to
a
his business was
with Mr. Beady-to-halt.
So
and

said to

him,

hast

loved

thou

am

and

thyselffor

this

in

he

the

again,and
enquired him out,
Town

of

name

whom

him

Crutches; and my
upon
to
he expects thee at his Table
sup
wherefore
after
the next
Easter,
day

followed,

is to tell thee that

message
with
him
in his Kingdom
prepare
Then

thee

to

come

the

tho'

Journey.

he also gave him a Token

that he was
a true
Messenger,
cord.
I
have
and
loosed
silver
broken thy goldenbowl,
thy
saying,
After

called
Beady-to-halt
sent
them, saying,I am
for,and

told
also.

for his

this Mr.

So he desired

Mr.

Faliant

he had

to

God

shall

should

that

nothing to bequeath to
his Crutches
and
his good "Wishes,therefore
Crutches I bequeathto my Son that shall tread
hundred

warm

Then
and
at

he
so

the Brink

wishes that he may prove

Mr. Great-heart
himself

of the River

he

to

for

his

said.Now

of these Crutches,since yonder are

you
because

And

him

survive
he

thus

but

said.These
with a
steps,

in my
than
I have done.
better

thanked

addressed

surelyvisit

his Will.

make

them

and
Pilgrims,

fellow

Chariots

his

Journey.
Horses

he

When

I shall have
and

and

Conduct

no

for

more
me

ness,
Kindcame

need
to ride

The

on.

he

last words

heard

was

test, indeed, of

good Myth,
for it,as

care

he

PLATO

OF
to

So

lAfe.

Welcome

say was,

his way.

went

The
a

MYTHS

THE

250

He

it is also

that

understand, or

not

modated.
consciouslyaccom-

been

have
to
appear
often spoke to the

Jesus

spoken by

is

this test the Parables

To

of doctrine.

vehicle

do

who

those

story,for

or
a

good Allegory

peoplein

common

Parables

received by
These Parables were
interpretingthem.
the common
people as Myths; afterwards He interpreted
them
as
Allegoriesto His disciples.Many of His Parables,
no
interpretation.
indeed, as was
suggested above, have
Stories like the Parables
of the Prodigal Son, of the Eich
Man
who
proposed to build barns, of Dives and Lazarus, of
the G-ood Samaritan, are
not
Allegoriesto be interpreted
for they have no "other
meaning," but rather little dramas
is continually
which
reduce
to
a
single incident what
^
occurringin man's experience."

without

"

"

"

And

of detailed
the

those

even

doctrinal

Sower, have

which

they

things

stand

wonder,

in

looks

convey

intrinsic
the

"

reflectedstand
"

the

"

Cave," and

"

ourselves

of the

Republic,532
in

Zeafimv
Kal

TO

Kot

e"64

'

the

B, c, where
:

to show
natural
effect

of the
a

doctrine

the

picturesin which common

images, or doubles, for
another

sky.^

elaborate

most

rjv

"

former*

summary

koX

When

our

one

; and

by

of the

"

"

Allegories

let

us

remind

first referring
to
whole

is

given

S' eyto, Xucri? re

tS"v
anro
eiScoKa
t"v
(tki"v iirl t^

otto
fieTa(7rpo"pr)
Koi
e/c
tow
Karayeiov ei? rov
"f)S""}
rf^iov iirdvoBo^,
rk ^md Te
Kal tpvrk Kal to
rjkiov
tov
7r/)09 fJ,h"

Eeville,ProUgomines

p. 110.
"
See

of

Be ye,

rj

"

apart from

DisorderlyCrew

"

Parable

the

it is easy to put oneself in the

Parables gladly without
asking for

Sower,"

features

sentence

one

as

look at Plato's two

now

us

as

admit

of

world, under

another
"

and
Allegories

are

value

value

place of those who heard

of them.
the interpretation
Let

which

such
interpretation,

an

Millet's

at

Parables

Shelley'spoem,
that

The

I'Hist. des

Religions(Engl. Transl.

objects as of trees
of Poetry.
produced by the word-pictures
"

'

In the

Republic,514

galleryof
A

the

ff.

by Squire),

Recollection,
quotedinfra,p. 395, where I attempt
belonging to reflected images, or doubles, of
(or of Narcissus himself)in a pool enters into the

like that

charm

de

Museum
Metropolitan

"

of Art, New

York.

THE

^W9

Kal

erepov

ravTTjv

avTT]

"ifrv-^y
Trpof

Cave

the

dimensions

last

daylight at
there

and

is

iv

PekTiaTov iv
6eav,

ovcri,

rots

Over

Sffirep

of these

the Cave

ends

down, where

way

the

burning,and beyond the

the Cave at rightangles

the top of this wall showmen

hold

and
animals.
images of men
images are thrown on the rock with
beyond.^ Pacing this end-rock
way

some

the

across

down, with

runs

little

shadows

and

Some

Fire is

wall built

low

about

move

Cave

iTravaytoyriv
tov

earth.

a
fails,
great

its direction.

to

h"; BirfKQofiev,
Tey(v"v,

of its entrance,

steep decline,into the

Fire

Bi,'

"yKia"i

"

throughout
a

elBcoXcov

tov
aa^eaTarov
^avocrtofiari
tt/sos tijv
tS
koL
There
crw fjMToetBeire
Toira.
opaTm
in
of
form
a
which, retaining
long tunnel

iv
""

"f)avTd(rfiaTa

ffKiov*
KpiveivavoffKia^or"v

apLarov

rov

iv vBaai

ra
ovk

tt/so?

rj TrpajfiaTeia

Tr]v

251

iv

TOV

TuTov

w?

Svva/iivkoX

ej^et ttjv

8e

aXX'

ovrtov,

^oto?

iraaa

fieva"i,

is

r"v

crKtai

toiovtov

Tore

MYTH

^iiretv, Trpo?
aZvvafiLa

6Tt

6eia

PBOTAOORAS

shadows

thus

thrown

on

it

Prisoners

are

up

The
which
of the

bound

that

These
turn
round.
Prisoners, whose
they cannot
shadows
of images, represent
to
knowledge is confined
have
people who
nothing better than second-hand, hearsay
Philosopher
knowledge of
particularfacts.'' But the
the
from
down
comes
daylight into the Cave, and unbinds
so

of them, and

some

that

they

the

see

"converts"

shadows.

These

have

direct,first-hand

Philosopher is

past

the

them

Kttle

showmen's

these

the

"

"

"

converted

knowledge

able to lead

images, the
of

round,

realities

"

"

so

of

represent people who

ones
"

the

Visible

is the

Fire, which

up

them

turns

"

facts."

of these

Some

steep floor of
and

Sun,

out

the

Cave,

into

the

Sun, the Good,

Intelligible
the
of existence
and
true
source
knowledge. At first the
released prisonersare
dazzled by the daylight that they
so
cannot
bear to look at the things illuminated
by it men,
look only
much
but can
less at the Sun
itself,
animals, trees
and trees on the ground, or
and animals
at shadovfs of men
is the

daylight,which

lightof

the

"

"

reflections of
"

In the

them

Pitt-Eivers

used, in the

Historical

The
representations.
screen,
arms

the

by

in

Museum
and

water.

at

These

Oxford

there

MythologicalDrama,

shadows

of sticks.

is

and

reflections,

Wayang KuUt,
productionof shadow-

.Javanese

for the

of puppets (made of leather) are

from behind, and

performermanipulating the puppets

means

shadows

thrown

on

working their

MYTHS

THE

252

PLATO

OF

however, differ from the shadows seen on the end-rock of the

Cave, in being shadows, not of images of real things,but of
real

themselves

things

they represent

"

in

deductive

the

with

which

eyes

of

sciences

animals, trees, the

men,

all,the Sun,

be looked

can

of all education

and
which severally,
Principles,
particulars,
just as the livingman
showman's
image of him.

Allegory,and

an

But

the

Cave

"

Allegory,the
an
Allegory,transcends

an
as

and

makes

us

reached

now

"

seen

once

IBeai,

system, explain

connected

as

the

"

the

explains

is
Allegory. It certainly
its interpretation.^
is offered as such together with
when
a
great poeticgeniuslike Plato builds
while serving its immediate
edifice,
purpose

called

have

have

apprehensionof

the direct

"

We

the

stars, and,

and

moon

at.

or

the

In time,
inquiry is reallyconcerned.
accustomed
to
released
prisonersbecome

the

the end

laws

or
principles

the

express

the

daylight,and
last of

to

of

diagrams

concepts employed

symbols and

the
geometry, and, generally,

the

an

that

it,and

see

"

Plato

purpose.
is much

there

to be

more

the

sees

Cave
there

seen

Allegory requires. Perhaps

such a galleryin the
he was
at Syracuse,saw
Plato, when
in the
still to be seen
stone
quarries(there are such galleries
Zatomie
at Syracuse)lightedup with
a
fire,and the miners
it may
be slaves or convicts in chains
working at the far
than

the

mere

of

purpose

the

"

"

end

with

their

shadows

of

walls.
We

Be

the
down

is

while
the fire,

to

and

their shadows

behind

things

it may, Plato's Cave is a

it wondering,and
in
soon
forget,

meaning."

We

into

up
See

the

wonder, that

our

acquiescein

what

the

daylight.

The

vision

we

see

"

die

bringsit

in the

verschiedeno

der

Feaseln

mehr

und

Pandora

Mythus

Prometheus

von

aller Gemlither
und

Staaten
The

dem

eingepragtist,an
Sinn

fur

"Cave"

as

an

calls the

hand,

into close

Protagoras:

Erkenntniss

beschrankenden

sie der

Scheu

and

Plato's

which

Couturat,

"Cave"
a
myth,
Epimetheus Myth

on

mysteriousplace.

de Plat. Myth. p. 51, who

regards the
die
des
the other
Schwanitz,
Plato,
Allegory.
Mythen
p. 9, on

auf

the

flitted

them

as

another

and

the shadows, and the Eedeemer

prisonersamong
coming
the
like
to lead
through
dimly-Ughted gloom,
Orpheus,^

them
'

"

people
this

enter

there

backs

comparison with the Prometheus-andin dem vorigen Bilde (the Cave)

Menscheu
hingewiesenwurde, je nach dem
"

"

Wenn

oder

Einem

wenigerentledigt
waren,

die Wahrheit

ein, dass

von

so

leitet der
Eins in

Gott

alle Theil

den
Gerechtigkeit,

nehmen, an der sittlichen

wodurch
gemeinsamen Banden

zusammengehaltenwerden."
book

in Plato's mind.

eU 'AtSou (seeLobeok, Aglaoph.

KOTdjSoo-is

p.

373) may

have

been

254

MYTHS

THE

OF

PLATO

he used to
during which
receive
instruction:
even
assertingthat the art
imagine them
be taughtat all,and ready to cut down
cannot
anybody who says
that it can, and
the
themselves
shipowner,their
always mobbing
him, with every argument they can lay
master, and entreating
faction
hold of, to let them
have
the tiller;
sometimes, if one

taught him,

fails to

mention

can

him,

move

killingthe
the

or

and

another

successful

fine old

or

and

owner,

time

is

the
successful,

more

castingthem

out

drugging him,

or

unsuccessful

ship,and taking

of the

making him drunk, or

the
taking themselves

perhaps putting him in irons, and then

of the ship,and
using the stores, and drinking and
and
feasting,
sailingthe ship as such revellers are likelyto sail
her ; and, to put the finishing
touch to our
picture,imagine them
'true seaman,' a 'true pilot,'
'man
as
a
a
praising describing
in
who
is
thoroughly qualified
navigation' any one
great
in the art of capturingthe owner
or
force, and
by argument
of the ship to themselves
securing the command
imagine
; and
these men
fault
with
who
do this,and
cannot
one
finding
saying
that he is 'of no
use'
who
have
men
all of
at
no
conception
what the true pilotmust
be
that one
make
must
a study of the
and
the
and
the
and
all things
sky
seasons,
stars,and the winds
that belong to navigation,
if one
is to be reallyfit to take command
of a ship men,
I say, who
have
whatever
no
conception
of this
who
think that there is no
men
art of how a pilotshall
whether
steer
some
art of
people wish him to steer or not
no
command

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

as
steering

such

"

to

be studied

and

learnt.

With

such

state

of

things as this on board, don't you think that the trulyqualified

pilotis sure to be called a 'star-gazer,'
'mere theorist,'
and 'of
a
to us,'by sailors in a ship so appointed?
no
use
Yes, indeed,"said Adeimantus.
Then," said I, I don't think you want
to have
the simile
analysed, in order to understand that it figuresa city in its
"

"

"

"

attitude
"

to

Yes,"

Philosophers.You

true

understand

that 1 "

said he.i

I sailed

(writesKinglake)^from Smyrna in the Amphitrite,

which
was
said to be bound
brigantine
for the
confidently
of Syria; but I knew
coast
that this announcement
not to be
was
relied upon
with
for the Greek
positivecertainty,
mariners
are
free from
the stringency
of ship's
practically
and
where
papers,
they will,there they go.
a

Greek

******
******
The

receive

crew

venture, and

in
1

but
have
wages,
I
general, believe,they are

Bep. 488

no

ff.

all

the

share
owners

oh. vi.
jEofhen,

in

the

of

the

THE
whole

PBOTAGOBAS

freight
; they

choose

MYTH

captain to

whom

enough to keep the vessel on her

power
but not
quite enough for a gale of wind
and

255

they

ihey ^Iso

just

entrust

in fine

course

weather,

elect

cook

mate.

******
******

We

gale

nearingthe isle of Cyprus,when

wind, with a heavy, chopping sea.

of

considered

that

the

scudded

weather

wind

integralgaleof
and

there

were

amounted,

the

very least ;
hours.
When
we

at

for

twenty
gale ceased, and

Anadoli, the

brought us
changed again,but
soon

Cyprus

off
we

once

to

the

an

helm,

up
the mainland

neared
breeze

lay our

of

springing up,

Afterwards

to

seamen

half,but

they put

so

more.

still able

were

to

favourable

My

not

half

arose

Greek

the

wind

by sailing

course

close-hauled.
We

length in

at

were

for about

course

island,and

half

that by holdingon
position,

hour,

an

find ourselves

should

we

in smooth

gradually freshening; it
sea

such

under

get

now

blew

alarm

arose,

hard,

the lee of the

the wind

water, but
and

our

there

had

was

been

heavy

running.
As

grounds for

the

one

close

and

then

stood

the

gatheredtogetherin

crew

they
pale
grim under their hooded
group;
awaiting a massacre,
anxiously looking by
capotes like monks
turns
along the pathway of the storm, and then upon each other,

the

eye of the
Presently the Hydriot

bearer

of

received
there
she

brigantineas
head

the

the

But

rather

seamen

was

in

up

that

and

again
the

were

still

the

the

over

through all
a

was

her

with

strivingsea
It

crew

our

of the

; she bowed

waves

shuddered

held

we

the bow

caught

betwixt

waters,

where

and

answer,

heavy sea

gallantlystood

entire.

bowsprit
longer,but

came

lay jammed

under

low

timbers, then

against the

resolute

man.
by the helmsmoody than ever,
continuingof the

stood

aft, more

came

fierce remonstrance

Soon

course.

Captain,who

the

upon

struggle; he

her

and

crew

no

gathering of Creek citizens, the shout of

changed for the murmuring of the people the
Demos
alive.
The
aft in a body,
was
came
men
a

"

"

spiritof the old

put about, and that

be no
the storm
longer tempted. Now, then, for speeches: the
his
his frame all quiveringwith emotion,
fire,
Captain,
eyes flashing
his every limb, like another and a louder voice, pours
^wielding
his
the eloquent torrent
of his threats,and his reasons,
forth
he
and
his
swears
commands,
prayers ; he promises he vows

and

loudly asked

that

the

vessel

should

be

"

"

"

"

"

that

there

is
hear

safetyin
and

holding

on

The

men

and

again the raging sea

are

the

are

life of all.

moved,
The

"

if
safety,

gale rouses
trampling over
Hydriot advances

but the

comes

fierce

Greeks will be brave I

itself

once

the timbers
one

step

more,

that
nearer

Captain,and

the

to

PLATO

OF

growl

the angry

people goes floating

of the

and
once
once
they waver
more,
; but they listen,
resolve,then waver
again,thus doubtfullyhanging between

down

the wind

more

the terrors

of the

it

though
Brave

bow.

close these

me
"

and

remarks

characteristics

the

on

natural
and

course,

of

between
relationship

the

on

with

"

Allegory

"

her

at last.

reached

was

gained their

words

Grecian

brigantine held

terror; the

over

Let

which

the weather

on

water

Myth

the

thoughtswinged on

mastery
smooth

persuasionof gloriousspeech,as
that talked,and Philipof Macedon

and

storm

the Athenian

were

that thundered

"

MYTHS

THE

256

reference

both

united.

be

to

seem

Eitual," in

"

to

performance" or "rite" is made up of "symbols."*

A symbol is a thing,or an
act, taken to represent something
That
else.
something else generally something of great
importance may be a transaction (such as a sale of land,
law by the act of transferringa
symbolisedin the Eoman
belief (such as the doctrine of baptismal
clod of earth),
a
or
symbolised by sprinkling with water), or a
regeneration,
concept (such as that of justice,symbolised by a figure
nation (symbolisedby its flag).
or
a
balance),
holding an even

"ritual

"

"

In

most

close
is

The

cases

the

symbol

to

that which

remote,

or

badge

which

habit

of

primitiveand

has

for

has

resemblance,
analogical

some

it represents ; in
other

some

become

reason

symbolic representationis
tendencies of human
persistent

and
present in the first efforts of language,
of science

it;

without

while

could

there

always

still

are

courtesy of

have

been

have

manners

entirelydependent on
the development of
been

caseg it
attached.

some

of

one

the
It

nature.

the
the

most
was

highestflights
development of

it in

another

tion
direc-

the

primrose would
but the yellow primrose; and
even
no
would
everybody
always have called a
poetry

no

"

"

spade a spade.
Now,
up of
those

ritual

symbolsso
who

performance,or
put togetheras

celebrate

experienceof

massive

and
the

is,received without
of
'

See

the

composition made
to produce solemn
in
feeling
assist. This effect produced is a
whole, and

be, indeed

may

conscious

attention

to

the

symbols

which

separate parts
"

de VHist.
R^ville,Proligomiiics

by Squire).

rite,is

dea

Religions,
p.

125

the

narily
ordi-

significance
together

(Eng. Translation

PROTAGORAS

THE
make

the

rite.

whole

The

MYTH

257

rite, if effectually
received,is

received

devoutlyas a Myth, not critically

apprehended as an
Allegory. In its originand compositionjt is an Allegory
mosaic
of symbols ; but as time goes on this is largelylost
a
to which
sightof ; the corporate genius of the religious
society
it for the devout
it belongstransforms
into a Myth.
Plato
that enthusiastic
Philosophy, of which
Myth is
compares
devout went
the vehicle,to the Mysteries.^ The
to Eleusis,
but to
not
out of allegorical
to get doctrine
representations,
have
their souls purified
by the awe of the Blessed Sights
presentedin the acted Myth.
in Furgatorio,
The procession
xxix., like Ezekiel's visions,
it is indebted, is an
to which
elaboratelyordered series of
and
the left
symbolical creatures
objects
; in the fresco on
wall of the Spanish Chapel of S. Maria
Novella in Florence,
in
itself,or in the positionwhich it
every figure,either
occupiesin the group, is a symbol. It is true, of course, that
the beauty of either compositionfullyone
must
to appreciate
have at least a generalacquaintancewith the meaning of the
that
it is as a great spectacle
symbols employed ; yet finally
the procession
of the twenty-ninthCanto of the Furgatorioor
the fresco in the Spanish Chapel appealsto one.
Indeed,it is
because
it so
to spellout the
appeals that one is anxious
symbolicalmeaning of its separate parts,so that, having spelt
under
find one's self all the more
this patientlyout, one
may
"

"

"

the

of the whole

enchantment

which

transcends

the

sum

of

wondrously.^
the Story,
to take a third instance,it is because
Similarly,
at
the Second
Book
of the Fairy Queen, of the Adventures

its

parts

in

so

Castle of Medina, is very readable as

beautiful passages of poetry,that we
are
the

story,and contains

pleasurablyinterested
in followingits elaborate translation of the dry Aristotelian
Mean
into pictures.
and Extremes
doctrine of
I
would
add
that
the
effect produced by a
great
the
like
processionin
allegorical
composition
professedly
Furgatorio,xxix.,or the Spanish Chapel fresco,is sometimes
sometimes
even
by a singleline or
produced by a poem
the poet'sart, instead of definitely
in which
of poetry
stanza
"

"

"

"

See supra,

The

p. 236.
of the

symbolism

fresco alluded

his Mornings in Florence,iv. and

to

atove

is dealt

with

by

Ruskin

v.

in

258

presenting,

distantly
of

system

or

mysterious
"

teases

degree
into

the
I

effect

do

think

that

than

the

best
of

poem
and

donne

in

Then,
I

me

begin

which

no

instance,

by

had

'

Canzone

Anima

E.

H.

the

by

poet's

true

and

parse,

fascination

in

passed

year

of

xx.

Coleridge,

p.

170,
from

1895,

that
in

composition,

Poetae,

of

it, spite

bye,

Oxford
the
p.

spell

describing

"

did

donne

it, twelve

writes:
al

intorno

during

1805,
I

re-peruse,

times

efforts."
he

1819,

"

as

enigma,

my

from
not

it

an

all

2,

himself

upon

as

of

interval

an

which

by

(Tre

poem

after

etc.),

effect

Sept.

above

could

its

spite

Eamsgate,

effect,

beginning

intended

remains,

the

venute,

son

construe,

say,
a

understand

to

mi

cuor

dated

entry

an

it

enigma

an

called

"

images,

be

may

venute

of

begins

He

interesting

what

poetical

son

record

Coleridge's

and

of

canzone

mi

cor

enters

such.

as

Dante's

al

intorno

nary
ordi-

no

which

what,

not

wonderful

its

in

arouses

example

by

commentary.

wild

to

of

afforded

which

on

poem

is

and

that

Tre

Poetry

better

and

know

we

by

symbolism,

found

at

produced

not

suppressed
be

wonder,

that

thought,"

of

out

us

distantly

symbols

of

system

or

enough

often

is

symbol

symbols.

presented

symbol

of

system

definitely

but

PLATO

OF

suggests

symbols

thing

suggested

"

MYTHS

THE

at

might

least

such
"

its
soul

addition

obscurity
of

It

universal
to

the

affords

significance
specific

good
in

meaning."

Dante.

unpnblished
293.

notebooks

of

S.

T.

Coleridge,

edited

THE

TIMAEUS

Context

The

subject of

the

Timaeus

{soul

and

and

of

whose

body)

the

mouth

subject is put
in

Locri

whole

and

the

of

The

body).

Myth,

or

speaker

treating of

Pythagorean

great

Universe

the

in

this

Philosopher

of

in

out

the

is

Myth,

or

of

part

general

the

Trilogy consisting of

scheme

which

the

Eepublic, Timaeus,

the

pieces

Critias.

and

The

assumed

repeated

and

i.e. the

this

is

and

followed by
which

bears

education
the

his

name.

War

but

far

for

it

as

image
We

Upon

have

Man

the

is, is

great

the

thus

in

order, Man's

performing

is

part

Critias
the

comes

work

creation

of

with

the

last

which

it
259

was

in

whole

his

the

part,

mere

whole, in

microcosm

in
God

image

of

and,

like

God

Cosmos,

the

State.

Man

State.

Cosmos
in

image,

own

to
a

"

an

turn

Cosmos,

held,

Eepublic,

Timaeus,

the

is

are

lastlythe story

eqwivalent

in

God

"

the

of

for

makes

"

and

the

versation
Con-

of Man's

not, however,

itself is;

Cosmos

analogy

creation

the

good, makes,
is

the

fits him.

is

"

again,

unfinished piece
account

is

microcosm,

as

creator

God's

follows,

order

adequately represents

the

first an

education

fashion,

Man,

as

he

he

after

macrocosm.

adequate

his

in

creation

logical

because

which,

his

of

which

the

which

have

we

Timaeus

the

by Critias

account

course,

of

part

related

that

and

meet,

constitute

of Cephalus

after

day

Mermocrates

which

Thus

an

God,

"

Universe

while

Myth

of

the

the

the

Great

But,
Critias

Discourse

then

Critias, and

Eepublic,

Critias, Mermocrates,

the

is

the house

at

Timaeus,

to

Eepublic

the

"

Socrates, Timaeus,

of

Conversation

Socrates

day by

next

another

order

chronological

Critias

Timaeus,

so

(soul

Creation

Discourse,

Timaeus,

Discourse,

is worked

of

Man

the

Italy.

The

is

is

is

the

State, in

there

Eepublic

representation of
created.

whose

Timaeus,
the

as

the

State

260

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

D-92

29

Timaeus

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31

MYTHS

THE

262

ev

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rov

koi

ea-^fev

7^?

yap

33

inov,

rdBe

Biavor)6ei"i,
rrp"rov

fwoj/ TeXeor
are

ovj(^

en

Be "va

reXe"ov

^vvearrjaevaiirov 6

awfiari

drfqpwvKa\
0epfid xai
^

For

oKov

ri

/iep"v eXtf,"rrpo^ Be

ruv

ef
inroXeXeip-fievtov

^
rw

eK

iva

fiev

dvoaov

a"v

y,

T^v^pa

IwKTTd/iecd

dXXo

roiovro

xaravo"v,
xai

rif read

okov
irvpo^

^wia-rdi;,
p4poi;ovBev ovBevo"s oiiBe BvvafLiv e^wdev
D

rov

koi

iryew^Oi] Bi

a"fia

Koa-fiov

rov

rotovrav

co?

rrdvff
,

^varaTif.

uTToXt-

fidXiara

rovroK

ev,

"yevoir

dv,

^vviard/ievd
oaa

Bvvd/j.ei"i

THE

fairest of
wish

and
Things Intelligible

liken

to

it; wherefore

One, Visible,having

by

are

kin

nature

Have

in number

it.

unto

that

say

Visible

accordingto
taineth

all

second

with

there

Heaven

the

another

they

there

be

would

another

after

One

ever

shall be.

was

Him

the

likeness

this

Universe

Universes

this

and

of

in

four
forth at

number,
with

one

togetherwith

bonds

Who

did bind.
the

making

which

all

four

the

without

Creature, Whole,

included

them.

earth, and
; to the
far

thereof

perfect; and
left
naught was
made;

disease;

age

or

and

all such

as

and
for

have

and

left not

it

got Love,

cannot

knew

is,and

such

that

strong powers,

that

so

be loosed, save

took
Maker

up the
of the

whole

any

part

or

it

might

another

be

by
of

all the

virtue

Perfect,with

it

Universe

all the water, and

of which

thirdly,that
He

and

elements, being of

be, and

might
secondly,that
over

made,

end, first,that it might be

as

but

number,

Body of the Universe

disposition
through the proportional

for the

elements:

so

was

of the Universe

it of all the fire that was,

the

be

another,

after their likeness,

infinite in

which

made

could

That

also

of

since

the

itself

knit

these

made

these

was

each

of

it

which

of

out

Whence

air, and

be

never

with

con-

including these two,

would
no
longerbe right

Universes

nor

of elements.

Now,

second

it

as

could

are,
a

was

Only Begotten Heaven

this cause,

brought

it is to be fashioned

might be One only,like unto

made
only,All-perfect,
Living Creature,the Maker

two

and

were

be parts ; and

that

sort

infinite

Creature

Wherefore

For

it

were

nay,

"

which, inasmuch
which

if it

; for

this Visible Universe

neither

Or

many

be, if

must

say that
but
rather

One

One?

Heavens

are

pattern of That

there

to

the

Heaven

the

Creatures
Intelligible

must

whereof

itself all

One

then

in

263

altogetherperfectdid God
He
it a Living Creature,
the Living Creatures which

made

rightly called

we

right to

more

TIMAEUS

of any

Living

the parts
One

like unto

Only,
this

might be without old

if things hot and
cold,
the composite
encompass

it

264

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

e^a"0ev, kcli
la-^vpwiej(ei, irepUfTrdfieva
\vei
a.Kaipm'i,

koL

TrpocririvTovra

ivdyopra ^diveiviroiei.
re
yr}pd"}

voaovi

******

33

Se
%')(rifia
Se

T^

trdvT

TO,

ev

Sio
a-'X^/iuTa.

oiroa-a

"TrpbiTa";

vdvrmv

aaro,

avrm
ev
TrepieiXr)(f)o";

KVicXoTepeiiavTo
direypv,

reXemraTov

fivpimKaWiov
(Tx^rffiaTcov,vofiLaa'i
Se
C

Srj kvkKw

ofifidreov
re

ovK

ovS'

ovBe
dKorj";,

?iv opydvov aj^elv,a

Se

oiiSev oiiSe
irpoarieiv

Tpo"j"r)v
ttjv

riyri(TaTo

avro

yap

^vvOelt

dXXcov.
fjbaXXov rj TTpoo'See'}
ovre

ovSe
Trpoadrrreiv,

avrm

34

dfwvaadai

riva

av

^d"riv

vvrjpeaia'i.

Ktvrjaiv

olxeiav, r"v

errra

p^aXurra

ovaav.

Sio

Si)

"rrepiayaymv

fievov,

Se

rdf

avro

iroS"v

OStos

Kara

r^?

kvkXm
iiroCrjcre
Kivrjaeif

avow

Kal

rrepXvovv
ev

rrjv

yap

Trdvra

ev

rm

e(recrdai

oiire

l^^'^VVovk
oXea?

ravra

errX Se

oVtos

''"'

avro

dp^tvov

dveveifievavrm

rrjv

Seov d"7KeXe"iKal

St] Tras

'''"

yap

rej(y7)";yeyovev

^(eip"v Be, al"!

yap

e^ dirdaat

eKehvwv.
direipydfraro

ovSev

rjv.

ov

iroSSiv ovSe

troofuiroi

eavrm

re
diryei,

yap

avrapKe^

XP^''"'

eiriSeei

tivo";

rpo^rfv Se^oiro,ttjv

eavTO

Koi
Spotveic
"irda-)(ov

eavrov
v"f)'

xal

eavrm

aS

"l"di"Tiv
'irape')(ov Kal

eavrov

vveXei-

irvevfidre

ukovcttov

ovSe

irodev

avTm

'^dpiv.

ovSev

yap

irdXtv
e^tKfiaafiivrjv
aTroTre/jiilrot

irporepov

eavrm

ykp

elf

fiev

rrjv

eavrco

iroXkmv
dirriKpi^ovro,

Seofievovdi/aTri'o^s.ovS'

fiv irepiearo^

eTopvev-

dvo/jLoiov.Aeiov

Ofioiov

iireSeiro oiSiv, oparov

yap

e^mdev

ireTO

aiiTO

e^wOev

irav

Travrrj

avro

re

ofioioTUTOV

fcflw

iravra,

ex
"r^aipoeihe";,
p,e"rov

kuI

taov

TeXevrav

^vyyevet.

to

vepie')(eiv /jieWovrt

^"a

avrm

koX

irpeirov

to

avrm

eit) cr^ijfiato

av

"n-peirov

eScDKev

Xa^elv
Seiv

aiero

trepX rrjv
rov

rrjv

"j}povij"ri
Ka\

avrm

Kiveladat

ev

a-rpetjio-

d(^e'iXeicaX drrXaveif

irepioSovravrijv
avro

dr

eyevvrjaev.

del Xoyi,crp,o"i
deov

rreplrov

irore

THE
from

body

dissolve

without, and

it and

That

shape

strike
disease

bring
decay.

it to

cause

TIMAEUS

265

against it unseasonably,they
and

old

He

contain

likewise

is fit and
He
it which
unto
gave
then, as that shape which comprehendeth

Living

which

Creature

did

in itself all

it to

turn

so

Inasmuch,
proper.
in itself all the shapes is fit for the
should

it, and

upon

age

be

like

Living Creatures, for this cause

ball,round, with boundary at

every
it that

Thus gave He unto

point equallydistant from centre.
which
and
like unto
of all shapes is the most
most
perfect,
itself,deeming that which is like unto itself fairer by far than
it perfectly
is unlike.
that which
Moreover, without He made
sm.ooth

all

because

for

reasons

eyes

many

"

it

needed

left remaining without

nothing visible was
there was
nothing without audible ; nor was

because
round

round,

about

it that

it should

breathe

; nor

ears,

there air

did it need

nor

not,

to have

for the taking in of food, or for the putting out of

organ
that wherefrom
the juiceswere
alreadyexpressed; for nothing
any

forth,

went

without
that

and

there

was

it should

afford

nourishment

anywhere ; for
fashioned cunningly
itself,through the

it from

unto
nothing came
nothing. Yea, it

was

unto

itself

wasting of itself,and should receive and do all within

and through itself;for He
it thought that
made
Who
sufficient unto

were

need

purpose,

motion
such

feet,nor

nor

that

He

body, to wit,
appertainethmost unto
a

He

the

turned

same

place,about

there

was

one

it

need

of

Seven

the

unto

proper
Motions

which

and

away

feet. He

the

from

wanderings. Inasmuch,
no

motion

the

was

of

itself;but

took

of

fore
Understanding. Wherein
quickness,
round, with the same

Eeason
and

as

aught or withstanding
it hands to
to give unto
of walking ; for the
instrument

unto

that

it round

circular motion. He
their

any

allotted

if it had

than

"Wherefore, inasmuch

of other

things added unto it.

it needeth
not
hands for taking hold
He deemed
it not meet
any adversary.
no

better

be

it would
itself,

if it

motions, all

other

it,and
then,

created

as

save

out
stablished it withfor this revolution

it without

legs and

feet.
Thus

did

God,

Who

is

alway,reason

with

Himself

concern-

MYTHS

THE

266

deov Xoyia-BeU
ia-ofievov

Xcrov icaX
fiia-ov

koX

o\ov

Be
eTToirjae.yjrvyrjv
xal

ereive

Kal

St' aperrjv

Karea-rijae,

yvea-Oai Kal ovSevoi

iKav"i;
"f"lXov
6eov
C

varepav

he

ov

Bvvdfievov^vyyi-

yvcopifiov
irpoaSeofievov,

Bia

avrm.

yap

rravra

Brj ravra

Bfj ^vj^rjv

oe

Kai

evoavfiova
vvv

to?

ovj(^

6eo"i

o
Kai
ip/qy^avrja'aro

ovroo^

irpea^vrepovmro
dpj(ea6ai,

av

eprjfiov

fiovov

"va

avrm

avrov

erri'^^eipovfievXeyeiv,

vetorepav

re

wavTO?

ravrrj,
ff"fiaairy -n-epieicaXvyfre

erepov

avrov

e/c

awfui

aoafiaTwv

ffelioia

avrov

fieaov

Te

iravrayri

rekiwv

e"

iyevv^aaro. Tr}v Be

avrov

ofwXov

"rrpe"j"6fievov
ovpavov

St) kvkXov

KVKXa)

reXeov

e^eodev to

en

Kal

Xeiov

to

et?

PLATO

OF

vewrepov

e'iaaev
^vvep^a";
******

Kal

i^vyrjv adifiaro^,cI)? Searronv

36

^vvearrjaaro e'/cr"vBe
Kal

del

Kara

Kal

re

roimSe

G(i"p,arayiyvofievr]^

Kal

Kal

re

t^9

av

rrept,

iv
dfKJtoiv

rpirov i^
fiepi,arrj";

^vveKepdaaro ova-ia";elBo";,
rrj^

rrjf afiepiarov

rporrui.

ej(pva-i)i;ovaias

ravra

ap^ofievov,

ap^ovcav

rairov

ra

fie"rq)

av
"f"vaefi)"!
rrepi

rrj"!Barepov,
******

Kal

rpia Xa^mv

IBeav,
B

rrjv

avra

aweKepdaaro

ovra

darepov ^vffiv BvafiiKrov

Bieveufiev,
eKaarrjv

fiiav rrdvra

oZaav

vakiv

Be

oXov
e/c

rovro

re

ravrov

oS

rifn om.

ovaLa"; p,efii.yfievrjv.

'

p.oipa";
oaa"!
Kal

ravrov

et?

pvyvix;Be fierd rrj^ ovaLa"; Kal

^la.
^vvapfiorreov
ev
rroirjadfjxvo^

et?

darepov

e/e

rpi"v

rrpoarJKe
Kal

rrj^

THE

ing

the

with

even,

the

who

god

centre

should

boundary
a
Body

"

TIMAEUS

be, and

at

made

him

be

to

smooth, and

point at equal distance

of
perfect,cftnposite

every
and

whole

267

from
bodies

perfect.
And

in

the

throughout
about

the

the

on

midst

thereof

whole, and

outside

He

also

therewith

Soul, and

put

the

wrapped

; and

spread it
Body round

made

the

Universe

of the
but, by reason
revolvingsphere,one only,and solitary,
virtue which
with itself,
belonged unto it, able to consort
having need of no other, being itself acquaintanceand friend
A
itself in full measure.
unto
god, then, in regard of all
these things blessed,begat He it.

But, albeit Soul

she

discourse,yet

our

by God younger than Body ;

He joinedtogetherHe would
not have
governed by the younger.

be

The

mistress

of

out

in

created

not

which
to

second

cometh

these

ruler of the

elements,

cometh

into

being and

mixing

of them

both,

the Same

and

and

did

Body

this

after

is undivided

which

betwixt

and

manner

the

alway

for of these twain

God

third

of Substance

Soul,
stance
Sub-

that

that which

made, by the

bodies, He

in

sort

fashion

and

same,

is divided
a

the elder

suffered

betwixt

was

in

the middle

Other.

the

"*"*#*

Substances, being three. He took and mixed

that they became
one
Form; and the Nature
so
together,

all

These

the

Other,

the

Same, and

and

of the
into

mass

which

these

compounded

mix, He

to

with

mingled

He

made

three

as

hard

was

one

parts
many
Same
of the

as

and

Third

the

again

then

was

joined by
divided

meet, whereof
Other

the

force

unto

Substance
this

each
and

of

whole

one

the

was

Third

Substance.^

[35

B-36

numerical
until

the

D.

ratios
whole

standing in specified
order,
to one
another, are cut off in specified
is used
soul-mass
pieced
They are
up.
"

These

parts, all

togetherin the order in which they are cut off,and make a

divided
is then
it were, which
lengthwiseinto
as
soul-strip,
each other like the
two
equal bands, which are laid across
'

"The

scionsness."

Third

Substance"

is "the

Unity

of

Apperception"" "Self

-Con-

268

36

'Eirei

Be

Kara

^tio-Tao-t? iy6y"V7)T0, fierk

17

S'

fieaov

ex

icvKKm

Keiaa

xal

re

^iov

opaTov

ovpavov

ical

fieTe'^ovffa

VTTO

oZv

Tpi"v

Kal

ovtriav

eK

T^9

KaX

^vvBe6el"ra,

avrri

aKeBaaTrjv

Kal

orov

yevofievrj

ttj?

avyKpaOelara

dfiepiarov, Xeyet

ravrov

dptiTTi)

ravTov

TOVTwv

aoparoi

dp/J,ovia"s'yjrvxr) t"v

dpiarov

Tov

Be

avTrj

yeyovev,

Kal

re

OaTepov

fioipStv,Koi

Kivovfievrj

dv

erepov.

Bid

iv

avrij

Kal

to

Br)

"ra"fia

Be

Xoyitrfiov

del

voTjTmv

avrjj

efi"l"povo'{

/iev

fiev,

ovrmv,

re

yewr)6evTeov.

rwv

^wtreo)?

dvd

dvaKVKXovfievr)

"')(pvT6";rivo^

oia'/r\a-

Travry

atravaTov

'xpovov.

evrov

irpoaijpfiorrev.

vepiKoXv^ava

rjp^aro

tt}? "^vyfjii

(TafiaroeiSei

ovpavov

etr'^arov

apy(^v

17

^vvayaymp

/lea-'ij

i^codev

iraa-a

to

irav

tovto

^vfiiravra

rov

irpo"i

rov

avrov

(TTpe^ofievT) Oeiav

^vvicrravTi

fievov

irpo"!

PLATO

OF

t"

vovv

air^"! ere/CTaivero

37

MYTHS

THE

\oyov

ov"rui"!

re

e/c

are

fiepiirOetcra

Trpb'i avTrjv,

etfyd-TTTJiraixal

"jrd"77]";
eavrrj"s,

orqi

orav

orav

dv

ri

270

6el"ien

Bif fiSXKov o/j.oiov

6v, KoX ToSe

rovTo

^vvurrap-evto
ttjv

dpM Kal

av

al"vd

eaTiv

'Xpovov

yeyovw

te

Biavo[a"! deov

tt/so?

tr(ofj,aTa Be

64?

trdvTa

fwa

p,ev

aXka

op,oi.oTJ}Ta

rjBr]p-e'xpi, ^(fiovov
m-rrep

avrov

evTO'i

Trpo"s ttjv
vov"!

tov

direiKd^eTO,Tm

yeyevr]p.eva

elx^v dvop.oLm"}.tovto
oiv

\6yov

ovv

Kal

"j"v\aKT]vdpidpMV

eKdaTcov

avT"v

diravTa

daTpa, iiri.KXf]v

oKXa

irevTe

BiopiapiovKal

et?

rhv

yivea-iv,Xva yevvrjOy

'^ovov

creXrjvT]Kal

Btj irapdBeiyp.a
i^

eo'op.evo'i.

op,oio-

Troitja-ai;

6 Oeo^

"7repv"^opd";,
a?
feiv,ema
rj daTepov TreptoSo?

ra

yacTTO

ytrep

TeKov;

to?

eiTTd.

QVTa

Kat

avTov

Bia

ToiavTrjif

yeyove.

eOrjKevel"iTa?

en

Kal
ylyvrjrai,,

ai

vXavrjTai,

e'y(pvTa

avr"v

S"

tttv koI

Kal

39

tis

yap

Kal

'X,povo"{, "^Xto?

ovaa^

dfia yevv7]9evTe"i

p.ev

apa,

"va

to

6v,

tots

p.Tj'^avdTai.

Bvvapiv r}
"

Kara

orj

ov

/irjvatKal

yevevdai,

yeyovev,
Xvo-k

irore

ai"vo^

rovrov

xal

vvxrai

air"v

ovpavov

p-er

irdvTa

"^povov

elKova,

yeveaiv

ai"vov

riva

T'^9 hiaiiovia"i^XKTew;, Xv
trapdheiypM.

avrS

raro^

ovv

Xvd"aiv,

to

Kara

almvtov

6vTa"! irplv ovpavov

OVK

^p6vo";h

38 B

iroiet

KaX

irpoaa-

/ievovroi

ovpavov

yap

tjiiepat

ovffa

iravreXtJi

yevvrjrm

B' iirevoei, kivtjtov

dptdfioviovaav

iviavTovf,
eKelva

Brj rm

elxm

mvofjiaKa/jLev.

"^povov

f^mov "f)va-i"i
ervyx"*vev

rov

iiaKo"rp,S)v
dfia

KWT

ev^pav-

Kai

eTrevoija-ev
vapdSei/yfui
avTO
Tvy^dvei ^S)ov dtSiov
roiovrov
iire')(eip'q(Te
S-uva/iiv

et?

fiev

rjv Svvarov

ovK

Kal
iroifjo'ai,

o?)v

Oeuv

to

tt/jo?

ovrcav

fiev

r)

Kal
al(i"v(,o"}.

evl

vav

TO

diroreKelv.

iv

aihimv

^"v ivoTjae r"v

Koi

dvepyda-aadai. KaOdirep oiv

TTTeiv

PLATO

OF

re
dyaXfia 6 yevvi^"Ta"i
irarrjp, "^ydcrdr)

"yeyovo"!

KivTjOevavrb

'fl? Se

MYTHS

THE

B^

to

direip-

yeveaem'i

Be

fi'^irea
to,

"irepieiXi}"^evai,
Tavry

KaToKonrov

direipyd^eTO

irapaBeiyp.aTO'i
diroTvirovp.evo^
"f"v"nv.

ivova-af IBeai to3

e"TTi

^mov, olai

tc

eveiffi

THE

Now, when

TIMAEUS

the Father

Who

271

begat

this

created

image

the eternal

and lived,He
gods saw that it moved
and, being well pleased,took thought to iSake it
like

the

unto

pattern is
He

seek

the

Being

Eternal

an

is the

which

could

nature

be

not

took

He

wherefore

Being,even

likewise.

any
to

as

even

make

that

as

the nature

of

this

And

the created

thing :
Image of

Moving

more

might be, did

is eternal.

wise unto

glad;

was

then,

Now,

pattern thereof

joined in
thought

far

such, so

this Universe

make

to

Inasmuch,

pattern thereof.

of

Eternity; and whilst He was orderingthe Heaven, He made of

Eternitywhich abideth in Unity an Image Eternal progressing
accordingto Number, to wit, that which we have called by the
Por days and
and
of Time.
name
nights and months
years,
which
and

before

not

were

the

Heaven

the Heaven

brought forth togetherwith

fashioned

created. He

was

He

when

framed

it.

"

Time

been

"

togetherwith the Heaven, so that,having

together,together they might be dissolved, if

created

was

created

dissolution should
the Eternal

Nature

them

befall

ever

and

after

pattern of

the

might be as like
existent throughout all
it

it created, that

was

possible
; for the pattern is
made, and is,and shall
Eternity,and the Image thereof was
be continually,
Wherefore, accordingto
throughout all Time.

thereto

as

this counsel

and

moon
were

the

And

had

He

when

in the

planets,

surnamed

the numbers

the bodies

made
the

orbs wherein

stars in

moving, seven

are

the

and

sun

dividingand safeguardingof

God,

these, set them

Time, the

of

five stars, which

other

created for the

of Time.

was

for the creation

of God

of

each

of

Other

circuit of the

orbs.

seven

'

until

Now,
fashioned
but

Universe
therein

all the

brought forth,all

was

whereunto

of That
kinds

comprehend

of

it

else

itself,
were

been
like ;

made

was

living creatures,

within

had

which

the

yet created,

not

it stillunlike.

was

part, therefore,of the Universe

He
now
finished,moulding it

pattern.
the

as

should

This

in

Time

in the likeness

inasmuch

"

AU

the

Forms

which

Eeason

remained

which
to

the

nature

perceivethto

Living Creature, these, after

Intelligible

finished
un-

of the

be present

their

kinds.

THE

272

Koi

o'X'^tv. elal

elSo';,
Tre^ov Be koX

IBelv

rarov

Be Bvo

Kivqaeiv

Be

irepltS)V

del

avTwv

Be

ra?

Brj T^9 alnai;

fiivef

Be

TO,

KaOdirepev

ttjv

tov

Kwrd

TaiiTo,
koI

koX

iroXov

del
"TTpe"f)6fieva

ifKdvrjv ToiavT-qv
iieetva

taypvTa,

yiyove. yfjv

fjfiepa"i
Trpa"T7]v
e/jLfJXf'VijcraTO,
ivTo^

ovpavov

r^9

Kal

re

TovTuv,

Be

00-0V9

Be

eK

1=

"^6pKvgKp6vo"iTe

Kpovov

Kal

'Evel

eKyovov^.

"f)avepw Kal
yeveaiv

Te

Kal

'Tea"; Zevi

raSeBi

S'

oaoi

Xeyei
"eol

'Pea

"Hpa

ifwv

oaov

av

Br) irpb'}avTov"!
Be"v, "v

yevofieva

eyat

dXvra

"

Kal

T7}6v"!eyevekoI

Te

eTi

irdvTe^,6"roi

ovv

KaS"
"f"aivovTai

oaoi

ea^ov,

yevvr)va"i

KaX

Te

irped^vTaTrivOe"v,

'icr/iev
dBeX^oii'i
Xeyofievov"! avT"v,

dXXov"s

epyav,

koX

Ovpavov vaiBe^ 'O"eai'09

adriv,TovTtov
41

"jravTot;

yeyovaai,

Bid

vvkt6"s
"f"v\aKaical Brifiiovpyov

TeTafievov,

ffeia

fwa

Be,Tpo(f"ov
fiev r/fieTepav, etXXofievTjvBe Trepltov
C

Xv

6"7to?,

aa-Tpav

TavTW

kut
irpoaOevepprjdrj,

KaTo,

dpia-Tov.i^ ^?

q"9

t"v

ev

TavTW

ofioiov7repi"f"opd";

koi

aTrXavi]

o"r

oKov.

Biavoovfievai,
ttjv

eavTw

tuvtov

ovpavov,

teas'

ev

fiev

yevoiTO

Tpenrofieva

Tolf

"f)povTjaiv

Kpartarov
kvkSm

avTO,

exaaTOv

yeyovev

di'Bta Kal

Koi

ovTU

irpovemd^tov

KLV^aei,!;
aKLvrjTov

ireine

fidXiaTa aiiTwv

Tt

to,

TrpoaOev inro t^s

TO

619

KpaTovfievo)'

eKoffTm,
irpoarji^ev

BeLov

Xa/jnrpo-

tl

vavri

tov

rrjv

evvBpov

ovv

fiev

ireiroiKiXfievov eivai

dXfjffivovuvtS

TavTO,

elf],t"3 Be

veLpM"srreplTravra
^vveirofievov,

Koafiov

tov

oirto'i
onrrip^aTO,

et?

Be

Tpirr]

koI

de"v

ovpdviov

fiev

aepoiropov,

ttu/so?

eiroLet,,
re
Tidr/a-t,

eiiKVKkov
iicelva

ex

icdXXicrTov

re

/lia

j^epaalovTeraprov.

wXelaTTivIBeav

TTjv

Seiv
Bievot]0ri

roaavra^

rerrape^,

Koi
"jrrijvbv

he

aX\r}

yevot;,

kuI

Btj

PLATO

OF

ToiavTai
icadopa,

oaai,

ToBe
40

MYTHS

Te

o"toi

fierd

Kal 7rdvTe";,
re

tovtcov

irepnroXovai

oi deal
edeTiMo-i,
6

ToBe

to

B7)fii,ovpyb";
iraTrip
ifiov ye edeXovTo^.

irdv
re

to

TIMAElfS

THE
did He

think

it meet

Now, these Forms

that

this Universe

four

are

273

there
first,

also should
is the

contain.

heavenlyrace

of the

gods ; then the race of winged fowl of the air ; third,

the kind that liveth in the water ; and fourth,the kind that
walketh

of the

Godhead

part of fire,that

most

fairest to look
made

land.

dry

Form

The
the

the

on

it

it

; and

upon

He

might

be

likeningit

made

brightestof

for

all and

the Universe

unto

set it in the Path

and
spherical,

and

consecrated

of the Wisdom

He

of the

therewith,and distributed it over all the spangled

of Heaven, to be a true adornment
thereof.
And
unto

Highest to
round

divine

of the

one

every

go

motion

in the

which

is the

thinketh

the

alway

things;

five motions

other

made

He

Like:

it stand

were

those stars created which

wander

with

uniform

in his

motion,

each

one

divine

abide,being livingcreatures
for the

As

And

about

Earth,
line

the

which

fashioned

to be the

first and

eldest

of the

this

For

the

cause

not, but, turninground

therein alway
place,

own

eternal.
in the

created

wander, they were

from

extendeth

wrapped round
pole to pole,she was
of night and
day,the
is

which

guardian and maker

the gods which
were

of

by

respect

still.

and

nursingmother,

our

in

same

told.

been

hath

which

manner

which

stars

but

and

the

forward, controlled

the

and

Same

himself

unto

one

changing,

thoughts concerning
motion

the

"

without

same

is true

who

same

other

the

of the

revolution

him

of

motion

motions

two

gave
itself the

and
place,

same

and

stars He

within

created

the

Heaven.
******

Of
these

Earth

and

born

were

brethren

and

; and

Heaven

Phorkys

of Cronus

brethren,whose

their

were

born

and

Cronus

and

Ehea

and

and

Ehea

born

were
are

names

Ocean

made

Tethys;

Zeus
mention

of

and

their

and

Hera

of; and

these,again,had children.
born
both gods visible in
gods were
themselves visible
their heavenlycourses, and gods which make
then
as it pleaseth them
spake unto them the Begetter of
and Father
Maker
this Universe, saying: Gods of gods whose
when

Now,

all the

"

"

I am,
are

ye

are

ye not

the creatures

loosed asunder

of my
; for

handiwork, and

verilythat

which

without
is bound
T

me

to-

oiv

fiev

Kal

MYTHS

THE

274

St) Bedev

eyov

edeXeiv

\veiv

ev

aOdvaroi
yeyevrjade,
ov

Ti

to

Bi
ovh

eVre

aXvroi

Seafiov

eri
^ov\'^a-eca"}
fiei^ovo^

efir]";

itrelTrep

Kai

Trdfiirav,

to

Tev^eaOe davaTov

ovSe

ye

apfioaOev

/JLrjv koXw

ye

Kaicov.

ovk

/juev

St)XvOrjaeade

fiev

T^?

\vt6v,

Trap

PLATO

OF

Kai

KvpuoTepov

Xaj^ovre? sKeLvrnv,ol"; or' eylyveade ^weBelo'de.

Xeyoa irpo's
Xonra

dyevvrjTa.

Tpi

aTeXrj"}earTaiC

yhp

to,

Set hk, el peWei

OvtjTa

T6

rj

TO

^v"riv vpelv eirl

ddavaToi'}

avT"v

pjevov

TO

fieXoiTTOv

koI

TTjv

Kal

ovKeTU

a"TTpoi"i, eveipe
ft)?

ek

oxvpcL

KaTo,

0'
Ttjv

eipappevow!elirev
TeTo/ypevT)

Be

Oetov

SiKt)

pia

koI

ttjv
oaov

\e70vptv

irapaSaxrai'

SiSoz/re? av^dvere ical

re

eTri

tov

TavToi.

to

eKda-Trjvw/"o?
TOV

iraaiv,

on

"va p'q

a-irapeia-av aiiT^'i et?

to,

Tiva

avTOV,

SevrepaKal

^frvJ(a^
l"rapi6p,ov"!
TOt?

CKaaTov,

Kal

yeve"Ti,"; "irpwT'q
ti?

irpoa-dev

tov

epffi^daai

(fyvaiv
eSei^e,
vopMvi

iravTO^

avTat"s,

pev

t"v

dXXA
d"a-avTa""i,

SteiXe

irav

KpaTijpa, ev

irpoTepov

p,Lay(ovTpoirov

Se
Tp'uTa.^voT-'qa-ai
E

Kaff

Kai

irpoarfKet,

del

oh/

iva

Kara
TpeirevOe

Kepawix;ep,caye, rk
-yjrvxvv

KaTe'^eiTO

8'

aKTipaTa

t"v

Tpo^ijv

traXiv

iravTO'i

TOV

ravTa

Bi'^eerde.

eiyre,

viroTiMi/ira

elvM

aiiTOK

yevvuTe

irdXw
"f"divovTa

yevea-iv.

e%ei,

d6avdT"pdvqTov irpoavAaivovTe^,
direpyd-

vpei";,

^eaOe ^"a

LavT

vpeTepav

ev

y,

eireadai,aireipwi koX xnrap^dpevo^

eym

ioeKovTfov
D

dirav

ovtco"!

opcovvpav

re

"qyepovovv

Se

ipov

^wcov SrjpLOvpyiav,
pip,ovp^vot

t"v

ttjv

Svvap,tvirepltt/v

eprjv

pkv

ToBe

irav

T6

St

Oeoi";iffd^oiTav.

peTaa-j(pvTa

yevr)

ykvi)i/unavov^

lKavSs";elvai.

ovpavo^

yevop,ev(ov

p^r/

avTm

ev

airavT

TcXeo?

^Lov

Kal

yevop^va

Se

tovtcov

oZv

vvp

Ov7]Th,eri

ivBeiievvfievoi;,
pAOeTe.

v/jLai

/lolpai,

iXarroiTo

TrpoarjKovTa

vir

Te

pev

tow?
eaoiTO

avTov,

eKdoToi,!}exaoTa

Beoi

THE

gethercan
would

alway

TIMAEUS

be loosed asunder

desire to loose asunder

joiinedtogether and
being creatures,ye

the

; but

none

that whereof

whole

the

is

state

save

evil

an

parts

one

well

are

gBodly. Wherefore,

altogetherset apart

not

are

275

from

death

so

that ye cannot
be loosed asunder : nevertheless,
loosed asunder
shall ye partake of death,because that my
ye shall not be, nor
will,which is your portion,is a greater bond and prevaileth
than

more

all those

togetherwhen
ye
Now
give ear
mortal

kinds

bonds

wherewith

were

created.

unto

that which

I declare

yet uncreated.

are

will

parts

your

If

unto

these

bound

were

Three

you.

be

brought

not

imperfect; for it will not have in

it have all,if
itself all the kinds of living creatures ; yet must
it is to be fullyperfect. But if these were
brought into being
made
by me, and by me
partakers of life, they would be
equals to gods. Wherefore, to the end that they be mortal
and
that this Universe
this All, be truly All, turn
ye,
of
accordingto nature, to the making
livingcreatures, having
for an
the faculty,
I created you.
ensample,wherewith
whereunto
it belongeth to partake in
That part of them

forth,the Heaven

be

"

the
and

of immortal

name

is leader

of those

in them

is called divine

part,to wit, which

that

"

which

parts

desire

do

alway

to

that
part I, having
righteousnessand after you
do
Thereafter
to be a beginning,will deliver unto
sown
you.
the immortal, fashion
living
upon
ye, weaving the mortal
crease
innourishment
and
creatures
beget them, and giving them
them, and when
they die receive them again. Thus He
spake,and againHe took the bowl wherein afore He compounded

follow

and

bowl

after

mixed
He

that which

poured

afore

as

second

and

Then, when

of the

elements

the

them
but

"

;. yet

He

had

so

of them

made

one

AU,

and

not

be

into

chariot,and
the

declared

moved,

to

laws

wit',that

for all the same,

should

be

at His

hands

than

showed
thereof
it
so

another,

was

which

are

stars,and to each
to go

the

no

that

Soul

into

up

nature

fixed

appointedthat

that

and

her

unto

took and

He

mixture.

there are
Souls therefrom, as many
as
star he assigneda Soul, and caused each Soul
as

first,

at

as

pure

ing
mix-

quality.

divided

star

this

into

elements,

of the

over

they not

were

now

third in

left

was

All, and

of the

Soul

and

her

of the
shall

the first birth

should

all,having

fare

been

worse

cast

as

opyava
42

MYTHS

THE

276

^dxov

Avvat,

ypovatv

oe
deocre^eo'Tarov,Si'TrXij^

to

ovffTj^

to
Kpeirrov
(}"vcreo)"i
rfj"!avOptoTTtvi]'}

761'os,

Koi

Tov

KeKXrjffotTO avrip.

eireiTa

avar/K-r)'}, Ka\

i^
i/j^vTevdetev

e'/e

^laiav

hevTepovhe rjhovy icaX

Xvirrj

avToii
iiro/j-eva

re

^iov"s,iraXiv

Be
C

eh

TOVTtov

^aXol,

Te

Tiva

ov

vaTepov

ev

TT/jcBTij?Kol
Be

irdvTa

Tfjf

xaKia^,

TOV

fieTaov-

Tpoirov

TpoTTOv

jeveaeto^

ofiolov

Kal

TavTov

iroXi/v oy(Xov koI

^vveTria-TOfievoi
tov

aXoyov

SvTa, Xoyip

aepo"i

KpaTri"7a"i

Kal

7^?,

to

t^?

eh

apia-Trji;
o^LkoltoelBo";e^etai. Aia6e(rfio0eT'^a-ai

aiiToh

S' eh

TavTa,

toXSm

avopov

TOt?

to

iiriKoiirov

Te

eTi

Xrj^oi,irpXvTg

avTm

dvalTioi, earireipe
TOW?

irpoa-

SevTepa yevetrei

eK
"irpoa-"j"vvTa
TTupo? Kal vBaTo"! Kal

dopv^mBr]Kal

tov

a-vvqdije^oi' a-(f"d\el^

Ty

tovtok

SiKTf

ev

aXXaTTOiv
fieTa^aXol Orjpeiov"f)va-iv,

ttovcov

irpoTepov

ev

oiroaa

^vvvofioviropev0el"i

tov

Tr/v

ofioioTtjTa

ael

T0iavT7}v

ireptoS^Ty
D

T^v

KUTct

KaKvvoiTO,

eis

re

Travo/ievoi;

fir)

eh

^v"tlv ev

"ywaiKO"s

Kai

6 fiev eZ

Kal

pLov evBalfiovakoI

oiK7)"7iva"TTpov,

airiot

"irpo"s Se

el /lev KpaTrjaoiev,

Be aBiKia.
^taxToiVTO,tcpaTriQevTef
^ovov

epiora,

/lefiir/fievov

ivavrlm^ 7re"f)VKe
BiearTTjKOTa'
mv

rjKOVTa

to
irpoalot,

^vfKpvTov yCyveadai,
iraBij/iaTcav

Kal Ovfiovocra
(f"6^ov

TovTOK

eti/

Bj) aeofiaaiv

oiroTe

fiev

to

toiovtov

avar^Kiiiovei7)
irpS)T0Vftev alcrdrjaiv

avT"v,

catfiaTOi

fiiav iraa-tv

PLATO

OF

veoK

tovto
irpoayevea-dat,

tov^

iva

fiev

oa-a

t^9

eireiTa

eh

yrjv, tow?

opyava

koI

yaa-afiivov"!
ap')(eiv,Kal

eTt,

S' eh

^(povov.

6eoh
TrapeBonKe
oaov

etrfKaxia^

^v

to

Be

eKaoTtov

treKrjvqv,
fieTo,

irkaTTeiv

"Ta"fiara

rbv

dvrjTa,

Beov
yjrvj^rji;
dvdpto'irivTj'i

irdvO'

o"ra

KaTci

Bvva/Mv

aKokovOa
o

Tt

eKelvoii direpKoXKurTa

koX

THE

278

fwoy,
dvrjrov SiaKvffepvav

to

apurra

Kal

fikv Bt) airavra

eavTOV

Kara

dpyrfv dvqrov ^(oov,

Kal

B7)/juovpyov,
"jrvpoi

TavTov

aiiToX

vSifia "al

emppvTov

fi^v

oiTT)

nrdXiv
Kara

ef

ydp

ovToi

TTjv

Tpo^rjv

irapei'xev,

to

a"fid

a-Tepe^ yfji vypoh

iravTcav

Bid

tovtwv

irpoadevKal
xaro)

Kal

re

tov

Kal

vvv

koX

avw

ttoXKov

dtroppeovro^kv/uito^,

irvplirpocr-

otc

fj koI

Trepirvvov

oKurOrniatrivvBdrcav,

al Kivrfaei^
o'oifiaTO'}

ert

If

oiriardev

ifKavafieva irpo-geiv.

a't
Br] koX
(ftepofievai,
Trpoa-irLirToiev

eK'Kqdfjadvre

^mov,

eire

fo\j7

Kal
dipo^ ^epo/iivcov
KaTokrj^OeLrj,

vir

TrvevfiMTwy

Be

dX6r/(o"i,
Ta"i

kol

e^toOev dWoTpCtp

re

^ia

fiei^codopv^ov direipyd^eTO
Tct

ert

tivoi

'rrorafiov

Kivelffdai

oKov

TraBr/fuiTa
eKoaTOH,

TrpoairtTrTovTwv

Kpovaeie

tottow?

6t9

eKparovvTo,

to

dpiOTepd

KaraKXv^ovToi; koI

TOV

ovt

fxev

yap

B'

ai

irpolevcu

ei"s re

ej(pv'

tou?

to

Tv^pi

Be^td Kal

6t9

eveSow
TrepioBov;
'^vj(i}'i

eKpdTovv

out

d'rrdaa'sKivi]aeii

T"v

dopuTOK

afiiKporrjTa

aTroppvTov.

e^epov, "aTe

Kal
e(}"ipovTO
aTo/cTws

oU

oKvtok

rot?

ov

Bia

t^? ddavdrov

ra?

eKa"TTov,

iravTrj

tov

Iv ef dirdvTcov d-Trepya^o/iepo
^WTij/covre?,
yo/j^oii;

evBeOelaai, iroXvv

Kal

depo";diro

7rd\iv, eh
diroBoOrjaofieva

mi

BefffiOK,dXKa
^vveLj(pvT0

irvKvol"s

a"fjM

iralBe^

a^STepov

tov

xal

re

t"

Xa/SovTes

Kai,

avry,

Xafi^avofievaffvveKoKKtov,

TO,

ol

vor)a-avTe"s

/itfiovfievoi

vSaro^

7^9

Bavei^ofievoi,
fiopta

Kocrfiov

Be

fievovTo"s

Bidra^iv iireiOovro

"jrarpo"!

aOdvaTOV

avTO

iv

BiaTd^cf! efievev

ravra

"^Gef

rpoirov

Tov

Tr/v

619

iit} Kaic"v

rt

yiyvoiroatriov.

eavrm

43

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

eifi

Tr}v

Btd

eireiTa

vtro

"^vyvv
Tavra

alaff'^a-ei^
^vvdiraa-aiKeKX-ifvTai.

******

44

Kai

Bia

oij

Tavra

Travra

rd

irad'^fiara
vvv

Kar

dpydv

re

THE
the most

honourable

TIMAEUS

279

and

that
perfectway, without evil,save
which
it should itself bring upon itself.
All these things did He
ordain,and thereafter abode in
His

Therein

proper nature.

own

He

and

abode;

His sons,

having

obedient unto it,

comprehended their Father's ordinance,were
and
having received the immortal
beginning of the living
which
is mortal, they took their own
creature
Maker
for an
the
from
Universe
ensample, and borrowed
portions of fire
and earth and water
and air which
should be restored again :
these
they took and cemented
together,not with the bonds
which
be loosed wherewith
held
cannot
they themselves were
of
together; but with bolts innumerable, invisible by reason
all fashioned
smallness,they welded them, and out of them
one
body for each living creature, binding the Circuits of
in
Immortal
Soul
within
Body that consisteth
perpetual
influx and

efdux.

Now

the Circuits of the

the

Eiver

of the

the

mastery

about, and
was

it,nor

moved, and

and

the whole

that

violence,so

hither

went

within

floweth

were

with

djd push

bound

been

mightily,neither had
pushed
they mastered, but were

which

Body

over

Soul, having

creature

disorderly,
by chance,

thither

forethought,
having all the six motions ; for forward and
and up,
backward, and to the rightand to the left,and down
all the six points;
did the creatures
go, wandering towards
without

because

flood

that the

supplying their
from

them;

made

in them

therewith

yet greater

"

had

the

contact

of winds

blast

motions

caused

into the

Soul

and

or

if at any

all

these

beat

upon

it

time

in

along

the

through

Wherefore

her.

still are

earth,

overtaken

was

air; and

carried

were

solid

with

fire, or

togethercalled aesthises}and

motions

was

those

with

"

borne

by

of

blows

smoothly slidingwater,
the

them

flow away
that

commotion

the

was

over

thingswhich did strike

the body of any
to wit, when
living creature
itself,and
something without, foreign from

by

against them
happened on

and

nourishment,

and

did swell up
then
again did

great which

was

were
so

then

the

or

by
the

Body

all these

called.

******

By
made
'

Plato

reason

upon
seems

of these

her, the
to derive

assaults

Soul

now,

of
as

the
in

"sensation," from
afirffijo-ij,

passionswhich

the

are

beginning,loseth

"to rush violently."

"t(jcrei.v,

THE

280

ylrvyfi
yuyverai

dvovi

to

pevfia,

-TToKiv

Se

ai

eavT"v

oBov

iaxri

eKda-Toov

ddrepov xal
rov

Kal

avra^

ey^pvra

'

rcov

Bi^Xdetv
Kara

airia^
D

Ta?

Karh

ravra

TO

i"rrl Kal
cwfia

Iv
E

oZv

Be

otrai

KvXivBovfievoveVt

firj

nravroBa-iTa

iraa"v

on

e'^ova'r)'i

eK^alveiv,ajfTip.

Brj firJKOi TO
e"jiva-e,
rerrapa

Bvvarov

7^5

rovro

v^Jn] re

fiev

Kal

ar"fia e"ry(ev, eKrard

yeyove

oXK7i"nveirdveodev

ttjv

Travroi

rov

Kal

Kal

deiordrov

evrropiaveBoaav.
re

K"Xa

Kal

rjfiSiv,(TKeXi) fiev o5v

^

"v6rjTos,

^d6i]

evdev
virep^aiveiv,

Kal

/uj^x^avrjcrafievov rropela,0I9

rov

irdv

fieri'^Of

eaoivro

Bia nrdvrtov
^avofievovKal direpeiBofj,evov
45

to

deoi,
^wa6poi"TavTe"i

Kivrjaei^

d-iropoltcl

avrp

Oeov

Bte^ireov.

"T"paipoeiBe"i
aa/ia

et?

avrm
irapeBoaavvirrjpeaLav

Karavorjcravre's,

re

a?

fidXiara eiKOTo"i

fjfuv -irdvraiv Becrirorovv.

ev

poredevrcov

detorarov
eirovofid^ojjkev,
o
Ke"j)aXTjv

vvv

r"v

rr

ravra

aa/id"Trepl

rovrtov,

ov"7a";,

dirofiifi'ija'dfievoi,
irepKpepei6v,
(r^rjfjua
o

vvv

iropevoiMevoif

Bvo
Brj 6eia"i treptoBov;

eveBriaav,rovro

r"v

dernv, rod

vpovoiai yeyove

fiev

otj

voaov,

Bi
irepl'^V'xfj";,

Kal

yeveaeax;

Kal
ovra
dvTe')(piievoi,"i,

ovv

fiev

irdXiv ep')(erai,

Be irpo

aKpt^ea-repov.ra

Kal

re

^iov SiairopevOelf

Be
yiyveraf "Trepl

fieprj tt;?

"v

fieyiarijv
aTTO^vymv

^
Kal dvovrjTO^
ei"i AiBov
dreXr}";
t^ariv,

Bel

to

iraiBevaeo)';,oXoopdr} Tpo"f"^

rravreX"ii, ttjv

vcrrepd"irore

"Ty(rifJu

opdov,e/uppova

diroreXovo'iv.

Be, j((oXr)vrov
KarafjLeXi]"ra"!

fiev oZv

rov

eiriovTO^

lovrav
"f"v"Tiv

"Trpoa-ayopevova-at xar

^vvevoKafi^dvrjTaiTt?

yir/verai'

eTTiy

Karevdwofievat,
irepi,(^opal

yiyvofievov

KXrjpoi iytj;?re

fiaXKov

Kara

to

ai

ravrov

to

eKarrov
Tpo"prj"s

KaBiaTcovTai,

koI

kvkKcov

rasv

evoeay

awfia

Xafi^avofievaiyaXi^VT)!!ttjv
irepioSot

tJStjtt/jo?

Tore

vpovov.

t^? awfi;? koI

Be

eh

orav

irptarov,

to

orav

Ovrjrov

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

roiroiv

60ev

Kajifirra

dvnXafi-

iropevevdai,

lepcardrovAepov
vetoes

re

ravrt)

THE

understandingwhen
but

when

his

influx,and

the

waters, and
as

time

of the

281

she is first bound

of

stream

growth

the Circuits

go their

own

passeth on,

perfectform

TIMAEUS

of the

natural

Circles,and

are

motion

become

of

constant

more

into

the

is proper unto each

and
the Other
the

and

marking

abateth

they brought

which

body

gotten into smooth

are

are

last

at

mortal

nourishment

Soul

and

way,

then

and

of the

the

unto

naming
Same
who
him
to have
aright,they cause
possesseththem
understanding; and if right teaching also take part in the
whole and altogethersound, having escaped
work, he becometh
that disease which
is the greatest of all ; but if he give not
heed
unto
this teaching,he journeyeth halt through this
and without
and, without initiation,
understanding,
present life,
Cometh
again unto Hades.
But
these be things which
to pass
afterward; it
come
behoves us rather to tell more
exactlyconcerning the matter
have
in
which
hand, and concerning the matter
now
we
which
is precedentthereto, to wit, concerning the generation
of the Body with the parts thereof,and
concerning the Soul
whereof
and the causes
and purposes
of the Gods
by reason
she
pound,
was
generated. All these things,therefore, let us exalway holding fast in. our discourse unto that which
seemeth
most
likely.
The
Young Gods, taking for a pattern the shape of the
Universe

which

twain, within

this

is the divinest
Unto

the

globe,bound the
corporealball which

is

of

Head,

our

parts, and

to minister

unto

hath

Divine
we

now

which
Circles,

call Head, which

all.

them

lordshipover

it,the Gods

are

the whole

gave

compacted together; for they perceived

the Head
that unto
belonged all the motions which shotild be.
Wherefore, that it might not go rollingupon the earth, which
hath
heights and depths of every sort, finding no way of
those or out of these, to this end
they
gave
getting over

Body

which

unto

it the

Wherefore
were

they

had

the way
to make
Body for a carriage,
the Body got length, and put forth

able to be stretched

out

and

to

be bent, four

easy for it.

limbs
in

which

number

that

going about, so
the Body, therewith
taking hold and pushing off,coxild go
through all places,bearing aloft the temple of that which in
divine and the most
holy. In this wise, then.
is the most
us
for thus

did

the

Gods

devise

means

of

282

Sia

Kcu

irpoae^v

ravra

TifjLicorepov koX

avo/jkoiov

Tov

irp"Tov
TO

to
"Trepl

fiev

6eoi,
vofil^ovre'i

T-pocrtoirov,

irpovoLa,Kal

SieTa^avTo

irda'gTy

opydvtovirp"Tov

8e

TO

oiKelov

Sia
C

Se

eKa"TT'r]"i

evTO?

yap

17/iwv

ovk

'^pApa'},
"r"pM

tovtov
ov
dSeX,"j)6v

aXKo

oaov

Kadapov hirjOelv. otov

avTo

t^?

oyjrecoi
pevpu,

tt/so?

irdv
6p,oi6Tj]Ta
D

Kol

a/rrav

"v
to

TavTTjv,

yevo/ievov,

eKeivov,

aWo

^vyyevov^
dWoiovTal

St] opav
ttu/so?
Te

ofioiov

oiKeiadev

t6

TrpoairiTrTov

aiiTO

av

Ta?

/ctvijo-et?

irKTjfftov dipt yiyvop,evov,

htaZiZov

eh

aXad'qa'iv7rape(Tj(,^To

'^"X^'

TrOp

are

Bt

e^diTTr)Tai

iroTe

yap

el"s vvktu

ovk

tov

dvop^tov i^iov

KaTatr^ivvvTai,^vp"j)ve^
ovKeTi

koI

t^v

6p,oioira0e"i
S^

dTOTerp/qTai,'irpb^

aiiTo

"rrepl

Kara

avveaTT)

direhJdovTO^ Se

^apev.

p,ovov

of/u"iov,

irpoi

dvTepeiSeito

tovtwv

P'^XP'''"?'

ampM
7)

otov

ph)

to

Se

toiovtov

to

avviireaev.

efw

tSiv

to

p,d\i,aTa

fiev,

p.eOrjp^puvov
jy ^w?

ofip^Toav evOvtoplav,
ovyvep

evBoBev

rfiiepov,

6p.p,dTav,""rTe

eKirliTTOv

yev6p.evov,
ev
a"pa
^vp,7rayei;

^""i

ytyveaOai.

o\ov

ttvkvov,

ovv

tot

ttu/jo?

tov

eiKiKpivei:i-iroujtrav

irvp

irav,

aTeyeiv

"jra'^vTepov

to

tpaxTtftopa

fiev

irapejfeiv

ep/rj'xavija'avTO

t"v
fiiaov ^v/iiriXi^a-avTe^

TO

Tmv

Se

to

ecj^e,

dp.p,dTcov
pelv Xeiov^ Kal

T(ov

to

Ktieiv

fiev

or]

eivai

aWui.
^vveTeKTrjvavToo/i/iaTa, TotaSe evhrjtTavTei
oaov

oto

Trji '^vj(r]i

tout
ijye/toi/ia?

/iere^oi'

irpoadev.tmv
(jyvffiv

KaTo,

Kal

v7ro0evT""{ avToae

Ke^a\fj";kvto";,

tovtm
iviSrja-av

opyava

iroXv

to

ravrrj

irpoo'Oevavdptotrov.

to

t^?

Trpoadev

to

Si) huopuriiAvov
ex^tv

eBet

ehoaav.

(rm/iaTO";

S' oiriirdep

tow

iraat'

apyiKotTepov

TTopeia'i
Tjiuv

T^?

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

toJ

e^ovTi.

******

46

irdvTa

TauT*

oZv

Tovffi,

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drroTeXmv

Tr/v

iffTl

^vvaiTtaiv,oh

dpuTTOv

TOV

So^d^eTai

t"v

Be

viro

t"v

KaTCL

TO

deoi}- virripeBvvaTov

ifKeitTToav ov

ISiav

^vvaiTia

THE
and

for this end,

all

unto

before

men

is

legs and

were

and

the

honourable

more

wherefore

he

must

from

Head, and

have

that
is

whidh

the instruments

his

body

this

tinct
dis-

reason

vessel

the

of the

minister

should

which

is

which

behind, and

For

forepartof

added

part forward

forepartof

dissimilar.

the

on

fixed therein

that

the

part and

face

put forth and

to go for the most

needs

first put the

they

hands

than

man

hind

the

283

Gods, thinking that

able to lead, made

more

TIMAEUS

the forethought of the

unto
Soul, having
every
way
ordained that that which
be that
hath ability
to lead should

in

is

which

First
by nature before.
light-bringingeyes, and

fashioned
wise.

Out

of that

fire which

of these
fixed

hath

them

the

not

they

instruments

in,

power

after

of

this

burning,

give gentle light that light,to wit, which

belongeth to day they contrived and made a body ; for the
is within
us
fire,twin-born
therewith, which
they did
pure
to flow
cause
through the eyes, having compressed their
is able

but

to

"

"

substance
so

throughout,but

that it

in

made

was

the

thick,
light was
through in a pure stream.

is round

forth, like
without

the visual

about

dense, and

and

smooth

held in whatsoever

light itself strain

When, therefore,the lightof day
stream, then doth the stream, going

and

let

only

the

like,compactly join itself

unto

againstthe

part thereof,

mid

of all in the

most

which

the

stream

unto

that cometh

that

stream

from

within

being blended togethermake

body which is extended in a straightline from the eyes.
visual stream, then, since it is compact of parts altogether

doth

and
itself,

thrust

one

The

these two

altogetherlike affections ; and when it toucheth

anything,and something else toucheth that, it passeth their
unto
motions
on
throughout the whole Body, until they come

like,receiveth

the
we

Soul, and
But

see.

when

is the visual

then

is unlike

which

the

kindred

stream

cut

it
itself,

consubstantial

becoming

that

it causeth

so

in it

that the air hath

is

wherewith

we

say

that

into night,
away
off; for, going forth into that
fire is gone

changed

with
no

sense

the

and

quenched,no

air round

about,

longer
because

fire.

******

Now

these

subservient

unto

into

far

act, as

His
as

maketh
God
which
auxiliarycauses
design of bringing the Idea of the Best
of opinion
are
men
possible
; but most

all

be

is

aW'

diria

yhp

T"v

yfrvxvv

ovTtov

Se

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yeyove.

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ipaar^v

ras

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TO,

avdyKTj'i

i^

alTiav

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yevt],

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Tvypv

elprjadw
ei'Xrj'xev,
47

Bt

epyov,

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fievtov

Te

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evvoiav

e^

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Te

TravTot;

rj^etiroTe

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vvv

eU

axfiekeiav

tovto

prjTeov.

Xeyo-

iravTOf

firjTe

rfKiov fn^Te

vi)^ 6"p6el(rai
firjve^

eBoaav
^V(Tem";^rjTrjaiv

fiel^ov dyadbv

ov

dvtjTa

yevei

BwpTjOeveK

ojjufidTwv
pAyuTTOv dyaOov.

tovto

av

"v
vp-voljiev
;

"v
TV(f)Xcodelv
6Bvpop,evo";

Xeyeadco Trap' '^fi"v avTr)

dvevpelvBapriaaadaiTe
KaTiSovTei;

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oirv

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/iefi7}j(dv7)VTai
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Te

TTTjryvvvTa

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

284

pjr)(^L\6ao(^o"

dprjvoip.dT'qv.
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vov

ra?
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TJJs trap
paKTOii

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

286

hiavoricre(o"s,
^vyyeveh

r)iuv

eKfjuzdovreiSe

TeTapa^Yfievat;,

ovaa"s,

e/tetvat?

\oyia-/i"v Kara

kui,

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yeveaif

TavTa

eiSo";
Tfj";7r\avco/jLevr]";

TO

rifilvKal

\6yq" irapadeaOai.

Tea

kfi^povoiovtq)
oZv

Mova"v

Bei Be
BeSrjfjLiovpyTjfjbiva'

yiyvopAvav
KaTd

TavTy

TreiOov';

"Be
"rre^vicev.
B

irXelaTOK

Kara-

ehodTj,

17 rovBe

avTtjv

Kal

/iiKTeov

Tot?

7rape\r]\v0orat"v

oiv

irdv.

TO

eTrl rr/v

dfierpovev

ttjv

"TvaTdae(o"ieyevvrjOr)vov

/jLevTji;VTTO

"^Sovijv
etj)'

ovk

(TVjifia')(p"ivtto

dvdyK7}"; yiyvo/Meva

ydp

vov

^eXTicTTOV

ToBe

ev

aiiTuv

tu"v

^pa'^emv,eiriBeBeiKTai

48

Sid

aZ

he

rij? V''*'X'5'

rnuv

aXX
So/cei j^jOj;crt/i09,

eavrfj
frv/KJxuviav

j^apiTdtv eiriZed yiyvofievrjv

eVt

ev

fj

"fjiuv
dvapfiocrrovi^y^^9 irepioSovelf

ev

yeyovviav

elvai

fieyiarriv

Bodev

Mouo-atv
irpoa-'xpcoij.evcp

vov

Kaddirep vvv,

aXoyov,

ralf
"f"opdi

avTOi

(jxovff
fiov"Tt,icri"i

eari
dpp,ovla";

eveica

dpfiovia,
^vyyevel"}ej(pvaa
TOO
Tre/JtoSot?,
/tera

aS

SeStopijaOai,

ttjv

reraKTai,

ravra

avra

6eS)v

irapa

eveica

Oeov

tov

ra?

KaraireirKavriiieva';

rifuv

ev

ra"s

ara-

aiTia^,

ovTm^

ipei,

tj

dtepeiv

Kal
dva'X^ioprjTeov,
Xa^ovaiv

"n-poa-'^KOva-av
avOii aS, Kaddirep
erepav dpj(r)v
vvv

Brj m-po
dpy(fl";.
TTjv

ovtco

trepltovtcov

t^9 ovpavov

troKiv
yeveaeax;

dpKTeov dv
"irvpo'i vSaT6"!

THE

TIMAEUS

287

tions of

Thought in ourselves,which are kin, albeit perturbed,

unto those unperturbed celestial courses
; and having throughly
learnt and
become
partakers in the truth* of the reasonings
which
of our
tion
imitaare
according to nature, might, by means
of the Circuits of God which are without
error
altogether,
into order

compose

the circuits in ourselves

Concerning Sound
that they also have
end as Sight. For to

and
been

"

maketh

and

thereto

part of Music

all that

bestowed

this end
the

let the

Hearing

by

also hath

which

Gods

Speech

largestcontribution

which

erred.

thing be

same

the

have

to the

been

and,

is for the service of the

said
same

ordained,
moreover,

Voice

and

Hearing hath been given unto us for the sake of Harmony ; and
kin unto the revolutions in our
Harmony, having her courses
Soul,hath been given by the Muses to be a helperunto the man
shall use their art,not for the getting
who, with understanding,
of unreasonable
pleasure which is commonly esteemed the use
but for the orderingof the circuit of our
of Music
Soul which
into
fallen out of harmony, and the bringing thereof
hath
concord with itself;and Ehythm also,because that the state of
"

"

most

is without

men

given

unto

us

for

and

measure

the

same

end,

lacketh
to

grace, hath

aid

us,

the

by

been
same

Benefactors.

Hitherto

hath

this

discourse

been

for the

most

part

cerning
con-

thingswhich are of the workmanship of Eeason ;

cometh
it set by the side of these that which
but now
must
to pass of Necessity; for, in truth, the generation of this
the concurrence
mixed
Universe
a
was
generation,
sprung from
of Necessityand Reason.
exercised authorityover
Eeason
Necessityby persuading
her to bring the most
part of the thingswhich were made unto
the Best Issue.
According to this scheme, in the beginning,
of
established through the instrumentality
the Universe
was
those

Necessityworking

in obedience

unto

of Wisdom.

the admonition

tell truly how

If any
therefore,would
man,
include the natural
into being,he must
come

this

is

Universe

operationof the
Let us then
turn
Cause Errant.^
back, and, having taken up
this other proper principleof things created, begin again from
the beginning,even
as
we
began the former inquiry.
Wherefore
^

I have

let

adoptedthis

us

search

translatiou

out

the

natures

of ijirKavuixivri
aMa

from

of

Fire

and

Hr. Archer-Hind.

aipov

Koi

re

oJ)v Kal

wffvep

6 6e6"s iv

i\ex0V"ravra

ap^ai

kut

aiirm

re

eKacrTO)

Kal

avaXoya

Tvvv

fierelyev,ovre

Ti

nravra

eireiT

oKKci

aXKmv,

e"

iv

iravTa

ToBe

irdv

rovrmv

eavTOv

irvp

Kal

re,

"irapaKa^6vTe"i
dp'^^rjv
'^vxrj";dddvaTov,
6vr]Tov atofia

aiiTj)TrepteTopvevaav

eSoaav

re

dvriTov,Beivd
D

TrpwTov

fiev

eZSos
Kal

ev

t"v

Trjv

fjBovriv,
fieyiaTOV
B'

to

re
o^rjfid

oaov

rStv

vBwp

vvv

Kal

fwa ej^ov
detcov

fiev

yevecriv

rot?

Be /iifiovfievot,
tovto

fieTo,
ttov

to

(rmfia

to
irpoo'mKoBofiovv
'^vj^rj^

avrm

dvayKaia

en
op/adSiv "pvyd"!,

Kal

^a"ov ev
^xjvearrjaaTO,

irpocreTa^ev.01
BTjfiiovpyelv

yevvrjiiaaL

aXXo

Tovrcav

ovofiacrai

t"v
Be dvriT"v
yiyverai Briiiiovpyo"i,

avTO";

?jv

irp"TOV hieKoa/iriaev,

ravra

dpr)Td dOdvard

avrm

aXKrfKa

ovvarov

ovre

irapairav

ovBiv, olov

el' Ti

e^ovTa

w/ao?

otrrj

y^p

rare

to

rjv

Twv

Kal

Kal

re

elvai.

crv/ifj,eTpa

ovofia^ofievavd^ioKoyov

ra

irpo

to,

aTaKTw;

avTO

irpoi

iveTroLi]"Tev,
oaa's
crvfifierpiaf

fir)

airrjv Kal

7?)? ^vaiv 6eariov

KaX

ird67).

TOVTOV

69

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

288

iv

BeKeap,eireiTa

KaKov

aZ

iraOrjfiaTaej(pv,

eaxjTW

ddppog

Kal

XvTra?,

^o^ov, d"f"pov"

Be BvaTrapafivdrjTov,
iKirlBa S' einrapdrfca6v/j,bv
^VfjL^ovKm,

d\oyei) Kal

alaOrjo'eire

yov

t
^vyKepacrd/ievoi

^vvedeaav.
o

Tt

Kal

fir] irdcra

dXKfjv

Tov

avTa

Bid
rfv

TavTa

fieTa^iiTidevTe^,Tva

Kal
70

iireiBr)
to

TOV
BioiKoBofiovat

yvvaiK"v,

Trjv

to

tov

yevo^

deiov,

Kol

opov

avyiva
trxij^ow?,

")(mpl^.iv Br) toi?

koI
a-Ti^deai

t^? "^v^rji;
dvrjTovyevo"s eveBovv.

dfietvovouttJ?,to
da)paKO"so3

Be

dvTjTOv,iadfwv

"e"^a\^s Kal

eir)

dmpaKi
fiev

Gvtjtov

to

Brj ce^o/ievoifiiaiveiv
to

o'iKTjcriv
to

o-a/iaTO^

KaXovfievo)

dvarfKaiwi

epeoTf

dvdyKt],p^tu/ot? iKeivov KaTOtKL^ovtrivet?

BioiKoBofiija-avTe"s
Trj^ re

Tm

"jravTO^
iirij^eiprjTrj

to

Bk

KVT0"i,

veipov

erre^vKei,

olov
Biopi^ovTe';

dvBp"v x"/'^' otKrjaiv,Td"; Apevai;

THE
Water

and

Air

and

TIMAEUS

Earth, which

brought

forth ; and also the

themselves
were.

natures

As

said at

was

order, Grod

took,

Proportion and
one

in

Por

before

that

there

neither

other

and

Elements
then

of

out

Creature,which
immortal.
Maker

Of
but

Eire

in

these

worthy
first set

those

which

these

things
all of

at

of
in

Living

mortal

himself

is

mortal

are

the

order,

One

livingcreatures
He

of

any

Universe,

divine

are

nor

He

this

another.

one

of the

any

Water
did

of

partook

then

was

itself all

of

which

of

measures

capable,each

were

there

nor

which

all those

respect

was

instituted

creation

the

nor

which

them

those

was

before

was

they

all in

all these

but

hath

them

nothing

names

being named,

Heaven

whereof

was

chance

have

now

which

state

put into

and
itself,

by

save

which

and

of

before the

were

beginning,these things,being without

Symmetry

respect

measures

the

289

and

the
He

to be their work ; and they

appointedunto His own
offspring,
the
followingHis example,when
they had received of Him
immortal
principleof the Soul, thereafter fashioned round
about
her this mortal
Body, and gave it all unto her to be
her vehicle ; and, moreover,
kind of
they constructed another
Soul,and put it also into the Body, to wit thje Mortal Soul
which hath in itself passionsterrible,
inherent
of necessity
first.Pleasure, evil's best bait, then Pains that banish good
and
things,also Confidence and Fear, two heedless counsellors,
Wrath
hard to entreat, and Hope easilyled astray. These
did they mix with Sense that lacketh Season, and Love that
"

dareth

all,and so builded the mortal kind of Soul.

than
was
Wherefore, fearingto defile the divine more
for the mortal apart
inevitable,
they appoint a dwelling-place
therefrom,in another
region of the body, having built an
isthmus

and

boundary

wit, the Neck,

In the
the

by

was

built
a

house

set between

Breast,then,

mortal

kind

nature

wall

of

between

or

them

what

the

Head

that

is called

and

the

Breast, to

they might be separate.

the Chest, they enclosed

Soul ; and inasmuch

as
one
part thereof
they also
better,and the other part worse,
of

partitionto

is divided

into

the

divide the
women's

vessel of the

quarters and

Chest, as
the men's
V

290

THE

6t?
Bid(f"pay/ia

to

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

TiOevref.

fiiaov avrmv

ov,
dvfiov,(piXovei/cov

Kal
avSp"ia"s
T^5 "\lrvxv"i

ueTa^ii t"v
iyyvTepm t^? K"(j)a\f}^
iva

\6jov

Tov

ov

KaTrjKoov

iTTiOvfjLi"v
KaTS'x^oi

ottot'

yevcv,

iiceivov

fiST

ireideadai
koX Xoyip /Lr]Sa/My
iiriTciyfiaTi,
B

Bfj KapBiav

Be

t"v

afw,

ap^vv

irdvTa
kuto,
"7r"pt(f)epofj,evov

Bopv^opiKrjvoiKTjcnv

TTjv

dvfiovfievo";,

tov

alaOTjTbKoviv

Be

To

Kal
E

jSeKna-Tov ovtco';

et?

TT)

fiera^v t"v

TOV

Kal

ivTavOa

del

Trpof

Kal

tov

diravTt

^dTvrj koI
Kud'

ovk
alaOricreav,

Xoycov,

vtro

Be

ei

avTW

Kai

totto)

KaTeBrjaavBr) to

Te

Try

avTo

Kal

avTW
e/M"f)VT0V

elBoakwv

ti

Kal

Trjv

tov

tov

^orjv d)? ikay(iaTrjv

TavTa

w?

ivTavd'

Xoyou

/leXeiv

eBocrav
ovTe

fiev

Tivmv

^avTaa-fmTcov vvkt6";
iBeav
"^iraTO'i

Kovvrj

irdai

pLeTaXajx^dvoitivo^
to

Iv

yevof.

iroppaTaTco

/i60'riiMepav fidXiaTa "yJrv^aycoyrjcroiTO,

tovt^
^ov\eva-a"i

tS

tovtco

'^av^lavirepltov

Ta^iv. eiSore? Be

efieWev,
^xjvrjcreiv

Kal

im
^ovXeveo'dai, Bid
^vp,"j)epovTO";
TTjv

iravTrj

Bvtjtov eaeaOab

to

Oopv^ov

TO
KpdnaTov
Trapi'xpv,

avTm

airei-

Kai

Be ^m^rj/M/jievo
0pefip,adypiov,Tpe(f"eiv

jSovXevo/juevovkutoikovv,
71

oaov

tovto
"f"vaiv,
'io-y^ei
6fJ."j)a'\o
7rpo"; tov

TeKTrjvdp,evofKal

fieWoi

vefiop,6vov

kiroiTO

acofiaTO'i

(paTvrjviv

tos

dva/yKaiov,eiirepti

tcov

iTriOvfj/rjTOKov
r^? '^vy(rj^

iroT"v

^pev"v

re

et?

em.
rjyefiovelv

iraaLV

tov

ttjv

Tpo^

acofiaTO';

TotovTOV

ovv

re

olov

KaTioKiaav,

opov

avT0i";

evBeiav Bia

oaasv

tA

Brj aiTcov

iv

airo

irapaKeKevaemv

re

tov

aBiKO^

(TTevwrrSiv trdv,

hrrjKoovKal

al"7davofievov
yijvoiTO

"K"v

irdvTcav

a-fOfjuiTi r"v

tc5

Ti^v

Tts

tk

Kai

rj

^ecreie to

W9
irapayyeiXavTO^,

i'lriOv/jLi.mv,
ofeo)? Bia

evBoOev

t"v

to

e0eXoi.

eKov

'iva,OTe

KaTeoTTjaav,

Xojov

tov

^ia

Kal V7)yr)v
"f)Xej3S)v
ai/J,aT0^
jxekr] a-"poBp"";

ylyvsTai irpa^ii e^coOev

ireplavTO,

C TO

to,

avj(evo"i,

tS
a"/307roXe"B9

tjj?

sk

KaTotKtaav

Kal

(fipevmvre

Koivy

oiv

fieTe^ov

to

a5

tS"v

eaoiTO

re

Kal

Br/ 6eoi itn^vviarrjae Kal

THE

quarters;
two

did

so

TIMAEUS

291

the Midriff

they put

as

barrier betwixt

these

parts.
That

of

part
and

courage

the

spirit,
loving strife,
they

Head, betwixt

the

being
when

the Midriff

and

wMch

partaketh of

established

Neck,

the

the

to

unto

nearer

end

that,

within

gether
hearing of the Keasoniag Part, it might, towith
the
brood
of appetitesby force,
it, keep down
from
the
they would not obey .the word of command

castle ; and
fountain

when

doth

pass

the

fierceness

the word

threats

that

narrow

set

of wrath

of

the
the

to

the

obedient

and

let

Best

the

the

time

Eeason

being done around

Appetites within, then the
Body, keenly apprehending

become

should

and

is

uttered, should
so

veins

boileth,what

thereof

passages

of the

everywhere mightily
be the guardhouse,so

wickedness

some

system

all the

floweth

they

haply by

or

is the knot

which

members,

sensitive

through

blood

the

without,

whole

Heart, which

the

all

that

them

the

of

through

them

Soul, therefore,

exhortations

and

Part

and

tractable

be

the

gether,
alto-

leader

of

all,
******

As
and

and

drink

of the
things which it needeth by reason
Body, this they established in the regionwhich

nature

for that

the

part of the Soul which

desireth

meat

other

of the
between

the

and

Midriff

the

borders

of

the

lieth

Navel, having

to extend
throughout all this
manger
Here
of the Body.
placefor the nourishment
they bound this

framed,

as

part of
be

the

it

were,

Soul

like

kept joinedunto

the

wild
rest

beast
and

which

reared, if

nevertheless
there

was

must
to

be

Accordingly,that, always feedingat the

and dwelling as
far as possiblefrom the part which
manger
and uproar as
taketh
counsel, it might raise as little tumult
in peace concernand let the Chief Part take counsel
ing
possible,
did they post it here.
the common
good,for this cause
And
knowing this concerning it that it would not be able to
mortal

race

understand

at

all.

Eeason,

and

that

even

if it attained

somehow

unto

of
not
empiric knowledge of reasonable truths, it was
such a nature
to give heed
thereto, but for the most part
as
would
follow the ghostlyconduct of Images and Phantasms
by
night and by day, God sought out a device againstthis,and
of the Appetitive
put the Liver close by the dwelling-place
some

edr)Kev et?

XafiTrpovical yXvKV
"va

SvvafjLK,olov
e'iSaika

irdv

Se

to,
^va'Trmcra,

Kal

d"Ta"i 'irape')(0t,Kol

dirrea-ffaitjj?

bpQa
Kal

vouol

KaTcpKicTfievriv,

re

ev

rovra

to

Xo^ov

KaTaKafiirrovaa
re,

\vKa";

(ftdafiaradiro-

p.'qTe Kivelv

rm

avTO

iXevdepa

ireplto

ttjv

rrj vvktI

p/qre

[lev

irpoa-

vttvov,

fie/ivrjfievoi yap

iravra
y^^pcofievr] Kot
'iXeoiv
direvOvvovaa

re

fiolpav
fjirapifrvy^i]!;

Siaycoyifvej(pv"rav fieTptav,
eVetS^ X070U Kal (^povrjcrem'i

01
tPj^ rod rrarpo'; i-jn"rro\fj";
dvrjrov eTriareXKe
yivo"; "a?

ore
ro
^vvi"TrdvTe"i
rip,d"s,
dpiKTrovet? Bvvafiiviroieiv, ovra
^avKov rifimv, "va d\7]de'iaiTry
ev

r^?

ideXeiv, yXvKVTTjri Se
iain-g (^va"(o";

/jMVTeia'XpcofievTjv Ka6'
fierei'xe.

ttoioi,

Siai/oiaf iviiirvoia,t^?

e/c

Kal

airov

evrifiepov

ov

rdvavTLa

av

^v/i(j)VT^
Trpo?

Xela

Kol

or

Tt?

ivavTia";

ixeivo

Tpaj(y

i^ 6p9ov

fiev

7]"xv')(iav
Trape'^ovaa

iriKpoTrjTOis

Kanoeiv

fiepei,

crvyKXeiovaa
ifK^poLTTOvaa

^caypatjiol
'jrpaorijTO^

KOT

to,

re

KaX

pvaov

trav

KoX

Ty

koX

^irap "^oXcoSr]
"x^peofiara

ofeta? to

vTrofiiyvvcra

irvKa';
ho')(a'i

Koi

^epofievt)

vov

otroTe

avTo,

Kat

aireiky
'7rpoa-"ve')(0el"ra
^vyyevei y(a,'Kem-fj
j(^pa)iievr)

re
^vvdr/ovffd
ifi^aivoi,

Sk

tov

tuttou?
he-)(pp,ev(p

"f)o^olfiev

\eiov

ii'ry)(avr}"Tdfi

iriKpoTTiTa exov

Karoirrp^

ev

irape')(pvTi,

TTiKpoTrfToi;
Kara

koL

e'/c
Biavorifidreov
17

r"v

avTM

ev

koX

ttvkvov
KaroUrjoriv,

eKeivov

rrjv

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

292

8^ xaropOovvre^Kal

to

irpoadirroiro,
Karetrrifaav

fiavrelov,

******

89

TToWa/ct?, oTt
KaddirepeXirofiev
etSr]KarcpKicrrai, rvyy(dveiBe
ravr^

Karh

avr"v

fiev

Kal
ev

f)(rvyiav
arfov
90

to?

^Kaa-rov

Sid

fipw^vrdrtov
prjreov,

dpyla Stdyov
daQeveararov

Kiv^a"i"i
e'}(pv,ovrm

Kal

on

ro

Kiv^tretuv
S" ev
dvd/^Ki)ylrfveadai,
ro
r"v

eavrov

Bio "j)vkaKreov,
"v e^^^oxri
yv/ivaa-ioKeppa/jteveo'rarov
otto)?
Be ireplrov
rd"; Kivria-ei"i irpb"!
dXXrjfKa avfipArpovf!.
ro
etBov^ Siavoeicrffai Bei ryBe,
Trap'"^fiivylrv^fli
KVpicordrov
BeBmKe, rovro
Baifiova deo"i eKoarai
o
817
a"?
dpa avro
craifiari, irpo"! Be rriv
i^afievoiKeiv
fiev "q/i"veV
uKpqi rm
aipeiveo? ovra"s
^vrbv
^vyyeveiav dwo yrj";"fjiidi
ev
ovpavm
eyyeiov,

ovK

vvv

rpLa rpiy^ i^u^'^?eV fjiuv

dXXd

ovpdviov,opOorara Xeyovre^'

ro
t^? ""^v)(ri'i
e"j)v,
yevea-i";
opdol irdv
dvaKpe/Juivvvv
KeSaXrjv Kal pi^av r](iS"v

ydp,
rm

odev

uiv

oZv

r]

irpcori]

eKeWev

Beiov
ro

rrjv

aStfia.

^ irepl"f"iXoveiKia":
rerevireplrd"s eiri0vp,iav

KoX

TUKOTi,

Trdvra
a-"j)6Spa

Biairovovvri

ravra

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

294

avdyKT) OvriT^ iyjeyovevai,koI

jjAXiara
eWeiTTCM/,
Kol
C

are

fiaXiffrar"v

S' a?"

ocTov

iraa-a
dXri6eia"s
e^dirrrjrai,,

deiov

ej(pvrd re
ev

at
KivijcreK

S"

rw

del

Ze

hrj ^vve-jTOfievov
etcaarov

Qeparrevovraro
Saifiova

rov

depa/rreia

r)pZv 6eitp ^vyyevel"ienri

ev

Set, ra?

ravrait
7repi,"j"opai.

rrep),
rrjv

ev

yeveaiv

Ke^aXfi Sie(j"0apfji,eva";
e^opOovvra
rjjj^mv rreptohov;
Karafiav6dv"t,v
ra?
rm

Karavoov/jLeva

Ka\

rov

eireira

Kai

St} Kol

eoiKe
cr^eSoi'

ovrto

Btd

rd

vvv

Twi;

reKo"s

Te

rrjv

irporeOevro's
rrapovra

rov

rd

e-^eiv.

elvai.

yevop,ev(ov

hirfKOov,
Kara

Xoyov

offoi

dXKa

yap

ri

av

rfjh'oiv rb

dvBp"v

p,ri ti?

roiovrov

SeiXol

^aa

j/

yeyovev

dvdyKT)-p,rjKvveiv
Bo^eie trepX rovi

avrw

Kal

e'lKora yvvaiKe";

rov

dv6pwTriv7)"

P'^XP''
'i^veaem';

rravro';

ip,p,erporepo";
Tt?

Xoyov;

rovreov

Trepiiftopas,

ej(ei,v rov
Trpo?

ro

i^ dp'^fll
rrapayyeXOevra

rjfuv

^pa^etov eTnp,V7]crreov,
yap

re\o"i

rrj

-^povov.

Sie^eXOeiv irepl rov

ail,

Se

dpiarov ^iov

Oeosv

oia

e^ofioiStaaiKara

Karavoovv

to

dp^aiav "f"v(7iv,
o/ioiaxravra
dvdpclnroi'i
vrro

re
kui
dpiJ,ovia";

Travroi

rov

Kad'

eKdcrra) rpo"f"a";
oliceiai;
Kai

"iravrbv Siavor/ereK
icai,

rod

xai

d"ava(Tla"; evBe^erai,

KeKoa-fjurjfjLevov

trdvrm'; /xia,to?

aTroSihovai,.

KivqcreK

ravra

auavara

evSaifiovaelvai.
Siacpepovrco?

avrm

hrj travrl

eS

avrov

Kai

dvof^Kr)ttov,

dvdpwvLvr]^van
fieraa-')(elv

are
firjBev
fiepo"; drroKet'ireiv,

Se
D

yeyv/jLvacr/xiva)
t^povelv
fiev

avrov

rovrov

^vvoiKov

Trepl^iXofiaOiav

ia-rrovSaKOTt
aXri9el"s(jjpov^a-eK:

irepXTai

baov

/wjSe crfiiKpbv

Se

rjv^rjKon'rm

toiovtov

to

Beta, avirep

Ka6

iravTairanTi,

dvrjTm yiyveaOai,tovtov

Swarov

Soyfiara

to,

earco

rov

\eyop,evov,

^Lov dhlKWi

ev
rf
/j,ere(f"vovro

Sevripayeveaei.

91 D

yvvaiKe";

p.ev

o?iv Kal

rb

drjXv

"Trdv

ovro)

yeyove.

To

Se

THE

TIMAEUS

flesh,or after contention, and

all his

him

thoughts within

it lieth in

busied

to

become

this ; for this hath

he

fostered

himself

needs

must

him

as

295

mortal,

wholly therewith,
mortal, and

be
he

far

so

cihinot fail at all of

but

if any man
have earnestly
knowledge of Truth, and have
:

the
pursued learning and
his faculty of thinking,he must
exercised most
needs have
divine if he lay hold of Truth ; and
and
thoughtsimmortal
far as
have
Human
Nature
so
part in Immortality,he
may
fall short

cannot

Divine

the

thereof

Part, and

all

at

hath

and

inasmuch

the Genius

which

as

he

serveth
him

in

dwelleth

and
needs be blessed exceedingly:^
aright,he must
is the same
service requiredof every man
alway to wit,
must
apportion unto each part the kind of nourishment

ordered
the

"

he

and

motion

proper

the

motions

which

the

All.

the

Eevolutions

Soul

These

Harmonies

the

unto

the

men

by

the

for

Gods,

which

in

Circuits

us

of

he

regulate
may
disturbed when
the

were

and, by throughly learningthe

make
that
which
of the All, may
is

which

that

like unto

beginning;
perfectionof

was

and

Thoughts

Part

flesh ;

Circuits

and

understandeth
in

the

in

Divine

follow, that

man

Head

the

unto

the

are

every
his

in

Now

kin

are

must

born

was

thereto.

understood,

as

even

it

attain
it like,may
is offered unto
which

made

and

having

that

Best

this

present time

Life

and

for

the

time

hereafter.
Now

is the

which

commandment

unto

came

us

in

the

of the All, even

beginning,that we should declare the nature
the generationof Man, weU-nigh brought to fulfilment ;
unto
of the
for the way
generation of the other living creatures
it needeth
no
be that
tell shortly,if it so
long
we
may
unto
bounds
set proper
shall a man
history. Thus methinks
his discourse concerningthem.
Let

Men,

this, then,

be

said,

that

of

those

which

were
as
likelythat as many
life in
unrighteousness,were
born
the second time.
they were

it is most

passed

their

Women

when

were

born

cowardly,and
changed into

******

Thus
1

were

Cf. Arist. E.

N.

depaveieiv
rhv
TteiovTO. rb Belov,Tim.
Sfby

and

"Women

x.

7. 8. 1177

xal

the whole

sex

brought forth.

and E. E. G 3. (H 15) 1249 b 20, where

b 26 "f.,
echo of the Sre Si dei Bepato be an

Beiapelvseems

90 0.

female

T(S)v

iK

^vov,
avrl Tpix"v wrepa
opvieov^vXov fiereppvOfiu^ero,
T"v
cLKaicmv
avSp"v, kov^cov Be, koI /lerempoXoyiK"v

E fiev,

Be

rj-yovfievav

Bi

dTjpi"Be'i
jeyovev

ex

oSv

TOVTtov

KoX

92

koI

re

TrpofiTjKei';

eXKop^va

vtto
apyla'SeKd"rTcov
a-vve6Xi"f)dr](Tav
TTOVv

Te

avT"v

yei'o?

TO

^d(rei"s viroTidevTOi;

avT"v
d"\"povea-Td,Toi"i

a"/ia

TO

irav

Be

Kal

TaTcov

rj^lwaav

o6ev

avdirvevcriv

easaav

^vvairavToivre

Kul

yeyove,

diTo^oXfj Kal

dvoLw;
reXos

e')(ew

Trepltov

TOV

KaXXtcTTOS
fwvoyevrj";

KTrjo-ei

TravTOf

dvTjTa yap

Oeli oBe
e'lKmv

Bta/iei^eTaito,

vvv

"v.

Kal

j(peia^

0eos

uvtI

Kal

to

^"ov

XeTrr^?

t"v

Kot

^adelav
ofTTpeav

BiK-qvdfia6l,a";
etrj^aTT;?
KaTa

Brf nrdvTa

TavTa

aXXrjXa,

et?

i^Br)tov
^"a
opaTov

Kal

vov

Btj Kal

r)p,lv"^"p.ev

Xoyov

Xa/Scoi'Kal ^vfj.irXrjpo
to,

opaTa

al"r67)TOS,
fieyicrroi; Kal

TeXed"TaTo";

sTi

TrXijyu./te-

fieTa^aXXofieva. Kal

dddvaTa

K0"r/JL0";,ovtoo

Te

dXX'

^"a

vvv

Kal

TTOirjTov,

y^v

fidXiaTa dvoTjTO-

vBaT0"; OoXepav koX

ical
otKr]a-ei";
ea')(dTa";
elXrj'^oTtov.
TOTe

ttoB"v

vtto
""^v')(r]v

ttjv

Ijddvwvedvo";

evvBpa

oaa

oi/S' dvaTrvofj"}
Ka6apa';

fieTawXdTTOVTe^,to?

Kadapd"; dva'jrvorj';
depo"seU
B

ttjOOS

eVi

t"v

ex

irdarf'idKaOdpToy; e'^ovTav,

Xeia?

tok
toii

iravTairao't

evvBpov yeyovev

ox)"s
djjMOecTTdTaiv,

ol

TrXeMVi

eXKOivTO.

ovBev

")?

iroXvTTOvv

iirl ytji iyevvT/a'av.to

IXvaircofieva

Kal

yevo";

TeTupTOV

yfjv

koX

tovtwv

KaTaTeivop-evoii;

avTk

airoBa

ovar]";,

Trepi^opai,.TeTpa-

e(f"veTOKai

/jloXXov ivl
ws
a"f}po"riv,

fiaXXov

Kopv"^a"s,ovrj

Ta";

at,

TavTrj"s

e"

irpo^daem^,6eov

TJ75

^vyyeveCairjpeiaav,

inro

ea-j(pv

iravTOia'i

p,epe(rtv.

KcoXa
e/i'jrpocrdia

to,
re
e'KiT7}BevfiaT"ov

T"v

ei";yrjv
Ke"f"aXa";

Ta?

irepi firjBev,
"fiV(reo}"s

ovpavov

tov

etreaOat
"^efioffiv
o-tiJOt]
t^? ''^I'X'??

Treplra

roi";

Koi

aXKa
irepioBoK,
rfj Ke"pa\" "xprja-ffai

iv

rat?

/MrjKeTi

ire^ov

aS

firjBevTrpoa'xpap.evcov (j)i,Xo"TO"pi

fiTjBe
adpovvTtovTf}(;vepl
TO

B"

ev'n6eiav.To

t"v

ek

airoBet^eis

irepltovtodv

ra?
o-^freox;

Bt

elvai

^e^aioTara^

Bia

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

296

yeyovev,

eh

irepieyov,
apicTO';

ovpavbi

oBe

THE

The

tribe of

witted
that

; who

the

297

Birds, putting forth feathers instead of hair,

the transformation

was

TIMAEUS

of

but lightguileless,
observers of the stars,buff thought foolishly
knowledge concerning them cometh through

were

surest

that

men

were

Sight.
The
those

tribe of Beasts
who

men

considered
no

the

sought

of

their

the

Soul

which

and

of this

reason

their heads

an

help,nor
that they

followed

the

making them
livingtheir four

the Breast,
of

manner

drawn

were

for

Head, but

the

from

sprang

all,because

at

about

are

all

at

in

Earth

the

on

Wisdom

not

Eevolutions

the

guides. By

limbs

walk

of the Heaven

nature

longer used

Parts

which

down

kindred

unto

earth,

they rest them ; and they got head-piecesof

all sorts, oblong,according as the circuits of each, not being
For this cause
crushed in.
their kind
kept iu use, were
grew
under
and
God
four-footed
many-footed,for
put more
props
those which
more
were
senseless,that they might be drawn
thereon

and

the

did

toward

more

all,which

do

earth, since
made

stretch

they

those

fourth
who

men

their

had

most

them
the

Gods

of feet,the

need

any

the earth.

born,

was

the

were

on

of

senseless

most

body altogetherupon

longer

no

kind

the

whole

feet,to crawl

without
The

But

the earth.

to

live

in

water, from

the

lacking in Understanding and

deemed
afresh
them
fashioned
Knowledge ; whom
they who
that
of pure air to breathe, because
not worthy any
more
even
ness:
of wickedthey had made their Souls impure by all manner
wherefore

breathe, but

the

thrust

them

breath

in

the

nation

of

Fishes, and

water, which

depths

thereof
of

From

Oysters,and

gotten for

have

the uttermost

them
gave
into the
down

Gods

recompense

not

thin

pure

air

waters, to draw

these

men

thick
the

is sprung

of all that
of uttermost

to

live in

the

ignorance

habitations.

******

concerning the All

this Universe, having taken unto
is come
to its ending. For
itself Living Creatures mortal and immortal, and having been
been
filled therewith, hath
brought forth a Creature Visible,
visible; the Image of his
are
containing the things which
Now

may

Maker,
Perfect

"

God

we

say

that

our

discourse

Sensible, Greatest, Best, Fairest, and

this One

Heaven

Only Begotten.

Most

Obsekvations

It

outside

lies

separate comment

of this
scope
few of the most

Myth

Timabus

the

on

the

even

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

298

work

to

select

for

important questions

topicscontained in the vast Timaeus, related as these

itself as a whole, but to
are, not only to Plato's Philosophy
Science as
subsequentPhilosophy and Theology and Natural
influenced
by this Dialogue,perhaps the most influential of
(
all Plato's Dialogues.
^
I keep clear of the Timaeus
an
as
Essay on Physics and
of
the
Physiology profoundly interestingto the student
historyof these branches.
it for its anticipations
of later
I do not wish to ransack
of
metaphysical doctrine, such as that of the subjectivity
which
or
not, be taught in the
passages
may
may,
space,
the
vttoSoi^j;.
treatingof %""/3a and
readers with the lucubraI do not trouble myself or my
tions
and

I do not

his like

and

of Proclus

word

say

it.

on

the

about

doctrine
theological

which

store.
exegesishas found in it in such abimdant
turn
to editions of
For these things the reader must
the
Timaeus
Timaeus, and Histories of Philosophy where

Christian

the
is

discussed.
Here
of Plato's

concerned

are

we

Myths

; and

made

in

have

been

been

substituted

with

it

of

the

with

the

most

as

connection

merely

as

one

in the

series

observations

which

other

Myths already
examined
apply equally to this Myth, specialobservations
be numerous
it need not
tion
or
on
long. Indeed, the translaI have
which
made, if read in the lightof these former
observations,almost explainsitself.
More
might have been translated,for the whole Discourse
is a Myth ; or
other
delivered by Timaeus
parts might have
judgment
the

in

here

some

choosing what

whole,

yet, after all,I

presents the

for

and

my

venture

Timaeus

to

translated.

translate,as

I could

judgment
to think

in

the

have
may
that what

had

to

use

not

my

late
trans-

sometimes
I

aspect in which

have

erred ;
translated

it is the

object

THE
of this
which

work
we

Ideas

as

"

299

great Myth

in

the

series

reviewing.

Myth

of

present it

to

are

This

TIMAEUS

forth, in

sets

Soul, Cosmos,
nowhere

and

else

perhaps
to produce such
as

one

vast

God

in

literature

in

the
coAposition,
one

three

composition;

vast

forth

so
they
connection.
organic interthis vast composition

set

are

convincing sense
And
the impressivenessof
is wonderfully enhanced
by the context in which it is framed.
in the presentation
is new
of the Ideas of Soul,
Indeed, what
God
in the Timaeus, as compared with
other
Cosmos, and
Platonic
Myths in which they are presented,is derived from
in which
The
the context
this Myth frames
them.
Timaeus,
as

have

we

the

offers

after

on

the

in

better

see

the

when

Republic.

first five books

order

of the

structure

shall

and

of
recapitulation
Socrates

seen,

Gritias, follows

of their

reach

we

It

a
begins with
Bepuhlic,which

of the

Here
say :
may
State set forth ; now

that

he

Perfect

the

have

"

you
let

see

us

that State

with
its structure.
exertingfunction in accordance
Its structure
is that
of a highly organisedmilitarysystem.
In answer
to this
Let us
it engaged in a great war."
see
and
demand
Critias introduces
outlines the Atlantis
Myth
which
bears
in the unfinished
Dialogue
(afterwardsresumed
in
War
Antediluvian
his name), the History of the
Great
which Athens
representingthe KaXXl,7ro\i";of the Bepuhlic
maintains
the
civilisation
of Hellas
against the outer
"

"

barbarian.
or

the

of

the

Great

with

world

you
the
the
to

the

context

in

sudden,

of

which

the
the

the

were

up

to

give

away

startling

most

outlook

mundane

the

the

company

Discourse,

breaks

Myth

Bepuhlicand

them

constrains

above

the

the

History of
to

all their

the

moment

thoughts

to

eternal.

things Timaeus

First,
cannot

that
a

first five books

War,

Two

on

soars,

engaged, and
the

of

of

context
But

Timaeus.

by

sequence

and

manner,

immediate

is the

delivered

Myth;

from

That

the

have

State
any

understand

must

scientific
it

as

to tell them

seems

part

be

framed

knowledge
of

the

in

in this

the

of the

Absolute

Myth.

Cosmos.
Social Good

Good

You

tiU

realised in

The
knowledge of
Image of God.
the Bepuhlic(in a passage subsequent
ihea rayadov which
the books epitomisedby Socrates in the Timaeus) requires

Cosmos

which

is the

of

the

True

is, indeed, nothing but

Statesman

of

Good

Social

the

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

300

determined

as

the

hension
appre-

the

by

Cosmic

Republicwas to write the goodness

But we
of the Individual largein the goodness of the State.
be
The
must
not
goodness of the State must
stop here.
written
large in that of the Universe : written, not, indeed,
at last be sure
in characters
which
the scientific facultycan
it were,
that
it has deciphered,
but in the hieroglyphics,
as
of a mysteriouspicture-writing
which, although it does not
is the
which
further definite knowledge,inspires
that Wonder
of Philosophy,that Fear
is the beginning of
which
source
Good.

method

The

of the

Wisdom.

But, secondly,Timaeus

far

goes

study of Cosmology
end.
He
realisation of the political
end
is not
Myth, that the political
of

The
may
propose to himself
member
of the State, however

beyond
for the

the

mere

sake

mendation
recom-

of the better

in this
tells the company,
the only end which
man

life of

State and

the

it may

of Man

be ennobled

and

choice-worthyby being viewed as part

blessed life of the One, Only Begotten,Living Creature
is the express image of God, is nevertheless an end in
it is impossibleto acquiesce. The
best-ordered
State
to

more

seem

that

Decline

the

escape

and

Fall which

; and

the life of the citizen

of his

earthlycity.

be

it must
outside
To

in

life of

the kvk\o";
be

ttj?

remembered,

is

If Man
the

Soul

all human

await

as

made
of the
which
which
cannot

tions
institu-

incomparably shorter than

is to have any abiding end
which
lies beyond death,

yevecreoyis}
and

to be

worshipped,by future
generationson earth is an
immortality which can satisfy
and
still less satisfyingis the "immortality" of
no
man;
The
mortality
absorption in the Spirit of the Universe.
only imwhich
if he can
can
a
satisfy
man,
only believe in
it,is a personal Ufe after bodily death, or, it may
be, after
when
he
shall
return
to his
native star,"
bodily deaths,
many
even

''

"

"

"In

Plato the State, like everythingelse upon

to the

other

source

of his

world, whence

all truth

idealism.
political

and
The

related
Earth, is essentially

reality
spring.

This

is the

State, therefore,
serves

ultimate

only far
preparationfor the higherlife of the disembodied
spiritinto which a beautiful glimpse is opened to us at the end of the Republic
(Zeller,Aristotle,ii. 212, Engl. Transl.;of. Rohde, Psyche,ii. 293). The latter
half of the Republic, as
been
has
pointed out, is not before us in the
moral

education, hut also

as

not

"

Timaeus.

or

that

hope,

industrial,or
system, political,
hard, will continue
they have worked

mundane

the

scientific,for which
to

done

they are

when

prosper

the

seriouslywith

ideal

The

of work

which,

gone.
in the

ideal of

personalimmortality:

ideal

is the

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

302

West,

or

competes

now

duty
most

"

TrjSe
OTt
^eiv'dyyeXXcLVAaKeSai/iOviots
Tofs Keivwv
Kcl/J^da
prjfuuTi. TreiOofievoi.

"

II

{Timaeus, 42, and

animals

lower

The

to

woman,

embody

ff.)

(1) man,
beings who

of human

Souls

and

after

created

were

the

91

had

(2)
lived

unrighteously.
Here,
the

Myth

the

raison

in

elsewhere

as

of

Er;

in

"

and

in

Phaedo, 81, 82;

Purification

its

"

Phaedrus

the

metempsychosis is

d'Stre of

Correction

in

Plato,

Laws,

Myth
ix. 872

and

KoTuiaa
d'Mre

raison

; in
E,

"

Kd6apai";,

also

in

the

But we
not suppose
must
Orphic teachingand in Buddhism.
associated with
that belief in metempsychosis is necessarily
and
of
notions
the
/co\a"7t?
Kd0apcri";.Metempsychosis
itself to the
Natural
recommended
as
imagination of man
History long before it was used for an ethical purpose.^The
that
there is a fixed niimber of souls always in existnotion
ence
of bodies
and
that all the
perhaps a fixed number
bom
earth
dead people who return
on
are
people successively
the place of spirits
from
their graves, by some
law
from
or
"

of

"

in

nature

quite a

the

presence

subordinate

place,is

primitiveraces, and

among
of Natural

History
import.

ethical
Now

which

beasts

to

me

that

belief in

as

The

Irish

ii. 96.

ideas

mode

the

of

and
:

see

has

which

difference between

one

generation is

of retribution

intercourse

prevailswidely
merely as an item
generation,and has no

metempsychosis
little of,is

transmigrationstories

sexual

notion

theory of

makes
Kd6ap(Tb"i

and

"

seems

which

is entertained

as

"

it

of

as

which

bound

process

men

of KoXaffK

belief in
to

and

psychosis
metem-

regard as

very

to be entirelyabsent from
seem
purification
Voyage of Bran, by Myer and Nutt,

The

THE
real.

It may
it should
be

conduce

mere

metempsychosis

it

but

swan;

in

re-incarnated

the

to

incarnate
if

TIMAEUS

303

of
Kd6ap"n"i

afterwards

in

generation is
is

natural

to

the
all

man's

body
thftt

of

that

lion

or

is effected
that

suppose

Soul

the

by

Souls

those
which
are
generation of men
appeared on earth in a former generation of men, and will
in some
future generation of men.
Where
beast
a
reappear
becomes
man
or
a
man
a
beast, and the change is not cona
ceived
have
we
as promoting Kadapai^,
something exceptional
of the normal
not a case
metempsychosis by which the human
is propagated,but rather a case
of metamorphosis due to
race
other
some
particular act of magic, like Circe's,or some
like that
which
extraordinarycause
changed the daughters
into
of Pandion, one
a
nightingale,and the other into a
of a
man's
The
swaUow.
notion
being able to transform
another
into a beast by magic is as primitive
himself
man
or
and
as
deeply rooted as that of metempsychosis,but in itself
of metempsychosis.
has nothing in common
with the notion
therefore
I would
belief in
distinguishsharply between
the reappearance,
in human
souls
bodies, of departed human
of departedhuman
or
perhaps I ought to say the reappearance
beings.Soul and Body not being regarded as separate entities
the human
the
normal
race
generativeprocess by which
is maintained
formation,
earth, and belief in the sudden
on
bodily transinto beasts
and
by magic or other cause, of men
beasts into men
an
exceptionaloccurrence.
I think
ought to
Having distinguishedtwo beUefs which
I am
be distinguished,
tamination
conready to admit considerable
before
the advent of
of each
by the other, even
the notion
end served by re-incarnation
of
of KaOapa-ii;
as
an
human
bodies, but also in the bodies
Souls,not only in human
one

"

"

"

"

"

"

of beasts.
We
should

place,if

take

itself in
expresses
dream-consciousness.
and

men

of

taken
at

once

as

men

and

of

such

the

mental
It is

The

Beast-Fable

and

act

into
course

beasts.

is

together;

beast, or
; in

"contamination"

that

Beast-Fable.

the

man

matter

consider

we

talk

beasts

is

it

natural

how

see

which

condition
state

dream

in

which

beast

into

of
in
the
a

which
chronic
which
formation
transman,

is

beasts, in short, are

MYTHS

THE

304

The

mental

condition

of the Beast-Fable
of

expresses itself in the

which

itself to belief in

easilylends

beasts, and

into

men

PLATO

OF

beasts

into

dream

formations
bodily trans-

effected

men,

taking place
supernaturallyby magicians; or sometimes
in a former
that one
who
man
a
generation
was
so
naturally,
is born
again in this generationas a beast, and may reappear
dependent
the originallyinHere
in a future
generation as a man.
of metempsychosis and
notions
metamorphosis
each
other.
contaminate
Metamorphosis, which
begin to
of a man
is properly the supernaturalbodily transformation
"

"

into

beast, or

due

in

natural

beast

into
of

course,

man,

beast

as

appears
man,

as

the

or

re-birth,
man

as

itself into
the place
metamorphosis has insinuated
a sort of metem-occupiedby metempsychosis,and has become
of re-birth
a kind
psychosis; while metempsychosis,originally
includes the
of departed human
beings,now
beings as human
births
notion
of departed human
beings reappearingin new
beast:

as

beasts,and

of beasts

as

notions

the

beings.^

human

of

and

retribution

purification
connected
with the notion
to
came
metempsychosis,the
modification produced in that notion by the notion of magical
be
be
born
to
metamorphosis would
greatly accentuated:
in many
to be more
cases
seem
again as a beast would
from the point of view of retribution and purificaappropriate,
tion,
born
than
to be
a
as
again in the natural course
human
being.
As

as

soon

of

be

Ill

Timaeus,

41 D,

ro
^vcrrriaa";

6
kvei/jLe
daTpoi"{,

/jLOV"s TOi?

Susemihl

(Genet.Entw.

eKaar'rjv

ii.

loc.)think that the Creator

already differentiated individual
ad

ttuv

bowl.
^

the

The

Only

case

of Tuan

in which
male
without

manner

when
Mao
the

the

i/ri^a? laapid-

exacrTov.

Trpos

369) and Archer-Hind

{Tim.
the
to
fixed
assigned
stars, not
Souls,but

yet, undifferentiated Soul-stuff which

the

SieTKe

time

came

he

masses

had
that

of

the, as

compounded
Souls

should

in

be

in Irish legend,may be quoted as illustrating

Cairill,
of metamorphosis, metempsychosis, and
nancy
preg-

ideas

into one
another.
intervention, run
Tuan
became, in
and
Salmon.
The Salmon
an
Bear,
boiled and
a
Eagle,
succession, Stag,
was
who
eaten
thereupon conceived, and brought forth Tuan again in
by a woman,
See The Voyage of Bran, by Myer and Nntt, ii. 76.
human
form.
a

THE

"

"

sown

the

on

these

into

on

the

in

star

of

order

the

Archer-Hind

this

of

distribution

in

turn

fixed

and

this

is

among
these

TravTO?

from

the

least,

will

(in
the
Souls

my

assigned

each

Souls

birth,

are

one

which,

round

the

to

the

earth

and

outer

planets

in
-irptSaTt),

yevea-L';

(fivcriv.

in

that

the

learn

the

the

the

finds

the

tion
explana-

gods

are

assigned

If

of
of

Souls,

Laws

not

the

by

to

i.e.

the

Mr.

stars,

are

Sun

the

that

belief
"

temperament

are,

distribution

says

of

Soul-stuff)

of

masses

distinctly
of

reader

the

Mars,

prevailing

purpose

Plato

gods,

Jupiter,
the

purpose

tiated
undifferen-

referred

varieties

the

what

and

patron

planets,

The

is

the

of

masses

Phaedrus

with

individual

is

temperament.

the

that

what

different

various

derived.

stars

stars

where

D,

loc.)

ad

supposes)

accordance

view,

may

fixed

find

planets

fixed

the

but

in

chiefly

he

of

stars,

only

(as

passage

he

the

Souls

first

(note,

c,

persons
the

to

not

at

252

for

patrons

is

among

Phaedrus,

Archer-Hind,

it

their

Souls

journey

transferred

(Plato,

the

individual

speculative

asks

Soul-stuff

will

these

tiated
differen-

Zeller

that

are

were

Mr.

as

holding

is

earth,
and

wUh

they

it

are

of

in

and

taken

stars

agree

when

their

partake

flesh.

of

of

Heaven,

to

Transl.)

that

planets

fixed

Souls.

and

completion

sphere

the

individuals

as

fixed

its

in

Engl.

391,

differentiated
to

Soul-stuff

305

the

"^povov,

individual

390,

pp.

Spyava

of

masses

TIMAEUS

it

that

is
"

Universe
"

ttjv

tov

PHAEBBUS

THE

MYTH

Context

The

Socrates and

has

lover

Socrates
delivers

he

has

deliver
The

sanity of

is indeed

the

of

madness

inspiration
the fivaT7j"i,
the

and

Myth

The
which
the

her

it

subject
"

is

piece,which
the

non-

performance, and
in

dispraiseof

rises to go

Familiar

now

the

but

away,

Spirit,and

Madness

stays to

is

the

the

he

gift of
the

religiousexaltation
Love

by

the

the

is

with

the
is

the
There

prophetic

from

"

third

which

enlarged,

God.

first

derived

/xavriKij,

had

compared

as

madness:

name

is

which

says,

initiated person;

or

fourth

winged for

same

the

of

non-lover, on

divine

the

second

the

shows;

the

of

as

"

the

of his blasphemousdispraiseof Love.

lover.

kinds

four

rhetorical

of

non-lover.

paltry thing,he

much

or
Saifioviov,

Eecantation

the tank

plane-treely

finishedhis speech,he

his

stopped by

side
togetherout-

the lover.

the

speechon

walk

by Zysias,in praise of

think

not

praiseof the

When

are

does

better

lover and

is

delivered

distinguished
from

as

Love."

and

take

to Socrates

reads

Just heard

Mhetoric

"

Phaedrus

rest under

Phaedrus

There

is

the young

Walls, and

the

he

Phaedrus

subjectof the

fiaviKr),

feeling of

poeticgenius;

immortal

Soul

is

flightto Heaven.
describes

presents as

Beautiful,and

the

the

the Good

birth

nisus
"

in
306

of
one

and

the

growth of
Soul

word,

as

this

after the

Love,

True,

Philosophy.

THE

When

the

returns

which

is

of
gift

such

of

Rhetoric,

on

Let
"

le

is

Rhetoric

Eros.

To

and

Truth,

the

Genuine,

Truth.

based

that

Lysias

he

ahle^
on

to

with

really

good

Philosophy

this

deep

speaker,
it

to

the

and

in

mind.

Speaking)

his

"

the

of

sense

man

must

audience.

kind

highest
which

Philosophy

and

resumed,

Public

of

recommend

enthusiastic

keep

is

Art

the

or

Socrates

iy

307

conversation

of Rhetoric,

discussed

of

MYTH

finished,

is

subject

now

importance
know

Myth

the

to

PHAEDRUS

is

the

A-257

Phaedrus, 246
oZv

Tiepbfiev

246

wSe

irdvTioi' deia,"selvai
xal
re
avdpca'jrivTi';

eoiKev,

'EotAceTO)

re

""mroiv

Be
"
/j,aKpd";Sti^Yijcrew?,

koX

i\arTOVO";.

iTrirot

wyadol icaX ef dyaO"v,

irp"TOV

Be

oSv

fiev

rjiJMV

/JLev

pki) avrw

i^ ivavrioav

aXXcov

dddvarov

^"ov

e/e

clKKot
irepiiroKei,
C

otiv

Kol

oiHfa

\a^ov"ra, airb

e"Tvev

avro

del

Sjj,oirr)

Be
rS

^coov,e^ov

ravra
')(p6vov

6em

*"**

rriv

IBovre^ opff"
ixavw

fikv-ylrv^vv,
ej(pv

ej^ero)

"v

yqivov

dvtjrovr

i^ li/o? \6yov "KeXoyi-

^vp^ire^VKora.'AXKa

(jiiXov,
ravrrj

rov

eKeiv7}";
Bvva/iiv,

"yS"fia
trayev,

Bk ovB'

trXarrofiev,ovre
re

Bih

17

fiev

iravra

KaroiKi"T0eiaa,trmfia

Kivetv

dOdvarov

eirmvvfiiav

[Oeov] dddvarov
rov

Bokovv

koX

reXea

ea?
"f)epeTai,,

"nTepoppvijacura

^VfiiraveKKrjdr),
-^^^V

TO

apAvov,dXKa
D

Be

irdaa

Be ovpavov

iravra
dtlrvyfpv,

avnXajSTjrai, ov

tivoi

vrepeov

17

Ovtjtov re

e'iBeai yiyvo/ievt].

aKKoi";

Bva-Ko\o9

elireiv.

iTTTepeofiivT]
re
fieTewpoiropel

BioiKel'

KOfffiov

^"ov

ev

tSiv

Toiovrwv,

Br) Kal
j^aXeTr^

skXtjOt},
Treipareov

tov
eirifieXeirai

'^vvTj "travTo"i

koX

fiefiiKTai.

i^ dvdyKri";
XlrjBr) ovv
'f)vio')(r](Tt";.
17 wepl "^p,a"i
Kal

airoi,

"jravT"";
"^vio'xpi

Koi
Ko/yaBo'i

re

evavTlo^.

koi

xal

^evyov"sre

elra
^vv(opLBo"s
"^vio'^ei,

ap')((ov

KcCKot

re

Bk t"v

ohv Xefwpsv.

ravrr)

ical

re

to

fdv ian,

olov

XeKreov

hi] ^vfi^vrm Bvvd/jLeiinroirTepov

0eS)v
rivi,6j(pv.
B

ddava"ria"; avTrj"{iKavw.

TLepl Se tj)? lhea"saur^?

wavTr]

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

308

re

xal

vo'^aavre^
Be

a5"iia,

ravra

XeyeaOa.

fiev

rifV

S' atriav

Tr}"; t"v

Xd^ufiev,

m^vKev

Treplto

xal

re
St) rpe"j"eTai

KaX

Be
al(ry(pm

SioWvTar

eXavvav

KaX

TTT'qvov

iv

6e"v

oiK^

evBeKa

ivTo"s
Bce^oBoi,

"j"eTai,
irpaTTtov
ideXoav

tb

koI
oTav

KfTUTai.

viro

aKpav

rjBrj. Tct

KaKfji;

fiev

6eoX

ap^fovTei;
/j,ev oiv

6e"v

a?

KaX

dddvaToi

ovpavov.

deSiv

'

017

oai/ra

w/jo?

demv
to,

Be

ev'^aTO';

Ta^iv
deal

re

aXXa

yap
Kai,

fioyK'

Be

eireTai,

e^co Oeiov
67ri

tw

av

tov

7repidr/ei
rj irepi^opa,ai

re

Lcoaiv,

ooivqv

Trpos

tjvio'^cov.
irpoKevrau

"rrpo's aKp^
ovpavov

Be

koI

evOa

ai

aet

'^(ppov

avavTe";

ovTa

fipiOeiyap

yfjv peirmv

-^vy^

rjv

/cat

Id'oppoirco';
oj^fifiaTa
evrjvia

KaXovfievai, rjvlK
eirX

BcoSeKa

evSaifiovcov
eiriffTpe-

virovpdviovcu^^lBairopevovTat
odv

'EoTta

t"v

reo

ev

Koi

re

yap

/levei

avTov.

Bvvdfjtevo';
^dovot

"TTopevdelcai
eaTrfaav
avT^f

SiaKotr/i"piravTa

fiMKapiat

koui

Zev"{

ovpav^

"^yovvraiKaret

to

t"v
?! Te6pafifievo";

ar/aiv

offoi

yevo"s

avT"v

re
"^6i,vei

aTpana

oKKtov

eirX Tr)v
Itttto?fjLeTij(a)v,

o5 fir) KdXS""i

Be

t"v

eKa"TTO"s

oe

ttjv

eireTai

-i^vj^rii;

t^?

to

'^yefiwvev

fiept} KeKoa-firjfievT}.

ovpavov,

paSieo^TTopeveTai,

Te

B'

tovtok

evavnoK

Toi^

iropeveTat,

Trpwro?

iTay^dr).TroXXaX

eKoaTO'i

toiovtov.

ti

Kal

KaKW

Si

he
deiov \_'^V')(ri\.
to

tov

irav

St/ fieyai

fiev

dp/ia

apidfjM TeToyfjievoi,

koL

dva

ar^eiv

KeKoivatvrfKe

av^eTat fjboKia-Ta
Kal

fiovr}'

oIksI,

yevoi;

a"fia

eirifieXovfievo^'Tm

Kwrci
Saifjiovtov

247

Oe"v

t5"v

ayadov
"ro"f"6v,

detov KaXov,

ifi^piOh

Svvafiti to

irrepov

17

/MoKia-Ta t"v

TTTepcofia,

roidBe.

rts

rj to
fjLereapi^ovcra,
irrj

St ^v "y}rvxV'S
aTro^oXii"s,
aTTOppei,

irrepuv

Se

eari,

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

310

^apvvwv,
Bi] irovo^
ft"v

yeviovTai,
vmTtp,

decopovcnto,

tjJs

yhp
e^ca

a-Td"Ta"sBe

e^"u

tov

THE
God

; but

of

the

Soul sheddeth

PHAEDBUS

off
falling

MYTH

of the

them, let the

wings, and
be

cause

311

discovered.

now

after this wise.

The
which
Gods

of

heavy

dwelleth

that which

It is

wings consisteth

in the power
of lifting
that
into the height where the generationof the

up
; and

wings, amongst
largestportion of that which

belongeth the

the

"

nature

is

wherefore

is of

unto

God

hath

the

bodily parts,

is of God.

Now

beauty,and

wisdom, and goodness,

all perfection;by these, therefore,the growth of the

and

wings of the Soul is chieflynourished and increased

by the things which are contrary to these,to wit,by
hateful

and

evil,are

her

wings

caused

aU

things
utterly

and

pine away,

to

; whereas

destroyed.
Zeus,
his

upon

seeth all
in

eleven

the

the

great Captain of the Host

winged chariot, rideth

things. Him foUoweth
orders

Gods; but

of the Twelve

for

"

Hestia

all the
go

forth

other
and

Heaven, mounted

of

first and

disposethand

the army of Gods

alone abideth
in

Gods
lead

which
each

and Daemons
the House

of the

are

the

one

over-

of

number

order

whereof

he is

appointed to be captain.
Many holy sights there be
Gods in their courses
passing to
of Heaven, each
one
doing his
willeth,and
the

is able, foUoweth

Heavenly
Now,

is ever
The

; for

as

often

to

as

and

whosoever

standeth

afar from

the

they

of

hand

other

labour,for the Horse

which

is

ever

inclineth

brought

Herein

towards

him

standeth

into

the

exceedinggreat and
The

Souls

which

Charioteer, accomplish their

the

the

to

Envy

firmament

Choir.

journey easily;but

hath

business

own

of blessed

go to eat at the banquet, their path

the roof of the Heaven.
up by the steep way close under
Chariots
of the Gods, going evenly and
being alway

obedient

and

for eye to behold

and
the
fro within

the

Chariots

by

nature

hardly, with
froward

Earth, and, except

draweth
subjection,

cause
sore
are

is

to

which

the
are

Soul

the

as

the

called immortal, when

weight,

Charioteer

Chariot

of trouble

prepared for

great

and

down.
trial

her.

they

are

come

stand
and
top of the Heaven, journey out therefrom
the Eoof thereof without, and standingare carried round

the

upon
by the circuit,and
Heaven.

behold

those

things which

are

without

the

Be

Tbv

ryBe

oSy

ToKfvrjTeov yap

ovaLa
ava"f)ri"i

TovTov

tottov.

tov

eyei

TO

aywira

re

KVK\(p

av

eh
7rept"f)opa

vepioBm Kadopd
"rvvr)v,
E

?!

eaTi

KaXov/iev, dXXd
Kal

ev

ToXKa

TOWS

Kal

TOTTOV

"v

ecTiv

ov

to,

el"! to

avTrji;

0UT09

TTJV

de"v

/lev

ovtu

eTrofievrj Kal

Ty

ovB

ovTiov

6vT(o"i iTrtaTTjfiij
Kal
OeatraftevT]

tov

oixaBe

ovpavov,

fjvlo'vo";
Trpoi

ovtu-

f] Be

'Cirirav

Be

(pdTvr/v

ttjv

Kal

to,

TOTe

fiev

fiev
airaaah

etr

axiTy

B'

elBe, to,
avm

Be eBv,

eTipa

irpo

ttj?

ai

ov.

sTTOVTai,

iraTova-ai
^vfiirepL^epovTai,
vTTo^pv')(i,ai

^aXKovaai,

ifruxai,
t] fiev

eTepa";

e^eo

tov

"TV[nrept,-r)ve')(6
ttjv

tSiv Xtrirmv Kal

?ipe,TOTe

tov

aXKai,

eh
virepripev

eiKaa-fievr)

r]vi,o')(pv Ke"pa\yv, Kal

TOV

yXi'^ofievai
fiev

Be

ev

yfiel"}vvv

ovtco"s

e'iaw

ySto?. al

inrb
Oopv^ovfievr]
irepi^opdv,

T"v

eviraaei, ew"i

yevea-i"! irpoaetTTiv,

re
irape^aXev dfi^poaiav

oTT^aa^

dem

apiffTa

to,

Kol

ov

eiroTure.

veKTap
248

irdXiv

to

j(povov

irepieveyKji.

o^cra

tw

ma-avToi^

e\6ova7)";Be

iTTTrov?

eTepm

iv

ttjv

eanadelcra, Bv(ra

^Xdev

Bia

BiKaioavvTjv,
Kadopa Be acotfipo-

/lev avT-qv

erepa

KaX

re

va"

^crr]"v
'"^V'xfj'"'

aTracri;?

TavTov

Be e7ria'Ti]fjLr]v,
ov^

Kadopa
ttov

ovaav

Biavoia

o?iv Oeov

ar

ToKfjOrjTpe^eTai
Oecopovcra

7)

aa-)(riiia-

aXijOov';eTria-T'^/j/rj'i
tPj";
yevoi

to

Be^aadai,,IBovaa
Trpoa-fJKOv
koX

Kat

Kv^epvqry
i^V}(ri";

ovcra

ical
i-ma-T^liy
aicrjpdr^rpe^ofievrj,

IMeXKr)

re

Kal

ccxprnfi^Toiire

ovTm'i

6eaT7) i"63- T-epltjv

Ii6v(p
D

yhp

rj

Be mBe.

exei

aXrjBe';eiirelv,aKX(o"i

ye

to

Xiyovra.
irepXaX'q6eia"i
KoX

a^iav.

r"v

ttio

vfivr/a-e

Tt?

Trod' v/iv^a-ei,
kut

TToirjTr]'; ovre

Tia-TO"i

oiire

povpdviov roirov

V7re

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

312

fi6yi"s
Kadop"aa
^la^ofiivavBe
Be

Br) dWat

oBvvaToverai,

aWT^Xa?

koX

Be

enrt-

yeve"r0ai.
"jreipcafiivT}

THE

PHAEDBUS

Now, the Place

hath

praised,nor

ever

after this wise

Truth

shape,and

Governor

of

Substance, in
of God
the

Which
feedeth

what

to say

Part

is true

concerningit.

is

wherewith

for herself

undefiled.

Is, it

poet here

no

Verily Is,which hath no colour and

hand
cannot
touch, is comprehended only by the
the Soul, to wit, by Eeason.
Bound
about
this
this Place, dwelleth True Knowledge. The Mind

food convenient

Knowledge

Heaven

which

yea, that

"

the

praise,worthily. The Place is

whose disc(ftirseis concerning
especially

bold

Substance

is above

313

shall

for he

make

must

The
no

which

MYTH

"

Wherefore

and
satisfied,

it, and

every Soul seeketh

and
is fed with
Eeason

after
True

beholdingagain at last
sightof That which is

the

That
True

glad, until the circuit shall have

In the
Place.
again unto the same

it

maketh

brought the Soul round

journey round the Soul beholdeth Justice Itself,she beholdeth
True Knowledge : not that
Temperance Itself,she l^eholdeth
and differeth in respect
knowledge which is with generation,
different of those
unto
we
now
things concerningwhich
say
in
That
standeth
that
they are
; but the knowledge which
which
Verily Is. The Soul, then, having beheld these and
also all other
Verily Are, and having eaten
things Which
of this feast,sinketh
down
again into the inward part of the
"

"

Heaven

and

cometh

is come,

the

Charioteer

manger,

and

giveth them
This

home

casteth
to

nectar

is the

the

without

the

of

head

before

her

firmament,

thereof,being troubled

to

stand

at

the

thereafter

and

them,

she

drink.
Of

Gods.

is carried

the

by

round

Horses,

and

soever
Souls, which-

like unto

most

the

into

lifted up

Charioteer
and

other

the

is made

best, and

God

Horses

the

ambrosia

life of the

followeth

keepeth

maketh

when

And

House.

her

unto

with

Him,
Place
circuit

the

hardly beholding

for
the Soul which
Are ; after her
Things Which
lifted up, and then
a
space keepeth the head of her Charioteer
again sinketh down, and because of the violence of the Horses,
she seeth not.
seeth some
of the Things Which
Are, but some
cometh

the

Beside
after

and

these

that which
are

there
is

above,

carried round

trampling upon
and pressingon

one

but

sunken

another,

for to

other

follow

are

not

beneath
and

outstripone

which

Souls

able to
the

all do
reach

face of the

strive

unto

it,

Heaven,

running againstone another,

another, with mighty great

oiu
06pv^o"i

Srj

KaKia

TroXXal

rfvioymv

dreXeZ? t)}?
'

TodipfjSo^atTTr}yp"vTai,
ISelv TreBiov
aXri9eLa"i

Be

ex
apiara vofii)

TOV

Bij irpoariKOvaa

re

Oe^ fwoTraSos
'"^v')(ri

'

KorLBri

yevofievT)

etvai
irepioBov

KaL

Tore

vofioi;

Bwr/Tai iroietv,del

tovto

koI

IBovaav

619

"^
(f)i\oKaKov

TavrriP

firj

dvBpo^

yovr/v
fiova-iKOV

rti/os

eirl Trjv

fiev

rrTi^laTa

(jiiXoao^ov fj

iptoTiKOV,
ttjv

Be

Bevrepav

^a"TiKe(o^ ivvofiovrj iroXe/iiKOv Kal dpj(iKov,

TpiTTfv

iroXiTiKov

649

rj

rti/o?

^iXoTTovov

ia-ofievov,
irefiiTTrjp
e^ovaav

rj

/jmvtikov

7rot7jTt/co9

eKTy

irepl (TWfiLaTOV
^iov

rj t"v

airaaiv

i?
os

Brip.oKoiriKO'i,
evvaTrj
fiev

Tiva

TeXeaTiKov

Tiva

oyBorj "ro"f)i-

yempyiKot;,

TvpawiKOf.

ev

Be

tovtoi^

Bi,Kai(o";
dp.elvovo'i
Biaydyr),
/ioipa"i
fieTa-

av

^9 S'
XafJi^dvei,

fj

XaaLv

dWo9
ireplfiL/jurjo-iv
Tt9

^
dpfioaei,e^Bo/iijBrifiiovpytKov
"3"Tt"09

eh

fj j^7;/iaTtffTt/co{),
TeTdprijv

oiKovofUKOV

yvfivaaTiKov

iSr/,

vXrj-

KaKia"i

Trjv

yevijcrofievov

Kal

fir)

(fjvTevaaieli p/tjBefuav

aWh
yevicrei,
tj} irpdaTri

Orjpelav
i^iatvev

''^5 erepa^

Kal
re
^apvvdelaaBe irTepoppv^a-T}
/Sapvvdy,

'ffjvTretrri,

"t?

'''^

dBvvaT'qaaaa eina-Treadai

Bk

OTav

del

re
avvTv^ia ^(pria-afievr)\i^6r}"s

Tivi

aOelffa

k"v

avqfiova,

d^Xa^i) elvaf

aXr]6"v, p-^xpi-

t"v

tl

av

rjTii

re

r\

rpe^eTai,

"^vvh Kov^i^eTa^ toutm

oBe,
re
decrfi6";
A.BpaaTeia";

to

"^w^^?

Xet/iwi/osTV^yaveiovaa,

ixel

rov

aireKuova'ai,

evejf^ ij irdKK.ricttovot)

ia-riv,rj

ov

dtvavi, S

TTTepov

oii

Se

nroKKaX

'ixovaaiirovov

ttoXvv

6ea"; a/irep^ovTai, Kal

ovto^

tov

"^tSKtvovrai,

jJ^v

iraaai
Trrephffpavovrat'

TToWa

TO)

IBpwi "trxaro"! yiyverai. ov

cifjuWa koX

Kal

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

314

dv

dBiKtoi;,xi^ipovos.

THE
sound

of tumult

PHAEBRUS

and

of the unskilfulness
and

have

of the

sweat

of the

MYTH

Now

their

these

broken

desire to
the
in

the

see

the

are

pasture convenient
Meadow

the

That

the

power
Soul is lightlycarried up, is nourished
Adrasteia
because
hath
made
decree
a
hath

the

been

Which

companion

of

God, and

Are, shall be without

journey round
alway behold

they
of

turn

vehemently

so

is

Truth

because

Soul

groweth
wings, whereby the
by that pasture ; and

of

that

seen

the

Soul

of the

some

affliction all the time

which

Things

until another
if she

her ; and

beginneth for

the Heaven

Is, and

of the

Part

the

reason

maimed,

are

Which

Plain

for the Best

there, and

Souls

wherefore

where

here, by

all*greatlytravailing,

; and

seen

causes

Place

; and

race

Charioteers,many

wings
depart uninitiated,not having
them
to the food of Opinion.
many

315

can

hurt alway :
Things she shall be without
but when
Those Things aforetime, is now
a Soul, having seen
seeth them
not able to follow, and
not, being overtaken
by
and wickedness,
evil chance, and filled with forgetfulness
some
and
the feathers of her
made
heavy so that she sheddeth
wings and falleth unto the Earth, then the law is that she
first
in the
shall not be planted in the body of any Beast
generation: but the Soul which hath seen most shall pass into

the seed

of

Wisdom,

Muses,
enter

and

seed

shall enter

into the

sake

of

seed of

the

crown

the diseases of the

life of

body
Prophet or

the life of

Poet

the
.

the seventh

the

or

some

life of

the

; the

Soul

of

or
victory,

; the

Soul

which

Priest ; unto
other

Workman

of

the

cometh

which

is fourth

which
endure

shall be

hardness
healer

of

is fifth shall have

sixth shall

the tribe of
or

self
busy himstewardship of a

shall

who

man

of

shall

who

man

with

City,or

merchandise

with

or

the
shall

second
or
justly,

Soul

; the

Host

the seed of

affairs of

household,
for the

of the

into

shall rule

True
of

Friend

cometh

which

who

King

Commander

the

with

of

Beauty,

the

after

Seeker

True

Soul

the

Lover;

shall enter

become

after the

Seeker

the

into

shall

who

man

True

Warrior
third

Those

Husbandman

belong
Copiers; unto
; unto

the

Sophist or Demagogue; unto the ninth

walketh
the life of a Tyrant. In all these lives,whosoever
walketh
righteously,
unrighteouslyhath a better portion; whosoever
eighth

the

life of

worse.

Ek

fivpiwv ov

erwv
a"f"ucveiTai

rov

0Cov

KpudelaaiSe ai

8' eh

al

eiri
ov

fiiov.

Ka\

KKrjpmaCv re
idiXr)

av

Se

tw

a^iKvelrai,Kal
"yjrvx^tj
eh

rraXiv

ToSe

ev

iror

vrrepihovaaa
Sio

oj/Tft)?.

Bidvoiw
7rpo";

elvai

fievot,

Se

Br) BtKaico'!jjbovr)

Trpoi

ycLp

Qeloi

6vra"";

/j,ovo"i

Be

roh

eari.

reXeov"s

co?

^iXoffocfyov

rov

Bvvafuv,

dvr/p

Brj roiovroK

d^l

TroXXav

rm

ov

reXerd";

reXovrwv

6el"pyi,y'vofieyo";,

irapaKiv"v,evdovatd^oDv

XeXrjOe roin; ttoWous.

"Ea-T". S^ otiv

Tij?

r"v

ro

Be
yiyverai. e^icrrdfievo";

vovderelrai
Be

dvd/wqai^

fivijfir) Kard

7rpo"s

viro

et?
aladtjaetav

i"Triv

fj

rrrepovrai

Kal
dvdpiomvasv irirovBaa-fidraJv
/lev

rrjv

avOptOTTOv

dvaKvylraaa eh

e/cetVot?dei iari

olarrep6eo"; wv

reXeo";

IBovcra

yap

lav

rroXX"v

Kal
(jjafiev

viro/Mv^fiacriv
op9Si"i
'^pwfjxvo^,
D

firjirore

ye

0eS
"^fiaiv
r] "^vyt) avfj/rropevQeta'akcli

elhev
vvv

avOpcoiro^r)V

rrore

a-'^rjfia. Set

ro

aipovvrat

6r}pLovfiLovdvdpwirivi]

^vvaipovfievov.rovro

Xoyiafim

eKeivecv,a

"j

eZSos Xeyo/JLevov,ex

^vvievaiKar

el'o6^
dvOpdyirov

Bevrepov fiiov
et?

yap

V^ei

rrjv

vtto

tottov

iv

o";
OTjp'tov

ex

avOpcoirov,ov

oKrjOeiav eh

Kal

evda

eTv^ov.

d/i^orepai d^iKvovfievai

'^iKioarm

a'lpeatvrov

eKoo-rrj.

aXKat,

oe

at,

Kpureoov

roiipavovnva

d^/ta?ov
SiK7)";
Stdr/ovcriv
/cov"j"i,a-9elcrai
i^iaaav

oiirw

rovTov,

eXOovaai
SiKaicor^pia

7^?

vtto

ra

et?

fiev

Biicijv
eKTLVovabv,
B

fiiov rekevTi^a'coai,

irpMTOv

iraiSepaarrf-

erei
VTepa)6eicrai
Tpi,"T')(iXi,oara)
airep'XpvTai.,

orav

roaovrov

Tpirt)TrepioSm rrj

Se

rov
rph e^e^fj"i

eXavrai

eav
;)j;tXt6T6t,

ovk

eKoavv,

Trrepovrai, trpo

jap

avrai,
(f"ikoao^La";.

fieTa

aavTO";

"^"XV

"^icei n

dSoXaxs
^iXoa-o"f)'q"ravTO"i

'^dvov, TrXrjv fj tov

49

odev

avro,

to

fjuev yap

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

316

fiavia^,fjv orav

Bevpo 6
to

Tra?

ijKeov

rijSeTt?

\0709

rreplrfj";rerap-

op"v koXXo^,

rov

dX/i)6ov"s

318

THE

ava/iifivrja-KO/jLevo^,

dvo), T"v

SiaKei/jLevoi},
to?
apa
re

koX

yiyverai,

KaX"v

hUrfv pKeirwv
Si, opvido"s

on

TraaSyv

avrrj

Kaddvep

KciXelTai.

dvOpajirov"^v^rj^vtrei reOeaTai
260

619

Tohe

olid'
paBiov dirda-ri,

"aTe
iSvaTvy(7]"rav,

Sevpo "jreaovcrai,
TO

aoiKov

\rjd7}vwv

Tpairofievai

oKtyai St] "KeiTTOVTai,al?

he

avrai

orav

Kol

oiiKed

8ia

TO

avT"v

pjoyii

ev

avT"v

elKaadevT0"i

ore

trvv

Te

pev

KaX

Aibi

lepav eyeiv.

'iSeoffiv,
iKirXijTTOVTai,

eari,

irddo^ dyvoovai

to

dWd

Si

dp,vSp"v opydvtov

elxova^ iovre^ OeSivrat

Ta"i

Se

xal

Se p,eT

^p

TeXeTwy

aXXov

diradet'i KaKwv,

oXoKXripa Se
p,vovpevoCTe

koI

KaX

oara

dirXd

ev
r)p,d":

KaX

va-Teptp

KaX
dTpep,r]

iiroTrrevovTe^

ev

avyy

6iav,
GeStv,

0ep,i";
Xeyeiv

^v mpyid^opbevoXoKXrjpot p,ev
paKapifOTdTTjv,
Kol

to

^v ISeiv Xaprirpov,

tot

dWot
"^p,el'i,
t"v

Aeyyo^

eveo'Ti

p-aKaplav oyjriv t6

eTeXovvTO

iicelva oil

ofitXiav eVt

eTBov

yjrvyaK,ovk

"aWos

yevo^.

evSaip,ovtX^P^

e-jro/Mevoi p^To,

elSov

cTrt

fjKdev

Bi,Kaio"ruv'rj^
p,ev oiv KaX

n/iia

ofioimfiaaiv,

oXiyoi

Kai

Tov

8'

Biaiaddveo'dai,

T^Se

Tot?

aXXa

p^v

TUKel, oiid' at

tots

Tivoav

rore

av

T"vSe

viro

opMi(op.a

yuyvovrat,

p,r] iKav""!

ovk

twv

lKavci""!
tt}? /iv^fiiji
irdpeariv.

to

ixel

tS"v

ti

Kai
oira
a'a"(jipo"Tvvr]"!,

ovSev

r)

ovra,

^pw^eeoi elBov

oerai

ip"v

iraaa
eipijTai,

yap

to,

dptaTT)
avrrjii

KOivavovvTi

ra

8' "k
^"ov, dvap.ip.vqcrKeirOai

TO

fiaviKwi;

ivOovaidaecop

fieTe')(cav rfji;pMvta^

TavT7]";

epacTTT}^

""9

e^ei

twv

S'^ovTi Kol

re

irpodv-

ava-TTTepovfievo^

afieK"v, airiav

rm
ef dpierTcav

KOI

koI

re
TrrepovTai,

Se

KaTco

PLATO

OF

avarrrTeadai,aBvvar"v

fiov/Jbevoi

MYTHS

ypovm

avTol

6vTe";

virip-evev,

evSa'ipMva
Ada-paTa
Kadapa, KadapoX

PHAEDBUS

THE

wings and
lookingup
beneath

Sort

he

been

to

entered

have

mind,

by

hath

for those

hath

Soul

which

of

these, is

things
of

manner

the

is

; but
not

to

of

name

Man's

Verily Are

this creature

the

"

the

the

him

which

tSe

able

not

ness
spiritof his Madthe best, proceeding from
who
for him
partaketh of
things beautiful with the

loveth

Things

means

that

it,and

upon,

into

after

possessedis

said, every

the

flyup, but is
bird,and heeding not
mad

as

319

to

; because

Madness

this

that he who

necessityseen
not

is

who

because

hath

for,as

like

sky

of Madness

the best for him

spiritof

them

is accounted

wherewith

it ; and

with

into the
he

"

Fourth

desireth

MYTH

hath

else would

"

caU

Those

for

easy

Lover

of
it

Things

every

Soul;

Things There for a little

for those
fallen down
imto
which, when
they were
space, nor
that
turned
to
to the Earth, evil happened, so
they are
iniquity by evil communications, and forget holy things
which
aforetime.
Verily few are
they which
they saw
them
in sufficient
left having Memory
are
present with
neither

Souls which

the

saw

measure.

These,
are

amazed

when
and

they
cannot

moveth

it is that

see

any

contain

them

of the

likeness

themselves

they

know

any

Things There,
more

not, because

; but

what

that

they

perceivenothing clearly.
Now
of Justice and Temperance and all the other Precious
Things of the Soul no glory at all shineth in the likenesses
which
are
here; but using dull instincts and going unto
attain unto
the sight of that
images,hardly do a few men
One
they are the images. Beauty Itself,
Thing whereof
shiningbrightly,it was given unto them then to behold when
in the train of
of the blessed choir and went
we
they were
that great
and
saw
Zeus, and other Souls led by other Gods
made
and
partakers of those Mysteries
holy sight,and were
which it is meet
to call the most
holy : the which they did then
out
celebrate,being themselves
altogetherfair and clean,and with"

"

taste

of

the

miseries

and

being chosen
altogetherfair,which
without
are

the

preparedfor

being themselves

which
pure

in the

time

after,
there-

eyewitnessesof visions which are

which
are
true with all singleness,
contain the fulness of joy. These
in pure
Souls did then
see
light,

to be
are

variableness,which

Things

them

our

and

without

the

mark

of this which

we

MYTHS

THE

320

KaX

ovT6^

6vo/jA^ofjL"v,
oarpeov
Tavra

^^vv
D fier

eKeLvosv

eKap/irev ov,

Bia

re

"ar

avro

airov
KdXKo"!, decofievo"i

aW'
a-e^erai rrpoaopSiv,

ofiiTiMV

SeSoiKev

ov

SicoKCDv.

Se

ISeav,

cr(Ofiaro"i

vrrffKdevavrov

a)9

olov

el fir)

raWa

oaa

mar

e"Tj(e fioipav,

rr)v

alay(vverai
irapa

cSy

/caWos

rrpmrov

"f"eperai

e/eeto-e

r^Se

fi^

oiv

fiev

eTrmw/uav.

ev

SeSieir)
rrjv
de"

tjj?

rots

"r"f"oSpa
fiavia";

Kal

ra

"rK\rjpori)ro"i
avfifiefivKora

rj

rov

r"v

0eov

riva

rore

a-efierai.

So^av, Ovoi

Kal
iSpa)"i

xdWov^

rov

o/jifidrotv
idepfidvOT],
r/

Se eraKij
dpSerai. 0ep/jMv6evro"s
"jrdXai,viro

ri

rraiZiKol^. ISovra

/lera^oXijre
rfj"!"j)pLKri";,

r"v

fiep,ifj/rip,evov,rj

e^pi^e, Kai

/lev

"pv"Tiv"^Sovi/v

TroXvdedfieuv,
orav

rore

elra irpoa-op"vw?
Sei/idreov,

dr/dXfiarikoI
eK

ovS"

d'^Orj^
Xafifidvei.Se^dfievo^
yap
Sia

eavTrj"s

rjSovyrrapaSovi
rerpdiroSo"i

o
rmv
dpyfireXr]!},

deoeiSe"; irpoamrrov

Kal

Kal

ipaafiuorarov. 6

Kal

ovj^ oparai'

xal vfipetirpoa^alveiv itnyeipeZkoI "TraiSoairopelv,

vofiov
151

"^/lerepav

toiovtov

ovk
ofeoj?ivOevSe
Si.e^dapp.evo';

to

ov

rt

ei

pJtvovravTijv

/caWo?

elvai
eK"f"avecrrarov

veore\rj";rj

enrofiev,

icareiK'q^afiev

alad'qa-emv "" ^povqai^

eh o-^lrtv
lov,
trapel')(eTO

Se

ipaa-rd' vvv

rare

o^vraTij rStv Sib,

"fip.lv

irapelj^ev
epmrav,

av

e'iSaXov

evapye";

iXBovre^

Bevpo re

ivapyiaTara, o-^i";yap

Seivovi; yhp

mairep

r"v
al"r6ijaea"";
evapyeaTdT7j";

Tij?

crw/juiTO"; e/";^6Tat

7r/309

ireplSe KdXKov"!,

eiprjrai,

artX^ov

Si ^v iro6(p
r"v
Ke')(apLada,

fiatcpoTepa

avTO

Tov

SeBecr/iev/ievoi,

Tpovov

oiv fwrniri

psv

"r"/ui irepi(f"epovTe

vvv

tovtov,

aa'qfiavroi.

PLATO

OF

rr]v

Se

civ

airov,

0ep/jL6rf}"
dTroppoijv

rrrepov

"^v"ti"{

ireplrrjv extfyvaiv,
a
elpyefir) ffXaardveiv.

The
call
the

body, and now

prison-houseof
Let

these

Memory,

phaedbus

myth

carry about
his shell.

words, then,

for whose

sake we,

with

us, as

offered

be

321

for #

remembering

as

the

fish carrieth

thanksgivingto
our

joys that

are

past,have lengthenedthis Discourse.

Now, as touchingBeauty : We beheld it shining,as hath
been
said,amongst those other Visions ; and when we came
"

hither,we
that

in

is the keenest

eye seeth

clear likeness

entered

is the

sense

that

the

of herself

body conveyeth.

marvellous

love would

of men,

hearts

of

means

also,even

as

if she

But

the

Wisdom
forth

sent

Beauty doth, and

it

the likenesses of all the

eyes togetherwith
which
But
be worthy of Love !
only unto

into

our

other

Things
Beauty hath this portion been
the most

clearly,
by

clear, to wit, eyesight,

most

the

0 what
in

spring up

most
glittering

us

not Wisdom.

to

cause
a

which

sense

which

it

apprehended

evident

of all,and

given.

Wherefore

is

Beauty

the best beloved.

latelypartaken of the heavenly

is not quicklycarried hence
Mysteries,or hath been corrupted,
he seeth the
to that Other
Place and to Beauty Itself,when
thereof.
fore,
Wherethingswhich here are called after the name
looking upon these, he giveth them not reverence, but,
of a beast
himself up to pleasure,
after the manner
delivering
he leapethupon
accordingto
them, desiringto beget offspring
Now, he

the

who

hath

and feareth
flesh,

not

not

his conversation

to have

in lascivious-

followingafter pleasurecontrary to
hath beheld
hath latelypartaken,who
But he who
nature.
he seeth a face,or the figure
of the Things There, when
many
in the very likeness of Beauty, first his flesh
of a person, made
aforetime
he
of those things which
saw
trembleth,and awe
entereth into his heart ; then he looketh, and worshippeththe
ness,

is ashamed

nor

Beautiful
should

One

to

efSuxion
the

of

parts where
closed

by

and

the

reason

are

he

it useth

his eyes, and

watered ; for when

wings sprout
of their

not

afraid

are

hardness

that

offer sacrifice to
God.
to

men

his
he

happen, sweating

is made
he

while

Then

hold of him, for he hath

beauty through

in him

wings

take

were

maniac, would

image
trembling,as

heat

unwonted

graven

looketh, after the

and

God, and,

him

account

Beloved, as

as

of

received

hot, so

is made

melted, which
and' hindered

that

hot, the

before
the

the

were

feathers
Y

MYTHS

THE

322

PLATO

OF

diro

rod
0
Trj"i pl^i)"i

e'So?'
"^t/j^^S
Zei

oiv

iraaa

iv

re
Kvfja-i,";
"f)va"a-i,

TavTov

Si) ireirovdev i]

OTav

iiriovTa
/iipT)

Kal

TOV
Sevp/iivT]

ifjuepov

Tr)"i

oBvinji Kal
tA

av'^i^a-y,

to

"

8' ivTO"s fieTa

""

iwrjfurfv B' a?i e')(pvaa

KadevBecv

Be

Kal

dTOwia

T17

ififiavr}"i
ovcra

o^frecrdai
tov

rjBovijvB' ai
eKnrj^ev,
odev

Tiva

Kal

Tov

Brj

TavTTjv
eKovaa

Kal
dBeX"f)"v

irpo

KdXKo"i.

to

Td

/lev

KevTpwv

Te

yXvKvraTrjv

iv

ovk

iroieiTai,

d7roXXvp,evr)i;
dfiiXetav
Trap" ovSev
oh
eva')(i]fiovo"v,

vvKTb"! BvvaTOt

tov

tov

irodov

Kal

ffvfi-

mBivtov
irapovTi

tco

ovBe
diroXeiireTai,
dXXd

p,jfTep"ov

ovaiat Si

irdvTwv
iKaXXtoirl^eTo,

tt/oos yap

Te

Be Kal
TiOeTat, vo/iifiiuv

BovXeveiv eToLfiri
Kal KOi/ida-ffai
(f"pov"]a-aa-a
oirov

iyyvraTO)

IBovffa

Tore

irdvTeov XeXrjffTai,
koI

eTaipiov

dp^orepeav

irddov'; KaX

ovTe

eXvae

elvat

treplirXeiovof

KaXov

oBvvaTai.

B'

eK

Ta

"(TTe

avTijv,

Kal

tov

e')(pvTa

eTro')(eTev"Tafji,ev'q
i/iepov

KapvovTai.

Trrepov.

rj,fjueveiv, del Be irodovaa

Be Xa^ovaa
dvairvo-qv
'7re"j"par/fieva,

252

tov

Kad'

yeyrfQev.

oil av
fieO "fjfiepav,

oiTjTai

op/jM,

iTTepov

olaTpa
""/rw^^

koXov

tov

Kal

\vTTa,

oijTe

av

OTTOV

-q

dBrjfioveire

diropovaa

Kal

olov
'ir7}B"ara
ifiApovd-7roKeK\jj/j.evrj,

tov

kvkXw
KevTov/iivr]

E fiefuyfievmv

to

^KdaTriv

ttjv

Ste^oSft)
iy^pieieKdavrj ttj
(7(f"ii^ovTa,
Tj
iraaa

eKeWev

j^"B/"t? yevijTat

Bie^oBeoviTTOfiaTa,
diroKXeiei

irrepa,

Xo"f"a re
OepfiatvrjTai,

Be

OTav

Ta

ifiepo"i KoXuTao,

TavTa

Kal

apBr/Taire

fivaavTa

ovKa,

ra

ttoiSo? /caWo?,

tov

Bi) Bid

yeyrjBev

t"v

avvavaivofieva
r)

yapyaXi^eTai^vovaa

peovTa,

otuv

dpj(pfjievov
"(/rt/^ij
-TTTepo^vetv

tov

ffXeirova-aTrpo?

ovv

fiep

t"v

to

yv^verai,

ayavdKTi](Ti";
irept

koI

dr/avaKTei xal

Kal

TS

"jrrepaTt),

oSoi/ra?

irepX tow?

irddo'i

t^9

ro

trav

vtto

oXt) koX dvaKrjKiei,xal oirep

apTL

^el

iraXai

rjv to

yap

TovTtp

6SovTO"bvovvTO)v

Kav\o"s

Trrepov

^veadai
"pfji/ri"Te

koI

Be rrj^ Tpo^rji mBrjo-e

re
iirippveia-fj';

tw

av

ae^etrOai

Kara-

id
tov

Tt?

to

THE
from

PHAEBBUS

MYTH

the nourishment
When, therefore,

growing.

them, the stalks of the feathers

from

323

their

grow
for aforetime

under

roots

the

whole

swell,and

the whole

Soul

moved

are

surface

feathered.

was

floweth unto
for

of the

to

Soul ;

It cometh

to

that the whole

Soul doth boil and bubble ; and as
pass then
it happeneth unto
those who
their teeth
areteething,when
are

latelybegun
and

to

that

grow,

distress,
even

there

doth

is

itching in

an

their

it

happen unto the Soul of

him
who
beginneth to put forth wings ; for his Soul boileth
and is in distress and
itcheth
when
she putteth forth her
feathers.
she looketh upon
the beauty of her
When, therefore,
thence
her in a stream
Beloved, parts (/lepri)
unto
come
(which
for this cause
called tfiepo'i)
are
she, receivingthem, is
; and
watered and made
hot,and cease th from her pain and rejoiceth.
But when
she is parted from her Beloved
and waxeth
dry,the
mouths
of the passages whereby the feathers shoot forth,being
parched and closed up, hinder the sprouting of the feathers,
which is shut in togetherwith Desire, and
leapethas a man's
it,so
pulse,beating against each passage that withstandeth
that the whole Soul, being prickedon every side,is filled with
of the
frenzyand travaileth : but contrariwise,having memory
Beautiful
One, she rejoiceth
peneth
; so that this strange thing hapher
her
unto
pain is mingled with joy,and she is

gums

so

"

bewildered, and

striveth

to

being filled with madness,

in one
place by day, but
she

may

behold

find
she

the

her, and

the entrances

to
who

Desire

which

taketh

breath

and

from

none

and

fro

nor

and,

stay

wistful,if perchance

possesseththat Beauty.
from

were

the
shut

channel
are

thereof

opened,and

prickings and travail,

and
instead
thereof reapeth the sweetest
pleasure for the
ing
Wherefore
willinglyshe departethnot, esteempresent time.
no
one
more
highly than the Beloved ; but mother, and
it
and
thinketh
brethren, and all her friends,she forgetteth,
is wasted
of no
that her substance
account
through neglectfuland of good
are
ness
approved of men
; and the things which
she
did aforetime
take pride,all these she
report, wherein
make
her
and
doth despise,
is willingto be a slave,and
now
her Love ;
unto
nearest
she may
come
lodging wheresoever
because
she hath
cometh
for she
not
to worship only,but
she

ceaseth

findeth

sleepby night

cannot

One

but

way,

runneth

And, beholding,she draweth

imto

her

THE

Kd\\o"; expvTa

larpov

Se

Btouto

dicov(7a"! elKorax! Sid

iic
'Op/ripiB"v

Tivh

"v

"Epara,

8'

airia

kcu,

T"v

tov

to

koX
Oepairevrai,

eptofievov,

iraiSiKd.

^y,

av

eoj?

Kod'

Toii"sdWoiMs
"jrpbi
epana

^"01'

r"v
avToi'

xal

koK"v

irpo?

eKelvov

ovra

Tpoirov

eavrS

Ato?

rrdv

Tiva

epatfievov.

elvai

rijv ^variv,Kot

voiov"Ttv,

oireov

Se

roiovro"i

"A/jew?

rySe
re

koI

re

"jrpmTqv

tjv

yeveaiv

epm/ievov^
re

icaX

dr/aXfuiTeKraLveral
opyidamv.

oiv, el
orav

avrov

earai.

ta

Swarov

to

eis

eicXeyerai,eKaarof,

koL

rov

viro

eKaaTO"i

ov

tou?

ol

Kai

oiv
"a?

re

fikv S^

i/ijToOo-t
rijv i^vyrjvrov

a-Koirovaiv

f/
ov.

rvy)(avei

rov
trpoa^eperai,.

olov

oZv

^uov

Tr]v

koX

ofiiketre

re
KaTaKoafiei,-^d)"s
rifii^aav

riyefi.oviKO"i

fufiovfievo^

irpoi

KoX

avT"Ji/

deov,

t"5 rpoira

rovrm

ixeivo

orav
irepteiroXoirv,

eKaarov

rift"v re

Sk

p.'q' opMi

avrov"!
Kudiepeveiv

eroifxoi,

dSid^Oopot,xal

ISiorevei'Kal

jrorijvov,

dSiKeta'dai
oli}0a""riv

Tt

ovra

j^opewTij?, eKelvov

rov

ri
aripoSpa

ov

ocrot
d'^Boi;'

exeivov

fier

Kal
ipoviKol
koI

ek

ifi^pidearepov
\7i"})0eh

wTepcovvfiov

Koi

"EjOtBTO?o\wo"t

KaXov(Ti

tovt

epmvToav

ovaS"v

Ato?

ovv

^peiv

e-n-rj

oi/uii,

dvdyKrjv.
HrfptOTaSia jrrepoi^oiTov

Se

irddoii t"v

to

fiev

Svvarai
T6

koI

Si) e^eiTTifiev ireiBeadai,e^eari Se

TovroKS

ye

v^piariKov irdvv

^Toi 0in}Tol
fiev "Epura

dOdvaroi

Se,

Se "Se'

e/jL/ierpov. vfivova-i
Thv

Svo

iirav

dtrodertov

rStv

KoXovffiv

yeXda-ei.Xeyovai

veortjra

erepov

to

Bi

\6yo"!,

Si; fwu

ov

wpof

deal
6vofid^ov"ri,

"Epara

dvdpanroi,
fiev

KoXe,

irovav.
fieyla-rav

r"v

evprfKe fiovov

" tral
"7rd0o"!,

TO

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

324

v^'

Kal
re
"j)i\6ao"f"6^
evpovre^

edv

o5v

epaaOwai,
fir) irporepov

ifi^e^"cri,
rm

263

dv

odev

Be

Trap"eavr"v

dvevplcTKeiv
ttjv

Bia
eiiiropovai

iiravrXovvre's

iroiova-iv

S'

oaot

a5

Kal

rrdvra

Kal

re

exdarov

deStv

a^erepov iralBa

fiifiovfievoi

el";ro
pvdfiL^ovre"s

avroi
exeivov

Kal

re

"r(f""repq"

ra"

BpStai ra

rS"v

yjrvxvv

^Tjrovffi,

^aaikiKov

eLTrovro,

Be

oi

avra.

Kard

ovrat

rov

A(09

eK

epoafiepov

ofioiorarov

oerov

Brj

tovtcov

rov

'

/jteO'Hpa?

I6vre"s ^rjrovo'trov
Krija-avrai,,

Bwarov

"?

irepXrovrov

evpovret

'AttoXXovo?

xal

Kav
fiSXKov dr^arrSiai,

re

deov

rov

Kad'
i'jriTijBevfiaTa,

to,

^dxy^ai,iirl rr/v

al

dpvraxrivaairep

Kal

eti

tfivaiv,

p-vrjiiri ev6ov"Tul)vre";ef

t"

dv0pa"7ru"fieTtKTveiv.

aiTicofievoi

epmfievov

(r^erepovdeov

rov

avrov
ecjia-TTTO/ievoi

deov

ly(vevovTe9

fierepxovTai.

"qva/^KaaOaiirpo'i

ctwtovco^

to

Tut/i^dvova-i
to,
eOvjKal

Bwarov

dem,

ical avrol

Bvvavrai,

rt

koX
^Xe-rreiv,

fiavOavovai
ivt'xei.pricravTe'i

rare
eTnTrjSevfiari,

re

ixeivov

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

326

deov

rov

rre^vKevai,xai

orav

"jraiBiKa iretdovre^

ra

IBeav
iirtT'^Bev/iLa
Kai

arfovirtv,

6(77)eKd"Tra" Bvva/ju^,
ov
^0ovm ovS' dveXevdip^Bvtr/ieveta
j(pa"fievot irpoi
C

Tc3

6em,

qv

dv

dyeiv

fievoi

ra

iraiBiKd,dXX'

Trdarav
rifi"ffi,

oUroi

elf o/wiorr)ra

7rdvrea"! o

Kal reXexJ?, idv

dX7]6"";ipcovreov

Bi epara

/iavevro"!

dXlxTKerai, Be

xaX?;

roiaBe
Bt] o alpedel";

rpirov,Kal
6

iinrwv

dyadov
fiev

r)

rolvvv

fiev,

Kal

vvv

fwdov
Bvo

avrolv

rov

KaKia,

iv

ov

ov-

ardcev

Be

r"v

fievera.

dperrjBe rk

Be
Bie'i/irofiev,
vvv

rrj koXXlovi

BieiXo/iriv

rpiy0

eiBr),
Tjvioyji.KOV Be

rive

rjfiivravra

en

B'
o
drfa06"s,
(pa/Jiev,

KaKov

virb
eiiBai/iovtKT)

rpoirtp.

rov

eKdarTjv,nnrofiop^o)fiev
'yjrvyfTjv
eZSo?

a)";

b irpoBiairpd^iuvrat

ye

re

r"v

oxiv

yiyverai,idv aiped'g.
too
(jjiXijdivri,
(f"lXov

Kaddirep iv dpj(^yrovBe
D

fidXiffrarreipw-

irpodvfua fiev

iroiovai.

0v/iovvrai,
^v Xeryca,ovra

ri

Kai

avroK

a"v

XeKreov.
ro

re

XevAcof
6pdo"!Kal BiTjpdpafievof,
iiriypviroi;,
v^/ravj^iyi',

Br/
rov

etSo?

IBelv,

THE

PHAEDRVS

MYTH

327

of this endeavour, do

ning

they take the matter in hand, and

both learn from whomsoever
selves
they are able to learn,and themthe knowledge thereof; and questioningin their
pursue
souls to find therefrom
the nature
of their own
own
God, they
in vain, because
seek not
that
to look
they are constrained
their God, and
steadfastly
by memory
lay hold on him,
upon
receive of him
their habitudes
and, being filled with his spirit,
and way
of life,
far as man
Whereof
so
can
partake of God.
One
the cause, and
therefore have
they account the Beloved
pleasurein him ; and if the river,wherefrom
they the more
Bacchae
as
even
they draw their nourishment, flow from Zeus,
the waters
then do they turn
thereof upon
the Soul of the
Beloved

One, and

make

it

like

as

their

unto

God

own

is

as

possible.
He

who

of the train of Hera

was

Royal,and having found,

Zeus

doth.

who

He

have

such

an

he taketh

one,

the

nature

of his

own

; and

when

the God

for

likeness of the

and

God

he

Beloved

far

as

God, seeketh

example

an

teachingand guiding,bringeth the

way

is

who

one

things as the follower of

train of Apollo or of any

like nature

of the

comrade

after

in all

of

was

God, observing the

other

doth

seeketh

as

unto

hath

to

gotten

himself, and
also unto

One

the

be, strivingwithout

can

to bring the Beloved

by all means
envy or grudging or malice
of whichsoever
God
One unto the full likeness of himself and

honoureth.

he himself

Desire, then, of

The
if
and

they accomplish that

made

mad, upon
caught. Now, it
at the

the
as

it

was

the

other

and

the

then

told,and

That

station,in
arched

one

that

one

of the

evil

of

nose,

now

what

he

is

caught.

we

of

the

we

the third
have

Horses

virtue

is the
Horse

would

did

hath

Soul

Horses, and

Whereas

of

this

three

part

in

remain

good and
the good Horse
is

declare

not

; now,

tell it.

we

form

so

But

is not.

illness

of

hath

Love

for his friend,and

chosen

that

whom

said that each

we

in the form

Charioteer

therefore,must

an

this Tale

of

form

hath

is after this wise

thereof

two

"

he

whom

him

beginning of

parts

which

bestowed, by the friend

boon

blessed

tion,
trulylove,and their Initiathey desire,is verilya fair

that

them

the

is

two

which

straightand

in

colour

hath

the

well-knit,with

white, with

black

honourable

more
a

high neck

eyes,

and

lover

of

328

OF

MYTHS

THE

PLATO

re
fjU6\av6/ifJMTO^,
fierci ato^potTVVTji}
Tifirji;
ipaarrji;

atBom,
E fjLovov

aXijdivijvSofij? eTalpo"s,a.TrXijKTO';KeKev/iari

Koi

B' aZ
o
"Koycj)
rfvio-yelrai'

Koi

"rico\ioi, ttoXi/?, eiicij

^paj^yrpa-^Xo^,aifioirpoa-

iTVfnre"f"op'^fjLevo"!,
xparepav'^riv,

fieXdy^coi,ykavKO/ifiaTo^, v^aifw^, v^pea)"!Koi

(oiro'i,

a\a^oveiav kraipo^,irepl"Ta

S' oSj/ 6

Orav

Koxpoi,fiaaTir/i

Xa"rw?,

IBobv
r)vio')(p^

ipariKov ofifia,

to

aia-drjcrei
Biadepp.'qvwi
'^ap'^aKuTfiovre
Trjv "^vyjyv,
254

del

xal

re

livai

re

alBoi

rare

^la^ofievo^,eavrbv

6
ipcofiiv^'

Be

ovre

/lif

/care^et

ovre
7]vioj(i,k"v

Kevrpav

leal irdma
ivrpeireTai,
a-Ktpr"vBk ^ia (jtepeTai,

ert

TrparfiuvTa

av^vyL

rS

irapej((ov

iratBuKh

"n-po"! rei

d^poBi(TLa)v
jfapiroi;.

koX
Be

too

Kal

re

dvayKa^ei
fjvtoj(m

pveiav Troieurffat rfji

dpya^

Kar

r"v

dvrireiveTOV

fiev

Beiva koX -Trapdvo/ia

dffavaKTOvvre,
Te\ev""?
dvayKa^ofievco'
T"vre

Be,

finjBev
rj

orav

e'l^avreKal
Trpoi

irepas

ofwXoyqa-avre

avrm

voirjaeiv

iyevovro Kal

iropeveadovdfyofievto,

kukov,

KeXevofievov. koX

to

elBop

rijv oyjrivtjji'

"jraiBiKoiv darpdirrovaav. IB6vto"sBe rod

TTjOo? rr)v
/jbera

eBeiae
ei9

ato^poavvq'iev
re

Kal

rivtoyov

rf

dyv"

^ddpa

^e^"aav.

dveireaev virria,Kal
(re"f)6eia-a

Tovtriao) e\Kvaat

tAs iji/tas
ovt(o

'hrrrto,
rov

to)

fiev

eTrl

mare

Bia

eKovra

dvrtreiveiv,rov

v^ptar-qv pJXa

6 /iev
dTTtoripto,

vir

koI Odfi^ovi iBp"n

re
altr^xyvir:

eKoiBoprjaev
opyy,
Ofio^vya""?

BeiXia

rov

ttoWA
re

Kal

TTTw/taTo?,

KaKt^cov

rov

fioyK
re

dvavBpia Xirrovre

to

rci

/irj

direXOovre

uKovra.

6 Be, Xtj^ov t^? 6Bvv7)"!,

r^v yfrvxvv,
eyS/aefe
fjv
Kal
^a-)(e

Be

rjvayKaArdi)

Be

")(aXivovre

avrriv

IBovira

a/ia

a^oBpa,

t"v

fwriwtf

irdXiv elBev
"f"vcnv
koi
"fjve')(drj,

koXKov;

rov

afi^co KaOiaai
lcry(^[a

iroQov

koi

6 fiev evireiOij^
t"v
lirirmv,
vTroTrX^crdfj,
t^ fiviajfto

/manyoi

Traffav

Kevrpav

t"
eTnirtjBav

fJXTa

viretKcav,

fioyi'i

Kevrpav
'

xai

Be

iraaav

inrb

rov

e^avarrvevaafs

Kal
"fjvioypv
rrjp

rov

rd^iv xal

THE
honour

in all

needing

Charioteer.
with

MYTH

329

and

modesty, a friend
whip, heing guided by the mere

temperance
the

not

PMAEDBUS

But

the other Horse

stiff neck,

short

is

of true

glory,

word

of

the

crooked,Jhmpish,
ill-jointed,

throat, a snub

in

nose,

colour

black,

with

friend of lust and boastfulness,

a
grey eyes, sanguineous,
hairy about the ears, deaf, hardly submitting himself to the
lash and

the

Now

and

pricks.

when

his

the
Soul

whole

Charioteer

beholdeth

the Vision

of Love,

is warmed

throughly by the sight,and he

is altogetherfull of itchingsand the prickings of desire,then
is obedient
that Horse
which
to the Charioteer, being constrained
and
then
alway by modesty, holdeth himself back
from
the Beloved
One ; but
the other Horse
rushing upon
careth no longer for the Charioteer's pricks nor
for his whip,
with
violence chargeth,and, strivingwith
but pranceth,and
his fellow and with
the Charioteer,compelleth them
to go
unto

the

Beloved

carnal love.
are

first the

At

constrained

and

One

mention

make

the

; but

of

sweetness
ill that

resist,
taking it

twain

wickedness

unto

of

they

the

last,since their
evil Horse leadeth,

at

ending,they go as the
yieldingthemselves up, and consentingto do what he biddeth.
of
the countenance
are
Moreover, now
they come
near, and see
the Beloved
One
gloriously
shining.Which when the Charioteer
the Form
is straightwaycarried back
unto
seeth, his memory
he again beholdeth
of the Eternal Beauty. Her
standinggirt
her holy pedestal
with temperance upon
; and, beholding her,
evil state hath

no

he is filled with
thereat

must

fear and

needs

and

reverence,

pull the

reins

back

falleth backward,
with

bringeth both the Horses down upon their

because that he resisteth not, but
willingly,
againsthis will altogether.
Now

from

the

wetteth

when

the

two

Beloved, the
all the

Soul

Horses
one,

with

by
sweat

are

come

reason

; and

force,so
haunches

of

his

the

the

lascivious

the

away

"

that

shame

and

he
one
one

little further

and

panic,

other,having ceased

pain which he had from the bit and from his falling
upbraideth, and
down, hardly recovering breath, in anger
fellow
his
and
Horse,
heapeth curses
upon, the Charioteer
and weak-heartedness, they
of cowardice
saying that, because
and
the promise
them
left their place appointed unto
have
which
they made.
from

the

330

MYTHS

THE

ofioXoyiav. xal

Se

av"vfKa^"ov

idi\ovTa"! irpoaievab

ovk

iKvoviiirep^aXeo'dai,.

elffavdK
"rvvey(op7j"re, Seo/ievtov

/Aoyt?
To"!

nraXiv

PLATO

OF

avvTe6evTo"} jfpovov, [ou] afivrj/ioveiv

Tov

irpoffiroiov-

eXxap
^ia^6fievo"s,
')(pefieTi^a)V,
rjvarfKatrev
fievo) ava/jLifjLvi](TKO)v,

ai

eirX
toI^ "irai,htKol"i
irpoa-eKOetv

iirei^
Kmv

"^aXivov

fiaXKov

en

a-cov,

OTricrio cnrda-a'i rov

Kai

v^purrov

rov

TTpbv TTjv
TToWaAct?

Trao-^ffli/0

ohovrtav

ffxiXr}re

fiia

yKStrrav

Kamffopov

Kal

rk
Be

orav

irpovoLa,Kal
^vi,6y(pv

rov

ry

en
f}vlo')(o"s

lajfia
raiirov

raireivtoQeX^
t^? v^petofXi;fj7,

irovqpm

BioWvrai,
"f"offcp

KoXov,

to,

r"v

eK

oh\)vai";eBfOKev.
yfjv ipela-a"s

^Sr)

eTrerai

'hnrov

ivSa-

KepKov

avairevrnrX.Tjyo'i

airo

tjJj/re
y(aXi,vov,

yvddov^ KaOyfia^e Kal

Ta";

avaiBeiai; e\Ket.

fier

Trddof -iradcov,
wairep

raiiTov

fjMWov

\o'yov"i. ical

avrow

^a-av,eyKwfra^ /cat eKTeiva"sttjv

67711?

TOV

tow?

ScrTe

tBrj tov

orav

^vfi^aivei
tot

"^Brj
ttjv

tov

Kal SeSoiKviav
TratSiKol^ alBov/jUvriv
re

ipaaTov "^vxrjvroK
"Trea-6at.

"Are

266

OWi^

ITTTO

oSj"

TOV
ip"VTOi, dW'
a-'^TJ/JMTl^O/ieVOV

ireTTovOoTo^,Kal
TTjv

ibv

auTo?

dWfov

B "xpeoiv

riyoffev

eh

to

Kal

dyaOa

elvat.

tov

KaK"

evvoia

Sid

'xpovov

Kau

irp6"r6ev
inro

Tovro^dirtodrj
rov
re

^Xixia Kal

oiKelo'i

ov

to

yap

ovB' ayadov /it)AiKov

"f"CKov

ytyvofievr]

Xoyov

re

Kal

o/iiXiav

ip"vro"i
e/eTrXijTret

tov

ovS"
BiaierOavofievov,
on
ipojfievov,

T"
"j)iXoi

ayei

Bia^e^ijfievo^j7, X^oi/twi/,

Be Kal
irpoa-e/jbivov

Be^a/ievov,
"77^^61/77

iv reS

aiirov el"so/iiKiav.
7rpoaea-6at

SifTTore
kukov
eXfiaprat

TOV

dpa

Kal
ala^pov ip"VTi irXrja-id^eiv,

ep"VTa, "n-polovTOiBe ^Bij

d\7)dS""!
TOVTO

^ixrei "^i\o^[e" TaiiTov

Tm
eav
"j"iXiav^
depairevovn,

^ TLvwv
^viJuf)oiT7}T"v
tas

l"r60eo"!depairevofievo

Bepaireiavws

iraaav

oi

fv/tTrai/re? dWot

fioZpav ^CKia"iovBe/iiapTrapevovTai

THE
Then

PHAEDBUS

MYTH

331

again, when

they are not willing to go near, he

constraineth
them, and hardly consenteth when
they beseech
that the matter
be deferred to some* other
time : and
may
when

the

time

make
agreed upon
cometh, and the two
in mind, and
pretence of not remembering, he putteth them
pulleththem with force,neighing,and compellingthem again
for to speak the same
to come
words
near
the Beloved ;
unto
and when
bendeth
down
his head, and
they are come
near, he
stretcheth

shamelessly.
this

second

falleth

his

out

But

maketh

were

from

the

cursingtongue

legsand

haunches

the

bit,and
moved

pulleth it
in

his

heart

first time, yea more

exceedingly,
from
the
before
barrier at the

the racecourse,

him

his

it

as

biteth

Charioteer,being
the

as

backward

startingplace of

his

the

time

the bit unto

tail,and

and

more

of

the

teeth
and

to the

his

violentlydoth
lascivious

and

Horse,

jaws bloody,and

earth, and

draw

presseth
him

delivereth

to

up

torment.

Now

when

evil Horse,

correction,ceaseth

same

he followeth
seeth

the

followeth
The
one

the

to pass

who

oft-times

the

Charioteer, and,

in the

the

end
in

One

being
not

and

being by nature
though in time past

that

served

as

Soul

he

of the

Lover

fear.

God

him

whenever

terror.

all service,

with

pretence of love but

unto

the

with

naught

and

reverence

friend

suffered

being humbled,

his wantonness,

to

then

maketh

having

One, is brought

the Beloved
Beloved

from

guidance of

Beautiful

So it cometh

by

the

loveth

truly,

serveth, even

who

disciplesand others have made

mischief with their tongues, saying that it is not seemly to come
of this the Beloved
unto
a
Lover, and though by reason
near
hath
rejectedthe Lover, yet in process of time do ripeness
of age and
into

need

of him

companionship ;

cause

the Beloved

for

evil shall be friend to

When,

fellow

therefore,

to receive

surelyit hath never

evil,or good shall not
the

Beloved

been

receiveth

be

the

ordained
friend to

the

Lover
that

good.

Lover, and

accepted his speech and companionship,then doth the

good-will of the Lover drawing very nigh fill the Beloved with
hath
this friend who
amazement
; and lo ! in comparison with
whole
of
the spiritof God, not
the
in him
even
company
kinsfolk
friends and
other
provideth any portion at all of
!
friendship
hath

evdeov

rov

7r/3o?

"ir\7)atd^7i
/Mera
C

aXKaii;

epaaTrjV,

Te

Kal

TO

TOV

iraXiv

pev/JM

iviirK'qaev.ipa
olBev

treirovdev

Kal

Kd\bv

tov

ipa/ievovav

"j(ei

dXX'
"f"pd"rat,

ip"VTt

OTav

/lev

OTav

Be

aXXh

eptoTa,

Be

crdai.

dir

Ti

cOCKov

ey(ei, wairep

ovk

Kai

iKeivqi
t^"!oBvvt)^'
irodetTai, etBeoXov
Kal

avTov

oteTai

ovk

Be ixeiv^ T-apairXija-Uo
^iXiav elvai. i-inOvp^ei

Kal

Bij,olov eiKO";,
troiet

o"v Trj avyKOifi'qa-ei

ey(ei

Xeyei w/ao?

tov

eliretv, a-irapy"v Be

olo'i iffTi

pij

Taj(y

dnop"v

dvri

r)vi,6')(pv
irpbi TavTa

iroXX"v

Trept^dXXeitov

per

ipaa-Ttjv
trir/KaTa-

Te

to
dirapvrjQrjvai

itttto?

pAv ovBev

evei

daTra^6pevo"i,
OTav
av

Taxna,

aKoXaa-Toi;

iratBiK"v

tw
"X^apia-aadai
ip"vTt,el Berjdeirj
Tv^eiv
TOV

tovto

ipacTTOv6

6 Bk t"v

evvovv
C05
"f)iXei,
cr"f)6Bp

KemvTui,

fieTO,

Kal
d^ioi
fjvio')(pv,

tov

Kal

to

fJiev

diroXavffai'
a-fiiKpd

TTovtov

peTo,

ovd

Be opdv, S/irTeaBai, ^CXelv, trv^KaTaKeldadeveo'Tepco'}

fiev,

Kal

TavTO,

KaXel

copp/ricre

op"v XeKrjOe,

eavTov

iroOel Kal

av

TavTo,

dvTepoyrae-)((ov

epwTOi;

iv

Tm

iKeivoi; irapfj,
Xrf/ei KaTa

dir^,KaTk

ofi/ia-

ylrvy(rjv
epwTOf

olov

Be

iv

xal

Kal
Be, a-TTopel'

otov

elirelv
irpotjiaa-iv

KaTOTTTp^

Bia t"v

apSei re

aTToXeXauACft)?
6"f)daX/iia"s

iv

"Keiav

'"''"^^

VX'''

aypfi'qdr]
^epeTai,ovtw

WTepav

tov

oZv,

oiiB

airofieaTOv-

Kal
livai,a"f"iKo/ievov
t^w "\|ri;^^j/

ttjv

p.ev

tj

r) Tts

odev

et?

hi6hov"i t"v

ras
dvaiTTepSxTav

TTTepo^velvTe,

256

Kal olov irvevfia

eVt
iov, rj 7re(j"vKev

Tiov

eSv,

avTov

ov

"}"epofiein]

iroWr)

cavofuure,

aTepe"v dWofiivT)iraXiv
KoWov^

rat?

pevfiaTO'i ixeivov Trrjyi],

tov

et?

/lev

rj

efo) airoppei'

fievov

rjSrj
r)

iv

yvfivaaioKkoI

re

koX

Sp"v

rovro
X/ooi/tfj;

ev

Tavvfi'^Bov'}
ip"v

Zeu9
TOV

7r(0O9

he

orav

airrea-Oai

rov

tot
o/ttXtat?,

ifiepov

^(Xov,

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

332

pepo"!

avTov

6p.6^v^at)

Be

alBovi

Kal

Xoyov

dvTiTeivei.
'EAv pev
viKrjo-Tj
E

ra

opovoTjTiKov

Bt)ovv

el"sTeTOjypevqv

re

BCacTav Kal

K^CXoiro^iav

/SeXn'o)ttj? Biavoia^ dyaryovTa,paKapiov

TOV

ivOdBe

^lov Bid/yovaiv,
eyKpaTeK

pev

avT"v

Kal
xal

Se m
eK,ev6epd)aavTe"s

Se Brj,
reXevrija'avTe'i
viroTrrepoi

aperri'
t"v

eKiKppol yeyovorei;,

ev
'OXvfi'iriaK"v
aX7idS)"i

rpi"v iraXaKrpbarav

veviKijKaa-iv,

iav
avdpm'Trip.

Bk y^prjO-covTai,rd')^
av
(fyiKoTifiO)
dKoXdcTTO)

dfieXelarco

ttov

oSj/
D

oi)

^TTov Be

TOVTCO,

Kal

efw

elvai \v"ravra"i
fiev,

airrepoi
crwyitaTO?,

earlv
v6p,o"i

et?

Sidr/ova-i,
Trio-ret?

en

ov

yap

ekOelv

yevavrai,

yeveaQai.
ToaavTa,

o)

Kal

(piKia. r)

ry

dvekevOepiav inro

"j)tKr]
i^vx^

tov

ipanKrj^ fiaviat
iropeLavov

7^?

viro

ofioTTTepov}

Be diro

tov

vtrovpavLov

epcoTo"}

ovtoi

dvrjrd re

coi

ydpiv,orav

BapijaeTair)

fiijep"VTO"solKeiorrji,
Kal

oIkovo"j)eiBa)\et

"jrKr)dov"i
etraivovfievqv
ivvea
viro

reXeuT^

rrj

Sidyovra^ evSaifioveiv
pxT

dela

evreKovaa,

Kal
aiiTTiv
KvXivSovfievqv

Be

ev

rrj^

rrjv

Kai

ttoi,

acD^poavvt)OvT/TyKeKpajxevq,

257

affXov

"j"avov ^lov

Tropevofievovi,

tov

fj^yia-Tai;

ra?

Kar7jpyfievoi,";ijSrj
t)j?

rot?

re

ov
o?
Oefiirov
SeSi'^dai,

e\0eiv.

Kal

(tkotov

Sid

irrepovaOai eK^aivovffi

a/MiKpov

oKKrfKwv

epacTov

Be

ayppajKoref

oKKa

TauTfl

Kal

re

irore
e-)(6pav

iropeiaf,

fiova-a,

Bieirpd^avro'Kal

dWrjXoiv

eKeivtov

yevo/jLevco

mare

6t?
"j}epoVTai'

Trap

xal

ttoW"v

"qBr]'^p"vrai fiev avTrj,criravia Si,

Tfrfovfievto ciXKrfKoiv BeBwKevat,

t"v

inro

irdariBeBoyfievarfj Biavoia irpdrTOvre^."f"t,\to

/lev

Kal

epeoTO"s

ttjv

etKerijv re

Xonrov
ro
BiaTTpa^afievco
are

oKXy

Tivt

rj

inro^vyimXa^ovre tA? ^Jrv^a^

ainolv

aipeariv

ovre

a^iKotro"f"ip,

Kai

/ledaK

ev

^vvajayovre el"; ravrov,

dt^povpovi,
/jiaicaptffTrjv

to?

iropurai

ovvaTij

Si)SiaiTT]^opriKmripare

Be

Ttov

jiel^ova^aOov

ov

fiavia

6eia

avOpoomvrj ovre
(7wd"poa"vv'ri

yfrv^Vfiveyiyvero,

Kaxia
SovXcacrdfievoi
fiev ^

Koa-fiioi, ovre"s,

Kal

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

334

7^?

ir"v
^i\idBa"s
avow

"a?

dpeTr/v

ireplyfjv

trape^ei.

THE

PHAEDRUS

MYTH

335

themselves,doing all things in order, having brought into

over

bondage
and

that

part of the

having made

after

this

that

Soul

part

wherein

wickedness

free wherein

virtue

found,

was

dwelleth

; and

life is ended,

they rise up lightlyon their wings,

havinggained the victoryin the firstof the three falls at the True
Olympic Games, than which victoryno greater good can the
from God
bestow on Man.
Temperance of Man or the Madness
But

seeking

if any
take unto
themselves
baser way
of life,
a
after true wisdom
not
but
after honour, perchance

when

two

such

unto

themselves, their

Souls

without

choice

of that

well drunken,

are

watch

most

straightway do enjoy it
have

commerce

do that which

they

Now

less
for

with

these

in the

while

them, and

the

friends

are

those

bonds

before

unto

of love, and

other, the

break

to

life

their

without
which

here

wings, but
is

no

and
have

small

which
with

one

it is

from

the

they receive
compelled to

recompense

out

of

greatest

allowed

to

such

do

When

desire

vehement

the

never

in

they live

while

received

another.

forth

go

for

then

each

enmity

another, but

one

spake of, because

pledgesbetwixt
come

greatest bliss,and

having once
enjoyed it, they
alway, but sparingly,for
approved of their entire mind.

they have given and

and

together,make

and

that

end

think

heed

no

it afterward

also

than

measure

deem

take

Horses, finding their

bringing them

men

is not

two

time

any

licentious

two

set, and

which

at

or

body, they are

to get wings;
for Madness

of

unto
they are not
go down
the Earth, seeing that
the darkness
and the journey under
they have alreadymade a beginning of the heavenlyjourney;
but
they pass their time in the light of day, and journey
happily togetherLover and Beloved, and when they get wings,
of the same
feather do they get them, for their Love's sake.
dear boy
behold
how many
These
the gifts,
are
they are
from the
which
the friendshipthat cometh
and how
divine !
Love.

Wherefore

"

"

Lover

shall bestow

is

Lover, being

no

mortal

life,and

in the

Soul

on

thee

but

the

for

who

temperance of this
niggardlydispensingthings mortal, begetteth

mingled

with

the

which

of his friend that Covetousness

praise as Virtue, and causeth

round about
devoid of understanding,
Earth,

of him

conversation

thousand

years

nine

times

her

hereafter

the Earth
told.

and

the

tude
multi-

to

wander,

under

the

Observations

I think

it necessary,

tolerant,nay

fiavLaof
ipatnicr)

of the

it

speaks eloquentlyof
in

after life.

the

on

the

at

the

who

"

"

"

not

He

aspiringsouls
by this bond as

united

those

lovers."

true

unites

which

feather in Heaven

same

speaks(256 c-e)

Plato

are

bond

speaks of

He

gettingwings of the
His
language is as

as

of my observations
on
of the
let it be brief

outset

in which

those

Myth

Phaedrus

notice

Myth, to take
sympathetic,way

the Phaedrus

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

336

for their love's sake.

sympathetic as the language in which

Dante
sympathy, and awakens ours, with a
expresses his own
and
Paolo
Francesca
very different pair of winged lovers
It is
flying together like storm -driven birds in HeU.^
astounding that Plato should allow himself to speak in this
The explanationoffered by Thompson ^ does not enable
way.
astonishment:
The
to abate my
me
concluding portion of
stands more
in need of apology,"
which
the Myth, he tells us,
ought to be considered in connection with the fact that the
is intended
entire Discourse
a
as
pattern of philosophical
must
be, to the
Ehetoric, and is adapted,as all true Rhetoric
in this case, of Phaedrus, who
is somewhat
capacityof the hearer
It is still to me
of a sensualist.
astounding that Plato
of one
in sympathy with
dramatist
the sensualism
even
as
his
Socrates
of his dramatis
personae, the youth to whom
this Ehetorical
the
addresses
Paradigm, if that is what
Phaedrus
Myth is* should have ventured to speak, as he
"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

here, of what

does

as

The
best

men

in

Aristotle

reflection,in
are

the

indeed

he

apt

to

most

Inferno,v.

"

Fhaaims,

'

trite one,

tolerant

of their

manners

cases

become

condemns

age, is

of the

that

even

evil which

hardly,in

sad
oppressively

an

as

equivocally
un-

it.^

condemns

for it is such
trite reflection,
'

elsewhere*

the
vails
pre-

this case,

one.

p. 163.

entirelydissent

from

the view

that

this

merely a pattern of
consequential view (Thompson's
Introduction
to Phaedrus, p. zix.),that it is mostly "a
deliberate allegory,"
unlike, it is added, other Platonic Myths in which the sign and the thing
See infra,p. 339.
confused.
are
blended, and sometimes
signified
Rhetoric
philosophical

'

Laws, Tiii. 841

"

E. N.

; and

D.

vii. 5. 3. 1148

b 29.

also

from

the

Myth

is

THE

PHAEDRUS

MYTH

337

II
In

Myth

passingto

the Phaedrus

Myth (witk which

the Meno

be

we
the
associated),
pass to a Myth in which
Deduction
Categoriesof the Understanding occupies
perhaps a more
prominent place,by the side of the Eepresentation of Ideas of Eeason," than
has been assigned to it

must

of the

"

"

"

even

in the

The

Timaeus.

stands
of Eeason

of

mythologicaltreatment
"

in

on

different

of
Categories

footingfrom

that

the Understanding
of

"

Ideas

this

important respect,that it is not the only

of which
these Categoriesare
treatment
capable. The Ideas
of Eeason, Soul, Cosmos, and
God, if represented at all,
in Myth ; and
be represented
it is futile to attempt to
must
the truth of fact, by a rationalising
extract
process, out of
of them, however
a
as
convincing,
any representation
sentation,
repreit may
to
instinct.
On
the
our
deepest
appear
other hand. Categories
of the Understanding {e.g.
the notions
of Substance
and of Cause),though, as a priori conditions
of
be treated as
if they were
sensible experience,
they cannot
data of that experience,
for what
are
yet fullyrealised,
they
and
only in it. Hence, while their
are, in that experience,
be set forth in Myth, the fact that,
"priori character
a
may
unlike the Ideas of Eeason, they are
fuUy realised in sensible
also capable of logicaltreatment.
them
experience,makes
is obvious, when
That
they are capable of such treatment
and great as measured
considers the advance, sound
one
by
influence in the physicalsciences,which
has
Logic
brought
of the Notion, or Category,of
about in our
interpretation
Cause, and that by discussions carried on quite apart from
is present a priori,or is
the Notion
the questionof whether
of a posteriori
origin. We may say, however, that treatment
less
of Categories of the
Understanding tends to become
logicalas time goes on ; but yet the
mythologicaland more
become
obsolete
of them
can
never
mythologicaltreatment
the legitimate
it still remains
expressionof a natural impulse,
scendental
for evil
in his TranKant
of which
the power
recognises
Dialectic.
I call the mythologicalexpressionof
and not
because
it is mythological,
this impulse legitimate,
"

"

"

pseudo-scientific.
z

OF

MYTHS

THE

338

PLATO

Myth,
Myth, along with the Mew
of Categories
an
as
example of the Mythological Deduction
seen
Eternal Forms
of the Understanding. The
by the Soul
in
this life when
in
"remembered"
its prenatal life,as
although
objectsof sense
present themselves, are Categories,
I take

the

the

Phaedrus

list of them

with

and

is redundant

I do not
eyes, which
although the Phaedrus

Kant's
But

represents Ideas

as

well.

defective if

think

we

Plato, as

have

at it

do.

need

it
Categories,

deduces

Myth

look

we

been

careful

to

point out, does not anywhere distinguishCategoriesand Ideas

is one
of the
formally; and the Phaedrus
Myth, in particular,
most
complex, as well as comprehensive,in the whole list of
the Platonic
Myths. It deduces Categories,sets forth the
and EschatoIdeas
of Soul,Cosmos, and God, is Aetiological
and, though a true Myth, is very largelycomposed
logical,
of elements which
prehensiveness
are
Allegories. Its complexity and comindeed
so
are
great that they have suggested
the
with which, however, I cannot
theory that of Diiring,^
that the Myth is a Programme
a
generalview of a
agree
out
whole consistent Eschatological
Doctrine, which is worked
in detail in the
Gorgias,Phaedo, and Republic Myths.^ In
the
Phaedrus
have
a
Myth alone. During maintains, we
of
the
the whole
Soul
its
complete account
History of
"

"

"

"

condition

before

incarnation, the

of its

cause

incarnation, and

incarnate,and disembodied,till it
stages of its life,

the

returns

its

All this,he argues, is so

state.
originaldisembodied
have
that we
to go to
summarily sketched in the Phaedrus
the
other
some
Dialogues mentioned, in order to understand
things in the Phaedrus
rightly. In the Phaedrus
Myth, in
"eine
have
short, we
compendiarischeDarstellung einer in
Conception." The
grosserer Ausfiirlichkeit vorschwebenden
Phaedrus
with
Myth thus dealing, for whatever
reason,
everything that can be dealt with by a Myth, we shall do
well not to separate its Deduction
of Categories,
Doctrine
or
of avdfivija-K,
too sharply from
the other elements
of the
composition.
to

pp.

Die

eschat.

Myth. Platos, p. 476

(Arehiv

fur

Gesch.

d. Philos.

vi. (1893),

475ff.).

"
Of. Jowett
and
vol. iii. p. 468.
Campbell's JRepullic,
The
attempts of
Numenius, Proolus, and others to connect the Myth of Er with those in Gorg.,
Phaed., PJMedr., Tim., so as to get a completeand consistent view of Plato's
of such a method."
supra-mundane theories,only show the futility
"

This

Myth
deKvers, by way

THE

PHAEBBUS

is

part of the

than

the

but

sane,

other's

which

praiseof

madness

the

339

Discourse

of recantation, in

lover, indeed, is
better

MYTH

Love.

o% the

sanity. Madness

Socrates

is the

The
lover
source

non-

is far
of all

that is

effort. There are four kinds

good and great in human
of it
of the
(1) the Prophet's madness ; (2) the madness
Initiated ; (3) the madness
of the Poet ; and (4) the madness
of the True
Lover
who
is the True
Philosopher. It is the
Transcendental
History of the Soul as aspiring after this
True Love that is the main
burden
of the Myth.
And
here
let me
the view maintained
say a few words, in passing,on
to the Phaedrus
by Thompson in his Introduction
(p.xix.),^
that this Myth is,for the most
part, a deliberate Allegory."
With
this view
I cannot
fact that
It ignores the
agree.
which
gories.
Allea
are
Myth is normally composed of elements
^

"

"

The

Chariot, with

is

Charioteer

the

and

Horses,

two

result already
a
allegorical it puts in pictorialform
has
tinguished
disobtained
by Plato's psychologicalanalysis,which
Parts
of the
Eeason, Spirit,and Appetite as
its Path
Soul."
But
if the
Chariot
itself is allegorical,
is mythic. Allegoryemployed as rough
through the Heavens
Great
material
work
of the
is frequent in the
for Myth
in the
Masters, as notably in the greatest of all Myths
cession,
Divina
A
Commedia.
striking instance there is the ProOld
the
pensation
Disbetween
symbolic of the connection
"

"

"

and

the

Paradise

Earthly

New,

which

(Purg. xxix.

passes before the Poet in the

ff.).The Visions of Ezekiel,
for

indebted

of his

imagery,may
also be mentioned
instances of mythologicalcompositions
as
of elements
built largely out
which
are
allegories.It is
enthusiasm
and
a
living faith which, indeed, inspire the
mythopoeic or prophetic architect to build at all; but his
in
creative
enthusiasm
is often served by a curious diligence
to which

the

Dante

elaboration

is here

of the

some

parts.
Ill

identified

I have

Soul

by

the
'

Eternal

Phaedrus, 244.

prenatal impressionproduced in the

in the Super-Celestial
place
Forms, seen
the

"

Alluded

to sv^a,

p. 336.

with
and
seen

on
now

or
Categories,

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

340

of sensible

prioriconditions

experience,

regarded the recollection in this life of these Forms

to the effective operain the prenatallife as equivalent
tion
functions of the Understanding,
of a prioriCategories,
or
I wish
of sense.
of objects
the occasion of the presentation
to meet
an
objectionwhich may be brought againstthis
"

"

Let

identification.
in the

given

Myth

hiKaioavvri Justice
"

Itself ;

first look

us

the

at

b). They are airrj

Itself; aiiTr]a-co^poavvrj Temperance

(247

c, and

250

"

True
iina-^i]fx/i)
Knowledge ; airb
aX7)dT}"i
"

Beauty Itself;and
ova-lat
"

described

are

re
a'^dofiaToC

and

without

Forms

list of Eternal

colour,

Koi
without

KaXKo";

"

istent,
really exoo-^i^/iaTtcToi Kal dva"p"iif
shape, intangible. Now
as

oVtwv

ovra

"

Temperance Itself in this list cannot be

called Categoriesof the Understanding. They would
seem
to correspond rather to
CategoricalImperative." 'AXijdrjf
the ground occupied
the other hand, does cover
eirurrrnir), on
more.
by Categoriesof the Understanding,if it does not cover
in
is distinguished
the Meno
ledge
'ETTtcTT??/*';
(97, 98), as knowof the effect through its cause, from opdi]
So^a,empirical
effect ; and
the recognitionof
knowledge of the detached
is
iiria-TijfjiT),
necessary causal connection, thus identified with
expressly said (98 a) to be avd/ivrjo-K.If we consider how
of dvd/Mvrja-t.'s
close the Myth
in the Meno
(81 b) stands to
the Phaedrus
Myth, we are bound to conclude that the aXrjOrif
mentioned
of the oia-iai,seen
as
one
i-TTKrTTjiMrj,
by the Soul
in the
the a priori Category of
v7repovpdvi,o";
to-ttoi;, covers
Cause, and, it is fair to add, the other Categoriesof the
Understanding by the use of which, within the limits of
is attained.
possibleexperience,scientific truth (iirca-r'^firi)
Further, while the presence -er aXij^^? iirurrrniT}
the
among
Justice

Itself and

"

Eternal

Essences

or

Forms

entitles

us

to

speak

of

priori

Categoriesas domiciled in the virepovpdvLO's

totto?^ of the
Phaedrus
Myth, we need not quarrelwith the presence of axntj
and
airt) a-ca^poavvr),
SiKaioa-vvT},
in a list of
avTo
KaXKof
of the UnderCategories; the distinction between Categories
standing
and

provided
^

Ideas

for in

of

Reason,

Plato's

as

have

pointed out,

and
philosophical
language,

"Categorieswhich are already in things,

expression{ScottishPhilosophy,
Pringle-Pattison's
p. 140).
These

are

"

to

use

is not

it is to
Professor

THE

342

Science.

and (ftiXocro^ia
are
cally
practidvdfivr}a-i";,
intellectualis Bei.
and
mean
amor
terms,-^
world,"
love of the beautiful "intelligible

Hence

epw?,

convertible
This

PLATO

OP

MYTHS

enthusiastic

and
is overcome,
sharpening recollection tiU all forgetfulness
from
the flesh
the Soul is made
perfectly
pure, and is redeemed
for ever
this (^iXoao^ia
(tosum up all in a singleword),being
"

nisus

which

engages
only be

the

whole

in

man

one

concentrated
be

explained.
It is the very Life of the
Subject of all experience,and
if it were
be treated as
cannot
an
Object to be explained
in its place among
other Objectslike itself.
scientifically
f^ The Philosopheras conceived by Plato is an ardent Lover.
He
lives all his earthly life in a trembling hope, and, out
of his hope, sees visions,and prophesies.
Plato, keenly appreciatingthe power with which expression
of thought or feeling
reacts on
thought or feeling,
spares
to give artistic form
to Myth, the
no
pains in showing how
natural expression(ifonly as by-product)of the enthusiastic
philosophicnisus after self-realisation or purification.This
of the artistic Myth, for the construction
is the justification
that
it helps to moderate
of which
Plato suppliesmodels
the hopes,the fears,the
and refine and direct the aspirations,
of which
Myth is the natural expression. It will
curiosity,
what importance is attached,in the scheme
be remembered
of
in the Republic,to "good form"
education
sketched
in the
mode
of expressingnot
only literarymeaning and musical
but also athletic effort. The form of expressionis,as
feeling,
it were, the vessel which
contains
and gives contour
to the
endeavour, can

affirmed,cannot

felt and

"

character

which

that

have

we

expresses
in

our

itself

We

be

must

system of education

careful to

good

models

see

of

character may
expressioninto which, as into moulds, young
its bearing on
be poured. Apart from
education,the whole
questionof the reaction of expressionon that which expresses
itself is an interesting
be studied in its biological
one, and may
work
in Darwin's
the Uxpressionof the Emotions
rudiments
on
in Man

and

Animals.

So Dante
di Sapienza'':
{Conv.iii. 12), says, "Filosofia 6 uno amoroso
uso
is the Form, and
Sapienza the Subject Matter of Filosofia (Conv. iii. 13,
14). So also Wordsworth, substituting"Poetry" for "Philosophy" (Pref,to
LyricalBallads)," Poetry is the breath and finer spiritof all knowledge : it is
Amor

the

impassionedexpressionwhich

is in the countenance

of all Science."

THE
I said that

PHAEDBUS

should

we

of the Phaedrus

MYTH

343

do well, consideringthe

complexity

of Categories
Myth,
doctrine
of
or
too much
Trom
the general
avd/ji,vr}cn(;
The
context.
doctrine
of avd/jLvr]"n"!
is treated by Plato, in
the Phaedrus
and Meno, as inseparablefrom
the doctrine of
the prenatal existence
and immortalityof the Soul, and is
the Orphic doctrine of Kdeap"n";
closelybound
and
up with
his own
the doctrine
version of it
of philosophic
ep"o";. It
is impossible,
then, to pledgePlato to belief in the literal truth
of the doctrine
of dvdfwri"Ti";,
unless we
are
prepared to go
with ZeUer
the length of thinking that he is in earnest in
believingthat the Soul actuallyexisted as a separateperson
before it was
into
this body, and
born
will pass through a
after the death
series of incarnations
If it be
of this body.
writes
Zeller {Plato,pp. 404
"f.,Eng. Tr.),"to
impossible,"
imagine the soul as not living,this must
equally hold good
of the future and of the past ; its existence can
littlebegin
as
with this life as end with it. Strictlyspeaking,it can
never
have begun at all ; for the soul being itself the source
of all
^
have proceeded?
ingly
Accordmotion, from what could its motion
mentions
Plato hardly ever
immortalitywithout alluding
and
his
to pre-existence,
as
expressions are
explicitand
the
In
his opinion they
decided
the other.
about
one
as
and
he uses
alike to explainthe
them
stand or fall together,
facts of our
therefore cannot
doubt that
spirituallife. We
he was
thoroughly in earnest in his assumption of a preAnd
that
this pre-existence
existence.
had
no
beginning is
like
often asserted by him ^ that a mythical representation
so
that of the Timaeus
can
hardly be allowed any weight to the
that in
admit the possibility
must, nevertheless,
contrary. We
of
abide by the consequences
his later years he did not strictly
his system, nor
propound to himself whether the soul
definitely
had
historical beginning,or only sprang to its essential
any
from
nature
some
higher principle.
and
If the two poles of this ideal circle,Pre-existence
established, there is no
evading the
Immortality, be once
not

to

detach

its Deduction

"

"

"

doctrine
notions

of

of

EecoUection

lies between

which

Transmigration and

appear,

the
^

more

we

future

of

consider

Phaedrus, 245 o,

rewards

them,

Meno, 86

them;

A.

to

and
be

and

the

punishments
seriously

regard

With

meant.

above-cited

and
dogmatically

that

system.

weE

be

admitted

; for

in the soul

if

of infinite duration

which, though

traces

consciousness,could

our

must

we

be for

not

soul

the

of
pre-existence

the

once

existence

an

some

the

the doctrinal constituents of

it a,mong
could not
inference which
doctrine is an

The

escaped

system, that

his whole

with

theory is so bound up
reckon
unconditionally

the

speaks in
and
definitely,

Eecollection, Plato

to

so

passages

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

344

were

left

have

must

obscured
temporarily

ever

it is

But

obliterated.

in

opinion the only solution of a most important

the
to
possibilityof
scientific question: the question as
ception.
perindependent inquiry of thought transcendingsensuous
Immediate
the
Our thought could not get beyond
also in Plato's

"

and

the Actual

we

could

is

seek for what

not

as

yet unknown

recognisein what we find the thing that we sought

possessedit before we recognised
for,if we had not unconsciously
could form
no
conscious of it.^ We
and were
conception of
from
is hidden
of things which
Ideas, of the eternal essence
our
perception,if we had not attained to the intuition of
to us,

nor

these in

exclude

to

doctrines

existence.*

former

the

of the Platonic

system

teaching of Plato.
necessityof this doctrine

The

the

to

view, difficult to refute

they

is therefore

work

essential

the

entirelyopposed

arguments for the truth and

not
indeed,from our point of

it is obvious

; but

modern

from

that

Plato's

meant."
seriously

are

are

from

Eecollection

of

theory

attempt of

The

to

venture

that

think

the

doctrine

of

in
dvdfivr)"n"},

is not intended
by Plato to be taken
setting,
This view, for
literally that it is not Dogma but Myth.
I may appealto the authorityof Leibniz and Coleridge,*
which
and
itself,

in its

"

Meno, 80 D S.
Phaedo, 73 c ff. and 76 D.
'
Teiohmuller, Studien zur Oesch. d. Begriffe,
pp. 208 ff.
*
Leibniz
doctrine of
(Nov/v. Ess. Avant-propos) describes the Platonic
toute fabuUuse ; and Coleridge{Biog. Lit. ch. 22), speakingof
Reminiscence
as
"Wordsworth's
Ode on the Intimations
of Immortalityfrom Mecollections ofEarly
Childhood, says : " The ode was intended for such readers as had been accustomed
reflux of their inmost
the flux and
into
to watch
at times
nature, to venture
of consciousness, and
to feel a deep interest in modes
of
the twilightrealms
2

being,to

inmost
time
as

and

little

existence
himself

which

they know

alien, but

and
inapplicable

which

that

yet

the
cannot

attributes

in the
ever

of words, as
ordinaryinterpretation

meant

"

or

taughtit.

and

space

are

conveyed, save in symbolsof

sufficiently
plain,and they will be

is
For such readers the sense
Wordsworth
Mr.
with
to
charge
disposed
space.

of time

be

believingthe
I

am

Platonic

to believe

that

prePlato

THE

to

PHAEDRUS

be

borne

MYTH

345

by the passage in the Meno ^

is presented there, in
dealing with dvafivqcni
:
avdfiv7](n";
accordance
with Orphic belief,
as
becoming Clearer and clearer

seems

to

me

out

at each

incarnation,till the soul

life of

earnest

with

not

hatfiav.

with

Can

all the

all,with

it be

last attains

at

maintained

deceive
and

accidie?

effect,with
are

the belief that

faculties

of
way
deceive

getting to
is,of

Science

conditions
that

to

of

them

use

mental

establish

in

; for

us

science.

The

faculties
if the

but

our

deceive

mental

our

this

perhaps
scepticism

from

cannot

in

are

faculties which

faculties do not

believe

course,

we

ourselves

save

us.

the

are

Here

believing iirmly that

mental

our

mental

us

we

deceive

not

in

avdfivTja-i"s
entirelyon
more
ready to take the

mental

to

Only by

faculties do

is

"

by recommending his tale about

practical
grounds,as likelyto make us
trouble of seeking after knowledge.
says in
How
us.

Plato

details of this passage ?

and, if
It is to be noted, too, that Socrates

any

he

that

Orphic

ends

world,

to the blessed

us
our

surest

do

not

of

absence

should
ever
proof of their trustworthiness
give us
anxiety,the persuasivenessof a Myth may comfort us ; that
of not
is,a Myth may put us in the mood
arguing about our
mental
faculties,but believingin them.
Meno, in argumentative
a
mood, asks how it is possibleto investigate
thing
knows
about
which
one
absolutelynothing in this case.
which
Socrates
Virtue, about
nothing
professesto know
that
knows
Meno
himself, and has shown
nothing. One's
Meno
before
objectwhatever
investigation,
argues, having no
but how
truth
is one
to
it,might hit by accident on some
scientific

"

"

know

what

one

does

knows

Meno.

mean

and

know
knows

one

"

what

or

knows,
not

that

one

one

does

not

is
investigation
one

not

Exactly ;

does

not

what

?"

and

you

can't

Why,

pray

know, and

?
1

Meno, 81.

Socrates
don't

But

it is

how

one

; and
can

one

you

ducing
intro-

are

you

; for what

unnecessary

think

this

what

either
investigate

know

Socrates. No, I don't.

M.

To

wants

one

meaning, Meno.
your
sort of argument it is that

verbal
You

?
one

truth

the

understand

replies:I
see

it is

that

knows

what

one

gate
investi-

good argument

S. I will
who

M.

have

business ; and

also

is this
Tale

true

Who

great and glorious.

told you ?

continual study it
whose
priestsand priestesses
their
of the things which
are
account
to give an

is to be able

women

beKeve, and

it ?

was

S. Those

it

heard

you

Tale, true

their Tale

and

men

"

What

M.

from

concerningdivine things

What

S. A

PLATO

heard

I have

tell you.

wise

are

OF

MYTHS

THE

346

"

Pindar,and

many

it is for you

whether

to consider

the

That
say,
to her
cometh

they

"

poets. And

divine

other

is

of Man

Soul

you

think

immortal,

they call Death ;

and
is she born
then afterwards
again,but perishethnever.
lives observing
Wherefore
it behoveth
to go through our
us
Persephone
religionalway : for the Souls of them from whom
hath received the price of ancient Sin, she sendeth hccck to the
These
be they who
lightof the Sun above in the ninth year.
noble kings and
become
men
swift and strong and mighty in
wisdom, and are called Messed
afterunto all
of them that come
generations."
and

to-day she

Since

the

has often

been

Soul, then, Socrates continues, is immortal, and

incarnate, and

and

the

things in Hades,

she

has

not

No

learnt.

and

all

she

for,as Nature

anything else

kind, and

Soul

has

both

seen

things,there

wonder, then, that

what

to recall to memory

the

End, which

has

she

formerlyknew
is all of

learnt all

one

things here
is nothing which
the

is

able,of herself,
Virtue

about

stock

common

or

and

there is no reason
why,
things,
but one
thing (thisis what is

startingfrom her recollection of

called
should
not, of himself, discover all
learning"),a man
if only he have good courage, and shirk not inquiry
other things,
for, accordingto this account, all inquiry and learning is
remembering." So, we must not be led away by your verbal
"

"

"

It would

argument.

make

us

idle ; for it is

an

argument that

of the matter
stirs people
peoplelike. But my account
up to work and inquire. Believingit to be the true account,
I am
along with you, to inquirewhat Virtue is.^
willing,
lesson to be drawn
The practical
from the Myth contained
in this passage is indicated by Socrates a littlefurther on : "
There
are
things, he says, in the Doctrine, or Myth, of
which
it is hardly worth
Eeminiscence
while to insist,if
on
slack

"

Meno, 80 n-Sl

e.

"

Meno, 86 a, b,

o.

THE

they

challenged
;

are

which

is worth

think

PHAEDBUS

that

there

and

more

courageous
do not know

we

possibleto ascertain
for

reason

347

thing

one

maintaining
what
ought to investigate

we

Zeller's

is

against all

better men,
are
think that what
neither

but

MYTH

comers

teaching

that,if

"

do not

we

less
is

in its

know,

than
slothful,

something

if

which

we

we
we

it is

right to investigate.

nor

maintaining

that

the

doctrine

of

set forth in this

dvdfiv7ja-i,";,
passage and in the Phaedrus
Myth, is to be taken literally
to be that the doctrine
seems
is propounded by Plato as the sole
explanation of what he
"certainly
accepted as a fact the presence
of an
-priori
a
element in experience,
is an explanationinvolvand, moreover,
ing
"

the

doctrine

be taken
I

Ideas

think

not

that

it follows that
him

to

The

which

"

are

of the
"

resembling

Eternal

fact is

consists

criticism

Milton's
intellexit

Plain

Myth

is

venture
^

of

poem
seems

to

This

to

quote

view

from

in

prenatal experience

of the Ideas

elSriare

pointsof

an

of

as

have

we

orthodox
view

by

would

not

is

Aristoteles
state

set forth

Aristotle

as

is

manqui.

coiip

happily the
Ideas

It

this,that

see

quemadmodum
so

by

in full

objects

mythology.^

of

Ideas

of Eternal

it here

with

or

Platonica

up

on

"

to express

me

ence,
experi-

length of thinking that the

explanation,"
are, like their

not

doctrine

Idea

quite consistent
scientific

priori element

Plato

"

in this

erroneouslytaken
to

of Truth, creations

the

Be

introspectionmakes

an

the

go

assumed

that the doctrine

"

wishes

only "explanation" which

scientific."
regardedby him as
in the
assumption of Eternal

"

because Aristotle either could

case

urged,Plato

in this life,of sensible

presentation,

them.

Ideas,as

domicile,the
his

is

the

recollected

"

the occasion

of

even

of the

"explanation"

Ideas

because

fact the presence

as

occurs

which, it

literally.

do

accept

of

by
Dogma
"

of

the

Plato
that

in
I

'
:

"

them

view
means

in the Phaedrus
Myth is,of course,
of their place in Logic. In Logic the
of which
phenomena are brought into

natural

and
explained in their causal context.
Answering to these
groups
scientific pointsof view are objectively
valid Laws of Nature.
Couturat
{de Plat.
MytAis, p. 81), after pointingto certain differences in the accounts
given in the

Tim.,

Phaedo, Sepitbl.,and

of the ISiai,ends with

the
Sophistes,
respectively,
it not that the whole
might complain of "inconsistency were
is "mythicall" This, I think, is goingtoo far. It is interesting
"

remark

that

doctrine

of ISiai
that Dante

to note
and "Gods"
equallywith
*

Met. M.

we

so

(Conv. ii. 5) draws

far

the

as

parallel
goes,

close

between
parSlel

the former

will

the Platonic Idiai

belong to "mythology"

the latter.
'

Masson's

Poetical

Works

of John

Milton, vol. iii.p. 76.

OF

MYTHS

THE

348

nemorum
praeeides
numinia
perbeata

sacrorum
Dicite,
Tuque O noveni

Memoria

PLATO

mater, quaeque

deae,

in immense

procul

Aetemitas,
Monumenta
et ratas legesJovis,
servans,
Coeliquefastos atque ephemeridasDeiim,
recumbis

Antro

Quis

ille

otiosa

primus cujusex imagine

solera finxit humanum

Natura

genus,

polo,
exemplar Dei ?
gemellusinnubae,

Aeternus, incorruptus,
aequaevus

Unuaque
Haud

et universus

Ule, Palladis

Interna

prolesinsidet
Sed,quamlibetnatura
Tamen

Et,
Seu

seorsus

mira

extat

! certo

menti

Jovis ;

sit communior,

ad

morem

unius,

spatioloci :
stringitur

sempitemus

ille siderum

comes

Caeli pererrat ordines decempUcis,

Citimumve
terris incoUt Lunae
globum ;
corpus adituras sedens,
Obliviosas torpet ad Lethes aquas ;
Sive in remota
forte terrarum
plaga

Sive,inter

animas

Incedit

ingenshominis archetypusgigas,
Et diis tremendus
erigitcelsum caput,
siderum.
Atlante major portitore
Non, cui profundum caecitas lumen dedit,
Dircaeus

augur vidit hunc alto sinu ;

Non
hunc silenti nocte Pleiones nepos
Vatum
sagacipraepes ostendit choro ;
Non

hunc sacerdos novit Assyrius,

licet
atavos
Longos vetusti commemoret
Nini,
Priscumque Belon, inclytumque Osiridem ;
Non
ille trino gloriosus
nomine
Ter magnus
Hermes
(ut sit arcani soiens)
Talem
Isidis cultoribus.
reliquit
At tu,^perenne
ruris Academi
decus,
si tu primus induxti scholis)
(Haec monstra
Jam
jam poetas,urbis exules tuae,
Revocabis,ipsefabulator maximus
;
Aut institutor ipsemigrabisforas.

To

put the

inatter

whole
: I regard the
briefly

of

doctrine

and of iheai qua

involved
in that doctrine,as an
avdfwr)(n"s,
and encouraging
Myth
plausible,
Aetiological
comforting,
"

Prof.

MasBon

(o.c.lit. 527) says

"

"

Tu is,of course, Plato ; and

here, it
at the close that he does not believe that the
Aristotelian representation
of Plato's Idea, which
he has been burlesquing
in the
is a true rendering of Plato's real meaning.
If it were
if Plato had
poem,
so
seems

to

me,

Milton

intimates

"

reallytaught

I rather think commentators

any such monstrosity,then, etc.
on
the poem
have missed its humorous
and supposed Milton himself to be
character,
findingfault with Plato."

THE

350

and

rooted

in

Earth,

the

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

the face thereof."

upon

Again, Dante

the

ninth

life

on

dico,e cio intendo

cosi

perocche senza

Lo

del

numero

altro,per

era

dei

del

numero

cioe

nove,

un

moltipli-

medesimo
che

del

tre

via

tre

se

accompagnata dal

ella

la radice

manifestamente

vedemo

questa donna

tre ed imo,

Figliuoloe SpiritoSanto, li qualisono

fu

se

tre

del nove,
il tre h fattore per sh medesimo
k tre, ciofe Padre,
miracoli per sfe medesimo

Dunque

lo fattore

numero

siccome

nove,

nove.

at

"

concludes

fa

afterwards

years

his

day {V. N.,i); and she departed this

of the
ninth
year,
day of the ninth month
the Syrian style{V. N. 30):
"Questo numero,"
{V. K 30), "fu ella medesima; per simUitudine

the

cato, fa

nine

was

of the

hour

accordingto

nove,

( Vita Nuova, 2) ;

her

he first saw
year when
her
first greetinghe received from

She

of Beatrice.

9 the number

makes

in her ninth

he

shall inhabit

mankind

long as

so

nove

intendere, que

ad

dare

miracolo,la cui radice h solamente

un

la

compared a passage in
to Cicero,de Senectute
Convivio,iv. 24, in which Dante, referring
(" 5), as authority,says that Plato died aged eighty-one(of.
Toynbee,Dante Diet, art. "Platone," at the end, for a quotation
from
Seneca, Ep. 58, to the same
effect);and adds: "e io
mirabile

credo

Trinitade."

che, se Cristo

spazio che
sarebbe

la

all'

sua

With

this may

fosse stato

non

vita

be

e fosse vivuto
crucifisso,

potea secondo

ottantuno

di

anno

natura

mortale

lo

trapassare,egli
in

corpo

eternale

trasmutato."

V
The

History

contrast

of the

between
Soul

the terrestrial scenery

Phaedo, Gorgias,and

Ascension

intermediate
Eeference

to

the Plain

of

Blessed,True

celestial mise

representedin

scdne

en

of

the

the Phaedrus

Myth, and
of the great Eschatological
Myths in the
PepuUic, is a point on which some
marks
re-

be offered.
may
In the Phaedrus
Myth
and

the

mainly concerned with the Fall

of human
Souls through the Heavenly Spheres
the Earth
between
and
the ireBiov aKr]9eia^.
the Sublunary Eegion which
includes Tartarus,
Lethe, and the Earthly Paradise (Islandsof the
Surface

we

of the

are

Earth,

to,

is
ireplyfjv ovpav6"s),
=

THE

PHAEBRUS

MYTH

351

In the Fhaedrus
have
slight and distant.
Myth we
light
wings and a Faradiso ; in the three other Myths mentioned,
plodding feet and an Inferno and a Purgatow,o.
distinction

This

to

answers

real difference

in the

sources

for his

On the one
History of the Soul.
indebted
to the Pythagorean Orphies,who
hand, he was
put
their
the
in
other
eschatology. On
KaSapa-i^ the forefront of
for the selection of details,
the
hand, he had at his disposal,
less refined mythology of the Kard^aat'} et? "AiSov,as taught
in the Republic}
by the Priests denounced
be
The
eschatology of the Pythagorean Orphies may
The
Soul
broadly characterised as celestial and astronomical.
her native place in- the Highest Heaven, through
falls from
Earth.
the Heavenly Spheres,to her first incarnation
on
By

on

which

drew

Plato

series

of

Earth

(the details

taint

and

of which

are

mostly

of the

she
Kard^aa-i';eh "AiSou),

of the

flesh.

Then,

at

last,she

re-incarnations

taken

is

from

the

ology
myth-

purifiedfrom

returns

to

her

on

the

native

Highest Heaven, passing,in the upward flightof

chariot,through the Heavenly Spheres,as through Stations

placein
her
or

sojourns in Hades,

of

means

the

Doors.

down
of this
to us
example which has come
in the passage
meets
us
celestial eschatologyis that which
Parmenides
with
which
Parmenides
begins his Poem.
goes
Sun
the
of
the
in
chariot
Daughters
a
accompanied by
;
up
of
where
the
he rides through the Gate of Justice
paths
Day
to the
and
Eegion of
Night have their parting; and comes
receives him.^
Light,where Wisdom
the eschatology
to this celestial eschatology,
In contrast
be described
in the RepuUic may
of the Priests denounced
All Souls go to a place on Earth, or under the
terrestrial.
as
to the
sent
right to
Earth, to be judged, and the good are
almvio^, Rep. 363
eternal feasting{/ledri
d), and the wicked
The

the

to

earliest

left,to lie

for

ever

in

Pit

the

KadapaK efiected by a secular

aspirationthese Priests
philosophic
1

363 c, D ; 364
See Bumet's

MithrasUiurgie, p. 197.
himself ; but is borrowed
purpose
the same

source.

process
have

Of the true

Slime.

no

of

penance

conception.

and
The

ff.
Greek

Sarly

of decoration.

of

The

fF. ; and
Dieterioh, Mne
of Parmenides
the
views
express
passage
the Pythagorean Orphies,probably for the mere

Philosophy, pp.
does

from
Soul-chariots

The

183

not

of the Phaedrus

Myth

are

derived from

THE

352

which
only KaOapa-ii

The

bring the
eschatology.
Although
Islands

of

the

to

Plato

leaves

and

Blessed

eschatology,he

Myth,

to

that

ultimate

the

the

mention

in

us

terrestrial
not

is needed

"earthly" Paradise

very

it
and

Timaeus

destination

in

plain

of

this

Phaedo

the

Soul

virtuous

of the

the

Phaedrvs

the

their

only

Tartarus

of

Pit

makes

of

Gorgias with

the

the

thought

life,
by ritual observance.

effected in this life is all that

Soul

the

of their

the range

for all in this

thus
KdQapai."i

to

within

comes

once
effected,

is that

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

Myth,

is not

any
well be

delights(which might
Celestial
but
ritual
that secured
a
purification),
by mere
the Pure Intelligencerises by its own
Paradise, to which
and
strenuous
effort,recallingto memory
more
more
clearly
it ardentlyloves.
the Eternal Truth which
It was
through what may be called its astronomical side,
and
not
through that side which reflects the mythology of
the
Kard0aat(i el"s"AtSov, that the Platonic
eschatology
influenced
subsequent religiousthought and practice. The
doctrine of KaOapa-if
effected by personal effort in a Cosmos
governed by God, which, after all,is the great contribution
made
by Plato to the religiousthought and practice of
Europe, found its appropriatevehicle in the largeastronomy
Terrestrial

which

Paradise

meets

which

aerial and

aethereal

Souls, by the

human

Dieterich,

in

his

Timaeus

and

Phaedrus

elaborated,with
habitats

of

Stoics

astronomy

an

"

specialreference

Daemons

and

unite

doctrines

the
of

less than

by the Platonists.
the
Mithrasliturgie
(1903), mentions

Mne

Pythagorean
the

to the

disembodied

no

Posidonius, Cicero's teacher,as the writer who

Stoic
to

in the

us

afterwards

was

of sensual

Stoa.

and

As

Platonic

result

of

his

tradition

did most
with

accommodation

the
of

eschatologyto Stoic doctrine,reference ^ to a subterranean

Hades
a
nd
the History of the Soul after
disappears,
Death
is that of its dvd^aa-i';
from Earth
to Air, from Air to
Aether, and through the Spheres of the^anets to the Sphere
Platonic

of the Fixed

^aa-ii,even

Stars.
in

the

The
case

itself closelywith
In

the

Phaedrus

Myth
'

Eine

substitu^par^f
dvd^aaK
of
the
the

the
"

Souls

of

the

physicalscience

Soul

has

"

wings and

Mithrasliturgie,
pp. 79 and

202.

for Kard-

wicked,
of the

nects
con-

Stoics.

flies up ; but

THE
the
"

Stoics
"

matter

give

PSAEDRUS
scientific

"

of which

MYTH

it is made

"

for

reason

is

so

353

its

and

rare

the

ascent,
"

lightthat

it rises

separatedfrom the* terrestrial body.

To Posidonius,and through him
to Plato and the Pythagorean
Orphics,Dieterich^ carries back the eschatologyof Cicero's
Somnium
of
and
Scipionis and Tusculanae
Disputationes^
^
Seneca's Letter to Marcia
an
eschatologyin which the Soul
is represented
as
ascendingthrough Heavenly Stations ; while
the astronomy of the pseudo-Aristotelian
a
ireplKoajiov,
of

necessitywhen

it is

"

"

work

of

second
of

the

The

known

Phaedrus

to

The

try

us

influence

of

the
to
the

in

of

the

Poem

of

the

Phaedrus

the

line,

the

the

first

Type
and

of

scheme

through

in the
or

the

Parmenides

Soul

of God

Presence

follow

of

Paradiso,

Purified

beside

scarcelycounts

embodiment

is Dante's

Ascension
into

latest

us

Myth

Heavens
Let

in

"

Posidonius.

"

century aftet Christ, translated

that
century by Apuleius, he contends, is essentially

made

is

first

which

Moving

the

Unmoved

Heaven."

lines, along which

Myth (forthe Poem

Phaedrus
Myth)

the

the

of Parmenides
was

transmitted

to the Paradiso.

It
The

transmitted

was

first

de Coelo

definite

"

along two main lines.

passed through the Aristotelian Metaphysics and
the influence thus transmitted
showing itself in the

astronomical
V

of

notion

Amor

to

the Paradiso

framework
che

of
il Sole

move

the
e

Paradiso,
V

and

altre Stelle.

the
The

(which I believe to be necessary, with the first,

for the full explanationof the scheme, and
more
especially
of the Paradiso)has two
of the 97^0?,
strands, one of which
and its antecedents,chiefly
consists of the Somnium
Scipionis,
Stoical ; the other, of certain astronomical
apocalypses,
chiefly
these apocalypsesbeing closely
related to certain
Christian
which
sacramental
or
mysteries,
embody the eseha'tology
rites^
of the Phaedrus
Myth.
Let
me
enlarge a little on these two lines of influence;
and, first,
try to indicate how the Myth of the vTrepovpavic;
intellection^
the goal of all volition and
passes
TOTTo?
Dante.
the
of
Aristotle
into
Christian
mythology
through
Phaedrus
of
the
The
v"rov
Myth (247) is the
ovpavov
of the
surface
convex
eighth Sphere the Sphere of the
second

line

"

"

"

"

o.c.

p. 201.

'

i. 18, 19".

Ch. 25.

2a

Fixed
aU

includes,according to Plato's astronomy,

Stars, which

the

other

revolution

Spheres,and

from

motions

slower

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

354

from

within

to

west

their

have

they

it in its

with

round

them

west, while

to

east

carries

own

east.^

gods,sittingin their chariots,are carried round on

this outer
Sphere, throughout its whole revolution, in full
Souls, at
sight of the Eternal Eegion beyond, while human
obtain
least
till they are
only broken
perfectlypurified,
that
it is in order to get
must
glimpses of it. We
suppose
connected
view
of this Super-celestial
Eegion that the
a
e) are sent,
(40 E-42
newly created Souls in the Timaeus
It
each in its star-chariot,on a journey round the Heavens.
is the invincible desire of seeing the Super-celestial
Eegion
The

draws

which

and

ovpavov,

and

all Souls, divine

obligesthem

human,

go round

to

to

up

with

the

revolution

the

B ; BepuUic, 616 B ff.; and

Boeckh, CorMnentatio
indole Astronomiae
Systemaie Coelestvum Globorum, et de vera
laicae (Heidelberg,1810), p. 5.
According to the system acceptedby
the
true, the Earth
scientifically
occupies the centre, round which
^

See

v"tov

Timaeus, 36

altera de

Platonico

revolve

but

the

Earth

does

not

revolve

on

its

axis ; the

own

of

PhUoPlato as
Heavens

ciWo/ifviirof

means
"wrapped, or globed round," not "revolving" as Ariat. de
made
revolve
the Earth
293 b 30, falselyinterprets. If Plato
its axis, that would
neutralise
the effect of the revolution
of the Sphere
the Fixed
Stars
(Boeckh, o.c. p. 9). In the PhoMirvs
Myth, however,

Tim.

40b

Coelo,ii.
on

of

Boeckh

(p.28)

is of

opinion

true, and
scientifically

that

follows

Plato

deserts

the

system which

he accepts as

the

Pythagoreans,who put 'Eo-rio (Ai4s *uXo"iJ)

(see Burnet's Early Greek Philosophy," 125, pp.

centre of the Universe

of Phaedrus, 247 A, is in favour
319 ff.). The iiAvei
yhp ''Stcrrlaiv Bediv otxtf/i"vr!
\ of Boeckh's
opinion ; but, apart from this one clause,there is nothingin the Myth
of the Earth as fixed in the midst of the
to suggest that Plato does not think
in the

! Heavens.

If he thought of the Earth

of the planetsrevolvinground a
as
one
Pythagorean central fire,why does the Earth not appear with the other planets,
in this Myth, as one
of the planet-gods
in the train of Zeus ?
The
planet'home.'
the
gods," Plato in effect says, "after their journey come
'Bo-Tio,
This is a quitenatural sequence
to which
'hearth,' is the 'home'
they come."
it better to suppose that it passed through Plato's mind,
of ideas ; and I think
' '

than

to

have

recourse

centralityof

the

visualise

Fall

Myth.

the
The

to

the

Earth, without
and

statement

view

that

he

abandoned

Ascension
of human
Souls
of Theophrastus recorded

"

doctrine

the

which, indeed, it would

the main

of the
difficult to

be

very
"incident"

by Plutarch, that Plato

of the
in his

regrettedthat he had made the Earth the centre in the Timaeus, is

justlysuspected by Zeller and other scholars : see Zeller's Plato,
Transl.
p. 379, n. 37, Eng.
I have spoken of the choir of Zeus as
planet-gods ; but, as there are seven
the expression
planets and twelve gods or eleven in the absence of Hestia
Of. Thompson's Phaedrus,
exact.
is only approximately
169.
p.
For later developments of the geocentricsystem acceptedby Plato, see Arist.
Met. A, 1073 b 17 ff. (A is judged to be post-Aristotelian
by Rose, de Arist. lib.
the system of Eudoxus
ord. et auct. p. 242), where
with
27 spheres,that of
Callippuswith 34 spheres,and that of the writer himself with 56 spheres,are
described.
Of. Zeller's Arist. i. 499-503, Engl. Transl.
These
spheres were
added
to explain the (jMivbiitva.
later years
doubtless

'"

"

"

"

THE

PHAEDBUS

ovpav6"; moving

the

in order

"

of that which
rational

in

microcosm

far

of

the

it

as

to

"

circular

Heavenly Sphere moves

{Timaeus, 47 b).
Aristotle,although

brain, the

in

he

the

Sphere
"

of
ultimate
with

of

the

its

omits

the

Mobile"

final

as

epwfievov?^

once

One

this

Now

this

mythology
the

which

is

Unmoved

of Souls

Fhaedrus

his doctrine

the

in

Myth, and,

that the
the

by

Outer
tion
attrac-

and

unmoved;

this

heavenly motion he identifies

ciple,
immaterial, eternally
active.Prinof knowledge and
desire. Who

an

as

object at'

the Heavens

moves

of

which

of the

source

God, described

in

is itself moved

something beybnd
unmoved

of

in
language,^

Primum

orbit

presence

their chariots,retains the motive

indeed,much

355

apprehend the whole extent

Human
thought here on Earth is
within
the
imftates,"
reproduces,or

is unmoved.

so

MYTH

Beloved

is

moves

the

God

Myth.

Lover

Best

"

Kivec

to?

Beloved,

the

Truth, takes, in Aristotle's theory,the placeof the ireSiov

which
the Souls, in Plato's' Myth, eagerly seek to
d\r]0el,a";

Final

The

language of the Aristotelian

of the dignityof the Myth.
With
is a
has
lofty hymn which
passage
religious
imaginationof all after ages.

see.

The

vTrepovpdvio";
roiro';,

Phaedrus

object of

Myth

volition

Heavens

the

the God

"

"

or

of Met.

(^ovXtjtov)and
in the

appears

mediaeval

astronomy,

it and

deeply

the

influenced

TreStov

of the
dX7)6eia";,
A, Who, unmoved
(aKivrjrov)
intellection (votjtov),
moves

Christian

poetises,as the Quiet Heaven,

dwelling-placeof God and all
the

passage, too, is worthy

all its technicalities the

the
the

is counted

doctrine, which

Dante

Empyrean, the unmoved

blessed spirits.This,
as

the

Heaven,

Tenth

in

for

the

Eighth Sphere of the Platonico- Aristotelian

Starless Sphere, the
CrystallineSphere,
system the Ninth
Let
had been interpolated
turn
us
as
again
primum mobile.
Dante
to the passage in the Gonvivio
in.
which
speaks
(ii.4)
of
what
of the Tenth
Heaven, and read it afresh' in the light
between

been

has

said about

and
irehiov dXT)deia";

the

the

Aristotelian

God:"
"

There

are

nine

Fhaedrus, 245 c, is the

A, 1072 a 23 ff.
""i See
Arist. Met. A, 1072

Moving

source

Heavens

of the

Met.

See p. 164

supra.

21-1072

b 30.

thought

and
and

the

order

phraseology of

of

Arist.

their

as

of

the

positionis
the
Moon;

third

Venus

follows

the ninth

is that

which

is that

Mercury

is; the

which

in

Sun

the

can

mentioned,

above

first that is reckoned

that

Saturn

the seventh

Jupiter;

The

second

fourth

; the

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

356

; the

fifth Mars

; the

eighth is

only

be

as

Heaven

the

of Flame,

or

the

outside

wholly transparent. But

the Empyrean Heaven,
suppose

to say

the

because

by

in
itself,

Deity
the

blessed

him

it

and

which

lie,will

Peaceful

it were,
Heaven

fullybeholds
according as
spirits,

have

alone

it; and

aright,seems
In

longing

which

to

this doctrine

of the

first book

authorityof Aristotle in its favour, we

The
of the whole
Myth of the Faradiso.
through the Nine Moving Spheres,to the
his
which
valuable

and

moves

intellect moved
the

and

sun

so

is
:

great desire

de

understands

Ooelo."

Quiet Heaven, justlysaid

the

will

this

incomprehensible. And this

is the place of that Supreme
This
is the place of
itself
Holy Church, which cannot

in the

mean

respect

every part of
divine less
Motion-

Aristotle,to whoso

this

they

rapid movement

most

every part of that most

within
that with
revolves

velocityis, as

Motionless

fervent

has

much

; and

Luminous

joinedto

Heaven,
its

mobile

primum

of the

reason

it has to be

that

the

why

phanous,
diathese

as

suppose this to be immovable, since it has

of every part, that which
its matter
requires. And
reason

ment
move-

of
is

which

in

the

Stars ;

or
Crystalline,

or

Catholics

that of the

perceivedby

is called

which

sixth

; the

ai
other

have

of Dante,

ascent

Unmoved

stars," is

Heaven,

"

the

Myth

"

Love
how

regulativeinfluence the world knows, and

better
a
Myth settingforth like the Myth
yet know
may
of the Soul-Chariots,man's
personal effort to take his place
in the Cosmos
by "imitating" its eternal laws in his own
to look always down, like the,
thought and will,not content
brutes,at the things beneath him on the ground, but, first,
the stars in their
liftingup his eyes to the Visible Gods
and then thinking out the law of their order ;
orderlycourses
the final
thus, as we read in the Timaeus
(47 A), realising
is to awaken
of eyes, which
cause
thought. The ultimate
forth by the
identity of Thought and Will as both drawn
attraction of one
Object the Object,Plato would
say, of
would
Philosophy,"of Theology Aristotle and Dante
say
in

its

have

motive

the

stage by

every

to

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

these Eternal
out

if

Time

as

they

live

in

ten

once

world

This

other

Myth

Dialogue, I listened
The
Stranger offered
"

is

later Platonists

used

where
ovpav6";,

as

in

rich

as

or

which

in

way

nor

tottoi;,

God,

the
be

avrapKea-TaTr).
mine
in
to work

the

'yp6vo";,

nor

Kevov,

life is described

whose

Platonists

atraOrj';,
apicTTr),

almost

demonstration

"

is identified with
iMera^oKri,

nor

were

suggestions and, it must

the de
Coelo,^alcov,outside

is neither

there

though

as

no

of the

instance

Plato's

added, Aristotle's;for

to

narrator

of it."

good

the

Stranger,"
says

Barbarian

of the truth

evidence

Kevelation.

Perfect

of that

of the

Myth

initiated.

The

is

dream

it in Plutarch's

being

PLATO

OF

spread Eternity(almv),which flows

Human
Souls,
the moving Cosmi.
(;x^p6vo";)
upon
virtuously,have sight of these Eternal Verities
holiest mysteries of this
thousand
The
years.
Verities

hut

are

"

of

MYTHS

THE

358

Aristotle

as

had,

indeed,

they

had

in

himself.'^

Plato

Before

I leave the

subject of

Myth as transmitted
Metaphysics it shows
framework

nomical

itself

of the

L' Amor

I may

another

notice

which

che

to have

seems

that

produced by

the

il Sole

move

notion

startingfrom the Phaedrus

that
Myth is the most
notion

through the
mainly in the

Paradiso, and

taken

eminent

Coelo

definite

notion

the

of

and

astro-''^.
-

1' altre stelle

"

the

eschatologyof which
product. I refer to the

or

temperaments,

the action of

de

very prominent in the Paradiso

form in the course
of an
evolution

Myth,

various

of the Fhaedrus

Dante

to

"

influence

the

the

or

characters,

of
stars,especially

the

are

planets.

notion "is

in the structure
of
the
deeply embedded
The
whom
Paradiso.
Dante
in the three
lower
spirits
sees
form because in their
spheresare seen by him there in human
earthlylives they yieldedto influences exerted by the Moon,
by Mercury, and by Venus
respectively because they broke
This

"

1
2

Referred to by Dr. Bigg, Neoplatonism,p. 121.

i. 9. 279 a 16.
The

Axiochvs

(371 b)

is

of the ireSloiii\7]delas. The

Dead
sit is called the ireSlov

Cocytus, i.e. down

Phaedo

is

on

of Tartarus.

quiteun-Platonic,and indeed singular,in its view

place where Minos and the other Judges of the
and
dXijfleias,

in Tartarus

this side of these

is on
the other side of Acheron
and
the \eLfiubv
of the Judgment-Seat in the
rivers, and in the RepuhUc is certainlyoutside

; whereas

"

THE

FHAEDRUS

ambitious,

MYTH

359

guilty of unchastity. In the

four
planetary spheres likewise Dante
sees
upper
spirits
whose characters on Earth
such
their
various
were
as
planets
determined
of the
shadow
; these, however, heing beyond the
Earth
and
its influence, are
no
form, but
longer in human
enclosed in an
envelope of light they are ardenti sole'^
like the stars ; for the sphere is the perfectform
spherical,
which
the pure aethereal vehicle naturallytakes.
Now, if we
turn from the Faradiso
to the Phaedrus
find that
Myth we
vows,

were

were

"

there

Souls

of, follow
'^opevraL

are

Planet-Gods, Zeus^ Ares, and

Empyrean,

ireSiov

or

"

of character

in

others,

the
in

train

their

of,

various

ascent

to

the

and show
peraments
ak7]deia";,
correspondingtemwhen
they are afterwards born in the

flesh.
This

in

his

cannot

perament
mythologicalexplanation of the varieties of tembe compared with
that
offered by Macrobius
may
I
which
Commentary on Cicero's Somnium
Scip^onis,
^
do better than give in Professor Dill's words :
"

Commentary

The
'understand

how

the

on

devout

Dream

minds

of Scipioenables

could

attached
paganism. It presupposes
theolo^gyof Neoplatonism. Its chief
to

,to the

even

rather
motive

one

last

than

remain

expounds

is rather

to

moral

the
or

than

speculative. The One, supreme, unapproachable,

the source
as
ineffable,
residingin the highestheaven, is assumed
in the
of mind
and
the
star
life,penetratingall things,from
The
existence.
highest ether to the lowest form of animal
filled
with
His
The
Universe
is God's temple,
unseen,
presence.
devotional

inconceivable
likeness

of

Author

created

Himself.

In

becomes

In

the

eternal

His
with

contact

the

scale

essence

matter

mind,

pure
mind

in the

degenerates

marks
the
being the moon
a
nd
all
below
the
perishable,
and
evanescent
is mortal
moon
except the higher principlein
man.
Passing from the divine world through the gate of Cancer
(cf.Plotin. Ennead, iv. 3. 15),mind descends gradually,in a fall
from
its original
spheres,and, in
blessedness,through the seven
and

limit between

Soul.

from

and

of

its passage, the divine and universal element

assumes
of man.
make
faculties which
up the composite nature
in
the
it acquires
Jupiter the
reasoning power,

moral,

in Mars

Soman

In Saturn

practicaland

element.
the sensual
in Venus
spirited,
descendinginto the body, the divine part
and

oblivion
1

the various

But

the

of
in the process
sort of intoxication
a

Soeietyin

the Last

"

the

Pa/r.

X.

of

the

world

from

suffers

which

76.

Century of the Western

Umpire,

pp.

90, 91.

it

'.

"

in

comes,

of Soul

deeper
bodily forms

some

cases

among

only a prison,or
a

rather

death, the

second

the

Here, in

TO

Trrepoppveiv,
are

"

into

touch

Myth

and

membership

the

and

gods ;

from

complex temperament

is

by

be

things kept

two

that

Soul

derives, it would
with

touch

of

retinue

of the

It is in its Fall

combined.

with

body

the Fall of Souls to the Earth

"

their

the

quittedsave
earthlypassion.
cannot

Macrobius,

of

Commentary

gods
particular
comes

which

; and

of death

kind

to sin and

death

separatein the Fhaedrus

Sia

is

diffusion

the

Thus

others.

in

than

tomb,

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

360

seem,

all in

them

cession.^
suc-

the Neoof the Fall of Souls

regard to the cause
Platonic mythology, while retainingthe Trrepoppveiv
tion
explanathe
on
particularly
given in the Fhaedrus, dwells more

With

of

ideas

"

illusion

and

till,like Narcissus, they

above

Souls

intoxication.
see

remain

themselves

at

reflected

peace
in

the

and
Dionysus : ^ this is the flowing stream of sense
generation,into which they plunge,mistaking the image for
reality. With the idea of illusion thus illustrated,the idea of
of sense, the
itself naturally. The stream
intoxication connects
of Dionysus. Plunging into
of Dionysus,is the bowl
mirror
the
of Eternal
drinks
it the Soul
Truth, and
forgetfulness
world into which it is born thereafter is the "nrri\aiov \^0ij?.
have
Souls which
not drunk
There are
so
deeply as others of
of HeracUtus.*
this cup.
the
There
are
They
dry souls
mirror

of

"

"

still retain
this

earthlylife hearken
in

them
'

recollection

some

their

to the

KadoSoi;.

Macrobius, Somn.

of the

The

disembodied

state,and

who
comes
good SaifMcov
comparison of the body

See Lobeok, Aglaopk. pp.

i. 12, 68.
of the formation
of human

932 ff.,where

in

with
to

other

The
temperament.
themselves
with the seven
connect
seven
days of the week, and
metals
the seven
{eKdurrojtuv
dcrr^puv iiXtjrts Avdyeraij ^X"y fji^v6 xp^^^^t
Ail ifKcKrpot,
'Epfi^Kcuralrepos,
aeX'^vriSi Apyvpos, "Apei "rlSripos,
Kp6v"p fjt6\ipSos,
xo^K^s. Schol. on Pindar, Isthm. v. 2) ; consequently the Mithraic
'XtppoSlrj}
representedthe seven
planetaryspheres,through which
stair,kXi/m^lirTiirvKos,
metals : the first step, that of Saturn, was
the Soul passes, by seven
of lead ;
the second, that of Venus, of tin ; the third, that of Jupiter,of brass ; the
fourth, that of Mercury, of iron,and so on, the days of the week being taken in
order : see Lobeck, Aglaoph. p. 934.
backward
Further, there are seven
colours,
vowels, seven
seven
seven
strings,
planets,
ages of a man's life,as well as seven
metals
(cf.Dieterich, Mithrasliturgie,
seven
days, and seven
pp. 186 ff.); also
associated with differently
of them
coloured
seven
seals,some
horses, and seven
writers

quoted for
planetslikewise
are

this view

Bev. v.-viii.
Plotin. Ihnead, iv. 3. 12, vol. i. p.
Bywater, Heracliti Eel. p. 30.

gels,in
2

'

2i7, ed.

Kirchhoff.

THE

PEAEDRUS

leraclitean river,which
ontributed
The
he

to this Neo-Platonic

second

Myth has,

consists of the

361

Timaeus

(43 a), doubtless

mythology of the Fall.

connectingthe Paradiso

line of influence

Phaedrus

rhich

in

occurs

MYTH

I said, two

as

Somnium

strands,

Scipionisand

its

the

with

first of

antecedents,

the Phaedrus
hieflyStoical. The links between
Myth and
hmnitmi
Scipionis(which Dante undoubtedlyknew) ^ are inicated by Dieterich
in passages
referred to above,^and
need
here ; but the second strand,consistingof the
lot be specified
stronomical
apocalypses,has scarcelyreceived the attention
?hieh it deserves, and
I venture
it.
to say something about
is

It
^aradiso

remarkable

how

little Dante

is indebted

in

the

the Bevelation

The
references
seven
of St. John.
the Paradiso
to that Apocalypse noted by Dr. Moore
Q
{Studies
details
n
Bante, First Series,Index to Quotations, 1) concern
nly. The Bevelation of St. John has indeed nothing serviceble for Dante's
is quite
purpose except details,for its scheme
to

ifferent

from

writer knows
leavens
lakes

that

anything of

and

It is very doubtful if the

astronomy of the eight Moving

the

the Unmoved

Heaven

of it ; his scheme

use

no

of the Paradiso.

is not

after Heaven.
through Heaven
to Earth, and
hanging from Heaven
of which
erusalem, in the description

that

Soul

escends

out

of the

Earth.

Tew

New

Heaven,

rate, if he does, he

; at any

and

of the

The

is

scene

to Hell

; and

Vision

the

of

Ascension

always

the

New

culminates,

is established

the

upon

It is to

apocalypsesof an entirelydifferent type

the
hat the Paradiso
is related
to apocalypsesin which
7hole mise en seine of the eschatological
is astronomical,
drama
is not, as that of the
nd the preoccupationof the writers
writer of the Revelation of St. John
largelyis,with the Eeign
f the Messiah
Earth
chosen
a
on
over
people,but with the
"

ddapa-K of

the

astronomical
of Jewish

[lem

the
'Jnoch,
'

"

disembodied

Soul

of

the

individual.

call them
as
we
apocalypses,"
may
authorship (like the Book
of the

Slavonic

Enoch,"

which

was

These
some

of

Secrets

of

"

written, before

the

See Tozer

{An English Com/mentary on Dante's " Divina Commedia

") on Par.
cf.Annual
Seport of the Bante Society{Cambridge, Mass.), 1901 ;
da
of Authors
quoted ty Benvenuto
Imola, by Paget Toynbee, art.

xii. 133
ndex

ff.; and

Maorobius."
2

Supra, pp. 352,

'

Translated

and
on, notes,

from

363.

the -Slavonic
by W. E. Morfill,and
indices,by R. H. Charles, 1896.

edited

with

Introduc-

end

of the

second

OF

MYTHS

THE

362

century

PLATO

Alexandria,

B.O., at

the

in

in

main

original),

Greek, although portionsof it reproduce a Hebrew

nomy
majorityof them of Christian authorship owe their astroIt is true, of course, that the
mainly to Greek sources.
conceptionof Seven Heavens answering to the Seven Planets
familiar in the East before the Hellenistic period; ^ but
was
the
the remarkable
conception suddenly
prominence which

the

"

assumed

in

direct
is

that

influence.^

Greek
that

always

and, with

of

risingfrom

Soul

angel

some

the

only, I submit,

period can

or

separatedby
daemon

Earth, through

of

scheme

The

air to

ascribed

these

ecstasy from

guide

as

be

or

to

apocalypses
its body,

fivartvyw^of,

aether, and

from

then

planetary sphere to planetarysphere,up to the Presence of

in
Thus
the
God
Heaven.
in, or
beyond, the Seventh
Ascension
of Isaiah^ Isaiah is conducted, through the seven
of God
the Father, and
planetary spheres,to the Presence
hears
Him
commissioning His Son to descend to the Earth.
described ;
The descent of Christ through the spheres is then
and

after

account

an

of

life

His

Earth, and

on

death, and

resurrection,the Apocalypse closes with His Ascension

the

Heavenly Spheres to the right hand

The
persistenceof this type the
"

"

is

remarkable

its wide

of God.
"

through

'

astronomical

lypse
apoca-

distribution.

Appearing
the Jews
in the second century B.C., it is adopted
first among
Greek, Latin, Slavonic,and Ethiopian,and
by the Christians
Vision
at last by Islam ; for the
is one
of the
of Mahomet
best examples of it.
The
Vision
is the
of Mahomet
story of the Prophet's
miraculous
the further temple at
to
journey from Mecca
his ascent
Jerusalem, and
thence,* through the Circles of
Presence of God, far beyond where
Heaven, into the immediate
Gabriel
could
ascend.
I give the story (onlybriefly
even
"

as

as

"

"

referred
'

See

to
Prof.

in

the

Charles's

"

ch. xvii. 1, but told

Quran itself,
Introduction

to

The

Book

in all the

of the Secrets of Enoch, pp.

xxi. "F.
^

Dieterioh

ascension

(Eine MithraslUurgie, p. 192) remarks

of the

that the conceptionof the

through Heayenly Stations does not appear in Jewish
Hellenistic period in the Apocalypseof Enoch.

Soul

literature till the

'

Written

1900, and
Bib.), between
and

a.d.

now

in

It is from

the

extant
*

"

in Greek,
his articles

accordingto

Prof. Charles

(see his Ascension

Apocalyptic literature in the Encl. Brit,

50 and 80, translated
into Latin, Ethiopic,and
its entirety only in the Ethiopicversion.
that Dante
ascends.
spot antipodalto Jerusalem
on

of Isaiah,
and

End.

Slavonic,

THE
earliest lives

PHAEBBUS

MYTH

363

of the

Prophet) in the words of Mr. P. de Lacy.

and
his Power, 1901, pp. 84 ff.)
{Muhammad
:

Johnstone

"

"

At

the

voice

portalof

from

within
"

answered,
any

question,
answered,
Adam
and

son

oft

there

other

Prophet marvelled, and

and

it

other
who

to
were

Then

told

was

him

Again

office of

the first he

sweet

wept, and

he

asked,

"

Is there
the

came

prophet)?

"

and

he

"

"

voice

Gabriel

gate opened, and they entered ;

with
the words,
Welcome, pious
Then
Muhammad
two
beheld, and saw
right hand, and the other on his left.

towards

therefrom

admittance.

the

was

Adam's

on

he looked

as

issued

the

to

one

(tothe

and

angel knocked,

sought
again the

But

called

Then

piousProphet !

the

said, "Muhammad."

greetedMuhammad

doors, the
As

he

he been

Yes."

"

who

inquired
and

Hath

"

and

first heaven

It is I, Gabriel."

thee?"

with

the

savour

from

asked

that

it

Father

what

this

led to

of Mankind

those

over

he

as

evil odours

door

one

often

as

came

of Gabriel

the

Hell, and that the

saved, and wept

and
laughed with delight,

; but

turned
and

should

mean

Paradise,and

rejoicedover

of his children

who

the

were

the
those
lost.

upward to the second Heaven, to which they

at the first ; and
as
same
questionsand answers
there were
John
the Baptist and Jesus, and
two
they
men,
young
Welcome, piousbrother and piousProphet !
greetedMuhammad,
Thence
come
welthey passed to the third Heaven, to receive the same
other
excelled
that
of
all
from Joseph, whose
tures
creabeauty
that
of
the
of the full moon
stars
as far as the light
;
surpasses
where
then to the fourth,where
Enoch
greetedthem ; and the fifth,
they

entered

soared

after the

"

"

"

"

Aaron

welcomed

them

Moses

welcomed

him

he soared

as

above

with

but to think
his own,
From
Paradise.
appointedto
led Muhammad
"his

Father,"

Prophet!"
wondrous

myriads
and

up
who

In

Tree,
of

the two

to

the

angels;
great

envy
few
so

that

the Heaven

seventh
abode

from

of

Heaven

of his

the

rivers of Earth

"

nation
the

wept

son

were

Archangel

him

Prophet

springthe two
Euphrates

he

passing
glory sur-

own

of Moses

Gabriel,round

its foot

but

Prophet ;

seventh, where he showed

him
"Welcome, pious

the
bade

this

and

of Muhammad's

for

not

"

In the sixth Heaven

words.

same

his brother

as

him

the

Abraham
and

pious

beheld

the

fly countless
rivers of Paradise,

which

and

the Nile ; and

There, too, was

lightof God overspreadsthe whole Tree."
it went,
of the Meccan, and round
the heavenlyKaaba, the original
indeed
is their
radiant armies of angels; so vast
in adoring circuit,
after once
returns
that the same
number
worshipping host never
Gabriel
Beyond the seventh Heaven
making the mystic round.
as
could only go with the Prophet, and that by special
permission,
500
veils
of
the
far as the first of
dazzling light (each
seventy
of God.
As
in
the Throne
that
shut
the
from
next)
years'journey
"

the

THE

364

the

Prophet passed each

him

"

of God.

There

he

be taken

followers

Prophet
old

the

duty

returned

from

told Moses

his Lord

five

"

the

speed the

stage,the

of

praying fiftytimes

God's

perpetual
Prophet was

ordinance

thingshe
again.

lay down

to

his chamber

had

yet

seen,

The

to

lower

by the
plead

reduced

was

with

to

lightning

Mecca, and, for

at

bed

the

was

the
But

back

Then

Islam.

message
ful
his faith-

day.

to

ventured

of

returned

the

dailyprayers

of the

till the burden

lay

in

on

him.

upon

time

after

he time

to

Chamber

Presence

duty laid

of the

presence
and
ledge,
know-

his

received

all who

promisethat

all the wondrous

he

the immediate

perfectwisdom

with

bade

graciousVoice

into Paradise, and commanded

Lawgiver'sadvice

with

successive

endowed

was

the

heavens, and

OF

till at last he entered

"

with

cheered
should

nearer

come

PLATO

MYTHS

when

warm

of Mahomet
modelled
the Astronomical
Apocalypse of
on
was
deliberately
which
the Ascension
of Isaiah may be taken as an example.
Can there be any doubt that the same
Type was before Dante's
There

mind

can

be

he wrote

when

that
suppose
scheme

to

doubt, of

no

a
so

elaborated

the Paradiso

be unreasonable

It would

nomical
^do";as well as in astrothe
to a Type of which
closelyconforms
widely distributed,was written in ignorance

Poem,

on

in

which

so
examples were
The Paradiso, as
of that Type.
for by the
supposition that
suggestedto the Christian Poet

he

that the Vision

course,

lines laid

be accounted

it stands, cannot
the
an

Scipionis first

Somnium
astronomical

down

for him

which

scheme

by

Aristotle

and

works
he happened to be learned and
Alfraganus,in whose
It was
he knew
not, I take it, because
greatly interested.
the Somnium
interested in the traditional
Scipionisand was
scheme, but
astronomy that he adopted the astronomical
in the
because
he found
that scheme
Chris.tian Apocalypse
the
is
already consecrated to
subjectwith which his Poem
concerned
(and the Somnium
Scipionisis not) the Ko.Baptn'i
"

of

Soul.^

Taking, then,

the

Astronomical

Apocalypse

of which

the

The
Ascension
astronomical
of the
of Isaiah, one of the most elaborately
It
apocalypses,existed in a Latin version which Dante may well have known.
the
6-11
was
ascension
printed at Venice in 1522, and contains
proper.
"

"

See also Mr.

M.

R. James

{The Bevelation

"

"

of Peter,p. 40, and Texts and Studies,

ii. 2, pp. 23 ff.) for the influence of the Apocalypseof Paul (a fourth or earlyfifth
exhibits, with some
scheme
confusion, the astronomical
century work, which
which
is so exactly followed in the AsccTision of Isaiah) upon mediaeval
visions
and

the Divina

Commedia.

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

366

The
recite.
regarded as in the Sublunary Eegion, must
Prayer recited,he rises,using set forms of words (some of
them
perhaps aarjiia ovofiara)at each stage,from the element
to Fire
then
of Earth
of Water;
(sublunary,not
to that
and
celestial),
^

Doors
Gods

"

then

the

Spheres

the

/tvo-TT??

Doors,

admit

which

of Fire

Then,

Air.

to

of

the

e7"B

"

world

of the

which
of

the

vfilvaa-Trjp
elfjui,
o-v/j-ttTuivo^

koX

e"

too

his

star

am

beams

out

0ddov"; avaXafiTTcav o^vo^epOovO.^At these words

the Fire-God, opens the Doors, and
the Sun
Eegion of the Planets, where

the

before

him

there,he

Arrived

Pole.

to the

the

^represented
by
probably the
"jro\oKpdTope";,

Fixed

the
seven

Bear

and

Stars

"

Great

the

these

before

goeth
depth :

"

"

before

Standing

Planets.

I
says,
rising with

along with you,

oxyoxerthouth

stands

aethereal

the

to

he

next,

round

Bear

the Doorkeeper,
enters

fivarr)^

and

appears
is in the

goes

and

rvp^at
Stars of the

Pole.

of

Sphere

seven

Seven

the

the

tov

Beyond

the
Little

the Pole

Sphere of the Fixed Stars is the throne of the Highest

which, in turn,
God, who
guides the Great Bear, dpKTo"i,
the
moves
Sphere of the Fixed Stars in a direction opposite

and

to that

in which

Highest
with

the

Planets

the presence of this

the Liturgy ends
; and

Into

move.

God

the /iwo-rij? at last comes

words
of adoration
Kvpte,

his

^eanroTa vBaTo";,
x^-^P^'

"

^vvdcrra Tri/ev/taro?. Kvpie, TrdXiv

Xalpe,Kardp^O'7'??) X"'^P^'
I die, I am
born
diroylyvofuii,
yev6fjbevo";
again av^ofievo^
Kol
av^rjOelireXevra, diro yevea-em'i ^aoyovov yevofievo^ et?
dvdXvdei"i Tropevofiai,
aii eKncra";,
aii
diroyevecTLav
"09
to?
koI etroLr}"Ta";
ivo/jLodeTT]a-a"s
iivcrrripiov?
Mithras
Here, then, in the
liturgy we have the order
"

"

"

of

of

Parmenides

carried

sacrament

eschatologyof

and

guaranteed,in

out

the

these

of the

ascension

"

lines laid down

on

Phaedrus

piecesis

Myth,

embodied

disembodied

Soul

in

is

life,
by

the

/tuo-ri;? is the actor.

of

it,in which

practicalend

of the

of

the

"

ritual

the Vision

astronomical
"

the

actual

prepared for,and indeed

dramatic
representation

this

means

in

Associated

highest importance
"

the

thus

with

salvation

of

the /jLva-Tr/^ the astronomical

scheme
would
be likelyto hold
the field against all rivals ; and
this is what it actuallydid.
"

There

are
^

Doors

also

Dieterich,o.c.

through
p. 8.

which

Parmenides
^

passes in his ascension.

p. 14.

Dieterich,o.c

THE
The

notion

of

avd^acm

that
Kard^aa-i^,
somewhere

PHAEDBUS

in the air

367

extruded

completely

so

find

we

MYTH

the

even

Place

that

of Torment

of

localised

by Plutarch,in hft de faciein orhe

lunae ^ and his Aridaeus-Thespesius
Myth ; ^ in the latter the
is designatedas the furthest point
regionjust under the moon
reached
he
to seek
went
by Orpheus when
Eurydice the
traditional 'O/j^eto?
is actually
into an
transformed
/caTajSaa-i?
Op^etB? dvd^a(7L";.
as

"

"

but

cannot

think

that

the

extraordinarypopularity
due to the fact
Apocalypse was
by
that
behind
it sacramental
ritual originallystood.
It is
that the Hellenistic
and early Christian
certainlyremarkable
period,which produced the Astronomical
Apocalypse,was also
Sacramental
the age of innumerable
Cults.
We
can
hardly
The
have here a mere
coincidence.
Apocalypse,I take it,was
valued, at first,
as
narrative, the
settingforth, in interesting
the
ascension
which
ritual symbolised and
guaranteed:
than
its
indeed, it was
probably valued for something more
for some
sacramental
value
which
it
interestingnarrative
obtained

the Astronomical

"

derived

from

mysterious
his

parent ritual.

the

something
Apocalypse.

own

"

more

even

His

Vision

of which

saving sacrament
0

"

has

he

"We

seem

in

Dante's

of

have

to

Paradise

this

conceptionof
is ta, him

partaken:^-

in cui la mia

Donna,

vige,
speranza
che soffristi per la mia salute,
In Inferno
lasciar le tne vestige;

Di

tante

Dal

cose,

la

Eiconosco
m'

Tu

Per
Che
La

tua

di

hai

note

Chapter

on

io lio

graziae

la virtute.

tratto

servo

vedute,

dalla tua bontate

magniflcenzain
1' anima

Piacente

his

libertate

tutte quellevie,per tutt' i modi,

di ci6 fare avei la potestate.

Si che

In

quante

podere

tuo

this

custodi,

me

mia, che fatt' hai

te dal corpo

passage

sana,

si disnodi.^

Mr.

Tozer

"

says

Dante's

2S.
numinis

to The Book
of
vindicta, chapter 22. In his Introduction
that "the presence of
Prof. Charles remarks
the Secrets of JEh,och (pp.xxxiv. ff.),
caused
offence in early Semitic
evil in heaven
thought." In the northern
no
of
the damned, and Mahomet
the
Third
Heaven
Enoch
the
sees
place
region of
2

sees
s
*

De

sera

it in the First Heaven.

Far. xxxi. 79 ff.

English GommerUary

on

Dante's

"

Divina

Oommedia,"

pp. 615, 616.

368

THE

conversion
his

and

MYTHS

ultimate

journey through
The

with

primary object of
world."
spiritual

the

were

of the

the three realms

ritual

sacramental

between

tion
initia-

or

very clearlybrought out in the

numinis
vindicta
ends his de sera

Myth

apocalypse is

which

Plutarch

the

"

The
alluded to.
Aridaeus-Thespesius
just now
called Aridaeus, who, as
Myth is a wicked man

Vision

of

of the
result

salvation

close connection

and

PLATO

OF

of

accident

an

to his

days,during which time

visits
not the irrational)
he receives

returns

this

to

after in

new

the

name,

hero
the

for three

head, lies unconscious

(the rational part of it,but

in the air,where
the world of spirits
he
name
Thespesius. With this new
his Soul

world, a

new

practice of

regenerate,and

man,

virtue

lives

ever

and

religion. This Myth

is one
of a well-marked
class of eschatological
visions, or
which
form, the ritual observed
render,in literary
apocalypses,
initiation being viewed as a Death, and a New
at initiation
Like
the*
Name.
Birth, warranting the impositionof a New
it renders, this type of apocalyptic
initiatoryritual which
what
vision involves
be figured as the Death
of the
may
he
^by ecstasy he passes into a state from which
/iuo-Tjjs
returns
to his ordinarylife a new
man.
It is as a new
filled with a joy which
man
as
one
is not
that Dante
of this world
returns from the apocalyptic
vision,
"

"

"

"

or

initiation,of

the

Credo

Paradiso
ch' io

Dicendo

The

Myth;

clearlyas

in

vidi,perchfepiiidi largo,

questo, mi

Paradiso

Phaedrus

"

is
and

the

last

reveals

its character

to

sen

of

cV

of

io

godo.^

the

descendants

of

the

its

parentage in nothing so
being,for its author, and even

for ourselves,a fivarripiov

ritual at which
a solemn
one
may
admirable
not
assist,
merely an
piece of literary
workmanship.
"

Plutarch's
so

important

celestial and

Aridaeus-Thespesius
Myth
for the

understandingof

astronomical

mise

seems

what

to

I have

me

to

be

called the

sc"ne

given to eschatology
Myth, and, after him, by philosophers
by Plato
of different schools,by religioussocieties,
more
especiallyin
the order of their sacramental
ritual,
by the apocalypticwriters,
Jewish, Christian, and Mohammedan, and, lastly,
by Dante in
en

in the Phaedrus

Par.

xxxiii. 92, 93.

De

sera

numinis

vindicta,ch. 22.

THE
his

Paradiso, that

PHAEDBUS

shall

perusing the passage

MYTH

give the

in Philemon

369

reader

the

Holland's

opportunityof

version

"

who
Thespesius of the city of Soli in Cilicia,
having
youthful days very loosely,within a small time
had wasted
and
consumed
all his goods, whereby he was
fallen
for a certain space to extreme
and
which
want
necessity,
brought
him also to a lewd
insomuch
he
life,
as
proved a very bad man
;
and
his
former
follies
and
make
to
repenting
dispense,began
his state
to recover
he forshifts,and seek all means
again
bare no
and
shameful
so
lewd, indirect,
practices,
they turned to
his gain and profit,
and within a little while he gat together not
bad name
of
a
great store of goods, but procured to himself
wicked
much
and
shame,
dealing,
infamy. But the thing that
made
him
much
and
the answer
livered
defamous,
so
spoken of,was
him from the Oracle of Amphilochus, for thither had
unto

There

was

led

one

his

...

he

sent,

it should

as

of his life better

rest

returned

this

answer

to

know

than

he

had

That

was

dead

For

beingfallen from

was

in

whether
done

it would

he

should

before.

Now

be better with

live the
the oracle

him

after he

happened unto him not long after :

out
an
high place with his head forward, withmade
limb
the fall the
broken, or wound
any
; only with
breath went
out
of his body, and there he lay for dead ; and three
days after,preparationbeing made for his funerals,carried forth
he

; which

seem,

to be buried

quickly came

changeand

sort

some

; but

behold

himself

to

alteration

all

on

sudden
there

again ; whereupon

in his

that it
life,

he

revived,and

ensued

wonderful

was

such

; for

by

the

knew
they never
report and testimonyof all the people of Cilicia,
of a better conscience in all his afi"airsand dealings,
whiles he
man
did

negotiateand
to

dwell

God-ward,

were

him,

and

had

; insomuch

very

desirous

kept
and

his

none

fast and

more

none

bitterer to his enemies

with

them

among

devout

more

to

sure

his

and

ligious
re-

friends,none

inward
most
they who were
familiarlya long time,
company
as

him,to

with

earnest

know

Thus

the

cause

of

he

reported unto
:
body, he fared
spirit
like unto
at the first (ashe thought himself)
a
pilot,
flung out of
of the sea ; so wonderfully
his ship,and plunged into the bottom
but
he
astonished
this
at
afterwards, when as by
was
change;
little and little he was
raised up again and
recovered,so that he
he looked
and
that he drew
his breath fully,
at liberty,
ware
was
strange

so

them

round

and

and

said

about

fullyopen

sudden

That

him,

; but

when

alteration.

for his soul

he beheld

the

out

was

seemed

nothing that

'

as

he

of his

if it had
was

wont

been
to

one

Morals, written by the learned

out of Oreeke into English, and
Holland
the French, iy Philemon\
of

The
called The
Philosophie, commonlie
Philosopher Pluta/rch of {ChMeronea, translated

conferredwUh

the Latine

translations

Covtntrie,Doctor in Physicke,

and

London,

eye

view, only

1603.

2b

MYTHS

THE

370

he

he

thought that

distant

asunder,

infiniteway

an

other

planetsand

saw

PLATO

OF

and

yet

of

stars

huge bigness,

an

innumerable,
colour
admirable,

number

for

castingfrom them a wonderful light,with a

and
with a power
the same
and shiningmost
resplendent,
glittering
force incredible,
in such sort,as the said soul being gentlyand easily
carried,as in a chariot,with this splendourand radiant light,as
she
the sea
in a calm, went
it were
quickly whithersoever
upon
would

; but

lettingpass

there

things worthy

of

number

great

be seen, he said that he beheld how the souls of those that were
departed this life,as they rose up and ascended, resembled certain
them
and placeunto
as
the air gave way
small fierybubbles, and
these bubbles
when
by little
on
they mounted
high ; but anon
to

and

in the form

and

shape of men
all poise to

did not

and

move

some

and

bobbins

unto

their motion
for

stayed and

severed

them

knew

he

knowledge of

two

unto

their

with

them

right senses

but

themselves, refused

to

heard

neither

being

while

who

were

had

old

in

were

and

beside

felt,wandering and
flyingto and fro apart at the first ; but afterwards,encounteringand
of others disposed like unto
themselves,
meeting with a number
closed
and
and
thus
linked
unto
and
them,
they
clung
coupled
here and there disorderly
without
discretion,
they moved
together,
and

significant
lamentable
be

every

voices, after
nor

to

other

were

and

utteringI

yelling or
they were

that

cries
there

the

and
that

own

saying)he had

familiar
he

died

friend
whiles

soul,coming toward

of

himself

him,

others

were

they
from

disorderly.
Among
soul belongingto a
a
.

yet he knew
was

saluted

would
those

these

him

not

much,

and

is Aridaeus

for
certainly,

said
:

(by

kinsman

very child; howbeit, the

him
in these terms
: God

he marvelled
you, Thespesius: whereat
I am
not
Thespesius,but my name

to

and

air,jocund,gay

sight of

his,and

with

mingled

another, turning away

.

his

not

black-sanctus,not

Yet

wot

oftentimes

courteous,

tumultuous

or

purpose,

region of

unto

one

seen

fear.

uppermost

approach near

that

if

as

dreadful

also and

kind

no

of

manner

plaintsand

so
pleasant,
seem

to

way

but
distinct,

aloft in the

seen

to

once

carried

were

what

be either

so

speak

to

indeed

astonied

sort

of his

and

approach near
speak,nor
a

down,

together,

been

him

after

like

they could be
spirits,
many
but
taking
;

and

they

directly

together

ado

souls

sort ;

one

linked

so

much

said) who

among
pressedforward

appeared
nimble,
howbeit, they

mounted

another

for these

three

or

they

but

As

(as he

not

he
acquaintance,
them

asunder.

and

after

about

and

up

and

while

good

round

confused, and

and

mixed

was

that unneth

of

while

one
spindles,

or

and

and
agility,

turned

others

very
down

them

all alike

wonderful

them,

lightand

women,

bear

themselves

bestir

leaped with
plumb upright;

for

forth of

came

and

dischargedfrom

as

as

souls

insunder,the

little brast

unto

True,

said
save

him
indeed

THE

PHAEDRUS

before-time
(quoth the other),

Thespesius shall be
but, by the providence of
hither

come,

the rest, you

and

the

have

left it

that

body

take

this for

who

are

these

consider

and

about

him,

round

discourse
he

about,

dark

and

were

belt not

all alike ; for

and equal,as doth

others
there

had

by

(as

certain

hideous

his

eyes.

and

the full

distant

from

much

there

the

them

for

more,

accompanied

the other

every
him a

souls shone

forth,howform
colour,uni-

them

pure
she is at the

when

clearest ;
cicatrices,
dispersedhere and

or

between

spaces

and

to your

hereafter,
spiritsof those

transparent within

moon

scales

are

for all

as

lookingtherefore

yieldedfrom

some

yet,

Thespesius,hearing

spiritsso

himself

an

shadow

lineature,whereas

were)

it

their

; and
anchor

the

indeed, yield no

clear

not

are

evermore

That

might perceive that

and

shadowy

as

this and

token

with

forth
hence-

Destiny,you
permission^f

know

pluck up

from

you

part of the soul

yet open

to

dead

behind, stickingfast

dead

nor

words, began

way
certain

your
God
and

371

but
called,

so

; for

name

now
you may
certain rule and

wink

were

you

intellectual

departed and

neither

they
to

with

MYTH

ful
wonder-

again were

; some

see
unto, all to be specked with black
strange
spots, like to serpents'skins ; and others had lightscarifications
and
obscure
their visage. Now
this kinsman
of
risings upon

discoursed

Thespesius
Adrasteia

the

highest and
of all sorts

severally of each thing, saying: That

Daughter of Jupiter and Necessity was
placed
above
the
and
be
to
to
rest,
punish
revenged

of crimes

sinful wretches
force
but
in

kind

one

of

is

of those

this

is

this taketh

himself

by
punishment :
there

another

called

the execution

and

either

escape
three
sorts
(for

speedy

and

in hand

wicked

who

and

punishment

quick

of

(greator small)

one
save

and

that

gaoleror executioner,and

which

one

Penalty,and

ever

pain

sins,and

heinous
not

was

could

all)belonged to

for there

and

there

cunning

or

of

to

be

that ;
that is
IIoii/ij,

and

to

chastisement

immediately in this life (whilesthey are in their

bodies)be punished by the body, after a mild and gentle manner,
light faults,which require some
leavingunpunished many
petty
ado
have
their
vices
and
such
to
but
as
requiremore
purgation;
to a
sins cured, God
committeth
them
to be punished after death
those
that is to say, Eevenge; mary
second tormentress, named
Ajk?;,
when
who
laden with sins that they be altogetherincurable,
are
so
AtKTjhath given over and thrust them from her, the third miniswho

of all other is most

cruel, and
Adrasteia, which
Erinnys,runneth after,chasing and pursuing them as they
tress

and
with

run

and

up

down

great misery

overtaken
darkness

them

; these

and

much

all and

inenarrable

and

(I say),she

consider

the

diverse

into

them

plunged

Observe

invisible.
colours

courseth
such

dolor, until

and

named

of

of these

souls

time

and

she

as

bottomless
well

wander
hunteth
have

pit

of

(quoth he)

of all sorts; for

MYTHS

THE

372

this

blackish

avarice

and

and

hue

duskish

foul

which

niggardise
; that

PLATO

OF

is

is

properly the

fierybetokeneth

and

deep red

of

tincture

crueltyand malice ; whereas if it stand much upon blue it is a

signthat there intemperance and looseness in the use of pleasures
for that
will be hardly scoured ofiF,
hath remained
a long time, and
it is

vile vice

ceedeth
here

all these

whenas

envy,
signthat

these

of

Now,

tinctures

done

are

hue,

souls

away

which

be

there

some

is

fresh,neat, clear,and

all

proBut

fullyfinished,
quite,whereby the soul
soul

the

of
purification

the

in her native

appear

poisoned colour.

and

venomous

withal

sweetish

and

colour

violet

the

but

from

it is

may

lightsome.
they

after

have

sundry times, recover

others again
decent
habitude
and
in the end
a
disposition
; but
the flattering
of their ignorance,and
such
the vehemence
are
as
lustful
shew
of pleasuresand
desire, transporteth them
of
into the bodies of brute beasts
they desire by the means
forasmuch
their
the body to enjoy the fruition of
as
appetite;
would
here there is nothing at all but a bare shadow, and
as
one
cometh
which
vain
dream
of
to
never
a
perfection
pleasure
say,
well and

been

and

fulness.

When

had

he

thus

said,he brought

upon

place where

there

was

huge

wide

thither;

being come, he perceived that he

that powerful spiritthat conducted

where

he

saw

and

for

that

other

flocked

being gathered
round
about
flydownward
durst
not ; now
directlythey
world

within
with

the

caves

the verdure

of

this

souls also

and

me

Bacchus,

but

and

less afiected them

no

contenteth

souls,feedingand

those

who

that

smelled

love

to

themselves
feasting

saken
forhim
case;

same

birds,they
into

it

for all the

resembled

adorned

they

branches, togetherwith

varietyof

which

and

enter

tapissedand

so

leaves

of

sort

gaping chawne,

stiU,

brought

in the

were

togetherlike

the said chink

of

forlorn

was

great
from
whence
and
arose
flowers,
gay
mild
and
which
sweet
a
exhalation,
yielded a
wonderful
with
odoriferous,
a most
pleasantsavour,
were

wine

led

tendingdownward

chink

thither
of

all

and

most
swiftlyan infinite way ; howbeit, with ease and gently,
if they had been wings,unto
the rays of the light,
a certain
as

away

and

that

thoroughlychastised,and

thereof

drink

with

in

these

breathed

forth
and

delectable

temperate air,

than
such

the scent
sort

as

of
the

fragrant odours,

jocund and merry ; so as round about the said

very cheerful,
placethere was nothing but pastime,joy,solace,mirth, laughing
after the manner
and singing,
much
of men
that rejoiceone
with
all
and
take
the
and
another,
pleasure
delightthat possiblythey
that Bacchus
And
he said,moreover,
can.
by that way mounted
were

conducted Semele;
up into the societyof the Gods, and afterwards
called the place of Lethe, that is to
and withal, that it was
say.
Oblivion
were

whereupon

he

exceedingdesirous,to

would

stay

not

let

Thespesius,though

there,but

drew

him

away

he
per-

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

374

sing what

did foretell and

face of the moon,
beingdesirous to hear more, he was

and

violence

of

the

it

as

moon,

come

but

repelledand driven by the

clean a
with certain whirl-puffs,
but few things,
understand
and

were

hear

could

he

to

was

contrary

way

and

accident about the hill Vesuvius,

very short ; namely, the
and burnt by casual fire,
Diciiearchia should be consumed
clause or piece of a
as
touching the emperor who

those

and
as

how
also

then

so

verse,

to

this effect

graciousprincehe is,but yet must die.

empire leave,by force of malady.

reigned,

:
"

And
After
of

this

who

those

forward

they passed on

punished
"

were

to

pains and

the

see

there

and

horrible

piteous and

things most

to

at

they beheld

first

to ; for

see

torments

all

Thespesius,who

of his friends,
placewith many
and
in torment,
familiar
were
companions, who
kinsfolk, and
punishment they moaned
sufferingdolorous pains and infamous
At
the
themselves, lamenting and callingand crying unto him.
father risingout of a deep pit; full
last he had a sightof his own
of pricks,gashes, and
he was
wounds, and stretchingforth his
hands
unto
him, was
(mauger his heart) forced to break silence,
had
the
charge and superintendence
compelled by those who
yea, and
doubted

in that

nothing less,met

of

the

said

been

audible

voice, that he had

strangers and guests whom

perceiving that they had

wrought their death by the
not

here

earth,yet

lodged in
gold about

had
and

silver

his

and

loud

of

certain

house

them,

for
had

he

means
poison; and albeit he had
the
thereof in his lifetime,whiles he was
upon
sustained
he convicted
and
had
alreadypart

detected

been

he

murderer

wicked

with

confess

punishments,to

was

of

punishment, and expected to endure the rest afterwards.

Now
Thespesiusdurst not make suit nor intercede for his father,
withdraw
and
astonied ; but desirous
to
so
affrightedhe was
kind
himself
and
be gone, he lost sight of that courteous
and
of

his

guide of
him

no

his which
more

who
spirits
were

saw
man

(orwho

was

here

he

that he should

therefore

disguisedand

of them

some

still

traverse

in

had

horrible and
pass

he

saw

hideous
if it

further,as

ground :

more

so

he

been

cloaked

with

abroad,

virtue

forced

to

and

in the view of every

malefactors,
how
their shadow
chastised),
with less pain,and nothinglike to others,as
and
imperfect in the reasonless part of the
subjectto passionsand affections ; but such as

feeble

home

him

him,

notorious

were

secretlyat

conducted

constrained

in this world

reputation of

had

perceive other

might

and

tormented

having been
were

but

enforced

necessary
those who

soul,and

all this while

and

an

yet

wickedness, certain
to

turn

the

inside

and
appearance
lived
covertly and

outward
had
that

were

outward, and

about

them

with

much

THE

PHAEBBUS

MYTH

375

and

pain

and
grief to lay themselves
bow,
open, to bend
discover their hypocriticalhearts within, even
their
against
the scolopendersof the
nature, like unto
they
se%) when
swallowed
but

hook,

an

others

one

and

wont

to

other

serpents,and

malicious

ranker

these

souls

third,most

distance

instruments

of
rough, consisting

iron

Daemons

either

committed

made

which

gold, and

parts, those
when

transparent by

the

lake, then

plunged they

they

congealed and

were

them

anew

exceeding black
of their

reason

that

they

into the

hardened

into the third

set

manner

of

charge

As

into

on

of

certain

for

of insatiable

those

avarice

the

lake

of

lightfire,and

within

flames

other

in
lake

souls.

certain

were

smiths, with

let down

once
they were
of
those
strength
were

there

overlooking and

metal-founders,or
plunged in, or drew out,
filthylucre,and by reason

wicked

seething

one

exceeding cold, and

and

the

had

of

gnawing and
parallellakes

the

other;

lead
:

to

three

were

the

of

given to

melted

one

interlaced

remembrance

or

these,like unto

; and

were

from

gold, another

called
spirits

and

upon
others, fell

and

equal
ranged
and
boilingwith

wound

more

against another,

one

in

who

together,like to vipers
their old grudge and
forgetting

not

sustained
by
wrongs
each
other.
that
there
Also,
devouring

them

outward

and

that he saw
other
said,moreover,
within
another, two, three,and

losses

themselves

turn

they flayed
displayed,discoveringplainlyand
and
vicious they had
been
faulty,perverse,
within,
soul vice had
principalpart of the reasonable
possessed.

whose

He

are

own

have

how

openly
as

down

and

the

said

of lead ; where
after
of hail,they ported
trans-

iron,where

they

horrible,and being cracked and

dryness and hardness, they changed

became

broken

and

their

by
form,

again into the

of these changes and
foresaid lake of gold,suffering
by the means
mutations
intolerable
pains. But those souls (quoth he) who
made
the greatest moan
unto
most
him, and seemed
miserably
they who, thinking they
(of all others)to be tormented, were
their
and
were
punishment, as who had suffered
escaped
past
taken
of vengeance,
for their deserts at the hands
were
sufficiently
those they were
for whose
again and put to fresh torments
; and
suffered
others
their
and
of
sins their children
ment
punishposterity
and

then

for

nephews
unto

at

last

(by his saying)they

whensoever

one

in lineal descent

them,

the

same

and

do ; for
pursued them, who

able

so

to

crying out

and

the

either met

fell into

them, shewing the marks

sustained, reproaching and
but the other, making haste
not

of

of

the

thrown

were

souls
with

fit of

of

their

them,
anger,

torments

or

children
were

or

brought

crying out upon

pains that it

and

hitting them in the teeth therefor;

hide themselves,yet were
to flyand
followed
after
incontinentlythe tormentors
ment,
brought them back again to their punishmuch
that
for
as
so
they
nothing
lamenting

376

MYTHS

THE

did

foresee

the

they

in number
many,
fast
like
bees
or
hangingtogether

some,
for

anger,
and

sorrows

last
a

when

he

that

thing

life and

second

saw

nativity,as being

new

forciblyinto other creatures

appointed therefor,who, with
stroke, forged and
wrested
others, took
that

they might

lives

he

of

some

be

suitable

espied the

thorough
and

with

part
every
the artisans

when

aforesaid

took

it in

shone

forth

devour

it into

lakes

the

forginga
and

subjects,he
nation
far

and

he

very
visageand
said

beloved

hast

there

but

from

was

hither, that
or
was

out

manner

Let
which

me

sudden

there

in

committed,
the

gods,

besides,some
that, of all his

in

tribute

the best

Greeks.

Thus

these

matters

; but

pains

in the

world

certain

took

mayest keep

punished

sort

and

and
tallage,
gods, to wit, the

who

figure
trans-

gentleand
standing

more

some

voice

and

hold

for

woman,

and

him,

on

all that
memory
the better : wherewith
she put forth unto
him
wand
all fiery,
such as paintersor enamellers
use
;
another
that
her
and
then
he
:
stayed
might

perceivehimself to be blown
trunk
a
or
pipe,so that in
his own
body again, and
in

of beast

only a spectator of

thou

into

heard

tax,

of the

was

his return, he abid all the

upon
that he had ; for there was
a

seen

little rod

from

come

to

on

it

saith)the

metamorphose

been

statelybignessadmirable,

Come

thou

fear

him

had

all

fire :

transform

to

it, chanting about

had

he

and

with

red-hot

there

kind

of

he

exempted

most

was

for

which

unto

forth,he said,he

when

had

they

all,

already
calamities, pierced

hand

that

should

of another

; for that

sins

is due

turn

form

water-creature

marishes

alreadyfor the
good

that

said

and

aflSicted

of the dam

of which

great lightout

givingcommandment
tame,

it,he

a
many
bent and

conditions

(as Pindarus

shape of a viper,of which kind

ones
gnaweth through the bowels
to

and

sort ;

other

many
nails

and

into the

young
the world, and

transformed

new,

third

of Nero

soul

spikes

as

parts

to

with

grievously enough otherwise,

the
into

entered

purpose,

their

abolished

and

away
sort and

which

among

tools for the

framed

what

But

sorts, by certain workmen

all

of

grumbling

sake.

and

turned

saw

mind

to

such

of

having
he

nephews,

or

and

for their

souls

the

were

said

called

and

they sustained

calamities

he

that

bats, murmuring

remembered

they

suffer,as

children

either

those

to

were

already. Furthermore,

experience thereof
and

which

torment

PLATO

OF

of his grave

now

call the

by
the
so

and

strong

in

and

turningof an
began to look

wind

violent
hand
up

he

was

with

with
within

his

eyes

sepulchre.

reader's

attention

to

some

ought to be noticed
foregoing
Myth.
The
Myth, as I said, is one of a well-marked
the
Timarchus
EschatologicalMyths (to which

points

in the

class

Myth

of
in

THE
Plutarch's

de

Genio

PHAEBBUS
Socratis

MYTH

377

also

belongs)based on the ritual

observed
at
Initiation,which, indeed, they merely transfer
from
the sanctuary in this world
of spirits.
to the* world
The
ot-Aridaeus-Thespesiusstands in the
apparent death
death
which
initiated person
Myth for the ceremonial
an
suffers,who, in simulating actual death
by fallinginto a
trance, or even
by allowinghimself to be treated as a corpse,
dies to sin
world.

i^ order

The

death

is

accident

the

actuallyvisits
the

tale.

the

the

brings on
adopted in

that

other

regenerate life

the

Soul

world, and

of

state

order

in

this

apparent

similitude
give veriAridaeus-Thespesius

of

returns

to

this world

to

to

By this device the experiencesof a newly

returniug to ordinarylife a regenerate man

transformed

beyond

idea

the

initiated person
are

which

literarydevice

to

tell

to live henceforth

into

those

would

grave

which

have

actual

an

to

tell.

The

revenant

from

accident

which

befalls

Aridaeus-Thespesius is, in fact, the mythological

confounds
the candidate
at
equivalentof the e/c7r\7jf
t? which
the beginning of his Initiation
an
comparable with
eKTrXiy^t?
the sharpness of death, and
resultingin a trance, during
he is ceremoniallya dead man.
which
"

Pour

il faut
d'Alviella),^

k I'ancienne

"

Aussi

(says M.

nouvelle

Sme

acqu6rir una

renoncer

le

; 11 faut

Comte

Goblet

d'abord

mourir.

mort
plupart des initiations impliquent-ellesune
immolation
le n6ophyte k une
apparente, soit qu'on soumette
d6funts.
des
soit
lui
au
6imul6e,
qu'on
impose un voyage
pays
les mots, c'est itre
Mourir, disait Plutarque, en jouant sur
initi6 : T"Aein-av
TeAeto-^at.
E6ciproquement,pourrait-onajouter,

la

^tre

initio,c'est

temporaire pour
leures.

En

ce

les

civilis6es dont

non

Du
dans

anciens,aussi

je viens

voyons
par le r6cit
d'Isis 6tait envisag6ecomme
1

Eleusinia
o.c.

p.
hommes

62

(Paris,1903), p.

encourir

c'est

bien

bien

de d^crire

Nous

moins

les conditions

I'initiation est

sens

6tait aiasi chez

en

mourir.
revivre

mort

une

et

meil-

r4-g6n^ration.II
parmi les peuplades

une

que
les coutumes.^

d'ApuI6eque
une

diff6rentes

mort

I'initiation
volontaire

aux

mystferes

conduisant

63.

partiesdu Congo, les jeunes gens en "ge de

morts.
Emport^s par les f^tioheurs dans
feignent de tomber
passent plusieursmois, parfoisplusieursanuses ; puis ils ren"

Dans

oertainea

passer
la for6t,ila y
s'ilsavaient tout
se
trent dans leur famille,mais ils doivent
comporter comme
I'habitnde
de se nourrir
et
le
oubli^ de leur vie ant^rieure,
langage
y compris
de nouveaus'il s'agissait
doit refaire leur Mucation, oomme
On
eux-memes.
Cf. W.
H. Bentley,Life on the Congo (London, 1887), pp. 78 if.
n^s."
,

378

MYTHS

THE
vie.^

autre

une

bole

mystferesde CybWe comprenaientle

Les

devenait

aujourd'huiencore,

le

h, la connaissance

V6da

c6r6monie

du

sein du

6t6

d'une

veut

doit

se

ce

I'Inde,

Dans
se

il

fair initier
k

soumettre

une

pr6tendument repasser k r6tat d'embryon.'

mality
Christianisme,le bapt^me qui constitue la for-

essentielle

toujours

gourou

un

par

qui

sur

moment

le fait

qui

Enfin, au

brahmane

jeune

tauro-

fosse,recevait

une

d'un b^lier ; dfes

le sang d'un taureau
ou
renatus?
taurdbolio crioholiogue
in aeterrmm

le corps

vue

dans

couch6
oh Tiniti^,
criobole,

le

et

PLATO

OF

de

I'entr^e

pr6sent6

comme

lit

On
spirituelle.*

resurrection

symbolique en

ensevelissement

un

fidfeles

des

la communaut6

dans

I'architrave du

sur

actuelle,la
le pape
sifecle,

la chr6tient6

du Latran, le plus ancien

de
baptistfere
devise
suivante, qu'y avait fait graver,

V*

au

Xystus iii.:
"

sperate,hoc fonte renati ;

regnum
.felix vita semel genitos.
recipit

Caelorum
Non

La

prestationdes
veritable

une

morts

suaire, entre
relive, fait
nouveau

un

dans

une

calibration

une

biere

le tour

de

I'assistance
les mains

entre

en

du

De

ce

est

I'office des
un

sous

Miserere, il

le baiser

recevant

de Tabb^.^

de
6tendu

ou

quatre cierges. Aprfes le chant

communier

et va

couch6

religieux,qui

ordres

certains

initiation,
comprend

le novice

sur

dans

vceux,

de

jour,il

se

paix
prend

qu'ilgarderajusqu'kla mort."

nom

Met.

'^

Oorp. Insc. Lai. vi. p. 97, No. 510.

Sacred Books of the East, vol. iliv. pp. 86-90.

xi.

Perhaps we may be allowed

mentioned
custom
another
by Dr.
comparison with this custom
Budge : speaking of a certain prehistoricform of burial in Egypt, he says
natal
(Egyptian Ideas of (he Futv/re Lvfe, p. 162 ff.):"They are buried in the antethis
of
and
in
be
in
a
we
child,
position
perhaps
justified seeing
may
the symbol of a hope that as the child is bom
from this positioninto the
custom
world, so might the deceased be born into the life in the world
beyond the
The
their dead, not believing
to mummify
Egyptians continued
grave.
the
that their physical bodies
would
rise again, but
because
they wished
to
least
at
from
and
if
or
body
sprout
them,
germinate
spiritual
possible
it seems
to be in the form of the physicalbody.
so
* Eom.
vi. 4, Coloss. ii. 12, "Buried
with him
also ye
in baptism, wherein
raised
risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who
hath
are
5

to

bring

into

'

'

'

'

"

"

"

from

him
^

the dead.

"

Ceremoniale

de ThlologieCatholique(Paris,
benedictinum, in Dictionnaire
Gaume, 1863), t. xix. pp. 184, 185.
*
See also Dieterioh
(Eine Mithrasliturgie,
158-161, 166, 175), and
pp.
authorities cited by him (e.g.
Frazer, The Golden Bough, iii. 442 ft'.
; Codrington,
The Melanesians, 39), for the wide prevalenceamong
primitive,as well as among
of Initiation
civilised races, of this view
(whether Initiation at the age of
puberty, or at other times) as a Death (simulated by the novice) and a New
Name.
ceremonial
When
Birth, followed often by the imposition of a New
takes the form of actual unconsciousness,
Death
is generally
a stupefying drink
the agent employed. I would
suggestthat the drinkingof the water of Lethe,
in Greek mythology, by Souls about to be born again in the flesh,has its origin
in this custom
of administeringa stupefyingdrink
to the patientsof initiatory
rites,who "die to live."
' '

For

all Greek

mysteries,"says

Mr.

A.

Lang (Homerk

Hymns,

p.

98), "a

THE
The

Place

difficult to

of

PHAEDBUS

MYTH

379

Lethe, in the Aridaeus-ThespesiusMyth,

is

to in their

localise ; but
it is evidently a place Souls come
descent from the aethereal and tlerialregions,
lying

somewhere

between

and

these

flowers of the

Stream

the

Heaven

of Lethe.

reflects the
and

place remind

between

midway

regionsand
us

and

others of the Neo-Platonic

whole

foliage

Paradise,

Dante

places

however,
description,

afterwards

we

The

of the Terrestrial

Earth, in which

Plutarch's

doctrine,which

the Earth.

find

in

school,of the Mirror

Plotinus
and

Bowl

of

Dionysus,and cannot
properly be brought into line with
of Lethe
such a descriptionof the Eiver
have in the
as
we
In
one
Myth of Er.
point, however, the two
descriptions
to be at

seem

The

one

the Place

"

Oracle

the

of Lethe

is not

subterranean.

Night and the Moon, at which

the three Daemons
sit,mixing dreams, is,I think, the Moon,
above
which
of Aridaeus-Thespesiuscannot
the Soul
rise,
because
the irrational
part of it is still in the body on Earth.
the de facie in orhe lunae} that part, as well
As we
learn from
of the body on
the rational part, rises,at the death
as
Earth,
the
of the
Moon
death
it is only when
to the
up
; and
irrational part has taken
place on the Moon that the rational
Sun.
The
rational
rise to its originalhome, the
part can
near
then, comes
to,
part of the Soul of Aridaeus-Thespesius,
but may
not
only see from afar the
; and can
pass, the Moon
is eternal in the Heavens
glory of the true Delphi which
of Eeason.
the Sun, the seat of Apollo,the home
Orpheus,
is
when
he went
to seek Eurydice,came,
Aridaeus-Thespesius
The
told,only as far as the Oracle of Dreams, i.e. the Moon.
celestial or
astronomical
which, in Plutarch, has
eschatology,
the
taken
place of the terrestrial,converts, we thus see, the
into an
dvd^acn";J'
/tara/Sacrts
'Op"peco";
Bowl,

of

"

These
be found.
can
spring straightfrom human
place customs, and duties, and taboos under divine
protection; from the need of strengthening them, and the influence of the
and trying the young
elders,by mystic sanctions ; from the need of fortifying
and
fortitude
from
the
magical expulsionof
;
by probationsof strength,secrecy,
hostile influences ; from the sympathetic magic of earlyagriculture
; from study
of the processes of nature
guesses, surmises,
regarded as personal; and from
visions,and dreams as to the fortunes of the wandering soul on its way to its

analogy

satisfactory
aavage
nature

; from

the

desire to

final home."
1

Chapters 28-30.

Mr.

1192, and
ascension

Arthur

Fairbanks

quoting
of Souls

Eur.

into

(Glass.Sev. Nov. 1901), commenting on Soph. Ajax,

the
1016, 1219, Frag. 971, Suppl lliO, connects

Rel.

the aether

with

the

practiceof

cremation.

The

of Hell

torments

the

present

picture of
?

torments

Under

almost

Dantesque

the

treatment

of Souls

Earth

the

is

where

But

I think

air

the

avow
yjrvx^v,

iraa-av

icrrl
elfuipfievov

eKireaovaav,

TrTiMVTjOflvai,
ytopitp
vpovov
BiKai

aKoKaa-Toi

ainov

iaov

airoTrvevaai

rod

airo

/Miaa-fiov'i, iv

irovqpov,

in the

aiiv

lower

acofiaro"i

aeKrjvqf;

Kai

aoUKOt

Kai

iineiKeii,

iT(ofiaTO"!, aairep

TrpaoraTq)

tw

vw,

be

to

me

ai fiev
B
ra^

aiXK

these

following

to

fiera^i)7^?

ra

ovk

koI

Tivova-f
aBiKi^/jbdrmv

r"v

koI
a."pajveva'ai

oaov

re

match
out-

to

The

not.

in the de facie in orhe lunae

seems
passage
in favour
conclusive
of locatingthese torments

regionof

in them

of

place

the

power;

hard

be

it would

which

terror

Literature.

in

with

and

lakes

three

described in the

Purgatory are

or

Aridaeus-ThespesiusMyth
indeed,

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

380

ov

aepo"i,

tov

reray/Mevov.^
r^lveadai
^(povov riva
The
conclusion
from the foregoingpassage seems
to be drawn
borne
to be
out
by the passage at the beginning of the
Souls
are
seen
ascending
Aridaeus-ThespesiusMyth, where
of all sorts, good, bad, and
Souls
indifferent,
like bubbles
each
sort distinguished
colour; and the gulf,or
by its own
in the de genio Socratis Myth,
which
Timarchus
sees
'^da-pM,
he sees
when
he is no
longer within sightof the Earth : it
is the place of torment
a
seething abyss of air (I think),
the surface of which
on
half-submergedSouls are seen floating,
At
the same
time it must
like stars or will-o'-the-wisps.^
be admitted
that Plutarch's
of place-visualisation
is
power
aBov
Xeifi"va';

Bel

KoKovai,

"

"

clear and

not

so

the

localityof

distinct
his

subterranean, not

Place

as

of

aerial; I

to

leave

Torment

one

"

without
it may,

he makes
precedent,*
whole
drama
eschatological

he

localises the

and
Purgatorio,
There
noticed
"

the
1
^

Paradiso

is another
in

connection

"

in the

point
with

of

interest

the

is alluded

to

as

"

aerial

"

Inferno,

aether.

ought to be
Aridaeus-ThespesiusMyth

which

of colour-visualisation

remarkably developed power

Plutarch, defac. in orhe lun. 28.

See Rohde, Psyche,ii. 319, n. 4, where

the Soul

air and

think

to

it

to

as

all,be

after

inclined, however,

am

that, followingundoubted
that

doubt

the

^ De
gen. Soc. 22.
Stoical doctrine of the

of

levityof

incompatiblewith

its /card/Sao-is,
and Sext. adv. phys. 1,
kotu
^"x4s IveaTiv i7roKa^i7ai
^epofUvas.

71, is quoted for this koX ycip oiSi t4s

'KeiTTOfiepeTs
/uaXXox riirovs Kov^otpopoSri. See supra,
yeip oSa-ai eU rois "va
for
the
localisation
of
Hell
in the Third
n.
Heaven
367,
2,
p.
by the writer of
the Secrets of Enoch.
"

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

382

VI

It
that

far

so

and

he

as

does

he

by the Poet, that

length of time, but
midst

the

Poet
Poet

"

skill to

have

must

tell

it is also the
not

inspired

as

the

workman
in

story, whether

induced

state, as

appreciable
fitfuUyrecurrent lapses

of

form

the

of dream-

state

furnish

to

"

takes

his

for any

continue

not

only in
patient,

Poet

in

waking consciousness,which
but only as skilled workman,
with
suitable objects. As

of

Poet's function

it does

the

him

of this

It is characteristic

consciousness.

of this work

as

Feeling

by inducingin

so

/j,avt,a

essential fimetion

Transcendental

rouses

Kat

IntroductoryPart

the

performs his

Poet

that

in

in

maintained

was

the

TsU-Ova"v KaToica)j(r) re

airo

r]

narrative,
fictitious,

true or
lyricalform, whether
which
shall be interestingto the
as
waking consciousness
a
story which shall appeal powerfullyto our natural love of
sentiments
of the
anthropology,"and to other common
breast.
The
human
interestingstory, with its appeal to our
common
sentiments, constitutes,as it were, the Body of the
poem, and bulks largely
in

or

dramatic

in

or

"

"

"

wovild

She

But

an

she's

awa

An'

This

is

Body
Poetry
"

when

"

what

the

ha'e

Lowland

EnglishLady
wi' Duncan

he's roVd

her in his

"

the

poem,

"

is

plaidie.
its
the

apprehended only

sentiments

common

Laird,

Graham,

is about
poem
is always with
But
us.

and
of

na

be

Nor

subject matter,
Soul
at

the

"

those

its

essential
moments

wonder, love, pity, dread,

"

roused
artistic
curiosity,amusement
by the workman's
satisfied fantastically,
as
are
handling of the subject-matter,
in a dream, by some
image presentedor suggested,or by some
"

-^ Phaedrus,

245

TpirriSi

dTri

Movirwy

KaroKuixh re Koi fuwla Xa^oSaa

iK^aKxeiovffa Kard re ifdas Kcd Kari,
TraXaidv
dWfjv ttoItjo-lv
fivplaTutv
^pya KoafioOffa roiis. iinyLyvofUvovs
TTiv
iraiSeiei. "s S' "v Avev fiavLasMovff"v
ixl TrOHjTiKcts Sipas itplKrjTaL,
ireurBels (is
vir6 rfji
Spa iK T^X"'!' ixayis iroiijT^js
iffdftevos,
dreXrjs airds re Kal 17 irolrijts
TUiV
fiatvofi^vtav
ij tov ffW^pavovVTOsii^avlcrdi),
a:

airoKiiv xal A^arov ^j/vxhviyelpovaa Kal

Plato's Ion

should

Inspiration."

be read

in connection

with

this.

It is

study of

"

Poetic

PHAEDBUS

THE

mysterious

giving
has
as

such

word

of

omen

satisfaction

aroused

in

his

Kaff

heat,

virvov.
or

of

some

his

phrase

natural

patient

from
distinguished
In

to

or

MYTH

that

art.

cadence.

or

sentiments
the

His

Poet

giftis

sleep some

ordinary

other

starts

kind,

383

an

which

"hows
a

It

sort

sensation

his
of

is in

his art

genius
fiavTiKr]

of cold, oiU

explanatory pageant!

common
dream-images. So in the Poet's mind some
senti-j
asB
which
he
ment,
experiencesmore
vividlythan other men
itself suddenly in some
he tells his story,expresses
image or]
his reader,in whose
other representation
he has
mind
; and
sentiment
the
by his story,welcomes
alreadyroused the same
as
expressing the sentiment
image or other representation,
as
relievingthe weight of it, as solving the mystery of
that
the
it,as justifyingit. It is in a dream, fantastically,
found ; for the Poet's
are
relief,the solution, the justification,
image, the product in him of the dream-consciousness,becomes
in the Poet's patient the producer of a state of consciousness
The
is
like that which
case
produced it in the Poet.
ward
analogous to that of one mimicking or dwelling on the outexpressionof a mental state in another, and having the
in himself.
state thereby produced by reaction
The dream-state
produced in the patient by the reaction
of the imagery,and other
his consciousness
on
dream-products,
suppliedby the genius of the Poet, though it lasts as dream-

of

"

state

but

for

moment,

yet leaves

an

effect behind

which

less

sciousness
sensiblythroughout the waking conwhich
follows ; and if the lapses into the dreamstate induced
by a poem are frequent,the effect,persistingin
the waking consciousness
which apprehends the subject-matter,
and
becomes
more
always more
impressive. This effect may
of having latelybeen in some
be described as a feeling
Sat/iwtos
the true reasons
of the things which
where
happen in
TOTTo?,
this world
of ordinary experience are
laid up;
Place in
a
the significance
of these things,although
which
understood
one
understood.
In the
cannot
then
one
now
one
explainwhat
Phaedrus
the
Myth, where the Souls peep over
edge of the
for a moment
Cosmos
into
the
trehiov aXr]6eia";
beyond, and
into the region of the sensible,this feelingof
sink down
then
understood the true significance
of things
having just now
rendered.
is pictorially

persistsmore

"

or

''

venture

to

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

384

vexed

that

discuss

who

those

on
urge
is Poetic

the importance of not

Truth ?
question"" What
understood
the
neglectingthis "feeling of having just now
is
of things" a feelingwhich, of course,
true
significance
fluence
experienced pretty generally,and quite apart from the inof those who
come
of Poetry,although in the case
under
that influence it is so elaborately
procured and regulated
to become
an
as
important factor in their lives. When
Poetic Truth," from Aristotle
told by the exponents of
we
are
Universal," that
Poetry sets
downwards, that it is the
"

"

"

"

"

"

forth the

Universal,"

not

are

we

"

to beheve

asked

that

there

(in the plural)of Poetiy like those of Science

or
"principles suppliedby Poetry which explainparticulars,
furnish
definite guidance in respect of them, as, e.g., the
some
Law
of Gravitation
explains the orbits of the planets,or
furnish
the
guidance in
even
as
Principlesof Economics
of business.
If,then,
arisingin the course
particularcases
Universals

are

"

"

"

"

exponents of

the

Poetic

"

Truth

"

do not

for the

claim

"

versal"
Uni-

provides any such explanation or

guidance in detail,what do they understand it to be and do ?
that their exposition
amoimts
It seems
to me
to this :
The
Universal of Poetry is that which does for the details of
the
Poet's interesting
Story or Picture what
Knowledge of
the Good
does for the objectsof Conduct
: it is olov
to
^w?,
in
which
bathed
and
altered
it
a
as
were
Light,
they are
elemental
""an
atmosphere of solemn
feeling through
of Poetry, as
the
the representations
which
we
see
we
see
its claims and
presentationsof Social Life
temptationsof
of the Sense
If this is
Duty.
through the medium
of
doctrine
of the
Universal
the
what
pounded
Poetry," as examounts
by those who have written on the subject,
I am
entirelyin agreement with them.
to, I am
merely
putting their doctrine in other words when I state my own
The
Universal
of Poetry is apprehended
view as foUows :
by us when, having entered at the beck of the Poet, our fiva-raof

Poetry

that

it

"

"

"

"

"

"

''

"

"

70)709,

into

the

vast

presentlyreturn
interestingstory,and
we

of

revenants

know

that

who

they

now

have

wonderland
therefrom

of
to

the

dream-consciousness,

the

waking world of his

its particulars
see
again with the eyes
know
their secret meaning
or
rather,
that they represent.
a secret
meaning
"

"

THE
here in the world
the

truth

of

his Guardians
here

but

are

in
that

"

real life behind

being fashioned

Let

be

not

me

the Guardians

:
"

that

"

here

elsewhere,in the womb

they were

385

ordinaryobservations and sentiments,

a
deeper order of reality. So, Plato ^ will have
believe that the particular
of their lives
ev"nts
doubles of thingswhich
are
representative
plished
accom-

their

was

MYTH

our

youth was a dream

they were
being educated

that
it

of

PHAEDRUS

in

be

to

told

they merely imagined

all the while,
reality,

of their

and

are

Mother

Earth,

that

nurtured.

misunderstood.

do

not

underrate

the

love of
importance in Poetry of all that appeals to our
anthropology." The Odysseymust be interesting
as, say, the
the Songs of Burns
and
Voyagesof Columbus are interesting;
the common
Goethe
be interesting
must
sentiments
and
as
experienceswhich they set forth are interestingto us all in
lives and
the lives of our
own
our
neighbours. Minute
the picturesqueportrayalof people as they
character-drawing,
strike the eye in their surroundings,
dramatic
representation
of their doings and fortunes,and
descriptionof the natural
of man's adventures
and musings
world, especially
as
scene
be suppliedby the Poet ;
all these,in their proper places,
must
what
I have
but they are
called the Body of Poetry they
which
the Soul
of Poetry inspires.
constitute the
material
The material
to the waking consciousness,
must, indeed, be interesting
but
it
be
if it is to be inspired
well
ing
interest;
may
I have
without being inspired. The
inspiration,
argued,
"

"

"

if it comes,

from

comes

Poetry is apprehended
awake

from

the

"

the
in

The

dream-consciousness.
its

Body

Poet's Dream," and

the

at
on

moment

sudden

see

Soul
when

the

of
we

passing
in

their
figuresand events of his interesting
story arrested
brede
of marble
and maidens
like the
men
temporal flight,
sub specieaeternitatis,
the Grecian
on
Urn, and standingstill,
"

"

the purport of which

of Eternal Verities,
that they are valid,and are
recall ; but we know
cannot
now
we
laid up in that other world from which
are
we
newly returned.^

as

emblems

"

of what

?
"

Jiepvilic,414.
See Plotinus,Enn. vi. 9. 9 and 10 : speaking of the return from the ecstatic
in the
rb Biaiia(what was
seen
to ordinaryconsciousness,he says
diatjipaaTov
ecstatic state). :rfis yhp "j" djra77e(\e(^
us
tis
Irepov o6k I5iiv iKuvo Sre iffeSro
that the
Srepov,dXXd iv TrpdsiavT6v ; and see mfra, p. 387, where it is contended
"
when
world
that
with
the
is
of
one
experienced
great
poetry
feeling being
^

"

"

exerts

its influence

most

powerfully.
2c

MYTHS

THE

386

It

highly enough

feeling of

vague

some

which

are

patent fact that

brought
Poetry

before

elevates

"

the

in

us
"

be urged
may
to the low level,it
lives

men's
"

"

of the

"

said

about

experience
"

the

sensitive

the

dream-consciousness, and

Self

rational

and

of both

waking
Self of

the

to

"

the unconscious

to

what

Self of

conscious

relation of the

the

The

Poet's story.

againsta view which reduces its Truth

Irrational Part
be thought,of a feelingof the
may
I would
this objectionby referringto
Soul."
meet
have

ence,
sphere of ordinary experi-

the

sentiments, within

objectsand

identified with

attaching to
significance
inexplicable

"

"

is

its "Universal"

when

rated

is not

Truth"

"Poetic

objected that

be

may

PLATO

OF

Self

"Vegetative Part of the Soul," in which they have

The
their roots.
VegetativePart, I argued,is the principle
within
which
us
inspiresthe conscious life with that which
to speculaof conduct, and (when we
turn
is the foundation
tion)
that faith in
the beginning and end of Metaphysics
realityand goodness in the strengthof which we struggle on,
I put no
new
seeking ever
experiencesand adventures.
if I ascribe
Universal
of Poetry
therefore,upon the
slight,
it to the
principlemaking
inspirationof this fundamental
form
of implicit
itself felt in consciousness,not in the normal
the dreambelief in the Worth
of Life, but less normally as
The
intuition of a ground of that belief
Metaphysician is
shall be
often found
too
trying to set forth a ground which
plain to the Understanding,forgettingthat
of

the

"

"

"

Thou
Nor
For
Nor

The

canst

minds

not

thou

prove

the

prove

the world

Nameless,

nothing worthy proving

yet disproven.

does

Poet

ground, and
our

canst

better

leaves

when

we

us

he

with

wake

can

induces

movest

in,

be proven,

the

the wonder
to pursue

thou

dream-intuition
of the

vision

of

haunting

ing
the details of his interest-

story.
But

in what

form, it wiU

be

asked, dees

this

ground

of

It
present itself to the dream -consciousness?
world"
"another
as
one,
presents itself,I would
answer,
swift
unchanging, good, certified,
by the testimony of one
to exist beyond, or rather within, the
act of perfectintuition,
our

faith

THE
world
and

387

and change and

trouble which
the senses
multiplicity
all that
understandingpresent to us ; and, recapitulating

would

said

in

describe

intuition

this section,and
the

follows

as

The

Poet, by

those wondrous

in

the

paijfsof this work, I

Poet

brings us

to

this

:
"

of words, makes

means

images

moment,

other

in which

way

experiencewhich

But,

MYTH

of

I have

and

PHAEDBUS

of the

familiar

dream

is

his

see
patients,

things of

sees.^

he himself
our

us,

We

past,and

human

dream

life

his dream.

see, with

we

the

things which, a moment

eye, the familiar
before
it not ages ago ?
were
formed
or
was
so
wondrously transfor the
all is
Henceforth
dreaming mind's -eye.
life and
bit of interesting
human
perience
exchanged. Whatever
waking

mind's

"

"

the

situation

Poet

has

taken

for

his

"subject,"
"

be

it

the

which

in a love-song,
appeals to tender sentiment
the action which
appealsto pity,fear, grief,
risibility,
ant
expectin a play,the world
of nature
which
curiosity,
appeals to
and
of
of man's adventures
us
as
scene
musings, in a poem
bit of
observation and reflection, whatever
be the interesting
human
life and
experiencewhich the Poet has presented to
for us also,no
longer a mere
particularexperience.
us, it is now,
of
in
We
this
bit
now
see
common
experience a setting
of mysteriousfeeling. When
we
try to explain to ourselves
what
this mysterious feelingis which
can
so
wondrously
fain to borrow
bit of common
are
a
we
transfigure
experience,
the language of logic,
and speak of it as a
Universal
is no
the particular,"
: it bears
we
longer a particular
say,
the
versal."
image of the Universal, reflects the light of the Uniis no
"Universal"
But
this
so-called
conceptual
ing,
product of the logicalunderstanding: the logicalunderstandnumber
of more
like the senses, regardsthe World
a
or
as
items
less connected
external to itself;but this feelingwhich
with the World.
is come
is the feelingof being one
over
us
in
is the reflection,
with
the World
This feelingof being one
Vegetative
consciousness,of the condition of that unconscious
"

"

"

"

"

"

"

'

"Als

die einfachste

und

aufstellen,dass sie die Kunst

Definition
riohtigste

ist,durch

Worte

der

die

Poesie

mbchte

ioL

diese

Einbildungskraftins Spiel

und
Welt als Wille
Vorstelluncf,ii. 484).
.solutum
rebus
et
adstrictum,
verbis
est gemis
doctrinae,
plerumque
illicita
et
ad
licentiosum
iniqua
refertur,
prorsus
phantasiam
; itaque
quae
solet (Bacon, de Augm,
et maohinari
rerum
oonjugia et divortia oomminisoi
za

versetzen"

(Schopenhauer, Die

Poesis

Sc. ii. cap. 13).

THE

388

"

Soul

in

which

us

sustains
activity,

faith in

invincible

real World,

as

life

conscious

our

activil

the broken

correlates them, and

life,and

conscious

our

of

foundation

is the

which, by its continuous

of

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

inspiresus

part of which,

or

as

good to live. This faith is the stuff out

of time, constructs
the Thinking Faculty,in course
which
ontology,"or theoryof a real World in whi
preposterous
and
of which, it is good to be
a
theory which consists
Transcenderi
for what
the productionof ex post factoreasons
of
in consciousness, the condition
Feeling,representing,
in us, lays down
unconscious
as
a
s
Vegetative Soul
first principle, that behind, or rather within, the tempo
of particularitems
world
presentedto us in the life of
and understanding, behind
the world of
senses
phenom(
which
we
can
never
explain and
passionsof which we hi
with

is

it

which,

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

yet

not

World
"

formed

Vegetative Part

other

of

the

Parts," sensitive

"

distinct

increasinghesitation
consciousness

into

come

and

is the World

This

eter

an

which

"

puts its trust in ; and

rational,follow its lead
"

"

scepticismas
higher operations
play : but yet they follow
"

"

Se |t S Zeu Koi crv y' ij TieTrpwuivn

irod' vjuv
elfj-i
Siarerayfiivo^'

ayov
OTTOi

(OS

and

Soul

is

ideas," there

unchangeablegood.

one,

"

clear and

"

e^^o/^a^y

KaKos

aoKvos*

17V

fi-q oeAo),

oe

ovhlv ^ttov 'iif/ofw.i.

yevd/itr/os,

\ To feel of a sudden that there is surelyan eternal Wo

\ behind, or within, the temporal world of particularitems
\ to experiencethe /cdOapa-i^
which
ot
Poetry one among
in
I agencies effects
us.
"

"

would

of

place

the

diction
in

conclude

and

"

this

Metrical
of

Section

Form

"

Imagination,or

with

remarks

some

melodious

and

rhythi
Eepresentation,respecti-v

Poetry.
If the essential

function

Poetry,as Poetry,is
Feeling by inducinglapses into the

Transcendental

dream-consciousness, it is easy
towards
sents

the

song

of

exercise
and

to see

that metrical form

of this function.

dance, both

powerfullyreacting on,

those

natural

modes

Metrical

to

state

is helj

form

expressions of, and

of

what

may

ro

be

rej
b

ca]

objectsof

stimulant

to

great

the

"

is to the

prose." The

of

effect ; but

Second

Ballads),
"

yet

may

asserted

good

poem

in

can

will go

We

neither

that
no

farther.

is, nor

be,

can

says

been

in

the

(includiagLyrical
well adapted to Poetry ; and it was
viously
preof
the
of
a largeportion
language
every
of
good Prose.
respect differ from that
there
It may
be safelyaffirmed that
Edition

be

evidence
has

It

"

"

to the

he is not

as

Coleridgeis, his

be thought,perhaps,to be less valuable :

may
the
that
shown
language of Prose," Wordsworth

Preface

metre, because

that

from

same

of versification,as

master

in

I write
...

language different

of Wordsworth

evidence
a

even

attention
a

use

furnish

Burnet,

highest kind may exist

the contradistinguishing
without
again,^Metre in itself is simply a

;" and

poem

of the

about

am

and

metre,

of

Sacra

Bishop Taylor,and the Theoria

undeniable
proofs that poetry of
without

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

390

any

of his Poems

essential

difference

between

the

I here use
language of Prose and metrical composition.
the word
judgment) as
'Poetry' (though against my own
with metrical composition.
opposed to the word Prose, and synonymous
...

But
this

by
more

The

much

confusion

contradistinction

of
one
philosophical
only strict antithesis

truth, a

strict

introduced

has been

into criticism

Poetry and Prose, instead of the

Poetry and Matter of Fact, or Science.
of

to

is Metre

Prose

because
antithesis,

lines and

nor

passages
it would

is

this,in

of metre

so

in writing prose, that

be scarcely
naturallyoccur
it desirable."
If this
were
possible to avoid them, even
fication,
of versievidence, as coming from one who is no great master
be thought lightlyof, it ought, on the other hand, to
that Wordsworth
be remembered
is Coleridge's
peer in power
of rousing Transcendental
Feeling,and exercises this power
often through the medium
of- studiouslyprosaicdiction.
His
Poetry,therefore,is evidence,apart altogetherfrom his critical
opinion just quoted,in favour at least of the view that full
be produced where
the diction is hardly distinguishab
poeticeffect can

from
The

view

not, it would
^

o.c.
Coleridge,

'

And

that

of prose.

maintained
seem,

orthodox.

Eecent

Wordsworth^

critics of

Poetry

is
are

oh. xviii.

Shelley,A Defence of Poetry:

writers is a vulgarerror.
"

prose

by Coleridgeand

"

The

distinction between

poets and

THE

generally in

favour

essential condition

Now,

the

critics of

the

and

the

difference

view

even

that

metrical

form

is

of

between

great poet himself

Poetw."

do

poets at all,appears

to

are

to define it

to be

me

foUows

or

is
Coleridge,

Poetry that he uses

they happen to be in

the

and

pretend to

not

as

of

an

-^

existence

not, and

I venture

End

the

391

"

poetica who

ars

MYTH

great poet, like Wordsworth

A
upon

of

of the

be, great poets,or

defining;

PHAEBBUS

worth

:
"

intent

so

with

means

little

themselves.
Critics of
thought of what
when
with
Poetry,on the other hand, even
they are endowed
personal feelingfor the End of Poetry,are apt, as- critics,to
their attention
sively
exclutake that End for granted,and
devote
to the very interesting
whereby it
subjectof the means
is achieved.
that, of course, a great poet proThey assume
duces
poetic effect ; but not cherishingthat effect as a
wonder
personalexperienceto be received with undiminished
and joy whenever
they read his poetry,they are apt, in their
to lose clear sight of it,and then to mistake
capacityof critics,
the
it
for part of it something entirely
distinct from
mere
aesthetic
effect produced by the melody and
doubtedly
rhythm unthere is Poetry. This
present in most cases where
to think, lurks in the followingdefinition
mistake, I venture
of
Poetry,"which may be taken as expressingthe view of a
large,and in some
respects,meritorious class of critics those
who
are
necessityof consideringliterature
impressed by the
material of science
:
as
Poetry is literature,usually of a
'

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

high degree
Human

of

Interest, which,

Human

Interest, has

in

it

added

an

in

Aesthetic

addition

to

its

Interest," i.e.

be
it may
Here
of rhythm."
appealsto an aesthetic sense
Interest
that
though said to be only
high Human
worth
usually present stands for the End of Poetry as "Wordsof
attainment
the
it ; but
and
Coleridgeunderstand
this end is made
entirelydependent on successful appeal to
"

"

"

"

"

"

"

A collection of

opinionson this subject,I should

embarrassing by reason

certainlysomewhat

and
differences recorded, will be found in Professor
of Poetry (1901); see also Professor Butcher's

think

plete,
prettynearly com-

of the often very minute

Gummere's
work, The Beginnings

Aristotle's Theory of Poetry and

Art, pp. 143-147, and Mr. Adam's'note on Jiepublic,601 B, 9. Plato and
: see
Aristotle both make
imCBosthe essential thing in Poetry : fiirponis ancillary
Adam.
b
Jlr.
1451
and
Poet.
Phaedo, 61 B,
29, quoted by
'
H.
to the ScientificStudy of English Poetry, by Mark
Introduction
An
the
ch. ii.,"Rhythm
as
See also Gummere,
o.c.
Liddell (1902), pp. 72 and 65.

Fime

Essential

Fact

of

Poetry."

the aesthetic

sense

to

the

necessary

Indeed,
"

poetry

exercise

vital

so
"

rhythm

of

is

conceived

is made

metrical form

"

asked

are

we

"metre"

between

connection

be, that

absolutely
of Poetry.

essential function

of the

the
to

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

392

and

regard the

to

rhythmic structure of the diction as only the outer form of a

be no
Poetry
"rhythmic structure of ideation": there can
of diction, but a
where there is not only a rhythmic structure
rhythmic structure of ideation.^
Form
"While
not
only is "Verse
maintaining that
of rhythm
successful appeal to the aesthetic sense
Interest" ^
no
part of the true poetic effect,but that metrical form is
to the production of true
not essential,even
as
poetic
means,
metrical
effect,I, of course, am
ready to admit that, when
form is absent, poeticeffect is produced with greater difficulty
to the
that form is present ; for the appeal made
than when
"

"

Self

of

is

dream-consciousness

the

the

much

so

weaker

as

solelythrough dream-scenery,without the aid of

emotion
the nascent
accompanying the suggested Song and
Dance.
But dream-scenerysuggested by the plainestprose is
the milieu in which
often, I submit, enough, by itself,to make
This
could
it is possibleto experiencethe true poeticeffect.
be illustrated abundantly from
the Icelandic Sagas. On
the
being made

hand, it is

other

metrical

of

Republic,393

any

is

Professor

this

Plato

fE,where

the

of the'

destruction

But,

of which

composed

gives us

an

is turned
Biad, i. 17 ff.,

into

What

"

would

"

the original
diction
certainly,

submit, there

is not

in metrical

destroys
amusing example in

prose;
in
be
left
asks,^
prose,
Ueber alien Gipfelnist Buh' ?
Nothing

particularpoem

metrical.

diction

that

case

Gummere

prose, of Goethe's

of that

the

form, dream-scenery being left untouched,

that milieu

and, as

often

metrical.

form,

is

are

the

poems

Because

poem,

of which

original
originally

by translation
into prose, it does not follow that
is impossibleas the
prose
originalform in which a poem may be composed. There is no
valid test for the historian save
this test of rhythm," says Professor
Gummere.*
It is a rough test
convenient,I dare say,
student
jfor the purpose of the historian ; but the philosophical
cannot
accept it as having any value for his own
purpose.
spoiltas

poem

"

"

"

"

'

Liddell,o.c.
o.c.

p. 49.

p. 145.

^
*

"

(,_

o.c.

p_ 74

pp.

49, 50.

THE

I would

class

PHAEDBUS

metrical

MYTH

393

form, then, along with

interesting
a
an
as
story and skilful word-painting,
part
important,but
not
the
absolutelynecessary part of the mifiew in which
genius of the Poet finds it possibleto produce poeticeffect in
his patient; that effect itself,of course,
being something
distinct
from
the
interest
the
felt
in
essentially
story,from
emotions
the specific
roused
by its incidents and scenery, or
from
the -n-ddo^ caused
(it may be, first of all in the vocal
chords ^)by the rhythm and
melody of the words, whether
spoken or unspoken. In the milieu of imagery and emotion
it
when
produced by the Poet's story or description,
especially
in melodious
is couched
the Poet's patient is ready
language,^
the
when
to experience,
arrives,that
psychologicalmoment
sudden
flash of Transcendental
Feeling in which, I contend,
the essence
of poetical
effect consists.
I venture
to think that the exaggeratedimportanceattached
to metrical
form, regarded as an essential condition of poetic
for the comparativelyscanty attention
effect,has been responsible
of Poetry to the
paid by recent writers on the nature
immensely important part played by Eepresentation,simply
in the creation
of what
I have called the
as
Eepresentation,
poetic milieu, to distinguishit from poetic effect. The Greek
identification of iro'mjaK
with
to me
to have
seems
fiifi7]ai,"i
in it,if we
the
the root of the matter
understand
by fiifirjaK
productionof the poeticmilieu, and take KuOapai,^
(asit appears
in Aristotle's Poetics)
the flash
to stand for the poeticeffect
of Transcendental
Feeling in that milieu.
The Poetic milieu, as I have argued throughout this work,
"

"

"

"

"

is

sleep,from
into, it.

dream-consciousness

of

state

the
As

We
world

of

"

round

real
"I

waking state, but

we

read

are,

about

us

that with

; and

of

of

yet

with,

concurrent

listen to

or

indeed, aware

things,"but

believe

not, indeed, shut

"

we

Poetry
the
are

"

we

in

dream.
day-

of

things

another

in

inserted

or

"

real

in

are

off,as

world,

this
not

imitations, pictures,
representations,

careful

self-observation

many

men

'with

an

ear

for

recognisethat the essential part of poeticexcitation has lain in scarcely

sonality,
Per(Myers, Human
perceptiblechanges of tension in the muscles of the throat
that I find Myers"
astonishment
i. 102). I confess that it is with much
melodious
the sense
of nascent
those who make
speech in the vocal chords
among
the essential condition of experiencingpoeticeffect.
2
Mr. W. B. Yeats in his book, The Idea of Good and Evil, p. 16, propounds
the charming idea of "poems spoken to a harp."
verse' will

"

reflections.

resemble

reflections

These

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

394

things"

"real

the

"

different as
as
quite different from them
difierent from
are
the upside-down trees in the pool of water
the real trees of which
they are reflections. The reflections
What
of Poetry,like those of the pool,are in another world.
the
real
beautiful than
do they mean
?
They are more
real things therefore cannot
The
things of this world.
for them.
account
They are copiessurelyof eternal things
is the reasoning,and
?
Such
Where
existing somewhere.

and

yet, they

are

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

is the

such

the

or
impasse,of
airopia,

final

dream-consciousness

of
patient simply by means
the patient does not get beyond
Representation. Sometimes
and
this is to experience
the airopia
or
impasse ; sometimes
the true poeticeffect
the impasse is opened for a moment,
which

the

Poet

in his

induce

can

"

"

the

airopiais

solved

alas ! for the truth

akin

lo

non

Al

cor

spoken

feelingwhich
to that

revealed

Vedela

I have

in

swift

of intuition

act

to be retained

swift,

too

"

in the memory

tal,che, quando il mi ridice,

lo intendo, si parlasottile
dolente,che lo fa parlare.^

of

objectsreflected

reflections

such

in

pool of

The

water.

is, I think, very

nearly
The
phantasms of
word-painting,lend

cause

which

causes.
poeticfj.LfiTjcrt'i
real things in water, in painting, in
themselves
the feeling that
to
there is "another
world."
They are seen in a strange light and atmosphere, and, as we
look at them, the world
of waking experience recedes, and
we

pass

into

dreamland

evening when
silhouetted
against the

as

"

do

we

sometimes

familiar

houses

on

and

still

autumn

we

which

sky, like things in a picture

pure
for the first time with
wonder
and

we

now

look

at

see

trees

eerie surmise.

renderingof
Shelley's
water

is worth

careful

the

feelingproduced by

consideration

as

reflections in

great poet'srecord

experiencewhich is closelyrelated to, if not identical

with, that produced by poetical Imitation," or
Eepresentation."
I close this section by quoting his lines ^ as an
the less valuable
because
not
intended
not
answer
by the
of

an

"

"

'

Vita Nuova, Sonetto xxv.

'
The JtecoUection.

"

THE

poet
end

himself
of

be

to

Poetry,

PHAEDBUS

an

"We

Each

paused

beside

Under

the

seemed

Which
More

in

the

As
More

in

the

Than
There

lay
And

The

of

Can

Of

And

all

An

by

that

fair

an

atmosphere
A

softer

world

our

be

seen,

love

water's

forest

Elysian
without

day

wood
the

like

dawn

cloud.

interfused

was

With

the

lawn,

neighbouring
dark-green

in

well

hue

there.

and

speckled

never

imaged

Were

"

and

shape

the

night,

grew,

spreading

which

views

Sweet

upper

air.

twinkling
a

of

day

lovely

glade

sun

Out

the

in

lay.

depth

forests

through

white

earth

the

than

any
the

lie

light,

dark

both

perfect

that

sky

below

than

purer

which

little

purple
the

that

What

bough,

world

boundless
And

In

forest

of

subserve

pools

'twere

in

firmament

Imitation

the

as

Gulfed
A

"

does

395

question,

the

to

answer

how

and

MYTH

below.

green.
beneath

glow.
a

breath,

above

is
end

the

THE

398

'E/ioi
rfap

Bvvafuv

rrjv
avOpmiroiiravrairaai,
yadrjadai, iirel aiaOavofievoL
ye

ovK

heov irdvTcav fiaXtara

"v

ladevToov

dXKola.

XoiTTOv,

"6

avTO

elSo"i Kol
aijKeoi,

hvo

av-^evi

TOVTCOV

av

Til

oiroTepcocre

vvv,

eKdarov

tov

alhola

Sno,

koI

Kv^icTTWcrikvkXco,

oda-i

kvkKco,
i(f)epovTO
on

roiavra,
TO

on

Kai

Be

ro

ov

jxev

appev

rmv

ev

tots

tov

re

Kal
ovofia

/jLev rjv

appevo"{

ovofia

Kei-

etSo?

ep^oz/. yeipa'i Se

Keifievoii

Se

TrdvTa
Kal

Ta')(y

to,

TrpocrcaiTa

jiiav,
ta?

Kal
diro

opOov ""nrep
opiirjcreie Oelv,

iTKeXr] 'rrepi(f"ep6fi

fieXecrivaTrepeiBofievo

rot?

^v Be Bta
fjv rov

to,

vvv

oveioei

TcCSXa

oTTore

opObv

ra^^y

rjirep vvv,

S' eV
TrdvTT)'Ke(f)a\r)v

SxTtrepoi KV^icrT"vTei;eh
Tore

rjv

Kal
^(epcrl,

rat?

elKdcreiev. eiropevero
Kal
jSovXTjOeLr)-

iradrjfiaTa

dvOpwirov to

ivavTiOLf

Trpoa-coTTOi'}

okto"

ev

kiikXco
'7r\evph";

crKeXrjrh, Xara

Kal

reTTapa,

rj

KVicKoTepei,
ofioia

TOt?
d/i"j"OTepoi"{

Kal

v"tov

Kal
el'^e,

"Ta

^v

oKov

a\\

ecrnv

Se

ret

OrjXv, dXXd

Koivov
i^ dfi"j)OT"pcov

ovk

TerTapa";
iir

Svo, dppev KaX

Sel

yevr)

tovtcov,
dfi^orepoav

ov

ovofia

vvv

(TTpoyyvkov,

to,

"^"f"dvurTaf
dvBpoyvvovyap

eireiTa

fjLevov.

avrrj

Tpia ^v

yap

vvv

wairep

irpoarjvkoivov

rptTov

Kai

"qfitbv
"f"v"ni;
ov-y^

irpSirovfxev

dvdpdyirmv,
ov"^

Kal

aXXcov

iroKai

(piXavOpeo-

eaeade.

SiSdcrKoXoi

v/j,d"s
fiaOeivrrjv dvdpairivriv
^vcrivKal
yap

avrov,

irepi

elo'Tjyijcraa'dai,
Svvafuv
rrjv

irpmTOv

'H

iroielv

av6p(0Trei,(p
yevei

tS

vfieK

aX)C

190

evSaifwvia av

t"v

av

tovtcov,
avOpuirmv Kal larpoi;

tSiv

ireipda-ofiai
vfuv
Se

epu)ro"s

fieyia-r

de"v

yap

aiiTOv,

avTrji}.

yl/^veaOai.e"rn

fjieyLffTTj

eir}. iyo) o5v

ovSev yiyverat

tovtcov

"v
re
iiriK0vp6";

iroraro'i,

tov

xal 0v"Tia"!av
^a}fj,ov";

Koi

""nrep vvv

fieyicrTa";, ovj(^
D

D.

hoKovatv

lepaKaraaKevourai

avrov

c-193

189

Symposium
189

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

rpla ra

ravra

rfKiov

rrjv

yevq

Kal

dpyr/vmyovov,

Se dfuporepcov
ro
OrfKv rrji; yfj";,
fJ"Te')(pv t^? cre\'qvri({,

Kal
avra

r]

creXrjvr]
dfi^orepcov
/iere^et.
Kal

tj iropeia

avr"v

Bia

to

irepi^eprjBe Br/^v
rot?

yovevcrtv

op,ota

THE

SYMPOSIUM

TWO

Translation

of

Men, methinks,

Myth

the

MYTHS

"Aristophanes

by

told

399

have

altogetherfailed of apprehending the

of Love; for had
they apprehended it, for him would
power
builded
the
the
they have
greatest temples and
greatest
altars,and unto him would bring the greatestburnt offerings
;
whereas
such
honours
honours
now
no
are
paid unto him
above
for him
all other gods ; for he is that one
of them
meet
all who
loveth men
and
most ; he is the helper of mankind,
our
physicianwhere healingbringeth the greatest happiness.
"

I will

therefore

to instruct

First

be

must

Nature

mankind,
addition

This

not

"

as

thereto

gender

the

whole

the

back

first
two

now,
a

"

and

and

similar

to

head

; and

and

all

would

each

and

is,and

other

legs;

parts

what

are

upright, as

there

men

also, when

in

who

tumble

is, but

now

three

genders of

but

third

in

over

the

; and

neck

do

same

now,

desired
off
and

with
over

whereof

it had

four

faces, altogether

two

were

round,
; and

opposite to

set

after

and

round

upon

; and

was

circumference

one

were

ears

it

female,

creature

they
quickly round, pushing

like tumblers

two

each

privy

manner;

the

on

top

other,

one

members
and

these

whithersoever

they
quickly,they
go
their eight limbs,
their legs going
with
to

the air.

the
three, and of this sort,because
genders were
the Sun, and
from
gender was in the beginning sprung
the Earth, and that which
female gender from
partook of
for the
Moon
Moon
from
the
partaketh of both Sun
and their
to pass that they themselves
Earth : so it came
the likeness of
circular after
of progressionwere
Now

manner

; and

power

gender composite of the two.

thereof
only the name
gone, and
of reproach. Secondly,
a
name

human

four

other,

four

walked

rolled

round

of every
sides made

likewise

the

people

as

and

male

"

itself is clean

faces,which

of these

originallywhat
place,there were

common

form

hands,

and

Nature

not

was

remaineth, Man-Woman,

both

Human

told what

different; for,in the

the

his

affections thereof.
Human

male

in

you

shall teach others.

you

the

endeavour

the

"

MYTHS

THE

400

elvai.

fjv

oZv

PLATO

OF

Seiva
la-x^vv

rrjv

Kol

tov

ei?

koX "Slrov, irepl sKeivtov

"OfiT]po"{
irepl'Ei^taXrovre

Xiyerat,,
to

ra

0eoi";,Kai

Be rots
eTre^elpn^crav
^povrinaTa fueydTiMel')(pv,

\eyei

km

pcofirjv,

ttjv

d"";

iroieiv,
avd^aaiv iiri^eopeXv

ovpavov

Oeol";.
i7n9r)a-OfJLev"ov
rot?
'O

Zeus

ovv

Koi
avToii"! iroirja-at,

dvT0i";

ovff'
dvOpayiravijipavi^eTo

onrm";

"

Si) 6

Zev"s

\eyei,

evvori"Ta"!

eliv

av

fji7]y(avi]V,a)S

dcrdevea-Tepoi
yevofievoi.

aKoXaaia/}

dfia he

'^p7)ffi/M")Tepoi

dpiO/jLov
yeyovevai'
B'

idv

rmv

fiev

dfui

Trj^

vavaaivTO

daOevecTTepoi,

/lev

ripHv Bid

avTOVi,

yap

TrXetou?

to

^aBiovvTai opdol eirl Bvoiv

koI

daeTuyaiveivKal

BoKoxriv

eTi

irapa

e"f"rj,
C'xeiv

/wi,

vvv

Kal

BiaTefjM Si'^a sKao'Tov,

e"j"7j,
eaovTai,

Aokm

avOpcoiroiKal

Te

y"VO";

da-eK/yalveiv.
/jboyi^

iwev

OTt

Ta

lepa

xPV

to

Kepavvm"TavTe"i
Kol

ti

airoKTei/vaiev

OTTffl?

yap

ai Tt/iaXyap
atfyavlcraiev
"

i^ovKevovro,

ovre

Tj-Tropovv

""nrep Toiis yOyavraf

el'xpvKaX

deal

ot aXkoi

Koi

fir/

tov

aKeXoiv,

edeXaxriv

ri"TV)(iav

dyeiv,irdXiv a5, e"j)r),

TefiS"BL^a,"(7t i(p evb"; iropevaovTai
daKa)\i^0VTe"i. TavTa

fTKeKov"i
E

"airep oi
BL')(a,
rj

ol

mcrirep

'KiroXKco

6a

Ta

ixeXeve

Te

av')(evois

'^fitcrv
irpoi

TfirjCTiv

Koa-fiimTepoi

eKeXevev.

Be

to
7ravTay(p6ev

Td

mairep
KaTd
1 Tas

aXXa"i

ttjv

ev

Brj tov

pvTiBa^Td"; TroWa?

irepl TOV

KaXoiroBa

oXCyai; Be

KaTeXiire,
iLvniLetov

TOIOVTOV

etvat

irepi
tov

avTov

avveXKoav

iroi"v

dtreBei

KaXova-i.
ofKJiaXbv

koI

i^eXeatveKal rd aTi^ffr)

OpyaVOV,

XeaivovTe's
ra?

aTOjxa

tov

KaXovfievqv,

vvv

ya"7Tepa

to

tov

laaOai,

ToKKa

Kal
iMeTe"rrpe"^e,

^aXdvTia,

yaaTepa,

Te/iot,

6ea)p,evo^
tt/v

Kal
av6p"o'iro"s,

irpoaatTrov

Bepfia im,

Tt
BlrjpOpOV,
'^^((OV

oadiaXov.

Te

ava-iracTTa

jjbearfv ttjv
fiev

to

TOfi^v, iva

e'lr)o

Be

ovTiva

Kal
fieTao'Tpecfjeiv

TrpoawTrov
ttjv

dvOpmirovi;

tou?

fieXXovTe"; Tapiy(eveiv,

dpt^iv,

rat?

to

Kal

TefivovTe^

wd

Ta-

elircov ere/ive

oloV

rd"i t"v
avrrjv

"TraXaioij

Trjv

oi

a-KVTOTOflOl,

ktkvt"v

pvTiBa^'

yaaTepa

Kal

Trnffmic.

cfTreifir
fffTrcrnnn

tov

ntni

THE
their

TWO
and

parents:

strengthand
made

SYMPOSIUM

they

assault upon

the

terrible

were

valour ; and

their

Gods

MYTHS

hearts

; for

by

401

of their

reason

proud,and

were

that which

Homer

they

telleth

concerningEphialtesand Otus is told concerning them

for to lay hands
they essayedto go up into Heaven

that

"

the

on

Gods.
Wherefore

they

Zeus

should

minded

do, and

then

would

unto

the Gods

go

in

on

make

to

the

him

found

out

them

making

wickedness

in

as

worship and

their

other

cease

nor

methinks,

weaker,
I will

counsel

what

for

each

sacrifices which

render

men

to let
they minded
last after a long while
and

foUoweth,
of

that

so

cut

took

were

that

this

way,

doubt

the

iniquities.At
of

Gods

not
they were
bolts,
they slew the giants,with thunderto cease
utterlyfrom the Earth, for

men

also

bethought

the
were

slay them,

to

and

and

of them

Zeus

have

alive, and

keeping men
they shall

one

said

"

them

cease

in

yet

from

their

; and

twain

so

shall

serviceable for us,

they be made weaker, and also more
increased
in
and
number;
having been
they shall walk
upright on two legs; and if I see them
again behaving
themselves
frowardly and not willing to live peaceably,I
will cut them
yet again in twain," he said, so that they shall
leg."
go hopping on one
in
Having spoken thus, he straightwaybegan to cut men
cutteth
twain, as one
applesfor pickling,or eggs with hairs;
and each one whom
he cut in twain
he delivered unto
Apollo,
"

and

commanded

neck

towards

behave

him
the

to

cut,

round

turn

that

so

the

face and

of

haK

the

the fellow,beholdingit,might

seemly ; likewise the other parts did he

command
Apollo to dress : and Apollo turned the face round,
all parts over
and pulledthe skin togetherfrom
that which
is now
called the belly,
draweth
even
as one
togethera purse,
and
which
he
left
the one
closed and made
fast
was
opening
of the belly this is that which
call
in the middle
they now
the navel ; and
smoothing out all the other wrinkles everywhere,
himself

more

"

he

fashioned

wherewith

that
leather

round

bellyitself
had

been

the

and the

done

the

breasts

with

cobblers

smooth

last ; but

he

navel, to

be

instrument

an

out

the

few

for

memorial

of

wrinkles

wrinkles

left

like

of

about

unto

the
the

that which

of old.
2d

MYTHS

THE

402

nrodovv
fj "j)viTi,"i
hLya eTfirjOi),

^vvrjei,
K(U

TTOielv.

Zev?

dXKtfv
649

irpoaOev

TO

eyivvcov kuI
ol

uicnrep

Bid

TOV

fieTeOrjKere
tovtodv

yovv

ylyvoiTo Trj"; avvovaia';

epya

TpeiroiVTO

oZv

eK

Kal

Toaov

tov

ep(o"s

ovv

iv

yvvaiKi

Kal

Bvoiv

"^KaaTOf

oiv

TO
TOV

avTOv

^iXoyvvaiKe"!t
yivov} yeyovaai,
fioi'^evTpiai,

ywaiK"v
TOV

vovv

elai,
TeTpafip,ivai
Kal

Te""9

appevo"},
3

Kal
T"v

oaai
tov

dXKa

irpoceyovo'iv,

yiyvovTai.

oaoi

fiev

Kal

Be

Be
(ftacrl

Sj;

tm'69

Bvo.

eK

tov

"^iXavSpoiTe
oo'ai

irdvv

toi"s

/laXXov

eKoXeiTO,

tovtov

yiyvovTai.
avTai

7rpo5

Ta?

aei

dvBpwv

t"v

ovv

p^oiymv

ywaiKei

yevov;

^-rjTeiSi}

dvBpoyvvov

t"v

aTe

Be

Kal
t"v

dvBpdai
yvvaiKa^

"(riv,

avSpa";Kal

aTe

Te/idyia

ovTa

tov

"^aipovaicrvyKaTaKeifievoi

elaiv ovtoi
dvBpdcri,Kai
fieXncrToi
(bverei.
dvBpeioTUTOi ovTe"{
fieipaKitov, aTe
avTOv";
elvai, -^evBofievoi'
dvaia-'^vvTov";

avinreirXeyiievoiTot?
Kai

a3

dvdpayirivijv.

fiev

tot6

ev

eK
eTaiplerTpiai
tovtov
tov
yevovi
Td dppeva BicoKOvai,
elffi,
dppevo^ Tfirjfid

TratSe?

av

iirl Wd

koi

al

tov;
"f"iXova'i

iraiBav

Br)

TfiripAelcriv,
ov

yvvaiKof

Kai

yevvaiev

iirf^eipav iroirjaai

evo^

oaoi

ttoXXoI

01

tovtov

eK

ttjv

"^TTai, e^

Kai

Kal

t^

iv

dvOpmirov ^v/ijSoXov,

^vfi^oXov.

eiav

Iva

evexa,

BiairavoiVTO

^vaiv

ttjv

T/ifjfidel"7iv, 0

Koivov

dXX'qXoi";eiroirftre,

^iov eirifieXoiVTO. "Kern

Br)
Kal
aXX'^Xcov Tot?
dv9payiroi"s
efi"f"VTO"!

al

ewao-To?

to

et?

dppev dppevi, irXTja/jiovr)

Kal

TffiStv ea-Tiv

TeTfJ/r)/ievo"; wo'irep

yrjv,

dXXov

IdaacrOai

Koi

o
Ta

et?

avT"v

evTv^oi,

Kal
t^S dp'xaia"!^wo-ew? avvaycoyeii';
eK

Be

iicT0"i "i,')(pv,

owtcb?

OrjXei, T"vBe

crvfiTrXoK^dfia fiev el dvqp

yiyvoiTo to
d/ia B el
yevoi,

xaXov-

eXerjaa'i

TavTa

yeveaiv

Tr)v

tc3

ev

appevo"!

"^vvalKa

etV dXX-qXovi, dXX

ovk

sIts

avTwv
fieTaTidrjortv

Koi

7a/)

%"")jOt?

ffweirXeKeTo,

diratKXvvTO.

Tea)9

eTi/cTov

TeTTiyei.

irpoa-devKal
Sid

i^i]TeikoX
o
Brj vvv
^fiiffei,

Kol
iropL^eTai,

fi7]j(avr)v

tov

"^fiKremv,to

tS)v

dXXo

oXr]"} evrv'^oi
dvSpo^' /cal ovtw;

eiT

alBola

avfi-TrXeKOfievoi

fiT/SeviOeXeiv

to

dtroOdvoi

Ti

oiroTe

T7]"s

/lev,

Kal

koI

to
Xet(ji6elrj,
Xev^dev

yvvaiKO'i

dXXrj'i dpyiaf Bid

T7]"!

dXX'^Xmv
Se

koX

X^tpa?

avTov

to

tj/mo-v

diredvria-Kov vtto
eTndvfiovvTe'i crv/itfivvai,

Kol

Xtfiov

to

eKoarov

irepi^dXKovTe'stA?

dWi^XoK,
B

PLATO

OF

THE
Now

TWO

when

the

half, longing for

cast their

SYMPOSIUM

MYTHS

originalcreature
other

the

around

in twain, the

cut

was

half,went

to

403

it, and

meet

one

they

clung\into one another,

creature
one
eagerlydesiringto be made
they began to
; and
die for lack of food and of all other things that a man
must
for
for
himself
neither
would eat aught save
provide
;
together
with

arms

the

other

other

another

half, and
aforetime

or

"

it

and

it

of

happened
this

"

that

halves

left went

was

woman

half

about

we
a

was

half

and

roimd

their

the

front

for

of that

call

now

woman

joined itself

man,

they perish. Then Zeus

device
brought forth a new

the

seeking

the

upon

half

which

died, and

did

thus

them,

upon

when

of the

one

which

was

the

upon

unto

when

left,that

was

which

one

and

another, and

had

sion
compas-

He

"

for before

brought

time
privy parts
their privy parts were
set in the outerpart of their bodies,
and they had not intercourse
with
one
another, but with the
earth, as grasshoppers. So he changed them and caused them
have

to

intercourse

and
and

then

end

an

minding them.
implanted in
state, and

alway seeketh
They who
was

of

which
who
heed

lust

of

inasmuch

are

the

for

halves
men,

and

women;

which

own

adulterers

are

two

of
but

male,

was

halves

as

they

; and

the

one

another

one

the

primitive
heal

to

the

creature, then, is

flat like unto

of

that

flounder, and

are

the

after
slices

kind
sort

which

turn

the

was

them

which

to

of the

whereof
likewise
But

the
are

women

little

take

companionship
while

of

the

they
male, they love
:

most

women

those

Woman

halves

are

male

which

composite nature

adulteresses.

are

males

are

of

and

human

of this

whole

rather

go

if

that,

counterpart.

and

those

love

make

Every

half cut

are

men

is the

to

called Man-Woman

then

part

of

Nature.

his

end

bringethus again into

endeavoureth

counterpart,being

the

to

that

there

oldness

which

of Human

division

another,

woman,

such

Of

"

might be propagation,
upon male, there might be satisfaction,
of it,both turning to other things and

made

us,

with

one

happened upon
if male
happened

man

to

are
men

with

whole

boys,
and

be
of all
these
pleasurein companionship with men;
as
they are by nature the
boys and youths the best, inasmuch
shame ;
most
manly : some, indeed, say that they are without
of
but
herein
they speak falsely;for it is not by reason

take

MYTHS

THE

404

ov

vir' avaia-y(yvTta"!

ryap

Be
fiArfa

ol
avBpe";

xal
7raiSepa"7T0vai

dW'

^vaei, dXKa

vovv

tov

eyoveri

i^apKet avrol's

TO)?

oZv

fiev

yiyveTai,del

ird^,

aXKo";

Kal
olKeiorrjTi,
ardat

i6ekovTe";,to?

ovk

epmri,

ovBe

aXKriXwu

dv

elvai

Bo^ete tovt

TOVTOV

evsKa

i(rriv, o
Kal

dWo

el

^ovKeaOe, Si avOpmiroi,
v/uv

iTTiOvfieiTe,
ev
""TTe Kal

ydp

^rJTe, ("9

eva

ah

eKeZ
dTToddvTjTe,

redve"Te'

dXX'

dv

TV-^^rfTe'

ovS'
i^apv7]0elr]
oioiT

Kal

dv

oKXo

aKTjKoevai

avvTaKel"s

Tm

tovto,

Li

epoiro'

"*Apd

ecra
"

Kal

TovBe

ye

p.d\u"Tr dWTjXot?,.

ti

dvTl

dXKrjXasv;
Kal

Bveiv

epare

dKOVtra^

ravTa

KaraKeifjiAvoK

avrw

yeyovevai

tovtov

"

TOVTOV

^ovKerat

et

eva

Kal

Lcrfiev

on

t' dv

em?

dfii^OT^pov"s
^fjv, Kal

"AiBov
el

p.eydX'rjf

Brjiui]
'"^i'%^
o

diroXehreaOai,

eva

KOivy

op"Te,

dpa

Kal "vfi"f)va'ai
vfid^ a-vvrrj^ai

ovTa";

ev

rj

yap

"bs

iirl

owtoj?

epoiro-

/mt)

r)p,epav

ovTa,

BiareKovvret

dXKrfSMV yeveerOac
;

irap

yeveadai

Bv

wcrre

avTO,

tw

opyava,

ide\as
iiridvfieiTe,

TOVTOV

el"! TO

Kal

vvKra

oi

fiavreverai

ev

iraKiv

avrm

rw

^vvmv

xat/aet

avTOi"!

diropovvTa^ avTOvi

Kau

eitreiv,^((opl^e-

d^poBiaiav avvovala,

to.
n^ato-TO?, e;j^Q)i"

"7rt(7Ta9

Kal

dXXa
elireii/,

Kal

alvirrerai,

Kai,
"jraiBepao'Tiji

^ovXo/ievr)eKarepov

rt,

Bvvarai

ov

Kai

dXKrfKxav yiyveaOai,. ovBe

rmv

57

irepm

ere/ao?

dXK'
a'TTOvBrj^'

oZv

elaiv,o'l ovS' dv e'^oiev eitreiv^

ovTot

^oiikovrai "T(^icn,
-nap

i^iKepaaTrjf
fiev

eiro^

"^povov.

(TfiiKpov

dkXipixovBia ^iov

fier

irav-

ar/a/jLot";.

re
6avfia"rrd
eKTrXrjTTOvrai,"f"iKi,a

koI

tote

Kal
r]fiia-ei

avrov

irpoa--

dvajKa^ovTai"

vofiov

OTav
^vyyevei;da-ira^o/ievo'i.

to

avSpmd"a-i^

Kai
re
iraihepacTTTj'i

Toiovro"s

i/CBLva) ivrv^rj
rm

avTw

tov

viro

dW'^Xcov Kara^rjv

/ler

aTro^aivovaiv

fiovoi

iraiBoTroiiai}ov

yd/iov? Kal

irpof

aaira^ofievoi.

eireiBav Se

toiovtol.

Oappovf

vtto

awToi?

ycip reKemOevTei;

koI

reKp/qpiov

iroXtriKk

el"ira

el

Sp"crcv,oW'

tovto

rb o/ioiov
avhpeiwskoX dpp"V(07ria";,

KaX

PLATO

OF

eTreiSdv

elvai

Koivrj

i^apKei vfiiv,
ovB' dv

el"s

dXX' dreyvw
^aveir]fiovXofievo^,

dv
o

irciXai

eK
ipcofievco

apa

Bvetv

avveXdmv
eiredifiei,

el? yeveadai.

tovto

r^dp itrri

alriov,

to

^/jievoXoi13

TOW

Kal

ovofjM.

rov,

mairep

irepii/jLev
e'xpvre^

dXKa

(TTpaTTjyo';.

Se

raJ Bern

viroXd^Tj

fiev

TOV

619

TTjv

Kai

hv

Kal

epcoTa

Kal

elvaii.

ovlvqtTiv 619

yevo"}

Kal

yap

Kal

SiaWa-

Kal

iraiSiKoit

t"v

t"v

vvv

tovto

ov

oIk"10v

KaTaa-Trjaa'i

koI
iiaKapiovi

ev

Kal

Te

aytav,

raJ

Kal

TV)(pi

eKaerTO"i

Se

to

dpiffTOV,

tovto

eyyvTdTm

tovtov

Tvyelv

KaTo,

viMvovvTe"t

"irapovTi,

eli

yvvaiK"v,

el iKTe\e"rai-

avTOV

debv

ainov

tovtcdv

"j)va-tv
appevei,

dvSp"v

TraiStK"v

ecTi

Sr/ tov

'^pcoTa,09
TO

TrapovToav

fii)

Kai

ovTOi

eiiSaifiov
yevotTo,

TraiSiK"v

ivavTia

iroiovcri.

dfufioTepoi,
T-qv

dirdvTav

t"v

/jLeyla-Tai
irapeyeTai,

vo"s

elaiv

jiev

\6yov, d"";Havaaviav

tov

dp'^aiav dire7i"o}v "j}V(7iv.el

vfivoifiev

^eiav,

fiev

XPV

ra

iva

yevofievoi

oKlyoi

vvv

t"r"B9

Kad

ireipvKOTmv.

avTm

t"v

rjii"v to

av

ovTco^

apuTTOv

dvSpa

irpdTTeiS

irpaTTeTto'

KCOfimB"v
'^pv^ifui'^O';

Se o?"v eymye

dvayKaiov

avT"v,

Tvyj(dvovcnv6vTe"s

on

irdvT

Kal ivTev^ofiedarot?
Te
e^evpriaofiiv

'Ar/ddoova \eyto'

Xeyw

yeyovoTCf

/cal
"E/Jw?^fuv '^yefitov

a)V

cofiev

ypa^v

Kara

piva";,

ra?

aTre^OdveTai,.
(fttXot
yap

Tot's rjfieTepoK

aT^Xaii;

evexa

TV'^asfiev,

hia

xai,
Siaff'^iaOritrofieaa,

Tali

tovtcov

evavTia
/iijSeis

at

deoli

yevTe?

iv

eptot

he

(irj Kocrfiioi

evcre^eiv irepl 0eov"!,

irapaKeXevea-Oai,

t"v
eKipvyco/jLev,

oaTii

oi

iav

eariv,

aWi";

firj koI

ma-irep

Xiairai.

diravTa

KoX

oh"

Siw^ei

Kadd-irep'ApKaSei

6eov,

rod

km

avrij

?ifjkevvwl

ev

kuto,
htaireirpLO'iihoi

eKTeTWca/ievoi,
ma-Trep

Xeyco,

viro
Sitpda-ffTj/Mev

Toii? deov"i, ottoxs

irpof

/Mt

rfj eindvfiia,koX

oh)

AaKeBaifiovLcov. ^o^oi

viro

^v
^va-ii fjiiSsv
dp'Xfila

17

oXov

irpb

dhiKuav

rrfv

on

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

406

to

vovv

BiKaifO'i

r}fid";irXelcrTa
ek7riBa"!

eireiTa

r/fi"v "jrape')(piievav irpb'sOeoiii; evtrk-

^fia";el"sttjv

dpj(aiav^vaiv

evBai/MOvai"jroirja-ai.

Kal

laadfie-

THE

is

this, that

original

our

is the

Love, then,
and

Whole;

nature

who

Arcadians

407

that

such

was

to

about

go

which

we

were

be

man

that

the

with

enmity

become

us.

of

friends

shaU

find

we

which

happeneth
I

Now

discourse,
for

withstandeth

by

each

returned
If

which

in

is that

is

each

suitable

to

is Love,

who

him;

greatest benefit,
the

time
we

the
heal

to

render

the

promise
us

of

our

that

are

those

that

as

and

is

if

we

are

him,

then

True

if

Love,

mind;

my

speak of, and

may,

that

the

speak
state

fulfilled

all
his

my

upon

in

were

it

we

jest

say

upon

are

cerning
con-

of

love,

our

Love, and

True

own

this

God

leadeth

he

that

giveth
will

pain, and

to

make

of

us
us

to

our

that
that

on

own,

our

which
is

"

this

meet,

for

this

us

the

and
is
to

originalnature,

divinely blessed.

that

naturally

is

praise

to

unto

us

godward

restore

which

bestoweth

time

promise

us

observance

love

ought

we

is best

thereto

the

present

necessity that

of

nearest

find

should

at

he

of

life cometh

the

come

our

Whoso

own

Agathon

aU, it foUoweth

and

in

Love

unto

break

to

and

blessed

us

both

not

women,

of

of

that

original nature.

best

one

every

end

the

but

his

us

sawn

time.

our

happened

us

present

our

in

but, be

his

unto

this

of

become
of

one

one

too

and

men

would

mankind
and

male

nature
all

each

Pausanias

peradventure they

both

reconciled

few

noses

which

him;

are

images

unto

gods, to

and

Eryximachus

though

as

gods

made

those

their

unto

man

not

are

withstand.

let

unto

pray

that

no

of

the

monians;
Lacedae-

we

exhortation

the

Him

meet

with

our

of

obtain

God,

and

fear

the

this, and

leadeth

Captain
at

live

escape

may

in

if

our

as

twain, and

figure

tablets

let

in

even

the

by

the

for

now

separate,

cut

the

on

but

danger,

again

Wherefore

halves.
he

be

to

of

pursuit

separate
in

we

relief

in

dwell

to

tallies, in

mere

graven

into

through

we

as

are

Gods,

the

unto

are

and

one,

dwell

to

yet

even

were

us

made

desire

our

we

say,
made

were

and

obedient

hath

God

of

name

once,

wickedness

if

MYTHS

Whole.

One

so

SYMPOSIUM

TWO

for

best,
wit,
and

General

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

408

Observations

Myth

the

on

by

told

Aristophanes

The

Myth

all other

from

told in

and

explainsthe

^
by Aristophanesin the Symposium differs
Platonic Myths in being conceived in a spirit,
It
reminding one of Eabelais or Swift.
manner,

told

sentiment

of love

due

as

the fact that

to

human

io-Tiv avBpamov avfifioXov^ every

rjiiSiv
"

tally:which

about

came

round, and

man

was

head

with

two

faces

had

in

the

four

being

following way:

hands

eKacrro^

"

looking oppositeways.

He

Primitive

four feet,and

and

is

could

one

walk

legs if he liked, but he could also roll over and over

he
he
did when
with
great speed like a tumbler ; which
three genders at that time,
wanted
to go fast.' There
were
correspondingto the Sun, the parent of the masculine gender,
to the Earth, the
gender,and to the
parent of the feminine
Moon, the parent of the common
gender. These round people,
children of round
parents, being very swift and strong,attacked
and
the other gods. Instead of destroyingprospective
Zeus
thunderbolts, Zeus
adopted the plan of
worshippers with
of the round
peopleby cuttingeach one
doubling the number
in two.
This not only doubled
the number
of his proof them
spective
had
but
humbled
for
walk
to
now
them,
they
worshippers,
and
if
he
two legsand could not roll ;
threatened,
on
they gave
him
them
trouble, to halve them again,and make
any further
and leave them
to hop about
on
one
merely bas-reliefs,
leg.*
his

on

2
189 D ff.
191 jj_
Mr a. B. Cook {Zeus, Jupiter, and the Oak, in Class. Sev.Jnlj 1904, p. 326),
ceived,
conspeakiug of the Sicilian triskeles as a survival of the Cyclops as primitively

"

orb,
"

i.e. conceived
as
(1) three-eyed,and (2) as a disc representingthe solar
that " Plato was
probably thinking of the Empedoclean ou\o0i;"s

^remarks

he spoke of Janiform
and four
riiroi (251 k) when
beings with four arms
legswhich enabled them to revolve KiKKif(Symp. 189 E ; cf. Tiin. 44 Tt)."
*
In Callaway'sZulu Nursery Tales, i. 198-202, the story is told of a woman
who
is carried away by one-leggedpeople. When
they first saw her they said :
be
the
would
it
two legs!
a
but,
oh,
'"Oh,
pretty thing
They said this
because
she had
two
legs and two hands ; for they are like as if an ox of the

'

"

white

man

is skinned

and

side, there

divided

into

two

halves

the

Amadhlungundhlebe

being another side." In a note adloc. (p. 199)

hominum
men
Callaway refers to Pliny {H.N. vii. 2) for a nation of one-legged
ad saltum ;
vooarentur, singuliscruribus, rairae pernioitatis
qui monoooli
genus
and to Lane's notes to the Introduction
"The
to the Arabian
Niglds,p. 33
Shikk is another demoniacal
creature, having the form of half a human
being,
like a man
divided longitudinally."
were

like

one

not

"

"

THE
Now
state

Love

is the

it is the

its other

to

TWO

SYMPOSIUM
remembrance

longing which

half,so

that

the

to

these

of

the

half has

one

originalWhole
tally.
of

this

story

409

originalundivided
to be again united

the

being is a
every human
It is difficult to think
in

MYTHS

may

restored

Platonic

as

be

Myth

ordinarysense.
Category,or set
any
forth any
Eegulative Principle? If it does, it is only as a
satirical parody of the impressiveAetiologicalMyth.
Love
is a mysteriousprinciple,
Plato seems
here
is a
to say ; but
Comic
History of it which may help to make it less mysterious!
And
that one
yet, after all,does the circumstance
Aetiological
and
is
is
and
another
serious
comic,
Myth
constitute
impressive,
have
real difference ?
We
a
to remember, with regard
Does

comic

list of them

grotesque histories,that

or

there

are

made
Story-telling

or

end,
^eal

some

it deduce

of the

most

of

some

the

human

the

by

earliest

effective

at

end

one

attempts
and

at

expressions of

the

race,

of

the

at

Myth

the

other

scorn

and

and

The
pity of civilised man.
Life of Oargantua and
Pantagruel and GfuUiver's Travels show us how the comic or
well as the solemn
as
grotesque history,
Myth,
Myth of Er
or
Purgatorio, may set forth the Universal.
The
place held in such a deeply religioussystem as the
Orphic by a savage
grotesque like the story of Zagreus
enables
how
if only in a spiritof
to understand
Plato
us
parody could insert a story like that of the round people in
"

"

"

"

serious

discussion

of the

nature

of Love.

of Zeus
and
the son
Zagreus was
Persephone, and his
Hera
and
incited
the
father's darling. But
was
jealous,
his toys,
Titans to slaythe child.
They surprisedhim among
^

Perhaps suggested by

the

TroXXct

Boiryei/iJ
di'Sp6irpwpaof Empedocles.

koX dfupifTTepv'
fj^pd/A0t7rp6(7W7ra
itf"Oovro

Professor

Burnet's
illuminatiugaccount
advanced
theory of "organic combinations"
by Empedocles is full of
suggestionfor the reader of the Myth told by Aristophanes in the Symposium :
section 94 of Early Greek Philosophy.
see
especially
^
For the story of Zagreus and its place in religiousdoctrine and practice,

of

the

Lobeck, Aglaoph. pp. 547 ff.,Gardner's New

Chapters in Greek History,
Dr. Jevons
and
Jevons'
Introduetion
the
to
History of Seligion,p. 355.
p. 396,
see

Zagreus Myth, before Pythagoreanism affected the

up as follows : The
Orphic cult, had driven out all others, and was
acceptedas the orthodox
reconciled
with
the old
it was
explanation of the new
worship, by which
allegorisedthis Myth in the
customary religion. Pythagoreanism afterwards
interest not of religion,
but of a philosophical
system. See also Olympiodorus
sums

ad

Plat.

n.

1, ed. 1862), and

Phaedonem,

Introduction, p. xi.

70
Miss

o, Grote's
Harrison's

of Greece,part i. ch. i. (vol. i. p. 17,

Prolegomena to the Study of Greek Beligion,

Hist,

THE

410

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

face in a
wondering at the image of his own
mirror, and tore him to piecesand ate him, all save his heart,
which
Athena
brought to Zeus, who gave it to Semele, and
born
from
her Zagreus was
again as Dionysus. The Titans
and out of their
consumed
Zeus
in anger
with his lightning,
thus unites in its composition
ashes arose
nature
Man, whose
and a good element
the flesh of the Titans,
evil element
an
the flesh of Zagreus which
they had eaten.
Much
made
of this Myth
was
by Orphic and Neoof
Platonic
(SiafieXia-fio^)
interpreters.The dismemberment
Zagreus was
symboUc of the resolution of the One unto the
Many ; his birth again as Dionysus, of the return from the
monial
Many to the One ; while the moral of all was that by cere-

while

he

was

"

"

"

rites and

ecstasywe

Titanic

the

overcome

may

element

in us.^

Zagreus,the
called,representedthe

Horned

That

in

bull which

rite, and

savage
sketched
was

Child,

that

torn

was

the

Greek

AetiologicalMyth

an

he is
as
^pe(f)o";,
piecesand eaten

Kepoev
to

story

which

explain

to

the

have

rite, it

is

of this savage
Out
material
were
impossibleto doubt.
the
evolved
highly philosophicaland moral results which I
have
indicated.
This parallelI have
brought in the hope
of making Plato's introduction
of the Eound
People into
his Philosophy of Love more
intelligible.
I said that
Eound
the story of the
People, told by
stands alone among
the Platonic Myths in being
Aristophanes,
in a spiritand related in a manner
conceived
which
remind

of

one

Eabelais

Swift.

or

Let

me

it

cap

from

Eabelais

(iv.57-61):"
Pantagruel^

ashore

went

be said not
governor,
may
find it
into it,you
come
the
to
eye, painful to the
mountain
never

of

chargeof King
Doyac,
and
guess

with

there

it
^

can

any

Charles

strange

he

how

to

found

have

feet,and

its fellow.

remember, by

any
the Eighth's
train of
old

got thither.

and

just

you

barren, unpleasant
inaccessible

as

like

for situation
When

and

almost

is somewhat

tools and
an

island,which,

an

rugged, craggy,

Dauphin^, which

climbed, as

in

as

and
toad-stool,

but

Doyac,

was

had

who

artillery.This

same

engines,gained the mountain's

ram.

Some

It

puzzled many

said

that

some

wise

See Bohde, Psyche,ii. 117 ff.;Lobeok, Aglaoph. 710 ff.

I avail myself of the version of Urquhart and Motteux.

top,

head

eagle,or

the

to

great

THE

horn-coot,having
it had

got

As

away,

for

so

the

carried

and

the

at

while

it

was

411

yet

itself among
the bushes.
with
much
toil and "weat

entrance,

fertile,
healthful,and
Garden

it thither

MYTHS

lambkin,

saved

having

us,

diflScult ways

SYMPOSIUM

TWO

of

found

we

pleasant,that

Eden,

the
I

top

the

overcome

of the

mountain

then

thought

was

paradise,about

in

earthly
good theologues are in such a quandary, and keep
such a pother.
As for Pantagruel,he said that here was
the seat of Aret6
that is as much
described
to
as
This,
by Hesiod.
say. Virtue
however, with submission -to better judgments. The ruler of this
of arts in the world.
place was one Master Gaster, the first master
true

situation

or

whose

our

"

"

For, if you
writes,you
believed

believe

fire is the

much

very
this.
On

first inventor
are

that

wrong
the other

of aits, as our
the mark.

mightilybeside

Master

Gaster

to

be

the

him

great master

and

of arts,

TuUy

as

yourself: alas,TuUy

never

side,if

you fancy Mercury to be the

believed of old, you
ancient Druids
satirist's ^ sentence

The

of all arts

master

that

is true.

affirms

With

him

of
peacefullyresided old Goody Penia, alias Poverty, the mother
the
the
lord
of Plenty,
Porus,
ninety-nine Muses, on whom
noble
the
mediator
of heaven
that
child,
formerly begot Love,
and
all obligedto
earth,as Plato affirms in Symposio. We were
allegianceto that mighty sovereign;
homage, and swear
pay our
for he is imperious,severe,
blunt, hard, uneasy, inflexible ; you
make
him
cannot
believe, represent to him, or persuade him
He only speaks by signs.
anything. He does not hear.
What
he is in, none
soever
disputewith him for precedence
company
cil
CounHe
held
the
the
first
at
or
place
superiority.
will tell you
that the Council
of Basle ; though some
was
for priority.
tumultuous, by the contention and ambition of many
him
Every one is busied, and labours to serve
; and, indeed, to
make
amends
for this,he does this good to mankind, as to invent
for them
all arts, machines, trades, engines,and crafts ; he even
instructs brutes
in arts which
are
against their nature, making
of
jackdaws,chatteringjays,parrots, and starlings,
poets
ravens,
human
and poetesses of magpies,teachingthem
to utter
language,
of
that
of
At
the
master
and
court
speak,
sing.
great
and
too
ingenuity,Pantagruel observed two sorts of troublesome
The first were
detested.
officious apparitors,
whom
he very much
.

...

called

Engastrimythes;

the

others

The

Gastrolaters.
.

first

soothsayers,enchanters, cheats, who gulled the mob, and

from the mouth, but from
seemed
not
to speak and
give answers
the belly.
In the holy decrees, 26, qu. 3, they are
styled
were

...

Persius, Prologus
"

Magister artia,ingenique largitor

Venter,

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

412

in Ionian
is given them
by
name
Ventriloqui; and the same
from
who
his
fifth
book
of
men
in
spoke
as
Epid.,
Hippocrates,
As for the
Sternomantes.
the belly. Sophoclescalls them
and gangs.
knots
another
in
Gastrolaters,they stuck close to one
others louring,grim, dogged,
of them
Some
wanton
merry,
...

crabbed

and

demure,

idle,mortal

; all

foes

to

business, spending

sleeping,and the rest in doing nothing,a rentweight on the earth,as Hesiod saith ;
charge and dead unnecessary
afraid,as we judged, of offendingor lesseningtheir paunch.
followed by a
the Gastrolaters,I saw
they were
Coming near
half

their

in

time

and
of fat waiters
tenders, laden with baskets,
great number
dossers,hampers,dishes,wallets,pots, and kettles.
Those
gastrolatroushobgoblinsbeing withdrawn, Pantagruel
.

From
the famous
of arts, Gaster.
master
carefullyminded
the
the smith's
husbandry to
art, and
beginning he invented
the ground, that it might yield him
he invented
manure
corn;
and
and
the
defend
art
of war, to
corn
astronomy,
arms,
; physic
other parts of mathematics, which
useful
with
be
to keep
might
of the
of years in safetyfrom
the injuries
corn
a
great number
air,beasts,robbers,and purloiners
water, wind, and
; he invented
and
thousand
other
a
hand-mills,
engines to grind corn, and to
it into meal ; leaven to make
the dough ferment, and the use
turn
of salt to give it a savour,
for he knew that nothingbred more
diseases than
bread.
He
found
heavy, unleavened, unsavoury
.

to get fire to
way
the time of its
mark

bake

contrived

he

He

it; hour-glasses,
dials,and

baking ; and as
it out
to convey

means

invented

mules.

He

...

countries

some

of

invented

devised

boats,

that, when

he

it for want

of rain in due

by

he

its excess,
heaven

only

same

Jove's

the

in time

of

then

whole

country.

to

way

sea.

keep
And

toiled

castles,to

findingnone
secured
than

ever

the

get, he

to

in

hoard

out

drought,raised

rain

up

force

invented
and

secure

vapours
rain, that

into

of arts

master

in the

by

the

drowned

was

in

the

air,and

thieves
fields,
the
the

corn

art

and
of

Lycian mountain
which

and

said to have

make

golden pippins

it fall into the

which

others

had

buildingtowns, forts,and

that staff of life.

of

the
found

plundererssometimes

bread

On

and hearingthat it was

fields,
and
and watched
castles,
towns, forts,
the

in

gathered into

kindly moistened

also

was

in the

were

perishedin

Agrian fountain,on

Our

took

years the corn

in others rotted,or

season,

dissolved

as

stole,and

ground, some

found

waggons.

Besides, seeing

...

priestin

Arcadia,
clouds, and

corn,

with

the

as

to

into another.

and

carts

ships.

clocks

to conjure the rain down

way
certain
I took it to
cuttinga
grass.
of
whose
one
plant,
boughs being dipped by

...

from

be the

tilled the

and
gallies,

wanted

country

one

...

He

the

the other
hoarded
with

more

up

hand,
and
care

Hesperides,he turned

Tt

o?iv

'AXXa
Kol

6 "Epm
e^vv, e'ii}

av,

ra
/j,rjv
"ila-irep
;

Tt

Tt

ddavdrov.

'ZwKpare'i-KaX

irav

yap

ical

hiairopO
p,"vov

rd

Trapd Oe"v,

ra?

eVtra^ei?re

Twv

Tevvq
!03

KaX

Bid

ofiiXia KaX

-q

Bid\eKTO";

6eoK

KadevBovcri.

KaX

KaX

iravToBairol

KaX

T^?

rj

eltriv,el? Be

Br) ol Baifiovei

irepX rd^

rjv

Br)

oSv

dvpa";, o

olvo"s

ela-eXOcbv

rjvBev. f) ovv
^e^aprj/Mevo's

rr)v

ydp

oinrco

r)v,

eh

re

irap

avrS

KaX

ip".
re

ore

aOCKoi

d^iKero

"Epeo^,yewTjOeXiiv

toi"s

irepXro

rov

Ato?

rov

KaX

Tlevia

ktjitov

Uevia, em^ovXevovaa

KaX

rov

rov

Hopov,

"Epoara.

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eKeivqi;
yevedXioisiKaX
KaXov,

t)

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eKV7)a-e

dKoXovdoi
Tfj"iA"j"poBLr7)";

wv
ipaarrr)";

fi7}Tp6^
;

aoi

eK
avrfj^ diropiaviraiBiov iroirjaaa-Qai

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deal, o'l

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tovtmv

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trpoaaiTrjcrovira, olov

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ij

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(ov
"TO(po":

ti

eiariSivro
hj^poBiTT),

ras

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fjiev

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dvOpcuirov;,KaX

irpo^

dWo

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t"v

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tovtov

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"Eyso)?.
Be
Bir}yi^a-aa-0ai
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ydp iyevero

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KaX

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ra?

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fiecrtp Se

avT"p

Tivd"s ^dvava-o";. ovroi

"^eipovpyia^

Te')(ya"srj

TToWoX

avTO

OvcrCai KaX

/iiyvvTai,dXKd
KaX

'Ep/j,rjvevo

ev

KaX
')(oapeZ

irdcra

fiavTiKT)

a-o(bb";Baifiovio^dvrjp,o

irdv

to

dvOpdyirmov

eyprjyopoa'i

dvm"v.

/xnvreLav -irda-av

ttjv

re

dva'ia";,t"v

Td"; Sejfcet?Kol

tS"v
dfioi^d";

irepXTa?

Te

etraBd'i KaX

7)

Kol
dvOpcoTroK
Trap'dvdpayirtov

ucrre
avjJiTrXrjpoi,
dfjbdioTepcov
TOVTOV

AaLfieoviieya";,

Svvafiiv e^ov

eyat,

fiev

KaX

Ovrirov
fiera^ii
6"j}ri,

Sac/MVtov fiera^v iffTi 6eov

6eol'i rd
r"v

"B.Ki(Trd ye.

dvqTO';;

Aionfia

to

0vr]TOV. Tiva, fjv S'

irporepa,

3)

ovv,

KaX

Bid

d-212

202

Symposium
!D

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

414

Bio
o

dp,a tfiva-ei

rfi"s 'A^poStri;?KaXfj^

THE

TWO

SYMPOSIUM

Translation
What

then

verily is

is

Eros?

then

answered.

great Daemon,

is he

"

Mortal?

is

he?

What

Socrates

Mortal

Nay,

Betwixt

whole

he

Mortal

and

Diotima

sayest thou,

for the

415

of Diotima

Discourse

the

What

not.

Immortal, she
is

of

MYTHS

He

tribe of Daemons
'

and

God

is betwixt
I.

Mortal.

and
Interpreters,

They are
thingswhich

from

come

the

come

from

their

commands

Gods
and

Godhead

the

"

our

that

Through
the

Mankind

of

is held

of

midst

these

the

to

Gods

the

things which
and
burnt-offerings,
our
burnt-offerings.

and

betwixt

these

that

up

together in
of

office? said

the

men

fiUeth

"

intermediation

the

unto

the

is their
up

recompenses

being in

Universe

the

carry

prayers

the

and

what

and

men,

"

tribe of Daemons

The

And

the

distance, so

bond

cometh

twain

of

unity.

all divination

also

priestscometh

through them, and of them

do
that
have
burnt -offerings
to
with
initiations
and
and
and
enchantments
of soothsaying and
sort
witchery.
every
with
The Godhead
Mankind
mingleth not
; but it is through
the Daemons
with
both when
only that Gods converse
men,
awake
and when
are
we
are
we
asleep: and he who hath the
this work
wisdom
of the Daemons
whereby he understandeth
he
who
hath
is a
wisdom
other
man
inspired,and
any
craft is a mechanic.
art
or
whereby he excelleth in some
art

Now

these

is Eros.

them

Mother

And

That

are

On

the

feast,and

When

they

day

that

Aphrodite

sorts

them

had

eaten. Poverty,

sat

there

was

no

wine

being heavy

by reason
lay with

of

him,

became

then,
"

with

her
and

the

beg,and

made

and

of

one

who

is his

I will tell it

the

she stood
drunken

entered

into

conceived

companion

and

son

and

have
and

the

at

himself

to
helplessness

the

Gods

with

there

was

door.
nectar

Garden

the

made

of Prudence.

perceivingthat

drink, slept;

she

born,

was

Abundance

with

good cheer, came

Abundance, having

Eros

all

longer story, she said,but

for to

and

of

is his Father, I said, and

who

is

and

many

thee.

unto

Daemons

Now
"

for

of Zeus,

Poverty,being minded
child by Abundance,
a
bore

servant

Eros.
of

Wherefore

Aphrodite ;

for

are

ovv

roiavTrj

Tvyri

"jToWov

Set cnraX6"ire

"yafiat'n-eTr]";

Ka\

koX

oiovrai,

voXXol

iirX

aa-TpcoTO";,

iv

dvpai";koX

viraiOpio'i
e'^cov ael
KoifjM"iievo"s,tt/v ttj^ p/rjTpo'i "f)va-iv
^vvoiKOi. Kuril, Se
Kal

Ka\oi";

av

koX 0Tr)"; Kal

mv
dyadoi';,
dvBpeio"!

rot?

del
Seiv6"},
6T)pevTr)"s

Sta
Kal iropip.o';, "j)iKo(ro^S)V
ein6vfi,rirri"s,

Kal

Seivo"; yorj^
E

Kal
^apfiaKeii^

iri^vKev ovre

dddvaroi;

avTtji; r)p.epa"i daXKei

^vaiv.

oiire

"EptB?TTore
eariv.

fiecrm

"Be'

e'^ei yap

dfiaQLa,ro
")(aKe'irov
BoKeiv

elvai

avrm

eVSe^? elvai
eym,

ol
ol

"

ov

av

fir)

ovra

iKavov.

firj

rov

Stare

ovre

ol

Br) r"v

KaXKiarmv

ro

Ka\ov,

ware

Be
"f)i\oa-o^ov

ovra

Be

rovrav

Kal

7)

ovS

et

rr)?

fiera^v eivai

Se

Trar/ao?

diropel

aWo?

Tt?

rovro

yap

earb

Kdyadov fj.7)Be
(ppovifiov
firi

*ye
av

ol

olofievo";

ijBtjKal
koI

e(^rjv

(70"j)ol
ixrjre
iraiBi, on,

"lEpws. e"Trt

ao^ia, Epo)? S' icrrlv

dvayKalov

tj

fJiev

iTriBeicrOai. TCve's ovv,

o'iijrai

"v
dfi^orepcov,

yap

""?

d/iaOiai iv

eTriOvfiel
o

ovkow

oirre

dp,a0ei";(f)i\o(TO"f)Ova

Arjkov Brj,e^r),rovro
dfia6et";
;

avru)

Kal

av

ydp'

KaXbv

^lov,

ovB
ovBel"; tJ3iKo(70(pei

Oewv

av

Tore

el /ijyre
Aiorifia,ol "piXoa'o"fiovvre"i,

rovrcov
fiera^i)

Kai

rrfv

i-mOv/iovcricTO"j)ol
yevecrOai' avrb

ovB

vireKpei,

eerri

ov
(^CKoao^el. ovB^
cro(j)6"s,

avvrovo';,

eviroprjcrr),rore

orav

re
a-o(pia"!

ir\ovTel.

etriOvfiel
aro^o";yeveaOai'
204

^y,

del
"TTopi^ofievov

Be

TO

ao^iarrff

dva^idxTKerat Sia

Be

iroKuv
diroBvrjaKei,,

Kal

re

roif

tow

ttuvto^

dWd
dvi]To"i,

cos

evoeia

Kal (ftpovrjcreox
fj/r}^avd';,

irXeKcov

Tiva";

00049

eTTt^SouXo? eart

irarepa

rov

Kai

doiKOt;,
koL
avv'7r6SrjTO";

Kol
avxf^Tjpbv

del tbv

ol

otov

KoXof,

ea-rt,

aet

irev7]";

fiev

"E/jm? eV

6"v 6

wto9

KadecrrrjKe. irpwrov

xal
(TKXripb^

aXXci

Hewa?

koX

Hopov

ova-riis.

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

416

epm^

"Kpcora ^CKoao^ov

irepl
elvai,

ao^ov Kal dfiaOov^. alria

yevea-i";-

rrarpo^

fiev

yap

a-o"f)Ov

THE
he
a

TWO

SYMPOSIUM

MYTHS

417

begotten on her birthday,and is,moreover,

of Beauty and of Aphrodite the Beautiful.

was

lover

Inasmuch, then,

Poverty,his

standeth

case

far is he

Eros

as

is

thus

the

oi

son

by

nature

Abundance

and

First,he is poor alway ; and

and fair,as most
do opine,that
:

"

from

being tender
he is rough and squalid,
and he goeth barefoot and hath
no
house to dwell in, but lieth alway on the bare earth
at doors
the highways,sleepingunder
and on
the open
sky; for his
he hath, and
he dwelleth
mother's
nature
alway in company
so

with

he

But

want.

also his Father's

hath

nature, and

ever

plottethagainst the fair and good; being a bold lad, and

ever
ready with bow strung,a mighty hunter, alway weaving
devices,eagerlydesiringknowledge,full of inventions, playing
the philosopherall his life,a mighty charlatan and master
of
and

enchantments

subtle

the nature

neither

and

when

liveth

desireth,and,
cometh

aboundeth

unto

same

day

the

anon,

of Mortal, he

nor

very

standeth

he

dieth ; and then he

Father's nature : that

for the

desireth

who

wit, one

wise;

standeth

matter

and

if there

Philosopher.

desire

not

Wisdom,

he

Who,
the vidse
A

indeed

the

nor

two

is of the

answer

sorts, even
number

his

is he

sufficiently
which

that

desireth

man

is

of

and

Virtue

he

that

evil

the

without

he

if neither
Philosophers,
?
Philosophers
that, she said: They that are

as

the

himself

Eros

things which

of those

that

the

betwixt

parentage is

is

Eros

the

wise

cause

Lover
and

Wisdom

For

is.

is desire that fluttereth about

it foUoweth

Philosopher,being

lieth

herein

thinketh

ignorantare

Eros

Ignorance;
to
Philosopher,
is already
God

wise, neither

is

is

man

no

not.

could

beautiful;and

Whereof

for

wise;
a

is

ignorant Philosophers;they

then, Diotima, said I, are

the

wherefore

the

are

nevertheless

child

betwixt

who

over,
More-

and

Wisdom
God

runneth

rich.

nor

poor

wise, for

man

any

when

lacketh

No

"

become

therewith, and

furnished
thinketh

Nor

that

he

be

become

to

Ignorance,

thus
to

in abundance

betwixt

in the midst

heart

his

he

again, because of his

is continually
suppliedunto him
so that he is neither
continually,

away

bloometh

which

him

life

to

which

of Immortal
that

he hath

Inasmuch, then, as

reasons.

the

are

most

the

Beautiful;
of Wisdom, a
the

also; for

ignorant.
his

Father
2e

ia-Ti Kol
oiv
C

fji/qTpo^ Bk

eviropov,

Koi
cro^ri"i

ov

ifioXBoKei

d^pbv

Kot

KoXov

epS"vaXXr]v IBeav

'

elvat del.
"Ore

Kol

e')(pv,

koX

ov

iv

TOKO"!

av

ev

fj

QvrjTO)ovn

Tm

TavTa

yevvrjaK.

iv

Be

KoXbv

"jreXd^y TO

kvovv,

Kal
Biay(eiTai
T6
a-Kvdpwirov

Bid

'tXedtv re

Tt'/cret re

Kal

avTO,

yap
Tr)v

Kvovai

KaTa

to

ampia

iv /xev

Oeiov

ala-'^pm
yvvaiKo"s

Kal
irpdyfia,

to

fj

evea-Tiv,

Kvr]a-t";

tcS
to

dpfioTTov. Motpa

KoKKovrj i"TTi tt} yevecrei.

koX
Xeyei,";,

dvBpo"}Kal

tovto

to

fjXiKiayeveovTai,
Be

^datpdOdvaTov
S'

KaTa

iroTe

Tivi

fj yap
Be

eaTi

aa^e"7Tepovepm.

eireiBdv

yeveaOai. dvdpjioaTov8' eo-rl

TO

ti

KaX
dvOpmiroi,

ea-Ti

(re

e^tj,ipS".
(rStfiaKoi

to

rj,

KaXw.

Tm

eaTiv.

toko";

iv

TOVTO

Be

BvvaTai, iv

ov

e^ouTcov irapa

BeiTai 6

iyw, ?i B'

Tiva

eipfjv eyco,

ere,

TUKTeiv
i-TTtOvfieZ
fjiJMVf) (f"va-i^.

avvovaia

Kal

8' eym,

Kol
"y^v^rjv,

ttjv

TLKTeiv

ov

Kard

" 2w"|0aT6s,
Travres
e"pr],
KaTa

avTw

rj, t"v

Tvyj^avei

tovto

croi,

eya"

koI

KaXm

fiavBdvw. 'Aw'

Kal

ye

irpd^eifj airovB^ koX fj

jjbevT

'AX\
fiaOrjerofievo';.

yap,

dyadov

to

del, fj B

rt

Uv

Maz/T6ta?, ^v
"yjrv^'^v.
C

tov

epto^

iirl cro^ta koI

AiotI/mi,idav/j,a^ov

TOVTO

Be

to

iym BirjXffov.

o'iav

tLvi

iv

kuXoito

ei/irew

e^et?

TavTa

ovti

Tip

fiaKapiaTov

icTlv

epox;

avTO

av

epwi

to

epaaTOV

to

KKtjOea'TaTa,
iya",\e7et?.
eipTjv

Br) TOVTOV

trui/Tacrt?

ipeofievov

ol/j,ai,,
ira^KaXo";

aoi,

koX

TeXeov

TOiavTijv

BiatKovTcav

Tpoirov

epyov

'iaTi

jap

av

Be,
eira6e";. ayqdmj'i

tuvto,

e^r],6
iipa ^vXkrj^Brjv,

"Ecrrti'

Bih

epwv.

"Epaxs.koX

id"aLveT0

to

Be

ov

i^ "v a-ii Xeyei'i,to

TeKfj-aipo/Mevrj
ov

r/ fiev

airopov.

" "f)L\e
%a)Kpar"";,
avTT]Saifiovo'i,

^vai"irov

ehai,
"EjOtBTa

PLATO

OF

m^dr)'}"Epmra ehai, davfiaaTov ovBev

a)?

206

MYTHS

THE

418

dBvvaTOv
dvap/ji,6a-T(p
iravTl tiS detp,
al(rj(^pov
oSv

TavTa

oTav

/lev

Kal
ylr/veTai,
yevva-

ISitXelOvia fj

Kal

oTav

Kal Xvirovfievov o-vtrireipaTai Kal

KaT^M

irpofr-

ev^paivojievov
Be

alar'^pm,

d-TroTpeireTat

THE
wise

is

and

and

rich, and

dear

This, my

that

the

Beloved,

worthy

be

to

Loveth, it is of

of the

and

which

accounted

beautiful

fair and

this

eyes, for

and

perfect,

for That

I have

as

sayest,
For

thine

as

Eros

thou

delicate

; but

happy

kind, such

in

Eros

was

Loveth, is Eros.

all

poor.

Daemon

thoughtest
judge from what

is indeed

another

wise

*iother

seemed

that

419

is not

nature

That

not

MYTHS

Mother

thou

thoughtest,as

Beloved

'tis the

and

that

not

methinks, Eros

cause,

his

Socrates, is the

marvel

^for thou

"

SYMPOSIUM

TWO

which

declared.

******

The

of the whole

sum

is Eros

which

is the desire

true, I said.

Most

own.

matter,

shall

eth, she said,how

of

she

said,is this

this

Since

Good

the

having

is what

follow after

man

That

alway

Love

Love

for his
desir-

ever

this,and

what

shall

in followingafter it
diligenceand endeavour
be rightlycalled Love
What
is the very thing which
?
may
he must
bring to pass ? Canst thou tell it ? I cannot tell it,
I said,else should
I not be here drawn
by thy wisdom, thy
thee to learn this very thing.
unto
come
disciple
Then
I will tell it unto
The
thee, she said:
bringing
in
both
of somewhat
birth
to timely
according to the
Beauty,
flesh and accordingto the spirit that is the Work
of Love.
thereof,
Thy meaning needeth a prophet for the interpretation
it not.
I said : I understand
it plain,
Well, I will make
he

do that his

"

"

she said.
All
and

accordingto
time

proper
it cannot

which

the

cannot

the

forth

is beautiful
and

be

in that
and

mortal

is

divine

creature

accomplishedin aught

that

flesh
the

bring forth :
deformed, only in

but

are

it doeth

this work

hath

come

to

which

work

the
to

we

desireth

which

this

according to

when

and

nature

begetteth is

life of the

conceive

spirit
;

of life,our

bring

conceiveth
in

Socrates, do

mankind,

when

is that

immortality;

is unfit

now,

that

that

it

which
but

it

which

the beautiful
is fit :
divine ; and
Beauty, therefore,is the Fate which ruleth nativities and the

is deformed

Divine

is unfit

Midwife.

for the

Wherefore, when

nigh unto that which

delight,and being thereby
Cometh

deformed,

but

when

it is drawn

is

that

which

hath

conceived

beautiful,it is fiUed with

soft

getteth
bringeth forth and bethat
is
which
it cometh
nigh unto
togetherwith frowning and pain,and
relaxed

aveiWeTai

Kol

kuI

^epei. oOev Brj

E

cLTToXveiv

KoX

Tov

iv

TOKov

TOV

St}

Ti
odv, e(f37}.

aOdvaTov

ical

207

einOvftelvfieTa

avayicalov

Sr)

ayadov

tov

eiirep
eK

TOVTOV

etvai

eaTt,

a0avacn,a"!

oe

a)fioXoyr]fj,eva"v
avay/caiov

eaTLv.

epca

/iev

aeiyevei;

t"v

eK

ael

Kal

Xoyov

TOV

on

yevvjo'i';.

rj

ayaOov

eavTm

T?)? yevv'n(Tem

tI p.'nv ;

yevvqa-ecai; ;

dvrjTm

ti?

tov

Elev, Tjv B' iyco- Haw

t^?

ovv

wSivoi
fie'yaX7j"}

to

ov
eijyi],
XcoKpaTe's,

'AWa

KoXa.

Tft)

ijSr}airap'y"VTiiroXKrj

yap,

Kvrjfia 'XoKeir"i

to

Bia

koKov

ecm

a-iioiei.

o)"!

Uxov

koX

re

ireplrb

e^ovTa.

6 epm,

KoXov

kvovvtI

tw

yeyove

7] TTTOwyo-i?

a\X'

yevva,

ov

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

420

tt}? adava(na"s

epwTa

tov

elvai,
******

208

eO(

KaTO,
iyKvi^ove^,
e(})ri,

ovv

fiev

/iciWov

yvvaiKa'i

Ta?

adavaaiav
iraiBoyovLa'i

Sia

oXovTai, avTol"; ei"s tov

209

ot

Be

i/ru^ai?KVOV(Tiv
irpoarjKei,

eireiTa

fiaXXov

STi

Kvijcrat Kal

Kal

Kal
T6
"f"p6v7](riv

aXXr/v

ttjv

iroirjTolTravTe?

yevvr}TOpe"i

iv

7]

toi";

Kveiv.

(ratpua'i.v,

o5v

Tt

dpeTrjv
Kal

"jropi^ofievof

ot iv
o5v, ecjyrj,

yap

"

eb?
evBaifioviav,

irdvTa

'xpovov

tt/jo?

elai,
ipioTiKol,

TavTTj

Kal fjuvrjp/qv Kal

elal
ifrv)(;^v

TTjv

KaTO,

Kal

TpeirovTat

ovTei

croofiaTa

Bij

a"v

Tai"s

yfrvy^rj

trpoa-i^Kei
;
elai

ol

Kal

t"v

Btjfiiovpymvoaoo

Be

Kal
fieyiaTTj,
e(f"r},

XeyovTat

evpeTiKolelvai.

KaWtOTTj

TTJi;(l"povr]aea)"i
r] ireplTa";

-ttoXv

t"v

iroXemv

xal

re

Kal
BiaK0"rfj,r](Tei"{,
fi Br) ovofid i"TTL "T(o"f"poavvi}
oiK'qcreaiv
re
B

SiKatoavvr].tovtiov
Kal

6elo"; mv,
"y^v^i^v

KoXov

yevvriaet.

iv
to,

"S

av

yevvaia

(pOTepov,Kal
C

Tt?

eK

iyKv/icovy

veov

iJkoijo-ij?
TiKTetv
rij? 'ffKiKia"!

oh"

t6

Kal

iv tc3

yevvqaeiev

daTrd^eTai
ala-'xpk
Kal

OTav

koI
^rjTei B'^,otfiai,
r/Br)iiriOvfiei.

yevvav
TO

av

aTe

a-m/juiTa

kv"v, Kal

yap

iav

oiiTo"s 7repua"v

fiaWov

evrv^i;

tovtov

tov

Kal ireplolov
\6ymv irepldpeTrj";

rj

to,

'^vy^y xaXr}

irdvv Brj daird^eTai

eiKJivei,

7rpo"i

Kal

ovBeiroTe
aia-)(pm

koXo,

to,

re

ttjv

to

^vva/i-

avdpairov evQiii einropel

'xpr/ elvat

tov

avBpa tov

MYTHS

THE

422

"TraiSeveiv.
koX iiri'^eipet
iTriTTjBeveiv,

a/yadov Kal

fievoi

rov
olfiac,

yap,

ixvei, tLktsi, koX

Kal

kuXov

Kal

vov";,

ofWoi/?' TTOtijTa?

avrb,

roiavra

AvKovpyo^ iralha's KareXtTrero

Kal
AaKeSai,fiovo";

Kal

^ap^dpoL"s,"rroXKa
iravToiav

"Tavre"i

r"v

rr/v

xaXd

dpeT7]v

KoiX

mv

rovi

eavr"v

eKjova

Kal

fivrjfj/tjv

/3puXet,e^rj,olov"}

'

^fCKrjcn Kal

ev

TroWd

iepd
Be

Kal

yevvrjcriv,

vofjuav

he

Ti/ito?

d7ro(j)r)vdfievoi
epya,

TratSa?, Bid

TOiouTOu?

Tov";

Se

Kal
TToWa^oi) dvhpe";,

dXXoOi

oKKoi

avOptowi-

einrelv T'^? 'EXXaSo?.

Bid

Se^atro

av

AaKeBalfiovi,
acoT7Jpa";rij?

iv

ctto?

%6\cov

vfjiivKal

Trap

m?

/cat

fitrioSpvKal

K'Xeo";

el

ovra'

toiovtoi

oi

r] tov?

yeyovevai

dddvarov

iKettVOK

iroKv

a)(7Te

Tras

ayadoiii ^tjX"v, ola

Tou?

KaTaXeLirovaiv,
irape')(eTai

Kal

"Op/rjpov
airo^\e"^a";Kal

eh

-TraXat,

koKKiovcov

KeKOivwvqKore';.

TratSa? fiaXKov

airro-

fiefivr]fievo";,

eKeivov,

fier

^iXiav ^e/Saioripav,are

toiovtov;

eavrm

dirmv

"TraiStovirpo'i dXKrfKovi

t"}? r"v

aOavaTCOTepmviraiZwv

Sid

Kal

nrapcav

yevvrjdevavveKTpe"j)ei
Koivp

TO

tavovcri, Kal

o/miK"v avrtS,

koI

Kal

yevva,

fiei^co
Koivcoviav

PLATO

OF

iv

yevvq-

^St; yeyove

dvOpayirivovs

tov";

ovBevo"; ireo.
Tavra
210

o^v

p,ev

rd Be
fivr]9e[rj";'
idv

ecTTiv,

ip"

ireipS)Be

eiri

rjyrjTai

67rt

tovto

KoXa

Ta

KoWo?

crco/iara,

6 7)yoiip,evo";, evo";

TO

fjLT]ov'^

"Tcofiaai

KaXXc;-

ev

re

tovto

Kal

179.

Kal

el ol6"i r

Aet

irp"Tov

cra"fiaTO";

Be

av

TavTov

B'

eti??.

diroXeii^ro)tov
eiftr],

yap,

/Mev,

ipdv

tw

to

eir

iirl

veov

idv

Kal

eTep(p

ovra

6pd""!
evravOa

iirl
"^yeicrdai
to

to

a-cofiaTi

eiBei KaXov,

iwo-^cravTaKaTuaTrjvai

ah

ravra

aiirov KaTavorja-ai,on

acop,aTi

el Set BiwKeiv
t6

Kal

evsKa

ovBev
"7rpo0v/u,ia";

avrbv

eireira

eirl OT(povv

dBeX^ov i"7Ti,Kal
avoia

oiB'

av

irpdyfiadp')(ea6ai
fjiev

to

yevvdv X6yov";KaXov";,
B

olos

XcoKpareis,
kov

St

eiroiniKd,

iyo) Kal
eiprj,

eireaOai, dv

lovra
op65i";
levai

Kal

reXea

fierirj,
ovk
6p0a}";

Ti";

ovv,

/lev

epwTiKd to-ft)?,

Ta

iroXXif

trda-i

toi?

"jrdvTosv

THE
Man

ought

be

to

SYMPOSIUM

TWO
and

do ;

MYTHS

423

for,methinks, when

he

possesseth
him, or being absent
remembereth
birth*
that
is
which
him,
brought to
long-time
before was
conceived ; and that which is born these two together
than
a
rear, so that they have
stronger bond betwixt them
the Beautiful

children

One

after the

inasmuch

Who

children

and

which

rather

after

Hesiod

said, Solon

for

and

yea

and

in

in many

honour

thou,

even

of
man

the

him

unto

such

having

sidered
con-

great poets, account-

have

in

dren
also,she said, the chil-

Lacedaemon, saviours

amongst

because

of

you
the

of Athens, she
laws

which

places,both throughout Greece

honoured

men

of

for the

fair

he

and

works

brought to light,and the diverse virtues

begotten ^yea, even
worshipped,because of
"

; but

because

of

children

after

the

flesh

been

End

and

shall pursue

Mysteries are

the

Perfect

after them

performed,I

know

Nevertheless, she said, I wiU

unto

immortal

worshipped.
these Lesser Mysteriesof Eros, peradventure,
mightest
be
initiated
but
his
thou
Greater
Socrates,
teries
Mys;

man

Into

any

have

do

as

; and

other

their children
no

spouses,

more

Who,

flesh ?

left behind

of Greece

is held

they
they

hath

born

the other

amongst the barbarians, are

these

have

the

evermore

Lycurgus

Lacedaemon,

which

fairer and

common

not

friendshipthan

surer

blessed,in that they have children which, being

fame
immortal, bestow on their parents immortal

remembrance

which

with

not

themselves

begat ;

in

children

Homer

and

flesh,and

would

than

them,

converseth

they have

as

children.

eth

and

thee ; do thou

endeavour

Vision,

in the
not

do what

to follow

whose

rightway,

if thou

in

for

me

sake, if

these Lesser

art able to receive.

lies to open

if thou

them

canst.

rightlyapproach this Initiation whereof I

tiful
Beauunto
near
now
speak must begin in his youth,and come
if his leader lead him
Bodies : and first,
aright,he will
will straightwayof
with
be smitten
love of one
of these, and
he
will
Thereafter
Discourse.
his love engender Beautiful
instruction that the Beauty which
perceiveof himself without
belongeth to any CorporealBody is kin to the Beauty of
another ; and that if the Specifick
Beauty is that which must
be foolishness to think that the Beauty
be sought after,'twould
When
which
belongethto all Bodies is not one and the same.
the lover of
he hath
comprehended this he must needs become
He

who

would

MYTHS

THE

424

T"v

ravra

Tov

Tw

KaX

"crTe

amfiaTi,

Krjheadai,koI

0LTiV6";

Oedaaadai

to

Kot

iSeiv,oti

TrepXTO
Tk

iv

irav

etrl
eTnTTjBevfiaTa

D p/rjKeTt

Tw

ra?

Kal

/caWo?,

eTTiaTrjficov

evl,

Trap

^eirmv

^ Kal
"f)avKo";
TeTpafip.evo';

Kal

Xoyovi

KaTiBy
E

ToiovBe'
Te

TLeipcbBe

iraihapiov

ar/a7ra"v

eirl

ivTavda

av

fiot,

koKov

ttoXv

to

Kal

KaXoii^

BiavorjiiaTa iv

Kal av^r]6el"i
pa"a-6el";

Toiairrrfv,

tov
e"f)i],

ireXayoi

vovv

iaTi

tj

irpoaevetv

koXov

oiov

"bs

fiaXicTTa.

yhp

'O?

ivTavda
fi^Xpi:

av

-Trpof

iptOTiKhiraiBayto-

to,

Kal op6S)";
yrjOrj,
6eaiiJ,evo"i
Te
icj)e^r]'i
to,

fiBrjl(ov
TTjv

211

ijBr]to

ttoXv

Oecopav "7roWov";

i7ricrT'^/J,7]v
fiiav

Ttva

Be

aycuyelv,Xva iSj) aS

tLktii Kal
p.eya'Ko'irpeTrei';

^iXoao^ia d"f)66vep,
eco?

to

BovXevcov
^ eiriTJjBev/juiTOV
ei/os

Kal

KaXov

vo/jloi^ KaXov

rot?

/leTa

irpov

a\\'
a-fUKpoKoyo's,

tov

avce^KaaO^ aS

rjyrjcrrjTai, elvai-

oiKeTr]^,

oiairep

^Tjretv,

Iva

ewiaTrjp.a'i

^ dvOpairov tivo";

KaXXo";

ti

trfiiKpov

epav

^vyyeve"ieaTiv,

avTW

avTO

koX

Kal

'Cva

veov";,

'^vj^rjv

ttjv

aiiT"

e'xrj, i^apKeiv

koI
iiriTTjBevfiaa'i

tok

koXov

aa/Ma

av
iirieiKr}";

^e\Tiov"; toix;

tovto

"^yrjo'aa'dai
Tip-idiTepov

\6yov"; TotovTovf

tlktciv

troLrjaova-t

tovto

iav

koX

a^oopa

to

"^yrja-a/ievov
/Mera

crfiiKpov

KaXXo";
"\jrvy(ai";

Tai";

dvdo";
[eav\ a-fiiKpbv

KoX

C Tt?

iv

to

ev

Se

a-mfidrav ipaaTrjv,
"Vo"s

KoK"v

yciXacraiKaTatppovqeravra koI
Se

PLATO

OF

T"v

ipwTiK"v i^ai"j)vr}(;
ti
KaToyjreTai

KoXov,
"f)va-iv
01

Kal

ovTe

(pdivov,eireiTa

Tore

fiiv,TOTe

ovB'
alcT'x^pov,
KaXov,

ov

avTw

TO

ovBev

"v

KaXov
a-u/jua

ttj

ov

ov,

evOa

oiBe

fiev

Ticrl Be
olov

^cav, irp"Tov

-Trpbi
p,ev
evda

to

Be

aia-^pov.ovS"

irpocreoTrov

/iere^ei, oiBe

rt?

ti

ovBe

reXo?

OaVfiaaTov

/lev

eveKev

del

alaypov,ovBk

KaXov,

irpo'i

Be

"";
aia-y(p6v,
ati

to

Tiat

(pavTatrO'^a-eTa

%6t/3e9 ovBe

X6yo"!ovBi

ov

av^avofievov

ovre

Trj S'

p,ev KaXov,

KaXov,

tt/jo?

XioKpaTe';,
ov
B^

a"

dvoWvfievov,

ovTe

yLyvofievov

ovTe

/j,ev

eKeZvo,

TOVTO

7rdvTe"; irovoi
e/MTTpoa-dev

Kai

KoXd,

Tt?

dXXo

i-TruTTij/Ji

THE
all Beautiful

TWO

SYMPOSIUM

and

Bodies,

MYTHS

his vehement

love

425

of the

Body
he will remit, despising
it now
and thinking it a small
thing.
cometh
Thereafter
the time when
the Beauty that
he deemeth
is in Souls more
precious than the Beauty in the Body ; so
that if any one
hath some
ness
goodness of Soul, but little comeliof Body, such
an
one
pleasethhim well, and he loveth
careth
him
and
for him, and
in companionship with
him
bringeth to birth, and seeketh after,such Discourse as shall
make
better ; seekingafter this,he is constrained
men
young
that Beauty which
is in Morals
and Laws, and seeth
to survey
kindred.
clearlythat it is all of one
Apprehending this
the Beauty of the Body a small
Beauty, he must needs deem
thing.
After

Morals,
their

behold

him

Beauty ; and
no
longer be
the
Beauty

led

next

to

up

one

he

Sciences, that

looking at Beauty

tended,
widely exand paltry,
a
bondman, mean
as
may
the Beauty of some
enslaved unto
of one,
unto
but
or
custom,
boy, or man,
having turned him unto the
Sea
of Beauty, and
Great
it,may
bring forth
looking upon
Arguments fair and high, many
Thoughts out of the
many
there
fulness of Philosophy,until, having been
strengthened

may

see

now

"

"

and

increased, he

said,hearken,
understand
r-

the

the

One

that

prehendeth

Whosoever

been

hath

Mysteriesof Eros,
right order, when

Beauty, That
labours
or

w^re-

time,

deformed

with

another

endured

thee, she

beseech

canst,

to

and

words

my

cometh

he

shall

behold

increase

at this

thing,deformed

; in
in

beautiful

as

with

the
Nor

countenance,
hath
as

which

side,or

at

on

that

in

and

in

will
as

of
the

one

man,

Thing

hands,

belonging unto

that

is not,

place beautiful,and
eyes

or

tion
genera-

thing,beautiful,and

one
one

that

of

former

all the

decrease ; which
on

his

of

Thing

Alway Is,without

or

comparison

marvel,
sake

whose

time, beautiful,and

; in

him

end

the

last to

at

Which

of another, deformed.
unto

preceptor thus far into

surveyed beautiful things in

hath

That

"

Corporeal Body
Speech,or Science, nor

which

com-

his

by

Thing, Socrates, for

another, deformed;

appear

led

and

sudden

destruction, or

this side,or

eyes

thou

which

Science

Now,

Beauty.

diligentlyas

as

One

that

them.

Initiation, on

the

discern

can

or

it;

is somewhere

nor

of
as

Beauty
aught
as

in

any
some

426

ovBe
B

MYTHS

THE

TTov

ov

ev

ev

tw

ael
fiovoeiBe";

ov,

Tj

ovpavw

rpoirov

Tiva

PLATO

OF

oKKa

aSXa,

rk

he aXka

Kaff

avro

ecTTi

adai,

to

del

KaX

diro

Kal

aTTO

T"v

eaTLv

Kal
fidOrifia,

oKKov

tov

/3lov,"

TTOV

dXXodi, ^LtOTov

iralSdi;Te

KaXov"i

rjv,

Kal

Ti

IBelv

E KoXov

aapK"v

^Xvapiai
eKelcre

"ra"fiaTa,

KaXov

tov

'^VTavda

koXov.

ec7Ti

airo

/j/r]di]fj,aT

eKeLvov

avTov

eTOip.o'i el Kal

KaXov.

to

koI

"tv

dXXd

mvetv,

dXXoi

aXX'
6v7jTrj";,

fiovov

Kot

avTO

yevoiTO

Beiov

to

viJv

olov

to

/mtj dvdirXemv

Kal wWt;?
"^paifidTav

avTO

tov?

iroXXol,

ttcb?

Oedcrdau
tco

etvav, ous

^vvovTeidel avTol";, et

Kal
dvOpanrivasv

KaXbv

iroXXr}!}
BvvaiTO

dp o'Ui, e"f)i],
(pavXov ^iov ylyveaOai
ySXeTrovTOSdvdpmirov KdKeivo oS Bei deiofihjovKal

^vvovTog

avTa

Hova')(ov

yevqaeTai,

e'iBwXa

rj

BrJTa,e"^i],
olofieda,et

KanBeiv
fiovo"iBe";
2X2

tou

TeXev/jiddrifia

to

dXXd
Kadapov,dp,iKT0v,
etXiKpiveif,

Te

eveKa

KaXd

veavia-Kov; Bo^ec cot

ea-QLeiv firjTe

^vveivai.

aye-

Kal ia-dfJTaKal
Te
j(^pvcrLov

KaTa

iraiBiKa Kal

fiTjTe

aWov

eiriTTjBevfiaTa,

OetofievaavTo
dvOpanTO),

Kal
op"v eKTreirXri^ai,

op"VTe'iTa

yap

^evq, e'iirep
(f"iXe2id"KpaTe";,
e"f"rj
rj M.avTtviKr)

iSr/i;,
ov

TTOTe

KoKd

Ta

eKelvo

TeXevT"v

avTO

tovto

KoXd

Td

irdvTa

eV
/MadTjfiaTcov

yvm

ap'^Tj-

eTrava^a"rfiol"i
'^pwfievov,

Svelv eVl

ovk

koKov

ixeivov

koXSiv

t"v

r"vSe

otto

vrr

rj

eirl Ta
iiriTTjBevfidTcov

KaX"v

drrro t"v

'

eirl
crcofidTcov

koX"v

T"v

dv

TTjarj,

idv

T"vSe

Kal dirb

levat

epmriKa

iiravievai,aairep

eirX hvo

eaT

ra

aTTo
dp'^o/jLevov

KoXov
ej/o?

eirt,

opacog

Kai,

fii^reeXuTrov

S?; Tts
/irjSe'7rda-y(e(,v
lyiyveadai
firjBev.orav
Bia TO
eKelvo to
eiravimv
opQw iraiBepaaTelv
dv n
t6\ou?.
Tai
airroiro
tow
Kadopav, (7'^eSov
C 07}

avTov

aWcov

t"v

re

irXeov

ti

firjre

fie6

i/cetvov fiereyovra

yiyvofievaiv

i/ceivo
diroWv/ievrnv fjLTjSev

ev

rj

yy

ev

avro

Ka\a

iravra

olov

toiovtov,

ffflptj

iv

irep^ rivi, olov

rj

aTe
dpeT7J";,

ovk

evOvfiel,e^r),oti

op"vn
ovk

"

opaTbvto

elBdiXov

evTavOa

koXov,

TiKTew

avTm

ovk

dXX' dXrjBrj,
iipaTTTO/jbeva),

dXT]0ovii
TeKOVTi
et^airTOjjLevtp,

Be

dpeTTjvdXifOrjKal
Qpei^afievo)
yevea-0aiKai, e'lirep
6eo"^CXel
v-rrdp'xei
too
aXXtp
ddavaTfpKal e/ceivw ;
dvffpwTTcov,
UTe

TOV

THE
other

thing,as

TWO
in

SYMPOSIUM

livingcreature,
thing ; hut he shall
a

or

in any

in

of
Itself,with Itself,

other

heautiful

MYTHS
in

or

earth, or
It

see

shall

in

That

as

Porm, Eternal*

one

427

and

heaven,

which

Is

all the other

partaking of It after such

into being and perish.It bemanner
that, while
they come
cometh
not a whit
greater or less,nor suffereth any change at
these
from
beautiful
ascendeth
all,^ 'Tis when
a
man
things
by the JlightWay of Love, and beginneth to have sightof that
Eternal Beauty, 'tisthen, methinks, that he toucheth the goal.
Por this is the rightWay
to go into the Mysteries of Eros, or
to be led by another
beginning from the beautiful thingshere,
to mount
up alway unto that Eternal Beauty,using these things
as the steps of a ladder
ascending from one to two, and from
he

things

as

see

"

"

"

two

all. Beautiful

to

Beautiful

Customs, and

Doctrines,and
which

Bodies, and

from

from

these

from

Beautiful

till at

Customs

last,being

Beauty and
Beauty Itself is.

then

which

only,when

if thou

raiment, and

hast

man

once

to behold

cometh
seen,

that

that

unto

of

to

Beautiful

to

naught

else

'Tis then, dear

life is worth

living,

Beauty Itself;the

hold

wilt

thou

Bodies

come

of the Eternal

is the Doctrine

beside,he apprehendeth what

of Mantinea,
Socrates,said the Woman
and

Beautiful

wealth, and

fine

companions,as naught in comparison with it

fair companions whom
thou
lookest upon
now
yea, those
with amazement,
thou
and art ready
and many
others of thy
like
to pass your lives with
them, gazing upon them, and, if
it were
neither eating nor
ing
possible,
drinking,but only beholdthem
and being with them
thinkest
thou,
alway. What
could see
then, she said,if a man
Beauty Itself,clear,pure,
fair

"

"

"

separate,not gross
and

decked

with

human

flesh,and

tainted

with

colours,

perishing gauds what thinkest thou, if

he could
Thinkest
behold
Beauty Itself, divine, uniform?
to live,
thou, she said, that it would be a paltrylife for a man
lookingimto that, beholding it with the facultymeet therefor,
that thus
not
and
thou
being with it alway ? Understandest
only shall he be able,seeingwith that whereby Beauty is seen,
for 'tis no
to bring forth,not Images of Virtue
Image that he
for he layeth hold of That
layeth hold of, but Things True
with

out

"

"

"

is True

which
and

nurtured

become

above

"

; and

her,
all

when

he

hath

thou

understandest

men

beloved

of

True

brought forth

God,

not

and

that

then

himself

Virtue
he

hath

immortal

Observations

The

on

Discourse

the

in which

Myth

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

428

sets forth

Diotima

Diotima

of

parentage and

the

stylefrom the Myth of the Eoimd

People told by Aristophanes,as widely as it is possiblefor one
If the Myth of the Eound
compositionto differ from another.
in
People is so barbarouslygrotesque that one has difficulty
recognisingit as a Platonic Myth, Diotima's Myth is equally
of the prehard to bring under
account
that designation,
on
valence
of philosophical
allegoryin its style. It is,indeed, in
its first part simply a philosophical
allegory^settingforth
an
pictorially
analysisof Love into elements which are seen
those given by an
to be identical with
analysisof Philosophy.
Hevia, but the child of these two ;
nor
"Ejow?is neither Ilo/jo?
but
of
the outcome
nor
^ikoao^ia is neither a/j,a6l,a
aotpUi,
gory
both.
This point,however, once
reached
by the way of allethe results of previousanalysis,
Diotima's
thinlydisguising
Discourse
henceforward
the character of true Myth, if
assumes
of Eros

nature

differs in

in its matter

not

for

"

further narrative

no

in its essential form

it becomes

is added

yet

"

tainly
cer-

imaginativedevelopment
is
set
^^iKoao^ia:
"})iKoeTo"f)ia forth as
the Desire of Immortality. Philosophyis not merely a System
of Knowledge, but a Life,nay, the Life Eternal
the true Life
of the

notion

an

of

"

Soul.^

of the immortal

character

of

language the
of the mood

Discourse

Myth, settingforth

true

Diotima's

Transcendental

which

Idea

in

thus

ends

in

the

impassionedimaginative

of

the Soul.

itself in, and

It is out

is

encouraged by,
such impassioned imaginativelanguage that propheticvisions
arise,and great Myths about the Soul's creation, wanderings,
and
goal. Diotima's Discourse in its latter,non-allegorical,
^

Plotinus, 3nn.

Allegory:
much

"

Zeus
to the

more

(ed.Mosbeim

and

expresses

iii.5, may

is rovs,
same

be read for

elaborate interpretation
of Diotima's
an
is tj/vx^,
Poros is X670S, Fenia
is SXi;; and
Cf. Cudworth, Intellectual System, vol. ii. p. 379

Aphrodite
effect.

Harrison).

See Zeller's Plato, pp. 191-196

Phaedrus
and Symposium,
between
n.

66, for the meaning of Diotima's

(Eng. Tr.),for
Eros

and

Discourse, and

Platonio

of its meaning adopted by

interpretation

and

ff.

249

the

connection

made, in the

Philosophy; and, especially

p. 194,
a

Jahn

protest against the Neoin his IHss. Plai, 64 ff.

THE

430

MYTHS

OF

PLATO

but the whole

picturewhich
interpretedas Allegories,
them
is a Myth.
I have
It is difficult,
as
pointed out before, to distinguish,
of a great creative artist,between
in the work
Allegory and
of
employed as such by a man
Myth. Allegory,consciously
genius,always tends to pass into Myth.j)In dealing with
this point I have said that Plato's Cave, carefuUy constructed
it is in all its detail,like the Spanish Chapel fresco,to
as
give a picture of results already in the possessionof its
for the eye of Imagination
author, is,beyond all that, a wonder
the
pretation
interto be
impression. Beneath
grasped in one
of the enigma of the
of the Allegory we
aware
are
before he began to
Plato, we feel,had seen the whole
Myth.
articulate the parts. Perhaps,as I ventured
to suppose, some
in a Syracusan quarry
weird scene
gave the first suggestion.
course
DisI said that, although the former
part of Diotima's
istic
is an Allegory,the latter part has the true characternarrative
of the Myth, settingforth, without
or
pictures
but
in
scendental
Tranthe
indeed,
impassioned imaginativelanguage,
Idea of the Soul.
It is only by accident, we
feel,
does not break
that the Discourse
into the language of
out
propheticvision.
of this Discourse
The
Diotima
be taken as a study
may
"of the PropheticTemperament.
Let me
of this
try to bring out the essential nature
temperament by making some
passages in Spinoza'sTractatus
do service as a commentary
Plato's
Theologico-Politicus
on
study. To appreciatethe nature of the prophetic temperament
and
the use
of prophecy as
determined
by the great
he
may
contains

Jewish
"

critic

"

is,I think,

Myth

he

The

one

of the founders

go far towards

to

in Plato's

was

of biblical criticism

appreciatingthe

function

of

Philosophy.

passages

to

which

refer

are

in

the

first and

chaptersof the Tractatus Theologico-Politicus.

Spinoza
teachers
of
natural
science
begins by distinguishing
from
science is divine, its teachers
prophets. Although natural
be called prophets; for what the teachers of natural
-cannot
science impart as certain, other men
receive as certain,and
that not merely on
authority but of their own
knowledge.
It is by the facultyof Imagination that prophets are
dissecond

THE

TWO

SYMPOSIUM

MYTHS

431

tinguishedfrom teachers of natural science. By Imagination

the
prophets perceive the revelations of God and transcend
of

limits

the

Scientific

Understanding,

ffhis

is

why they
impart what they perceivealmost always in parables,
expressing
of sensible
spiritualtruths by means
images; for this
method
which
their
is the
faculty naturally prescribes.
with
a
more
Prophets are not endowed
perfectIntelligence,
vivid
but
with a more
phecy,
ProImagination than other men.
it depends on
as
Imagination,does not per se involve
certain of the revelation
not made
of
: prophets are
certainty
God
by the revelation itself,but by a sign. Thus Abraham
(Genesisxv. 8),on hearing the promise of God, asked for a
sign. He, indeed, believed God, and did not ask for a sign
in order
that
he might believe God, but in order that
he
that the thing was
actuallypromised to him by
might know
God.^
Herein
knowledge,
prophecy is inferior to natural
needs
which
no
sign,but has its certaintyin itself. The
The
prophet'scertainty is not metaphysical but moral.
be recognisedby three marks:
(1) he imagines
prophet may
the
objectsof
things revealed as vividly as if they were
waking sense, (2) he needs a sign,and (3) and chiefly he
is just and
has a mind
inclined to that which
good. Though
that prophecy and
revelation
this may
to show
certain,
unseem
are
"

"

have

yet they

pious men, "His

of His goodness,as

deceives

of His

since

is certain

that

much

Elect."

He

he

the wicked

uses

uses

; for

God

them
as

as

never

ments
instru-

instruments

the

signs are merely to persuade

the
the
physical
certaintyis not metaprophet in a matter where
suited
but moral, it follows that the signsare
to the
opinionsand capacityof the prophet ; and the revelation (i.e.
the thing imagined) varies with the temperament
(gay or sad),
of all is that
and the beliefs,of the prophet. The conclusion
adds to the knowledge of the prophet or of
prophecy never
in their preconceivedopinions; so
others, but leaves them
at all bound
not
are
that, in merely speculativematters, we
which
concern
to believe prophets; but in matters
ness
righteouswrath.

and
^

character

Similarly,miracles

must believe
miracles.
2

moral

Now,

do

not

in the existence

Prophecy,says

Professor

we

make

of God

are.^
us

believe

before

P. Gardner

we

can

in tlie existence
believe in the

of God.
occurrence

We
of

{Jowett Lectures,1901, p. 117), "is

MYTHS

THE

432

offer

merely
definingthe
which

particularremarks

no

but

PLATO

OF

recommend
of

use

think

in

Prophecy

the

similar

manner

reader,as
that

to

ought

Myth

Platonic

of the

use

of the

attention

the

it to

foregoing passage,

the

on

in
be

to

defined.

Spinoza'sview of the end of Prophecy,Henry More's

terpretati
inThe
in common.
view of the end of Scripturehas much
must
of the literal text, he
always
explains,^
depend on what we have learned from Philosophy,not from
Scripture; but the sole end of the Scriptureis the furthering
"With

of the

Holy Life.
to
John
Smith
says,^Christ's main scope was
Similarly,
promote an Holy Life as the best and most compendious way
to a
right Belief. He
hangs all true acquaintance with
If any man
will do his
Divinity upon the doing God's will.
"

will he

of God."

it be

the doctrine, whether

shall know

meaning of Prophecy, and generallyof

dependent
in inheld by the Cambridge Platonists
inspiredscriptures,
finds much
agreement with Spinoza,is one which
favour
of
the present day among
those critical students
at
the Bible whose
paramount interest is still in religionas a
the subjectof
Their teachingon
concern.
practical
tion
inspiraand
divine revelation,"in my view, throws much
light
I would
the subjectof this work.
summarise
advice
on
my
view

This

of

the

"

"

"

those who

to

wish

Myth

the Platonic
each

reading the

work

of all the

still in

the

would

the

function

of

reading Plato's Myths,

own
context, seal the effect of the whole
by
of some
best
other great master
of Myth
Commedia; then turn to the writings of
a

After

:
"

Bible

whose

concern.
practical

last -mentioned

probably find the

probably think

would

paramount

interest

is

Were

student

to

the

part of this

word

"

that

"

inspiration

the

made

use

of

he

programme,

difficulty.He
the word
by the

insight,and

on

looks

and

follows

as

critics of the

religionas

undertake

realise for themselves

"

Divina

modern

those

based

its

in

one

to

not fnture events but the tendencyof existingforces,

sees
the surface of the present and sees
its true inwardness.
prophet dealt far less with the future than with the present. He

beneath

The

Jewish

first and
foremost
of God and made

was

teacher

Appendix to the D^ence

pp. 150, 151, ed. 1662.
^

Select Discowrses

Divine

(1660),p.

Knowledge"),and

righteousnessone

who

explainedthe purposes
in fact,a preacher."
of the PhilosophickCabbala, ch. xii.,especially
" 3,

his ways

'

of

"

bare

to

("The

cf. pp. 169

He

man.

True

ff.("Of

was,

Way

or

Method

Prophesie").

of

attaining

THE
critics is vague
Plato's use
of

TWO
and

SYMPOSIUM

uncertain.

MYTHS

But

433

let him

remember

that

the

where
correspondingepcof (especially
e/xo?
and
in
are
a
s
Diotiijia'sDiscourse)is
(jii,\o"ro(j)Midentified,
Precision
is
not
to he looked
for in the
equally vague.
descriptionof such a condition or gift. Indeed, Diotima's
is perhaps even
more
"\)"Koao"^La
inspiration
vague than the
"

"

of

critics;for

these

while

the

the

former

the

rather

community

the

is

condition

than

the

of

dividual,
in-

an

individual

is

It is not
the
individual
recipientof the latter
so
the society
much
as
or
community which is the recipientof
divine inspiration,"
P. Gardner,^ interpreting
says Professor
Eitschl.
the "inspiration"of the
While
individual is an
abnormal
and
condition, difficult to describe psychologically,
"

"

stiU

difficult to

more

estimate

in

respect

of

the

"value,"

"

inspiration received by a community is something which

be definitely
ment
can
reviewed, being the series of ideas of betterwhich
spring up in the community one after another
and actually
determine
its development. The
historian
may
"

find

it difficult

to

show

how

this

idea

that

or

; but

arose

he

in which, having
generallydescribe the circumstances
and became
effective factor in the
arisen,it caught on
an
development of the community. The "idea of emancipating
slaves
when
the
as
an
serve
example of what is meant
may
"inspirationreceived by a community" is spoken of; and a
poraries
prophet is one who can put such an idea before his contemso
or
later,
vividly that it must
perforce,sooner
can

"

"

"

realise itself in

life of

nation

mustard

we

see

seed becomes

seldom

can

noticed

it at

rather

practice.
the

tell ; it is

so

all,unless

infer it from

look

When

we

how

true

it

the

that

tree

tree; and

is
How

great tree.
small

back

had

that

grown

if the

the
seed

the

should

we

the

over

not

out

grain
came

of

we

have

even

of

past

it.

We

is

good we are
divinelyimplanted in some
apt to think of the seed as
What
trace
can
we
clearlyto antecedents we
specialway.
to
do not
regard with religiousfeeling;but when we come
after the
little inexplicable
we
some
recognise,
thing,which
the

tree

"

"

Expressinghis own view Professor Gardner says :

in
this
Kitaehl goes too far,for, after all,it is only in
matter
may
be realised ; religious
the consciousness
of individuals that divine inspiration
can
must
lead
from individuals ; and the will of individuals
utterances
must
come
and
most
nevertheless
tliere
is
the
important
profound
society in
right way :
1

"It

truth

Jowett

be

in the

Lectures,p. 270.
that

recognitionof

the divine

mission

of the

society."
2f

THE

434

MYTHS

of

OF

great things,we

event,

as

divine

dispensation Oeia fioCpa.

source

PLATO

say

it

that

by

comes

"

itself more
biology makes
and more
felt in the field of historical study,we
expect
may
received by the community
that the doctrine of
inspiration
will recommend
itself more
and more
to religious
minds, as a
content
to put
solution of the difficulty
which
few indeed are
the development
of conceivinghow
by wholly the difficulty
of beautifully
take place along lines
articulated organisms can
This
accidental
variations."
the
difficulty
opened up by
new
biologyhas brought home to us thoroughly,by showing
how
decisive is the part played in evolution
us
by these
As

the

of

influence

the

new

"

"

"

"

accidental

"

the

variations

maintain
the factors which
among
equilibriumof life. The objectionswhich stand

moving

in the way

"

of

Weismann's
acceptingthe alternative solution
as
theory,which explains accidental variations
provided for
in the originalgerm-plasma
able
formidto be at least as
seem
those which
as
might be brought against the theory of
divine
inspirationof which the community or race is the
recipient."
"

"

"

"

"

II
Excursus

on

Histoky

the

of

{Symposium,
The
the

doctrine,here

office of

202

and
interpreters

e)

mediators

between

"

These

divine

in

"

immortal

They

long past

beings who

are, in

age

"

The

dwell

in

Heaven

"

they

dwell

the

Earth," and more

especiallyin the
the
fact,
disembodied spirits
of the men
of
the

"

Golden
'

'

being." But Hesiod's

a
of the
specification
"

the parts about

Air."

and

indeed
Sa[/j,ove';
are
divine immortal
ein,')(j96vioi
they are not ewovpdvioior "OXvfi-rrov
ej^ovTC?,

beings,"but
"

Gods

History of EeligiousBelief.
Saifiav is synonymous
with
6e6^,

originalsense
means
simply a divine immortal
introduced
a^vol iirtj(66vioi^
Saifiov6"i

term.

the

perform

in the

its

and

Daemons

of

enunciated, of haifiove"s
who

Men, played a great part

In

Doctrine

the

Age.

0. et D.

regiondescribed

as

When

these

men

108.

s-epi7^v in Phaedmis, 257

a.

died,

THE
their bodies
in

the

TWO

SYMPOSIUM

buried

were

; but

neighbourhood

of

there,to be the Guardians

MYTHS

their

immortal

the

Earth, and

and

Patrons

of

435

spiritsremained
will

remain

ever

mgrtal men

:
"

yevos fiepoTrav dvdp(air(i)v

'OX.vp,iria
Sufiar e;^0VT"s.
Troirjcrav
ot
p^v (ttI Kpovov ^crav,or ovpav(^ep,/3(wikevev.
d/cTjSca
(i)S Se deol ^ioe(TKov,
Ovpiovi\0VTe's,
ovSe tl SeiXov
v6cr"f)iv
koi
aTepOe Trovoiv
6'i^vos8e
TroSas
a
tet
yrjpaiejrrjv'
)(eipai 6p,oioi
kv OaXvrjcn,
eKTOcrdev dirdvTav,
KaKiav
TepwovT
S' cos mrv"j) SeSp,r]p,ivo(,'
e"rdXa, Se Trdvra
dvrjo-KOV
S
TOUTLV
'irjVKapwhv
ecjiepe
^eiStopoi
dpovpa
avTopATTj7roA.Adv re Ka.1 d(f"0ovov ot S' kdeX-qp,oi
Xpv(reov

fjxv TrpiaruTTa

dddvaroi

koi

rjcrvxoi. epya

"(T9X,ouri,vjroA.eeo-criv.

avv

vep,ovTO

toCto yevos Kara

avrdp IttciSij
KdX.v\f/"V,
yata
ot
KaXkovTai,
p,ev Saip,ovei
ciyvoi ein)(^96vioi
eo"6A.oi,
(jivXaKes
dXe^LKaKoi,
dvrjTwvdvdpunnov,
wXovToSoTaL'

When
under
"

the

Earth.

They

too,

although

their

works

receive

honour

and

Gods,

The

third

on

Earth,

Eohde

worship
of

down

went

the

They
the

displeasingto

were

from

consulted.^

be

may

Earth

on

that

was

age
and

went
Age died, their spirits
dvrjrol^
i-jro'x^dovioc
/j,dKape";

became

which

jiacriX-rjCov
erxov.^

yepas

of the Silver

men

difficult phrase,on

evil

the

toCto

/cat

men.

Men.

Copper

nameless

to

the

They did
black pit of

Hades.*
fourth

The

fought
them

age

Thebes

at

and

in

Blessed, where

the

Some

Troy.

translated

were

of

that

was

the

flesh

Heroes

of

them

died

the

to

those

"

Islands

who
of

some

of

the

:
they enjoy everlasting
felicity
"

p-lvdavdrov teAos dp,cf)"KdXv^e,

Se Six' dvdpdiroiv
jBloTovkoX ijde OTrocra-as
Tots
Zeiis KjoovtSijs
KaTevouT"T"
yairj^'
Trarrjp es Treipara
Kal Tol p,"V vaiovcriv aKrjSeadvpibvej^ovTes
'QKcavbv ^aOvSivrfv,
ev
p,aKdpti)v
vrp-ouri, Trap'
p-eXi-qSea
Spues' TOUTiv
oA./3ioi
Knpirov
OdXXovra
(fidpei
fetSuposdpovpa.^
TjOis ereos
Tovs

The

fifth age

No

one

"

who

0. a D.

is the

present

reads

97 ff.

"

Psyche, i. 99-102.

"

0. et D.

150

ff.

"

the

that of the

Cratylus,397
"
*

"

Men
D

of

Iron."

ff.,where

0. ei D. 125.
0. ei D. 137 ff.
0. et S. 157 ff.

the

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

436

Hesiod's

is discussed and
etymology of Sal,/jLove";
the
are
quoted,and
Sal,fiove";
eirix^ovioi,

Cronus,
that

ruled
Saifiovei

when

Hesiodic

the

imagination; and it may

with gold in
Republic men

the

"

the

silver, and

have

that

be

even

their nature

have

husbandmen

and

artisans

see

great hold on
the ^v\aKe"s of
(as the eiri/coupoi

has
haifiove";

Plato's

of

Age

fail to

men," is told,can

over

of

account

Golden

of the

Myth

the

Politicus, 272, where

and

713,

iv.

Laws,

the

about

verses

copper

iron) are somehow, in Plato's imagination,parallelto

the spiritsof the men
Hesiod's
OvrjT"v avdpdyrrcov,
"f)v\aKe";
of the Golden
Age.^ But we must not forgetthat there is a
and Politicus
of the Laws
Plato's Saifiove";
difference between
is
which
and
of Diotima's
Discourse, and Hesiod's Salfiove";,
Hesiod's
resemblance.
Saifiovei
greater than the obvious

and

"

the spiritsof
are
iTri'x^dovioi

deceased

men

as

"

Pindar's

are

of the Zaws
BaLp,ove";
in the Golden
rule over
and Politicus,who
men
Age, are not
spiritsof deceased men, but beings of an entirelydifferent
created Gods, to whom
order
were
provinces on
Gods, who
ol Kara
roix;
Earth
were
assignedby the Supreme God
they are
too
TOTTov;
p.e'^uTra) BaifioviOeoi, as
crvvapyovTe's

ar/voi(Meno,

Tiptoe's

81

c);

but

the

"

"

Discourse
PoZi^wMS, 272 e; and in Diotima's
headed
Sai/ioviov,
by Eros, is clearlyset forth as an order

described

in

to

of

superhuman, not spiritsof deceased

beings essentially
rank
ably
probas, indeed
They are, I take it,of the same
identical with, the
yewriToi 6eoL of the Timaeus

divine
men.

"

before men,

of the

Supreme God.^

'

This

worked

to

In

is suggestedby
parallel

by Mr.

out

F.

468

Pep. v.
Mr.

Cornford

M.

of human

be managers

created

Adam
in

an

in

E,
note

affairs
on

on

behalf

on

the other

hand,

Republic, 468

E, and
and

article
interesting

on

"Plato

"

in The Classical Beview, December

1903.
Chaloidius,in his Commentary on the Timaeus, is at pains to show (cap.
tinct
two disare
oxxxv.) that the Platonic Sal/iovcsand the Souls of deceased men
"
orders :
daemonas
Pleriquetamen ex Platonis magisterio,
putant animas
liberatas : laudabilium
virorum
aethcreos
munere
daemonas,
quoque
corporeo

Orpheus
'

"

improborum
corpus

resumere.

vero

easdemque

nocentes,

Empedoelesque

non

putat. Pythagoras etiam

aliter

hominem

demum

anno

millesimo

longaevosdaemonas

in suis aureis versibus

Corpore depositocum
Evades

animas

terrenum

fieri has animas

liber aethera

factus deus

perges,
aetheris almi.

in Politia tyranni animam

videtur,cum
Quibus Plato consentire minime
ab ultoribus,ex quo apparet aliam esse
excmciari
post mortem
animam,
: siquidem quod
Quodque opil'ezDeus ante

daemonem

cruciatur
daemonas

et

item

quod

instituit

quam

cruciat

diversa

nostras

necesse

animas

facit
alium
sit.

creavit ;

MYTHS

THE

438

for

Air

dissolution
progressive

the

by

new-comers

PLATO

OF

of

their

for
is always made
in the Earth
predecessors,
just as room
bodies by the progressivedissolution of those earlier
new
al yjrv^ai,
e'f dlSiov
buried :
el Btafjlvova-iv
avra";
ttw?
"

Se 77 777 X"/3et Ta
ttw?
Xapel 6 arjp;
al"vo'} BaTTTOfievcov
"yap
mcnrep
crcofjLaTa;
Kal
/jLera^oXij
eiriBiaiMovrjv
7r/"09 rjvriva
iroiei,
veKpol";

aXXoii;

y^vyai,iirl

iroaov

ai

ovtgj?

eK

ivddSe

Toaovrov

rf

SidXvaK

X^^P"""

/iera^dXXov"7ticai

avfifieivaaai,

rovrmv

depa fieOtara/ievai

tov

ets

t"v

^(eovrai,

t"v
oXiov
Xoyov
tov
i^diTTOVTai,et?
airepfiariKOV
koX
Taif
tovtov
tov
dvaXa/i^avo/jbevai,
Tpoirov
p^mpai/
"rrpoaa-vvoiKt^ofievai'i
irape^pvaiv.
is
It
astronomy
probably to the Stoic Posidonius, whose
has been mentioned
influential in the development of the
as
mental
theory and practice of Mithras-worship and similar sacra-

Kal

cults/ that
of

Souls

beings distinct

that

from

for its vogue.

haifiovav,
quoted by
Biv. i. 64) quotes him
and

the

"

materialism

"

ZeUer,*and,
So

"

treatise

ireplrjpmcov

koX

{Sat.i. 23),^and Cicero {de

as
saying that the Air is full of Souls
which
have
belief in Daemonsspirits
"

of the

of human

existence

the

"

wrote

in himian

incarnate

been

never

of

Macrobius

That

Daemons.*

habitat

the

of

of human

Posidonius

as

Sat/iove? an order of
indebted
Souls
is chiefly

also

and

deceased

the

Air

idea of the

the

Souls

bodies

Stoics
in

as

the

"

is

as

belief in

consistent
the

Air, is insisted

with

continued

by

upon

indeed, is obvious.
for

much

Stoical

belief.

But

it

was

exactly the
its origin

Platonic
in
Pythagorean and
to have
seems
popularisedby the Stoic Posidonius, which
of escape
that
from the Stoical doctrine
suggested a mode
the Soul, though subsistingfor a
longer or shorter time
after the
death
of the body, yet is ultimately dissolved.
the Air
the Stoical habitat
of Sai/iove?and Souls
Above
of deceased
to dissolution,according
equally doomed
men,

astronomy

"

"

"

orthodox

the

to

Aether.*
^
"

'

this

of

region

the

Souls

school

"

there

is

the

purifiedby Philosophy
"

See supra, pp. 352 ff.

See Eohde, Psyche,ii. 320.

Stoics,Epicureans,and

Sceptics,
p. 333, Engl. Transl.

its proper
the name
of the
as
sense,
This element is sometimes,
stars.
in the Epinomis, 984 (of.
Plato, p. 615), called irCp,fire,while "aether"
Zeller,

I
element
'

as

Into

doctrine

use

the

which

term

contains

"aether"
the

' '

here

visible

in

gods,"the

THE

SYMPOSIUM

TWO

it may
be, by sacramental
igh united to God, retain
is

the

doctrine

of

MYTHS

observances
their

rise,and

"

there,

individualityfor

Seipionis

Somnium

the

439

"

ever.

which

its astronomy
Posidonius
to
of the
and
)ably owes
3. Disja.
(i.17, 18, 19); it is the doctrine to which even
Stoic Seneca
to incline,and
it
(ad Marc. 25. 1) seems
ired
those
sacramental
cults, Orphic, Mithraic, and
became
so
important in the religiouslife
ptian, which
"

tie first two

In

this

of the

centuries
of

doctrine

era.^

Christian

Aether,

the

region of the heavenly

have, of
purifiedSouls, we

everlastinghome of
and
Phaedrus
"se, merely the
mythology of the Timaeus
astronomical
led in an
definite
more
setting somewhat
furnished
What
it is important,
1 that
by Plato himself.
this
to recogniseis that
mythology, so framed,
ever,
jres,

inthelist "fire,
is properlycalled irOp,fire,
air,water, earth.''
(Journ. of Phil. vol. i. pp. 37-39, on the Fragm. of Philolaus) quotes
the four
le Coelo, i. 270
above
b, and the Meteor. 339 b, for " aether
that
"the
of this quinta essentia in the
occurrence
snts, and remarks
inic Epinomis is one
of the many
indications
of the late origin of that
1

the

as

placeof what

iter

"

igue."
See Bohde, Psyche, ii.320, and

Dieterich,Eine MUhrasliturgie, quoted supra,

2.

following references

The

of Hierocles

Commentary

to the

(Presidentof

the

jl of Alexandria) on the Golden

Hymn
of the Pythagoreans may be taken
how the astronomy of the Timaeus
and Phaedrus
influenced eschatology
ow
Christian
Hierocles
in the fifth century of the
(see Mullach's
era.
Phil.

m.

Graec. i. 478

"f.) is

commenting

the

on

lines"

(iXV

^y re
etpyov ^piaruy, "v eiTro^iey,
Kadapfiots,
Kal (/ypd^ev
\6(7"L ^vxvs Kpivojv,
^Kaara,
ffr-^cras
ijvioxovyvdjfitjy
Kad"irepBevdplarriv,
^v

after
dies

Te

to the Phaedrus
referringfor iivltyxov
Pythagorean doctrine, says that, for

"rp"s

Tr}v

K"Bapnv

rod

"

means

'ation and

be

"

aerial

le

Corruption,and
as

submit

the terrestrial

body, must

be

put away the

observances,
purificatory

we
aiyoeiSous Tifiav ffili/iaTos

of the terrestrial body, and

by
/iol,which he describes

KciSepop. But

Myth, and remarking that it

of the aethereal
purification

the

shed

ourselves

to

must

of which
shall rise from the Place of
we
translated
to ri ijKiaiovTreSLov xal AWipa

body

must

aerial

be

shed

on

Earth, the a-v/i^vh,

region immediately
lunae, 28, quoted p. 440 infra).
in the

under

the

the
Then
de fac. in orbe
which
real or astral body (t6 darpoeiSh, ai57oetS^s,
^lorecvdva-wfia or 6xvf^"'-)
vehicle of the Soul, is free to ascend, with the Soul, into the
1 immortal
ets
d^ yevifievostos oT6v re
TOVTO
sr :
fierci rijv KdBapa-tv,8 del elffiv ol fiij
Kal
aiirbv
iritrTeiv
ivovrat
trpbs
T(p iravTl,
:v
iretpvKdres,
Tois
/J.^yyvtijiretrtv

(cf. Plut.

"

8e6v
ffQfia dk ffv/M(pvh
^x^^" t6tov Seirat. els KardTo^iv dffrpoetd^,
rbiros 6 ijirb ffeKi]VT)V
^TjTuv. irp4Troi5' "v rip TOiodrip (rdifiari
oiipavidjv,
/^^ "^^^ tjtdaprCtv
ffufidruv,{nro^"^K(hs Sk twv
Xws, lis Itirepix^^
Kal atSiov
aWipa niv, lis auXoK
Wpa iXeiBcpov oJ ^vBaybpeiot KoKoiaiv
Kadapbv, ri odv 6 ^Keitye i\6iip iffrai,
^eidepov S4, "hs iiXiKuv iradTjfidTiav
iv dpxv rup
iirCiv
" ^TjffLV,l^a-aeai
dddvaros
rots
TO
Be6s, ^fioLoifjUvos
dddvaros
Iffiv dBavdroLi
Be6s.
BeoU, oi (picreL
rat

rbv

diaiv

'

"

appeared

Platonists

to

refutation

of

be

to

suf"ciently "up-to-date"

of the

"materialism"

the

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

440

Soul,

The

Stoics.

rises out of the Air into the Aether,

perfectly
'purified,
and
returning to its originalhome, and there lives for ever
Its perfectpurification effected by Philosophy, or
ever.
both
ritual performances,
or
guaranteesits immortality; for
stripped of perishing
its eternal
essence
vows
intelligible
when

"

"

"

"

vehicles, terrestrial

sensible

amfxa

"

aerial

and

"

"^vx^
"

"

is the
Aether
essence
intelligible
^
e vincenti
vehicle.
The aethereal region is full of fvigormm
immortal
spiritsmade pure by Philosophy, and suffering,
forth
is set
doctrine
Platonist
and
by
holy rites. This
de
in
his
in his
de genio Socratis, and
Plutarch
facie in
In a curious passage in the latter work
orbe lunae.
(ch.28)

is

alone

Of

left.

this

"

he

tells

that

us

its

z/ot)? has

reason"

"

Sun.

the

in

home

purifiedspiritreturns, having shed its corporeal

its aerial
vehicle
Earth, and
"^v^V ^^ *^"
ct"ijm on
the
order of
This is the order of purification.And
Moon.
is the contrary of that of purification
he explains,
:
generation,
the Sun
make
Of the three parts which
supplies
up man,
Earth
the Moon
on
vous,
-^v^i],the Earth a-wfia.^Death
Thither

the

"

"

"

"

"

makes

the

three

one.

Every

; death

two

Soul,

on

the

rational

whether

Moon
or

makes

the

two

irrational,* must

and the
the Earth
region between
In the lower parts of this region the unrighteous
Moon.
are
punished and corrected, while the righteoustarry for an
appointed time in its highest parts in the region of the

wander

for

time

in

the

"

softest

air, which

irpaorcLT^

rov

is called

aepo";

ov

the

Meadow

aBov
Xei,fj,a)va";
a
initiated, with

of

Death

KoXovcn

iv

"

rm

then,

being filled,like those

strange joy, half
half hope, they aspireto the Moon.
amazement
There, now
their
abode,
styled 8al,fj,ove"i
by Plutarch,^ they have
to Earth
to help men
to assist at
descending sometimes
and
in battle
mysteries,to watch
punish crimes, to save
The
and at sea.
them
of them
are
good among
(for some
wicked
and
become
incarnate
again in human
bodies) are
the Souls of those who lived on Earth in the reign of Cronus,
still worshipped in many
and they are
one
places. When
"

Par.
o.c.

X.

28.

64.

^
*

Plut. defac. in orb. lun. 28.

=
o.c. 28.
o.c. 30.

THE

good Daemons
worshippers,it

these
his

s
ce

his

"

true

of

laration
him

of

Love

from
of

has

last

at
a

Solar

the

on

effected

Image

"

Earth
has

and
taken

be?n separated from

corpse,

is
^Jrv^^^

the

by

Moon.
the

The

operation
S' epmn

airoKpuperai

Si' ^9

ifXiov ecKovo^,

irepl tov

441

last loses his power

on
is because
his lunar
death

remains, like

vov"i

MYTHS

at

Self, vov";,

ylrvxv"which

SYMPOSIUM

TWO

to
iiriXd/jbtrei
iiperov
Kot 6eiov Koi
i KaXov
iraaa
ov
(^vctk,oKKtj
fiaKapiov,
Se
Xeiirerai
iirl
aWo)?,
17 ^frvyr}^^vcri";
opeyerai,
otov (.'%i'i7
^Lov Koi oveiparaSiacfivKdrrovaa
Tiva
aeXT^vy,
oiiB'
avTO";
eKaaTo"s
fifiMVoil Ovfioiiernv, ovSe (f"6^o";,
w
idvfiia,Kaddtrep ovSe adpKe'i,ovSe v"ypoTr]Te"s, oKK!
Se rj aeKrjvri
ivoovfieQakoI
tovtcov
^povovfiev
et?
et?
oi'xeloviariv, avaXvovrat,
ravTTjv,
merirep
yap
t"v
V
yfjv TO, crcofiaTa
vexp"v.
other
Plutarch's
work, mentioned
above, the de genio
oraiis,is so important for the doctrine of Daemons, that
be dismissed
in a paragraph like that just devoted
cannot
the
the whole, I think
the de facie in orbe lunae.
On
is to let it
of laying its contents
before the reader
3t way
indeed
3ak for itself in the
Myth of Timarchus, which
all that is essential to Plutarch's
3sents
daemonology. As
the case
of the Aridaeus-ThespesiusMyth, I avail myself
Holland's version.
re
again of Philemon
;

There

was

one

Timarchus

of

Chaeronea,

who

died very young,

uiito
buried
near

be
to
requested earnestly of Socrates
mprocles,Socrates his son, who departed this life but few days
Now
Fore,being a dear friend of his,and of the same
age.
of a
s
gentleman, being very desirous (as he was
young
of
and
had
lerous
disposition,
newly tasted the sweetness
to
lilosophy)

know

what

was

the nature

and

power
his mind

of

Socrates'

and
he
had
spirit,when
imparted
purpose
of
vault
down
and
into
the
went
to me
cave
or
Cebes,
only
compliophonius, after the usual sacrifices and accustomed
remained
two
that
oracle
snts due to
performed : where, having
of all hope
out
were
as
men
;htsand one day, inasmuch
many
and
his kinsfolk
would
forth again yea, and
it he ever
come
issued
betimes
ends bewailed
the loss of him
one
morning
recounted
unto
"th very
and
He
us
glad
jocund.
many
that
said
he
inders strange to be heard
and
for
being
seen
:
much
with
scended
into the place of the oracle, he first met
he lay
his prayers,
rkness,and afterwards, when he had made
niliar

"

"

THE

442

his head

and

the

it, whereby

smote

awake

was

which

noise

sutures

or

seams

disjoinedand opened, by which he yielded forth

joyous, seeing
soul; which, being thus separate, was
very

thereof
his

the

upon

dreamed.

lit upon

he

ground,not knowing whether

Howbeit, he thought that he heard

long time

or

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

itself

were

with

mingled

looked

behind

he could

him

and

transparent

the Earth

see

brightand illuminate with a

exchanged their places one with

and

mild

all

no

When

air.

pure

he

the

but

more,

Isles
those

fire,and
withal, received

delicate
and

another,
tinctures,accordingas

in that
were
sundry colours,as
unto
varietyof change the lightdid alter ; and they all seemed
him in number
infinite and in quantity excessive : and albeit they
of equal pourprise and
not
they were
were
extent, yet round
all alike : also, by their motion, which
circular,the sky
was
diverse

it

Amid

resounded.
.

lake
a

diffused

ground

few

and

of grey

sailed,as

down

the

number
such

the

would

drawn
.

back

it

with

mixed

the

driven

great delight.

But

such

that

reason

these

when

he

the

of

in

with

were

fire

said

or

breaking

the

as

blueness

greatest part
look

to

those

mouths

two

thingshe

came

some
course

swallowed

be

to

sort

upon

Isles

direct

hath

rivers

two

And

these

seemed

sea

other, in

by

back.

of

great

or

colours

others, and
; but
the channel, and

same

receiveth

to

were

sea

carried

they

that
the

whitish

became

of

out

And

waves.

repelledand

say,
the current

aside

went

it,opposite one

thereof

seemed

there

and

beyond

entrances, whereby
into

Islands

spread,shiningwith diverse
or
Moreover,
light blue.

one

water

many,
violence

under

these

he

was

beheld
he

downward,

of a
perceived a mighty huge hole or gulf all round, in manner
hollow
the
and
horrible
midst, exceeding deep
globe cut through
full
much
of
to see
not
darkness,and the same
to,
quiet and still,
and
oftentimes
but turbulent
boilingand walming upward, out
of which there might be heard innumerable
roaringsand groaniugs
of beasts, cries and wrawlinga of an
infinite number
of children,
with sundry plaintsand lamentations
of men
and women
together,
besides
and

many
those not

underneath.

great depth
him
how

it

which

is

bounded

leadeth

contrary

unto

; for,
beneath, which

the other

part of the
is that of

as

whom

to

lightand

darkness

with

it

the

lightall about, and

world,

life;the

saw

up from
not, said unto

of

beginneth
see,
you
it touches
with
the one

whole

he

of all sorts,

if you
Proserpina, you may
see
will,
with
Styx. Styx (quoth he) is the way
hell and the kingdom of Pluto, dividingtwo

of

natures

thereof

with

One
.

division

The

noises,tumults, clamours, and outcries

clear,but dull and dead, as being sent

divided

second

of

into

from

head

and

so

the

limiteth

third

of

reacheth

the

regiments.

top

of hell

bottom

extremity,and

four

moving;

the
the

utmost

The

first

generation;

THE
i the fourth

SYMPOSIUM

TWO

of

unity,in

that

the mind

or

The

corruption.
which

MYTHS
first is

visible ; the
in the sun
intelligence,
; the

speth the key.

And

the

second

other

somewhat

hundred

proach of

seventy

this

from

swimming
the

lom

end

those

re

,rful

"

say, the

that

is to say, Lot,
nativity. As for all
but

them;

the

Moon,
the confines of
Daemons, avoideth
only
higher exalted, approaching once

gods

second

seven

precinctof Styx, the

Hell
catcheth
ly ?
de and slipabout it
,

within

is to

"

the terrestrial

pertainingto
l^x, as being
an

copulations
Necessity,that
Atropos, as one

every one
the Daughter of

she that is named

first,
the second, Clotho
that

have

Isles,they

the

to

third,
fourth,

of these

say Inflexible ; of
inster ; of the third in the moon,
Lachesis
which
is the bending of geniture or
3ut
uld

the

to

third

of

Destiny,

Of

the second

coupled to

is not

nature, in the moon.

is a, Friend, or
ire

443

of

and

others

beneath

hideous

flashingand

souls cry

out

her ;

the
And

they

as

taketh

I mean,

as
such,
upon
good
opportune time, all
polluted: for them, with her

unto

and

and

impure

are

upon
for fear.

of them,
many
the Moon
receiveth and

generationfell in

which

and

swalloweth

and

measures

sufFereth

roaring,she

to

not

come

of their intent,
her ; who, seeingthat they have missed
ir unto
"rail their woeful
again,as you see,
state, and be carried down
another
generation and nativity. Why, quoth Timarchus, I
of
nothing but a number
^s huge and deep gulf,some
lers
appearing again from
that you see, though
smons

bhal, how
rtion

this

of mind
with

mingled
and

(asures

mixed

not

bhin the

ly

of

ft,just

and

These

you

(quoth he)

be

them

in

up
And

not.

it,
the

mark,

with
a
Every soul is endued
thereof
how
much
look
but
or
understanding:
with
flesh and
passions; being altered with

after

for

which

that

out

contagion of
head,
soul

it

is most
the

pure,

part,

but

the
not

aloft,touching the top

were

and

with
and

gross

every

is in

which

of

manner

is

directlyand

soul

wholly plunged

are

mingled

partly are

others

the

some

...

But

unreasonable.

sort

one

floatingas

man's
over

below.

about

about.

comes

i in part leave
ivnward
by the

imming

and

dolors,it becometh

body

swallowed

drowned

know

down

and

leaping up

stars

flesh,
drawn

remaineth
or

cord

crown

hanging
plumb under,

up
to

raise it up, so far forth as it is obeisant

thereto,and
: for
and
i over-ruled
swayed with passions and perturbations
the body is called the soul ;
within
it which
is plunged down
hold

and

t that

which

supposing it
ierstanding,
ich
i

appeareth by way
according to the

thout

them.

uncorrupt the vulgar sort calleth the

is entire and

These

to be

within

of reflection
truth

name

stars, then,

them

but

as

those

it Daemon,
which

you

see

in mirrors
that
as
as

that

judge aright
being clean
if they were

444

MYTHS

THE

extinct

and

PLATO

OF

the souls which

to be

them

take

put out, imagineand

out
to shine
within bodies ; and such as seem
totallydrowned
again and to return lightsomefrom beneath, shaking from them
souls
the same
to be such
and foggy mist, esteem
a certain dark
are

as

after

those

death

which

uniform

retired

are

mounted

are

on

therefore

and
intelligence
strain yourselfto

and

it is linked

whereby
I began

take

to

and

the water, some

piecesof cork shewing in the

floating
upon
; and

cast

folk

twist

or

to the reins of

and

down

the

Of

leaping and
as

observe

we

have

been

of

manner

direct

to

said

that

souls

whose

they
they that eftsoons
disorderlyare those which
obedient

are

and

were

fall up

rise and

their

diviners

against

and presently
first,
Daemon, are
proper

who

holy and

strive

the

have

devout

men

quite,and

gift to
which

of

the soul of Hermodorus

how

to abandon

the

at

unto

right

obeisant

likewise

heard

motion

the
compose
held
which
on

and

those

were

as

come,

have

you

menian

in

able

prophets

of

this

the fishers' nets

where

sea

nativityhearken

thingsto

number

such

...

their very
all of the kind
foretell

unequally and

yoke.

less,like

some

one,

I heard

stars

see

but

reason

from

might

more,

turned

spin
and
not
unequal course
straight. And the voice
and
course
orderlymotion

as

and

When

soul.

now

of each

spindlesor bobbins,
and
therewith, yet drawing a troubled

of them

some

to the

heed,

who

or

connection

the

see

united

more

one

of men
spirits
understanding. Endeavour

said to have

are

fro in

and

to

the Daemons

throughoutare

course

bodies ; but

the

of

escaped out
high and move

and

Clazo-

the

both

body
by day
wander
afterwards
into
and
to
to
return
night
places;
many
it again
which
it used
so
long, until his enemies, by
of
his
the
wife, surprisedhis body one
time, when
treachery
wont

was

was

of

it,and

; for his

being always

bond

unto

walk

and

it,gave

heard

asleepare
you
these

as

those
in

he told the tale

and

consumed

he

might

within
see

how

while
he

soul
was

; but

made

an

and

end

about

neither
after

knew
when

lay along

at

lay

for

for this time

of

he

as

it ; which
within
certainly
see

you

speaking,Timarchus,

to

who

see

his

head,

deprived

himself

nor

he

come

the

report the

body

day

more

man,

young

and

his
this

at

even

himself,turned

and
understanding,
But

the

the
body
and
slacking the

come

spake ; but feelinga great pain again in

been violently
pressedand crushed, he was
him.

his

Daemon,

:
(quoth that voice)

this voice had

this

Howbeit,

of

out

it would

that

Tartarus

yourself,
good

months

When

many

But

shall know

depart.

into

down, and
libertyto run
up and
in
such
places,
sort, as having seen

things abroad,

tormented

three

his

unto

and

means

in

his house.

it in

departed

never

obedient

it

fro

many
him.

unto

same

and

to

burnt

soul

same

to

and

out

gone
true

not

his

was

entry

it

was

as

if it had

of all

that

sense

anythingabout
unto

himself,

of the foresaid

cave

mediae

potestates,inter

isto intersitae aeris

deos

ad

aethera

summum

quas
Graeci

hos

nomine

Symposio

in

de

quippe
cuique

donorum

inde

denunciata, et magorum
praesagiorum speciesreguntur. Eorum

proinde ut est
praediticurant singula,
provincia: vel somniis confirmandis, vel

numero

tributa

vatibus

vel
jaculandis,

fulminibus

vel
inspirandis,

eorum

extis

erudiendis,

vel oscinibus
vel praepetibus
gubernandis,
fissiculandis,
vel

cuncta

autumat,

miracula, omnesque

varia

merita

suppetias,ceu
salutigeri.Per hos eosdem,

portant,
utriusque interpreteset

Plato

ut

et

Saifwvas nuncupant.

Inter terricolas caelicolasque

vectores, hinc precum,
hinc
ultro
citro
petitiones,inde

qui
quidam

terras, in

infimas

et

desideria nostra

et

spatio,per

commeant;

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

446

nubibus

dinoscimus.
futura
Quae
quae
numine
et
auctoritate, sed
et

adeo, per
coruscandis,caeterisque
voluntate

caelestium

cuncta

fieri arbitrandum
et ministerio
opera
igitur^tanta vis aeris,quae ab humillimis lunae

obsequio

daemonum

et

Quid
ad
anfractibus, usque
Quid tandem ? Vacabitne
est

pars mortua
animalia
in

debilis 1

ac

pondere; sed
Temperanda

nobis

nubes^

sunt

sunt

quae
bac

ex

elemento

ut

luminis
soliditate

obsistere,qua
radios

id genus

multo

tumida

illo

ex

corporum
levia

tam

omnis

et

quam
si

Quod

est

texta,

terrenus,

daemonum
enim

caligineconglobata,

purissimo aeris liquido et

temere

offensa

acies

visibilia,

illis terrena

in

nostris

occuparit, quae
necessario

rapiantur.

natura.

subtiliori ? Non

tanto

nubecula,

possidentrara,

fila corporum

media

coalita,eoque nemini hominum

speciem sui offerant,quod nulla

locum

soliditas

versus

est ; sed

genus

divinitus

nisi

calore

terrea, neque

quam

concretu

faeculenta

sicuti nubium
sereno

devergant enim

nequaquam,

animo

propria enim
et cujusmodi

tandem

loci medietate

pro

erit ista naturae

debere

quae

sursum

interjacet!

utrimque sejugata.
volitant,quibus omnis et exortus
in terras
est ; quid tandem
censes

defluxus

corpora,

ut

quodammodo

sublime

retro

ne

gignamus

bruta

tam

neque
aetherea, sed

et

flammida,

ne

quae

Igiturterrena

ergo
formemus
et

mente

suis,atque

Flagitatratio

intelligi
; superest

aere

sint,disseramus.

ea

animalibus
.

verticem

Olympi

summum

oculis

possit
immoretur; sed

splendida,et tenuia, usque adeo

transmittant,et splendore

nostri tuoris et raritate

Debet
deus * nullam
reverberent, et subtilitate frustrentur.
perpetivel odii,vel amoris temporalem perfunctionem; et idcirco
misericordia
nullo angore
nee
nee
contrahi,
contingi,
indignatione
sed
ab
omnibus
animi
nulla alacritate gestire
passionibus liber,
;
.

dolere

unquam,
Sed
veils vel nolle.
nee

mediocritati

rite

ita
regionis,
'

ox.

p. 119.

nee

aliquidrepentinum

cuncta, et id genus

congruunt.

ingeniomentis
o.c.

nee
aliquandolaetari,

et haec

'^

p. 119.

Sunt

enim

inter

caetera,daemonum
nos

habentes
intersiti,
'

o.c.

p. 121.

deos, ut

ac

communem

""

o.c.

loco
cum

p. 124.

THE
sris

SYMPOSIUM

TWO

immortalitatem,

pati possunt

inferis

cum

447

passionem. Nam, proinde ut

placamenta vel incitamenta :

animorum

omnia

MYTHS

et donis
incitentur,et misericordia flectantur,
invitentur,
contumeliis
precibusleniantur,et
exasperentur, et honoribus

it ira

ad

omnibus
ceantur, aliisque

similem

finem

daemones

comprehendam,
ppe,
nio rationabUia,
animo passiva,
corpore
ut

These

incarnate, from

Lares,

uures,

of

number

Ex

Larvae

the

ainibus

varientur.

swnt

genere animalia,
aeria,tempore aeterna.

lower

of
spirits

"

Daemons

sublimiori^

hac

the

who

Spiritattached

Guardian

modum

Apuleius distinguishes
sharply/as

Daemons

'ing been

nobis

never

daemonum

in vita

deceased

to each

of

sort

Daemons

incarnate

at his birth

man

copia Plato

"

It is from

men.

were

never

that

comes.

autumat, singulis

custodes

agenda
singulosadditos,qui
adsint
arbitri
omnium
modo
non
conspicui,semper
etiam
At
ubi
vita edita remeanvarum
cogitatorum.
srum,
nobis
eundem
n est,
ilium,qui
praeditusfuit,raptare illico et
ad judicium, atque illic in causa
liere veluti custodiam
suam
unda assistere : si qua
commentiatur, redarguere: si qua vera
testes

et

aini

it,

asseverare

)inde

vos

illius testimonio
ferri sententiam.
prorsus
sententiam, me
qui banc Platonis divinam

omnes,

ad
vel
vestros
erprete, auscultatis,ita animos
quaecunque
nihil
homini
formate, ut sciatis,
inda,vel meditanda
prae istis
intra
foris,esse secreti,
todibus,nee
animum, nee
quin omnia
iose
ille participet,
omnia
in ipsis
visat, omnia
intelligat,
itissimis mentibus

Tyrius,writingabout

Maximus
^

'
3

vice conscientiae deversetur.^

p. 128.
"To
mind
a

"

O.C.

Cardinal

Newman
does but

of man,
I which

carefullyformed

have

give back
familiar

time

same

p. 129.
the basis

of

as

Apuleius,

its natural

of Assent, ch. v.),"the

(Grammar

been

ox.

upon

the

conscience,"
world, both of nature

reflection of those

it from
life,and there
to

truths about the One Living

childhood.
Good
and evil meet
us

those who
think it philosophical
are
y as we
pass through
of each with some
if
sort of impartiality,
the manifestations
let towards
as
had as much
better, as having more
right to be there as good, or even
of things
king triumphs and a broader jurisdiction.And because the course
etermined

by

fixed laws, they consider

that

those

laws

precludethe present

It is otherwise
ttcy of the Creator in the carrying out of particularissues.
li the theology of the religious
imagination. It has a livinghold on truths
oh are reallyto be found in the world, though they are not upon the surface.
what it takes a long argument to prove
by anticipation,
pronounce
and
evil
the
It is able to assume
the
is
that,
rule,
exception.
good
with
consistent
of nature, they are
the laws
a
form
particular
as
are
around
it sees
it by this previous inward
It interpretswhat
vidence.
vast
of
that
of
true
the
maze
complicated disorder ; and thus
key
ihing,as
and
luminous
Vision of God from the most
and
consistent
more
[ainsa more
is able

to

hat

)romising materials.
iture

its of

and

his Creator

Thus
; and

personalreligion."

the
conscience is a connecting principlebetween
truths is gainedby
the firmest hold of theological

remarks

has

the

to

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

448

he describes as
of Socrates, which
haifioviov
Gods
who are posted between
adavaTot
Sevrepoi,

the

the

reTajfjLevoi,

ovpavov

and

Earth

between

space

guardians,eTria-Tdrai,of
Gods

between
Tpis

of

Some

their work

give

to

near

aid

with

sea,

in

men

others

ecrrlav (Tco/jLaroi;, 6

and

the

of the

doctrine

iav

"

KaX

di/ecTTto?avTV)
y^v^^rjv,
The

it

within

in

home

etXij'^e
ZmKpdrrjv,6 Se
"

fiev

Be

are

Pythagoras
koI

oaai

domestic

Daemon

"

some

is at

one

dvhpSiVrocravrat
(jjva-ei^
unrighteous Soul is that which
.

quotes Hesiod

country ;
;

in

another

S'

Plato,

the

land

on

in

TiXdroova

ators
medi-

give counsel in
at
things hidden, others help men
with
their journeys; some
are
on

them

at

aWriv

of these

)(dovlTrovXvfioTup'^

Socrates, another
aX\o9

and

diseases, others

our

town, others

in the

men

Gods

ZrjvhsirpoiroXoi

attend

or

Men, in

"

reveal

others
difficulties,

and

the

he

of those

one

heal

them

is countless

fivpioi eurlv iirl

yap

dOdvaroi,

of

number

The

on

yrj";/cal
fiedopia

iv

"

ministers

men.

Men

and

Heaven

be

to

"

(26)

his Dissertation

effect in

same

has

no

:
Saifiovcov

Guardian

Bei^^
fj.o^dr)pav

irov

dveinaTdTTjro'i.
individual's

Guardian

Daemon,

set

rated
Myth and the Myth of Er, and corrobofrom
the personalexperienceof Socrates in the Apology^
Bepuhlie^and Theages,^seems, in the works of Apuleius and
Maximus
quoted from, to amount
Tyriusjust now
very nearly

forth in the Phaedo

identification

the

to

Conscience

of

that

Daemon

with

Moral

Character

identification which, it is

to remember,
interesting
made
before Plato's time by Heraclitus, ^609
was
even
Saifimv,^and meets us in the teachingof the Stoics,
dvdpmira)
to be only the
where, indeed, it seems
legitimateconsequence
of the School, and does not surpriseus, as
naturalism
of the
it does in the teachingof Platonists : the following
passage, for
instance, in Arrian's Dissertationes (i.14),giving the words of
to moral
merely states the doctrine known
Epictetus,
theology
that of the
as
authorityof conscience
:
or

an

"

"

"

"

''

"

"

"

0. et D. 235.

'"'

This

Aen,
two
3
'

seems

to have

been

the

vi. 743, records another

a bad.
a good and
genii,
40 A.
HeraclUi

view
*

generallyacceptedview
"

that

every

man

496 0.

Eph. Seliquiae,Bywater, Fr. cxxi.

; but

at birth
'

128

Servius

has

on

Virg.

assignedto

ff.

him

THE

TWO

SYMPOSIUM

MYTHS

449

Kal
kKoxni^irapecrrrja-ev 6 Ztvs rhv eKOOTov
Saifiova,
avrhv
"^vAa"rcreiv
a^T^, koI toijtov
a.Koifi,T]TOv Kal aTraparlvi yap
Kal
lUTTOv.
aAA(^ KpeiTTOVi
"^i5A.aKt
eiri,p,e\ea-Tep"f
)aSeS(iiKev "qpMv iKaarrov
Skt6' "Tav
KXeurtfreTois Oipas Kal
;
evSov irotij"rjjT",/i"/iVijo-^e
\Tov
/iT/SoroTe
Acyeiv oVt /lovoi eari.
aA.A,'
loTt
6
evSov
^ebs
eoT"'
e
o
Kat
SaipMV itnl.
v/ienpoi
eirirpowov

"eS(oKe

To the

Sc

"TV^

effect Marcus

same

^eo(S

Aurelius

SecKvvs
o"i;v"j^(3s

{Comment,
auTots

27) says:

v.

t^v

eatiToC

"

jfv)(rjv

Se oo-a
-iroiovcrav
(TKOnivrjV
aTrove/MtpAvoK,
^oiXiTai 6
fjiev rots
Zeiis
aa)V
ov
Kai
eSioKei',
l(cao-T"j"
ijyejudvo
diroaTrairpAj,
irpocTTan/v
oiyro^ Si Io-tiv
Tov.
e/cacTTOD
vors
Adyos.
o

for the

So much

Kat

outcome
philosophical

ZaifimveKaa-rov
ial Saifiovei
which
J

doctrine

of

part of the

that

"

of the

have

to

seems

general doctrine of
been
more
interesting

and
Stoics alike.
any other to Platonists
be asked, is the ultimate
But what, it may
moral
ief in the Saificov
out of which
eKaa-rov

rationalising
process,
oumenal

character."

to

from

first dismiss

question,we

theology,by

"conscience,"

or

even

suggest that, in order

I would
s

evolved

has

of this

source

approach the
our

minds

answer

those

to

aerial

(although it is to their
attached
to indiler,accordingto Plato, that the Sai/iove?
the
and
luals belong),
think
only of the Hesiodic Baifiove"i,
The notion of Saifiove^
Illsof dead men, inhabitingthe Air.
incarnate
is subsequent to that of those who
iQ never
were
in,we may
! Souls of dead
men
inhabitingthe air,and came
doctrine of the transcendit,only after the theological
:e
of One
;e
Supreme God had established itself. That
and men,
between
God
doctrine requiredmediators
jological
the creative and
regulativefunctions of
ngs through whom
remains from everlasting
d are
exerted, while He Himself
it was
immoved
only logicalto conceive
everlasting
; and
in time
and
anterior
of the Godhead
Powers
ise beings as
;nityto the Souls of men.
the later
which
with
The primitivedoctrine of Sai/iove";,
than
less connection
i has
might at first sightappear, is
i/iove? who

it of the

dead
)

never

company

on,

presence

ancestors

incarnate

were

; and

of these
1

under,

or

is

See Eohde,

the Earth

of the

widely spread belief

drawn
being continually

it is still

Souls

near
a

Psyche,ii. 317.
2g

Souls
that
upon

MYTHS

THE

450

PLATO

OF

No

supply infants,as they are born, with Souls.

into being ; old Souls are
come
always used.
and return
to it here
adverted
to this belief,^
to

it is the

Spiritof

Guardian
at

of

source

himself

once

double.

"

the individual

and

Every

deceased

some

authorityof
The soul's return
remains
long below.
ensured by special
ju-jus. As the new
"

or

bom
is
person
He is essentially

King,^citing

told that

one's soul

no

family* is
babies arrive,they are
articles belonging to deceased
selection of small
a
of the family. The child is identified by the article
first attracts its attention.
Why, he's Uncle John ;
his own
knows
pipe.'

shown
members

which

its

to

own

'

"

! he

see

already

suggest that

to

J. E.

Mr.

the

the

new

ancestor.

Niger Delta," says

Miss Kingsley, we are

In

I have

haifiaveKaaTov

of the

doctrine

the

Souls

new

would

out

source

that

suggest
of which

fivcrToymyoi

"

the notion

^iov*

rov

in

was

"

Uncle

John

of the

Guardian

have

we

the

Genius, the

evolved.

Angels on which the reader may

article
consult the Jewish Sncyclopaedia,
bears
Angelology
Greek doctrine of 8aifiove"i
considerable resemblance
to the
as
divine beings(not Souls of deceased men) intermediate
between
Philo indeed goes the lengthof identifying
the
God and men.
of the Greek
Jewish
Angels with the Baifiovei;
philosophers.*
The
to
Jewish, like the parallelGreek
doctrine, seems
have been
scendence
largelyconsequentialon the doctrine of the tranGod.*
of One Supreme
Jewish

The

doctrine

of

"

"

"

"

'

'

See fupra, pj). 198 ff. and pp. 302 ff.

"
Infant Burial," Classical Rev. Feb. 1903.

Kingsley'sTravels
'

in

West

Olympiodorus on

Of.

Mr.

King'sreference

is to Miss

Africa, p. 493.
Phaedo

KaToaxevdj^eiiK Trjs /Japrvplastuv

\iyovTOS

70 c
Sn ri fffiov
Kal t6 reSveiis i^ "W-/j\av
waXaiuii
dird 'Opipius,
tuv
(p^ilii,
ttoujtuv
"

"

oi 8' airol

waripesre

Kal vUes

ijd'AXoxoi (re/ivalKedval

re

iv /ieydpoitriy
diyarpes
"

tA toO 'OpipioK.
vavraxoO yd.p6 IIX"tuv Traptfidet
adds Lobeok
"Quorum,"
sententia
videtur:
{Aglaoph. p. 797), "haec
esse
animis
in corpora
remigrantibus saepe fit,ut qui dim
naturae
et affinitatis
vinculis conjunct!fuerant, postea Jliquando
in eandein
domum
ad
recoUigantur

pristinamconditionem
*

revoluti."
^TraiTt daifMav AuSpl (TVfiirapaffTaTei
ei06s yevoiUvtf /jivaTayaybsrod ^lov.
"

'

De

'

See

Somniis, i. 22 ; and also calls them \67oi {p.c.1. 12-19).

Hatch, Hibhert Lectures, 1888, pp. 246, 247 : ISicu.,
\6yoi, Salftoves,

conceptions which easilypass into one

for the theory of a transcendent
argues,

are
S,yye\oi,

basis, he
Platonic

Menander.

ISiai and

the Stoical \6yM,

another
God
was

"

philosophical

aflForded

by

the

GENEEAL

raiCH

SET

FORTH

the

seen

DISTINGUISHED

AS

have

we

"

Individual's

Ideals

spectacleof
in

ture; while

the

Nation

other

-myth of
deduced
.tion'sCategories
exhibited

conditioned

as

the

"

the

Foundation

the

"

led

by

its

of

Myth

Vision

the

Past,

the

of

its

have

we

social

determined

as

we

"

Earth-Born,

"

"

of

the

"

forth

set

KaXXiirokt";^
life of

review

which

of

by

on

Cate-

and

our

Ideal

Nation's

FKOM

Categories

and

in

Myth^

ist at the

MYTHS

conclude
Let us now
Myth.
Myths by looking at two, in one

Platonic

lantis

NATION'S,

THE

have

we

"ies set forth

)

ON

Individual's, Ideals

THE

THERTO

OBSEEVATIONS

a
"

organism
a
priori

deep-cutcharacteristics.
in the
The
Atlantis
Timaeus
as
Myth is introduced
jessary to complete the ideal of the /eaXXiTroXts, or Perfect
must
Timaeus, we
ite, presented in the Republic. The
aember, stands in very close artistic and philosophicconof
the Republic,and
ition with
begins with a recapitulation
of the Republic. Having recapitulated,
books
i first five
certain

jrates
sir

that

says

he wishes

yesterday'sconversation

meet

this

wish

rely summarised
1 scale

that
in

the

see

exhibited

Critias

the

to

now

in

but

action

; and

of
it is

of

Atlantis

afterwards

begun

tells the

Timaeus,

Constitution

story

"

on

Critias,unfortunatelya fragment.

in the

points to be noticed about the foUowof the Atlantis Myth to complete the Republic:
; on
in the Atlantis Myth, which
(1) It is an imaginary Athens
has been
Much
of the Republic in action.
she /taWtVoXt?
There

two

are

chief

"

TiTnaeus, 19 ff. (where it is sketched),and

e
'

scale,but

not

Republic, Hi

finished).
B.

451

Critias

(where

it is

begun

on

said and
and

written

Spartan institutions as
city of the Republic has

of

democracy

Plato's dislike of Athenian

about

admiration

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

452

BefuUic. The ideal

matically described as

"

State

Dorian

and

in

shown

the

been

epigrama Pythagorean
Sparta, which
Myth told by

glorifiedAthens, not
in the
represents Hellas against barbarism
Critias.
"Athens, with all thy faults I love thee still,"is
Plato's deepestsentiment.
without
is assumed
(2) The action of the /caWtVoXt?
of the BepuUic is the
The
education
question to be w(w.
education of warriors,and the Myth of Atlantis is the History
test.
of a Great War
to practical
which
puts that education
The Philosophers
Of all Utopias,Plato's is the most militant.
who
rule are recruited from the Army.
Only those who have
the ideal of
first learnt, as
patrioticsoldiers,to reverence
Country one and indivisible,can afterwards comprehend that
take
ideal intellectually
in its contour
and articulation
can
the
Philosopher-King.
required in the
synoptic view
in privateaffairs never
Industrial people immersed
rise,either
as
patriotsor as statesmen, to the ideal of Country one and
indivisible.
A
called,
PhilosophicBanker," as Grote was
Order."

is

it

But

"

"

"

"

could

Plato

sketched

in

formation

the

City

lust

of

of

the

conceived.

Second

the

the

become

have

not

Book

contented

Pigs
"

ttoA.*?
(fyXey/ialvova-a

is

course

It is out
that

"jroXi's
iyir)"s
"

comfort, can

mere

of civilisation.

home

of the

little rustic

with

its

Republic,^
begins with

of the
The

Army.

an

Civilisation,as

never

of the xinrest and

civilisation is

evolved;

for in order to
to

wage
who, if
rend

war

they

them,
be

is to

the

now

remain
mean

into
word

;
so

turn

trainingof

evil

in

their fellow-citizens

certain

these

itoKk
^Xey/iaivova'a

and, by
much

upon

one

in

They

It is gone

of those dream-like
Plato's
of the

purpose
But

only its

to

soldiers

called

were

transformations

its
Philosophy,
/eaXXiTroXt?

"

and

What, then,

manner.

soldiers?

for the
solely,it would
appear,
policyof the "f"K"y/uiLvov(ra
TroXt?.

the Guardians
of

to

be trained

must

the

servingthe

not

are

existence

into

is

satisfyits lust it must go to war, and in order

it must
have
successfully
professionalsoldiers,

are

of

where

soldiers
which

changed

be; and, without

explanationoffered,a beginningis straightwaymade

*

Sepublic, 372, 373.

MYTHS

THE

454

before the

of the

if

our

eyes
laid down

we

The

Atlantis

PLATO

OF

fade from

would

militant, and

the

sky

arms.

back into the past

the future

throws

Myth

"

in the form of a History of Invaders

coming from
reflects,
the East.
the West, Plato's hope and fear as he looks towards
Greece.
The shadow of Persian Invasion still darkened
Plato,

it

Myth, sets
forth his ideal of a glorified
Athens
which, under the spiritual
the politishall undertake
cal
leadershipof the Delphian Apollo,^
of a united Hellas,in order to stem the onslaught
leadership
in the

/eaWtVoXt? of the BepuUic

of the Barbarian, and

againstthe
taken
to

barbaric

the

with

Republicand

of the future which

Church

in the

Plato's dream
which

manner

even

Aristotle

"

each

rank

"

culture

civilisation."

material

Thus,

they certainlyought
Myth set forth a dream
Dante's dream
of Empire

beside

de Monwrchia.
was

soon

to

come

though not in the

have
anticipated
; for
not conquered Asia

true,

any forecast of his could

writes as if Alexander
had

and

opened a new
epoch for Hellas and the world.
history of Greece," says Prof. Percy Gardner,^ "consists
"

two

parts, in every

The

first recounts

"

other, as

the Atlantis

takes

ideal of

the Hellenic

realityof

in connection

be,

and

maintain

the Atlantis

and

respect contrasted

the

one

the stories of the Persian

with

the

The
of

other.

and

Peloponnesian
and ends with
the destruction of Thebes
and
the subjuwars,
gation
of Athens
and Sparta. The Hellas of which
it speaks
is a
cluster of autonomous
cities in the Peloponnesus,the
Islands, and Northern
their colonies
Greece, together with
scattered
the coasts of Italy,Sicily,
over
Thrace, the Black
These
Sea, Asia Minor, and Africa.
cities care
only to be
another.
Their
independent,or, at most, to lord it over
one
institutions,their religious
political
ceremonies, their customs,
are

and

civic and
a

local.
art

common

together. In
expeditionof
lord

Language,commerce,

and

ties that

poetry

its second

phase,Greek

Alexander.
of

the

are

the

as

bind

historybegins with

It reveals to

barbarian,

Pantheon,

common

us

the Greek

founding

them
the

as

everywhere
kingdoms and

federal

in art and
systems, as the instructor of all mankind
science,and the spreader of civil and civilised life over
the
^

New

Republic,427 B, c.
Chaptersin Greek History,pp.

416-417.

GENEEAL

world.

known

In

the

forming herself,in
will

We

OBSEEVATIONS
first

her

second

to borrow

venture

expression,and
history of Hellas

call

the

that

"

period of
she

from

is

the

455

her

history Greece

educatingthe
Germans

is

world.

convenient

history of independent Greece the

of imperial Greece
the
history of

Hellenism."
The

ideal, adumbrated

Myth, of a
jointforces

in

the

Republic and

the

Atlantis

Hellenic

Empire, created and maintained

by the
of Athens
and Delphi,is one
which
and
between
the ideal of personal salvation
through union with God
Tc3 6em
there is a very real opposition. The
ofjbolaxTK
more
"

"

live for the

men

ideal of national

greatness the less does

the

ideal of

them.
Plato's chief interest
personalsalvation concern
undoubtedly was in the ideal of personalsalvation,which he
derived mainly from the Orphic religion
it was
exactly
; and
this Orphic element
in Platonism
which
constituted by far the
most
important part of its influence on subsequentphilosophy,
the development of Christian doctrine
and, more
on
especially,
and practice. The Heaven
and Hell and
tian
Purgatory of Chriseschatologycome
not, to any large extent, from Jewish
but
the teachingof the Gospels and Epistles,
sources, or from
mainly from the Apocalypses,which are thoroughly Orphic
in matter
It is not to be supposed,of course, that
and spirit.^
the Apocalypses got their
Sacramentalism
Orphism or
the
from Plato.
term
to use
which
a
covers
ground better
the
They got it from
teaching of the Orphic and similar
existed
sacramental
societies which
throughout the world.
But the direction given,at the beginning,
to Christian thought
and feeling,
and, it is safe to add, to Christian practice,
by the
influence of these societies,
produced a condition of religious
of
lent itself easilyto the influence
belief which
afterwards
the refined Orphism of the Platonists.
Just as the ideal of national greatness on Earth, though
Atlantis Myth swimming into
it in the Republic and
we
see
"

"

"

"

Plato's ken,

of

was

little account

influenced, beside

he

God,

union

with

which

Platonism

"

the

so, in

ideal
the

contributed

to

him, and

See

Gardner's

those

whom

personalsalvation through
to
development of Christianity,

so

of

much,

the

materialistic Jewish

Exploraiio Hvangelica,p. 270, with

analysisof the Apocalypse of Peter.
1

to

reference

to Dieterich's

THE

456

of

conception
people
the

to

raised

in

spiritual
for

for
"

ever

reign

Messiah

the

their

earthly

ideal

of

man

now

each
the

of

ideal

in

desire

depart

to

Heavenly

the

life

present

St.

Paul

and

to

at

came

be

over

dead,

the

from

with
this

Earth,

on

bodies

union

which

PLATO

OF

"

having

far

MYTHS

with

PhU.

i.

23

and

see

Gardner's

Sep.

Ev.

pp.

place

gave
Christ

ginning
be-

and

continuing

last

to

Christ,

'

better."

chosen

435-438.

cherish,
which

is

THE

ATLANTIS

MYTH

begins by saying^ that he heard the story, when he

his grandfatherCritias,
who
had heard it from
s a boy,from
i father
Solon
Dropides,who got it from Solon.
brought
from Egypt, having got it from a priestof Neith
that is,
Athena
Solon
had been
at Sais.
tellingthe priestsof
sith some
of the old Greek
that about
the
stories,especially
3od which
Deucalion
and
a
Pyrrha survived, when
very
3d priest exclaimed,
You
Greeks
are
always children ;
old man
iTce is not
an
meaning that the
among
you !
[est Greek
stories were
but of yesterday. Deucalion's Flood
and
the only one ; there
Floods
other
s not
were
many
in Greece
civilisations both
iastrophesbefore it,by which
i in other parts of the world
were
destroyed. But Egypt
i been
from
exempt
catastrophes,and her priestshad
,de records, which
continuous
still preserved in
were
ies,of all that had
happened, not only in Egypt, but
other parts of the world, during the successive periods
and
minated
other
by the various Floods
catastrophes,
which
one
relatingto the Athens
long these records was
ITIAS

"

"

"

"

irished
i

greatest of the Floods.

founded
aged priest told Solon, Athena

irs

before

before his time

is; and
lilar to

that

in
lecially
ss

of

"

one

constitution

the

which

the

thousand
of

from

third

isans, shepherds, huntsmen,

nt

to

on

hens,

so

the

years

before

city of

Timae-us, 20
467

founded
was

still

Sais

He

husbandmen.

and

the

she

thousand

Athens

antediluvian

History of the Great

constituted, was
engaged with the
give

nine

Athens,

preserved,
the
class of priestsand
the
class,including the castes of

sister

separationof

the

warriors

This

the

b.

War

in

then
which

people of

the

and

largerthan Libya
straits

off the

Asia

there

was

island, over
Transatlantic
the

this

Beyond
Atlantic Ocean, by

of Hercules.

Pillars

islands in the

on
pass to the Continent
In the Island of Atlantis itself

possibleto

was

farther side of that

the

the

other

were

it

of which

means

was
island, which
lay in the Ocean outside,
together,

called

now

there

island

this

PLATO

OF

Atlantis, explaining that

of

Island

on

MYTHS

THE

458

Ocean.

that
mighty dynasty of Kings who ruled over
of the adjacent islands, over
parts of the
many
Continent, and over
Libya as far as Egypt, and,
side of

other

Sea,

Mediterranean

the

far

as

Etruria.

as

wards
all its forces,was
moving eastmighty Power, collecting
add
to
to its empire the
remaining Mediterranean
stood
forth as
Athens
and
countries, Greece
Egypt, when
States,
their champion ; and, now
leading the other Greek
vaders,
deserted by them, waged a gloriouswar
now
against the inand conquered them, and not
only saved Greece and
countries
Mediterranean
Egypt, but liberated the Western
This

had

which

Athens

Deluge.
and

flood
the

enslaved.

been

overwhelmed,

was

This

after, came

in

and

day

the

night,by

sank

of Atlantis

still render

which

difficult in these

Ocean

sometime

the Island

and

earthquake;
leavingshoals

sea,

Then,

under

navigationof

the

the

parts.

is the Atlantis

Myth

sketched

as

by

the

Critias in

Timaeus}
to enter
fully into its details,on the
proposes
understandingthat the citizens of the Ideal State constructed

then

He

in the

identified with

Republic are

Athens; but

first,Timaeus

creation

of the world

of the

account
all

is said,we

the

Timaeus, educated
The

told

Atlantis

in the

nobly

Critias,in

fully,is

bulk ; and

print the

have

may

text.

and

of

give

his

man,

so

our

diluvian
ante-

promised

that, when

"

to have

was

fragment,however, of

propose
A

Myth

to

detailed

translate
account

of

been

considerable

it verbatim

or

its contents

sufficiently.
The fragment begins by saying that, in the
Earth was
divided into provinces,
each of which
serve

the

created in
historyof man
Republic,and acquittinghimself

the Atlantis
"

Greek

must

of

Myth.

which

not

citizens

full

the

in the

fragment
do

the

to

will

purpose

21A-25D.

old
was

time, the

directly

THE

ATLANTIS

MYTH

governed by a God, or Gods.^

Hephaestus and Athena, brother
Atlantis

Athens

artisans

and

of Athena

apart by certain

of

with

Attica

What

is

then

had

of the

art

aU

other

it

as

now

divine

"

were

class of

warriors

originally

The

warriors

dwelt

men."

gether,
to-

common,

the

is,was

now

mere

fertile in

most

skeleton

of

soil,so

that

rich

and

mountains
what

rocks

was

mountains

now

are

world.

the

Lycabettus
of

top

this

the

lived round
is, the warriors
Acropolis now
Athena
and Hephaestus,their winter
quarters

of

towards

the

north,

south.

The

number

always about
("^u\aK6s)of

and

their

of

these

their

other

ancient

Athenians

Greeks

They

the

were

leaders

the

was

women,

guardians

(fy^en6ve"i)

the
Such
were
willing followers.
famous
they were
throughout Europe

their

; and

for the

and

warriors, men

citizens,and

own

the

quarters towards

summer

twenty thousand.

of the

Asia

and

There

hills ; and
Pnyx, Acropolis,and
level ridge of loam.
the
almost
On

one

of

constituted

only

ridge,where
the Temple

and

the Island

being supportedby the

citizens.
and
Men
alike practised
women
The
territoryof the city,co-extensive

warfare.

then

formed

sister,and

Hephaestus was
in the Bepublic.

set forth

things in

filled in with

were

and

husbandmen,

and

the

and

assigned to

was

the model

accordingto

labour

Athens

to Poseidon.

The

set

Thus

459

beauty of

bodies

their

and

the

was

allotted.

virtues

various

of their souls.
To

Poseidon
of the

centre

mountain.
who

island
In

had

Island

the

of Atlantis

there

this

dwelt

mountain

Her

daughter Cleito.

the

mountain

and

land, three

of

approached, for

at

in which
sea

that

of

two

time

land, so

there

the

other

Here
of Atlantis
who

was

hot,

he

to

them

Atlas, he

named

and
territory,

of Atlantis, his
1

nine

sons

of water,

streams

; and

into

he

ten

brethren

being

Of. Politims, 271 D, and

sea

be

To

King

the

governors

Laws, ir. 712

of

cold

one

island

first-born,
and
the

under
ff.

it fruitful.

made

island-mountain
him

not

the whole

divided

parts.

gave the
also made

rings of

ships. Being

no

this island-mountain, and

begat ten

among

were

enclosed

it could

that

Evenor,

loved, and

concentric

the
it

near

earth-born

Poseidon

god, he easilybrought subterranean

and

plain,and

the

lived with

she
and

fertile

was

Near

rounding
sur-

whole
him

in

MYTHS

THE

460

PLATO

OF

the
descended
Atlas
were
provinces. From
Kings of Atlantis in long and unbroken line ; and under them
the island prospered greatly,
through foreign
receivingmuch
and
metals, timber, spices,
trade,and itself producing much
and
of food for man,
all manner
pasture for the elephantsand
their

several

"

other

animals

abounded.

which

Great

works

also carried

were

the
First they made
a bridge across
by these Kings.
and
began
rings of sea which enclosed the ancient metropolis,
to build
a
palace on the island-mountain, to the size and
each
adornment
of which
a
generation added till it became
Then
wonder.
they dug a canal 50 stadia long,300 feet
broad, and 100 feet deep,making a waterway for the largest
which
thus became
a
to their metropolis,
ships from the ocean
seaport. They also cut passages for ships through the two
rings of land, and spanned the passages by bridges under
most
which
ships could go. The first ring of land, like the outerthree
stadia broad ; the second
ring of
ring of sea, was
stadia
enclosed it,was
two
land, like the ring of sea which
broad ; while the ring of water
which
immediately surrounded
out

the island-mountain

was

itself

being five stadia

palace they surrounded

stade wide

one

The

across.

with

island-mountain

; the

and

island-mountain

wall ; and

wall

another

its

they

ring of land ; and a third

wall round
also a
the circuit of the outer ring of land ; and
wall on
the coimeither side of the great bridgeleadingfrom
to that ring; and towers
and gates they placedat
try without
the bridgeswhich
spanned the passages cut in both rings of
The
land.
stone for the walls they quarried from
the foot of
and from both sides of the two
the island-mountain
rings of
time making cavities in the rock which
land, thus at the same

built round

served

as

the circuit of the mid

covered

docks.

The

stone

was

of three

kinds

white,

"

red ; and these three kinds, pieced together in one

black,
it beautiful
wall
to behold.
The
outermost
building,made
and

was

with

coated

brass, laid

with

tin, and

glancingred

wall of the

the

like fire.

was

first the

man

might

set

It

was

holy

"

Within

the

the enclosure

spot

surrounded
seasonable

; the

Acropolisitself

place of Cleito

foot

they brought the

like ointment

on

and

where

with

with
of the

ten

golden

fruits of the

wall

orichalcum

Poseidon, in
the

middle

sons

fence.

earth,from

Acropolis
which
were

no

gotten.
be-

Thither
each

of

THE

462

MYTHS

PLATO

OF

tainous
royal city. Atlantis itself was a mounthe
for the plain in which
royal city
island,save
stades in one
This plain was
stood.
ohlong,extending 3000
of the island.
inland through the centre
2000
and
direction,

So much

for the

which

mountains

The

it from

sheltered

enclosed
north

the

stade broad, and

one

it

wind.

hundred

and
great and beautiful,

were

stades

fosse 10,000

deep

feet

work, it may

"

long,
be

carried round
the
thought, of superhuman magnitude was
the mountains
from
whole oblong of the plain. The streams
From
the
poured into it,and it had an outlet into the ocean.
canals were
furthest inland part of it parallel
cut through the
stades,and these were
nected
conplainat intervals of one hundred
of this system of canals,
canals.
By means
by cross
timber
and fruits were
brought down to the city. There were
"

after the winter

harvests, one

two

raised

by irrigationfrom

into 60,000
ten

stades.

set

Leader

dwelt

in the

The

there

likewise

were

and

mountains

other

in this way

"

also bound

for

supply two

to

pair of horses, with

and

driver

to ride

was

also bound

three

armed

men

and

capital;

and

In

each

King

own

the
but

armaments,

of
on

Table

Poseidon
every

of
on

sixth

it would

with

governments

as

nine

supreme
of the

administration

vast

villages.Each

the

cost of

chariot

furnished; he was
riders,and a lightchariot

shield-bearer

to go

on

foot

with

drive the horses ; each

skirmishers,three

one

be

tedious

as
provinces,

over

it,

Leader

stone-throwers

to

describe

well

as

the lives of the

laws;

but

another

were

Poseidon, which

orichalcum,which

were
was

the island-mountain.
year

and

also four sailors to help to man

javelins,
of the
war-ships. Such was the armament
nine provinces had
also their own
different

of the

was

who

were

with

it and

of those

was

with

fleet of 1200

the

lot

supply two heavy-armed soldiers,

two archers,

to

slingers,and,

two

in

horses

measuring

in each

"

chariots

10,000

divided

parts of the country

"

war

summer,

was

sides

Leaders

population accordingto their settlements

Leader was
bound
to supply a sixth part of
of

in

plain

being a square with

fit for militaryservice

those

; and

the canals.

other

lot

lots,each
Over

rains, the

the

these.

in the

its
capital,

citizens

and

the

dealingsof

the

ten

determined

by

engraved by

the

the

mandments
Com-

first men

preserved in the Temple of

There, every fifth year and

a
alternately,
meeting

was

held

for the

dis-

THE
cussion of affairs and
is how

they

bulls,which
Ten,

who

ATLANTIS
the

conducted

kept

were

judgment
their

of

463

transgressions
; and

business

within

left alone

were

MYTH

There

:
"

this

sacred

were

the

in the

The
precincts(jfPoseidon.
after they had prayed
precincts,

god that they might take that

acceptablesacrifice to him, began to
to the

bull which
hunt

the

should

be

an

bulls,without

of iron,with staves
and
when
nooses
; and
they had
weapons
taken one of them
mandments,
they brought him to the Table of the Comand

there struck

bim

on

the

head

and

shed

his

writing,and afterwards burnt his members, and

mingled a bowl, castinginto it clots of his blood,one clot for
each of the Ten.
Then
thoy drew from the bowl in golden
the fire,and
that
vials,and poured a libation on
swore
they
would
and
do
aU
the
to
give judgments,
things,according
blood

the

over

Commandments

of their Father

Poseidon

written

on

the

Table.

of the
in
vials,and dedicated them
they had drunken
the Temple, they supped ; and after supper, when
dark
it was
and the sacrificial fire had died down, they put on azure
robes
the
on
exceedingbeautiful,and sat down
ground about the
embers, all the lightsin the Temple having been extinguished,
and
of night,judged and were
there, in the darkness
judged ;
and when
the judgments on
a
golden
day dawned
they wrote
tablet,and laid it by, along with their robes, for a memorial.
of the Ten
laws also regulatingthe behaviour
There were
make
another.
to
not
war
They were
Kings towards one
aid
of their
another
to
one
against one
any
; they were
number
if his subjects
rose
againsthim in rebellion and tried
to take counsel
his dynasty ; they were
to overthrow
together
and
about
other
rainty
matters, always recognisingthe suzewar
of the line of Atlas ; and a majorityof the Ten must
of his kinsmen.
agree before a King could put to death one
For
a
preserved the
long while the people of Atlantis
in them, and obeyed the laws and loved
that was
divine nature
the Gods, honouring virtue above gold and all other possessions,
and
using their wealth in temperance and brotherlylove. But

When

in

of time

course

human

it seemed

filled with

that,
most

divine

in

the

they were

end, their

was
glorious,

lust of wealth

and

admixture

with

corruptedby

their

nature, from

feeble,and

nature, became

so
prosperity,

when

their

power.

life,at the

indeed
Then

most

very

time

debased, being

Zeus, God

of

Gods,

whose

kingship

nation

was

that

the

in

they
Gods

situate

of
unto

an

assembly
centre

reformed
in

thus

;
:

his

the

of

generation
them

by

"

and,

most

Cosmos,
when

that

perceiving

law,

of

plight,

wretched

PLATO

OF

rule

the

be

the

in

is

might
to

partake
spake

MYTHS

THE

464

wishing

and

to

the

which,

mansion,

beholds
Gods

punish

noble
them

summoned

chastisement,

holy

all

were

things

all

being
which

assembled,

THE

Observations

ATLANTIS

on

Geology

the

hope, has
Atlantis Myth as

bhe

.las ; and

few

now

been

465

Geography

and

Atlantis

THE

Enough,

MYTH

Myth

said to indicate

settingforth

remarks

the

ideal

the

be added

may

importance
of Imperial
the interest-

on

though comparativelyunimportant,topicsof
Geography.

Piatt,in

Arthur

Mr.

instructive

very

of

its

article

Geology,"^after quoting from

the

Critias

of Attica

has

suffered

Geology
Plato

"

on

(110 e) Plato's
of the antediluvian Attica
Dunt
as a rolling
champaign very
the broken
erent from
rocky country of the present epoch,
s : "To
put this into the language of modern geology we
[

uld

'

say,

The

whole

1, withstood

underlying hard

the

by

great denudarocks, which now

"

country.' Mr.
the strengthof the
tt does well in claiming for Plato, on
Has, rank as an
originalgeologist." Sir Charles Lyell,"
has onin his historyof the progress of geology,^
ly
says,
and
of Plato as an
omitted the name
originalgeologist,

jrdinglystand

out

of the

like the skeleton

"

"

"

not

that

aware

has

this omission

corrected,

been

ever

of
This
statement
realitya serious one.
.udation by Plato is,I believe,the first ever
made, certainly
first upon
so
grand a scale. It is true that Herodotus
he
10 ".),when
speaks of the formation of the Delta
Egypt,impliesdenudation of those districts which furnish
i

it is in

alluvium

but
.

;he

his mind

deposit. Plato

new

not

call

attention

to

this

essary denudation, and

consequences,

does

he

does

not

seem

to

the

being fixed solelyon

therefore must

have

appreciated

have

formation

the credit of the

important geologicaldocMr. Piatt proceeds, is : Is this

le."
The next question,"
?
true of Attica in particular
true in general,
trine,however
b distinct enunciation

of

most

"

"

"

quotes LyeU'sauthorityfor

he
.

)le

an

affirmative

'"The

answer:

Lyell,speaking of the remains of Miocene

by Gaudry in Attica, 'attests the former exhave
where
we
of grassy plains,
vast
expanse

fauna,' says

discovered
sion

of

a
1

Journal

of Philology, vol. xviu. pp. 134-139

^
of Geology,chap. ii.
Principles

(1889).
2h

THE

466

the

now

which
the

broken

plains

country of Greece,

mountainous

"

probably united with Asia Minor, spreadingover

islands
its numerous
where the deep Egean Sea and

were

area

are

and

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

Mr.

situated.'"

now

his article with

concludes

Piatt

Gaudry {Animaux Fossiles et OMogie de

quotation from
gives his own
sonal
perI'AUique,1862),^in which that geologist
experienceof the effect of short downpours of rain, in
vast quanAttica and other parts of Greece,in carryingaway
tities
of soil.

"

accustomed

man

remarks
deb",cles,"

such

to

'

night'srainfall
carrying off the whole surface of the Acropolisthan could a
dweller in our climate."
In
compellingnature to do all her
Plato was
doubtless
in a singlenight
work
wrong, as Mr.
Piatt insists,from the point of view of geology as reformed
by
time, I would have the reader of the Critias
Lyell; at the same
bear in mind
that the geology of that work
is,after all,the
geology of the AetiologicalMyth, in which a result,which
Mr.

Piatt, might
"

of

easilytalk

more

'

one

"

"

scientific observer,may

Plato, as
a

secular process,
A few words
think

not

that

that
likely,

ostensible
source.

for the

had

Ocean

which

of

source

the former

of course,

the

his

"

existence

is without

due

to

catastrophe."
I do
Myth.
it is

even

great land beyond

Myth.

Nor

can

the

"

of

bearing on

so-called

the

"

Atlantis,"^ that,

question of

the

source

of

Myth.

Atlantis,I take it,is

*
"

to found

"

that

or

suppose,

sailors' stories of

any

on

to

of the

Geography

it is necessary

to

as

the
real
^have been
Myth
Egypt
know
Egyptologists
nothing of a lost Atlantis.^ As
circumstance
that recent PhysicalGeography
interesting

assumes

Plato's

the

on

now

Plato

the Western

to be attributed

bound

was

conceived

well have

creation

which

he

creation
knows

with

of

how

Plato's
to

own

tion
imagina-

verisimilitude

give

the accepted scientific

doctrine of
by connecting
terrestrial catastrophes
(which we have alreadyseen presented
in the Politicus Myth), and
also with what
believed, in
was
to

"

Pages 450,

So Sander, Atlantis, p. 11, on

See H. J. Mackinder's
Britain

"

"

451.
the

of Brugsoh.
authority

and the British Seas, p. 98

"a continental
'Atlantis ' of which
Greenland
and the Scoto-Icelandio
rise may
be remnants"
;
and see also pp. 100, 103, 140, 177, 179, 354, 356, 357.
*
to me, is that of Jowett
This, the only reasonable view, as it seems
duction
(Introto the Critias),Bunbury {Historyof Ancient
Geography, i. 402), and

Sander, Atlantis.

"

THE
be

day, to

fact

ATLANTIS

MYTH

467

the shallow

muddy nature of the ocean

side the Pillars of Hercules.
This supposed fact is recorded
written
or
Scylax,whose HepiTrXovi,
GircumnavigqJ^ion,
was
before the accession
of Philip.^ Scylax speaks of
le time
and
much
mud,
lany trading stations of the Carthaginians,
I high tides,and open seas, outside the Pillars of Hercules
"jro'kXa
i/iro
arrjX"v t"v iv ry ^vpanrr)
'Hpa/cXeMBV
i/iiropta
Kal veXwyT] (JPerip.
kol
KOb
irXTj/jufivplBe';
"TrrfKoi;
p'XriSovLoov
.). "It is evident," says Bunbury, commenting on this
at this time
visited by
never
sage,^that these seas were
a

"

"

"

lek
ir

traders, while

confused

the

notions

navigation,purposely diffused by

that

had

istotelian

reached

ii.
Meteorologica,

the

ears."

1. 354

and

obstacles to

were
Carthaginians,
Similarly,in the

22,

is shallow

the PiUars

outside

sea

author's

our

of the

we

told

are

muddy,

and

that

windless

Bih tov
K
irrp\,ov,airvoa
^pa')(eajjih/
Iv 0)9 ev Koi\(pT^? 6aXdTT7]"i
which
again shows,
ova'7]";
known
little it was
to the Greek
abury remarks,^"how
TO,

S' e^co orTrjX"p

"

riners."*
Island

The

A.tlantis,then, is

of

igination,rendered
"

ience

and

"

"probable" by

observed

facts

"
"

the

creation

Plato's

confirmation

intended

creation

of

creation

of

to

of
con-

the

Bepuhlic
Sander puts it,"
of the
the negative,"
jnded to stand as
as
The
ediluvian
Athens.
(commerce)
People of Poseidon
and
Athena
3t yield to the People of
(wisdom)
Hephaestus
well
have
helped
ndicraft). Carthage, of course,
may
the

it with

KoXXiiroKK,

the

"

"

to

to

seize the

type described

antis,greedy of Empire

"

like

this selfish Commercial

in

England, as

she

to

appears

rivals.
While
"enician
uds
as

or

the

the
or

attempt
other

to trace

navigatorswho
is, I feel

continent

Neo-Platonic

irpretsthe Myth

as

an

to the tales of

Plato's Atlantis

sure,

had
as

exegesisis on
allegoryof

visited the
mistaken
the

the

other

American
on

one

side,which

struggleof
'

the

matter

i. p. 386.
o.c. i. 398.
o.c.
Bunbury, o.c. i. 385-386.
lib.
Ar.
ord. et auct. pp.
Kose
de
The
(see
pseudo-Aristotelian de Mwndo
of a much
"the
s
tamp
unquestionable
)0) "bears," says Bunbury (i.398),
that
of
the
than
of
advanced
knowledge
geographical
stage
age of
;otle." See also Grote's Hist, of Greece,ii, 462 (ed.1862).
'

F. Sander, Atlantis, p. 6.

MYTHS

THE

468

againstfonn/ yet
Columbus.

be noted

Plato

the Platonic

that

creation

produced
age which
then for the first time being read in Greek

influence
practical

without

not

was

it must

PLATO

OF

was

the

on

by Western scholars/and his wonderful land across the ocean,

to be talked
described in the Critias,came
so
circumstantially
verted
conMaritime
at least.
about as a possibility
discoverysoon
Plato
was
into a reaUty; and
the possibility
very
critical
a
more
naturally credited with knowledge which
that he
sees
now
scholarshipthan that of the Kenaissance
could not have possessed.
notice a scholium
I must
Before closingthese observations
of the BepuUic which
the opening sentences
might be
on
taken

stock

was

that

imply

to

of Athens

War

this custom

argued that
that the

Myth

introduces

his

unlikely.

story as unheard

Callias says about

Athens
long before
See Sander,
Atlantis

The

West

for the

Latin
the

version

Plato ; for Critias

This, however, is very

can

But

the

is not

in the Critias was

then being read in the
as it appears
first time ; but the Tvmaeus, to 53 c, was
in the
already known
of Chalcidius
that Dante, who knew
{drc. Cent. V. ). It is sliange

Myth

or
(either directly,

as

Mr.

probable,through
mentions
refers to Atlantis.
or
Aquinas), nowhere
xxvi. ) is the Mount
of Purgatory in the
sights(inf.
Islands

Fortunate

scholiast

p. 17.

o.c.

thinks

"Timeo^,"

Plato's time, and

from

before.

Plato's time.

in this version

Tiinaeus

Atlantis

in
hardly have originated
scholiast is right,
it is pretty plain that the
of Athens
and Atlantis
(in spiteof what
at
known
its being hitherto unknown) was

If the
way.
story of the War

taken

popular ceremony

that

subsequent to

was

pepluswas

the

on

and

Athens

between

war

The
scholium
Myth.
says that at the
peplus was woven, and embroidered with
it might be
and Atlantis.' Of course,

Athenian

Little Panathenaea
the

the

Albertus

more

or

does not

Atlantis

an

touch

in the

Western

Toynbee, Dante Diet. art.

Magnus and S. Thomas
The
land
which
Ulysaes
Southern
Hemisphere, not

Ocean.

The

commentary

of

the

ever,
introductorypart of the Timaeus, which is,howcontained in the version ; and Dante's references to the Timaeus
(the only
he shows any specialknowledge) are limited
work
of Plato of which
to topics
occurringin the Discourse of the chief speaker,with which alone the commentary
Chalcidius

of Chalcidius

deals.

This

seems

his

Timaeus

only through

references

of other writers
first-hand
no

own

to it and

that he had

to

make

study

for the
of

view

that

Dante

knew

the

the

or
through the
commentary,
the corresponding
of
the
version, and
part

If he
acquaintancewith the version itself as a whole.
had read the first part of the version,it is difficult to understand
his not having
of Atlantis, and his not having made
of an
been struck by the Destruction
use
event
so suitable for poetictreatment.
^
Kari. rhv Ileipaiair^ovv, ^
Tct Si /UKpi,JlavaB'/ivaiO,
oXs xal iriirKos dXXos
Ka6'
ISelv
Toiis
tv
rhu
6yTas
avevTO
6e^,
^v
'A07ivaiovSi
rpoiplfiovs
aii^s, viKWVTas
Tji
irpbs'ArXavrlvovs ir6\e/wv. Schol. on Sepuibl.327 A.
"

BepuUic
414

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Kal
A.ey,etfir),

iTreiBclve'lTTCo.
ovK

B'

rjv

ri

Kal
"^a"nv ol iroiTjral

irei6ov^. '12?

av^FH''

avTov"s

TLoiov

^oivikikov

ovB
yeyovb"s

ov

Kav

"jroXiv ;

aXKrjv

firj, ttjv

ireireiKaai/v,
iip''^fi"vBe

fiaKLcrra fiev

w?
fjhr]TToWa^oO yeyov6"s,

fiev

av,

S'

rjiilv,
rjv

ev

B-415

414

idv

d/ivveivavTov's,
iroKrr"v

OvK

eTOi,

dBeX^"v

to?

irakai
etjirj,

8' iyco,elK0TO)"i dW'

-SfV
"

fivdov.

icrre fiev

ocrot

fiev

eV

avrrfv

koI

ovtwv

ya-vvvov

avTov"}

vfi"viKavol

Kal

ev

oaoi

dBeX-

iroXei

Ty

apj^ei/v,')(pva-ov

Xoiirov

to

dXX'
fiv0oXoyovvTe"i,

"

virep

i^euSo? Xeyeiv.
Kal

ofi"o"} uKove

^vve/ii^evaiiToli,Bib TifimTaroLelaiv
470

irj,

yrfyev"vBiavoei-

to

yh,pBr)irdvTe'iot

"f"oi,,
w?
^Tjtrofiev
7r/30?
TrXaTTtov,

T19

ev

B'

ry

6e6"i

yevea-ei

imKovpoi,

THE

OF

THE

3d of the

People which

have

we

of Eulers, Soldiers,and

sses

EAETH-BOEN

try,says Socrates,to invent

must

MYTH

Noble

distributed

Workmen

the three

into

Fiction

"

for the

Fiction

which,

the

Eulers
must
themselves
to believe,but,
we
possible,
get
let our
Fiction eschew
ling that, the other citizens. 'And
relty: let it be framed after the pattern of those Foundam-Myths which the Poets have made familiar. I hardly
how

ow

ders,then
will
s

be

make

lich

recommend

to

of the

difdcult,indeed,
the

venture

deemed

they
were

der the

we

dreams,
Earth,

nourished, and

ought. Then,

speak
womb,

their

when

now

lerein

they

are

ist themselves

is

their

up

to

came

and

things
pass

instructing

they were

being fashioned

all

accoutrement

and

making

the

the while, in truth, 'twas

aU

that

"All
and

"

it ; yet, let

to believe
that

citizens

their

of them

was

Mother,

sent

fullyaccomforth ;

them

good counsel concerningthe Land

and
as
Nurse, and
concerning a Mother
defend her, if any come
againsther, and also
take

they

must

arms

the

shed, the Earth, which

d

the other

them

imto

the

belief,first of

bringing them

to

in her

of

tell them

done

were

so

then

get them

to

and

"

were

their life,when
3m,

Soldiers,and

the

to

story

my

all

regard unto
"children,along
ve

with

their

fellow-citizens,as

themselves, of

brethren

unto

Mother,

one

even

of

rth."
We

shall

further

say

them

to

in

pursuance

of

our

yth:
"

"All

ye

ihioned you,
ire

Able

ver

in

of this

City are
mingled gold in

to Eule

; wherefore

the nature

of the

God,

brethren:

but

the nature

of those

are

they the

Soldiers
471

and

when

of you

most

precious:

iron

and

copper

He
who
and
in

Bk

(TiSripov

apyvpov

TTokii
ofWLovi

yevvrjdeirj
Kal

Kal

ayaOol

^i;\aK69

ovTco

fiT)Bev

ws

/jAXicrTa

^vcrei,

TT]

^vXaKrjv,

Tore

")(aXKo"i

Tivd

ep^et?
D

ovTov

dWijfXav

e'Xpi

irpo"i

KrjBeadaf

ovv

ov

jMevT

avOponroi,
av

TOVTOV

iLtj'^avrfv

oTTWi

aWot

ev

"f)vXd^i].

ol

vleK
'AWd

fidWov

aj(eBov

e^r),

tovtcov

vaTepov.

to

fivdov

OvBafiw?,
ol

avTOv";

yap

dXT^u

Sk

cos

Tt

tovtcov

Tts

oi

av

irebaOelev,

7'

av

fiav6dva"

avTol
o'i

eireiTa

^v

tovto,

T"ys

ovto";

"TiBrjpo"; f)

ottws

Kal

tov"!

')(pr)"Tfiov

oir(o";

Kal

rrjv

et?

dvd^ovai

avrijv

tov

fj

axyovatv

rifirja-avTei

orav

ylrvyf^aii

Tai";

viro'^aXKO^

aJ)

eiriKovpLav,

eh

Bi,a^Oaprjvai,

iroKiv

TTjv

"pvr),

Be

"f"v'Kd^ova'i

iv

eKyovo^

av

ye(opyov"i,

tov^

/w/Sevo?

ottw?

diToBovTe";

nfirjv

virdpyvpo"s

apj^pvai

KareXerjcrovo'iv,

rpoirm

Kal

el"i

rj

fj

6t?

fiev

fi7)Bevl

exyovov

a^oSpa

rovrcov

avT0i";

fiev

jfpverov

e/c

odv

0"o";,

(T^erepof

re

irpocrrjKOVcTav

B7]/j,iovpyov^
v7ro^pv"TO";

idv

yivTjrai,,

VTroaiBr)po"i

Tt

ore

rot?

rots

to

^pva-ovv

/j-'tjB'
ovtco

ecrovrab

"jrapafiifjLiKTai,,Kal

apyvpov

irapayyeXkei

ixyovov;,

T0U9

ecrn

dXKijXeov.

i^

ovrtoi

Kal

i^

Trai/re?

ovreii

yevvmre,

Kol

travTa

irp"Tov

avTolii

ical

yecopyoi^

re

rot?

^vyyevei'i

ovv

apyvpovv

av

ToXKa

'^aXicbv

are

Vfitv

av

PLATO

OF

xal

Brj/iiovpyoii;.

aWot?

MYTHS

THE

472

TroXecos

S'

Te

Xiyei'i.

iym,
Kal

MYTH

THE

the

Husbandmen

most

part,

and

as

come

to

from

silver,

And

giveth
watch

naught

which

of

of

theirs

no

wise

place

for

of

this,

or

unto

gold

and

lead

him

This

The

believe
Thus

Fiction.

the

keep

but

Public

the

watch

for

in

the
born

one

any
take

account

Watchmen,
Oracle

the

not

that

day

the

the

unto

the

hath

destroyed

are

we

it

whom

may

forth

of

in

him

unto

shall

child

shall

they

be

see

Iron

"

How

next

they
place

the

be

him,

there

him,

Soldiers;

will

to

Good

in

unto

up

Myth.

the

silver

or

and
to

if

and

him
if

God

children,

award

thrust

whereas,

City

generation
it;

the

the

shall
is

of

place

that

Copper

and

of

in

shall

other.

any

indeed,

Souls

iron

or

but

nature,

with

declared

his

these

the

him,

upon

sort,

which

issue

their

and

forth,

Watchmen

the
in

copper

Husbandmen

or

among

it

pity

sometimes

brought
any

be

as

mingled

of

aught

have

Craftsmen

is

be

the

parents,

will

commandment

they

diligently

so

metals

have

meet

that

their

unto

from

yea,

chiefest

Eulers,

else

these

and

will

for

that,

kindred,^t

one

"

albeit

like

silver

offspring
first

the

unto

of

gold

473

Now,
children

all

from

the

EAETH-BOEN

Craftsmen.

are

ye

golden
is

THE

engender

that

pass

this

or

will

ye

inasmuch

yet,

OF

may,
be

is
and

served,

them

get

to
first
the

after

told

to

possibly

cannot

generations
all,

by

belieye

our

after.
Noble

MYTHS

THE

474

Note

The
with

on

metals

three

the

of
of

doctrine

Myth

the

this

Hesiod

PLATO

OF

of

Eaeth-boen

the

Myth
{O.D.

taken

be

must

^"^

if.)

in

connection

which

the

the

Observations

reader

"

is

on

referred
the

fancy

is
the

that

by

of

means

this
the

here

me

chief

the

inspires
"

dream

would

appeal

to

his

by

means

of

the

to

adult
which

elsewhere.

things
patient
the

has

Poet

Pages

434

fC.

"

supra.

Pages

The

dwelt

been
effects

34,

remark

384

"f.

which

feeling

the

art.

'

the
"

experience

an

childhood

Myth
only

"

"

in

feeling

to
in

doubles

are

among

which

was

uncommon

here

things

his

to

seems

no

of

youth

our

Daemones

fancy

the

to

"

Plato

of

one

regard

on

Diotima.^

of

Discourse

With

that

section

the

to

supra.

that

tion
produc^

on

purpose

as

THE

MYTHOLOGY

AND

METAPHYSICS

CAMBEIDGE

The

of

purpose
Alexandrine

Diotima, has
Modern

this

Concluding

Part

for

show

to

its chief

Timaeus, Fhaedrus

been, and

is

tenets

Myth, and
important

still is, an

that
to

the

Discourse

of

influence

in

Philosophy.

Our
of the

chief

seventeenth

Before

we

Platonists
of the

will be with

concern

throughout upon
present day.

the

THE

PLATONISTS

Platonism, indebted

of the

mythology

OF

and

century ;
their

successors,

consider

the

compare

it with

present day, we

former.

seventeenth

but

It was,

must

in

one

the

central

try

"

Cambridge Platonists
shall keep a watchful
we
eye
the English Idealists of the
"

Cambridge
English Idealists

doctrine

that

of

of the

the

environment

to realise the

word,

"

academic."

of

in

That,

the

"theological."Their paramount
interest was
in Theology. They brought to the cultivation of
and
and
rabbinical learning,
Theology,first,classical,
patristic,
and Newtonian, if I may
secondly,
physicalscience,Cartesian
be allowed so to caU the reformed
science which
was
already
all but ripe for Newton's
great discovery^
With
It was
that of the
regard to their Learning:
The learning of
i.e. Platonic, not Aristotelian.
Eenaissance,
century, meant

"

"

the

medieval

Myth

of
of

out

Eoman

that
the

had

Church

Church,
ashes

Church

of

the

been

Aristotelian

Bivina

Commedia,

the

sprang

Antagonism

Aristotelianism.

had, doubtless,much

; and

to

do with

the

great

into
to

life
the

Platonic

spreadfrom Italy. Ficino, the great Florentine

Platonist,took the place of Thomas
Aquinas, and is the
ing
authoritythe Cambridge Platonists are always found appealrevival,which

to.

Their

Platonism,

moreover,
475

was

that

of Plato

the

MYTHS

476

THE

mythologist,not

that

Alexandrine
its doctrine

had

to them

by Philo

used

by Origen

philosophy of

the

attracted

which

been

Testament, and

the dialectician ; that

of Plato

Platonism

is,it

Old

interpretthe

Fathers

to

forth

set

lines

on
mysteries,

was

as
especially

them,

to

other

and

Christian

the

PLATO

OF

common

Plotinus.

with

exegesishas been referred to in

the
section on
never
thought of doubting that
Allegory,^
to each
Platonism
and the Jewish
Scriptureshad real affinity
was
other, and hardly perhaps asked himself how the affinity
of
imitators
for ; but the English Platonists,
to be accounted
his exegetical
method, felt themselves
obligedto satisfydoubts
of the
and answer
questions. To make good the applicability
Platonic philosophy to the exegesisof the Holy Scriptures,
it was
and
Numenius,* that
they felt, with Aristobulus
Moses
Atticus.
important to be able to show that Plato was
In the Preface to his ConjecturaCabbalistica,
a
or
Conjectural
Essay of interpretingthe mind of Moses in the three first
Chapters of Genesis, according to a threefoldCabhala, viz.,
literal,philosophical,
mystical,or divinelymoral (1662), Dr.
Henry More writes (p.3) :
method

Philo, whose

of

"

Moses
and

to have

seems

abstrusest

of the truth
therein

inventions

after

appeared

been

philosophersthat ever
further presumption
to
day.
Cabbala is that the grand mysteries
Philosophical

him

of the

choicest

this very

of this

contained

subtilest

aforehand,and preventedthe

most-what

are

And

the

that

same

those

eximious

two

philosophers,
Pythagorasand Plato,brought out of Egypt, and the
of
Asia, into Europe, and it is generallyacknowledgedby
parts
Christians that they both had their philosophyfrom Moses.
And
Numenius
the Platonist speaks out plainly
concerninghis master :
What

is Plato

thing

incredible

deal

of

doe

favoured

him,

which

Again
^

'

from
author

the

in the

of the

Alexandria, p.

and

mystery
Moses

consists

of

and

the

the

Pythagoras,it
should

Numbers,

his creation

had

he

a
a

been

not

of the world

thereof

is

such

make

in six

communicated

to

in Numbers.

work

same

for

his followers

(ch.iii." 3, p. 100)

existence

Greeks

of

mucli

stole their

phrase Mwucr^s irriKl^uiv:

6.

And

Cabbala
Philosophick

mainly

Plato

he

the

Pages 234 ff. supra.

Aristobulus
asserted
which

Atticus?

sight of

had

Moses

that

with

with

days,and

but

See

older

translation

philosophy.
Dr.

he writes

"

of the Law

Numenius

Bigg's Christian

is the

Platonists

of

478

MYTHS

THE

mathematical

This

mechanical.

and

in vogue
the natural
Physics and Astronomy, and
"

PLATO

OF

the

was

natural

sophy
philo-

philosophy which was

reforming
about to bring forth Newton.
was

tively,
surpriseus, then, if we look at the matter attenthat
of Cambridge wished
to show
that these alumni
Cartesian
the
it is true
Moses
or
taught allegoricaUy,
mechanical
philosophy. It was as if theologiansof our own
day were anxious to show that the account of the Creation in
belief in a Special
Genesis,or, if that would be too paradoxical,
It is true
that
Providence, is compatible with Darwinism.
More
and
not
Cudworth, especiallythe latter,are
entirely
satisfied with the Cartesian theology,
although they accept the
Cartesian mathematical
physicsas giving a correct explanation
of natural
indeed
in
atomism
its
phenomena. It was
form
Descartes
which
the
revived, not
genuine Mosaic
atheistic Democritean
atomism
Immaterial
; for he positsan
Substance
; but he leaves this Substance, as First Principle,
While
little to do.
too
recognising immaterial
cogitative

It need

not

"

"

"

"

"

"

distinct

substance

as

falls into

the

from

extended

material

substance, he

of

substance
identifyingcogitative
entirely
with consciousness,and for the
soul
a
plastic
spiritualor
he
immaterial, though non-conscious, principlein Nature
substitutes
blind
mechanism," thus deprivingtheologyof the
design. This is the gist of a remarkable
argument from
error

"

"

"

"

"

criticism

Descartes

of

System, vol.

with

connection
in

such

i. pp.

modern

which

275, 276.
of the

criticism

books

as

in Cudworth's

occurs

It

is well

worth

tendencyto

same

Professor

"Ward's

Intdlectucd

reading
be met

in

with

Naturalism

and

Agnosticism.
More,

in

notable

passage

in

the

Preface General

to

his

the soul,and
(1662), speaks of Platonism
as
the
of
Cartesianism
the philosophy which he applies
as
body,
of the Text of Moses.
to the interpretation
This philosophy
is the old Jewish-Pythagorean Cabbala, which
the
teaches
Collected WorJcs

motion

of the Earth

motion

of the

Earth
of his

and
as

the Pre-existence

Mosaic

doctrine

of the Soul.
he

discusses

The
in the

Appendix to the Defence of the Philo"sophichCabbala (p.126), and the passage in which he deals
with an objection
againstascribingthe doctrine to Moses may
be noted as an
instructive specimen of the method
of these
sixth

chapter

THE

CAMBEIDGE

Cambridge Platonists.
one

in

appear

the

on

the

The

face

of

Mosaic

been

has

having been
in

this

fame

More

doctrine

doctrine

this

and

such

was

you,

It

that

with

thus

much

thereof

bold

of

the

in the remains

of

the

against its

of

that

or

part

there

in imitation

hereof

of Numa

imagesin

Numa's

to

seems

instructor

^eXTmv

it prove
the Judaical
.

worship

is said to

Uvdayopov,

to

be

found,

unless

descended
the

from

descended
all these

the Jews

learning.What's
motion

of the

Tradition

or

and

is

this

Earth

Cabbala

can

be

more

to

once

Only

that to all the inhabitants

was

no

such

august

round
from every prospect, and that
appear
be an
must
the Sun ;
ever-shiningFire, I mean
he built

but

Compasse,
none

and

and
itself,

round

temple,which was called the

speaks plainly and
have built a round
temple of
Plutarch

of the

in the

Universe;
Pythagoreansplaced the Fire, and called it
neither immovable, nor
reckoned
the Earth
Mundane

and

there

concerning which

Vesta,

some

Pythagoras himself;

knowing

"

the

me

Pompilius.

divine

Vesta,
temple
That
Numa
is reportedto
apertly,
Vesta for the custody of a fire in the midst thereof that was
to go out : not
imitatingherein the figureof the Earth, as
was

once

but

in the midst

of

of

religionand

the Universe

it cannot

one

both

Numa

as

writes

than

does
of

nation

exceedinglyprobable from

was

God

temple of

Numa

how

that

the

motion

an

seems

Jewish

the

the purpose ?
been
to have

better

...

imbued

not

part of the Cabbala (he says) be

Jews, yet that it was
the
once

among
the
learned

of

greater

circumstances

does

the

where, I pray
from the Jews

the

"

argument

credible from what Plutarch

sufficiently
For his so strictly
the use
prohibiting
is very apparentlyMosaical
and
Grecian
but
be not
a
^apfSapoi ns
Barbarian

doctrine

taljesup

of

not

appears
be no

can

of

extinct

manner

hidden

the

the

part thereof."

the

Though

is that

"

479

able
formidsufficiently

"

it

lost and

Cabbala,

Jewish

objection

writings.

positionthat, although
Earth

PLATONISTS

but

that

of the first and

plainthan

it is carried

chief

these

elements

testimonies

midst

Vesta
in

about

if she

whereof
or

the

never

the

Monas,
midst

the Fire

of the World."

and

of the
or

Sun,
What

Cambridge Platonists,of which the

is expended in
above
enables us to take the measure,
passage
main
two
directions, pointed out by Philo and by Plotinus
their master
in Scripturalexegesis
respectively.Philo was
established (although
the
dogma was
exegesis by which
with regard to the
here, especially
Plotinus,too, helped them
doctrine
of the Trinity); but Plotinus
was
especiallytheir
The

"

learning of

the

MYTHS

THE

480

in

master

tedious

to

quote

religion. It would be
they employ PhUo's

devoiional

concerned

what

PLATO

OF

which

in

passages

(alreadyillustrated in another part of this

establish dogma : it wiU be sufficient merely
More's
to mention
FhilosophickCabbala, ch. 1, his Defence of
the PhilosophickCabbala, ch. 1, Cud worth's Intellectual System
and
of the Universe, vol. ii. p. 366 and p. 406 (ed.Mosheim
and
Norris's Season
Beligion (1689), pp.
Harrison), and
133, 134; but a few words respectingthe aids to devotion
be out of
not
which
they derived from their Cabbala may
placehere.
the general
First, it is to be observed that ecstasy was
in which
form
they tended to envisage religiousdevotion;
exegeticalmethod
work) in order to

here, doubtless, Plotinus

and

model.

their

was

The

ecstasy

phenomenon, probably deservingthe

^
it
well as of the theologian
attention of the physiologist
as
;
of indicatingits natvire, to refer to
will be enough, by way
^
in Porphyry's
Cudworth, who
quotes a well-known
passage
Plotinus

of

is

friend

Life of his
that

And
enthusiasm

and

affirmeth,that

experienceof a kind
gods [Cudworth here
is above
to

and

mind

raise up

Plotinus

master

"

here givea taste of the mysticaltheologyand

may
these Platonists
too, Porphyrius in his Life of

we

of

Plotinus

obscure

an

both

Plotinus

of ecstatic union
refers

the

to

to the

sometimes

the first of these

Platonic

first and

had

himself

with

"

:
understanding

his mind

and

that
Trinity],

Plotinus

often

which

endeavouring
God

that

highestGod,

three

times
some-

is
nor
appeared to him,
I
whom
to
placed above intellect,and all that is intelligible;
united in the sixtyPorphyrius affirm myself to have been once
Plotinus' chief
eighth year of my age." And again afterwards :
aim and scope was
to be united to and conjoinedwith the Supreme
who

hath

neither

form

idea, but

"

God, who is above all ;

times,whilst myself was
That
is,Plotinus aimed
union

gods

with
"

the

rb

the
(called

towards

the

which
with
at

eV, and
One

latter end

and

he attained

scope

him, by

such

"

rdya^ov,
the

of this

kind

of

Kivrpov

T(j)otov

For

modem

cases

I would

Intell.

System, ii. 315,

316.

energy."

and

himself

ecstatic

highest

is described

book {Enn. vi. 9),where

and
iw(i"j"riv,
irapovcrCav
eirwrTJj/iJjs

Experience (1902).

by

as

calls it

irdvriDV Kivrpif

inefiable

rapturous

several

four

the first of the three

Good),
last

certain

unto

KpeiTTOva,

crwairTeiv,

"a

refer to Professor James's

and

kind

rh

of

he

eavriav

tactual

Varieties of Religious

THE

union,"and

"

certain

joiningof

CAMBEIDGE

our

better than

presence

centre,

own

PLATONISTS

as

it were,

481

knowledge,"and

with

the

"

the

of the

centre

universe."
"

This

doctrine,

rather

or

identifiedwith

the

practice,of

of

name

ecstasy,especially

Plotinus,appeals stronglyto the

understand
English Platonists,who
it, however, not as a
mysterioustrance, but as a Holy Life,"ecstatic in the sense
of being dead to the flesh and
the
vanities
of the world.
Death to the flesh and the world is secured by
nay consists
tn,^Contemplation of the gloriousand lovable nature of God.
The
highest and last term of Contemplation,"
says Norris,^
"is the Divine
it follows necessarily
Essence.
"Whence
that
the Divine
the mind
which
Essence must
be totally
and
sees
with
the corporeal
thoroughly absolved from all commerce
ecstatical
and
or
some
by Death
senses, either
rapturous
"

"

"

Abstraction.
Eanst

not

live."

Life

good

Divine
the

see

true

is that

face, for

my

which

there

God
shall

John
Smith, in his
Similarly,
method
of attainingDivine

or

way

So

Science

If

"

any

doctrine,whether
"Were

I indeed

no

Moses,

man

Discourse

see
on

"

Thou

me,

and

The

true

knowledge," speaks of
Fundamental
or
"irp6\7jyfri";
Principleof

the

as

said to

it be
to

will

man

do

his will,he shall know

of God."

define

Divinity,I

should

rather

call it

Divine

Life,than a Divine Science ; it being something rather to be

by a SpiritvMSensation,than by any verbal description."
*
well
is
not
subtile
so
a
wit,
perceivedby
Divinity
as
Sxm-ipaurO-qa-ei
by a purifiedsense, as Plotinus
KeKaBapfiivy,
it."*
"The
Platonists
phraseth
thought the minds of
could never
be purged enough from
those earthlydregs of
men
Sense and Passion, in which
much
so
steeped,before
they were
could
be
divine
of
their
and therefore
bhey
metaphysics;
capable
solicit a ")(u"puTfi.hs
a
airo
toij
they so much
crdfiaro^,
separation
Erom
would
the Body, in all those
who
KaOapm ^lAoo-o^etv,
understood

"

understand
sincerely
their

Philosophy.

Divine
This

was

Truth
also

Philosophyto .be /ieXerij

davdrov,a
herein

at

only a

moral

way

of

for

that

intimated
meditation

dying,by

by

was

them

the
in

of Death

scope

of

defining
;

aiming

looseningthe Soul

from

'

Of. Aristotle,S. N. x. 8. 8. 1178 b 32, etriSy i)eiSaifioi'la

Beuiplatis.
Reason
"of a deyotional
nature
amd Beligion (1689), p. 3.
It is a book
written for the use and benefit of the Learned
Reader," " whose Heart may want
much
to be inflamed
the other's Head
IS
as
[i.e.the head of the unlearned
'

person for whose use devotional books are mostly written] does to be instructed.
' Smith's
*
Select Discourses (1660),p. 2.
o.c. p. 10.

2i

"

the

Body

and

from

Sensuality
.

which
.

they devised

their

was

of

the Souls

which

therefore,besides

and

life

this Sensitive

dperalKaOafyriKal
by

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

482

Mathemata,

further

separated
separation
contemplations
of

way

mathematical

or

be

to

were

men

those

they had, whereby to rise out of

several
this dark
steps and
(nrrjkaiov,
body ; dva^dcreisek tov
before they could set
of mortality,
of this miry cave
ascents
out
footingwith their intellectual part in the Land of Light
any sure
Plutarch
Priests of Mercury, as
and
Immortal
Being."^ "The
wont
to cry out
tells us, in the eating of their holy things,were
and
delicious
sweet
Sweet
But
how
is Truth.
yXvKv fjaX-qOeia,
Souls feed upon
in their
that Truth
is which holy and heaven-born
tell but they that
with
the Deity, who
can
mysteriousconverses
When
Reason
is raised by the mighty force of the
it ?
taste
once
with
Divine
God, it is turned into Sense :
Spiritinto a converse
before was
that which
only Faith well built upon sure principles
besides

many

(forsuch
converse

ways

Science may
becomes
be) now
God
with
t^ vw, whereas before
our

with
Siavoi^,

only Ty
wont

other

Discursive

our

distinguish.Before

to

labouring in

from

another; we
with
a7ro"f"avTiKi^,
intellectual

an

shall

hold

on

such

calmness

blissful,
steady,and
It
Smith

oversteps
Life"

be

our

him

only Ady^

contentious

^Reason,

of

contests

minds

were

of

diverse

thing
koytp

one

him

upon

understanding,yaX-^vyvoepq^

serene

and

serenityas

invariable

perhaps

may

fasten

with

him

it self in its deductions

then

shall then

the Platonists

and
with a struggling,
aTToSeiKTiKi^,
agonistical,
hotly combating with diflBculties and sharp

opinions,and

We

conversed

we

as
faculty,

laid

we

Vision.

will present

sightof him."

thought

little the

us

that in the

line which

such

with

foregoingpassage

divides

"

"

ecstasy

as

from

"Holy
"ecstasy" as temporary state of exalted
religiousfeeling;and perhaps in the followingpassage too,
from
his Biscowrse
of the Immortalityof the Soul, he may be
the
fault ; yet the passage
same
thought to commit
seems
to me
to contain what
is so valuable
for our
understanding
of the influence of Platonism
as
mythological,rather than
on
logicalsystem
present-day religiousthought, that I
venture
to transcribe
it,togetherwith the notable quotation
"

"

from

Plotinus

Though
Wisdom,
^
^

o.c.
o.c.

Discourse

in

included

in it :
"

contentious

pursuits after
the
Power, Eternity,Goodness,and
our

pp. 10, 11.

pp. 16, 17.

concerningthe

This

and

True

Way

the
or

science, we
like

into

foregoingquotations are
Method

of attainingto Divine

all

cast

several

from

the

Knowledge.

THE

Formalities,
so

CAMBEIDGE

that

of Deductions

we

yet

clearlydiscern

we

Justice and

Mercy

pieces else

the

Divine

break

naked

our

that
kiss

other

QOtion

of Proclus

of

them,

and

Wisdom

lodge together,

and

all these

and

Plato's

descantingupon

as
if it
dyevvr/Tos,

whatsoever

and
apprehensions,

of

Contemplations.I

not

Soul

of the

ws

yet not generated,

the Soul
""'"'^v Trepl
r-qv ilw^riv,
and
particular conceptionsand

Eternityin

need

riddle

generatedand

were

yevvrp-rj
to be understood; xP"^"^
^'Z*" ""!'
of
Time
in
its
broken
partaking

its
that

say

Stable

Comprehensive and
when

top of this

the

Soul

is

got

once

doubt
no
more
brightOlympus,
doubt whether
own
or
Immortality,or fear any Dissipation,
drowsy sleep shall hereafter seize upon it : no, it will then
itself grasping fast and
safelyits own
Immortality,and view

to

up
of its
any
feel

itself in the
did

chain

constant

Visions

Keasons
sometime
glasses of our
may
fast
knit
Being into,are
Intelligible
up together
bonds
of Eternity. And
in this sense
is that

and

invincible

the

in

Intuitions and

Goodness

each

Science

483

cracked

in the

kol

down

trace

may
in

PLATONISTS

Horizon

Plotinus

find

it will then

of
his

Eternity. In

such

Soul separatedfrom

own

kind

sober

his

of ecstasies

body

..."

into
of
a
sense
self, and
being often awakened
being
my
sequesteredfrom my body, and betaking myself from all things
admirable beauty did I then behold."
else into my self ; what
.

But

here

much
up

must

we

the

to

will

caution, lest

some

of

power
into

themselves

Being; but

use

our

that

may

appear

therein, as

us, that

dmple.
Soul's Immortality,and
.

of it

it is

their

and

beget

only

True

them
own

subtile

as

all to

be

but

it is indeed

real

one

goodness.

know

and
and

Virtue

cannot

raise

Our

sees

high original
ing
disjoin-

dividingand

entire and

most

one

thing further

to

which

breeds

clear the
true

sense

of the
highest
speculations
thereof

within

in the Souls

every
mediums

it in

its

good
to

of

true

yet

that

men

can

delightthemselves
man

is not

demonstrate

higher light:

Sanctityis

us, but

his

so

in

logically
his

Soul

own

being

capable of

those
enlightenedby
divine irradiations,
whereby it feels itself in conjunction with
Grod,and by a avvavyeia
(asthe Greeks speak),the Light of divine
itself
with
the lightof its own
goodnessmixing
Eeason, sees more
that
n
ot
it
if
it
the
jlearly
only
Supreme Deity,of
please
may,
its own
exist eternally,
but also that it shall do so.
nature
[t is indeed
tality
question the Immornothing else that makes men
of their Souls, so much
and
their
base
as
own
earthlyloves.

purged

and

he

indeed

of

way

love,believe and

Immortality. Though
to
be able by fit

Immortality,
yet

that

sufficient conviction

Goodness

both

much

every

this

may

make

thus

correct itself for

can

shall add

viz.,True

"

Soul

But

it

knowing

We

arrogate too

and
steady contemplation of true
pure
with
act
some
or
hepoTrji (as
multiplicity

rather

they speak) attending it.

to

we

Souls, which

own

should

more

which

first makes

msh

them

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

484

their

Souls

not

were

they are not ; which Plotinus hath well

accordinglyhath soberly pursued this argument :
now
(saithhe, Erm. iv. 7. 10) consider a Soul, not

immortal,

and

observed

and

think

then

"

Let

us

one

as

such

hath
cast
such
but
as
one
a
Body
Such
and
Anger and other Passions.
'Concupiscence
away
Vice
is
all
that
manifest
natural
unthis will sufficiently
a
one
as
from
abroad,
to the Soul, and
something acquiredonly
in
and all other Virtues
a
and that the best Wisdom
purged
lodge
shall
Soul
reflect
such
allied
it.
to
a
If,therefore,
as
Soul,
being
is immersed

into

the

shall it not
how
to itself to be of such
itself,
appear
upon
For Wisdom
Divine and Eternal Essences
1
of nature
are
as
Virtue

true

and

unhallowed

seeing it

by

mortal

thing

therefore,the
let him

voTjT^Kal
shall

he

it to

be

therefore,needs

it must,

and

be

koI

o-vyyeveiav
therewith.
consanguinity

and

Soul

this,view

immortal,

when

his

which

Soul

own

shall

he

behold

rh

template,
Con-

it of all that

denuding

of man,
that does

any

Divine,

Sta

nature

kind

into

enter

never

can

Divine

its kindred

itself is not, or
he will believe

Effluxes
:

filled with

is

ofioova-iov,

Divine

being

; then

it

ev

t^

and pure nature

iv T"i KaOap^, fixed in an
;
Intelligible
intellect contemplating not
then behold
his own
any

thing,but eternal things,with that which is eternal,that

is, with itself,looking into the intellectual world, being itself
all lucid,intellectual,
and shiningwith Sun-beams
of eternal
made
from
the First Good, which
Truth, borrowed
perpetuallyrayeth
sensible

all intellectual beings. One thus qualified

upon
without
take
that
to
seem
saying of
arrogance
up
may
any
Farewell
all
Empedocles, x'^'P'''') '7^ ^ ^Z*'"^^^s afji/SpoTos

forth

Truth

his

"

henceforth

I am
earthlyallies,
angel,ascendingup

into

of

in

it which

shall

I find

ground

inward

sciences

themselves
Soul

abroad, but

its

the

in

forth
the
"

that

divine

immortal

an

that

reflecting
upon
true
Sanctity and
divine things,then

the bottom

of his

the

own

Soul

sciences ;
only
behold
Temperance and

are

lightsees

own

for Smith's

its main

owes

of

arise from

of itself to

out

and

So much

set

myself. When
the knowledge of

wight,but

them

essence

true

in the

which

likeness

Purity
shall the

display
for

Justice

contemplation of
before

was

the

its

enshrined

itself."^

within

it

that

not

being

in

mortal

and
Divinity,

which, indeed,

runs

own

him

no

"

Idea

Idea

presentationof

features to the doctrine

is

of God

"

Idea

of Soul

"

of epm? and am/^viyo-ts

the
regulative value
"

Myth ; and
finelyappreciated. The regulativevalue of
is as finelyappreciatedin the Discourse of

the Phaedrus
"

the

"

"

'

O.C.

pp. 99-105.

distinct

were

and above
affections,

blessed

God,

exercise

renderingthem
capacity.^

Idea

like to itself

as

as

ov/r

be

cannot

faculties of

consist with

may

sinful

own

pletely
com-

which

Ipsum Bonwm,

all the

sovereigntyover

We

the

honi,or

aiove all

him

particula/r
Beings.

owr

till the
its

it is to love

but

things;

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

486

is

Souls,

our

their proper

at considerable length, that the

quoted Smith
reader
appreciatethe place of the Platonist doctrine,or
may
rather
of ecstasy in the Life and Philosophy of the
da-Kr]en"!,
Cambridge school. It would be easy to quote similar passages
I

have

"

"

from
"

Cudworth, More, and

keep

his head

Neo-Platonic
in

form

"

better

the

Myth

Fhaedrus

doctrine

intoxicating
"

Consciousness

in the

Epistemologyand

Leaving

the

in

doctrine

of

the

look at their science.

the

Their

and

forth in
of the

Presence

"

Consciousness," which
my
and
Ethics of T. H. Green

learningof

physics

set
dvdfivija-K

of e/so)?and
the

and

Eternal

it

to

me

"

the

is,

the

in

others

to

seems

to present
ecstasy
atmosphere,and, moreover,
be more
which
can
easilyrecognisedas connecting

link between

now

the

than

Smith

; but

Norris

meets

us

his school.

Cambridge Platonists,let
science

Cartesian

was

"

us

that

treated

mathematically,
the application
of which
according to mechanical
principles,
by Copernicus and Galileo,in the latter branch, had already
overthrown
the Aristotelian tradition,and produced an intellectual
revolution,which can be compared only with that which
has
Darwinism
own
produced in our
day. Natural science
has always been influential in England in giving impulse to
to Theology. Locke's
Philosophy,and even
sioned
occaUssay was
and
inspiredby the activityof the Eoyal Society;
Berkeley'sIdealism found expressionin a monograph on the
accident that
not
physiologyof vision ; and it was
by mere
the Universityof Newton
the alma mater
of the English
was
was

astronomy

Platonists.

They received
inspiredby

were

Heavens
and
'

True
^

"

and

pp.

it.

Like

said, The

Space

astronomy with enthusiasm.

new

"

Infinite

o.c

the

"

are

410, 411, from

"

Xenophanes,they

One

is God."

the
Discourse

"

looked

One

up

at the

great Order

scientific ideas which

of the

They

Excellencyand

"

dominate
Nobleness

of

EeUgion."
Arist. Met.

rbv debv.

5. 986

24, els t6i' SKov oipav^v dxojSX^^ast6 Iv etvat ^ijiri

THE

Cudworth

and

his

otherwise

"

Platonic
"

CAMBEIDGE

PLATONISTS

friends,and

bring conviction to their belief

by the authority of revelation and
of ^he Universe," a
Governor
a

established

philosophy

in

and

Being," a

"

Perfect

phrase,is
unfitlybe

Infinite

The

"

487

Good,"

conceived

"

and

God

in

who,

Plato's

yet, in scientific sense,

spatially

by Cudworth,

as

"

in

moral

may

not

strange

passage

"

It is certain
of
nor

Nothing;

that

and

measurable.

there

be

can

no

mode, accident,or

consequently,that nothing
But

if space

be

neither

the

be

extension

extended
of

body,
be the
it of necessity
and
nothing;
nothing

then must
incorporeal,
and
affection
the
of
nothing,
be measurable
must
by yards and poles. We conclude,therefore,
and Epicurean
that from
this very hypothesisof the Democritic
distinct
from
body, and positively
Atheists,that space is a nature
be some
it follows undeniably that there must
incorporeal
infinite,

nor

of substance

cannot

affection

yet

extension

of

substance

whose

be

affection

its extension

is,and

nothing infinite but only the Deity,that

of an incorporeal
Deity.
To

this

let

strange passage

me

because

there

can

it is the infinite extension

append

some

stanzas

from

PhilosophickaUPoems, which show how the Copernican

of
astronomy impressed his imagination how the centrality
to
world seemed to him
the Platonic arfaOovin the intelligible
in the visible world.
be imaged by the centrality
of the Sun
stiff standers for ag'd Ptolemee,"
He has been speakingof the
and proceeds: ^
More's

"

"

"

But

That

let them
mindless

I'll take

my

of
Regardless

like

bark

band-dogsat

pasaethon
flightabove
fond

such

in silencie

the

moon

this outward

Sunne,

malignitie.

Lift my
self up in the Theologie
I'll contemplate
There
Of heavenly Plato.
The

Arch

type of this Sunne, that bright Idee

Good, that doth his beams dilate

the worlds,all lives and beings propagate.

Of steddie

Through
One

all

ateddyGood,

Unmovfed

centre

Monad,

Apollohight,
whoae
energiea
in vital light.
appear

The

Intellectual Sunne

Are

all

thingsthat

of Easencea,

that

and Harrison).
IiiielUctual System, vol. iii. p. 232 (ed.Mosheim
^
157
S,
Psychozoia,or Life of the Soul, pp.

THE

488

Whose

PLATO

OF

passethevery
brightness
him, stird

Yet

round

All

thingsdo dance

They
To

MYTHS

about

thither
him

embosom

; their
do direct with

with

creature's

sight.

gentlefire,
being,action,might,
with

strong desire.

they aspire.

close embracements

He moves
Unseen, incomprehensible.
himself each seekingentity

About
That
No

yet shall find that which

never

finite

it loves.

thing shall reach

infinity,
thingdispers'd
comprehend that Unity ;
Yet in their ranks they seemly foot it round.
Trip it with joy at the world's harmony.
Struck with the pleasureof an amorous
stound.
dance they with fair flowers from unknown
root y-crowned.
No

So

StiU

short they never

fail to seek.
falling
they nothing by their diligence
;
They find repast,their livelylongingseek

Nor

find

Rekindled

still,
by timely

Thus

all

Move

about

Nor

be

Him

they

circumference

that satisfies them

all ;

stird up by wary
sense
election rationall,

thus

Or

But

influence.

distinct

thingsin

or
foresight,
blindlyreel about

the Heart

of Lives

centrall.

So

doth the Earth, one

of the erringseven,
Wheel
round
the fixfed Sunne, that is the shade
Of

steddyGood, shiningin

With

the rest of those

this Out-heaven

starres

that

God

hath

made

Of baser matter, all which

he
With
his far-shining
light.

WhUe

array'd
They sing for joy,
They frisqueabout in circulings
unstayed.
Dance through the liquidair,and nimbly toy,
Sol keeps clear the sprite,
what may
consumes
acdoy.
The
With

About
Like
These
And
That
A
Who

The

of each

centre

severall World's

shiningbeams
whose

radiant

reelingmoths
aU
that

even

around
World

infinite such

full sufficient

Good

Sunne

kindly warming heat.

crown

togetherone

unexhausted

the Planets runne,

a candle
light
I conceit
worlds

that God

there
is

be,

hight

is to me.
make
the highestDeity.

reason

simple Qoodnesse

mathematical

and

physicsof Descartes and the Copernican

astronomy were welcomed with joy by the Cambridge Platonists,
as
affordinga far better "Argument from Design" for the

CAMBEIDGE

THE
of

existence

God

System, which,
called the mind

ingenuityof

PLATONISTS

had

than

been

with

its cumbrous

away

from

afiforded

489

the

by

of

commentary

the wisdom

Ptolemaic

Epicycles,

of tfte Creator

the

to

The

Copernicanastronomy, by taking the

of the
solid sphere in which
fixed stars out
the
Ptolemaic
be central
to
fast,and showing them
astronomy held them
the sun
round
of our
which, as round
suns
system, planets
revolve in liquidaether, forces on us the thought that there is
of such
solar systems, or worlds, not a rounded-off
an
infinity
there
is mere
universe, beyond whose
flammantia moenia
of worlds
was
acceptedas proof
nothingness. The infinity
of an
poreal
of the existence
infinite,omnipresent Deity,an Incorwhose
is everywhere,and
centre
Principle a circle
man.

"

"

"

"

for

argument

and

that

are

finite universe
This

the

Moses,
Science

Modern

"

would

be

the

why

that

the

doctrine

had

convinced
with

an

bridge
Cam-

goreans
Pytha-

the

consistent

doctrine

only

"

"

is

show

to

held, with

Platonists

was

"

anxious

so

of the Earth.

this

"Corporeal Deity."

Platonists

motion

nowhere."

circumference

of

the

them

spiritual

philosophy.
the vast prospect
influence which
The profound theological
opened up by the reformed astronomy exercised over the minds
of men
in the seventeenth
century cannot be better brought
own

by a passage in which
belief on record : ^
theological

The

six

home

his

to

than

us

very

Primary

nearly

their rise from

same

orbs

very
Heavens.

could

Dominion

fixed stars
framed
One ;

are

same

Plane.

mechanical

round

the

The

And

in circles

motion,

(or secondary

moons

Saturn,

with

the

of
very nearly in the plane
have
not
all these regularmotions
in
carried
the comets
are

seeing
freelythrough all parts of
very
This
most
elegant system of planets and
be producedbut by and under the Contrivance
not
and powerfulBeing. And, if the
of an Intelligent
of such other systems, all these,being
the centres
.

causes,

that

by the like counsel, will be subject to the dominion

especially
seeingthe Light of the fixed stars is of the

Poems, notes, p. 409.

PhilosophickaZl
Scholivm
end of the Principia. I avail
the
at
generale
translation in his edition of Cumberland's
Laws
of Nature.
^

Sun

of their

direction

Jupiter,and

Earth,
motion, and

planets.

comets

the

the

and
eccentrical,

the

'

in the

of their

the orbs of the

and

with

round

direction

revolve

Planets

Sun,

to the

revolve
planets)
same

puts

"

concentrical
and

himself

Newton

of
same

More's

myselfof

Maxwell

with

nature

mutually

passes

systems
lest

that

of

from

to

one

they should mutually

He

all

things,not

governs
Universe ; and
the
of
called iravTOKparoip,
hath

word, and
of God, not

as

by

God

For

Emperor.

gravity.

is

Lord
be

to

relative

; and the Deity is the Empire

is the opinionof those who

to servants

Body, as

own

another,

one

their

World, but as the

dominion, He is wont

of His

Universal

His

over

another

one
upon
the Soul of the

because

relation

from

distances

rush

systems

placed the

has

He

And

another.

at immense

the fixed stars

all these

Light of

the

Sun, and

of the

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

490

The
His servants.
World, but over
a
Supreme
Being, Eternal, Infinite,Absolutely Perfect;
but a Being,however
Perfect,without Dominion, is not Lord God.
all thingswhich
He governs
all things,and knows
are
done,
make

the Soul

Him

God

of the

is

...

or

which

be done.

can

Eternal

and

endures

and

He

Infinite;He
is

is not
He

present.

but He is
Infinity,
and
Space, but He

Eternityand

is not

Duration

endures

always,and is present everywhere

everywhere.He constitutes
Infinity. Whereas
every

by existingalways and
Space, Eternity and
particleof Space is always, and every indivisiblemoment
Lord
Duration
is everywhere,
and
certainlythe Framer

of

Universe

notion

and

and

Duration

shall not

be never, nowhere.
We
know

of the Substance
and

and
attributes,

Things,and by
of His

account

and

God

We
.

of God.

by

Final

the

Causes ; but

Dominion.

without

wise

most

For

have

excellent

adore

Dominion, Providence,

and

the

properties
of

structure

worship Him

and

worship Him

we

any

His

only by

and

we

not

Him

of

His

as

Final

on

servants

Causes,

is

There
arises no
nothing else but Fate and Nature.
Varietyin
from
blind
Things
metaphysical necessity,which is always and
All diversity
in the Creatures
could arise
everywhere the same.
only from the Ideas and Will of a necessarily-existent
Being.
We
when
we
speak, however, allegorically
sees,
say that God
hears, speaks,laughs,loves,hates,despises,
gives,receives,rejoices,
is angry, fights,
For
all speech confabricates,
cerning
builds,composes.
God is borrowed, by Analogy or some
Kesemblance, from
human
afi'airs.
So much
course
the Disconcerning God, of Whom
from Phenomena
belongsto Experimental Philosophy.
...

The

main

Phenomena
from

without

Effects,till we

is not

of

Natural

Philosophy is

feigningHypotheses, and
to the

come

First

very

to

from

to

argue
deduce
Causes

Cause, which

certainly

mechanical.

Besides
reformed
famous
to

business

his

the

better

astronomy

Argument

seemed

Cartesian argument from

Existence.
Cudworth^
*

to

from

Design

offer,there
our

seems

Idea
to

of

was
a

Intellectual System,vol. iii.pp. 38 S.

also

Perfect

feel the

the

which

the

Being

difficulties

THE
with

this

against

it.

connected
himself

CAMBEIDGE

PLATONISTS

491

argument, but is unwilling to declare

is less critical,
More/ however, who

accepts it thankfully. I have

alreadyallusled

which
Cudworth
has to offer to
objection
that by substituting mechanism
^viz.,

serious

one

Cartesian

the
"

to

for the

system

plastick
substance,theoretically
retained,
if
little, anything,to do, and weakens
immensely the value of
the argument from Design in Nature.^
However, the general
tendency of Cartesianism
being favourable to religion,and
is satisfied with merely warning
opposed to Hobbes, Cudworth
his readers againstthis particular
flaw in the system. Holding
"

"

"

soul,"it leaves the immaterial

as

does

he

in the

brief for

Cartesian

assumptionof
Kiv^a-em^.He
Cartesianism
our

system, is

the

existence

than

immaterial

an

more

data from

Immaterial

an

Power

to

mechanism,"

substance

value

the

necessitate
as

ap')(ri

to this merit

which

in

or

Force

indeed,

are,

we

beyond

dead

Power

or

controllingthat

Wisdom

infer

cannot

as

"

proof of the Existence of God from

yet it is plainlynot a very great merit

left with

are

infer

matter, but

of

conceived

that

its

to

; and

we

compelledto

so

argues

evidentlyattaches

Idea of him

after all,if

Descartes, he

surprised,then, to find that Cudworth

and
his school, Cartesians
though they professto be, are
in maintaining the
contrary of the Cartesian
very strenuous
doctrine which
and
makes
True
Wrong,
False, Eight and
depend entirelyon the Will of God, and not rather on an
of the Ideal World,"
Law
Eternal
Nature
of Things," or
logicallydistinct from, and prior to, the Will of God, in
Force.

We

not

are

"

"

which, however, the Will of God is always

Smith, indeed, the clearest head, I think, among

accordance

with

exercised.
the

English Platonists,is so
combining Cartesianism with
on
lightly

the

man's

moral

starry Heaven
An
Ths

Platonism

that

he

of
difficulty

touches

the
two

best and

Antidote
True

the

against Atheism, Book

Way

or

to

compendious way
spoken of by Kant

Moral

within"

Law

i. chaps. 7 and

"

most

witnesses

above, and

sanctified heart.

and

nature

^
'

the

but

arguments for the existence of God suppliedby

nished
system, and dwells mainly on the evidence fur-

is
Life" he says,^
Belief." Of the

of

aware

the

former

by

well

Holy
Right
"The

"

"

Smith

8, pp. 20 ff.

See p. 478 supra.

Method

of attaining to Divine

Knowledge, p. 9.

MYTHS

THE

492

the latter to found

chose

PLATO

OF

belief
theological

his

of the school,who, without

greater lights
from the heart,"are inclined rather
to

"

design in nature," and

"

to

"

in

"

this,

More,

and

Cudworth

philosophicalthan

perhaps, more

upon

ignoringthe
to look to
"

"

for

epistemology
"

the

''

ment
arguscience

"

proof of

of God.

the existence

Immortality of the Soul, the other cardinal

and More
doctrine of Theology and Morals, Cudworth
are
very
the
in
scientific
and,
on
whole,
evidence,
busy
producing
find it easy to press the science of their day into the service
For

the

"

"

of the doctrine.
The
Soul
both

is

of their scientific argument is,that the

starting-point
an
Systems of Philosophy,
incorporealsubstance."
"

and

ancient

modern,

as
distinguished

are

"

theistic

"

and

they professor deny the doctrine of

The
substance."
saving merit of Descartes, as we
incorporeal
stance."
have seen, is that, after all,he recognises incorporealsub-

"

atheistic,"accordingas

"

"

On

chapter of

the

the

other

hand,
Book

First

denies

Hobbes

of

it.

In

the ninth

The

Immortality of the Soul,

More
examines
Hobbes'
disproof of Spirit or incorporeal
substance.
Hobbes'
has
is, Every substance
argument
dimensions
a
Spirithas no dimensions ; therefore there
; but
is no
I confidently
Here," writes More,*
spiritualsubstance."
deny the assumption. For it is not the characteristikaU of a Body to have dimensions, but to be impenetrable.
All Substance
that is.Length, Breadth, and
has dimensions
Depth ; but all has not impenetrability.See my letters to
"

"

"

"

Monsieur
on

in

Des

Cartes."

the definitions of

This

Spiritand

earlier part of the

refutation
of

of

which

Body

More

falls back
has

given

Spiritis defined as
Substance
a
stance
Suba
penetrableand indiscerpible; Body, as
impenetrable and discerpible." This definition he
amends
in the chapter against Hobbes, putting it thus :
Spirit or Incorporealis "Extended
Substance, with activity
and indiscerpibility
leavingout impenetrability."More thus
extended
plainlyranges himself with those who assumed
an
incorincorporealsubstance ; but, of course, there were
many
whom
was
Plotinus,*who regarded Spiritas
porealists,
among
an

same

treatise

Hobbes

"

"

"

"

"

"

'

See

"

Page 41.

Cudworth,

ItUcU.

Page 21.

System, vol.

iii. p. 386.

MYTHS

THE

494

add

only

here

Cudworth

that

Intellectual

System, vol.

Harrison)

in

"

interested

point at issue between

explanation of the

in the

of

Platonist

out, I

makes

his

"teleology" as
nineteenth

is

plasticsoul
doubt
"

the

that

is

his

"

The

English

Idealist

tells

former

do

to

frankly

us

latter

the
"

is

spiritualprinciple

of

"

the

with

between

difference

chief

"unconscious," while

whether

world.

century, manages

"spiritualprinciple."The
advocates

teleologicaland

"

English

the

successor,

twentieth

or

the

one

"

"

to

venture

of any

attention

century,with his plasticsoul,"

for
think, as plausiblea case

seventeenth

the

principlein his
and
(ed. Mosheim

of the

treats

i. pp. 235-252
the
well worth

passage

"mechanical"

the

PLATO

OF

his

the

two

that

leaves

his
in

us

conscious

"

or

unconscious."

Having attempted
learningand the science
English
T. H.
will

their
compare
Idealists of the

Green

traced

present day

to Plato

and

"

"

"

with

the

now

of the

that

school

the

of

which

representative.The

as

of the

that

outline

mere

doctrine

think, that the central

show,

Idealists,equallywith
be

central

taken

be

may

in

"

Cambridge Platonists,I

of the

to

on

go

describe

to

to Plato

doctrine

comparison
these English

of

Cambridge Platonists,is to
the mythologist,
rather than

;to Plato the dialectician.

The
Doctrine

central
of

doctrine

Ideas

of

the

Cambridge

Platonists

is the

that
presented in the Phaedrus
Myth
is,presentedto religious
feelingas theory of the union of man
in knowledge and
God
with
conduct.
In the Doctrine
of
Ideas, as it is presentedto the scientific understanding in such
contributions
to Logic as Republic,509
the Cambridge
D
ff.,
Platonists,like their Alexandrine
to take
seem
predecessors,
as

"

little interest.
The

Doctrine

of

Ideas

adopted by

the

Cambridge
be stated as
Platonists may
foUows :
Sensible things,which
and
into existence
come
perish,are but reflections,
images,
of
Eternal
Essences,ArchetypalForms, or Ideas. These
ectypes,
the
Ideas are the vo-^fiara,
the elements
Thoughts," of God
which
constitute his Eternal Wisdom, ao^La,or X070?.
The
as

"

"

"

Wisdom

of God

is that

typus, according to the

visible world.

Man

World

of

Ideas,that

conceptionof

attains

to

which

mundus
he

arche-

created

this

only in
knowledge,iiriaTrnii),

CAMBEIDGE

THE

far

so

apprehends these Eternal Thoughts of

only in so far as, spurred to reflection by

"

of sense, he
"

into

enters

things in God."
man's spiritis

sees

"

yelp ryevo's ea-iMev.

its eternal

Ideas

\
theology.

The

of

"

of

with

communion

the Eternal
theirs

Mind

of

God,

is

of

find that

"

/Thus epistemologyinvolves
involves

Wisdom

"

or
ei'Si;
"forms,"

in the mind

"

Consciousness

too.

or
consciousness,"

which

the stimuli

"

AU

are

those

the

the Divine

cause
possibleonly bekind with the spirit
one
of God
tov
minds
partake of one originalmind," -^

theory of knowledge

universal

Subject of
of
activity

communion
This

reproductionsof

"

are

495

he

as

"Wisdom

PLATONISTS

of

without

the

supposition

God,"
the

constructive

his sensations

man

Eternal

as

would

be

"blind."
this sketch

From

it may

be

that

seen

the

doctrine

of\t

to aAl
InteUectualists,
archetypalIdeas amounts, in the English
Theory of Knowledge, in which the a priori element is recog- \
nised,as in the Kantian philosophy. Let me fillin my sketch
by quoting some
passages from More, Cudworth, Smith, Norris,
and Berkeley.
In his antidote againstAtheism^ More
speaksof relative
"

notions

Unlike

and

ideas

or

"

in

"

Cause

much

the

Effect,Whole

and
same

way

as

and

Kant

the

Part, Like

speaks of

his

relative ideas,"
Understanding." These
he says,
the
the
external Impresses upon
are
no
senses, but
Soul's own
active manner
of conceivingthose thingswhich
are
in a
senses."
discovered by the outward
Again, in the Cabbala,^
carries us out of the
Critiqueof Pure Eeason"
passage which
into the
Metaphysic of Morals," he says : The Soul of man
is not merely passiveas a pieceof wood
with
or
stone, but is forthmade
therefore if God
active by being acted upon ; and
in us rules,we
rule with him ; if he contend
against sin in
also contend
togetherwith him against the same
; if
us, we
is good or evil,we, ipsofacto,see by him
he see in us what
In
his lightwe
see
light; and so in the rest." Again, in
his Philosophickall
Poems,^the followingcurious passage occurs
to think, of considerable
a
philosophic
passage, I venture
import,on account of the wide view taken of innate ideas,or
a
are
shaped,as well as
priori forms : bodies,it is suggested,
"

Categoriesof

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

'

Cudworth, Trii. System, iii. 62.

"
Page 18, bk. i. oh. 6.

^
"

Page

Green, Prolegomena
154.

"

Page

to Ethics.

238.

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

496

accordingto
experienceorganised,

conscious

forms

tional
priori,constitu-

:
"

in their

souls
plantall

If

That

vital formative

That

they

a tree

selves contain

own

fecundity,
different colours

with

stain.

shapes,smoothnesse, asperity,
acutenesse, and rotoundity,
Straightnesse,
A goldenyellow,or a crimson
red,
A varnish'd green with such like gallantry
;
And

diverse

How

dull then
its

from

If forms

it

centre

own

the soul ?

rash

So

matter,
e'er

cannot

Wherefore

'tis the soul

so

on

through all singulars.

runne

our

venture

us

neverthelesse

? when

own

souls

do possesse

we

and immateriall

forms

Free
Hence

in

impresse

makes

e'er to confesse

as

generallytrue

Ought
We

What

spread?

never

can

Again, an universal notion,

What
objectever did that form
Upon

dead,

is the sensitive ? how

characters,
declares.

boldlygeneraU truth

"***"

"

body ever yet could figureshow

as
rotundity.
Perfectly,
perfect,
?
Exactlyround, or blamelesse angularity

What

Yet

doth

And

flnden

And

rightlyterm

Wherefore
Which

like forms

the soul of such

fault at this

the

th' humane

deficiency.

this better and

is

measure

Soul

our

sooth to sayen whenever

find pure truth,her own
She enters, in her self doth
To

The

attempts each

thence

lines with
in

which

worse

Idee,

own

seH doth

she doth

sea

strive

profundity
deeply dive ;
rightlyto descrive.

the last stanza

ends

find their

mentary
com-

Discourse

of the Immortality
the KLvrja-i,";
and the Kti'ijo-t?
"Trpo^anKij
of
KVKXiKrj of the Soul are distinguished.By the former she goes
forth and deals with material things; by the latter she reflects
she
What
finds by
herself.
reflection
he sets forth
upon
in his Discowrse concerningthe Existence and Nature
of God?
a

passage
the Soul^ in which

in

essence

that

own

in her

And

From

discourse,

Smith's

"

"

Plotinus

hath

well

taught us, eis eauT"i/ kina-rpi^mv,

eis
o,px^v
his
own
reflects
himself,
Origireflects
upon
npon

He which
iiri(TTpe"l)ei,
nall,and finds the clearest Impressionof
1

Pages 65, 66.

some

Eternall

Pages 123,

124.

Nature

and

THE
Perfect

contrivance

mind

of the 6foi

into their

of Pictures

Divine

or

the

that

and

read

Athens, afterwards
buckler, ut nemo
imminueret.

he

made

is

name

so

the

his

set

of

Soul

in

there, by
this

know

the

Image
what

without

within

alway

we

so

them

to

its

upon

I shall
which
passage
atheistical
criticism of Hobbes'
The

"

the

write

not

non

his

Rationall

as

counsel

own

Natures.
Imitation

an

be

might
whenever

a
we

Urim

an

of God

petual
perlook
and

himself,

breastplate.

quote from
"

with

statvam

shall find

ask

the

Impresse of Souls

And
we

Phidias

Acropolisat
deeply in her

Mam

the

them.

may

born

having so

imparting such

rightmanner,

which

look

to

Minerva

in

up

own

Understanding

of himself

own

will have

such

in

onely of the

they say

as

statue

be

to

would

them

Deity itself;God

possitaut divellere,
qui

we

he make

Memorial

who

if

Eternall

own

our
upon
Thvmmim

delere

for

themselves

Images,not

nothing but God himself,who could

that it might be read but onely in
as

Neither could
of his

art

Plato

life and

themselves

impressed

And

therefore

in his times

men

Soul,
energy of man's
be
most
Divinitymay
easilyseen

of

within

men

of
greatest exquisiteness

is,it

of the

into the whole

statuary,after

famous

the fairest

lovelyCharacters

of all

And

of

sort

and

are

but

Natures,

copiedforth himself
as

Soul.

own

497

Images to put
Angelicall
Beings,and exhdtts

Souls,which

own

his

the ruder

to reprove

their

lower

PLATONISTS

Being stamp'd upon

sometimes

seems

CAMBEIDGE

doctrine

Cudworth
that

"

is

knowledge

understandingbeing in us nothing else but a tumult in

the mind
raised by external things that press the organical
parts of a man's body, there is no such thing in God, nor can
depend
they be attributed to him, they being things which
^
To this Cudworth
natural causes."
:
replies
upon
and

"

There

comes

local motion

nothing

and

pressure.
motions, but the

to

us

bodies

from

Neither

without

but

us

itself the

is sense

only
passion

mere

perceptionof their passionsin a way of

fancy. But sensible thingsthemselves (as,for example,lightand
understood either by the passionor the
known
not
or
are
colours)
fancyof sense, nor by anything merely foreignand adventitious,
itself that is,by
but by intelligible
ideas exerted from the mind
Wherefore, besides the
something native and domestic to it.
without
phantasms of singularbodies,or of sensible thingsexisting
that
is
it
our
us
plain
passionsneither),
(which are not mere
it
in
human
mind
hath other cogitations
namely,
or
conceptions
which
of things,
and essences
the ideas of the intelligible
natures
understands
singulars
are
universal,and by and under which it
of those

"

"

Iniell. System, iil.p. 60.

2k

THE

498

which
.

OF

MYTHS

universal

objectsof

PLATO
exist not

miiid,though they

our

therefore

nothing,
but have
an
entityfor this very reason, because they
intelligible
conceivable.
are
If, therefore,there be eternal intelligibles
or
ideas,and eternal truths and necessary existence do belongto
mind
there be an
eternal
necessarilyexisting,
them, then must
of thingscannot
since these truths and intelligible
essences
possibly

as

such

without

anywhere

it,yet

they

are

not

...

be

but

anywhere

the

world,

and

in

relations

mind

ideas

to

doth

which

such

defect

no

the

as

at

it cometh

once

Se oi

ore

sometimes

comprehends
scheses

(asAristotle

voei

understand

not

is

and

act
essentially

it is evident

that

all other

minds

but
.

energy, and
there can
be

whatsoever

...

and

being,as

signatureof

and

one

it were,
the same

writeth

as

to

necessary
immutable
truths;

all their

Hence
.

senior

their
intelligibles,

originalmind,

one

impression or

whence

such

mind

mind
original

only
of

and
things,

fikvvod,

in it.
.

one

of all

6t"

not

ova-ii},ivepyeia,

but

be

understand, and

sometimes
it),
hath

must

another, and

one

mind

There
.

all sensible

in it the
and

mind.

stamped
seal.

taking
parwith

From

pass that all minds, in the several placesand

alike,and
ages of the world, have ideas or notions of thingsexactly
truths indivisibly
the same.
Truths
not
are
multipliedby the
to

diversityof minds that apprehend them,

of one
and the same
ectypalparticipations
mind

and

truth.

and
glasses,
at

thousand

ears

the

is but

As

the

image

same

may

and

silent,re-echoed

that

from

that

the nature

there

can

be

them.

by

of mind
but

and

which

Theism
Epistemological
Green

with

the

which

of the

points of specialinterest.

the

the

into

the

that

is

conclude, therefore,
it is demonstrable

self-existent
minds

were

Mind,

or

derived.^

cal
think, of first-rate histori-

to

we

Mythology of

Norris's discussion

We

all other

cometh

Word,
everlasting

knowledge

passage, I venture
importance. It furnishes
is

that

man

originaland

one

understandingBeing,from
This

eyes
in a

to it,so when
innumerable
created minds
listening
of things,
and understand
the same
truths,it
the same
eternal lightthat is reflected in them
all

(thatlightwhich enlightenethevery
voice of that one
world),or the same
never

be reflected in several

be in a thousand
may
the same
voice may
be

sun

and

one

they are all but

originalor archetypal

ideas

same

one

face

same

of the

beholding it,and

once

have

the

because

link

find

which

in the

Timaeits

connects

writingsof

and

the
T. H.

Fhaedrus.

prioriin knowledge has some

Having shown, in the ordinary
a

eternal and necessary Truths, i.e. eternal

are
way, that there
and necessary Propositions,
he dwells on
the point that the
'

Intell.

System, iii.pp.

62-72.

THE

simple

the

essences,

forth

set

are

CAMBEIDGE
mutual

in these

relations

"There
necessary.
relations of things as to

Things

to

are

make

to

apt

to be worth

me

Two

circles

How

it

can

Circle

there
have

also

the

Decrees

certain
such

eternal connexion
.

Heretical

no

very

Doctrine,to

from

demand,

division

or

Essences

as

reference

or

can

not, then also

between
thingsthat

there

such

are

simple

well

same

are

the

the

If there
.

Essences

this is not

PeripateticSchool, which

of the
as

relations,therefore
I know

be
it.

relation
But

of

simple

thingsthat
or

have
I here

habitude

distinct

between

...

has

eternal

of

things

accordingto

long

since

demned
con-

of things
say that the Essences
tell us that the habitudes
are

They
eternity.
in actual being,
to the simple Essences
as
absolutely
shall
that
whensoever
exist, they
they
only hypothetically

exist

attributed

"

shall also

such

carry

smoothlydown
Tutor

quitted his
I return

relations

conditional

Peripatetic,
only a
the predicate,not
the

this
two

but

inwardly carmot
Proposition. But

is

eternal.

it

not

another

relation

or

no

and

are

or

"

eternal existence.

an

habitudes

negation,"he

or

Certainlythere can
nothing to support

there

be

can

not

eternal

true

be

Centre.

habitudes

do

there

connexion

no

is

possiblyhave

relation where
be

attention

This

negation unless
and

themselves

mutual

no

affirmation

touchingone

centre.

common

be

of which

says,^
The
realityof the things themselves."
point
is
Norris
which
the modern
on
one
by
dictitm,
nothing except as determined
by Kelations,"is
lose sightof; and his remarks
us
followingseem

the

here insisted
"

be

can

499

habitudes

or

must
propositions,

and

"without

PLATONISTS

applauds
hands

answer

another.

There

between

position of
scholar

the

young

his

distinction,and

either.

his

at

the

is,says

the

subjectand
This

goes
Logic Lecture, and

thinks

he

has

thereby

But now
to this
very dangerous heresie.
is
that these habitudes
not
are
(as supposed)

of
.

one

connexion

absolute

an

with

to

the
to
only by way
hypothesis,but absolutelyattributed
I
simple Essences, as actually existing. For when
say, for
from
the
instance,that every part of a circle is equallydistant
be
then
to
centre, this propositiondoes not hang in suspense,
verified when
the things shall exist in Natwe, but is at
actually
be ;
it will or can
presentactuallytrue, as actually true as ever
themselves
that
the
and
things
consequentlyI may thence infer
I
There
is
no
alreadyare.
necessity, confess,they should exist in
Nature, which is all that the objectionproves, but exist they must.
For of nothing there can
be no affection.
Having cleared our
by making it evident that the simple Essences of thingsare
way
of

"^

Reason

"md

Beligion, p. 73.

THE

500

eternal,the
eternal
other

suhsistencies,
they

in their natural

by

or

that

subsisting. And

of

way

be in
there

For

exist,either

how

they are

since

be eternal in

must

must

of ideal subsistence.^

way

is,that

I consider

thing that

next

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

not
some

ing,
understand-

some
are

but

out

of

two

ceivable
con-

all understanding,

anything may
understanding.If,therefore,the simple
it
thingsare eternal,but not out of all understanding,

ways

within

or

Essences

of

remains

they

some

have

must

in

existence

eternal

an

ing.
understand-

some

ideal sikbsistence. There

is,therefore,
Rerwm
that
in
besides
Natwa,
namely,
existing
way
all the
in the Mvmdus
Archetypus,or the Ideal World, where
Rationes rerwn,
Essences
have
eternal
and
of
or
an
simple
things,
immutable
existence,before ever
they enter upon the Stage of
Which

Nature.

Essences

eternal

no

of

things have

understanding.

in

temporary

extended

of

consider,that

I further

simple

be

an

of

another

exist

I call

is what

in

For

this

understandingwherein

eternal

an

Essence

an

existence
can

understandingthan

no

must

more

body

can

be

the
be

an

eternally
infinitely

finite space.
Now, this Eternal IJnderstanding
can
the Understandingof God.
The simple Essences

than

other

things,therefore,do

in

eternallyexist

the

Understanding

of God.2

Norris

God,

and

to

on

goes

there

is

argue,

simple

and

uncom-

is not
which
pounded Being,
nothing in
Himself
these Eternal Ideas,or Simple Essences
; accordingly,
of Things, are
but the Divine
Essence
considered
itself,
as
of
exhibitive
and
variously
as
things,
variouslyimitable or
^
This
Ideal World, this Essence of
participable
by them."
God
considered
as
variouslyexhibitive and representativeof
things,is no other than the Divine X0709, the Second Person
*
of the ever
Blessed Trinity."
makes
Descartes,it is argued,*
of Truth
God, as conceptive,the cause
i.e. as
pleased to
conceive
not as exhibitive of the
so
e.g. a Triangle so and
is

Him

"

"

"

"

"

Eternal
for the

Ideas.

dependence of

he, but

as

Here

not

so

as

Descartes
Truth

upon
it
to make

"

blunders
the

horribly."

Divine

Intellect

Norris

here

{JReaaonand

as

am

well

and
and contingent,
arbitrary/
Divine
Intellect as coTieeptive,
but

consequentlynot upon the

only as exhibitive. That is, that things are
inasmuch
conformable
as
to those
they are
^

"

therefore

standing

true

and

Religion, p. 80) draws the distinction of which

in his Logic (Book iii. ch. 2, The
World
of Ideas, pp.
433 ff.,
EnglishTransl.),between the Realityof Existence and the Keality of
2 j^ason
Validity.
and Religion,
pp. 74-81.
3
*
^
0.C, pp. 81, 82.
o.e.
" j._ pp_ q2, 93.
p. 85.
Lotze

makes

so

much

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

502

of the written
thy truth; thy word is truth : which is not meant
word, but of the Substantial and Eternal "Word, as appears from
the context.
Lastly,the Apostle says expresslyof this Divine
ing
is exactlyaccordWhich
Word, that he is made vmto us Wisdom.
to our
hypothesisthat we see all things in the Ideal World,
All our
Divine
Light and Illumination proceeds
or
Aoyos.
wholly from him who at first said M there he light. We see so
...

of Truth

much

the

the

and

of Divine

aflSrm

to

Dominus

that

they

Light, and
himself,

For

feel,

so

consists

man

with

Platonists.

is

whereby
as

mind

arrive

to

hear, or

not

although the

at

may
knowledge,

knoweth
sensitive,
nothing.
Theaetetus of Plato, science
in the

so
epistemology,strictly
It is a theory of the

God, derived

mythologically

is, doth

reasoningupon

trvXAoyMTjiMj).*

for the

"

It

at

in the
rightlyobserved
but
in the passiveperceptions,

much

Cambridge

explained

Philosophers
soar
very high," as
herent
last, a professedad-

that

and

means

far forth

soul,so

or

T"J) TTipl

So

be

"

not;

fancy as

"Keiv(OV

them,

"

and

sense

not

knoweth

sense

sense

it is

as

which

without

understanding perceivethnot,

yet

as

Platonic

"The

of the school of Cudworth

both

Wisdom,

of them

neither

can

Mea:

Illuminatio

"

see,

ow

are

So

knowledge;

Human

wonderfully refine upon

Berkeley writes in Siris^

use

in God

absolutelynecessary is
rightlystated, to the explainingthe

do

or

are

understood."

As

A,oyosis

Divine

his Father.

of Ideas,when

both

shall venture
or

of

which

Ideas

The

The

see.

we

Wisdom

Dodrine

Mode

of God.

see

which

Ideas

the very
well as

we

as

from

in the

the doctrine

called, of the
of

communion

of ISeai

as

set

forth

Timaeus, Phaedrus, and Symposium.

how

epistemology explains the

function ascribed by the school to Eeason, as Moral
Faculty
as
recognisingand imposing Obligation. Morality is the
Eational
Life
the Life regulated by the consciousness
of
Self, not as passive in the midst of the flux of vanishing
but as activelydisplaying
its own
sensibles,
spiritualnature
and kinship with
God
by communicating in His eternal and
easy

to

see

this

"

"

immutable
not

turn

outward

an

Its rational

nature.

away

from

act, like
when

'

communion

in

his nature

looking at a picturewhich one

inward
one
pleases: it is an
'

O.C.

pp. 222-224.

" 2IO.

"

Siris," 305.

is

may
act

THE
of

reflection

CAMBEIDGE

nature

God's

would

in

it is

nature;

please one

do

to

so

it

that

acf

one's

turn

one's

mirrors

cannot

one

"

"

inward

an

nature, which

permanent

own

"

permanent,

"

503

revealing

kvkXiki]

Kivrjcn^

"

PLATONISTS

own

"

manent
per"

or

duces"
repro-

revealing one's
when

even

"

back

it
The

upon.

objectof Eeason, with which Eeason is itself identical,

is the
whole man,
in God, seen
regarded sub specieaeternitatis,
seen
in his own
This objectcannot
place in the Cosmos.
proper
be set aside, as the objectof a passinginclination
be set
may
This
aside.
is how
Eeason
imposes Obligation." Not does
the physicalorganism of plant or animal
differ in this respect
"

from

the

moral

It

those
obliges
its

with
"

"

mode

nature, if

functions

and

the

cally.
philosophi-

matter

acts which

its

particularType,

in accordance

are

particularType being

of the Universe.

"Eeason," then,

being
image

consider

we

the

it is understood

as

consciousness

of God

constitute

as

"

the

of

mirror

Self

creature

as

of the aeternae

Divine

the

Platonists,

made

after the

by

rationes

which

rerum

Sapientia, Eeason," being this,needs

its dictates enforced by any alien power
not to have
: in being
The
life is,on
moral
its
promulgated they are carried out.
plane,as inevitable as the physicalMfe. All livingcreatures
strive after that good which
is competent to their several types
in the places which
they hold in the great system of the
Universe.
There
is nothing,"says Norris,^ in nature
more
"

"

"

necessary

Soul
no

^no,

"

whereby

"

we

must

nor

are

necessary and invincible,as that motion

the
carried forth to good in general. Here
so

pretend to

not

command

more

motion

least shadow

the

this motion

over

of

than

Liberty,having
has

she

the

over

directlyand
properly love (or desire),and created goods, or particular
goods,are only so far loved as they resemble and participate
of the nature
did not love
If we
of that universal
good."
God
This Love is
should
love nothing at all.
we
of

the

Sun.''

"

is

God

that

which

we

"

...

the

with

same

"Will." ^

our

"We

are

iv rifuv delov,that answering nisus

livingcreatures, which is awakened
TO

unmoved,
doctrine

moves

all

things by

the

glossedby Plotinus, where

'

Reason

and

Seligion,pp. 237,

238.

of Aristotle's

reminded
or

in us, and

love

by Grod, who,

in all

himself

of loveliness

attraction

he says that the

"

o.c.

"

Principle

p. 200.

of

by

Organic Life
its

of

them

contempkting the Ideal Forms, and,

ments
silent contemplation,producing embodi-

is Love
of

act

mere

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

504

ical ol e/awres

"

eVt

IBovriov Kal

etoo;

to

(TTrevSovTav}

of

Platonists,is consciousness

our

moral

and
"Eeason," in the epistemology

That

of the Whole

theology

of

"

God-in-

point which it is important to

keep steadilyin view, not only if we would understand what
would
but also if we
is meant
get behind
by "obligation,"
Truths
phrases to real meaning, when we are told that the
eternal and
immutable," that
are
apprehendedby Eeason
of the Divine
the contents
is, necessary,"being at once
human
of
conditions
Wisdom
and
the
knowledge. No
be apprehended as
can
Truth," taken by itself,
;
necessary
of
The
V7r69eeri"{.
it can
be
a
a
necessity
acceptedas
only
takes in
is apparent only to a synoptic gaze, which
"Truth"
Man

Man-in-God

and

is

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

the whole
is

order

of which

the

"

Truth

"

is

The

part.

whole

avvTroderoi;,and then we
acquiesced in as apxv
be
otherwise."
This
that
its parts severally cannot
of the
Sixth
Book
the gist of the passage
at the end
of Eeason
in Dialectic
the Bepublic,where
the function
first

"

see

is
of
is

forth.

set

it is

when

seen

Truth

"

to

be

"

is

involved

to

seen

in

the

"

be

"

"

whole

necessary
"

; and

of

knowledge is a process of integrationby

of experienceare pieced togetherinto
disjectamembra

progress

whole, and
otherwise."

But

their natures

seen

to be such

this process would

to her task of

as

"

the

which
a

sistent
con-

be

cannot

be

impossibleunless the
Soul came
Eational
with a native
integration
This native idea is not something which
idea of the
whole."
It is herself
is a mere
the unity of her seKpart of her.
hood of which she is conscious.
As her knowledge advances
and more
that is,as she brings more
data into clearly-seen
relation with her own
More
as
self-centrality,"
phrases it,she
herself spreads from
her centre, becoming more
and
more
the
and more
assimilated
world, more
adequate to
objective
This growth of the Eational
to God.
Soul in "Likeness
to
God
in
with environment
correspondence
expresses the
law of her inmost
: Live
thy
being,commanding categorically
"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

"

Enn.

iii.8. 7.

THE

"

CAMBEIDGE

PLATONISTS

Eeason," then, according

"organism."

How

with

giving us,

them

for

shallow

the

to

the

Platonic

criticism

in Eeason,

505

which

school, is
finds

principlewhich

fault

is not

principleof action, and carries with it no consciousness of

!
As if organism, with its invincible
Wille zum
obligation
Zeben, did not move, and oblige,to action !
The
central doctrine of the English Platonists,
which
I am
trying to set forth,gives an importantplaceto the discussion
of the

relation

of

the

By

God's

Wisdom

"

WiU

"

and

his

to

"

Goodness

Wisdom

"

and

ness."
Good-

of God

stand
they underthe perfectorder of that mundus
or
archetypus,
system
all eternity
in the Divine
of Iheai,or vorifLara, dwelling from
of God, the going forth of his
Intellect;by the "WiU"
Power
in the productionand preservation
of this visible world
and all that is in it. They maintain, againstDescartes
and
Will
did not make, and
cannot
others,^that God's
alter,
"

"

"

the
"

"

of

contents

essential,"not
Wisdom

essential

and

world, which
intelligible
Will
arbitrary." God's
He

nature.

So

"

is,his

that

"

make

cannot

do all

and
he 'will,

not

he

intends

set measure

no

know

that

for his sake ; yet is it not

borne

I have

proved

hence

well-being,nor subsistency
they do hence
poor souls,when
if
be
assured, liberty
any

mourn

slightand

scorn.

depart,

OUT

Can
We

such

give to

The

laws

That
What

Only

understood

of

Nor

For

false,

I feel that he is loved

soul,and

dear

be

I shall live,though I do sighand

find his face ; his creature's wish he'U

Of

true

or

his

^
pleasure
it's good,

That
To

expresses

his

his

because

that his actions will have

Of my
Much

by

"

rightwrong,

things simply at

it should
Is 't possible

What

is ruled

Will

"

natures

of WiU.

by arbitraryact
Because

''

"

Goodness

If God

have

the
"

Will

of

God,

rules

e'er from

ought we
to show

odde

his

and

God,

thoughts,that

thus pervert

rashly do assert
but

Good

rules not

right,love,equity,doth
know

then

God

may

God's

start,

act that

might,and his free mind

WUl.

iU,

fulfiU.

Laws
of
in his edition of Cumberland's
(as quoted by Maxwell
E.g. Occam
et
Deo prohibitus
a
e
st,
nisi
actus
"nuUus
est
malus,
quatenus
Natu/re, p. 80)"
converse."
et e
qui non potest fieri bonus, si a Deo praecipiatur,
2
More, Phil. Poems, p. 179.
1

To

the

Plotinus

writeth,Trotei
avTou
ovcriav,
fj rb KaXhv
el
eKet
(rvveK"j"ep"t,
yap /*ij
its

accordingto
be

there,

not

God

and

happen
principleof
the Deity is
not

be

to

and

rb

such

which
as

he

irrational will

to

and

eirj ;

and

essence;

:
justice
they else

S* eSet

ought
is

all thingswhatsoever
not

"The

and

be

its nature

and

if these

be

found?"

ought

things
And

roiwv

ov

ovTO)

6'tra eSet

therefore he did

this first

that

actetu

for

and

SiKaiov

Deity

dp^rj Twv

tovto

to

t^v

Kara

rh

koI

avTov

exprjv thai,

oirep

oin-a)"

Tri^vK" Se
Tre"j"vK",

av

irov

ravra,

6ehs

"

evepyeiais

rats

ev

should

where

that
essentially

is

Oeiov (is

nature

own

again, elsewhere :
dA.A,' eSft
(rvve/3ri,
"

rh

displayeth goodness

essence

effect,Cudworth

same

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

506

oVfgMto

be is the

Wherefore

to be."

humour, or
arbitrariness,
appetiteomnipotent (which would, indeed,be

be conceived

as

mere

omnipotent chance),but as an overflowingfountain of love

and omnipotently
and goodness,justlyand wiselydispensingitself,
reaching all things. The will of God is goodness,justice,and
willing;so that the
wisdom; or decorousness, and ought itself,
the
that which
is absolutely
rh lieXruTTov,
best,is v6[widirapdISaTos,
God
is
"an
indispensablelaw to it, because its very essence."
an
"impartialbalance" lying even, equal,and
[/.erpov irdvTuiv,
and earth,and
and weighing out heaven
to all things,
indifferent,
and
all the thingstherein,in the most
justand exact proportions,
is the Deity
much
not
too little of anything. Nor
a grain too
or
therefore bound
or
obligedto do the best,in any way of servility
much
(as men
fondly imagine this to be contrary to his liberty),
less by the law and command
of any superior
diction),
(whichis a contrait
but only by the perfectionof its own
nature, which
deviate
than ungod itself.
cannot
from, no more
possibly

but

Now,
the

"

must

we

Will

"

to the

regard this questionof

not

Wisdom

"

and

"

Goodness

of

the

relation

God

as

one

of

of

bygone questionsof scholasticism with which we need

It is a present-day
no
longer,in our day, trouble ourselves.
question indeed,a perennialquestion. It raises the whole
issue of Pessimism
againstOptimism.
those

"

Pessimism
who

do not

industrious

will

never

infect the

bulk

but push their way

reflect,
lives ; but reflective idle

of mankind

on, and

"

those

lead ambitious,

people a growing number

in the modern
world
it is likelyto infect more
and more.
and even
to
It is likelyto get hold of literature,
of philosophy,
The
number
is steadilygrowing of those
a
greater extent.
who are educated
in book-learning,
make
and can
a
livingby
"

"

Intell.

System, iii. 463,

464.

THE

idle readers

supplying
novel

and

well with
mood

the mood

of habitual

reflections

such

them

life embodied

on

writers

hav#

at life ; but

troubled

with

in the

Pessimism

to cater

suits

for

the

"

those whose

energetic
things and try
suspicionthat all

put their hand

to

not

are

507

"light reading."

lookers-on

done

their work

of

which

moves

get them

PLATONISTS

with

forms

other

temperament
to

CAMBEIDGE

to

the

is

vanity.
It was
a
profound insightwhich caused Plato to debar
from
not
philosophy all those who were
likely to have an
opportunityof taking an active part in affairs.^ It is Plato,
of all the Greeks
the most
enthusiastically
possessedby the
idea of Greek
civilisation as an influence to be propagated in
his firm practicalhold
of the
the world,
it is Plato, with
belief that Life is worth
tory
living, who stands out, in the Hisof Philosophy,as the opponent of individualism, whether
hedonistic
or
pessimistic.The individualists of his day, the
whom
he opposes expressly
or by implication
throughout
Sophists,
the whole range of his writings,
for the most
were
men
close political
ties,aliens in the cities where
they
part without
cultivated
patriotism and
taught, who
philosophy without
that
the doctrine
from
them
ov
religion. It was
^va-eira
"

"

Sixaia, aXKa
the view
and

vofKp

combated

Wrong,

Will

by

True

came

/lovov

and

not

worth

on

our

pursuing;
part is

False, are

to

answers

creatures

God's

of

arbitrary

virtuouslyhappy, or holy,life

"

all,and

is lord of

chance

labour

which

doctrine

Cambridge Platonists,that Eight

the

If this is true, the

"

This

lost.

was

strenuous

is

effort

Cambridge

the

how

"

is most
often
day. Pessimism
argued. (In our own
from any cause
disappointedHedonism) But it may well come
which
thus, the doctrine of
damps the energies of men:
Determinism
produce it by persuadingus that our actions
may
of the
verse,
Unibeforehand
all determined
are
by the ei/jLapfiivij
of our
but the passivespectatorseven
and that we
are
in the sense
Without
actions.
own
denying that ei/Jiapfievr],

Platonists

of law

universal,determines

the doctrine
takes
"

of

and
the

us

is too

back

omits

to

actions,I would

submit

that

It
practical
consequence.
maxime
generale the Universe

abstract to be of
the

axioma

the immediate

individual

our

who

antecedent

performs the
^

"

BepuiiUc,473

"

the concrete

actions.
D.

It

is

character

this

im-

THE

508

mediate

antecedent,however, which

scientific view

saying
to

do

of

"

of

chieflyconsider

antecedents, may

all,it is

agent himself

the

wishes

who

one

must

remote

and, above

fix his attention

must

the

"

verse,
Uni-

without

"go

immediate

this

take

to

antecedent
; he must

on

look

"

the Universe," if he is to
the phrase is,not to
as
himself,"
minism,
anything worth doing. The abstract doctrine of Deterfrom
the immediate
too much
by callingattention away
"

antecedent
is

actions

the

chain

or

which

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

at

unscientific

once

for.

be done

to

are

believes
which

in

he

and

; and

he

system

of

get

can

on

"

the

"

agent himself

concrete

practicallyharmful, tending

energy of the
The agent must

paralyse the
account

of actions

agent whose
"

actions

it seeks

is suitable

alien world.

an

These

Friendly

"

is the

him, in

to

beliefs go together belief in Self,and belief in

World.
coin.
They are the two faces of the same
two

to

himself if actions
in himself unless he

believe

things which
not
a friendly,

to

"

believe in

cannot

"

And

this

by the doctrine of Reflection Klvr)iTi";

great truth signified
"

kvkKikyi

forth

set

"

human

Truths

knowledge

accordance

Pessimism
of this

and

which

which

his WiU

the

Best.

The

is

belief

But

sort.

at

are

conduct, and

with

for

their

"

that the Soul's

system of Eternal

by the Cambridge Platonists

herselfreveals
reflection
upon

to her

that

the

of
principles
Thoughts of God in

once

the

trine
doc-

is determined

to

do

thing
every-

only sovereign antidote against

or expressed
(tacit,
better,perhaps,tacit)
"

such

belief,it

be

must

remembered,

rests

It
speculativegrounds,but is the birth of conduct.
is the possession
of those only who
a-jrovBaioi in earnest
are
about the practical
Ufe.
The issue between
Mechanism
and
for that, again,is the issue involved in the
Teleology
tion
quesnot

on

"

"

"

"

"

"

about
"

Goodness

by

is not

"

moral

one

God's

to be

"

WiU

settled

agents. Logicalthinkers,it

in favour

in

the relation of

of

favour

Mechanism

"

of

"

; moral

"Teleology."

"

to his

"

Wisdom

and

by logicalthinkers,but
seems

to me,

must

decide

agents will always decide

And

they are
right, because
Teleology
working hypothesis of Life,whereas the
doctrine of
Mechanism
damps the vis viva on which Life,
includingthe logicalunderstanding
itself,
tinuance.
depends for its con"

"

is the

"

The

"

central doctrine of the

Cambridge Platonists

receives

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

510

that there
philosopher
be certain
before we
is no possiblecertainty
to be had of anything,
of the existence of a God essentially
good ; because we can never
from
the importunityof that suspicion
minds
free our
otherwise
It hath

which

asserted

been

irresistible

with

by

late eminent

force

ourselves

that

assault
them;
may
either by chance
or

fate,or by the
might possibly be so made,
evil demon, or at least of an arbitraryomnipotent
pleasureof some
all
clear
most
our
Deity,as that we should be deceived in
evident
and
perceptions,and, therefore,in geometricaltheorems
themselves, and

in

even

of such

assured of the existence

once

But

notions.

common

our

God

is

as

when

can
deceive, then,
who, therefore,neither will nor
this
suspicionutterly vanish, and ourselves
before, will
"

that

of

faculties

our

and

reason

are

essentially
good,

"

certain

we

and

not

become

understandingare

not

Now, though there

imposturous,but rightlymade.
of piety in this doctrine
be a plausibility
yet does that very
faculties
might possiblybe so
suppositionthat our understanding
render
clearest perceptions,
it
in all our
made
to deceive
us
as
to any
to arrive
certaintyconcerningthe
utterlyimpossibleever
this cannot
of a God
existence
as
essentially
good ; forasmuch
of
faculties
of understanding,
than
the
be any otherwise
use
our
proved
by
false and

reason,

and

understanding faculties
soon

ever

as

good,who

existence

put

say that the truth of our

and
of all doubt
question as

out

of the

to

existence

of

God

essentially

no

; whilst the existence of a God

otherwise
underproved than by our standing

faculties ; that is at once

to
faculties of reason
from
our
truth

deceive

cannot

itself

is in the meantime

is

assured

are

we

therefore

For

discourse.

the

truth

of God's

understanding,and

the existence of a
again to prove
God
round
in a
essentially
good : this,I say, is plainlyto move
and to prove nothing at all
that if we
will pretend
so
circle,
to any
certaintyat all concerningthe existence of a God, we must
of necessity
explode this new-supplied
hypothesisof the possibility
of our
to deceive
in all our
as
us
understandingsbeing so made
In the first place,therefore,
clearest perceptions.
afiSrm
we
how
that no
great soever, and therefore not omnipotence
power,
the

of those

prove
and

faculties from

...

make

can
itself,

Truth
.

be

either
indifferently

true

or

false.

is not

made,

anything to

but

factitious ; it is a thing which

arbibe trarily
cannot
is. The divine will and omnipotence itself hath

stood
underimperium upon the divine understanding
; for if God
could
understand
he
all.
In
the
not
at
next
only by will,
the
truth
of
add
that, though
singularcontingent proplace,we
positions
as
without,
depends upon the thingsthemselves
existing
the measure
and
archetype thereof,yet as to the universal and
no

abstract
of

theorems

thingswhich

of

science,the

exist nowhere

but

terms

only

whereof
in the

are

mind

those

reasons

itself

(whose

CAMBEIDGE

THE
and

noemata

ideas

them

mind,

but

the mind

they are),the
be

can

be

must

and

therefore

The

of truth

essence

very

rule of truth

domestic

contained

it,or

to

be

can

is;

or, which

here

is this

cerning
con-

thingwithout

nothingbu"
ideas of the
intelligible

be

clearlyperceived to

511

extraneous

or

native

and
itself,

and

measure

foreign

no

perception. In these
is

PLATONISTS

the

within

its clear and

mind

tinct
dis-

whatsoever

is all one, is true.

clear perceptibility,
telligibil
inor
.

The

upshot of all this is,that since no power,

make
how great soever, can
to be true, and
anything indifferently
of truth
in universal
abstract thingsis nothing
since the essence
it follows that omnipotence cannot
make
but clear perceptibility,
that
false
be
is
to
clearlyperceivedto be, or create such
anything
and understandingfaculties as shall have
clear concepminds
as
tion
^that is,of nonentities
of falsehoods
as
they have of truths
For example, no
rational understandingbeing that
entities.
or
.

"

knows

what

"

part is,and

what

whole,

what

to

could possiblybe so made

as
clearlyto
effect,
be greater than the whole, or the effect to be

or

the

an

like.
.

Conception

and

knowledge

and

cause,

conceive

are

what

the part

before the cause,

hereby made to

of all power,
even
omnipotence or infinite power
thereby; from whence it follows that power hath
beingdetermined
dominion
over
no
understanding,truth, and knowledge.^

be the

measure

We

involves

Platonists

God

whose
"

lightof
This

distinct idea

this

"

the
and

of

idea

Platonic

important in
in

be

God.

"

see

The

of

doctrine
Idea

to

seems

of

to contain

me

the

Idea

of Cosmos,

it has

its

all that

tells us, has

in

seat

is

of the

object

no

nature

than

of Soul

Idea

Eeason;
ideam

in the

regulativevalue

of God, Kant

of

have

"

possibleexperience. It lies deeper in human

the
scientific understanding. Together with
the

and

whom,

impossible. We
of a wise and
good God, and
the truth and do the right.

doctrine

Kant's

one

Goodness.

and

Wisdom

to the Divine

merely all-powerfulwould
be
world, knowledge would

clear and

Idea

is subordinate

Will

Divine

Epistemology of the Cambridge

Theory of God, according to which the
the

that

then,

see,

which

nihil aliud

habere
Compare Spinoza, Mh. ii. 43. sohol. : "Veram
sane
nee
aliquisde hac re
sive
rem
;
optime
cognoscere
perfecte
signifioat
quam
instar pioturaein tabula, et non
mutum
ideam
nisi
dubitare
quid
pntet,
potest,
quid idea vera olarius et
ipsum intelligere
modum
cogitandiesse, nempe
"

Sane sicut lux se ipsam et tenebras

sit veritatis.
certius dari potest quod norma
EnwnAnd
est."
falsi
et
again (de IntdUdus
sui
manifestat, sic Veritas norma
formalem
est ipsa eertitudo.
"
essentiam
sentimus
Modus
vi " 33) :
datione
quo
veram
veritatis nnllo alio signo sit opus quam
quod ad certitudinem
Unde
eadem
in
"Forma
verae
cogitationis
And
ipsa
{o.c.ix. " 71) :
ideam."
habere
causam
cogitatione sine relatione ad alias debet esse sita ; nee objectum tanquam
pendere debet."
sed ab ipsa intelleotus potentiaet natura

p'atet

a^oscit,

THE

512

must
"

be

not

regardedas

but
faculties,"

in which
its seat

"

faculties

"

"

The

indivisible

the

"

attitude

an

with

"

faculty co-ordinate
man

inhere.

Eeason, is

in

the whole

as

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

other

organism

God, then, having

Idea

of

of

the

whole

man.

An

possibleexperience,if
expressedin language at all,must be expressedin figurative
language ; so, I need not apologisefor using a figurehere to
help me, and least of all for using the figureof Light,on which
the Platonists do wonderfully refine, and
soar
very high."
which
of
draws
is
Idea of God
like the influence
The
Light,
livingcreatures out of the prisonof darkness into the freedom
It is not a particular
of its borders.
nor
impression,
yet one
of the Categoriesin which
impressionsare received,but the
to go forth
Good
Hope which urges on the livingcreature
and meet
the impressionsof experienceand
organisehis life
in the world which
they constitute.
It is in feelingthe stimulus of this Good
Hope that man
feels the obligationof the
CategoricalImperative." When
I say that the doctrine of the
Imperative" is deeply
Categorical
in the philosophyof the Cambridge Platonists,I am
embedded
in their
not
trying to get them credit for great originality
of a doctrine which has been too much
identified
anticipation
of Kant.
with
the name
Every syste"fof Ethics,worthy to
"

Idea

"

which

has

no

object

in

"

"

"

"

"

be

called

system

at

all,takes

us

down

to

CategoricalImperative." But what I do

Cambridge Platonists is that they lay the

the bed-rock
wish

"

to claim

bed-rock

of the
for the

very

bare.

from
originalobligation
(says Cudworth) ^ is not
Did
the
but
of
natural
nature.
to
will,
things
justice,
obligation
arise
from
will
and
command
of
the
aa
positive
suppose,
many
of punishments threatened
and
rewards
God, only by reason
The

first

of this would
promised,the consequence
but
and
only by accident,and for
just
good

be

that

the sake

no

of

man

was

something

is intrinsical
else ; whereas the goodness of justice
or
righteousness
and
this is that which
to the thing itself,
obligeth(and not anything
different
it being a
speciesof good from that
foreignto it),
of

appetiteor

which
privateutility,

every

man

may

dispense

withal.

the

and of
Again, in Smith's Discourse of Legal RighteousTiess
from
Righteousnessof Faith, the Gospel,as distinguished
1

Intai.

SyaUm,

iii.612.

THE

CAMBEIDGE

the Law, is

presentedas
Imperative :

PLATONISTS

513

of
involvingthe obligation

"

gorical
Cate-

"

"

The

Righteousnessof

in that it hath
and

acts

indeed

informs

could
outward

the

as

Lex

ligatmamim.

Gospeltranscend

tnie command

; whereas

only compel

man;

the

the

to

men

Schoolmen

of

says

which

man,

and

menaces

external observance

have

well

it

ments
punish-

of it in the

observed, Lex

jietus

ligatanimvm.

nova

Nature

its

by

an

the
Again, Maxwell,^ criticising
(erroneously)to Cumberland, that
Law

the invmrd

over

Law

that of the Law

is not

in

view

which

the

but
itself,

he

ascribes

obligationof

in its external

the

sanction,

:
"

are
closelyconnected,yet the
Although Sin and Punishment
o
f
it
he
done
is distinct from
the
not
(rum licet)
obligation
may
of Tiot with impunity
Sin and Punishmetnt
as
{non impv/m),
obligation

of distinct

are

do

consideration.

But

is

man

both
hornid,

he

when

he cannot
do a thing
thing vdthout sin,and when
mthovi punishment. But because the obligation
of non
licetis antecedent
of non
to the obligation
impune,the Precept to the Sanction,
and the Sin is made
the
Law, the Law hath so much obligation
by
the Sin, before the Penalty is enacted ; therefore the
to make
as
of it.
Law has an obligation
to the Sanction
antecedently
cannot

Maxwell's
of Nature
interest
at

with
I

"

with

one

of Cumberland

view
no

consider

obligationsave
entirelymistaken
the whole

and

Maxwell

obligationin being conscious

Eighteousnessin himself with
moral

The

ruled

agent

is conscious

he

by

attenuated

"

Kant's
1

down

enables

from

; Cumberland

is

self-

really
holding

in

the
us

the Law

Law

this

which

the

rules

of

Law

the Divine

trarily
because
God arbinot
obliged,
will punish disobedience, but

and

of

identityof

of

so

august tbat
which

consciousness

God

even

the

if

moral

Eighteousnessis
universalityof the
to a consciousness of the
of the doctrine of
tion
obligaEnglish statement
basis concealed under
the theological
to see

God

of

Thus

Law.

Kant

In

it.

has

Law

the

derived

Platonist school

of the

is

agent

him,

commands
because

that

leaves

is conscious
agent, the subjectof obligation,

that the moral

Nature.

he

that

"

ruled

by

of

Law

"

"

"

; but, at
superstructure

In his edition of Cumberland's

the

Laws

the

same

time, shows

us

how

of Nature, Appendix, p. 56 (1727).

2l

THE

514

MYTHS

PLATO

OF

defended
against the criticism of
successfully
which
Schopenhauer'sattack,in the Grundlage der Moral} may
be taken
a
as
specimen the criticism which urges that the
but "hypothetical"
Imperative is,after all,not "categorical,"
attaches
to
has an
external
sanction,the penalty which
of the
The
Platonic doctrine
disobeying God's command.

Kant

be

may

"

"

relation
and

Divine

the

between

of

and

Goodness,

archetypusconstituted
doctrine

of

the

WiU

of

and

Wisdom

that

"presence

Divine

participationin

man's

by

the

and

the

mundus

Goodness

the

"

Consciousness

Eternal

the

Wisdom

in

"

Kant's use of the

explainsand justifies
and
turns
the edge of Schopenhauer's
epithet categorical,"
criticism,which
proceedson the assimiptionthat the Deity,
moral Imperative,
who undoubtedlystands behind the Kantian
Power
is effective as mere
threateningpunishment, not rather
Wisdom-and-Goodness
as
drawing the minds and hearts of all
In an
unto it.
men
amusing passage,^
Schopenhauer compares
who
dances
Kant
the whole
to a
man
evening, at a ball,
with a masked
lady,who turns out, in the end, to be his own
wife.
That
lady is Theology. But Schopenhauer takes for
granted that she is the juridicaltheologymodelled after the
man's

consciousness

"

"

Civil

Eoman

Law

of kin, the

next

is
Htheology

the

''different from
from

if
'whereas,

other

the Eoman.

notions

of the

in

the

as

I submit

understood

Kant

compare

English Platonists,we -see

theology of Platonism

the

is best

we

that

that

with
his

his

masked

theology as
Hellenic
genius is different
the
CategoricalImperative
"

"

"

close connection

with

the Greek

moral

is not
ar/adovand the "aXoj\ Moral obligation
the unwilling,
but is
essentially
pressure brought to bear on
rather the nisus of a nature
eagerly seeking its appointed
cipation,
placein the Cosmos, and, in its efforts,experiencing,
by antithe joy of success.
Virtue grows up like a flower to
its own
^he light,
nature
as
joyfullyrealising
part of universal
nature.

This

to understand

is,indeed, the way

in which

Maxwell

wishes

us

"

obligation not juridically,

but, if I may foist
the term on him, biologically.
Having quoted Shaftesburyat
length,as holding the doctrine of the intrinsic obligationof
the Law
of Virtue
That the excellence of the Object,not the
"

"

"

"

Eeward

or

Punishment,
1

Pages120

should
ff.

be

motive,"

our

"

o.c.

p. 189.

he states

his

THE
view

own

is the

thus

The

"

koX
This

which

Greek

man."

otherwise

than

he

Kant,

said,mistaken

; but

Life

and

"

itself did
he

Virtue,

in a
explains,
"impartialitybetween
things,"he says,^ no

all

them."

makes

obedience

by

of

afterwards
as

do

that

"

Good

Beauteous-Beneficial

if Justice

as

515

Morality,the

should

the self-interest secured

I have

the

of

We

of Cumberland

criticism

in

standard

one
"

PLATONISTS

Good

dyadov,

reminds

and

man

KoKov

Practice."
way

CAMBEIDGE

Maxwell's

the ultimate

to the Law

motive

of Nature

is,

"

it is

of
account
on
interesting
its similarityto the
criticism
which
Schopenhauer brings
Both
critics are, I think, misled
againstKant.
by the supposition
and
that their respectiveauthors
not
are
juridical
Platonist theologians. That juridical
theologyinfluenced both
Cumberland
and Kant
is,of course, indisputable
; but it is a

as

part of

the

on

error,

grave
which

to mistake
critics,

the

of

itself felt in the details

made

the

influence,

an

for
superstructure,

of the
foundation
building. We
grant
-theological
may
behind Kant's
to Schopenhauer that theology stands masked
doctrine of the Categorical
our
study of the
Imperative.'But
enables
of kin
to
Kant's
next
us
English IntellectuaUsts
munion
recognisethat theologyas the Platonist theologyof the comthe

"

"

obedience
with

God

to

sanctions

with

mind

of man's

the

"

Smith

the

Law.

of

of

that
armed

of the

Freedom

that

puts it, rather than

as

than

commands

issues

superiorwho
theologyof the
a

as

rather

mind

God's

Gospel,
Bondage of

the

doctrine
"

think

Kant

the

"

to

They

and

that

on

H.

his school

the

it

Moral

Maxwell's

Cumberland).

in

side and

one

Green

on

to

the other
and

Cudworth

his

the

"

Let

side.

"

formalism
me

add

hardly be
independent subject.

school

can

Theory of Morals an
ledge.
merely an illustration of their Theory of Knowthe
same
on
good is simply an intelligiUle,
Eeasons, requiredby the
other lUat, or Eternal

footingas the
epistemologyof the school.
to
Morality has much more
about
Eight and Wrong.
'

explain the central

its relationship
to the

to

enough

said

the

make

make

of Plato
of T.

and

observation

said

now

of Cudworth

mythology

of

have

Cudworth's
say about

Eternal

mathematical
"

Obligation

"

and

is treated

Immutable

Truth

than

merely as

of Nature, p. 68 (Appendixto his edition of

Obligationof the Law

'

o.c.

p. 85.

of

case

"

clear

to the

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

516

lated
it assimi-

and the perceptionof

intelligibility,"

principles.Duty is
Triangularityis. This

of mathematical

self-evidence

clearlyperceivedby Eeflection,just as
and his associates
characteristic of the System of Cudworth
that their Theory of Morals is but a corollary ^and is carefuUy
coroUary of the
positionof a mere
kept in the subordinate
Theory of Knowledge, is also a characteristic of the English
"

"

"

in

System which,

T.

Platonists.
bound

up

and

with,

day, represents that of

Moral
Green's
Theory

own

our

H.

indeed, except

far

so

closely

is

"

contaminated

"

as

bridge
Cam-

the

by utilitarianism,identical with, his epistemology ^an epistemwith

has close affinity
ology which, as I have tried to indicate,
"

that

of Cudworth

and

his

associates,inasmuch

includes,

it

is theology,
or
proofof the existence of God
epistemology,indifferently.Green's Prolegomena and Cudand
worth's
Eternal
Immutable
Morality are books which
should be read in connection ; and, in reading them
together,
let the reader take as his guide the thought that the theology
of Green, as well as that of Cudworth, is ecstatic,
not juridical.
The critic's problem in interpreting
the Philosophy of Green
is that of interpreting
of the
a
product of the Eenaissance
as

theirs does, a

as
"

"

revival of, Christian

product of

Platonism

the Eenaissance

circumscribed

by

dates

a
as
principle,
personalexperience.

vivid

not

Platonism
Cudworth

is

; but
"

I had

the

is

more

late-bom

Eenaissance, after all,is

always with
spiritcraving for

even

said

almost

it is

temper as well
his associates,
in
as

and
it

"

as

their

temper

than

us

as

vating
reno-

the freedom

of

doctrine ; and

in

Alexandrine
a

doctrine

enthusiastic

decessors,
pre"

an

for
mysticaltemper, always longing passionately
intuition,always ready to accept the clearness of passionate
intuition as Standard
of Truth
in Diviue
Things : Nature
itself plainlyintimates
to us," says Cudworth,^ that there is
such absolutely
ceivable,
some
perfectBeing, which, though not inconyet is incomprehensibleto our finite understandings,
it hath
by certain passions which
implanted in us, that
otherwise would
want
an
object to displaythemselves upon ;
namely, those of devout veneration, adoration,and admiration,
togetherwith a kind of ecstasy and pleasinghorror ; which,
"

'

Intell.

System, ii. p.

519.

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

THE

518

In the New
Theory of
by Locke.
Knowledge (1710),
(1709) and Principlesof Human
the mid-link
as
of his early manhood, he
appears

moved
Vision
works
between

down

lines laid

on

sensationaUstic succession.

the

in

Hume

and

Locke

although there
interest,at this period,is mainly scientific,

His

which
in
this early work
theologicalreference even
distinguishesit from the work of either Locke or Hume.
Experience,though interpretedaccording to the principlesof
Malethe Language of God
is yet
the Lockian
Critique,
doubtless
branche's
doctrine of "seeing all things in Grod"
The
New
In
The
influences
him.
Principles
Theory and
be said to adopt sensationalLstic doctrine en
Berkeley may
this Platonist
Platonicien.
But
how
see
temper, showing
is

"

"

"

itself

in

even

Locke, hurries
him

into

miseries

be

the

the

Irish

of the

of

centre

advocacy

of

Siris,a

and

action,rouses

noted, practicaland

people,carries

mission

to

found

work
evangelical

among

returned,

failed ; he

scheme

disillusioned,to devote

not

that wonderful

it

be

of

influence

into

science

his enthusiastic

on

aborigines. The

but
disappointed,

write

always,

"

Atlantic

American

his life to

from

away

the

should

collegewhich
the

with

"

the

across

man

sympathy

statesmanlike
him

the

the

chieflyunder

written

works

of

the remainder

and
to
philanthropicschemes
Chain
Reflections
of Philosophical
Virtues
of Tar-water, in which
"

Inquiriesconcerningthe
the practicalPlatonism
of his nature, pent up, as age and a
fatal disorder condemned
him
to greater retirement, found
natural
relief in dogmatic expression. It is in Siris that
Berkeley appears as the latest adherent of the school of Cudworth

and

connection

/But what, it may

More

between

Tar- water

be

(which Berkeley recommends

panacea)and Platonism ? The answer

of the pine,is the purest vehicle
Spiritof the universe
by the agency
"

introduction

principleinto
has the

effect of

is shown

to be the

which

to

soul of the

an

the human

all diseases. I That

"

of

additional

of that

"

of which

amount

system by

means

invisible fire
all

vital

or

thingslive :

of this vital cosmic

of

decoction

heighteningthe bodilypowers
there is such

as

tion
is,that tar, the exuda-

the

asked, is the

well

and

of
principle

of tar

expelling

the Universe

onlyhypothesisconsistent with that Platonism

is the
adopt More's phrasewith a slightalteration
is the body."
modern
science
Philosophyof which
"

"

'

'

THE

Let

It

close

me

eloquent

CAMBEIDGE
this work

utterances

might

the

with

of the
well

very

readers, that

PLATONISTS

be

greatest

temper

thought
had

men

quotations from

two

Platonist

519

"

to
tell
trifiing

of a
writings are the touchstone
whose
has
been
the
admiration
philosophy
suppliedpatriots,magistrates,and law-givers,
to
well

as

schools. Albeit

in these

rarely fathomed,

and

the

notions

of

modestly presumed
who

are

love

of

could

had

called
their

not

where
best

instead

of
of

men

in

Socrates
God

to

learnt

as

of

in

his

the

manifold

commentary

mysteries,
and

multiform

letter

mmquam

countrymen

our

writers

Certainly

pilotinga

of

gods, but

entered

that,
with

and

thoroughly
receive
the
divine
and
initiated,
illumination,
they
participatein
the very
Soul
looks
if the
Deity; in like manner,
abroad, she
beholds
the
shadows
and
images of things; but returning into
herself

she

seemeth

only

discovers

to

the

innermost
And

unravels

silence

behold

Sanctuary
and

the

of the

Divinity ; to
very
which
is inefiable and
as

the

first

of

again, still
Soul

the

saith, is the

repose

her

own

essence

at

herself, but having penetrated

And

mind.

this, he

beholds

and

being

first

of

who

is

state

in the

Proclus,
Plato, observes
Theology
are
initiated, at first meet

the

on

those

virtue, and
to
Atticus,

sense,

of

many

book

even

et Socraiici mri

obligations to those Socratic

people are well educated, the art
from
the writings of Plato.

the

It may
be
of those

...

us,

same

would

maxims,

antiquity.

Cicero, who,

Would

ing
flourish-

most

doctors

modern

many
among
have
more
sort, who

exclaiming,0

which

ages;

and

not

than

gratiam referam.
the

were

are

better

country

of
the

to the
Church,
of
that
old
depths
learning are
for
these
lands, if our
happy

the

great

there

the

forbear

days,

the

the

to

yet it
gentry,

nobilityand

young
imbibe

vdbis

fathers

as

my
Plato ;
mind
;

for
high esteem
hasty and shallow

ever

"

serious

whose

states,

Siris

most"

faculties

ends

her

all

she

advancing into the

contemplates the OeZv yei/os.
of all human
Soul

of the
and

further

further

excellent

approach
superior to

principleshe

she

first she

acts, in the

tend

upwards to
that
be clearlyjoined with
come
so
high
beings. When

journey

to

rests.^

and

******

Whatever
upon

God,

the
the

possibly make
make

sorry

thinks, he who
Human
Mind, and
thriving earthworm,
world

patriot and
1

sorry

Siris, "" 332, 333.

hath

not

much

Bonum,

the

Swmmwm

but

will

most

o.c.

% 360.

statesman.^
^

meditated
may

indubitably

INDEX
Adam, Mr., on Plato's attitude to doctrine Allegory of Castle of Medina, Spenser's,
of Immortality of the Soul, 71
257
circle of the Same
and the Other,
in Pwgatorio, zziz.,257
on
143
of the Gave, Plato's,
250 ff.
the
on
of
of the Disorderly Crew, Plato's,
position of the Throne
253 ff.
in the Myth of Br, 166, 167
'Aj'iyK'q
'Avdpaais,takes the place of Kardpaa-is
the Pillar of Light in the Myth
on
in eschatology,352, 353, 367
of Er, 169
Stoical doctrine
of the levity of the
the

on

astronomy

of

the

Politicus

Soul

contributed

to, 380

doctrine of, 343 ff.

'Av"fuiriffLS,
Myth, and the Great Year, 198
on
341 ff.
dapoi, 200
'AvdfivT](7ts,
^pws,ffiiXoffb^ia,
of Homer, 233
on
allegorisation
'Avd/ivrins,
Platonic,Dieterich on, 158
the 0t)XaKesof the RepuMic and the
on
compared with Dante's mythology of
Hesiodic
Lethe
and Euno6, 158
436
Daemons,
Adam
pretation,
interdoctrine of, and
Greek
Smith, Dr. G., on allegorical
Angels, Jewish
doctrine
of Daemons, 450
236, 237
Aeschylus, attitude
of, to doctrine of Apocalypse of Paid, Dr. M. R. James
on,
364
Immortality of the Soul, 63, 64
African
BeastAesop's Fables, at once
Apocalypse, the astronomical, 361 ff.
tales and Parables, 16
relation
Cults,
of, to Sacramental
365-8
Agyrtae, 70
of the Ulysses
in I^inomis, de Oodo, Meteorol., Apuleius,his interpretation
iUB-lip,
242
Myth, 241,
438, 439
Albertus,on the Earthly Paradise, 105
demonology of, 446 ff.
the
Earthly
Al"aganus, Dante's use of, 365
Aquinas, St. Thomas, on
Dr. G. Adam
Paradise, 104
Allegoricalinterpretation,
Smith on, 236, 237
Archer-Hind,
Mr., his Timaeus
quoted,
269
Dr. Bigg on, 236
Phaedo
Hatch
Aristippus,Henricus, translated
on, 236
and Meno
in 1156, 102
and Neo-Platoof Myths, by Plotinus
Aristotle

nists,237 ff.
St. Paul authorises, 237
Chrysostom's opinion of, 237

Myths, Plato's judgment on, 20, 242

of Myths, Grote on, 232, 234, 243
Neo-Platonic, Zeller's opinion of,242

of

16

his

Allegorisationof

gives up

234

Chalcis,163

misunderstood

by,

of

Personal

Immortality

Grod

and

the Soul,

of

53

Testament,

Philo's, Aristotelian
Astronomy,

ff.

by Christian

ideas

of Personal

233
Old

near

koXXIto'Ki!

58

on, 231, 232

Stoics, Cicero on, 233
on,

supposed tomb

Plato's

Plutarch

Adam

Dante, 163, 164

on

Allegoricaltales deliberatelymade,
Allegorisationof Homer, 231 ff.
by the Stoics,233, 234

Mr.

Timaeus, 90

echo

Eudemus

misapprehends the Timaeus, 269

Aristotle,
his God, 355
poetisedastronomy, 163, 164
influence
his poetised astronomy,
of,

Dante's, 244

by

and

0, 295

astronomy, 354

part played by,

in

163

Fathers, 236, 237

521

2l2

Poetry,

THE

522

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

discovery, Callaway, on one-leggedpeople ; of. Myth

told by Aristophanes in Symposium,
408
Axiochus, the, date and characteristics of,
Platonists, their learning,
110
Cambridge
ff.
475
the
in
the
world
of
the
departed
places
influenced in two
directions,
by Philo
southern
hemisphere of the earth,
479 ff.
and by Plotinus
respectively,
110
maintain that Moses taught the motion
singularin its localisation of the TeSlov
of the Earth, 478, 489
358
iX'qeelas,
their enthusiasm for the new
astronomy,
486 ff.
Bacon, his allegoricalinterpretationof
their science, 486 ff.
Myths, 242
their central doctrine, the Doctrine of
his definition of Poetry, 387
of man
Ideas as
the
theory of union
105
Bacon, Roger, on
Earthly Paradise,
in knowledge and conduct,
with God
and
Berkeley, his Siris characterised
494, 495
quoted, 518, 519
as Platonist, 517 ff.3
go back to Plato the mythologist rather
494
than to Plato the dialectician,
Bernard, his translation of Kant's Kritik
502
their
d. Vrfheilskraft
222
ff.
epistemology,
quoted,
the
of Homer
their epistemology, derived from
by
Bigg, Dr., on allegorisatiou
Atlantis

Myth

and

maritime

468

doctrine of iSiai

the Stoics, 233

allegorical
interpretation,
236;
on
Myth of Cupid and Psyche, 245
Boeckh, referred to for Plato's astronomy,
on

354

of the Dead, 130

Bosanquet, Prof. B., on " present
time," 56
Bran, The
Voyage of, referred

"

between

notions

as

"

tended
ex-

their doctrine
512

to

for

of metempsychosis,

metamorphosis, and pregnancy

without
male
intervention,
304

their discussion of the relation of God's

"
Will" to his "Wisdom
and
Grood-

ness," 505 ff.

Book

connection

set
"mythologicsJly"

forth,explainstheir theory of Reason

Moral
as
Faculty, 503 ff.

enable

of

CategoricalImperative,

ff.
us

of Kant

to connect
and
of

Green
the

the
with

Phaedrus

"

formalism
the

"

and

"

mythology"
posium,
Sym-

515

Campbell, Prof., on

Protagoras Myth,
221
L., quoted for Japanese
story of originof tea, 14
Carus, his Gesch. d. Zoo^friereferred to, 17
infernal
the
Brunette
on
Latini,
rivers, Catastrophes, doctrine of, in Plato and
103
the Peripatetics,
196
attitude of, to belief in Immortality,
Buddhism,
Categorical Imperative, doctrine
of, in
301
Cambridge Platonists,512 ff.
doctrine
Kant's
Budge, Dr. on Book of the Dead, 66
of, criticised by
of
burial in
514
on
a
prehistoric form
Schopenhauer,
Egypt, 378
Categories of the -Understanding and
Moral
Bunbnry, on the geography of the Atlantis
Virtues, Plato's mythological
"deduction"
Myth, 466 ff.
of, 50
Bunyan's Pilgrim'sProgress,an allegory Categoriesof the Understanding, mythological
and also a myth, 16, 246
deduction of, 337 ff.
of the
the Forms
in the Super-celestial
Burnet, Prof., on the "T(p6vSv\oi
seen
Place explained as, 339 ff.
orrery in Myth of Br, 165
referred to on Plato's astronomy, 354
Cave, Plato's Allegory of, 250 ff.
the Poem
of Parmenides, 351
on
an
allegoryand also a myth, 16
the
and
monsters
on
its meaning, 56
binations
"organic comof Empedocles, 409
Schwanitz
on, 252
Gouturat
Bury, Prof.,on spread of Orphic cult,66
on, 252
Butcher, Prof., his Aristotle's Theory of Cebetis Tabula, 245
Poetry and Fine Art referred to, 391 Chalcidius,translated the Timaeus, 102
Butler, on Necessity and Freedom, 172
quoted on Daemons, 436
far
his version of the Timaeus, how
By^vater,Prof.,on the Epinwnis, 439
used by Dante, 468
Caird, Dr. E., on Kant's Ideas of Reason, Charles, Prof. R. H., his editions of
of
and Ascension
quoted, 48
Secrets of Enoch
Callaway, Nursery Tales of the Zulus,
Isaiah, referred to, 361, 362
Choice of ffercules,
quoted, 8-10
2, 246
Brownell, C.

"

INDEX
The
Church, Dean, on
Letter
to Kan
Grande, 18
Cicero, eschatology of
his
Samnivm
Scipionisand Tuse. Disp., 353
Circe and
Calypso Myths, Neo-Platonio
interpretationof, 240 ff.
Claudian,on the Earthly Paradise,105
Clear and Distinct Ideas," 509
Clough, quoted to illustrate doctrine of
ic6\airis and
in Oorgias,
/cddapiris
"

523

of
the
and
mythology
Timaeus
Phaedrus, 498
Cudworth, his criticism of the sensationalism
of Hobbe^ 497, 498
his criticism of Descartes,509 ff.
Cultus Myth, a varietyof the Aetiological
Story, illustrated,13
Cumberland, criticised by Maxwell, 513 ff.
Cumont, his Mysieres de Mithra, 365

his

criticism

Dieterich's

of

Mithras-

126
365
liturgie,
Oodo, de, influence of, in the Pairadiso, Cupid and Psyche, Myth of, Mr. A. Lang
353

on,

245

Coleridge,on "poetic faith,"6

Dr. Bigg on, 245
on
deep sky akin to feeling,22
quoted for the statement
that a poem
Daemon, Guardian, doctrine of, connected
ought not to be all poetry, 34
with belief in re-inoamation
of Souls
Plato's doctrine of the pre-existence
on
of ancestors, 449, 450
of the Soul, 61
as
Conscience,447, 448
on
Wordsworth's
Ode
Intimations
on
Daemon, the, of Socrates,445, 448 ; cf.
of Immortality, 61
2, 3
his Anima
Poetae
quoted, 258
Daemons, doctrine of, 434 ff.
Dante's Canzone
on
two kinds of,recognisedby Plato,436 ff.
xx., 258
regards the Platonic doctrine of Pre- Dante, Letter to Kan
Qrande, quoted for
ezistence as mythical, 344
literal and alledistinction between
gorical
holds that Poetry may
exist without
truth, 18-19
metre, 389, 390
Convivio, quoted for literal,
allegoric,
Comparetti, on gold tablets of Thurii and
moral, and anagogic interpretation,
Petelia, 130, 156
19-20
the Xalewala, 204
on
his ' ' personalreligion,"
19
Conscience,Cardinal Newman
necting
Feelingin last
on, as conexpresses Transcendental
canto
creature
of Par.
and
of
25th
sonnet
principle between
and Creator, 447
r. if.,23
Guardian
Daemon
V. Jf. sonnet
as, 447, 448
24, quoted for effect
Conybeare, Mr., his Philo, de Vita Oonproduced similar to that produced
templativa,referred to, 234
by Plato's EschatologioalMyths, 26
Cook, Mr. A. B., on the Sicilian iriskeles, V. N. sonnet 11, quoted to illustrate
and
the Myth told by Aristophanes
the
of
"magic-" of 'certain kinds
in Symposium, 408
Poetry, 38
of
of Purgatory, and Earthly
Comford, Mr. F. M., on the 0i)Xa/cfS
Hell, Mount
the
the
Hesiodic
Mejpublic and
Paradise, compared with the Tartarus
and True Surface of the Earth in the
Daemons, 436
Courthope,Mr., his definition of Poetry
Phaedo, 101 ff.
quoted, 36
Qimestio de Aqua et Terra, 102
flow
in the
Conturat, on doctrine of Immortality of
the tears of this world
the Soul as held by Plato, 61, 70
rivers of his Hell, 103
Timaeus
totits mythicus est, 197
singular in locating Purgatory on the
of the Earthly
the Cave, 252
on
slopesof the Mountain
holds

that the whole

is mythical, 348
Cratyhis,the, on the

doctrine

of ISiai

Philosopher Death,

127, 128
on

the

of the

use

geography
teleological

of

Orosius, 105, 106

Cre\aer,Plotinusde PulchHtudine, quoted,

240, 241
pared
Cudworth, his criticism of Descartes comcriticism

Purgatory sightedby Ulysses,

of

104
his

Sirens, 128

with

Paradise, 104
Mount

of

the

same

tendency in Prof. Ward's Natwralism

and
Agnosticism, 477, 478
487
conceives
God spatially,
the epistemosuppliesthe link between
and
the
Green
of
logical theism

mythological explanation of the

distribution of plants,106, 107
created
to make
the human
race
good
the loss of the fallen angels,106
his

"the

P's,"130

seven

the three
to the

parts
"

Three

of

his D. G. correspond
Ways," 132

Lethe and Eunoi, 154 ff.

Earthly Paradise, 154 ff.

THE

524

Dante, his mythology of Lethe and Eunofe

compared with the Platonic Avd/mriiTis, 158

by gradual ascent
KdBaptris

of Mount

of

place of Ki6159
hy
metempsychosis,
apais
of Saints in the
moving
appearance
Purgatory takes

the

Spheres,165
and the Timaeus, 210
his allegorisation
of the
three Marys, 244
Inferno, iv. 46-43, and

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

Dill,Professor,quoted on

doctrine

the

to

of the
the

take

of

the

Soul, 62 ff.
Family, rather
as

story of the

Macrobius' Commentary

the ""mmmm;S"3ip4(mM,359
Disorderly Crew, Plato's Allegory of,
253 ff.
Dramatists, the Athenian, their attitude
on

the moral

than

the

dividual,
In-

unit, 63

Dream-consciousness, induced
382

Immortality

by Poetry,

ff.

Piato's Cave, "Dream-thing," the, illustrated

from

Wordsworth's

253

Coleridge on, 258

"
suppressed symbolism in, 258
Procession
in Pwrg. xxiz. ff.,
839
relation of Philosophy to Science,
on
"

Prelude, 153
Dream-world, the, of the primitivestoryteller
5
characterised,
Myth is
During, holds that the Phaedrus
a

"Programme,"

338

342
the Platonic Ihtai to

"

Gods,"

Earth, rotundity of,recognised by Plato

in Phaedo, 94
the number
central positionof, in Phaedo, 94
of Beatrice,350
on
nomical Earthly Paradise, the, 103 ff.
Pwradiso, latest example of the astroof Dante
and medieval belief,104 ff.
353
apocalypse,
Oonmim, quoted for his astrononucal
Dante's, 154 ff.
new
Earthquake and thunder accompany
system, 164, 355 ff.
influence
of Planets in producing
birth
in Myth
of Er
and
on
Dante,
Purgatorio, xxi., 159
temperaments, 358, 359
regards his vision of Pwradiso as having Ecstasy, Plotinus quoted on, 385
sacramental
as understood
value, 367
by Cambridge Platonists,
480 ff.
theory in the de Monarchia
compared
scendental"
and Atlantis
with that of the R^vMic
"Empirical" distinguishedfrom "Tran454
389
Myth,
Feeling,
his knowledge of the Timaeus
through Enoch, Secrets of, referred to, 361 ff.
the
version
and
of Eothen, Kinglake's, quoted to illustrate
commentary
Chalcidius,468
allegoryof Disorderly Crew, 254 ff.
science,
ConDaemon
Darwin, on the feebleness of imagination Epictetus on Guardian
as
in the lower animals, 4
448, 449
in Mam,
his Expression of the Emotions
Epimetheus, contrasted with Prometheus,
compares
347

'

"

and

AnimaZs

referred

to, 342

Dead, Book of the,Egyptian, 66

Delphi, place assigned to, by the side of
the Platonic State,58
Descartes, criticised by Cambridge Platonists, as
ignoring the "plastic
principle,"478, 493'
criticised by Cudworth, 478, 491, 493,
509

ff.

Dialogue, the Platonic,two elements in

and
Argumentative Conversation
1
Myth,
Dieterich, on
Orphic
Kardpaa-is eis
AiSov, 66, 154
on
refrigai-um,161
Mitbraic
162
on
eTrrdTruXos,
/cXi/iial
his
Mithraslitwrgie referred to for
influence of Posidonins,352
his MithraMiturgie, 365 ff.
Dill, Professor,referred to for mixture
of Science and
Myth in Macrobius,
"

101
on

Plutarch's allegorisation
of Egyptian

Myths, 232

225

ff.

Epin"mis, demonology of, 445

64,
Br, Myth of,place of,in the Republic,
72, 73
great philosophicalquestion raised in,
169
Eivoias

ff.
Beds in Mithraic

doctrine,162

Evil, origin of, mythically explained in

Politicus
Myth, 197, 198
presence of, in Heaven, 367
Exder
Book, the, on the Earthly Paradise,
105

Expression,importance attached by Plato

pressed,
to, as reacting on that which is ex113
reaction

of, on

that which

is

expressed,

342

Eyes, the final cause

Fairbanks, Mr.

A.,

of, 856
on

cremation

and

379
dvijSoo-is,

Fall, the, of Souls as conceived by the

Neo-Platonists,360
Fioino,on the Narcissus Myth, 240

MYTHS

THE

526

PLATO

OF

Categoriei
Understanding and Ideas of
not explicitin Plato's mind,
Reason
Immortality of the Soul, attitude of
sometimes
but
implicitlyrecognised
Attic
Simonides, Tyrtaeus,
Orators,
45
the
Athenian
him,
by
Dramatists, Aristotle,
his distinction between
Categories of
Public, to doctrine of, 61 ff.
Ideas
of
the
Plato's doctrine of,accordingto Hegel,
Understanding and
Reason explained,45 ff.
Zeller,Grote, Coleridge,Thiemann,
in charging Plato with " transcendental
61, 62,
Conturat, Jowett, Adam,
70, 71
use, or rather misuse, of the Categories
of the Understanding,"ignores the
personal,presentedby Plato in Myth, 53
of Myth
in the Platonic
function
agnosticismregarding,in the Athens of
72.
Plato's day, 61 ff.
philosophy,
his Oritiqueof Jydgment quoted, 222 ff.
conceived
by Plato eitdnentlyin Myth,
distinction between the Teleological
on
61, 73, 74
Plato's doctrine of,according to Jowett,
and the Mechanical
explanations of
the world, 222 ff.
70
three sorts of,distinguished,
300 ff.
his theology that of the Platonist,514
attitude of Buddhism
to belief in, 301
Kard/SairiseZs "AiSov,Dieterich on, 154
Eohde
"Imperial Hellas," ideal of, in Plato,
on, 154
Immisch

referred to for medieval

of the

454

tion
transla-

Kant, his distinction between

of the

Phaedo, 102

Lobeck

ff.

ideal of, how far it competes with that

of Personal Salvation in Plato, 455,
456
ceremonial

as
Initiation,

Death

and

Be-

birth, 368, 377, 378

Ion, Plato's,a study

of deceased
"

of

Poetic

of, referred to, 362

Islands of the Blessed, 107 ff.
in the Platonic
Myths, 108, 109
in Greek and Celtic mythology, 108
in Gorgias,identical with "True Surface
the
Earth
in
of
Phaedo, and
"Heaven"
in Myth ot Br, 107-110
"

Dr.

H.,

on

Socrates, 3
James, Dr. M. R., on

the

of
Saiti.bviov

Apocalypse of Paul,

James, Prof. W.,

Vameties

to, 480

referred

on

essay

Theism

"

on
teleology,52
of Religums Experience

"

"Reflex

Action

and

referred to, 517

Jevons, Dr. , on thiasi,71

the story of Zagreus, 409
on
Johnstone, Mr. P. de L., his Muhammpui
and
his Power
quoted, 363
Jowett, on Imagination and Reason, 4
on

on

English

495
Idealists,
of Socrates, 3
Kuhner, on the Sal/iovLoy

Land, Prof. J. P. N., on Physiologus,17

Lang, Mr. A., on Myth of Uranus and
Cronus, 11
on
Myth of Cupid and Psyche, 245
on
savage analogiesfor Greek mysteries,
378

Leibniz, his

364

his

bridge
to Cam-

Platonists and modem

Isaiah, Ascension

his

relatives,450

tion,"
InspiraKnowledge, Theory of, common

382

Jackson,

252

on,

the, eschatologyof, 351 ff.

KdBapa-a, poetic,393
King, Mr. J. E., on infant burial,200, 450
Kingsley, Miss, on re-incarnation of souls

and

"

"

Pi'e-established Harmony
Prenatal Choice " in Myth

Er compared, 170
describes the doctrine

mythical, 344
Lelewel,referred to

for

"

of

of ivd/WTiins
as

of Earthly
position

Paradise, 104
of Socrates,3
L^lut,on the Sai/iSviov
the
River
its
ot,
Lethe,
localitydiscussed,
154
Thiemann

on

localityof,164

infernal rivers,154, 168

in the A^ieid, 154, 165
its locality
of mortality
Plato's attitude to doctrine
Imand
in the Orphic cult,
Mnemosyne
of the Soul, 70
156 ff.
the general characteristics of the
topography of, in Myth of Er, and

and

on

gold tablets found

Petelia,156

one

of the

Petelia Tablet compared, 157

drinking of, precedes re -incarnation,

Politicus Myth, 196

Kaibel,

not

at

Thurii

157
and Mnemosyne
160

at Oracle of

Trophonius,

Ealewala, the,described,208, 204

Roscher on references to, 168
storyof the 'Sixth of Iron, in the, 204 ff.
German
makes
version of, by H. Paul, 204
Mark
H.,
Liddell, Professor
not an isolated municiKaXX/TToXii,
pality,
essential to Poetry,
Plato's,
metrical form
but an Empire-city,58
391, 392

INDEX
Lie,the, in the Soul, what 1 54
Lobeck, Aglaophamua on the "Cycle
Incarnations,"156
the aJlegorisation
on
of Homer, 231
on
story of Zagreus, 409
re-incarnation

on

of souls

relatives,450
liotze,his distinction between

of

the Reality
of

"

the

on

"Steep

Stoic

347 f.
Mirror and Bowl

Existence
and
the
Reality
Validity,appears in Norris, 500
"
magic of, 37
song, the

Lucian

Millet's "Sower," 250

to
Milton, adheres
old astronomy in
Paradise Lost, 163
his Poem
De
Id^ PlatomcA
quemadmodum
Aristoteles imtellexit,
quoted,

deceased

of

Love

of

52.7

HiU

of Dionysus,Neo-Platonic
of, 239-40
interpretation
Mitchell,Mrs., on Prometheus
gus
sarcophain Capitol,229
Mithras
cult,the KXT/xof ^Trrdiri/Xos of,

of

162

Virtue," 104
Lucifer,the Fall of, how
Dante, 106

365 ff.
Mithraslitwgie, Dieterich's,
of by
made
use
Mnemosyne, drinking of, precedes final
of purifiedsoul, 157
disembodiment
Models, astronomical, in antiquity,165
Maokinder, Mr. H. J., on
"Atlantis," Moore, Dr. E., on
authenticity of the
466
Quaestio de Aqua et Terra, 102
the geography of Orosius,105
Macrobius, on the Bowl of Dionysus, 239
on
his Commentary
the
on
Sonrnivm,
references
in Paradiso
on
to Eeuelation
iScipioniscompared with the PAaeof St. John, 361
drus Myth, 360
the
Plastic Principle in
More, H., on
influence of Planets in producing
on
Nature, 95 ff.
on
temperaments, 359, 360
vehicles, terrestrial,aerial, and
Madness, four kinds of, distiguishedin
aethereal,96
the Millennium, 97
Phaedms, 306, 339
on
cussed
soul
"Magic" of certain kinds of Poetry dishave
muiit
a
vehicle of some
a
and illustrated,
36, 38
kind, 97
Mahomet, Vision of,quoted, 363
the effect upon terrestrial and aerial
on
bodies
of the Fire of the Last Day,
Malebranche, his doctrine of " seeing all
all things in
God"
97, 98
adopted by
Norris, 501
on
sunspots,98
Make-believe
and Belief,6, 7
of his "Myths"
one
quoted, 98 ff.
indebtedness of his mythology of aerial
Mann, Max Priedr.,his Bestiaire Divm
referred

Maoris,

Heaven

Marcus

to, 17

their

and

Aurelius

souls,437,
Guardian

on

daemons
of

Story
Earth

the

Children

of

quoted, 11-13

the aerial habitat of

on

438
as

Conscience,

449

Masson,

Professor,

on

Milton's

Platonicd, 348
Tyrius, demonology

Maximus

De

Ided

of, 447,

448

Maxwell,
513

his

criticism

of

Cumberland,

ff.

of

the

Platonists

Stoics,99
his belief in witchcraft, 100
the number

on

his

Daemon

that

to

and

view

729,

of the

end

349
of the

Scripture,

432

his PhilosophickaZPoeins quoted,487 ff.,

496, 505
poreal
criticises Hobbes's
disproof of Incor-

Substance, 492
MorfiU, Professor, his translation oi Secrets
of Enoch referred to, 361
Moses Atticus, Plato as, 476
Mundo,
de, astronomy of, 353
geography of, 467

theory of obligation,514, 515

the, of the Judgment(Xafjuiv),
Murray, Mr. G. G. A., on Brit. Mus. Gold
Seat, positionof, 152
and Teleology, 508
Mechanism
Tablets, 156
Metempsychosis, and Resurrection, 198 ff. Myer and Nutt's Voyage of Bran, on
with
notions
not necessarilyconnected
conceptionwithout male intervention,
his

Meadow

of

Retribution

and

Purification,

199

302 ff.
Myers, F. W. H., on the dcufi6viovof
Socrates, 3
relation of,'to metamorphosis, and to
makes
changes in tension of muscles of
conceptionwithout male intervention,
the throat essential part of poetic
302 ff.

Metem-ologica,geography of, 467

and
Metre
Representation,the place of
each in Poetry, 388 ff.
Millennium, the, H. More on, 97

excitation,393

Mysteries,strongholdin Greece of doctrine

of Immortality, 66
Mysticism, Goethe's definition of,70

THE

528

MYTHS

OF

PLATO

eschatological,characterised,Necessity,the throne of, in the Myth of

Er, where ? 153, 165 ff.
interpretation
of,must he psychological, Nettleship,E. L., on the lack of organic
16
connection in latter half of iJep.a.,
the
vehicle of exposition chosen
73
by
165
the
with
he
deals
the vCyrov oitpavov,
Plato, when
on
Conscience
a
as
Cardinal, on
priori conditions of conduct and
Newman,
science, 49
connectingprinciplebetween creature
education
of children to begin with,
and Creator, 447
according to Plato, 53 ff.
Newton, his Principia quoted for his
Plato
brings, into conformity with
theologicalbelief,489 ff.
94
science as far as possible,
Norris, his Reason and Religion,referred
not to be taken literally,
according to
to, 480, 481, 498 ff
481
on
Plato,but to be "sung over oneself"
ecstasyand the holy life,
till the
charm
of it touches
the
the a priori in knowledge, 499
on
heart, 113
distinguishes,as Lotze does, between
attached
to, by
aetiological,value
Reality of Existence and of Validity,
500
Plato,201 ff.
in the KaleiecUa, 203, 204
his Ideal World
aetiological,
compared with T. H.
its two "meanings," 244
Green's Eternal Consciousness, 501
the Phaedo, motif of,Moral Responsidoctrine of "Seeing
bility,
adopts Malebranche's
114
all things in God," 501
the Oorgias, Moral Responsibilitythe
moral
503
on
obligation,
motif of, 126
Number
729, 349, 350
the Oorgias, its theory of itiXao'is and
7, instances given of its importance,360
Ki,9apn$ of Punishment and Pardon,
ing
126, 127
Obligation,how Reason imposes, accordthe Oorgias,its renderingof the wonder
to Platonism, 503
with
and reverence
which
man
gards
reOld Testament, Philo's allegorisation
of,
234 ff.
Death, 127, 128
the Oorgias, on
the infinite difference Olympiodoms
the infernal rivers,168
on
vice
with
between
large and vice Optimism and Pessimism, 506 ff.
with small opportunity, 129 ff.
Orators, Attic, their attitude to the
doctrine
distinguished
fromAllegory and Parable,
of the Immortality of the
15
Soul, 61 ff.
ous
continuMyth and Allegory,Wcstcott
Orosius and the doctrine of one
on, 243
difference
from
between
illustrated
105
oUovfiij'Tj,
Spanish chapel fresco,429
Orphic cult,spread of, 65 ff.
Myth and Ritual compared, 58
Plato's attitude to, 66 ff.
Myths, introduction of,perhaps suggested
Philosophy described by Plato in terms
to Plato by certain passages
in the
of,69
conversation
of Socrates,2
Lethe and Mnemosyne
in, 156 ff.
Plato's, appeal to that part of the Orphic Karti/Soffis
els "AiSov,66
soul which
itself,not in Orphic priests, as
expresses
distinguished from
in value-judgments,
theoretic,but
Orphic doctrine,Plato's attitude to,
21
or rather,value-feelings,
70
Plato's,effect produced by, compared Orrery,the, in the Myth of Er, 1 65
with that produced by contemplation
of Nature, 22
Pandora
Myth, in Hesiod, 238
Plato's,effect produced by, compared Parable, Reville on, 250
with
that
produced by
Poetry Parables,the, of the New Testament, 250
generally,22 ff.
Paradiso, the, latest example of the
Plato's,described as Dreams
expressive
"Astronomical
Apocalypse,"364
of Transcendental
Feeling,42
Parmenides, the celestial eschatology of
allegoricalinterpretationof, Plato's
the opening lines of his Poem, 351
judgment on, 242
Paul, H., his version of the Kaktoala, 204
allegoricalinterpretationof. Bacon's, Pausanias on Lethe and Mnemosyne at
242
oracle of Trophouius, 160
JleSlov "\Tieelas,
the, 355 ff.
Narcissus Myth, Neo-Platonic
allegorisa- Plotinus on, 357
tion of,239, 240
Plutarch on, 357, 358
"
Necessary Truth, what ? 504
the Axiochtis on, 358
Myth, the
14

"

"

INDEX
Personal

God, idea of,presented by Plato

Myth, 53
and Optimism, 506 ff.
Pessimism
Phaedo,
hydrostatics of, criticised by
Aristotle,102
in

medieval

translation of, 102

Phaedrus

Myth, the, celestial

mise

sc^ne

en

or

of Life,
constitntingthe Principle
503, 504
the justice of punishing
Plutarch, on
children for sins of fathers,63
dl Homer, 231, 232
on
allegorisation
liisAridaeius-Thespesi'us
MyOi, given,
as

nomical
astro-

of its eschat-

ology, 350 ff.

of the
Philo,his allegorical
interpretation
Old Testament, 18, 234
the number
729, 349

529

and

commented

his power
on

ff.

on, 369

ff.

of

381
colour-visualisation,
fj/vx^,and ffw/ia supplied by
vovs,
Sun, Moon, and Earth respectively,

440, 441

his daemonology, 441 ff.

Jewish Angels and Greek Daemons,
on
his Timarchus
Myth given, 441 ff.
450
"Poetic
Truth,'what ? 384 ff.
influence
of, on Cambridge Platonists, Poetry, chief end
of, production and
480
regulationof Transcendental
Feeling,
on

Philosophy

Life and

as

Immortality, 428,

429

33 ff.
its effect identical

with that produced

Physiologus described and quoted, 17
by other Fine Arts, and sometimes
with that produced by conan
PUgrimi's Progress, at once
Allegory
even
templation
and a Myth, 246
of Nature
Human
and
quoted, 246 ff.
of ChildLife, and by the memories
hood
and Youth, 35
Pillar of Light, the, in the Myth of Er,
discussed, 152, 167 ff.
a Theory of, 382 ff.
Pindar, his eschatology,66 ff.
Posidonius,influence of, on development
Plato's debt to, 68
of astronomical
eschatology,352
aerial daemons, 438
on
Pitra,on Physiologus,referred to, 17
peraments,
the
Planets, influence of, in producing temPostgate, Mr. J. P., on
Sirens,
ff.

358

128

cartes, Pre-existence
and
Zeller on,
Principle,the, ignored by Desavi/ivriffis,
343 ff.
478, 493
the Pringle-Pattison,
Professor A. S., referred
explains,for Cambridge Platonists,

Plastic

"vehicles"

existence

of

which

"Eternal

the

could not

without
Consciousness"

"reproduce" itself 493

of Cambridge Platonists compared with

"
the " SpiritualPrinciple of modem

English Idealists,494
Plato, as Moses Atticus, 210
his attitude to
his

attitude

Myths, 231
his astronomy,

Categoriesin Things," 340

of the Universe," relation of
Thought and Transcendental
Feeling
to, 44, 45
respectively
"

"Problem

attitude of Plotinus

to, 45

Prometheus, contrasted with Epimetheus,

225 ff.
Teleology,224 ff.
the allegorisationof Prometheus

to

Myth,
228

354

various

temper, illustrated by
Berkeley'slife,517 ff.
Plato and
Geology,
Piatt, Mr. A., on

Platonlsm,

to, 52
on

as

465 ff.

lends
230

on

cophagus,
Capitoline Sar-

ff.

versions
itself

of, 229
easily to

allegorisation,

allegorisedby Plotinus, 238

Prophecy, Professor P. Gardner

on,

431,

433
Pliny, on Lethe and Mnemosyne at oracle
a
of Trophonius, 160
Prophetic Temperament, the, Diotima
"
Problem
of
study of, 430 ff.
Plotinus,attitude of to the
the Universe," 45
Spinoza on, 430, 431
the
Mount
of, and
metheus Purgatory, Dante's
of the Myth of Prohis allegorisation
pared,
comStoic
and Pandora, 238
"Steep hill of Virtue"
104
of Narcissus
Myth,
his allegorisation

239

Dionysus, Babelais, quoted in comparison with the

posium,
Myth told by Aristophanes in Sym410 ff.
of Diotima's allegory,
his interpretation
Bashdall, Dr., referred to for medieval
428
translation of the Phaedo, 102
Platonists,
on
Cambridge
influence of,
nection
Refrigerium, doctrine of, taken in con480 ff.
with Dante's Euno6, 161
to I5iai)
ffeupiaand Ipws (directed
on
quoted
360

on

mirror

and bowl

of

THE

530

PLATO

OF

MYTHS

quoted for effect proa

Shelley, Adonais
Beligions Consciousness,the, demands
duced
similar to that produced by
Personal God, 51
Plato's EschatologicalMyths, 27 ff.
how
standing,
opposed to the Scientific Underdistinction between
52 ff.
on
poetry and
390
Renan, on Spanish Chapel fresco,114
prose,
The
his Poem,
Recollection,quoted,
Bepresentatiou and Metre, the place of
395
each in Poetry, 388 ff.
Simonides, his attitude to doctrine of
Kesurrection,doctrine of, 198 ff
nomical
AstroRevelation of St. John, not an
Immortality of the Soul, 62
Sirens, the, associated vrith Death, 127
Apocalypse," 361
"

Dante

little indebted

Miss

to, 361

Beville,on the profound philosophy of

Myths, 16
Rite and Myth, 58
on
on
Ritual,256
433
Ritschl,his view of Inspiration,
Ritual,compared with Myth, 58
with Myth and Allegory, 256 ff.
Rohertson-Smith, on relation of Myth to
Ritual,14
Bohde, on Greek agnosticism regarding
Immortality of the Soul, 62
on
Orphic rites,65
Pindar's eschatology,67
on
on
Kard^ans els "AiSov,154
on
r^rigermm, 161
on
"apoi, 200
Roscher, on Lethe, 168
Bound
pared
People, the, of Aristophanes,comwith the Sicilian triskeles,
408
compared with Zulu and Arabian onelegged people,408
of Emcompared with the monsters
pedocles,408, 409
153
Bouse, Mr., on votive figures,
Buskin, on Spanish Chapel fresco,114,

on, 127

Harrison

J. P. Postgate on, 128

Smith, John, his view of the
between
a
Holy lAfe and
Mr.

relation

Right

Belief,432
on

ecstasy and

the Holy Life,481

More
and

Cudworth

differs from

relying less

"Science"

on

than

feeling"for proof

"moral

of

in
on

the

existence of God, 491, 492

distinguishes Klvqns
496
kvk\ik'/i,
KipTjfTis
Socrates,his " mesmeric

irpopartK^ and
"

2
influence,

his Daemon, 2, 3
Somniwn
Scipionis probably owes
astronomy to Posidonius,439

its

eschatologyof, 353
of Allegoriesor
use
Illustrative Fables, 1
Idea
Soul, the
of, as represented in
Plato's EschatologicalMyths, 60 ff.
in Timaeus, 304 f.
Soul-stuff,
Souls, number of, fixed,198, 199
Spanish Chapel, fresco referred to, 114
astronomical

Sophists,the

referred

their

"

to

between

to

illustrate difference

Allegory,429
Spencer and Gillen on Souls of ancestors
199
enteringinto women,
created to make
race
Sander, on Geography of Atlantis Myth, Spenser,the human
466
good the loss of the fallen angels,106
Dante's
his allegoryof Castle of Medina, 257
Scartazzini, on
Purgatory and
Earthly Paradise, 104
Spinoza,his view that religionis a matter
Mr. F. C. S., on ivi/yyia
of
Schiller,
iKWHjaias,
piety rather than of dogmatic
Myth

and

257

164

truth, 59

the Prophetic Temperament, 430,

Schleiermacher,on the Protagoras Myth,
on
431
220, 227 ff.
Schmidt, on Dante's Quasstiode Aqua et Springs, hot and
cold, origin of, in
Terra, 103
Phaedo, 94
referred to for positionof the Earthly Stallbaum, on
the general characteristics
of the Politicus Myth, 196
Paradise,104
in, esse compared
on
Schopenhauer, his Freedom
Protagoras Myth, 221
with Prenatal Choice in Myth
on
Myth and Dialectic,242
of Er, 171
quoted,
Stevenson, E. L., his Woodnum
his definition of Poetry, 387
40
of trvyKariperative,
his criticism of Kant's CategoricalImStoics, the, their doctrine
514

Schwanitz, on Allegory of the Cave, 252

referred to, 467
Scylax, his ircplirXovs
Seneca's Letter to Ma/rcia,eschatologyof,
353
Sensitive

Soul, supervenes
Vegetative,40

63
0e(ris,
of Homer, 283, 234
their allegorisation
of
of aerial habitat
their doctrine
daemons

and

souls

of

the

dead,

437 ff.
upon

the

love of, importance of

Story-telling,
S
the development of man,

for

INDEX

531

Story-telling,
always

"about
people and
Toynbee, Dr., on
Dante's
acquaintance
animals," 6 ff.
with Pliny, 160
Stories,
distinguishedas Simply Anthropological
referred to for Dante's knowledge of
and
Zoological,Aetiological,
Macrobius, 361
and Eachatologioal,
8 ff.
Dante's knowl*ge of the version of
on
Simply Anthropological and Zoological,
the Timaeus
made
by Chalcidius,
8 ff.
illustrated,
468
Aetiological,
Ulustrated,10-14
Tozer, Mr., quoted for Dante's
ledge
knowand magic, 10
of Somnium,
Sdpionis,361
various classes o^ 10
on
Par. xxxi.,79 ff.,367
Cosmological, a variety of the aetiological Transcendental
Feeling, production and
story, 10-13
regulation of, the end of Poetrv,
Sun, western
risingof, in Atreus Myth,
22, 33
197
expressedby Dante, last Canto of Par.,
rising where he now
and
V. N., Sonnet
sets, and setting
xxv., 23, 38
he
where
now
rises, in Egyptian
Poets quoted to illustrate means
ployed
emstory, 197
for production of, 23-33
Symbolism, "suppressed,"illustrated "om
means
employed by Poetry to produce

Dante, 258

the dream-consciousness

in which

it

arises,33 ff.
Tablets, attached to Souls by Judges of
the Dead, 130
gold, of Thurii and Petelia,130, 156 ff.
Tablet,Petelia, quoted, 156
Tannery, on Orphic(rites,65
and exit separate
Tartarus, has entrance
in Phaedo
and Myth of Er, 112
Teleology, attitude of the religiousconsciousness
and

the

scientific standing
underrespectivelyto, 52
Plato's attitude to, 224 ff.
and Mechanism, 508

in

nascent

form

for

accounts

the

"

"

magic of certain kinds of Poetry,36

explained genetically,
39 ff.
two phases of, 41
Imagination the Interpreterof, 42
its relation to Sense

Consciousness
44 ; cf. 59
the

and

of "the

aware

beginningand

Understanding,

end

of

"

Good

in,

Metaphysics,

44

Consciousness

comes

nearest

to

the

Teleologicaland mechanical
explanations
object of
Metaphysics, Ultimate
of the
World, distinction between,
Reality,in, 44
set forth in Protagoras Myth, 222 ff. "Transcendental," as distinguishedfrom
Theodore
of Mopsuestia, his exegesis,
237
"Empirical Feeling, 389
as
Thiasi, and
personal,
distinguished Tylor, Prof.,on the state of the imagination
from
official,
religion,71
ancient
and
among
savage
Thiemann, on doctrine of Immorality of
peoples,7
the Soul as held by Plato,60
on
localityof Lethe, 154
Universal,the, of Poetry, 384 ff.
the Rhymer, Ballad
Thomas
of, quoted
for rivers of blood in Elf-land,103
"Vegetative Part of the Soul," fundamental,
referred to for the
"Three
and
of that implicit
Ways,"
source
"

131

Faith

Thompson, regards the Phaedrus

Rhetorical Paradigm, 336
as
a

Myth

Is an
regards the Phaedrus
Myth
allegory,336, 339
of Thomas
the
Three Ways, the, Ballad
131
referred
to
for,
Rhymer
the three parts of Dante's D. O. correspond

to, 132
of Atlantic
Ocean, origin of, in
Phaedo, 94
Tiinaeus, the only work of Plato which
Dante knew
directly,102
reputation of, in antiquity and the

and

middle
of

age, 210

Toynbee, Dr.,
with

Dante's

Claudian, 105

of Life on
Science rest,39
Universal of Poetry," 386

"

H.

which

aethereal,

More

on, 96
aerial,of Souls in

Purgatory, Dante

on,

97

Vernon, on Lethe aud Eunoe, 155

does he localise the River
VirgU, where
of Lethe

? 155

Visualisation,colour- and form-, power

of,possessedby Plato,Plutarch,and
Dante, 380, 381
Volcanic action, explained in Phaedo, 94
Volquardsen, his view of the dat/idviov
of
Socrates, 8

Trilogy,259, 299
on

Value

and

and
Vehicles, terrestrial,
aerial,

Tides

one

in the

Conduct

acquaintance

Votive

figures and the piuv vapaSdyof the Myth of Er, 153

liara

THE

532

W.,

Wallace,

Kant's

on

Memories

Limcolm,

that

to

Plato's

tiaism

the

on

H.

More's

Wordsworth,

in,

belief
his

434
of

of

through

the

of

Poetry

to

390

Poetry,

of

immorality

Homer

231

B.,

referred

spoken

to
to

for

the

harp,"

idea
393

239

Myth,

with

compared

in

Voyage

on

as

W.

"poems

Zagreus

230

of

Orphic

sode
epi-

Zeller,
on

on

in,

100

on

held

beginning

"

There

that

told

Synvposiwm,
Sai,fi6viov
of

by

by
409

of

Plato,

60,
of

phanes
Aristoff.
3

Socrates,

Immortality

allegorisation
Stoics,

100

the

doctrine
as

belief

in,

the

35

63

100

lines

in

metre

Hesiod,

Mr.

Yeats,
view

66

Cudworth's

of

on

and

243

Hades,

Odyssey,

belief

Agnos-

Myths

Allegory,

to

effect,

relation

"

342

Xenophanes,

Dead,

Mollendorff,

Smith's

the

schools,

and

in

to,

Plato's

Platonic

Odysseus

Witchcraft,

of

place

on

illustrate

to

poetic

"

on

Science,

Plato's

quoted

"

of

Wordsworth,

453

Aeschylus'

on

of

Wilamowitz

boy

478

to,

Condition

Myth

ff.

and

referred

Bishop,

later

31

Naturalism

Prof.,

influence

452,

of,

his

referred

Weiamann,

on

was

produced
by

Myths,

view

Prof.,

effect

produced

Eschatological

Westoott,

Eeason,

President

of

for

quoted

similar

War,

of

PLATO

nature

Whitman's

Ward,

Ideas

OF

46-7

quoted,
Walt

MYTHS

of

the

Soul

70
Homer

by

the

233

on

Neo-Platonic

allegorisation,

on

Pre-existenoe

and

dcd/wj/o-is,

242
343

ff.