MY T H A N D ILLU S ION : P LA TO' S R E P U B LIC
p re te n d
to
to
b e p h i l o s o phers
re p o rt
th e m s h o u l d
the
An d a n y o n e w ho can show a l ong
head.
or
fa i rn e s s ,
B u t e very
fo r
appl i cant
to
a c c o rd i rtg
the
will
beard
tw o seed-cakes
not
at
a
any modest y,
-Least fi .ve
you cantt
regul ati ons
per
you dontt- happen
if
essenti al ,
must produce
for
be el i gi bl e
N o need to bri ng
fi gs.
Theyrre
s e l .f-c o l t rol "
to h a v e a n y .
logisms,
dri ed
a 1 1 o v /a nce of
s u p p l e m e n ta ry
unempl oyment
thei r
tw o mi nas pl us
of
rate
app lies
descri pti on
thi s
for
the A cropol i s
to
b e at
will
which
b e n e fj -t,
A l 1 w ho thi nk
!
w ho
al l
cal l i ng
to be phi l osophersl
w h o p re tend
all
calling
syJ- -
be l ^Ii se w i thout
.l
tn e m.
plat o' s
ro l e
Repu b l i c
does S oc r at es
co mb a ts
t he
w h o d es t r oy s
play?
ir r at io n a l
t he
bu t
of
t he ham a rti a ,
P hilos ophy
d e va stat ing
b e st
only
ef f ec t
Is
h e Pe n th e us
or demoniac but
c o n v e n ti o n a l
Ca ve , a m oder n r o m a n ti c
fo rtu n e,
as a tragedy,
c a n b e c l a s s i fi e d
or
tra g j -c
i ts e l f.
u p o n th e
an ev en c h a n c e i n
w i th
fl a w ,
and moral i ty.
i n fl u e n c i n g
of
is
There
l i es
horror,
w herei n
and the
E paragmos of
that
P l a to re c o g n i zes
" tru th s "
in
the
terms
the Y oung S tranger,
the Y oung S tranger
m y th o l o g y
obsession
or
but
the w orl d
phi l osopher
publ i c
opi ni on.
of
or
of
the
" B acchae"
of
a l i ttl e
after
al l
the
tragedy'
not
onl y
a darkn ess
the
the
reve r sal
the P hi l osopher
myth and bel i ef
and that
Pent heus
revo lut ionar y
a phi l osophi cal
is
bot h?
which
in
t he
of
King
can have a
phi l osopher
st ands
at
_
pu blic
Th e
€i+
^Plrrdrb
i.r.I-r-
F^r
!ur
rIL
we ar e
to
fo r
bas em ent pr i c e
of
would
of
a n d e rs
wit h
fi n d s
not
o n th e mo o n , fo r
Empedocles,
of
apt ly
pr opo s e s ,
deed.
He tri e s
P r oc lus
w e re th e
of
c our s e,
to
t he
ra n k
ir r ati o n a l
A c c or din g
of
h e re s y
frequent
matter
th a t
fo r
of
the bargai- n
j u dge
to
reputatj -on
the
to
hi s
Letrs
t he
of
t he
but
throw
of
cl assi cal
much myth-maki ng
a n e o-P l atoni st
frequenc
of
a doubt
com t he At henof
Li ve s
aasociat ions
A naxagoras
repor t s
a man dropped
w as busy
f r om
"ar r est ing
sat ir e
a vol cano,t' Luci an t s
l ook
tragedy
E pi rnoni das
S even S l eepers
that
i n hi s
us that
hi rn i nto
"wie
w ho cyni cal l y
on E tna,
i mmortal i ty
phrase
C ato musi ns
assurea
Meanw hi l e
h e preferred
S i nope
of
i ntellect ual
S chl l l errs
dead w hi l e
the
W i thout
romanti c,
Laerti us
eccentri ci ti es
provi .ng
the
in
D i osenes
H eracl i des
w inds."
of
S l ave Auct iont '
slept
reputedl y
in-
venial
f or
E phesus or R i p V an Winkle
the
S ocrates' dai moni on
phi l osopher s
cl assi cal
to
and tal e-te1l i ng
to
the
to hi s
ext ent
t hat
Idea,
whlch
the
r at ional
, w ho 1s supposed to prefer
is,
3
to D i o g e n e s
m y t h and fa c t,
[1e him s elf
s u b j e c ts
Th e
a no velt y
be coopted
a profoundl y
and w e fi nd
di d
c h a n g e d w or1d.
a d mi tte d
hap p i l y
as they
like
t' The
C ertai nl y
w as D i ogenes
a n d he fal 1s.
awakening
a c o n s i d e ra b l y
t hem s elv es
it
E m p e d o c l e s makes the hybri s
to b e g o d ,
y e a rs ,
f if t y - s ev en
dj- s c ov er
fo r
hardl y
in
w as^no means as sound as modern hi stori an s
Z e n o descends
th e u n w e a ri e d
has to
"a l u m i n u m
Virginskyts
dow n at
knocked
as
by
Y et
not
is
di al ogues,
and theori es.
a r e w orthl ess,"
th a t
at
trend
is
myths
their
meeting
d emocracy and phi l osophy
only
while
and
the
hersel f
They w orehi p
as long
dwellings
t he v iolenc e
s chool s
l e c tu re 6
od d o r ma rv e l l o u s .
m oon.
a n d P hi l osophy
age of
t he
t he
hi msel f
j -n a n ti q u i ty
So c ra te s
P hilos op h e rs
t he
Ev e n S ocrates
w a r e s d a .tt
t t A 1 1 P l a to ts
t oler ate d
bri l l i ant
c o n fl i c ti n g
golden
report^s
S a mosatafs
have us believe
th e
philosophers
treat
and anti -phi l osophi c
of
tw o o b o l s ,
th e
ganz ander s,
m ent ed:
to
aS Do6 t o y e v s k y
Ph o n i e s ."
of
all
philos ophy
m y t hology
r eady
Lucian
p h i l o s o p h e rs
c las s ic al
ians
t oo
Epar r ow8r r
c re d i L
and " F is hing
m er it s
all
T h e a n ti -i n te l l e c tu a l
P os s es s ed.
if
is
/, 1
w a s th e
L a e rti u s,
a n d w h o c a n re al l y
subject
of
w hose l i ves
tru6t
a mythol ogy
hi m,
w hi ch
pass back and forth
P l ato
" seemed to
i ncl uded
the
across
some too
bel i ef
that
t he boundar ies
f ond
of
m yt h. "
he possessed
-42
to
c r eat e
m a s te rfu l
r ec eiv ed
or
nE
n o ti o n
r-^+aE ri^-^1{+-ona l l -ty
P lat o
but his
€ Y e ,"
a " t hir d
illusions.
th a t
but
lec t ed
and e x p l o re d
also
of
of
P e rv a d i n g
E r,"
al l ,
to
l i es
in
statement
runs
counter
di al ecti c
method and his
ttC ratyl ustt
the
P l ato,
in
and the
how ever,
is
devotes
the
abilit v
to
applicat ion
"Tim aeus'
only
pl ato
negl ect
onl y
t he
a philohas colbot h
a si n gle
t heir
page t o
the nepubl i c.3
" al l egory
of
the cave, ',
t he
fi gures
of
the un just
m an
symbol l c
P l atots
not
schol ars
l egi ti mi zes
i nel ude
is
The Myths of
E ven S tew art
w hi ch
hi s
and the
how ever,
most P l atoni c
t he R epubl i c
" my th
hi s
nythol ogy
S tew art
but
1i e,"
" royal
o r rn y th s i n
s h i p w re c k .
A.
di mensi on.
th e
th e
J.
rnyths,
p o l i ti c a l
th e me ta 1 s ,"
and t he
P l a to n i c
in
purposes.
th e ori st.
th e me ta 1 s ,"
T he ill u s i o n s
"myth
th e
l i es
ttP haedrus"
e d u c a t i onal
a p o l i ti c a l
a n d th e i r
"myth of
g r eatness
F ro m the
fo r
pol i ti cal
in
E ven such a si mpl e
Pl a to rs
n y th s
s opher
t he
g reatness
and logic.
ut ili z e s
lr r at ional
re a l
greatest
creati on,
t he r nyt h of
4
S oc r at es .
T he P l a to n i c
and jus t ic e,
t r ut h"
in
t he
av er age
labor .
per s uade
re q u i re s
appeals
c i ti z e n .
to
h i ms e l f
He m ay agr e e
th a t
being
an ideally
alt hough
A rj -s to tl e
c ri ti c i s e s
of
Pl a to n i c
p ro p o s i ti o n s
bey ond ques ti o n .
Su c h b e l i e f
al so
m y thos
w i th
vi ew
b a ck to
th a t
th i s
thei r
is
the
tradi ti onal
content.
sophi sts
of
educat ion
of
si m ult aneously
to dem yt hologize
a di vi s ion
ev11 than
to
d.o i t.
a communi ty
create
d.emands upon
is
as arti cl es
d emands are bound to
bel i ef
j usti ce
the R epubl i c.
must be accepted
the
P l ato
severe
that
suffer
requi -res
of
and t 'absolut r
natut..5
a number of
to
tor
f r eedom ,
mythology
w ho attempt
a cri -me j -s preferabl e
soci ety
part
bel i ef"
a purged
the
better
for
maj ori tari an
as unfi [
may be convi nced
it
equal i ty,
gods,
true
he pl aces
p u n i shed
just
of
democracy,
rej ects
H omeri c
but
of
ttfal se
q u arrel l i ng
A p h i l o s o p h er
th a t
t hes e
P l ato
re a s on,
He ma y b e c o n v i n c e d
i l l usi ons
betw een
p o w e r-o ri e nted
g o d s b y g e tti n g
P l a to
to
s trangel y
lying,
t he p re v a i l i n g
W hile
rel ate
philosophy.
th e
Pa i d e i a
c las s ic a l
tu rn
a l te rn a te
Gre e c e ,
y out h.
r ejec t s
t he
which
in
th e P l a to n i c
c las iic al
t he
my th s
to
of w i ves
To the
of
goi ng
average
fai th,
tensi on
in
of
He m ay
unpunished.
and pr oper r y
cit izen
fundam ent al
an i deal
all
t r ut hs
sysgem .
- /,').
P lat o,
of
c o u rs e ,
a l th o u g h
c it i- z ens ,
t he
s hipwre c k ,
whic h
does not
of
" em por ium
fro m d e m o c ra ti c
to
he has bee n s o p e rs i s te n tl y
He is
the need for
navi gati ons.
c r eati ng
th e a p p e ti te s .
maj ori tari an
P rotagoras.
i n d j -c ates
c o n s ti tu ti o n s ,"
ens lav er nen t
much about
that
h e d o e s re s p ect
h e b l u n tl y
c an re s u l t
c a re
For P l ato
di sl i kes
re j e cted
in
Likewise in the autocthonous "myth of the metals" Plato
being
bor n
fro m
s y s t em wit h
div ides
t hat
th e
a n e q u a l i ta ri a n
f i -rs t
a s im ilar
c - /u1
m et a l s .
s ugges t
s o c j -a l
of
T h e re a re
P l a to
that
a n d th a t
c hild
or v i c e
gold
am on g th e
c las s es
in
G uar dian
t ac it ly
as k s
pr obable
In
c onnent ,
nat ur ed
c hildr en
" L a c h e s ,"
pa re n ts
do not
y et
he pur p o rts
not
want
to
i mp e rfe c ti o n
the
e v e n u s u al l y
the
in
al so
his
a p e rfe ct
that
terms
his
which
t he
classes
a nd I nca
rel at ed
myths ,
the
to
Per u
t he
which
of
produce
P l ato
system
of
P l ato
the
is
in
gol den-natured
system because
natures.
that
nat ur ed
the nat ur al
Juni or
not
G uar dian
w orkable.
cri tl qu e
a sma11 but
Loo k at
does not
change.
and t he
of
Plat o.
goldent he
wor k well,
W hy? H e certai n ly
argues
Plat o
reveallng
means that
offspri -ng.
to
Senior
t hat
upw ard mobilit y
eugeni cs
know s that
system on gol den
of
the metal s
the myth of
a gol den
tradi ti onal
sl i ps
syst em m ay not
you bel i eve
U nl ess
a mechani sm for
are part
the
di -scoveri nq
demoti on
the
records,
ti rat
may produce
parents
no mechani sm for
courage,
a n d T h e mi s tocl es.
c o n s tru c t
the met-a1s admi t
The absence of
i n to
to P l atots
go unchal l enged.
to
w h e re h e treats
tra n s l a te d
Pe ri c l e s
is
d o v rn w a rd mobi l l ty
which
of
there
i ni tiat ed
Ti bet
l#."
as
equalit y,
H e tel l s
l arni st
In both
a+ct!)
"tt
the myth i tself ,
to
paral l el s
i ron-natured
g o i ng
H avi ng
and i ron.
si l ver,
of
t . hat
human psychol ogy.
i nto
to me d d l e w i th
to
turns
*1V.'
tett
i l l usi on
or
r easons
the
r J .J \nor .
w as used i n r^rhi ch human nature
s e e m s doubtful
G re e k i s
the
state.
the
mi scegenati on.
the rnyth of
s u c h b e l i e fs .
r e s i s ta n c e
t he
It
gol d,
many pri mi ti ve
fa ct
O f c o u rs e .
going
fo r
in
e l a b o ra te
d ro s s .
not
of
e s ta b l i shment
occasionally
v e rs a .
re me d i a l
is
natures
th e i r
to
he l nuredi atel y
h a s a d e e p i nsi ght
T he pa s s a g e s w h i c h
be per f ec t
i l l u si on,
obedi ence
of
license
'We will
says:
Thus he mani pul ates
gai n
to
p ro h i bi ts
i n j u n c ti o n
n y th
b r others.t
same soi1,
m e n a c c o rd J -n g to
t he
t hr ee
a re e a rth -b o rn
th e y
form o f
one of
the A meri can .tradi ti on
st or y
j -s a ve r j- t able
1n the
man,"
" democrati c
the
and theinar chy
democracy
+/'\r \r +aJ c :;s
m en t hat
In
captai n
freedom
of
and a ver age
an ari stocrat.
a trai ned
an i l l usi on
P l ato
bel i efs
W h y? I
does
t hink
_44
bec aus e he v ra n ts to
k ing
s opher
t he
ear t h.
them that
Pl a to
i n hi s
of
This
dec ept io n .
A s inila r
of
t his
t he w o rl d
a v is io n
do not
in
not
of
e c s ta s y
app re c i a te
f ac t
is
t ak e
fa te
th e
Pl a to
is
s o me th i n g ,
t o be G o d .
- - !L'\ -{:
. r r " "': 's''
.
.-\.^
if
extent,
sha1l
but
he is
practi ci ng
he i s
inher it
f ar
t his
m or e
kind
tru th
the
the
w hi ch
is
and emerges from
te1l
i dea
tel l i ng
the
of
fi nal
j usti ce
truth
and ungrateful l y
reformers.
dete r m j- nant
t he
and the
to hi s
in
( For m )
m en, who
him .
that
of
cave
ldea
fel l ow
l ynch
More the pi ty
exist
For plat o
real i ty.
l i berated
back
the
shad.ow s for
the peo ple
be the
the
dor^m to
i n w hi ch
can never
he percei ves
or
cave"
Such
S a vonar ola
did
their
th e
to b e a t-o n e
In
profoundl y
e i th e r
ei ther
re tu rn
to
the
th e
of
ma rk^ s a c l a s s j ,e
of
his
fel t
fi 466-r;
ur
_____i _l i !l r
fortunes,
out
an act
the guardi ans
The i dea
cf
suff er ing,
hybris
and P l ato
is
Ti /ere very
fl aw ,
of
shadow s,
in
hi s
supposed
1ike1y
to
has t o be
just
nature,
or
by want -
the phi l osopher
that
tvani
LLdts r L^
the
as man or as
thror:gh
mi serabl e,
that
manki nd.
sel f-l i mi tati ons
commi tti ng
the philosopher
at w hi ch
sel f-know l edge
be perfectl y
A ri stotl e
re s t
of
hi s
F' orm, thus
c a s e he shoul d
i n h a p p i -n e s s .
m i s e ry
recogni ze
s ad revel atj -on
w i th
the poi nt
l rrong at
as t he
the G ood,
contempl ate
,'
bac k t o m a rty rd o m,
')---:,.i
r.t*t\\.-
(-
of
" al l egory
bel i ef,
He should
s om ewhat s u d d e n re v e rs a l
. . . J**t , r,*
noted
They mi stake
h o w e v e r,
Sun.
be int er e s te d
to
progeny
a certai n
philo-
the
to h e a rt.
n o w c o mi n g to
f or c ed
the
o f ma n y w e l l - meani ng
philos opher '
t r ans f er
,.!.
th e
accepti ng
gol den-natured
hi therto
h o w o n e i ndi vi -dual
th e
to
in
i n w h i ch
e i th e r
thei r
i nto
" N ob1e Li e."
o f ma j o ri -ta ri a n
c ont em plat es
ing
-.
o c c u rs
re c o u n ts
he s hou- r d C e s i re
-; . - _ i
th e re a l
H e th e n h a s to b e fo rc e d
T her e
-
is
ari stocracy
or^rnmyth to
than
s h a d o w s a n d i 1 1 u s j -o n s.
P l a to
I t s elf .
m o re re a l i s ti c ,
Pro c e s s
a wor ld
m or alit y .
.
does believe
fa r
int o
th e A theni an
p ro g ra m b y te l l i n g
M ac hiav ellia n ,
is
fl a tte r
!
awar e of
\\
his
h e ro ts
h a s L h e ma k i n gs
p ro b l e ms .
of
P rocl us
a cl assi cal
P l ato
tragedy.
P l ato
comments " that
must be painf ully
w oul d have been t ur ned
ouc
*
{
of
ing
his
own re p u b fi c
t han Ho me rts ,
Hom er as we l l
c ont r adic t ion s
as a poet
against
a s fro m
."
th e
a n d as a j ester;
which
he protests;
O rp h i c s;
a n d s o th e
that
if
i ndi ctment
that
that
w e take
hl s
underw orl d
is
he borror,rs some of
everythi " ng
conti nues."
6
l i teral l y
not
hi s
less
t er r if y-
or ^r nm yt hs
he is
f ull
f r oin
of
O f t hose
is
m y th s th e
" O rp h i c "
m os t per p l e x i -n g .
LeE he t o
of
that
S te w a rt
' tpy1fi of
E r"
w i th
paral l e1s
ri g htl y
w hi ch
the
P l ato
three
concl udes
w ays,
the Republlc
Tartarus,
H eaven,
and
T h o m a s th e R h rmer:
dov.rn, light
Light
dor,m now, true Thomas,
And lean your head upon my knee;
A b j -d e , a n d re s t a l i ttl e
space,
And I will
s h o w v o u fe rl i es
three.
O h s e e y e n o t y o n n a rro w road,
S o th i c k b e s e t w i ' th o rn s and bri ars?
T h a t i s th e p a th o f ri g h teousness,
T h o u g h a fte r
i t b u t fe w i nqui res.
A n d s e e n o t y e th a t b ra i d,brai d
road,
That lies
a c ro s s th e 1 i - l y l even?
T h a t i s th e p a th o f w i c kedness,
Though some call
i t th e road to H eaven.
And see not
That winds
T h a t i s th e
W h e re th o u
A nd on t hr o u o h
to
the
in
lot t er y
of
pas s age
supposedly
t o his
f un e ra l
f r ee.
He i s
s elec t
any v o c a ti o n
f lll,
n i -c h t."
"Heaven is
bl amel ess;
h u man f,reedom w i th
of
p y re
to
re l a te
experi ences.
not
of
fre e
to
"do his
fu n c ti o n
s e rv i c e .
th e
not
o th e rs
to o
fa r
in
an unwil l i n g n e a s
to
of
f r eedom .
" my th o f
In
deny,
th e
Lethe,
th e
th a t
accept
fre e d o m
physical
L l try then
not,
did
from
his
is
sense,
does E r al one
they
fate
it
is
the
m an is
f r ee
and
i denti fi cation
are we def i- ning
the w aters
they
o f Let he,
are not
upon mai ntai ni ng
somethi ng
that
it
f r ee
If
peopl e
at
lies
Lhe illusion
has ta ken
human i l l usi on.
sense.
not
to
Oedi pus w hose tr agedy
l i ke
the moral
souls
not
N ei ther
dri nk
and sustai ni ng
in
He is
j usti ce.
i nsi stence
recogni zes
useful
fact
famous
an d Er r et ur ns
the R epubl i c
in
visit
This
the
Forgetful ness,
of
not
They are
and hi s
a necessary
of
of
All
remember that
mi ght
l renaeus.
P l ato
E r, "
essence
i n his
w ho chocses."
hi s
and 1aw .
In
sui ted.
it
and the
unjust
a democracy.
in
of
ti me
the
E l sew here
or.rn thi ngt' as
becomes the
fate
the R i ver
to w h i c h h e j -s uri ni rnal l y
p ro p e r
if
h is
of
the bl ame i s
th e w a te rs
bec a u s e
t t unt r uet t in
punishment
of
as p e rfe c t
to
the
Er d ri n k
a s en ti me n t
S k inner
E r has a somew hat easi er
he observes
re c o n c i l e s
f or
s im ply
which
souls.
th e
ex c ept
f r eedom
m i rk
" m i rk ,
underworld
per f or m anc e
y e th a t b o n ny road,
a b o u t th e fe rni e
brae?
ro a d to fa i r
E l f-l and
j
a n d I th i s n ight maun gae.
B. F.
Even i- f
can be m ade
46to
believ e
c our ae,
t he
th a t
de n i e s
b o th
they
th e u ti l i ty
of
a n d d i a l e c ti c
al1
to
re c e i v e
A llegor y
of
while
unjus t
an illuslon
i n te n d i n g
m an ,ttth a t
inf or c es
hi s
r eP or t E
pleir ians
t he
def jnit io n
ing
wit h
t hat ,
of
l a b o r,
th e
waa n o t
1egal
P l a to
j u s ti c e ,
of
of
th e
or
but
alone
a re
th e
in
th e y
Diogenes
we re h e d o n i s ti c a l l y
thenes .
X e n o p h o n w a a c re a ti n g
w hat
is
the
S o c rates
it
spi te
in
as s oc iat ed
w i th
So c ra te s
a s h e l e ads
Indeed
c ri mes
of
untrue
dut y
in
one
of
" i mage
l nanrtthe
t he
r e-
ful fi l l i ng
t he
f unc-
r.rf R ome ( I I : xxxii)
per suade
has ofl ' handedly
is
much nore
S ocrates"
to
dism issed
in
do things
that
oursel ves.
onl y
t he
keeplike
j usti ce
is
In
sense he
thi s
parti al l y
a
t r ue.
Ad-
i s.
P l ato
i l l usi on
casts
of
creati ng
w hi ch
they
t he m yt h
the body hel pe d
w hi ch
but
in
t he
the Republic,
the
H l story
the R epubl i c
thei r
u6 to bel i eve
doubts
si nce
among the
hi msel f,
vehi cl e,
for
that
Socr at les. "
A ri sti -p pu"
";
a6 was Ant is-
have suggested
wa6 m or e
X enophon w as as closely
P ol ycrates
of hi -s fol l ow ers,
most power f ul
" our
ow n versi ons
some cri ti -cs
rai se
and those
are
S ocrates
as a mythol ogi cal
a S ocrates
e1se.
So c ra te s t
in
it
a n d cyni cal l y
a n y th i n g
of
prove
s pe11s? w hi ch
th a n
all
in
in
S ocrates
" hi s
sam osat a
to
bel i ever st t
real
l i es
due,"
of
" true
in
agai nst
al l ow s
necessari l y
for
X enophonic
lis t s
P l ato
does not
g re a te s t
using
man tri s
equal i ty
In
i n hi s
the be1l y
every
not
illusion
of
of
the
j usti ce
of
be phl l osopher s"
throughout
" cl osed
(Li vy
w i th
an i l l usi on
tel l
N ever mi nd that
tra d i ti on.
Luci an
and monster,
revol t
a rms.)
opponents?
i ni ti ates.
sui ted.
h e ma k e s u s bel i eve
an i l l u s i o n
t hou g h t,
best
up in
w ho used r eason
the
that
endi ng
of
the phi l osopher
E r,
to
Skinner ,
freedom.
j usti ce
of
for
noti on
a s " g i vi ng
annoling.
T he illu s i o n s ,
P lat o
is
of
j u s ti c e
of
m i- r e t he m a s te ry
W es t er n
m a n , 1i on,
c o n s tru cted
a rg u me n t
t h e W e s te rn
di- v is ion
of
el se
thei r
i l l usi on
the myth of
H e appears
w hi l e
w ho w oul d
uses the
an i l l usi on
s o m ethi ng
to Pu t u P th e i r
is
P l ato
reason.
individual
th e
and i t
c r eat es
h y b ri d
th e
t ha t
lhe
q u i te
sophi sti c
al l
to control .
i l l usi on
W here i s
hi s
in
i ts
men from
cal l i ng
fr eedom
of
e l a b o ra te l y
t o wh i c h
over
C a v e , a n d w e s u spect
t o m en ti o n
t hing
of
and of
myth?
j u d g ments.
tru e
to be easi er
freei ng
b e p h i l o s ophers,
an illusion
th e
of
to p re v a i l
who would
l i ke1y
freedom
th e Pl a toni c
t he m eta l s ,
whic h
are
I , ' I eat h a s h a p p e n e d to
A c r opolis
t ion
fre e ,
p o s l t i on
" Calling
not
a re
s om ew h a t c o n tra d i c to ry
and t r ut h
of
th e y
in
negl ects
the
Cat egor j- a,
X enophon. 8
in
47
hr hat a ma s te rp i e c e
!o
c o n vert
w h o h eard
s ec ond- r at e
s to o e -c u tte r
a m odel f o r
p h i l o s o p h e rs .
lec tu re .
indeed
won d e re d w h y th e Ath e n i a n s
his t or ic al
T h e " So c ra te s
p ri c e
a bar ga i n
of
ma te ri a l
per haps
it
k it c hen
ga rd e n .
is
th a t
pr of oundly
J us Lus
of
was s hut
dur ing
ma n , l i k e
T i b e ri a s
up'
is
which
hi gher
is
th o se
th a t
c ri s i s
is
the
true
P l ators
that
S ocrates
do1l s.
b e fore
it
to
in
el ected
hi s
to
is
that
mu ch gr eat er ,
w i thi n
no doubt
tw enti es
at
down
B ecause t he
but
the
say a few w ords at
j ust
do,
knocked hin
opponents.
w as a character
There
j urnped up to
thi ng
and Cat o
to make gods from anyth ing
he w as onl y
P l ato
ti mes,
myth i s
int o
and f iss
Luci an
hi s
t he
gadfly,
l enti l s
cl assi cal
earl i er.
than
abi l i ty
R ussi an
w a s th e p ru d e nt
t he M a c e d o n i a n
it
n o doubt
in
done hi m i n
so un1i kel y,
b y h i m e v en i f
re p o rte d
w el l -gl ossed
ef vetus,
thi s
i -ndeed have them eati ng
i n fl u ence,
N o w th e re
i n fl u e n c e d
nui sance,
publ i c
thi s
had not
my th m a ki ng
E g y p ti a n
a m ult idim e n s i o n a l
voi ces,
mythttw as
tw o o b o l s ,
fo r
man, sordus
N e x t he w i l l
bef or e
at
the X anti ppe-nagged
|n
a char acr er .
placo
t hat
ti me
the
as w as A ri stotl e' s
t he
of
t he
t r ial
crim e
t r ie
and
l eaving
commi t a second great
was
At hens
against
philos ophy .
At
t im e s
S o c ra te s
s e e ms s o w i l ful ,
dem andlng th e p ry ta n e u m,
c ape f r om p ri s o n .
ex as per at ion
v alues
ar e
th e
ind e e d .
af t er
to
S oc r at es
at
t he
ac c or ding
to
t he
r es ult ed
in d e e d
of
apos t r ophe
pr ot ec t ed
did
of
always
1 n a c q u i ta l .
laws
a dmi ral s
the
W a s th e
truth
me a n d rn y fa rn i l y .
at
p o l i ti cal
his
w hi ch
O bedi ence
the
to
the
t o es-
One c an f eel
the
t hat
abandons him .
charges
fai l ure
Anyt us
of f ender s
which
to
a voce
t ake
Socr at es
appearances
mal i gnancy
too
t hey
cri m es,
w as presi di ns.
of
t he
Fam ily
faker s
pol i ti cal
real
S ocrates
persecutors
convi cti on.
for
Leon and the
real
ref using
r,ri th S ocrates.
E ven a pol i s-si zed
the
Lysias,
an amnesty to pol i ti cal
a\,ray the vel l
tri al ?
of
gi vi ng
arrest
ri ppi ng
the rnan?
dai monj -on,
the
speech of
penal ty,
and Mel etus
hi m w i th
to
in
must have fel t
E ucl i des
fai l ure
now, at
a fte r
no reason,
voi ce,
charge
g i -v e n to
unmasking his
o n th e
of
not
th e
th e Arg i n u s a e
1i tt1e
the defense
appropri ate
expose A nytus
O b l i vi on
could
refusi ng
as hi s
busi nessman
Ev e n hi s
c o m m i t,
Wh y n o t
of
Ath e n i a n
An y tu s
to Pl a to ,
I ns t ead
w el fare,
n o conunon sense,
a c c u s e h i m.
th e E d i c t
t r uth .
th e re
a v e ra g e
4 0 3 B .C .
t r ia l
s o ci al
A n d w h y d o e s h e not
th e y
had s pons o re d
pr ior
Is
or
so absurd,
was.
a nd get t ing
s hould
have
darnni ng?
hi s
inspir at ional
The l aw s have nurtured
me,
^J-.^^+^l
EUULdLEU
l aw s
to my Par encs;
S ocrates
is
l i ke
del i vers
obedi ence
I
48
iL
is
t he
c r eat ed
fi rs t
an o th e r
f or c em ent
t his
act
of
abs ur d
ex ac t ly
of
one,
th e
th i s
laws
while
So c ra te s
guilt
G or gias
sophist
M y t holog i c a l
s ee t he
A lex ander t s
been a 1it t 1 e
P lat o
bec om es a g re a t
my t h'
B ot h
ihe
pr es ent
in
ch iapas
h o w in
a ble
to
t he y
get
rf
the po\rer of
recogni zes
o rd e r
Pl a to
of
w i th
tru th .
rt
Ka u ti -1 ya,
int o
as w el l
c a me b a c k o r
l a n guage, "
in
w o r1 d .
bu t
in
t he A t hens
of
wa'
caaea t he
s olu ti o n
Aris t ot le
a t ru e
en-
th em selves
which
by
is
The plat onic
" r" h_" ofi " * .
roundl y
it
of
is
polilcs.
for
myths
condem ns in
rnyths,
thi s
abi l i ty
of
of
abi l i ty
to men and gods.
in
stone
the w rong w ay,
A n error
century
made i n
of
the
sought
chi apas
in
of
th e
si nce
rt
cauae the
man has not
be-
u sher s
as a ,' di sease
sarne probl ems
form,
been
The wor ds
counnunicat ion
S ubcommandante Marcos.
a mythol ogi cal
He t old
smoki ng m ir r or ?) .
frequentl y
rnythol ogy
in
t hr ee
revol uti on.
ori gi nal
of
m uch
The gods took
and ever
se,
f undam ent al
the Zapati sta s
the
the
per
1i es.
are very
(obsi di an,
myth theme.
w rote
false
S ubcommarra#e Marcos.
the need for
same w ords w hi ch
or
of
He
the ut ilit y
real l y
R epubl i c
photography
r ecognized,
phi l osopher .
recogni ze
geni us
even
t o win
is
to understand
pl ato' s
l eaders,
we will
w hi ch m ay have
necessari l y
to
i mportant
bl ack
one of
and i l l usi ons
not
pl ators
ones.
w i tchcraft
from pl ato
that
i ssues
real
hi m,
the
t he
a n d A ri s to tl e
re s o l u ti o n
P l ato' s
h ence presumabl y
is
than
by one of
T h e n i n e te e nth
p o e ti c s
has
over-ri g or ous
destroy
practi ced
poti ons
that
a c o n m o n w o r l d-di stri buted
p o l i ti c s
or
plat o
for
i -s subversi on,
pl ato
w hi ch
A ri stotl e
exhi bi t
re fl e c ted
s tra i g h t;
Pl a to
resul t
w hat an
as hi s
truth,
A re cent
language
in
th e m to m a n o n a pol i shed
the
i rony.
The l aw s
i ndi vi -dual
is
a n d m y th o l ogi cal
a my th re c o u n te d
t\^ I een gods an d me n i s
the
but
ml x ed up pow erful
wer e E Q UA LT T Y ' D EMOC M C Y , a n d J U STTC E .
d eat h
that
d ra m a ti s t.
th e rn q u i te
i l l usi oni st,
socrati c
l aw s.
a techni que
rs k a ndernama
o u r m o d e rn w o rl d .
and t oss e d
Ea c h t im e
th e
m e th o d a s a m e a n s to
inc lu d e d
anyw ay,
di fferent
th e o re ti c a l
the
obedi ence,
b e c o m e s a to ta l l y
t he b e g i n n i n g
wor ds
of
spi ri t
the
the
a re someti mes more amazi ng
p o w e rfu l .
h e s h a re s
cf philos ophic a l
the
i n n o c ence,
and also
a diffe re n t
whic h
w i th
at
rh e to ri c i a ns.
fro m
to o
M y t hm a k e r
c onv ey
i n to
b a ttl e s
Look cl osel y
in keepi ng
p re a chi ng
p h i l o s o p h e rs
t r ad i ti o n s
man.
w a s c h a rg ed w i th
nr y t h t r ans f o rrn s
and th e
ti me
d e s tro y s
v e rd i c t'
wh a t
a ra ti o n a l
of
be it
r n bot h
w hat becom es in
NO T E S :
1.
Luc ia n
( 1961 ),
of
p.
2.
Dioge n e s
3.
J.A.
Sa mo s a ta ,
187.
L a e rti u s ,
S te w a rt,
--ggE !gg,
Sa ti ri cal
Lives
of
T h e M y th s o f
E mi nent
P l ato
P aul
Turner , tran6 . ,
P hi l osophers(L925)
(1960).
4.
P lat o ,
Dlaloques,
F.M. Cor nf or d,
Be n j a m i n Jow ett,
ed., (1910); The R epubl i c,
ed. , 1 9 9 1 (1 9 4 5 ).;
Theory, p.11,
C f. E u b e n, Greek Tragedy and P ol i ti cal
Hans Ge o rg e Ga d a me r, " Pl a to and the P oets; i t i s al most tempti ng to see t he
P hilos o p h e r
K i n g tra p p e d i n a quantum quandry; the more he know s about him s e1f l
th e l e s s h e k n o w s a b out soci ety;
the more he know s about soci ety
and him s elf ,
th e l e s s h e k n o w s a b out God. A fter
outsi de th e Cave,
the act of hybri s
he m u s t b e fo rc e d to re tu rn
and must reaort
to myth-maki ng i n an attem pt t o
es t abli s h
a p o s i ti o n .
5.
W er n e r J a e g e r, P a i d e i a :
T h e l deal s
of Greek C ul ture
pp. 2 2 2 -5 2 ; A rl e n e Sa x e n h o u se, " Myths and the Ori gi ns
Lhe A u L o c h th o n y T h e m e i n Euri pi des."
6.
P r oc lu s ,
T h e Pl a to n i c
T h e o logy (1985-86);
Thomas hhi ttaker,
The N eo-P lat onist s,
A S t ud J i n th e H i s to ry
2nd ed., w i th a suppl ement on the
o f H el l eni sm,
(1 918), pp. 296-97.
Com me n ta ri e s o f Pro c l u s ,
7.
Cit ed
8.
Ric ha rd
P olj- t ic a l
of P la to
b y Ste w a rt,
ep.
c i t.,
p.
(1943-45) C f. E u ben, op. cit ,
of C i ti es:
R efl ect ions
on
I44.
Sir
L o u i s L e v i n , T h e Qr-resti oq of S ocrates (i 961);
(1918), Ibi d.,
T h e o ry : P l a to a ryl H i s P redecessors
(1 9 59).
a n g _ Ar5 l e l l e
E rnest B arker ,
The P ol i ti cal
G r ': at
Thought