164
Phedon: Or, A Dialogue
theMansionsofPleasureprepar'dforit; For,my Friends, there are several marvellous Places in the Earth ; and 'tis not at all such as the Defcribers of it arewonttomakeit,(a)asIwastaughtbyonewho k n e w It very well.
Phedon: Or, A Dialogue
theMansionsofPleasureprepar'dforit; For,my Friends, there are several marvellous Places in the Earth ; and 'tis not at all such as the Defcribers of it arewonttomakeit,(a)asIwastaughtbyonewho k n e w It very well.
Plato - 1701 - Works - a
.
'.
Then
? ? 156 Pfaedon : Or, A Dialogue
Hespeaksos Thenyouown,thatHeatisdifferentfromFire, %eu*ndlandColdfromSnow? .
tahed Without question, Socrates.
fromtheir Ibelieveyou'lllikewiseown, thatwhentheSnow subjects, receivesHeat,itisnomorewhatitwas,buteither
givesway, ordisappearsforgoodandall,whenthe Heatapproaches. InlikemannertheFirewillei ther yield or be extinguished when the Cold pre vailsuponitjforthenitcannotbeFireandCold together.
'Tis so, says Cebes.
There are also some contraries that not only give
,
'*Ll! i&mt^erthingsdifferentfromit,which preserve itsfi-
name to their Species -9 but likewise impart it to o-
numbers. gure and form while they have a being. For in stance, Must not an odd thing have always the fame name ?
Yes, sure.
Is that the only thing that is so called ? Or, is not
there some other thing different from it, which must needs be called by the fame name, by reason that it belongstoitsnaturenevertobewithoutodds. Fo. r
for the ter-instance, Must not the ternary number be called not narynumberQ^ byjtsownname^butlikewisebythenameof
tZ'odd anoddnumber;tho'atthefametimetobeodd and to be three are two different things? N o w such is the nature of number three, five, and all other odd numbers; each of 'em isalways odd, and yet their nature is not the fame with the nature of the odd. Inlikemanner,evennumbers,suchastwo, four, eight, are all of 'em even, tho' at the lame timetheirnatureisnotthatoftheeven. Do not
, youownthis? v? HowcanIdootherwise,Cebes?
PraymindwhatIinferfromthence. 'Tis,that not only those contraries which are incapable of re ceivingtheircontraries^butallother things which
are not opposite one to another, and yet have al
ways their contraries \ all these things, I fay, are u n c a p a b l e o f r e c e i v i n g a f o r m o p p o s i t e t o t h e i r o w n ? ,
* . , and
? ? of the Immortality of the SokU i$7
and either disappear or perish upon the appearance oftheoppositeform. Forinstance:Numberthree will sink a thousand times rather than become an evennumberwhile,itcontinuestobethree. Isit
not so?
Yes, sure, replies Cebei.
But, after aLl, fays Socrates, t w o are not contrary
to three. No, lure.
Then the contrary Species are not the only things Astwocm- that refuse admission to their contraries ; since, as ** <<>>>>? >>*
you fee, orher things that aft not contrary cannot TM J i TM abide the approach of that which has the least slia-tiJti,ty'art dow ofcontrariety. notcam*-.
That's certain. ? *>>? DoyoudesirethenthatIshoulddefine'emas
near as possible ?
Ay, withal my Heart, Socrates.
Must notContrariesbesuchthingsasgivesuchTl,edesim-
a form to that in which they are lodg'd, that it isthnfcm- not capable of giving admission to another thing that'stran"'
contrary to them ?
Howdoyoufay?
I fay as I said but now. Wherever the Idea orForm
of three is lodg'd, that thing must of necessity con tinue not only to be three but to be odd.
Whodoubtsthat?
And by consequence 'tis impossible for the Idea or Form that's contrary to its constituent Form, ever to approach.
That's a plain cafe.
Well, is not the constituent Form an odd ?
Yes.
Is not even the Form that's contrary to the odd?
Yes.
Then the Form ofeven is never lodg'd in three ? No, sure.
Then threeisuncapableofbeingeven?
Most certainly.
And that, because three is odd ?
Yes, sure N o w
? ? ij8
Phedcin:Or, A Dialogue
N o w this is the conclusion I mean'd to prove, That some things, that are not contrary to one ano- ther, are as uncapable of that other thing, as if it were truly a contrary ; as for instance, tho' three is not contrary to an even number, yet itcan never ad mitofit. Fortwobringsalwayssomethingcontrary to an odd number, like fire to cold, and several other things. Would not you agree then to this definition, that A contrary does not only refuse ad
mission to itscontrary, but likewise to that which being not contrary brings upon it something of a con trary nature, which by that fort of contrariety, de
stroys itsform *
, 1prayyouletme hearthatagain,laysCebes$for
ftis worth the while to hear it often.
I fay, number five will never be an even number -,
just as ten, which is its double, will never be oddj no more than three fourths, or a third part, or any other part of a whole will never admit of the form andideaofthewhole. Doyounotunderstandme,do youtakemeup,anddoyouagreewithwhatIfay?
I understand you ; I apprehend you to a Miracle 5 and I agree with you too.
Sinceyouunderstandme, faysSocrates;prayan- iwermeas1doyou-,thatis,answerme, notwhat t ask, but something else, according to the Idea and ExampleIhavegivenyou-,Imean, thatbesidesthe true and certainway ofanswering spoken ofalready, Ihaveyetanotherinmy viewthatspringsfrom
torthesian-thatandisfullyassure. Forinstance,ifyouask swersstill me,what itis,thatbeingintheBody, makes ithot, I ? "*e rmm I would not give you this ignorant, tho-1 sure An-
fornewque-_ i i - j T i iij siio? s,andfoswerstnat t,S"eat:butwoulddrawamoreparti-
tbtre')no cularAnswerfromwhatwehavebeenspeakingof). -nd. We an(iwouldtellyou,thatitisFire:And,ifyou
w ! hit lhould ask what il is that makes the Body fick> * re'ZrfiTM would not fay, 'twas the Disease but the Fever.
thesirstcau- I f y o u a s k m e w h a t m a k e s a N u m b e r o d d , I w o u l d fitorthe nottellyou,thatitistheodnefs,butunity,andso
("Jfri of the rest.
DoyouunderstandwhatImean? I
? ? ofthe Immortality of the Soul. ij$>>
Iunderstandyou perfectlywell, repliesCebesl
Answerme, then,continuesSocrates$what makes Redoet** theBody live? fyuseb*
TheSoul. . >*"* 1Is the Soul always the fame ? .
How shoulditbeotherwise.
Does theSoulthencarryLifealongwithitinto fill the Bodies it enters ?
Most certainly.
Is there any thing that's contrary to Life, or is there nothing ?
Yes, Death is the Contrary of Life. a, thtw
Then the Soul will never receive that which is<<>> *>mort contrarytowhatitcarriesinitsBosom? That'sa******** neceflaryConsequence from our Principles. thZ^i'edJ,
'Xis a plain Consequence, says Cebes. umthmm.
ButwhatNamedowegivetothatwhichrefuses>>w>>tiw! admission to the Idea and Form of Evenness ?
'Tisthe odd Number.
How dowecallthatwhichneverreceivesJustice, and that which never receives Good ?
The one iscalled Injustice, and the other EviL
And how do we call that which never admits of Death?
Immortal.
Does the Soul admit of Death ?
No.
(a) Then the Soul is immortaL
Most certainly.
Isthatfullydemonstrated, orwastheDemonstra
tion imperfect ?
Itisfullymade out, Socrates.
(b) If an odd Number of necessity were incorrup
tible, would not three be so too? .
0) His meaning is, that the Soul is as far from dying, a* Good from giving admission to Evil, or Justice to Injustice, <* an Odd toEven: andthattheSoulisimmortal,asne cessarily as three is odd.
(I>) If the Soul be immortal, it is incorruptible, i, t. it re sists and triumphs over all the Assaults of Death.
Whc
? ? 160
Pfiedon: Or, A Dialogue Whodoubtsit? ? ? . ? :. . . >. . -.
If whatever is without Heat were necessarily in- corruptible,wouldnotSnow, whenputt,otheFire, withdraw it self safe from the Danger? For since it cannot perisli, kmwill never receive the Heat not withstanding its being held to the Fire.
Whatyoulayistrue.
Inlikemanner, ifthatwhichisnotsusceptible of Cold, were by a natural Necessity exempted from perishing, tho1 a whole River were thrown upon the Fire, it would never go out, but, on the contrary,
. ;would come off with its full force.
There's an absolute Necessity for that, fays Ce-
ties.
? . Then of necessity we must fay the fame of what
is immortal , If that which is immortal is incorrup tible, tho' Death approach to the Soul, it shall ne ver fallin the Attack : For, as we said but now, the Soul will never receive Death, and will never die-,
j u s t as" t h r e e o r a n y o d d N u m b e r w i l l n e v e r b e e v e n ; T i r e w i l l n e v e r b e C o l d -, n o r i t s H e a t b e t u r n ' d i n t o
Coldness.
(a) Perhaps some may answer, That 'tistrue, the
odd can never become even, by the accession of what is even, while it continues odd -, but what should hinder the even to take up the room of the odd whenitcomestoperish? TothisObjection(b)it cannot be answer'd, that the odd does not perish, foritisnotincorruptible. Hadweestablish'ditsin corruptibility, we should justly have maintain'd, thatnotwithstandingtheattacksoftheeven, theodd
(a) Socratesprevents an Objection, tis. That the Soul, while it is a Soul, does not receive Death ; but, upon the approach ofDeath,itceasestobewhatitwas. Tothishegivesasa tisfactoryAnswer.
"(b) He means, that a real and sensible odd cannot become even by the arrival of an even occasioning the disappearance of the odd : for a real odd is not exempted from perishing. But the Soul is immortal, as three isodd, so that it cannot die, but continues for ever, as well as Life, Justice, the Pro portions of Numbers, an intelligible Odd, &t.
of
? ? of theImmortalityoftheSoul. i6x
or three would stillcome off without loss : and we should have asserted the same, of Fire, Heat, and such other things, should not we?
Most certainly, says Cebes*
And, by consequence, ifwe agree upon this, that everyimmortalthingisincorruptible, itwillnecefla- - rily follow, not only that the Soul is immortal, but thatitisincorruptible. And ifwe cannotagreeupon that, we must look out for other Proof.
There's no occasion for that, Socrates, replies G? < bes-, for what is it that should avoid Corruption and Death, ifanimmortalandeternalBeingbeliableto them ?
All the World will agree, ikysSocrates, thatGodj and Life it self, and whatever 'tis that is immortal, does not perish.
(a) At least, says Cebes, all M e n will profess so.
The Consequence is absolutely necessary and cer tain.
And, byconsequence;, continues Socrates, when ? M a n comes to die, his mortal and corruptible Part dies; but the immortal Part goes off safe and tri umphs over Death.
That's plain and evident.
Then, m y dear Cebes, if there be any such thing as an immortal and incorruptible Being, such is the theSoul; and by consequence ourSoulsshalllive hereafter*
I have nothing to object, fays Cebes ; and cannot but yield to your Arguments. But if Simmias or any of the Company has any thing to offer, they'll do well not to stifle it j for w h e n will they find another
(a) Cebes means, that M e n will be forc'd to fay so, because, perhaps, theyhavenotLightenoughto defeat theseReasons, tho 'tispossibletheyarenoneofthebest. Socratespresently smells this to be the Importance of Cebes's Words; and, on thatview, makesthisincomparableReply, ThattheGods will yet more agree to it; meaning to give us to know, that Truth is more Truth in the Intellect of God, than in the
MindofMan,whichisalwaystooweaktocomprehendit.
LI* occa-
? ? 162 Phedon : Or, A Dialogue
occasiQn for discoursing and satisfying themselves
upon these important Subjects >
;,. ,,. , For my part, fays Smmias, I cannot
AE S S AE t t . butsubscribetowhatSocrateshassaid: nes! ofMm,aret>>ogreat butIown,thattheGreatnessofthe
occasions of their >>ncer- Subject and the natural Weakness or taintywithreferencetothe jfa OCCaslOn Within me a fort of Di- ImmortalityoftheSouL . ^ ^ Incredulity,
You have-not only spoke well, fays Socrates5 but besides, notwithstanding the apparent Certainty of our first Hypothesis, 'tis needful you should re
sume them, in order to a more leisure-
HeexhortshitFriendsto j? view andtoconvinceyourlelfmore
surveysArgumentsmore cjearly^d effectually. If yOU Under-
maturely after his Death. ZT ,< r ry ? 1 ~ '11 ? ,:il;? r,1. . beingpervadedthatthl stand'emsufficiently,you11willingly
moretheydwellupon'em, secondmy Thoughts, asmuch asispoi- themorethey'llbecon- g^leforaMantodo:andwhenyou yintdofthewtruth. aK once fully convinc>d9 you'll need
no other Proof.
That's well said, repliesCebes.
(a) There's one thing more, my TherewardingtheGood friends thatisaveryjustThought,
and punishing the Wicked . ^ jf tsie Soul js imm0Ital, It
co^rftitf standsinneedtocultivatingandim-
taiityoftheSmi,require provement,notonlyintheTime,that ourCareoftheSoulinthis w? Q^\tneTime ofLife? ,butforthe
Lif'-
Future, or what we call the Time of
Eternity :for ifyou think justly upon this Pointjou'U finditverydangerous to neglect the Soul. Were Death the Dissolution of the whole Man, it would be (b)agreatAdvantagetotheWickedafterDeath,
(a) 'Tis not enough that the Understanding be convinc'd of the Immortality of the Soul : T h e Affections must likewise be mov'd. TowhichendherepresentstheConsequencesotthat importantTruth, andallthatitrequires.
(b) The Wicked would be happv, if the Soul were mor tal. This Principle has a considerable Proof of the Immortali ty of the Soul couch'd in it; for, if the Soul were mortal,
Vertue would be pernicious to theGood, and Vice would be serviceabletotheWicked,whichisunworthyotGod. And by consequence there must be anotherLife, forrewarding the
Good, and punishing the Bad.
? ? of the Immortality ofthe Soul. \63
toberidatonceoftheirBody, theirSoul, andtheir"fl*s0>>l
Vices. ButforasmuchastheSoulisimmortal,the"TM*. "0"
onlyWay toavoidthoseEvilsandobtainSalvation,[i^tthl"
istobecomeGood andWife:foritcarriesnothingWorldsbut alongwithit,butitsgoodorbadActions,andits>>"W <<?
Vertues or Vices, which are the cause of itseternal***-*#<<>>>>* H a p p i n e s s o r M i s e r y , c o m m e n c i n g f r o m t h e first M i nuteofitsarrivalintheotherWorld. AndVissaid,
that after the Death of every individual Person, the
Demon or Genius, that was Partner with it and con ducted it during Life, leads it to a certain Place, where all the Dead are oblig'd to appear in order to be judg'd, and from thence are conducted by a Guide totheWorldbelow. And,aftertheyhavethere
received, their good or bad Deserts, and continued
there their appointed Time, another Conductor brings
'em back to this Life , after several Revolutions of
Ages. NowthisRoadisnotaplainunitedRoad,
else there would be no occasion for Guides, and no
BodywouldmisstheirWay:Butthereareseveral
By-ways and Cross-ways^ asIconjecturefromthe
Method of our Sacrifices and religious Ceremonies.
So that a temperate wife Soul follows its Guide, thi Sacrifi- andisnotignorantofwhathappens toit:butthe"*"**Ce-
Soul,that'snail'dtoitsBody,asIsaidjustnowj;~;? that is inflam'd with the love of it, and has;been Were only
long its Slave, after much strugling and suffering in Figmi. thisvisibleWorld, 4satlastdragg'dalongagainltitsTl"Lie. d! d
Will by the Demon allotted for itsGuide: and when ^^thT'' it arrives at that fatal Rendezvous of all Souls, ifIt Truth. has been guilty of any Impurity , or polluted with Murder, or has committed any of those atrocious Crimes, that desperate and lostSouls are commonly
guilty of, the other Souls abhor it and avoid its Company : It finds neither Companion nor Guide, but wanders in a fearful Solitude and horrible De- fart; till after a certain time Necessity drags it into the Mansions it deserves ; whereas the temperate and pure Soul, has theGods themselves for itsGuides and Conductors, and. goes to cohabit with them in
LI 2 the
? ?
164
Phedon: Or, A Dialogue
theMansionsofPleasureprepar'dforit; For,my Friends, there are several marvellous Places in the Earth ; and 'tis not at all such as the Defcribers of it arewonttomakeit,(a)asIwastaughtbyonewho k n e w It very well.
H o w do you sayj, Socrates, says Simmias, interrup
ting him? I have likewise heard several things of
theEarth,butnotwhatyouhaveheard. Where
fore I wish you would be pleas'd to tell us what you
know. Torecountthattoyou,mydearSimmias,Ido
not believe we have any occasion for (b) Glaucm's Art. ButtomakeouttheTruthofit,isamore difficult Matter, and I question if all G/aucus's Art can reach it. Such an Attempt is not only above m y R e a c h ? , b u t s u p p o s i n g i t w e r e n o t , t h e s h o r t TimeIhaveleftmewillnotsuffermetoimbarque
insolongaDiscourse. AHthatleando,is,togive give you a general Idea of this Earth and the Places it contains.
That will be enough, fays Simmias.
, In the first place, continues Socrates, Iam per
suaded, that if the Earth is plac'd in the middle of Heaven, (the Air) as they fay it is, it stands in no
(a) Socratesdoesnotmentionwho taughthimthisDoctrine of the pure Earth : But it is no hard matter to find out the Author. Vrocltuhimselfacknowledges,thatSocratesandVia* o w ' d t h i s i d e a t o t h e S a c r e d T r a d i t i o r t o f t h e E g y p t i a n s , t h a t is totheHebrews,ax)Himvcuyv7r\iovhg? pi)&M7ttt? c/dijhx>>. In Tim. lib. i.
(b) When they mean'd to imply the difficulty of a thing, they were wont to fay, by way or Proverb, That they flood in need cf G/aucus's Art, who, from a Man, became a Sea- Gcd. ButthosewhocommentuponthisProverb,alledgeit was made uponanotherGIancus,who inventedtheForgingof Iron. Brit1amindue'dtobelievethecontrary,bytins,that the Fable of Glaucm, the Sea-God, was founded upon his be
ing an excellent Diver ; to which it is probable Socrates- allu ded:Inearnest,ifonewould visittheEarth hespeaksof,of which ours is'only a Sediment, he mull be a better Diver than G/aucus, in order ro pass the Currents and Seas that divide 'em. He must raise his Thoughts above all Earth or materiel Things,
need
? ? ofthe ImmortalityoftheSoul. i6j
need either of Air or any other Support to prevent its fall: for Heaven it self is wrapp'd equal ly about it, and its own equilibrium issufficient to keep it up : for whatever is equally pois'd in the middle of a thing, that presses equally upon it, can not incline to either fide, and consequently stands firm andunmovable. ThisIamconvinc'dof.
You have reason so to be, replies Simmias.
Iam furtherpersuaded,thattheEarthisvery largeandspacious,andthatwe onlyinhabitthat part of it whith reaches from the River Pha/is to the Straits of Gibraltar, upon which we are seatter'd like so many Ants dwelling in Holes, or like Frogs thatresideinsomeMarshneartheSea. Thereare
several other Nations that inhabit its other Parts thatare unknown to us: for all over the Earth there are Holes jof all Sizes and Figures, always fjll'd with gross Air, and cover'd with thick Clouds, and over flown by the Waters that rush in on all sides.
"There isanother pure Earth above the pure Hea- Theideaof ven where theStarsare, which iscommonly call'dth>>sure
AEther. TheEarthweinhabitisproperlynothingf**! ^] else but the Sediment of the other, and its grosser\^i{^/ef partwhichflowscontinuallyintothoseHoles. WetheVmphets,
are immur'd in those Cells, tho3 we are not sensiblefromwhence of it, and fancy we inhabit the upper part of the 'kEgypti- pure Earth ; much after the fame rate, as if one li-;"s
ving in the Deeps of the Sea should fancy his Ha bitation to be above the Waters ; and, when he sees the Sun and other Stars through the Waters, should fancytheSeatobetheHeavens-,and,byreasonof , his Heaviness and Weakness, having never put forth
his Head orrais'dhimselfabovetheWaters, should never know that the Place we inhabit is purer and neater than his, and should never meet with any Persontoinformhim. ThisisjustourCondition: we aremew'dupwithinsomeHoleoftheEarth, and fancy we live at the top of all; we take the
Air for the true HeavenSj in which the Stars run
LI 3 their j
? ? 166
Phedon : Or, A Dialogue
theirrounds. AndthecauseofourMistakeisour Heaviness and Weakness that keep us from sur
mounting this thick and muddy Air. Ifany could mount up with Wings to the upper Surface, he would no sooner put his Head out of this gross Air, hut he would behold what's transacted in those blef fed Mansions ; just as the Fishes, skipping above the
1 SurfaceoftheWaters,leewhat'sdoneintheAirin whichwebreath. Andifhewerea For thetrue Heayens Man fit for long Contemplation, he andtrueLightcannotbe won\c\find\tt0bethetrueHeavenand f m S > 3 . W thetrueLight,inaword tobethetrue
Earth. Forthisharmthatweinhabit, these Stones and all these Places are entirelycor rupted and gnaw'd, just as whatever is in the Sea is corrodedbythesharpnessoftheSalts. AndtheSea producesnothingthat'sperfectorvaluable. Itcon
tainsnothingbutCavesandMud ;and Socrates undervalued wnerever any Ground isfound, there's
alltheTrodwUionsofthe ,. , \ c, . ,: sea,whichwenowesteem nothingbutdeepSloughs, nothingcpm-
jbmuch.
parabletowhatwehavehere. Now
the Things in the other Mansions are more above what we have here, than what we have hereisabovewhatwemeetwithintheSea. And, in order to make you conceive the Beauty of this
Hire Earth situated in the Heayens, if you please, s i' 1 1 t e l l y o u a p r e t t y S t o r y t h a t ' s w o r t h y o u r h e a r ing.
We shallhearit,saysSimmias, withagreatdeal of Pleasure.
(a) Firstofall,my dearSimmiaf,continuesSocra tes, ifone looks upon thisEarth from a high Place, they fay, it looks like one of our Packs cover'd with twelveWeltsofdifferentColours. Foritisvary'd withagreaternumberofdifferentColours, ofwhich those made use of by our Painters are but sorry Pat-
(a) This Description of the Beauty of this pure Earth, the Mansion of the Blessed, is grounded on the J4th Chapter of JJaial}} and the 18th of f. zechiel,
terns.
? ? of the Immortality of the Soul. i$j
terns. FortheColoursofthisEarthareinfinitely morecleanandlively. OneisanadmirablePurple5 anothjp Colour of Gold, more sparkling than Gold it self^a third a White more lively than the Snow, and so on of all the rest, the Beauty whereof leaves allourColoursherefarbehindit. TheChinksof thisEartharefill'dwithWaterandAir, whichmake
up an infinity of admirable Shallows, so wonder fullydiversifiedbythatinfinitevarietyof Colours.
In this so perfect an Earth, every thing has a Per fectionanswerabletoitsQualities. TheTrees,Flow ers, Fruits, and Mountains are charmingly beautiful} they produce all forts of precious Stones, of an in
comparable Perfection, Cleannels and Splendour; those we esteem so much here, such as Emeralds, Jasper and Saphir, are but small parcels of them. There isnotoneinthatblessedEarththatisnotin finitelymoreprettythananyofours. TheCauseof all which is, that all these precious Stones are pure, neither gnaw'd nor spoil'd by the sharpneis of the Salts, or the corruption of the Sediment or Dregs that fall from thence into our lower Earth, where
they assemble, and infect not only the Stones and the Earth, butthePlantsandAnimals, withallfortsof Pollution and Diseases.
Besides all these Beauties now mention'd ; this blessedEarthisenrich'dwithGoldandSilver,which - being scatter'd all over in great abundance, casts
forth a charming Splendor on all sides:sothata fightofthisEarth,isaviewoftheBlessed. Itis inhabited by all forts of Animals, and by Men, some H*v{*i*>> of w h o m are cast into the centre of the Earth, and ? f*fefe-/tni'
othersarescatter'dabouttheAir,-aswe areabout^? S>> theSea. TherearesomealsothatinhabittheIfles,/TM>>thevi- form'dbytheAirneartheContinent. Forthere(a)fi? >"? fE-
(a) InthisDescriptionwe mayperceivemostoftheStrokeszechie1-
of that given by Mosesof the terrestrial Paradise, which was a TypeofthisLandoftheJust,thetrueParadise. And,whatI taketobeveryremarkable, wemayplainlyseethatthese Philosophers held this pure Earth to be actually in being at the fame time with this our impure and grosser Earth.
L14 the
? ? %S%
Phedon: Or,"i Dialogue
theAiristhefamething,thatWater and the Sea are here : and the AEther does them the fame Ser vicethattheAirdoestous. TheirSeasonsj^reIb admirablywelltemper'd,thattheirLifeW much
longer than ours, and always freefrom Distempers :
And as for their Sight, Hearing, and all their" other S e n s e s ? , a n d e v e r u t h e i r I n t e l l e c t i t s e l f } t h e y s u r p a s s
us as far as the AEther they breath in exceeds our grossAirforSimplicityandPurity. They havesa cred Groves, and Temples actually inhabited by the Gods, who give evidence of their presence by Ora cles, Divinations, Inspirations, and all other sensible Signs;andwhoconversewith'em. Theyseethe Sun and Moon, without an intervening Medium, andviewtheStarsastheyareinthemselves. And all the other Branches of their Felicity are propor tional to these.
This is the Situation of that Earth, and this is theMatterofallthatsurroundsit. AU-aboutit, there are several Abysses in itsCavities, some of which are deeper and more open than the Country we inhabit; others are deeper, but not so open ; and some again have a more extensive Breadth but
alesserDepth. AlltheseAbyssesarebor'dthrough in several Parts, and have Pipes communicating one with another, thro' which there runs, just as in the Caves of Mount AEtna, a vast quantity of Water, very large and'deep Rivers, Springs of cold and hot Waters, Fountains and (a) Rivers of Fire, and other Rivers of Mud, some thinner and some thicker and 'more muddy, like those Torrents of Mud and of FirethatarecastoutfromMount AEtna.
These Abysses are fill'dWith these Waters in pro portiontotheirfallingputofoneintoanother. All theseSourcesmove both downwardsandupwards, like a Vessel hung above the Earth j which Vessel
(a) "Plato borrows from the Writings of the Prophets, those Rivers of Fire prepar'd forthe Punishment of the Wick-
fid aster their Judgment ; and particularly had read the eighth ChapterofPinks, Theodora, '* "? ? '"? " '. -'. .
? ? oftheImmortalityof$e Soul. i6g
is naturally one, and indeed the greatest of these Abysses : It goes across the whole Earth, and is? &>>thebe- open on two sides. Homer speaks of it, when he ? ''">>'>>? >>f fays (b\ I'll throw it into the obscure Tartarus, JjJfjE"
that's a greatway from hencejthe deepest Abyss/&. " under the Earth. Homer is not the only Author that call'd this Placeby the Name ofTartarus: MostoftheotherFoetsdid thefame.
All the Rivers rendezvous in this Abyss, and run out from thence again. Each of these Rivers is_ tinctur'd with the nature of the Earth through which itruns. Andthereasonoftheirnotstagnatingin theseAbyssesis this,thattheyfindnoGround,but roulandthrowtheirWatersupsidedown. TheAir and Wind that girds 'em about, does the fame, for itfollowsthem bothwhentheyrifeabovetheEarth,
andwhentheydescendtowardsus. Andjustasin the respiration of Animals there is an incessant in gress and egrels of Air, so the Air that's mingled with theWatersaccompaniesthemintheiringress and egress, and raises raging Winds.
W h e n these Waters fall into this lower Abyss, they
diffuse themselves into all the Channels of the S p r i n g s a n d R i v e r s , a n d f i l l t h e m u p ? , j u s t a s i f o n e
were drawing up Water with two Pails, one of which filsastheotherempties. FortheseWaters flowingfromthence,filup allourChannels5from whence diffusing themselves all about, they fil our Seas,Rivers,Lakes andFountains. Afterthatthey disappear, and diving into the Earth, some with a largecompass, and othersbylmallturnings, repair to Tartarus, where they enter by other Passages than those they came out by, and withal much lower. Some re-enter on the fame fide, and others on the
opposite fide to that of their egress j and some a-
(a) The ProphetEzeiielcallsthisTartarus~'Tlienether Tart oftheEarth. HespeaksoftheRiversandWatersinthePit, di<tjf. si, 14, 13. &32. 18. But long before Ezekiel, Homer3 had the fame |dea. 'sirom the Tradition of the Egyptians,
gain
? ? 170
Phedon : Or, A Dialogue
<
gain enter on all sides, after they have made one or several turns round the Earth ; like Serpents fold ing their Bodies into several rows ; and having gain'd entrance, rife up to the middle of the Abyss, but cannot reach further, by reason that the other halfishigherthantheirlevel. Theyformseveral very great and large Currents ; but there are four (a) principalones,thegreatestofwhichistheouter mostofall,and iscall'dtheOcean.
Opposite to that is Acheron, which runs through the defart Places,and diving through the Earth, falls intotheMarsh, which fromitiscall'dtheAcberu-
JianLakes,whitherallSoulsrepairupon theirde parture from thisBody ; and having stay'd thereall the time appointed, some a shorter some a longer time, are sent back to this World to animate Beasts.
Between Acheron and the Ocean, there runs a third River, which retires again not far from its Source, and falls into a vast space full of Fire : There it forms a Lake greater than our Sea, in which the Water mix'd with Mud boils, and setting out from thence all black and muddy, runs along the Earth to the end of the Acherufian Lake without m i x i n g w i t h i t s W a t e r s ? , a n d a f t e r h a v i n g m a d e s e
veral turnings under the Earth, throws it self under neath Tartarus ; and this isthe flaming River call'd Fhlegeton, the Streams whereof are seen to fly up upon the Earth in several Places.
Opposite to this is the fourth River, which falls first into a horrible wild Place, of a bluish Colour, call'd by the name of Stygian, where it forms the
(a) These four Rivers which have their Course in the places appointed for the punishment of the Wicked, might have been imagin'd from the four Rivers of the Terrestrial "Pa radise. As the Apartmeut of the just was water'd by four Rivers, which enlarg'd its Delightfulness ; 'twas proper that theApartmentoftheWickedshouldlikewisebewater'dby four Rivers of a contrary nature, which might add to the Horror of that Place of Darkness and Sorrow.
for-
? ? of the Immqrtality of the Soul. 17j
formidable Lake of Styx, And after it has tin- ctufd itselfwithhorriblequalitiesfrom theWa ters of that Lake, dives into the Earth, where it makes several turns, and directing its Course over- against Pblegeton, at last meets it in the Lake of Acheron^where itdoesnotmingleitsWaterswith those of the other Rivers, but after it has run its round on the Earth, throws it self into the Tarta rusbyaPassageoppositetothatofPhlegeton. This
fourthRiveris'call'dbythePoetsCocytus. Nature
h a v i n g t h u s d i s p o s ' d o f a l l t h e s e T h i n g s -, w h e n t h e T h e ? d Dead arrive at the Place whither their Demon leads mmt "fg~ha
them, they are all tried and judged, both those thatG<w and. liv'd a holy and just Life, and those who wallow'd*'*^- in Injustice and Impiety.
Those who are found to have liv'd neither entire-n,ej>>ig.
ly a criminal nor absolutely an innocent Life, are >><<* >>f senttotheAcheron. TheretheyimbarkinBoats,t,mse>. "*>>
and are transported to the Acherufian Lake, where ZbsoiMeh
they 'dwell, and suffer Punishment proportionablecriminal t o t h e i r C r i m e s ? , t i l l a t l a s t b e i n g p u r g ' d a n d c l e a n - >> < " ? >> >> >> * ?
led from their Sins, and set at Liberty, they receive"*'*
the RecomDence of their good Actions. - ? Those whose Sins are uncurable, and have been ^J"ig~
g u i l t y o f S a c r i l e g e a n d M u r d e r , o r s u c h o t h e r C r i m e s , those w h o are by a just and fatal Destiny, thrown headlong are guilty into Tartarus, where they are kept Prisonersfor"/"""'^
ever. . >
But those who are found guilty of curable (Venial) Sins, tho very great ones,suchasofferingViolencetotheir FatherorMotherinaPassion,orkilling
a Man and repenting for it all their lifetime j must of necessity be likewise
cast into Tartarus : But after a Years abodethere,theTidethrowstheHo-
micides backLinto Cocytus, and the Par- ncidesintoPhkgeton,whichdrawsthem intothe Acherufian Lake*: There they
cry out bitterly,and invoque those ir; ,. /. . :;,'. . ,. . . . ? : . - ? ,-
Sms'
"&*Sentenceuponthoft j? "tJ%ti? bs? T tTMe\ cm 'y **"*"
, ',*? *"*&*h<TM*n*
S t A ' S ' K u? ga-Parentisanine^ miflibleSin.
whom
? ? lyz Phedon : Or, 4 Dialogue
whom theykill'doroffer'dViolenceto,toaidthem; and conjure them to forgive 'em, and to suffer 'em topasstheLake,andgivethemadmittance. If they're prevail'd with, they pass the Lake, and
Socrates are deliver'd from their Misery-, if not, they
TtilZaun arecastagain into Tartarus^ which throws them mLstfZ- backintothese Rivers? ,and thiscontinuestobere-
cedethe peated,tilltheyhavesatisfiedtheinjur'dPer- ? Pardonofsons. ForsuchistheSentencepronounc'dagainst
s""- them.
Butthosewho havedistinguifh'dthemselvesbya holy Life, are releas'd from these earthly Places, these horrible Prisons ? ,and are receiv'd above into
that pure Earth, where they dwell -,and those of 'em who are sufficiently purg'd by Philosophy, live for ever without their Body ; and are receiv'd into
yetmore admirable and deliciousMan- . sfoiMf a gre^Er- fions, which I cannot easily describe,
&TFJl? ? Z TMrher? do theTM? TM Limitsofmy the&d-ycouldhegiori- lmieallowmetolaunchintothatSub-
fied. " ject.
. //r. r ,. What I told you but now, is suffici-
tl^iSTsfS cient>>>7dwSimmias,toshewthat
fireui.
we ought to labour all our lifetime
to purchase Vertue and Wisdom, since we have so great a Hope, and so great a Reward propos'd to us.
N o M a n of Sense can pretend to assure you, that alltheseThings arejust asyou have heard. But allthinkingMen willbepositivethat
t^SrtT^ <hestatf<**? Soul,and& Placeof notpositTMoftheMan. 1? sabodeafterdeath,isabsolutelysuch tr. as I represent it to be, or at least very
near it, provided the Soul be Immor- Wlmtvanger morein- tai. And will certainly find it worth
^? KfsforZ'! ^ ? while. toruntheRisque:Forwhat Gain? Danger is more inviting? One must
needs be charm'd with that blessed Hope. AndforthisReasonIhavedilateda. fitde upon thisSubject.
Every
? ? of the Immortality of the Soul. 175
Every one that during his life-time renounc'd the
Pleasures of the Body, that look'd upon the Appur
tenances of the Body as foreign Ornaments, and
fiding with the contrary Party, pursued only the
Pleasures of truevKnowledge, and beautified hisrhtTied-
Soul, not with foreign Ornaments, but with Orna-/>><<*"strut ments, suitable toitsnature,suchasTemperance,KnwiedZe-
juliice, Fortitude, Liberty andTruth : Such a one, beingfirmly confident oftheHappinessofhisSoul,^ MtMt ought to wait peaceably for the Hour of his remo- oZament, val, as being always ready for the Voyage, wheno/"t/*W. ever his Fate calls him.
Asforyou,mydearSimmiasandCebes,andall youofthisCompany,youshallallfollowmewhen yoiHourcomes. Mineisnow,andasatragical I'cet would lay, the surly Pilot calls me abroad; wherefore'tistimeIshouldgototheBath:ForI think "tis better to drink the Poyson after I am wash'd,inordertosavetheWomenthetroubleof washing me afterI'm dead.
Then
? ? 156 Pfaedon : Or, A Dialogue
Hespeaksos Thenyouown,thatHeatisdifferentfromFire, %eu*ndlandColdfromSnow? .
tahed Without question, Socrates.
fromtheir Ibelieveyou'lllikewiseown, thatwhentheSnow subjects, receivesHeat,itisnomorewhatitwas,buteither
givesway, ordisappearsforgoodandall,whenthe Heatapproaches. InlikemannertheFirewillei ther yield or be extinguished when the Cold pre vailsuponitjforthenitcannotbeFireandCold together.
'Tis so, says Cebes.
There are also some contraries that not only give
,
'*Ll! i&mt^erthingsdifferentfromit,which preserve itsfi-
name to their Species -9 but likewise impart it to o-
numbers. gure and form while they have a being. For in stance, Must not an odd thing have always the fame name ?
Yes, sure.
Is that the only thing that is so called ? Or, is not
there some other thing different from it, which must needs be called by the fame name, by reason that it belongstoitsnaturenevertobewithoutodds. Fo. r
for the ter-instance, Must not the ternary number be called not narynumberQ^ byjtsownname^butlikewisebythenameof
tZ'odd anoddnumber;tho'atthefametimetobeodd and to be three are two different things? N o w such is the nature of number three, five, and all other odd numbers; each of 'em isalways odd, and yet their nature is not the fame with the nature of the odd. Inlikemanner,evennumbers,suchastwo, four, eight, are all of 'em even, tho' at the lame timetheirnatureisnotthatoftheeven. Do not
, youownthis? v? HowcanIdootherwise,Cebes?
PraymindwhatIinferfromthence. 'Tis,that not only those contraries which are incapable of re ceivingtheircontraries^butallother things which
are not opposite one to another, and yet have al
ways their contraries \ all these things, I fay, are u n c a p a b l e o f r e c e i v i n g a f o r m o p p o s i t e t o t h e i r o w n ? ,
* . , and
? ? of the Immortality of the SokU i$7
and either disappear or perish upon the appearance oftheoppositeform. Forinstance:Numberthree will sink a thousand times rather than become an evennumberwhile,itcontinuestobethree. Isit
not so?
Yes, sure, replies Cebei.
But, after aLl, fays Socrates, t w o are not contrary
to three. No, lure.
Then the contrary Species are not the only things Astwocm- that refuse admission to their contraries ; since, as ** <<>>>>? >>*
you fee, orher things that aft not contrary cannot TM J i TM abide the approach of that which has the least slia-tiJti,ty'art dow ofcontrariety. notcam*-.
That's certain. ? *>>? DoyoudesirethenthatIshoulddefine'emas
near as possible ?
Ay, withal my Heart, Socrates.
Must notContrariesbesuchthingsasgivesuchTl,edesim-
a form to that in which they are lodg'd, that it isthnfcm- not capable of giving admission to another thing that'stran"'
contrary to them ?
Howdoyoufay?
I fay as I said but now. Wherever the Idea orForm
of three is lodg'd, that thing must of necessity con tinue not only to be three but to be odd.
Whodoubtsthat?
And by consequence 'tis impossible for the Idea or Form that's contrary to its constituent Form, ever to approach.
That's a plain cafe.
Well, is not the constituent Form an odd ?
Yes.
Is not even the Form that's contrary to the odd?
Yes.
Then the Form ofeven is never lodg'd in three ? No, sure.
Then threeisuncapableofbeingeven?
Most certainly.
And that, because three is odd ?
Yes, sure N o w
? ? ij8
Phedcin:Or, A Dialogue
N o w this is the conclusion I mean'd to prove, That some things, that are not contrary to one ano- ther, are as uncapable of that other thing, as if it were truly a contrary ; as for instance, tho' three is not contrary to an even number, yet itcan never ad mitofit. Fortwobringsalwayssomethingcontrary to an odd number, like fire to cold, and several other things. Would not you agree then to this definition, that A contrary does not only refuse ad
mission to itscontrary, but likewise to that which being not contrary brings upon it something of a con trary nature, which by that fort of contrariety, de
stroys itsform *
, 1prayyouletme hearthatagain,laysCebes$for
ftis worth the while to hear it often.
I fay, number five will never be an even number -,
just as ten, which is its double, will never be oddj no more than three fourths, or a third part, or any other part of a whole will never admit of the form andideaofthewhole. Doyounotunderstandme,do youtakemeup,anddoyouagreewithwhatIfay?
I understand you ; I apprehend you to a Miracle 5 and I agree with you too.
Sinceyouunderstandme, faysSocrates;prayan- iwermeas1doyou-,thatis,answerme, notwhat t ask, but something else, according to the Idea and ExampleIhavegivenyou-,Imean, thatbesidesthe true and certainway ofanswering spoken ofalready, Ihaveyetanotherinmy viewthatspringsfrom
torthesian-thatandisfullyassure. Forinstance,ifyouask swersstill me,what itis,thatbeingintheBody, makes ithot, I ? "*e rmm I would not give you this ignorant, tho-1 sure An-
fornewque-_ i i - j T i iij siio? s,andfoswerstnat t,S"eat:butwoulddrawamoreparti-
tbtre')no cularAnswerfromwhatwehavebeenspeakingof). -nd. We an(iwouldtellyou,thatitisFire:And,ifyou
w ! hit lhould ask what il is that makes the Body fick> * re'ZrfiTM would not fay, 'twas the Disease but the Fever.
thesirstcau- I f y o u a s k m e w h a t m a k e s a N u m b e r o d d , I w o u l d fitorthe nottellyou,thatitistheodnefs,butunity,andso
("Jfri of the rest.
DoyouunderstandwhatImean? I
? ? ofthe Immortality of the Soul. ij$>>
Iunderstandyou perfectlywell, repliesCebesl
Answerme, then,continuesSocrates$what makes Redoet** theBody live? fyuseb*
TheSoul. . >*"* 1Is the Soul always the fame ? .
How shoulditbeotherwise.
Does theSoulthencarryLifealongwithitinto fill the Bodies it enters ?
Most certainly.
Is there any thing that's contrary to Life, or is there nothing ?
Yes, Death is the Contrary of Life. a, thtw
Then the Soul will never receive that which is<<>> *>mort contrarytowhatitcarriesinitsBosom? That'sa******** neceflaryConsequence from our Principles. thZ^i'edJ,
'Xis a plain Consequence, says Cebes. umthmm.
ButwhatNamedowegivetothatwhichrefuses>>w>>tiw! admission to the Idea and Form of Evenness ?
'Tisthe odd Number.
How dowecallthatwhichneverreceivesJustice, and that which never receives Good ?
The one iscalled Injustice, and the other EviL
And how do we call that which never admits of Death?
Immortal.
Does the Soul admit of Death ?
No.
(a) Then the Soul is immortaL
Most certainly.
Isthatfullydemonstrated, orwastheDemonstra
tion imperfect ?
Itisfullymade out, Socrates.
(b) If an odd Number of necessity were incorrup
tible, would not three be so too? .
0) His meaning is, that the Soul is as far from dying, a* Good from giving admission to Evil, or Justice to Injustice, <* an Odd toEven: andthattheSoulisimmortal,asne cessarily as three is odd.
(I>) If the Soul be immortal, it is incorruptible, i, t. it re sists and triumphs over all the Assaults of Death.
Whc
? ? 160
Pfiedon: Or, A Dialogue Whodoubtsit? ? ? . ? :. . . >. . -.
If whatever is without Heat were necessarily in- corruptible,wouldnotSnow, whenputt,otheFire, withdraw it self safe from the Danger? For since it cannot perisli, kmwill never receive the Heat not withstanding its being held to the Fire.
Whatyoulayistrue.
Inlikemanner, ifthatwhichisnotsusceptible of Cold, were by a natural Necessity exempted from perishing, tho1 a whole River were thrown upon the Fire, it would never go out, but, on the contrary,
. ;would come off with its full force.
There's an absolute Necessity for that, fays Ce-
ties.
? . Then of necessity we must fay the fame of what
is immortal , If that which is immortal is incorrup tible, tho' Death approach to the Soul, it shall ne ver fallin the Attack : For, as we said but now, the Soul will never receive Death, and will never die-,
j u s t as" t h r e e o r a n y o d d N u m b e r w i l l n e v e r b e e v e n ; T i r e w i l l n e v e r b e C o l d -, n o r i t s H e a t b e t u r n ' d i n t o
Coldness.
(a) Perhaps some may answer, That 'tistrue, the
odd can never become even, by the accession of what is even, while it continues odd -, but what should hinder the even to take up the room of the odd whenitcomestoperish? TothisObjection(b)it cannot be answer'd, that the odd does not perish, foritisnotincorruptible. Hadweestablish'ditsin corruptibility, we should justly have maintain'd, thatnotwithstandingtheattacksoftheeven, theodd
(a) Socratesprevents an Objection, tis. That the Soul, while it is a Soul, does not receive Death ; but, upon the approach ofDeath,itceasestobewhatitwas. Tothishegivesasa tisfactoryAnswer.
"(b) He means, that a real and sensible odd cannot become even by the arrival of an even occasioning the disappearance of the odd : for a real odd is not exempted from perishing. But the Soul is immortal, as three isodd, so that it cannot die, but continues for ever, as well as Life, Justice, the Pro portions of Numbers, an intelligible Odd, &t.
of
? ? of theImmortalityoftheSoul. i6x
or three would stillcome off without loss : and we should have asserted the same, of Fire, Heat, and such other things, should not we?
Most certainly, says Cebes*
And, by consequence, ifwe agree upon this, that everyimmortalthingisincorruptible, itwillnecefla- - rily follow, not only that the Soul is immortal, but thatitisincorruptible. And ifwe cannotagreeupon that, we must look out for other Proof.
There's no occasion for that, Socrates, replies G? < bes-, for what is it that should avoid Corruption and Death, ifanimmortalandeternalBeingbeliableto them ?
All the World will agree, ikysSocrates, thatGodj and Life it self, and whatever 'tis that is immortal, does not perish.
(a) At least, says Cebes, all M e n will profess so.
The Consequence is absolutely necessary and cer tain.
And, byconsequence;, continues Socrates, when ? M a n comes to die, his mortal and corruptible Part dies; but the immortal Part goes off safe and tri umphs over Death.
That's plain and evident.
Then, m y dear Cebes, if there be any such thing as an immortal and incorruptible Being, such is the theSoul; and by consequence ourSoulsshalllive hereafter*
I have nothing to object, fays Cebes ; and cannot but yield to your Arguments. But if Simmias or any of the Company has any thing to offer, they'll do well not to stifle it j for w h e n will they find another
(a) Cebes means, that M e n will be forc'd to fay so, because, perhaps, theyhavenotLightenoughto defeat theseReasons, tho 'tispossibletheyarenoneofthebest. Socratespresently smells this to be the Importance of Cebes's Words; and, on thatview, makesthisincomparableReply, ThattheGods will yet more agree to it; meaning to give us to know, that Truth is more Truth in the Intellect of God, than in the
MindofMan,whichisalwaystooweaktocomprehendit.
LI* occa-
? ? 162 Phedon : Or, A Dialogue
occasiQn for discoursing and satisfying themselves
upon these important Subjects >
;,. ,,. , For my part, fays Smmias, I cannot
AE S S AE t t . butsubscribetowhatSocrateshassaid: nes! ofMm,aret>>ogreat butIown,thattheGreatnessofthe
occasions of their >>ncer- Subject and the natural Weakness or taintywithreferencetothe jfa OCCaslOn Within me a fort of Di- ImmortalityoftheSouL . ^ ^ Incredulity,
You have-not only spoke well, fays Socrates5 but besides, notwithstanding the apparent Certainty of our first Hypothesis, 'tis needful you should re
sume them, in order to a more leisure-
HeexhortshitFriendsto j? view andtoconvinceyourlelfmore
surveysArgumentsmore cjearly^d effectually. If yOU Under-
maturely after his Death. ZT ,< r ry ? 1 ~ '11 ? ,:il;? r,1. . beingpervadedthatthl stand'emsufficiently,you11willingly
moretheydwellupon'em, secondmy Thoughts, asmuch asispoi- themorethey'llbecon- g^leforaMantodo:andwhenyou yintdofthewtruth. aK once fully convinc>d9 you'll need
no other Proof.
That's well said, repliesCebes.
(a) There's one thing more, my TherewardingtheGood friends thatisaveryjustThought,
and punishing the Wicked . ^ jf tsie Soul js imm0Ital, It
co^rftitf standsinneedtocultivatingandim-
taiityoftheSmi,require provement,notonlyintheTime,that ourCareoftheSoulinthis w? Q^\tneTime ofLife? ,butforthe
Lif'-
Future, or what we call the Time of
Eternity :for ifyou think justly upon this Pointjou'U finditverydangerous to neglect the Soul. Were Death the Dissolution of the whole Man, it would be (b)agreatAdvantagetotheWickedafterDeath,
(a) 'Tis not enough that the Understanding be convinc'd of the Immortality of the Soul : T h e Affections must likewise be mov'd. TowhichendherepresentstheConsequencesotthat importantTruth, andallthatitrequires.
(b) The Wicked would be happv, if the Soul were mor tal. This Principle has a considerable Proof of the Immortali ty of the Soul couch'd in it; for, if the Soul were mortal,
Vertue would be pernicious to theGood, and Vice would be serviceabletotheWicked,whichisunworthyotGod. And by consequence there must be anotherLife, forrewarding the
Good, and punishing the Bad.
? ? of the Immortality ofthe Soul. \63
toberidatonceoftheirBody, theirSoul, andtheir"fl*s0>>l
Vices. ButforasmuchastheSoulisimmortal,the"TM*. "0"
onlyWay toavoidthoseEvilsandobtainSalvation,[i^tthl"
istobecomeGood andWife:foritcarriesnothingWorldsbut alongwithit,butitsgoodorbadActions,andits>>"W <<?
Vertues or Vices, which are the cause of itseternal***-*#<<>>>>* H a p p i n e s s o r M i s e r y , c o m m e n c i n g f r o m t h e first M i nuteofitsarrivalintheotherWorld. AndVissaid,
that after the Death of every individual Person, the
Demon or Genius, that was Partner with it and con ducted it during Life, leads it to a certain Place, where all the Dead are oblig'd to appear in order to be judg'd, and from thence are conducted by a Guide totheWorldbelow. And,aftertheyhavethere
received, their good or bad Deserts, and continued
there their appointed Time, another Conductor brings
'em back to this Life , after several Revolutions of
Ages. NowthisRoadisnotaplainunitedRoad,
else there would be no occasion for Guides, and no
BodywouldmisstheirWay:Butthereareseveral
By-ways and Cross-ways^ asIconjecturefromthe
Method of our Sacrifices and religious Ceremonies.
So that a temperate wife Soul follows its Guide, thi Sacrifi- andisnotignorantofwhathappens toit:butthe"*"**Ce-
Soul,that'snail'dtoitsBody,asIsaidjustnowj;~;? that is inflam'd with the love of it, and has;been Were only
long its Slave, after much strugling and suffering in Figmi. thisvisibleWorld, 4satlastdragg'dalongagainltitsTl"Lie. d! d
Will by the Demon allotted for itsGuide: and when ^^thT'' it arrives at that fatal Rendezvous of all Souls, ifIt Truth. has been guilty of any Impurity , or polluted with Murder, or has committed any of those atrocious Crimes, that desperate and lostSouls are commonly
guilty of, the other Souls abhor it and avoid its Company : It finds neither Companion nor Guide, but wanders in a fearful Solitude and horrible De- fart; till after a certain time Necessity drags it into the Mansions it deserves ; whereas the temperate and pure Soul, has theGods themselves for itsGuides and Conductors, and. goes to cohabit with them in
LI 2 the
? ?
164
Phedon: Or, A Dialogue
theMansionsofPleasureprepar'dforit; For,my Friends, there are several marvellous Places in the Earth ; and 'tis not at all such as the Defcribers of it arewonttomakeit,(a)asIwastaughtbyonewho k n e w It very well.
H o w do you sayj, Socrates, says Simmias, interrup
ting him? I have likewise heard several things of
theEarth,butnotwhatyouhaveheard. Where
fore I wish you would be pleas'd to tell us what you
know. Torecountthattoyou,mydearSimmias,Ido
not believe we have any occasion for (b) Glaucm's Art. ButtomakeouttheTruthofit,isamore difficult Matter, and I question if all G/aucus's Art can reach it. Such an Attempt is not only above m y R e a c h ? , b u t s u p p o s i n g i t w e r e n o t , t h e s h o r t TimeIhaveleftmewillnotsuffermetoimbarque
insolongaDiscourse. AHthatleando,is,togive give you a general Idea of this Earth and the Places it contains.
That will be enough, fays Simmias.
, In the first place, continues Socrates, Iam per
suaded, that if the Earth is plac'd in the middle of Heaven, (the Air) as they fay it is, it stands in no
(a) Socratesdoesnotmentionwho taughthimthisDoctrine of the pure Earth : But it is no hard matter to find out the Author. Vrocltuhimselfacknowledges,thatSocratesandVia* o w ' d t h i s i d e a t o t h e S a c r e d T r a d i t i o r t o f t h e E g y p t i a n s , t h a t is totheHebrews,ax)Himvcuyv7r\iovhg? pi)&M7ttt? c/dijhx>>. In Tim. lib. i.
(b) When they mean'd to imply the difficulty of a thing, they were wont to fay, by way or Proverb, That they flood in need cf G/aucus's Art, who, from a Man, became a Sea- Gcd. ButthosewhocommentuponthisProverb,alledgeit was made uponanotherGIancus,who inventedtheForgingof Iron. Brit1amindue'dtobelievethecontrary,bytins,that the Fable of Glaucm, the Sea-God, was founded upon his be
ing an excellent Diver ; to which it is probable Socrates- allu ded:Inearnest,ifonewould visittheEarth hespeaksof,of which ours is'only a Sediment, he mull be a better Diver than G/aucus, in order ro pass the Currents and Seas that divide 'em. He must raise his Thoughts above all Earth or materiel Things,
need
? ? ofthe ImmortalityoftheSoul. i6j
need either of Air or any other Support to prevent its fall: for Heaven it self is wrapp'd equal ly about it, and its own equilibrium issufficient to keep it up : for whatever is equally pois'd in the middle of a thing, that presses equally upon it, can not incline to either fide, and consequently stands firm andunmovable. ThisIamconvinc'dof.
You have reason so to be, replies Simmias.
Iam furtherpersuaded,thattheEarthisvery largeandspacious,andthatwe onlyinhabitthat part of it whith reaches from the River Pha/is to the Straits of Gibraltar, upon which we are seatter'd like so many Ants dwelling in Holes, or like Frogs thatresideinsomeMarshneartheSea. Thereare
several other Nations that inhabit its other Parts thatare unknown to us: for all over the Earth there are Holes jof all Sizes and Figures, always fjll'd with gross Air, and cover'd with thick Clouds, and over flown by the Waters that rush in on all sides.
"There isanother pure Earth above the pure Hea- Theideaof ven where theStarsare, which iscommonly call'dth>>sure
AEther. TheEarthweinhabitisproperlynothingf**! ^] else but the Sediment of the other, and its grosser\^i{^/ef partwhichflowscontinuallyintothoseHoles. WetheVmphets,
are immur'd in those Cells, tho3 we are not sensiblefromwhence of it, and fancy we inhabit the upper part of the 'kEgypti- pure Earth ; much after the fame rate, as if one li-;"s
ving in the Deeps of the Sea should fancy his Ha bitation to be above the Waters ; and, when he sees the Sun and other Stars through the Waters, should fancytheSeatobetheHeavens-,and,byreasonof , his Heaviness and Weakness, having never put forth
his Head orrais'dhimselfabovetheWaters, should never know that the Place we inhabit is purer and neater than his, and should never meet with any Persontoinformhim. ThisisjustourCondition: we aremew'dupwithinsomeHoleoftheEarth, and fancy we live at the top of all; we take the
Air for the true HeavenSj in which the Stars run
LI 3 their j
? ? 166
Phedon : Or, A Dialogue
theirrounds. AndthecauseofourMistakeisour Heaviness and Weakness that keep us from sur
mounting this thick and muddy Air. Ifany could mount up with Wings to the upper Surface, he would no sooner put his Head out of this gross Air, hut he would behold what's transacted in those blef fed Mansions ; just as the Fishes, skipping above the
1 SurfaceoftheWaters,leewhat'sdoneintheAirin whichwebreath. Andifhewerea For thetrue Heayens Man fit for long Contemplation, he andtrueLightcannotbe won\c\find\tt0bethetrueHeavenand f m S > 3 . W thetrueLight,inaword tobethetrue
Earth. Forthisharmthatweinhabit, these Stones and all these Places are entirelycor rupted and gnaw'd, just as whatever is in the Sea is corrodedbythesharpnessoftheSalts. AndtheSea producesnothingthat'sperfectorvaluable. Itcon
tainsnothingbutCavesandMud ;and Socrates undervalued wnerever any Ground isfound, there's
alltheTrodwUionsofthe ,. , \ c, . ,: sea,whichwenowesteem nothingbutdeepSloughs, nothingcpm-
jbmuch.
parabletowhatwehavehere. Now
the Things in the other Mansions are more above what we have here, than what we have hereisabovewhatwemeetwithintheSea. And, in order to make you conceive the Beauty of this
Hire Earth situated in the Heayens, if you please, s i' 1 1 t e l l y o u a p r e t t y S t o r y t h a t ' s w o r t h y o u r h e a r ing.
We shallhearit,saysSimmias, withagreatdeal of Pleasure.
(a) Firstofall,my dearSimmiaf,continuesSocra tes, ifone looks upon thisEarth from a high Place, they fay, it looks like one of our Packs cover'd with twelveWeltsofdifferentColours. Foritisvary'd withagreaternumberofdifferentColours, ofwhich those made use of by our Painters are but sorry Pat-
(a) This Description of the Beauty of this pure Earth, the Mansion of the Blessed, is grounded on the J4th Chapter of JJaial}} and the 18th of f. zechiel,
terns.
? ? of the Immortality of the Soul. i$j
terns. FortheColoursofthisEarthareinfinitely morecleanandlively. OneisanadmirablePurple5 anothjp Colour of Gold, more sparkling than Gold it self^a third a White more lively than the Snow, and so on of all the rest, the Beauty whereof leaves allourColoursherefarbehindit. TheChinksof thisEartharefill'dwithWaterandAir, whichmake
up an infinity of admirable Shallows, so wonder fullydiversifiedbythatinfinitevarietyof Colours.
In this so perfect an Earth, every thing has a Per fectionanswerabletoitsQualities. TheTrees,Flow ers, Fruits, and Mountains are charmingly beautiful} they produce all forts of precious Stones, of an in
comparable Perfection, Cleannels and Splendour; those we esteem so much here, such as Emeralds, Jasper and Saphir, are but small parcels of them. There isnotoneinthatblessedEarththatisnotin finitelymoreprettythananyofours. TheCauseof all which is, that all these precious Stones are pure, neither gnaw'd nor spoil'd by the sharpneis of the Salts, or the corruption of the Sediment or Dregs that fall from thence into our lower Earth, where
they assemble, and infect not only the Stones and the Earth, butthePlantsandAnimals, withallfortsof Pollution and Diseases.
Besides all these Beauties now mention'd ; this blessedEarthisenrich'dwithGoldandSilver,which - being scatter'd all over in great abundance, casts
forth a charming Splendor on all sides:sothata fightofthisEarth,isaviewoftheBlessed. Itis inhabited by all forts of Animals, and by Men, some H*v{*i*>> of w h o m are cast into the centre of the Earth, and ? f*fefe-/tni'
othersarescatter'dabouttheAir,-aswe areabout^? S>> theSea. TherearesomealsothatinhabittheIfles,/TM>>thevi- form'dbytheAirneartheContinent. Forthere(a)fi? >"? fE-
(a) InthisDescriptionwe mayperceivemostoftheStrokeszechie1-
of that given by Mosesof the terrestrial Paradise, which was a TypeofthisLandoftheJust,thetrueParadise. And,whatI taketobeveryremarkable, wemayplainlyseethatthese Philosophers held this pure Earth to be actually in being at the fame time with this our impure and grosser Earth.
L14 the
? ? %S%
Phedon: Or,"i Dialogue
theAiristhefamething,thatWater and the Sea are here : and the AEther does them the fame Ser vicethattheAirdoestous. TheirSeasonsj^reIb admirablywelltemper'd,thattheirLifeW much
longer than ours, and always freefrom Distempers :
And as for their Sight, Hearing, and all their" other S e n s e s ? , a n d e v e r u t h e i r I n t e l l e c t i t s e l f } t h e y s u r p a s s
us as far as the AEther they breath in exceeds our grossAirforSimplicityandPurity. They havesa cred Groves, and Temples actually inhabited by the Gods, who give evidence of their presence by Ora cles, Divinations, Inspirations, and all other sensible Signs;andwhoconversewith'em. Theyseethe Sun and Moon, without an intervening Medium, andviewtheStarsastheyareinthemselves. And all the other Branches of their Felicity are propor tional to these.
This is the Situation of that Earth, and this is theMatterofallthatsurroundsit. AU-aboutit, there are several Abysses in itsCavities, some of which are deeper and more open than the Country we inhabit; others are deeper, but not so open ; and some again have a more extensive Breadth but
alesserDepth. AlltheseAbyssesarebor'dthrough in several Parts, and have Pipes communicating one with another, thro' which there runs, just as in the Caves of Mount AEtna, a vast quantity of Water, very large and'deep Rivers, Springs of cold and hot Waters, Fountains and (a) Rivers of Fire, and other Rivers of Mud, some thinner and some thicker and 'more muddy, like those Torrents of Mud and of FirethatarecastoutfromMount AEtna.
These Abysses are fill'dWith these Waters in pro portiontotheirfallingputofoneintoanother. All theseSourcesmove both downwardsandupwards, like a Vessel hung above the Earth j which Vessel
(a) "Plato borrows from the Writings of the Prophets, those Rivers of Fire prepar'd forthe Punishment of the Wick-
fid aster their Judgment ; and particularly had read the eighth ChapterofPinks, Theodora, '* "? ? '"? " '. -'. .
? ? oftheImmortalityof$e Soul. i6g
is naturally one, and indeed the greatest of these Abysses : It goes across the whole Earth, and is? &>>thebe- open on two sides. Homer speaks of it, when he ? ''">>'>>? >>f fays (b\ I'll throw it into the obscure Tartarus, JjJfjE"
that's a greatway from hencejthe deepest Abyss/&. " under the Earth. Homer is not the only Author that call'd this Placeby the Name ofTartarus: MostoftheotherFoetsdid thefame.
All the Rivers rendezvous in this Abyss, and run out from thence again. Each of these Rivers is_ tinctur'd with the nature of the Earth through which itruns. Andthereasonoftheirnotstagnatingin theseAbyssesis this,thattheyfindnoGround,but roulandthrowtheirWatersupsidedown. TheAir and Wind that girds 'em about, does the fame, for itfollowsthem bothwhentheyrifeabovetheEarth,
andwhentheydescendtowardsus. Andjustasin the respiration of Animals there is an incessant in gress and egrels of Air, so the Air that's mingled with theWatersaccompaniesthemintheiringress and egress, and raises raging Winds.
W h e n these Waters fall into this lower Abyss, they
diffuse themselves into all the Channels of the S p r i n g s a n d R i v e r s , a n d f i l l t h e m u p ? , j u s t a s i f o n e
were drawing up Water with two Pails, one of which filsastheotherempties. FortheseWaters flowingfromthence,filup allourChannels5from whence diffusing themselves all about, they fil our Seas,Rivers,Lakes andFountains. Afterthatthey disappear, and diving into the Earth, some with a largecompass, and othersbylmallturnings, repair to Tartarus, where they enter by other Passages than those they came out by, and withal much lower. Some re-enter on the fame fide, and others on the
opposite fide to that of their egress j and some a-
(a) The ProphetEzeiielcallsthisTartarus~'Tlienether Tart oftheEarth. HespeaksoftheRiversandWatersinthePit, di<tjf. si, 14, 13. &32. 18. But long before Ezekiel, Homer3 had the fame |dea. 'sirom the Tradition of the Egyptians,
gain
? ? 170
Phedon : Or, A Dialogue
<
gain enter on all sides, after they have made one or several turns round the Earth ; like Serpents fold ing their Bodies into several rows ; and having gain'd entrance, rife up to the middle of the Abyss, but cannot reach further, by reason that the other halfishigherthantheirlevel. Theyformseveral very great and large Currents ; but there are four (a) principalones,thegreatestofwhichistheouter mostofall,and iscall'dtheOcean.
Opposite to that is Acheron, which runs through the defart Places,and diving through the Earth, falls intotheMarsh, which fromitiscall'dtheAcberu-
JianLakes,whitherallSoulsrepairupon theirde parture from thisBody ; and having stay'd thereall the time appointed, some a shorter some a longer time, are sent back to this World to animate Beasts.
Between Acheron and the Ocean, there runs a third River, which retires again not far from its Source, and falls into a vast space full of Fire : There it forms a Lake greater than our Sea, in which the Water mix'd with Mud boils, and setting out from thence all black and muddy, runs along the Earth to the end of the Acherufian Lake without m i x i n g w i t h i t s W a t e r s ? , a n d a f t e r h a v i n g m a d e s e
veral turnings under the Earth, throws it self under neath Tartarus ; and this isthe flaming River call'd Fhlegeton, the Streams whereof are seen to fly up upon the Earth in several Places.
Opposite to this is the fourth River, which falls first into a horrible wild Place, of a bluish Colour, call'd by the name of Stygian, where it forms the
(a) These four Rivers which have their Course in the places appointed for the punishment of the Wicked, might have been imagin'd from the four Rivers of the Terrestrial "Pa radise. As the Apartmeut of the just was water'd by four Rivers, which enlarg'd its Delightfulness ; 'twas proper that theApartmentoftheWickedshouldlikewisebewater'dby four Rivers of a contrary nature, which might add to the Horror of that Place of Darkness and Sorrow.
for-
? ? of the Immqrtality of the Soul. 17j
formidable Lake of Styx, And after it has tin- ctufd itselfwithhorriblequalitiesfrom theWa ters of that Lake, dives into the Earth, where it makes several turns, and directing its Course over- against Pblegeton, at last meets it in the Lake of Acheron^where itdoesnotmingleitsWaterswith those of the other Rivers, but after it has run its round on the Earth, throws it self into the Tarta rusbyaPassageoppositetothatofPhlegeton. This
fourthRiveris'call'dbythePoetsCocytus. Nature
h a v i n g t h u s d i s p o s ' d o f a l l t h e s e T h i n g s -, w h e n t h e T h e ? d Dead arrive at the Place whither their Demon leads mmt "fg~ha
them, they are all tried and judged, both those thatG<w and. liv'd a holy and just Life, and those who wallow'd*'*^- in Injustice and Impiety.
Those who are found to have liv'd neither entire-n,ej>>ig.
ly a criminal nor absolutely an innocent Life, are >><<* >>f senttotheAcheron. TheretheyimbarkinBoats,t,mse>. "*>>
and are transported to the Acherufian Lake, where ZbsoiMeh
they 'dwell, and suffer Punishment proportionablecriminal t o t h e i r C r i m e s ? , t i l l a t l a s t b e i n g p u r g ' d a n d c l e a n - >> < " ? >> >> >> * ?
led from their Sins, and set at Liberty, they receive"*'*
the RecomDence of their good Actions. - ? Those whose Sins are uncurable, and have been ^J"ig~
g u i l t y o f S a c r i l e g e a n d M u r d e r , o r s u c h o t h e r C r i m e s , those w h o are by a just and fatal Destiny, thrown headlong are guilty into Tartarus, where they are kept Prisonersfor"/"""'^
ever. . >
But those who are found guilty of curable (Venial) Sins, tho very great ones,suchasofferingViolencetotheir FatherorMotherinaPassion,orkilling
a Man and repenting for it all their lifetime j must of necessity be likewise
cast into Tartarus : But after a Years abodethere,theTidethrowstheHo-
micides backLinto Cocytus, and the Par- ncidesintoPhkgeton,whichdrawsthem intothe Acherufian Lake*: There they
cry out bitterly,and invoque those ir; ,. /. . :;,'. . ,. . . . ? : . - ? ,-
Sms'
"&*Sentenceuponthoft j? "tJ%ti? bs? T tTMe\ cm 'y **"*"
, ',*? *"*&*h<TM*n*
S t A ' S ' K u? ga-Parentisanine^ miflibleSin.
whom
? ? lyz Phedon : Or, 4 Dialogue
whom theykill'doroffer'dViolenceto,toaidthem; and conjure them to forgive 'em, and to suffer 'em topasstheLake,andgivethemadmittance. If they're prevail'd with, they pass the Lake, and
Socrates are deliver'd from their Misery-, if not, they
TtilZaun arecastagain into Tartarus^ which throws them mLstfZ- backintothese Rivers? ,and thiscontinuestobere-
cedethe peated,tilltheyhavesatisfiedtheinjur'dPer- ? Pardonofsons. ForsuchistheSentencepronounc'dagainst
s""- them.
Butthosewho havedistinguifh'dthemselvesbya holy Life, are releas'd from these earthly Places, these horrible Prisons ? ,and are receiv'd above into
that pure Earth, where they dwell -,and those of 'em who are sufficiently purg'd by Philosophy, live for ever without their Body ; and are receiv'd into
yetmore admirable and deliciousMan- . sfoiMf a gre^Er- fions, which I cannot easily describe,
&TFJl? ? Z TMrher? do theTM? TM Limitsofmy the&d-ycouldhegiori- lmieallowmetolaunchintothatSub-
fied. " ject.
. //r. r ,. What I told you but now, is suffici-
tl^iSTsfS cient>>>7dwSimmias,toshewthat
fireui.
we ought to labour all our lifetime
to purchase Vertue and Wisdom, since we have so great a Hope, and so great a Reward propos'd to us.
N o M a n of Sense can pretend to assure you, that alltheseThings arejust asyou have heard. But allthinkingMen willbepositivethat
t^SrtT^ <hestatf<**? Soul,and& Placeof notpositTMoftheMan. 1? sabodeafterdeath,isabsolutelysuch tr. as I represent it to be, or at least very
near it, provided the Soul be Immor- Wlmtvanger morein- tai. And will certainly find it worth
^? KfsforZ'! ^ ? while. toruntheRisque:Forwhat Gain? Danger is more inviting? One must
needs be charm'd with that blessed Hope. AndforthisReasonIhavedilateda. fitde upon thisSubject.
Every
? ? of the Immortality of the Soul. 175
Every one that during his life-time renounc'd the
Pleasures of the Body, that look'd upon the Appur
tenances of the Body as foreign Ornaments, and
fiding with the contrary Party, pursued only the
Pleasures of truevKnowledge, and beautified hisrhtTied-
Soul, not with foreign Ornaments, but with Orna-/>><<*"strut ments, suitable toitsnature,suchasTemperance,KnwiedZe-
juliice, Fortitude, Liberty andTruth : Such a one, beingfirmly confident oftheHappinessofhisSoul,^ MtMt ought to wait peaceably for the Hour of his remo- oZament, val, as being always ready for the Voyage, wheno/"t/*W. ever his Fate calls him.
Asforyou,mydearSimmiasandCebes,andall youofthisCompany,youshallallfollowmewhen yoiHourcomes. Mineisnow,andasatragical I'cet would lay, the surly Pilot calls me abroad; wherefore'tistimeIshouldgototheBath:ForI think "tis better to drink the Poyson after I am wash'd,inordertosavetheWomenthetroubleof washing me afterI'm dead.
