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Plato Bilingual Anthology : PAIDEIA - OUT OF THE CAVE

from Politeia, * 514a-518d, translated by B. Jowett
* Parts translated by Elpenor in <angle brackets>

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ELPENOR EDITIONS IN PRINT
Page 5

Clearly, he said, he would first see the sun and then reason about him. And when he remembered his old habitation, and the wisdom of the den and his fellow-prisoners, do you not suppose that he would felicitate himself on the change, and pity them? Certainly, he would. And if they were in the habit of conferring honours among themselves on those who were quickest to observe the passing shadows and to remark which of them went before, and which followed after, and which were together; and who were therefore best able to draw conclusions as to the future, do you think that he would care for such honours and glories, or envy the possessors of them? Would he not say with Homer, - Better to be the poor servant of a poor master, - and to endure anything, rather than think as they do and live after their manner? Yes, he said, I think that he would rather suffer anything than entertain these false notions and live in this miserable manner. Imagine once more, I said, such an one coming suddenly out of the sun to be replaced in his old situation; would he not be certain to have his eyes full of darkness? Δῆλον͵ ἔφη͵ ὅτι ἐπὶ ταῦτα ἂν μετ΄ ἐκεῖνα ἔλθοι. Τί οὖν; ἀναμιμνῃσκόμενον αὐτὸν τῆς πρώτης οἰκήσεως καὶ τῆς ἐκεῖ σοφίας καὶ τῶν τότε συνδεσμωτῶν οὐκ ἂν οἴει αὑτὸν μὲν εὐδαιμονίζειν τῆς μεταβολῆς͵ τοὺς δὲ ἐλεεῖν; Καὶ μάλα. Τιμαὶ δὲ καὶ ἔπαινοι εἴ τινες αὐτοῖς ἦσαν τότε παρ΄ ἀλλήλων καὶ γέρα τῷ ὀξύτατα καθορῶντι τὰ παριόντα͵ καὶ μνημονεύοντι μάλιστα ὅσα τε πρότερα αὐτῶν καὶ ὕστερα εἰώθει καὶ ἅμα πορεύεσθαι͵ καὶ ἐκ τούτων δὴ δυνατώτατα ἀπομαντευομένῳ τὸ μέλλον ἥξειν͵ δοκεῖς ἂν αὐτὸν ἐπιθυμητικῶς αὐτῶν ἔχειν καὶ ζηλοῦν τοὺς παρ΄ ἐκείνοις τιμωμένους τε καὶ ἐνδυναστεύοντας͵ ἢ τὸ τοῦ Ὁμήρου ἂν πεπονθέναι καὶ σφόδρα βούλεσθαι ἐπάρουρον ἐόντα θητευέμεν ἄλλῳ ἀνδρὶ παρ΄ ἀκλήρῳ καὶ ὁτιοῦν ἂν πεπονθέναι μᾶλλον ἢ ΄κεῖνά τε δοξάζειν καὶ ἐκείνως ζῆν; Οὕτως͵ ἔφη͵ ἔγωγε οἶμαι͵ πᾶν μᾶλλον πεπονθέναι ἂν δέξασθαι ἢ ζῆν ἐκείνως. Καὶ τόδε δὴ ἐννόησον͵ ἦν δ΄ ἐγώ. εἰ πάλιν ὁ τοιοῦτος καταβὰς εἰς τὸν αὐτὸν θᾶκον καθίζοιτο͵ ἆρ΄ οὐ σκότους ἂν ἀνάπλεως σχοίη τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς͵ ἐξαίφνης ἥκων ἐκ τοῦ ἡλίου;
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Reference address : https://ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/ancient-greece/plato-paideia-cave.asp?pg=5