Introduction to the Philosophy and Writings of Plato

15

...two things, namely: nature, and our soul. They employed these stories by looking to nature and the fabrication The process by which the universe was constructed or "crafted" by a divine creator. of things, as follows. Things that are unapparent are believed through things that are apparent, and incorporeal Existing without a physical body; purely spiritual or intellectual. natures are understood through bodies. For when we see the orderly arrangement of physical bodies, we understand that a certain incorporeal power presides over them; just as with the celestial bodies, they have a certain presiding power that moves them. As we see that our own body is moved, but stops moving after death, we conceive that it was a certain incorporeal power that moved it. Hence, perceiving that we believe in things incorporeal and unapparent based on things apparent and corporeal, fables came to be adopted. These allow us to move from visible things to certain unapparent natures. For instance, upon hearing of the adulteries, bonds, and lacerations The physical tearing or wounding of the gods in myth. of the gods, the castrations of heaven original: "castrations of heaven"; likely referring to the myth of Cronus castrating his father Uranus., and similar stories, we might not rest satisfied with the literal meaning of such details, but may instead proceed to the hidden meaning and investigate the true significance. In this way, looking to the nature of things, fables were employed.

But by looking to our souls, fables originated as follows: While we are children, we live according to the phantasy In ancient philosophy, "phantasy" refers to the faculty of the soul that processes mental images or imagination., but this "phantastic" part of us is preoccupied with figures, types, and things of this kind. So that this part of us may be preserved, we use fables because this part of the soul delights in them. It may also be said that a fable is nothing more than a false discourse shadowing forth the truth: for a fable is the image of truth. But the soul itself is the image of the natures that exist prior to herself; and hence the soul properly rejoices in fables, acting as an image that finds joy in another image. As we are nourished by fables from our childhood, it is necessary that they should be introduced. And so much for the first problem, concerning the origin of fables.

In the next place, let us consider what the difference is between the fables of philosophers and those of poets. Each has something in which it excels, and something in which it is lacking compared to the other. Thus, for instance, the poetic fable excels in this: we must not be satisfied with the literal meaning, but must pass on to the hidden truth. For who, endowed with intellect, would believe that Jupiter The Roman name for Zeus. was so desirous of having a connection with Juno The Roman name for Hera. that he would do so on the ground, without waiting to go into the bed-chamber? Thus, the poetic fable excels because it asserts such shocking things that it does not allow us to stop at the surface level, but leads us to explore the hidden truth. But it is defective in this: it deceives those who are young. Plato, therefore, rejects fables of this kind and banishes Homer from his Republic; because youth, upon hearing such stories, will not be able to distinguish what is allegorical A story where characters and events represent deeper moral or spiritual meanings. from what is not.

Philosophical fables, on the contrary, do not harm those who go no further than the literal meaning. Thus, for instance, they assert that there are punishments and rivers under the earth: and if we stick to the literal meaning of these, we will not be harmed. But they are lacking in this: because their literal meaning does not cause harm, we often content ourselves with it and do not seek the hidden truth. We may also say that philosophical fables look to the "enemies" of the soul. For if we were entirely intellect alone, and had no connection with imagination, we would not require fables, because we would always be associating with purely intellectual natures. If, again, we were entirely irrational and lived only according to the imagination, it would be required that the whole of our life be a fable. Since, however, we possess intellect, opinion, and imagination, demonstrations are given for the sake of the intellect; and hence Plato says that if you are willing to act according to the intellect, you will have demonstrations bound with adamantine chains A metaphor for unbreakable logical necessity or certain truth.; if according to opinion, you will have the testimony of famous people; and if according to the imagination, you have fables by which it is stirred; so that from all of these you will derive advantage.

Plato therefore rejects the more tragical Meaning dramatic, violent, or emotionally extreme stories used by poets. mode of storytelling used by the ancient poets, who thought it proper to establish a secret theology regarding the gods, and for this reason devised stories of wanderings, castrations, battles, and the wounding of the gods, and many other such symbols of truth which this theology conceals. This mode he rejects, asserting that it is entirely foreign to proper education. But he considers those mythological discourses about the gods to be more persuasive and closer to the truth which assert that a divine nature is the cause of all good, but of no evil, and that it is free from all change, containing within itself the fountain of truth, and never becoming the cause of deception to others. For