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Let us continue with excerpts from “Phaedo” by Plato (vegetarian), where Cebes and Simmias discuss with Socrates, who critiques Homer’s immoral portrayals of gods and heroes, arguing that they can mislead moral education. He calls for a more virtuous depiction of these figures in the ideal state. PHAEDO THE IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL “That we are ignorant, then, that we are dwelling in its in its hollows, and imagine that we inhabit the upper parts of the Earth, just as if any one dwelling in the bottom of the sea should think that he dwelt on the sea, and, beholding the Sun and the other Stars through the water, should imagine that the sea was the heavens; but, through sloth and weakness, should never have reached the surface of the sea; nor, having emerged and risen up from the sea to this region, have seen how much more pure and more beautiful it is than the place where he is, nor has heard of it from anyone else who has seen it. […]” “‘For, if we may tell a beautiful fable, it is well worth hearing, Simmias, what kind the things are on the Earth beneath the Heavens.’ ‘Indeed, Socrates,’ said Simmias, ‘we should be very glad to hear that fable.’ ‘First of all, then, my friend,’ he continued, ‘this Earth, if anyone should survey it from above, is said to have the appearance of balls covered with twelve different pieces of fabric, variegated and distinguished with colors, of which the colors found here, and which painters use, are, as it were, copies. But there the whole Earth is composed of such, and far more brilliant and pure than these; for one part of it is purple, and of wonderful beauty, part of a golden color, and part of white, more white than chalk or snow, and, in like manner, composed of other colors, and those more in number and more beautiful than any we have ever beheld. And those very hollow parts of the Earth, though filled with water and air, exhibit a certain species of color, shining among the variety of other colors, so that one continually variegated aspect presents itself to the view. In this Earth, being such, all things that grow, grow in a manner proportioned to its nature—trees, flowers and fruits; and, again, in like manner, its mountains and stones possess, in the same proportion, smoothness and transparency, and more beautiful colors; of which the well-known stones here that are so highly prized are but fragments, such as sardine-stones, jaspers, and emeralds, and all of that kind. But there, there is nothing subsists that is not of this character, and even more beautiful than these. […]’”
