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Section 69

"For, as those concerning the mysteries say, 'the thyrsus-bearers are many, but the Bacchants are few.' And these, in my opinion, are none other than those who have practiced philosophy rightly. I have left nothing undone in my life, but have eagerly striven in every way to become one of them. Whether I strove correctly and achieved anything, we shall know clearly when we arrive there, if god wills it, a little while from now. This is my defense, Simmias and Cebes, as to why it is reasonable for me to leave you and my masters here without being aggrieved or distressed, since I believe I will find good masters and friends there no less than here. The multitude is unpersuaded of this; but if I am any more persuasive to you in my defense than I was to the Athenian judges, it would be well." When Socrates had said this, Cebes took up the word and said: "Socrates, the rest of what you said seems beautifully spoken to me. But the things concerning the soul cause men much disbelief. They fear that when it is released from the body, it may no longer exist anywhere, but that on the very day the human being dies, the soul is destroyed and perishes. They fear that immediately upon leaving the body, it disperses like breath or smoke, flying away, and is nothing anywhere anymore. If it could truly gather itself together by itself, freed from those evils you just described, there would be great and beautiful hope, Socrates, that what you say is true. But this perhaps requires no small amount of reassurance and faith: that the soul exists after the person has died, and that it possesses some power and wisdom." "You speak the truth, Cebes," said Socrates. "But what shall we do? Do you wish us to converse about these very things, to see whether it is likely to be so or not?" "I certainly would gladly hear what opinion you hold about them," said Cebes. Socrates replied, "I do not think anyone hearing us now, not even a comic poet, could say I am babbling or conversing about things that do not concern me. So if you wish, we must examine this thoroughly. Let us examine it in this way: whether the souls of the dead exist in Hades or not."