Phaedo. And I formerly thought it was
urging and encouraging me
to do what I was doing already and that just as people
encourage runners by cheering, so the dream was encouraging me to do what I was
doing, that is, to make music, because philosophy was the greatest kind of music
and I was working at that. But now, after the trial and while the festival of
the god delayed my execution, I thought, in case the repeated dream really meant
to tell me to make this which is ordinarily called music, I ought to do so and
not to disobey. For I thought it was safer not to go hence
before making sure that I had done what I ought, by obeying
the dream and composing verses. So first I composed a hymn to the god whose
festival it was; and after the god, considering that a poet, if he is really to
be a poet, must compose myths and not speeches, since I was not a maker of
myths, I took the myths of Aesop, which I had at hand and knew, and turned into
verse the first I came upon. So tell Evenus that, Cebes, and bid him farewell,
and tell him, if he is wise, to come after me as quickly as he can.
I, it seems, am going today; for that is the order
of the Athenians.
And Simmias said,
What a message that is, Socrates, for Evenus! I have met him often, and
from what I have seen of him, I should say that he will not take your advice in
the least if he can help it.
Why
so?
said he. Is not Evenus a philosopher?
I think so,
said Simmias.Then Evenus will take my advice, and so will every man
who has any worthy interest in philosophy. Perhaps, however, he will not take
his own life, for they say that is not permitted.
And as he spoke he put his feet down on the ground and
remained sitting in this way through the rest of the conversation.Then Cebes asked him: What do you mean by this,
Socrates, that it is not permitted to take one’s life, but that the philosopher
would desire to follow after the dying?
How is this, Cebes? Have you and Simmias, who are pupils of Philolaus,
not heard about such things?
Nothing
definite, Socrates.
I myself speak
of them only from hearsay; but I have no objection to telling what I have heard.
And indeed it is perhaps especially fitting,
as I am going to the other world, to tell stories about the life there and
consider what we think about it; for what else could one do in the time between
now and sunset?
Why in the world do
they say that it is not permitted to kill oneself, Socrates?
I heard Philolaus,
when he was living in our city, say the same thing you just said, and I have
heard it from others, too, that one must not do this; but I never heard anyone
say anything definite about it.