Phaedo. Socrates, it seems to me
that there is absolutely the same certainty, and our argument comes to the
excellent conclusion that
our soul existed before we were born, and that the essence
of which you speak likewise exists. For there is nothing so clear to me as this,
that all such things, the beautiful, the good, and all the others of which you
were speaking just now, have a most real existence. And I think the proof is
sufficient.
But how about
Cebes?
said Socrates. For Cebes must be convinced,
too.
He is fully convinced, I
think,
said Simmias; and yet he is the most obstinately
incredulous of mortals. Still, I believe he is quite convinced of this, that our
soul existed
before we were born. However,
that it will still exist after we die does not seem even to me to have been
proved, Socrates, but the common fear, which Cebes mentioned just now, that when
a man dies the soul is dispersed and this is the end of his existence, still
remains. For assuming that the soul comes into being and is brought together
from some source or other and exists before it enters into a human body, what
prevents it, after it has entered into and left that body, from coming to an end
and being destroyed itself?
You
are right, Simmias,
said Cebes. It seems to me that we have proved
only half of what is required, namely, that our soul existed before our birth.
But we must also show that it exists after we are dead as well as before our
birth, if the proof is to be perfect.
It has been shown, Simmias and Cebes, already,
said Socrates,
if you will combine this conclusion with the one we reached before, that
every living being is born from the dead. For if the soul exists before birth,
and,
when it comes into life and is born,
cannot be born from anything else than death and a state of death, must it not
also exist after dying, since it must be born again? So the proof you call for
has already been given. However, I think you and Simmias would like to carry on
this discussion still further. You have the childish fear that when the soul
goes out from the body the wind will really blow it away and scatter it,
especially
if a man happens to die in a high
wind and not in calm weather.
And Cebes
laughed and said, Assume that we have that fear, Socrates, and try to
convince us; or rather, do not assume that we are afraid, but perhaps there is a
child within us, who has such fears. Let us try to persuade him not to fear
death as if it were a hobgoblin.
Ah,
said Socrates, you must sing charms to him every day
until you charm away his fear.