Phaedo.
But men, because of their own fear of death, misrepresent the swans and say that
they sing for sorrow, in mourning for their own death. They do not consider that
no bird sings when it is hungry or cold or has any other trouble; no, not even
the nightingale or the swallow or the hoopoe which are said to sing in
lamentation. I do not believe they sing for grief, nor do the swans;
but since they are Apollo’s birds, I believe they
have prophetic vision, and because they have foreknowledge of the blessings in
the other world they sing and rejoice on that day more than ever before. And I
think that I am myself a fellow-servant of the swans; and am consecrated to the
same God and have received from our master a gift of prophecy no whit inferior
to theirs, and that I go out from life with as little sorrow as they. So far as
this is concerned, then, speak and ask what ever questions you please, so long
as the eleven of the Athenians permit.
Good,
said Simmias.
I
will tell you my difficulty, and then Cebes in turn will say why he does not
agree to all you have said. I think, Socrates, as perhaps you do yourself, that
it is either impossible or very difficult to acquire clear knowledge about these
matters in this life. And yet he is a weakling who does not test in every way
what is said about them and persevere until he is worn out by studying them on
every side. For he must do one of two things; either he must learn or discover
the truth about these matters, or if that is impossible, he must take whatever
human doctrine is best
and hardest to
disprove and, embarking upon it as upon a raft, sail upon it through life in the
midst of dangers, unless he can sail upon some stronger vessel, some divine
revelation, and make his voyage more safely and securely. And so now I am not
ashamed to ask questions, since you encourage me to do so, and I shall not have
to blame myself hereafter for not saying now what I think. For, Socrates, when I
examine what has been said, either alone or with Cebes, it does not seem quite
satisfactory.
And Socrates replied:
Perhaps, my friend, you are right. But tell me in what respect it is not
satisfactory.