The Myth in Plato's Phaedrus (53)

another one huh another myth right another meth that's what we're going good evening ha we're going to explore another another met the Plato's the Phaedrus we've gone through the Phaedo the Phaedrus the republic now we're into the Phaedrus vaporous is very interesting because it combines vision of the after world in terms of the journey of the soul in respect to the upper world rather than the lower world and it includes the function of this world and therefore it's very significant so we should then get a view of what it's like on two levels because this is the journey of the soul when they get a piece of chalk here so everything that is said in terms of the journey the soul after death is equally applicable to mystical States on earth so it's a double it's a map which is what we've discussed before therefore the theme has a double meaning I've journey of the soul after death and we understand the idea of after death and Plato to be that interesting state of death where the separation the soul can take place while you're still living therefore the question becomes in Plato if you defines death as the separation of the soul from the body now as well as Hereafter what kind of a journey of the soul is it what does it encounter and what is it like so we can take therefore the journey of the soul on those double meanings after final death and the philosophical die because remember what he calls the separation soul from the body because that true philosophy for true philosophy is nothing other than dying the practice of death and that is what death is the separation the soul from the body so then he had some theme here that he really goes into unfolds in a very interesting level what he calls the fourth kind of madness madness I plays a major role in the entire myth entire Phaedrus because the background theme of the Phaedrus is undoubtedly you know is that his friend Phaedrus is being persuaded by Lyceus that when you have to make a choice between two types of people for your beloved it's best to choose the non-lover rather than the lover because the person who is not in love with you therefore can handle things very efficiently and they're not involved emotionally and their great advantage therefore and being indifferent to those that you love Socrates gets upset about this news has this is terrible because love is a madness love is a madness love inspires the madness of a whole dialog therefore is about madness so I have a very interesting quote I'd like to share with you the greatest blessings comes to us through madness and when it's when it is sent as a gift of the gods and when it's sent as a gift for the gods it is for our greatest happiness of course is Plato - 45 °c and the Phaedrus as all of this is from - 45 on then he makes are very clever distinctions it's all of these are madnesses these are madnesses you see prophecy is a madness or ocular power is a madness in them you have a madness three kinds of madness and the fourth is philosophy I'm mad they're all mad now prophecy to function right there's a madness that takes over sent by the gods as a gift and prophecy therefore it makes men fortunate afterwards after the prophecy is revealed time then allows men to adjust to a forthcoming event and therefore it makes them fortunate if they understand and connect can relate to that prophecy molecular power that's very good he said it keeps you safe for the present and in the future or ocular power there's a particular kind of function this is whenever you encounter people whose whole families seem to carry along either a particular kind of disease were fate negative fate he said then you need oracular power to break through that and then reverse it we would call that some kind of therapy in today's world if that keeps you safe or the president of future but that requires however a certain kind of payment means therefore person who is then relieved of that must then offer their prayers to the gods and be in service to the gods from that point on the news is that's another kind of madness true news is mad homer and has said they're mad is when anyone tries to become a great poet without divine madness he's that they're rational and never makes money I mean it's very clever and it's very nice but it doesn't inspire and it doesn't illuminate therefore the muses to have a kind of madness so that educates later generations then he pulls it together and he says prophecy is to augury artery by the way is when you're using rational signs to predict the future rolling coins Chinese coins are dropping the tyrant sticks all of these procedures are augury were you trying to find some correspondence between this world and what sport ends for the future by looking at signs oh there goes a bird it's a sign that's looking at visible things in the hopes that you can understand future events through them that's arguing so augury is a particular kind of practical kind of rational prophecy choices therefore prophecy is to order e as madness from the gods is to sanity of human origin because the people who function on that way have to be very rationally have to be able to look up the Book of Changes they have to know it that's be able to relate to it is that it's a kind of sanity and he says but the greatest of all madness in series is of the three is prophecy well you know the fourth kind of madness which is philosophy I play tonic philosopher he's mad what Paulo says to talk about this fourth kind of madness he said you have to understand the soul now for Plato the idea of soul has two aspects soul divine soul or soul taken in general now why does he do that look earth wherever you see evidence of water balance sanitary right and especially developed patterns that signs of intelligibility breaking through signs of intelligibility breaking through but these are also the four primary categories as you undoubtedly know of the presence of beauty these are aesthetic principles now would you not agree you can look out in the heavens and you can see a vast order you can go the subatomic world and be startled by the the super symmetry of the subatomic world we're facing nothing today other than more sophisticated patterns of water now water presupposes intelligence and all of this presupposes some intelligence that intelligence must be somewhere and function in some way and therefore it must be in some sense contained because intelligence is always contained in soul therefore if there's intelligence and the universe exhibited by those four principles then that presupposes there must be soul in general throughout the entire cosmos this is quite interesting this thesis is developed in Plato's tiniest that's his cosmology and that's what we should do one day his cosmology is magnificent of course and that's where he fully develops that theme now it's a looker if therefore soul in general operates through intelligence then obviously it functions in two ways it takes care of all that is soulless and since the soul in general can take on many forms it traverses the heavens throughout many forms but when intelligence exhibits itself on the highest level and the particular form of the soul exhibits perfection then the soul and that intelligence can then soar and this is where we get into the myth when it's perfect we say it's fully waned and now here we get the idea of the wind right now for those of you who are familiar with the soul now there's a very beautiful soul with wings flying around when the soul is perfect now remember we're using soul on two levels cosmic the entire universe wherever there is order in intelligence presupposes soul and also individuals now at this point soul in general therefore governs the whole world and when it's fully grown a fully developed fully perfected in many of its various forms and then a sense now we want to know about that ascension and how to release relates to madness because madness is our theme because of the many forms the soul can take some are less capable of making that journey ascending because where it ascends to the heavens the higher heavens heavens is a word that is also Uranus which is the God heaven or Uranus and therefore they ascend to a banquet and a feast in the heavens now what is this image of souls now behind every one of these images in the myth there's a content the content is an intellectual understanding of the way in which these forms are represent major ideas the wings in Plato are the consequence of being nourished and grow there's a certain nourishment and growth that has to take place and that takes place when one seeks and has experiences of beauty naturally after all wisdom and goodness that's what causes the soul to develop gained strength so it's for its flight into the heavens now there's a banquet in the heavens and therefore all of the various forms of soul and especially the highest expression of soul and it's upward flight is Zeus someone the banquet is announced Zeus and eleven squadrons follow him make a direct descent into the heavens for a banquet to be held on the highest top as they call at the top of the heavens now as we said the soul takes on many forms some are unable to take the flight some their poor are unable to reach that excellence or that banquet and we have to understand therefore those that sought and those that fell right fall of the soul in the mythical world how is that brought about now remember this is a journey after the after death either one of those two ideas of death is agreeable now suits of course is the highest expression of soul divine soul and therefore as we have here it say he's aloft with the winged chariot because he doesn't have wings the chariot that he arrives as itself winged and that's the highest expression of winged because the whole body that he's with therefore must contain nothing but beauty wisdom and goodness to the highest degree but so Zeus then arranges all and cares for all Zeus cares for all that's providential Ryan providential because in the Greek world of course Providence is being able to see ahead to be able to understand all they're able to see and to cease with such clarity that therefore that seeing can always be connected with a general goodness that develops therefore it's a providential seeing video by pro-growth to see video right providential to see before right so it's the kind of vision that comes before intellect higher than intellect and always attains a certain insight into the nature of good news and that Sue's that's how is your sister screwing so with the twelve squadrons they run up to the heavens and as they run up to the top of the heavens which in the myth is called the vault of heaven pay then as you can see in this beautiful picture there they are in the vault of heaven and they journey all the way up and of course I have them sitting there because it's easier to draw that way they then reach the outer surface of the heavens and all of those souls that are able to make that journey and therefore they can then have a splendid vision of the outer or the what's beyond the heavens which in Plato of course is pure being and that pure being alright it has three aspects of it which we'll get into quickly right and the three aspects of course are when the soul is therefore on that on the outer surface of the heavens of a the whole thing revolves around and it's revolving around they're able to perceive justice temperance and knowledge Oh that's incorrect such divine knowledge so what do they encounter there they have a vision of justice and truth right and knowledge now what kind of knowledge is this that's damned it is the highest expression of knowledge and we'll take a little bit of time on that the one of the highest aspects of being is in the Greek the idea of Lucia now why use a Greek word because it has a use which is not current in English that's the only reason now this word is variously translated as essence and substance and being but the reason I'd like to keep that use is because at the very core of reality and pure being it is not a dead thing it's not only luminous but it has a profound we recursive property through it turns upon itself and therefore that that being is recursive turning upon itself seeing itself and the intellectual vision where the intellect is seeing intelligently the intelligible that's lucid so recursive turns upon itself sees associate yourself now what does it encounter the various translations of it a colorless formless intangible truly existing essence well they're all negatives color those formless intentional negatives DNA gatita you know it's all the negatives but it's truly existing essence in that word of course there's our that's the true object of knowledge and play that's what it's all about now that is perceived that's what the whole struggle is for is to be able to perceive that and to be able to see it in depth and permeate one's being because one's being is reality and therefore one season this way one sees the nature of reality as one's self and one's self as the nature of reality that has to be a turning around by necessity it has to be a turning around now what's interesting now is that what do you gain from that of course you get the great things happiness and that's the very activity where the bind is nourished for its splendid vision so it can retain that vision and stay in that state and therefore this revolution that they talk about in the Phaedrus and those that can maintain that vision can therefore persist in that state for a thousand years and those that can stay there three times in a row right get the golden ring and they're free from the next free from harm for the next period and go on on their own way now what that means is not clear which we mentioned before and the other dialogues free to go right free to go on their own now those that do not reach those then are reborn and therefore reincarnation comes through and it goes through nine categories and it's interesting categories and I'd like to read you the nine categories let me do that now thumbs good day I can turn it back yeah I think maybe remember all right all right that's good yes I think something of it I could so someone keep a watchful eye I've not been known to do that I don't know what he means why certainly it's certainly interesting the Nirvana blowing out the flame same something right it's good for you to go into so let me read it the it's quite interesting because the the different categories are sure sure sure I'm a 248 D now the whole question we want to explore later is how do you account for the fall how do you account for the fall that's what we must see so first I'll talk about it in general terms then he'll give us some very interesting particulars about it but when through an inability to follow it fails to see and through some mischance is filled with forgetfulness now that miss chance we want to see later and is filled with forgetfulness and evil and grows heavy and when it is grown heavy loses its wings and falls to the earth then it's the law that this soul shall never pass into any beast at its first birth but the soul that has seen the most shall enter into the birth of a man who is to be a philosopher or lover of beauty and I dare say there is anybody in this room there's not a lover of beauty right or one who is musical while loving nature they fit together quantico degree and the second so into that of a waffle king warlike ruler third into that of a politician man of business financier fourth to hard-working gymnast or one who will be concerned with the cure of the body fifth the fifth will lead the life of a prophet or someone who conducts mystical mystic writes the six the poet or some other imitative artist will be united then to the seventh craftsman husbandmen eighth softest demagogue than a tyrant the last now let us get into this curiosities very curious platonic idea and what is he saying let me read you where we're going now then a human soul may pass into the life of a beast and a soul which as was once human may pass again from beasts to a man for the soul which has never seen the truth can never pass into human form here we are now for a human being must understand a general conception formed by collecting into a unity by means of reason the many perceptions of the senses and this is a recollection of those things which our soul once beheld when it journeyed with God and lifting its vision above the things which we now say exist rose up into real being and therefore it's just that the mind of the philosopher only has wings for you as always so far is able to communicate to communicate right I like this sentence let me do it again and therefore it is just that the mind of the philosopher only has wings for he is always so far as he is able in communion through memory which those things the communion with which causes God to be divine now a man who employs such memories rightly as always being initiated into perfect mysteries and he alone becomes truly perfect since he separates himself from human interest insurances attention towards the divine yeah he's rebook we're rebuked by the vulgar who consider him mad now this is the fourth kind of madness now let's see what kinds of things he's talking about that's what we want to and he gives some example so let me do it with you all right here we go now this may seem like a tangent but hold to it for a few minutes this requires you now to recall of all the things that you've ever experienced where you'd be willing to say you encountered beauty consider it not two things up don't just think of the object keep in mind the state and put you into the state of mind it brought you to again can you think it sometimes went through any kind of turmoil any kind at all you were able to to whatever degree now able to keep from earthly things a recollection of those realities either for those which had but a brief view of them at the earlier time or so those which after falling to earth were so unfortunate as to be turned towards unrighteousness through some evil communication had to have forgotten the holy sites which they once saw what's the reason we turn away from them evil communications that's what it's my locker the word evil of course isn't there it's bad communications wrong these kind of say this is the real problem that we pick up certain attitudes and certain beliefs and it's these beliefs that inhibit us from experiencing this more fully we get caught here into things well we get into considering other things more important than these experiences so let me jump in back into the text few then are left which retain an adequate recollection of them but these now now we're going back on earth now but these who can recall those past sins when they see any likeness of the things of that other world are stricken with amazement and can no longer control themselves they don't understand their condition because they do not clearly perceive now in the earthly copies in the earthly copies of justice temperance and these other ideals which are precious to souls there there is no light but only a few approaching the images through the darkling organs of the sense beholden them the nature of that which they imitate and they do this with difficulty right that's what we're getting out so I'm trying to bring you into it because when I'm addressing into this when I'm dressing this to you right but only a few approaching the images these are images of these things each one of the things you can regard is beautiful each of the occasions of keeping your cool of righteousness or goodness they're imitations of a pure of the pure form and therefore we have difficulty grasping it but in former times they saw with Beauty shining and brightness when with a blessed company we followed in the Train of Zeus or others now I should mention that the eleven orders of the Gods they're twelve sous is one but the eleven others each one is a God and therefore each person after their death is going to pursue the ideal which they happen pursuing in life therefore people may follow Apollo and they may follow Ares that there were like these are all archetypes you follow your archetype whatever archetype you've been introduced to and you find a kin to that's the one you're going to follow in the after world of the next experience and each one of these can lead you to a certain height but the Zeus which is the highest of course leads most directly and swiftly up into the higher realities but at that former time they saw beauty shining and brightness when with a blessed company we following in the Train of Zeus and others of some of the God they saw the blessed sight and vision and were initiated into what is rightly called the most blessed of mysteries which we celebrated in a state of perfection when we were without experience of the evils which awaited us at the time right okay what do we then we become initiates and it initiates to the sight of perfect and simple and calm and happy apparitions which we saw the pure light being ourselves pure and not in tuned which is what he calls the body so this this is an initiation into what he calls the mysteries to practice this this is a recollection to bring this together into a unity that that is the very initiation into the mysteries because in their few pure form remember that very loaded expression we had a moment ago that's a very magnificent one which I enjoy reading so let me go back and pull it together now for a human being must understand a general conception this one formed by collecting into a unity by means of reason the many perceptions of the senses and this is a recollection of those things which our soul once beheld when it journeyed with God and lifting its vision above the thing is which we now say exist rose up into real being here's the great expression now and therefore it is just that the mind of the philosopher only has wings for he is always as far as he is able in communion in communion through memory so you're recalling this in communion through memory with those things the communion with which causes God to be divine this is the cause in its purest form of God being divine watch out okay let's see whether we can have some fun right as you've thought of these states of mind can you tell me what kinds of words you use to describe that that's true that's the process alright let's hear absolutely a stillness or stillness stolen more peak experience or peak experience sure right this is a peak experience Megan is right Eagle knows because of its if it comes up it diminishes this you're quite Ryan yeah that's quite right right I always liked that one myself one more stop now already now if you have some yes you have a couple of more favorites a profound silence I can sneak that in there somewhere too many chair too many germs got a collapse them a little bit alright okay alright so we have to collect into a unity that's what he told us to do in the text collect into a unity so we have to pull these more into a unity being in that state I imagine we could describe it negatively it's not this it's not this it's not that it's not those many many negatives certainly it's intangible no duality no drama no duality calm stillness non moving clear brilliant profound silence elevated empty safe how does this relate how does this relate to one word kind of a separation of the body and therefore your left then with the presence of this without ego is that right sir background yes all right that we can be firm and go ahead now look let's go back over here these are negatives certainly colorless formless intangible see these words truly existing essence now we want to say when you're in that state what are you aware of mind what do you wear well what is that stuff what is this certainly it agree it's not boring right it's not boring it's not dull here's the problem soon is this is this a glimpse of this because this is really saying as we mentioned before you see this is mine not turning on anything other than its own this isn't turning on anything other than its own therefore by reflecting on this and pulling it together into a unity you're initiating yourself into the mysteries and this is the mystery that the nature of reality is truly existing essence or and grief we see it now that collecting together then it's like you mentioned a moment ago it's a contemplation it's a meditation it's bringing you into mindfulness and this then brings us into a more profound way of being out of our own experience no yes please this is the first time I am attending so if I sound all these adjectives that use to me they denote a sense of beauty blissfulness which has forms for me yeah which has color for me don't that's the object the effect that has on you right like try something consider the State of Mind encountering do you how about unexpectedly Wow how is that similar or different from considering this possibility much to your surprise one day you discover that an old dear friend of yours suddenly shows up and you never expected it and they just pop up right in the middle of a group or walking around a corner around some Street there they are what's that like and now here not here say not in the object what effect does it have now don't use any terms that you would normally use to describe an experience of beauty because they must be different listen must thank good day my thing okay sudden very sudden mm-hmm is dependent upon the object what kind of experience you had individual that you knew before yeah that's why I chosen no that's wrong but that's right you want to heighten this but then we're talking about the effect the state of mind this is what we want to pull together into a unity so the point I was going to try to show is that if you take the State of Mind of beauty just beauty in itself how is that different from recognition right both there's recognition aren't that recognition surprise wonders astonishing delicious surprise all of those words now look what he says it does this was a curious now who thinks this can be cultivated this can be cultivated these experiences can be cultivated No now when he does this he where he tip it to Plato typically does this and it's really really a wonderful device when he wants to now talk about that state he's going to first describe the same state on the highest level that's what he's going to do and then he's going to contrast it with our everyday world so he gives us a glimpse of this when he says look here I got to tell you about the difference between the nature of reality in our everyday world now when he does that he wants to pick on the idea of beauty brilliance shining wisdom see we want a now let's see we're looking at this and now he's going to introduce this this word and now beauty radiance luminosity when I had a whole bunch of words and madness that's how he does it and that 250 so much then in honor of memory on account of which I have now spoken at some length through yearning for the joys of that other time but beauty as I said before shown in brilliance among those visions and since we came to earth we have found it shining most clearly through the clearest of the senses of our senses for sight as the sharpest of the physical senses though wisdom is not seen by it for wisdom would arouse terrible if such a clear image of it were granted as could come through sight and the same is true of the other lovely realities but beauty alone has this privilege and therefore it is most clearly seen and loveliest and so he's going to pick that one that's the way he's talking about now he's going to shift back to this now I'm just skipping a couple of sentences I'm going back here into the idea of initiation which is where we were working but he who was newly initiated who has beheld many of the realities when he sees a god-like face or form which is a good image of beauty the effect watch the effect no shudders at first something of the old or comes over him then as he gazes he Revere's the beautiful one as a God and if he did not fear to be thought stark mad he would offer sacrifice to his beloved as a as an i daughter god and as he looks upon him a reaction from his shuddering comes over him sweat unwanted heat for as the effluence of beauty enters him through the eyes he's warmed the effluence moistens the germ of the feathers and as he grows warm the parts from which the feathers grow which were before hard and choked and prevented the feathers from sprouting becomes soft and as the nourishment streams upon him the quills of the feathers swell and begin to grow from the roots over all the form of the soul for it was once all feathered now in this process the whole soul throbs palpitates as in those who are cutting teeth here as an irritation that's comfort in the gums when the teeth begin to grow just so the soul suffers when the growth of the feathers begins it is feverish and uncomfortable and itches away when they begin to grow and when it gazes upon the beauty of a boy and receives the particles which flow hence to it for which reason they're called yearning it is moistened warmed ceases from its pain and is filled with joy but when alone close drying the mouths of the passage in which the foes begin to sprout become dry close up shutting the sprouting of the feathers sprouts within shuttin throb like pulsing arteries each sprout picks pricks the the passage in which it is so that the whole soul stung in every part rages with pain and then again remembering the beautiful one it rejoices so because of these two mingled sensations opposites its greatly troubled by its state and condition its perplexed its maddened and in its madness it cannot sleep at night and stay in any one place by day but is filled with longing and hastens whatever it hopes to see the beautiful one and when it sees them and is bathed by the waters and the yearning of the passages that were sealed or open the soul has respite from the stings and as ease with pain and this pleasure which it enjoys is the sweetest of pleasures at that time that's why he's describing the experience of beauty this is stay there stay in this state stay in this state let it cultivate don't move on cultivate the state that's what causes the wings of the soul to become nourished and the that is to grow over the soul is all feathered this is right the whole thing can Lao it to happen cultivate it don't turn it off stay in that state and now he goes back to the lovers and you may believe this or not I'm jumped but the condition of lovers and the cause of it or just as I have said and now he's going to talk about the dynamics of love in this hierarchy and this is what he's going to do consider each one of the gods as an archetype pure form of archetype consider the triangle the whole the whole procedure in the Phaedra Smith is that each person has a particular archetypal to which they're attracted and as you know all the different gods is a different expression of an archetype so he says that to understand the nature of love you said you have to realize that this is what you really are pursuing as you see it's visible here you're drawn towards it this is liquor what you have to do is get closer and closer you're going to want to have the relationship which is in a process it's a mature relationship the process where all of the key attributes of the archetype are brought into the relationship and guide the relationship and in that way the love then becomes for both parties they're both trying to become like the archetype they're then become a union with the archetype that's the point the distance closes now just a couple of pages I think I can jump in here now he was a follower of Zeus when seized by love can bear a heavier burden of the winged God but those who are servants of Ares and followed in his train when they have been seized by love and think they have been wronged in any way by the beloved they become murderous and ready to sacrifice themselves in the beloved and so it is with a follower of each of the other gods he lives as far as is able honoring and imitating that God so long as he is uncorrupted and is living his first life on earth and in that way he behaves and conducts himself towards his beloved and towards all others now each one chooses his love from the ranks of the beautiful according to his character and he fashions him an endurance am like a statue as though he were his God to honor and worship him the followers of Zeus desire that the soul of him whom they loved the light Zeus and so they seek for one of philosophical and lordly nature and when they find him in love well then they do all they can to give him such a character if they have not previously had experienced archetype they'd learn then from all who can teach them anything they seek after him they have to information themselves and when they search eagerly within themselves to find the nature of their God they are successful because they have been can they have been compelled to keep their eyes fixed upon the God and as they reach and grasp him by memory they're inspired and receive from him the character habits and so far as it is possible for a man to have a part in God by imitating the God themselves and by persuasion and education they lead the beloved to the conduct and the nature of the God and so first they can do so they endeavor by every means of that power to lead him to the likeness of the God whom they honored that's the desire of the true lovers and the initiation into the mysteries of love which they teach if they accomplish what they desire in the way I've described as beautiful and brings happiness from the inspired lover to the beloved one if he is captured by to have to be able to capture that person right and therefore there's a whole discussion now on if the character if the character of the person you're pursuing fits the archetype and your own archetype then the question is then how do you find a way to capture the beloved thank God your country and this is a great section 253 254 and if he be captured and the beautiful one is captured right it's caught in the following manner and now we have a whole way of how to capture now to capture now these states are intensified these states are intensified and now it's going to take some kind of relating with someone who exhibits all of these qualities that put you in such a state therefore the image that he uses to explore this is that there is a power a desire to capture and with it a desire to be satisfied right to satiate to satisfy and his whole game is to say look her hold back hold back on this whole back home is because that may diminish this that's going to diminish the experience itself hold back on this until you educate yourself it's not that you turn off those it's that this is sometimes called the these are the two horses and you are of course the charioteer this is the dark horse that sometimes called the ignoble one it's not a good and evil game it's not a good and evil game because the dark horse has to then be educated to approach the beloved that's it that's the most basic thing how to approach it how to respect it how to relate to it on the highest level so that this and this then becomes close and this by educating his own drives then can bring himself closer the beloved then it becomes closer and they all become a closer unity the way he describes it as course very beautiful let me jump to 254 when the chariots here now he slips into mythology to talk about this the pathology is able to capture the dynamics now in the charioteer B holds a love inspiring vision and his whole soul is warmed by the sight knees full of tickling and prickling zuv yearnings and the horse that is obedient to the charioteer is constrained then and always by modesty controls himself a dozen leaf upon the beloved but the other no longer heats the pricks of the whip of the charity but Springs wildly forward causing all possible trouble through his mate and to the charioteer by forcing them to approach the beloved and propose the joys of love and they at first pull back indignantly there won't be forced to do what is terrible and unlawful but finally the trouble has no end and they go forward agreeing to do the bidding now he has the confrontation and the reflection he is going to see if he can maintain this state a greater degree of intensity as it's now exhibited in a person who is then going to function in this triangle and that's going to take care that's going to take a bit of careful managing and he's got page after page of this struggle and and finally by by slowly calming down the other side and the presence of that which they most desire there's the transformation and let me just get there and skip the struggle now the beloved receiving all service from the lover as if he were God since the lover is not feigning but is really in love and since the beloved himself is by nature friendly to him who serves him although he may at some earlier time have been prejudiced by his school phones or others who said that it was a disgrace to yield to a lever and may for that reason have repulsed his lover yet as time goes on is his youth and destiny cause him to admit him to his society for it is the law of fate Adrastea that evil can ever be a friend to evil and that the good must always be a friend to good and when the lover is thus admitted and the privilege of conversation and intimacy has been granted him his good will as it shows itself in close intimacy and astonishes the beloved who discovers up the friendship of all there's other friends and relatives is as nothing when compared with that inspired lover and as the intimacy continues on the lover becomes near right and touches the beloved in gymnasium and in their general intercourse than the fountain of that stream which Zeus when he was in love with Ganymede called desire flows copiously upon the lover some of it flows into him and some wanted when he's filled overflows outside just as the wind or or an echo rebounds from smooth and hard surfaces returns whence it came so the stream of beauty passes back into the into the beautiful one through the eyes the natural inlet of the soul where it reanimates the passages of the feathers what is then makes their feathers to grow filling the soul of the of the loved one with love and so look he's no stock with whom doesn't understand its condition can't explain it like one who's courted diseased the eyes for another he'd give no reason for it but he sees himself in the lover as in a mirror but is not conscious of the fact because the similarities are so great you see the other end zone and the lovers persons like him he ceases from his pain and in his absence like him he's filled with the earning which even which inspires and loves image required love dwells with him slipping like the lover the less strongly desires to see the friend touch kiss and lie down with him and naturally these things are soon brought about now as they lie together the unruly horse of lover has something to say to the charioteer and demands a little enjoyment and return for the many troubles and the unruly horse of the beloved says nothing the teeming with passion and Confused emotions he embraces and kisses his lover and caresses Emmons his best friend and when they lie together he would not refuse a lover any favor if he asked for it but the other horse and the charioteer oppose all this with modesty and reason if now the better elements of the mind which lead to a well-ordered life and philosophy prevail then life of happiness and harmony here on earth self-control orderly holding in subjection that which causes bad or evil in the soul and giving freedom to that which makes for excellence and when this life is ended that light and winged they've conquered in one of the three Olympic contests neither human wisdom nor nor divine inspiration confer upon man any greater blessing than this if however they live a life less ignoble right less noble and without philosophy than certain other things follow so that's the way he constructs the myth that's how he brings the to write the way we started we said he's going to bring in the myth on two levels a journey of the soul on one side and he's going to bring in the earthly side together so you can take the story on both levels and that's why he constructs the myth I've skipped several parts because of the time but I'm hope certainly that we can go back to it some other time it's a great myth and I did want to have a chance that you could throw up in some questions and perhaps I can read some more ok would you there are nine orders right nine orders of reincarnation all right and therefore if is your point if you are not among the first then among the first remember that's going to be the philosopher the lover of beauty all right and would you yeah that's that Zeus yeah that's theirs that's right yep that's right yeah that's right that's really saying yeah we can be an Arjuna right or you can be a fool in the battle since and when this life is ended they are like and needed but they have comedy one of the three intruders in the big contest is that light in this way and the image here is that that this is a using the mind in this way is a separation and separation of body is being like because I am or did give me an Li gh to well in this game it's the same you become white and that the vision is the divine luminosity so now I don't know about whether it's your weight control will have a new book out right how to lose weight with Plato I can't wait for it to come out yes paralyzed me of the last battle taking them through all the different new Narnia's and so I continued endlessly that's true it's all employment Lee laughing right there all laughing it's all that blade oh no they say he's uh he's inspired by Christianity but it doesn't make sense in terms of Chronicles of Narnia does it you know Louis yeah yeah that's a great conclusion to the tales of mourning the English have a BBC production of it on video and they don't have all of them but I think they have three of them four of them all right thank you very much I enjoyed grind through it once the play-doh you

Channel: PostNothingness

Views: 9,987

Rating: 4.8400002 out of 5

Keywords: Philosophy, Plato (Author), Phaedrus (Book)

Id: X5ocYF45NQ4

Length: 69min 3sec (4143 seconds)

Published: Mon Jan 19 2015