Plato: Phaedrus · 16 of 38 · tr. Benjamin Jowett
Section 1p
And there is a law of Destiny, that the soul which attains any vision of truth in company with a god is preserved from harm until the next period, and if attaining always is always unharmed.
But when she is unable to follow, and fails to behold the truth, and through some ill-hap sinks beneath the double load of forgetfulness and vice, and her wings fall from her and she drops to the ground, then the law ordains that this soul shall at her first birth pass, not into any other animal, but only into man; and the soul which has seen most of truth shall come to the birth as a philosopher, or artist, or some musical and loving nature; that which has seen truth in the second degree shall be some righteous king or warrior chief; the soul which is of the third class shall be a politician, or economist, or trader; the fourth shall be lover of gymnastic toils, or a physician; the fifth shall lead the life of a prophet or hierophant; to the sixth the character of poet or some other imitative artist will be assigned; to the seventh the life of an artisan or husbandman; to the eighth that of a sophist or demagogue; to the ninth that of a tyrant-all these are states of probation, in which he who does righteously improves, and he who does unrighteously, improves, and he who does unrighteously, deteriorates his lot.
Ten thousand years must elapse before the soul of each one can return to the place from whence she came, for she cannot grow her wings in less; only the soul of a philosopher, guileless and true, or the soul of a lover, who is not devoid of philosophy, may acquire wings in the third of the recurring periods of a thousand years; he is distinguished from the ordinary good man who gains wings in three thousand years:-and they who choose this life three times in succession have wings given them, and go away at the end of three thousand years.
But the others receive judgment when they have completed their first life, and after the judgment they go, some of them to the houses of correction which are under the earth, and are punished; others to some place in heaven whither they are lightly borne by justice, and there they live in a manner worthy of the life which they led here when in the form of men.
And at the end of the first thousand years the good souls and also the evil souls both come to draw lots and choose their second life, and they may take any which they please.
The soul of a man may pass into the life of a beast, or from the beast return again into the man.
But the soul which has never seen the truth will not pass into the human form.
For a man must have intelligence of universals, and be able to proceed from the many particulars of sense to one conception of reason;-this is the recollection of those things which our soul once saw while following God-when regardless of that which we now call being she raised her head up towards the true being.
And therefore the mind of the philosopher alone has wings; and this is just, for he is always, according to the measure of his abilities, clinging in recollection to those things in which God abides, and in beholding which He is what He is.
And he who employs aright these memories is ever being initiated into perfect mysteries and alone becomes truly perfect.
But, as he forgets earthly interests and is rapt in the divine, the vulgar deem him mad, and rebuke him; they do not see that he is inspired.
Themes
◆Anamnesissoteriology
Platonic recollection: knowledge as the soul's recovery of what it knew before birth, with learning as remembering rather than acquisition.
The passage explicitly describes knowledge as 'recollection' of things the soul saw before birth.
All passages →◆Apocatastasiscosmology
The doctrine of the periodic restoration or recurrence of all things to their original state after vast cycles.
The text describes a periodic return to the divine source after cycles of probation and judgment.
All passages →◆Body As Obstacleanthropology
The material body viewed as a prison, tomb, or source of error that hinders spiritual knowledge and return.
The soul is described as dropping from its wings when it fails to behold truth, implying the material state hinders spiritual vision.
All passages →◆Cosmic Dualismtheology
Ontological opposition between two primal principles (light/darkness, truth/lie, spirit/matter) as the fundamental structure of reality.
Reality is structured between the truth-seekers who see God and those who sink into forgetfulness and vice.
All passages →◆Divine Hiddennesstheology
The supreme God's radical concealment beyond ordinary knowledge or perception; the Hidden Father.
The true being is described as something the soul must raise her head towards rather than directly perceive.
All passages →◆Divine Lighttheology
The uncreated luminous quality of the divine, sometimes experienced directly in mystical states; illumination as revelation.
The text mentions 'true being' and the soul raising her head towards it as a metaphor for divine illumination.
All passages →◆Divine Providencetheology
Pronoia — the doctrine that the divine actively orders the unfolding of the cosmos and human affairs toward intelligible ends, against pure chance or blind necessity.
A law of Destiny actively preserves or punishes souls based on their vision of truth and actions in life.
All passages →◆Emanation Hierarchycosmology
A chain of divine beings or principles flowing downward from a single transcendent source (the One or the Father), each level less perfect than the one above.
The text outlines a structured hierarchy of souls moving through different classes of life based on their degree of truth attainment.
All passages →◆Eschatological Judgmentsoteriology
Final, collective cosmic judgment as an event in which the wicked are sentenced and the cosmos restored; distinct from psychopomp_journey (individual passage at death) and emphasising verdict where Zoroastrian frashokereti emphasises restoration.
The passage details a final judgment where souls are sentenced to houses of correction or heaven after completing their lives.
All passages →◆Gnosis Direct Knowledgesoteriology
Salvation through direct experiential knowledge of the divine nature, not through faith, ritual, or moral works alone.
Salvation is linked to attaining vision of truth rather than moral works alone.
All passages →◆Hidden Sayingssoteriology
Esoteric teachings reserved for those ready to receive them; outer meaning conceals an inner liberating truth.
The text notes that those who employ aright these memories are initiated into perfect mysteries.
All passages →◆Inner Lightanthropology
The divine spark or luminous quality residing within the human person, potentially recognisable through introspection.
The soul is described as having wings and being able to proceed from particulars to one conception of reason.
All passages →◆Ladder Of Lovesoteriology
Diotima's staged ascent from love of beautiful bodies → beautiful souls → beautiful pursuits → beautiful knowledge → Beauty itself; the canonical scala amoris that grounds Plotinus's On the Beautiful and Bruno's Eroici Furori — distinct from generic spiritual_ascent in that eros is the specific motive force.
The passage mentions lovers who are not devoid of philosophy ascending through stages of probation.
All passages →◆Living Godtheology
The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality.
God is depicted as an active presence the soul follows and raises her head towards.
All passages →◆Numerical Mysticismtheology
Numbers, proportions, and mathematical relationships as the underlying structure of divine reality.
The text specifies exact cycles of time (10,000 years, 3,000 years) and numbered classes of souls.
All passages →◆Pneumatic Electsoteriology
A spiritual elite who possess the divine spark and are predestined for salvation, contrasted with psychic (faithful) and hylic (material) persons.
The text distinguishes a small group of souls who see truth and gain wings from the general populace.
All passages →◆Psychopomp Journeycosmology
Guided passage of the soul through afterlife realms.
Soul migration and judgment imply a guided passage through afterlife realms.
All passages →◆Renunciation Of Wealthethics
The spiritual danger of attachment to material possessions; wealth as a spiritual obstacle.
The philosopher is described as forgetting earthly interests to be rapt in the divine.
All passages →◆Return To Sourcesoteriology
The soul's journey back to its divine origin, reversing the fall into matter through stages of purification or illumination.
The soul's journey involves returning to the place from whence she came after cycles of probation.
All passages →◆Soul Migrationcosmology
The transmigration of the soul across lives.
The passage centrally describes the transmigration of souls into different animal forms or human states based on their previous life's quality.
All passages →◆Spiritual Ascentpraxis
A staged journey of the soul upward through heavenly realms or levels of being toward the divine source.
The soul is described as raising her head towards the true being and acquiring wings through stages of probation.
All passages →Related passages · 28 parallels
◆buddhism|Vajrakkhedika (Diamond Cutter)|Section 1d
“In the next or third 500 years, they will be strong in 'much learning,' i.e.
bahu s ruta, religious knowledge.
In the next or fourth 500 years, they will be strong in founding monasteries, &c.
In the last or fifth 500 years, they will be…”
Both passages discuss the concept of spiritual progress and the role of enlightened beings in different time periods. They emphasize the idea of individuals who, despite the decay of religious or philosophical truths, can still attain understanding and merit through their devotion and wisdom.
◆christian_mysticism|Meister Eckhart's Sermons (Field translation)|IIb
“So, if my soul is to know God, it must be God-like.” Now, how is the soul to arrive at this heavenly state that it recognizes God in itself, and knows that He is near?
By copying the heavens, which can receive no impulse from without to ma…”
Both passages emphasize the soul's need to transcend earthly concerns and temporal constraints to attain a higher understanding or vision of the divine. They share the theme of the soul's journey towards divine knowledge, though they come from different mystical traditions.
◆christian_mysticism|Meister Eckhart's Sermons (Field translation)|Vc
“Thus happens it to the noble soul which goes to God to school, and learns there what God is in His essence, and what He is in the Trinity, and what He is in man, and what is most acceptable to Him.
St Augustine saith that the righteousness…”
Both passages explore the concept of the soul's journey and its connection to the divine. Meister Eckhart discusses the soul's understanding of God's will and its union with the divine, while Plato describes the soul's vision of truth and its reincarnation based on its knowledge of the divine. Both emphasize the soul's elevation and connection to higher truths.
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 1 (part 6)
“The human selfhood will then follow in its perceptions the Spirit of God, tremblingly and in the joy of humility, and become able to see what is contained in time and in eternity.
Everything is near to a soul in that state, for the soul is…”
Both passages discuss the transformation of the soul through divine connection and the attainment of higher knowledge or truth. They emphasize the soul's journey towards unity with the divine and the consequent perception of a higher reality.
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 7 (part 5)
“13.) Man can attain real similarity to God and perfect beatitude only by decisively willing to put his will into the Son, as the Heart or Light of the Father.
"God has the eternal and unchangeable will to generate His Heart and his Son, an…”
Both passages discuss the soul's journey towards divine union and the consequences of aligning or failing to align with divine will. They share a common theme of the soul's potential for divine connection and the importance of will and desire in this process.
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 12 (part 11)
“The human will refuses to submit itself entirely to the exquisite grace which offers itself out of divine love, and seeks for its own self and for the love of that self which belongs to that which is impermanent.
It loves itself and the st…”
Both passages discuss the spiritual struggles and temptations of the soul, including the dangers of pride, the desire for worldly things, and the need for divine guidance. They also emphasize the importance of overcoming these temptations to achieve spiritual growth and union with the divine.
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 13 (part 6)
“Often she is deluded with sin, and everything seems to be against her.
You must continually battle against the devil.
Then will the pearl-tree grow like grass in storm and rain; but when it becomes big and brings forth flowers, you may th…”
Both passages discuss the soul's journey and its connection to divine truth or the spiritual realm. They describe the soul's struggle, its moments of divine connection, and the ultimate transformation or purification of the soul. The passages share a common theme of the soul's ascent and its interaction with the divine, albeit within different religious frameworks.
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 13 (part 12)
“In the place which formerly was the seat of self-will there is now nothing, and wherever there is nothing there the love of God is solely active." ( Supernatural Life , xxviii.) "A true Christian knows himself to be a servant of God, whose…”
Both passages emphasize the importance of transcending the self and aligning with a higher divine will. They also discuss the concept of the soul's journey and the need for humility and submission to divine order.
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 14 (part 3)
“"In so far as a person remains in a will foreign to his true nature, and does not want to be cured of it by entering into the holy Word, this foreign being will take substance in him and hold the celestial essence in subjection; so that the…”
Both passages discuss the concept of the soul's transformation after death based on its moral and spiritual qualities during life. They share the idea that the soul's state in the afterlife is a reflection of its earthly character and actions.
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 14 (part 4)
“Each person feels that according to the quality of his Turba , one in one way and another in another.
The avaricious soul, for instance, suffers from cold; the angry soul from heat; the envious soul experiences bitterness; the conceited is…”
Both passages discuss the consequences of one's actions and the state of the soul after death. They describe how the soul is affected by its past deeds and the suffering that ensues, though they do so within different theological frameworks.
18 more
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 14 (part 6)
“These souls have a perverted conscience, which tortures them; their sins are always before their eyes; they see all their injustice and frivolity, their conceit and the misery which they have caused, their scorn and arrogance, but now their…”
Both passages discuss the fate of souls based on their moral and spiritual qualities during their earthly life. They describe how virtuous souls are rewarded and evil souls are punished, with a focus on the transformation and state of the soul after death.
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 14 (part 9)
“The faith of the living caught that of the saints, and the faith performed the miracle.
Faith can overthrow mountains.
It could destroy the world, if God were so to direct it." 1 ( Forty Questions , xxvi.) In the above we have considered…”
Both passages discuss the concept of the soul's journey and purification after death, with a focus on the role of faith, virtue, and the consequences of one's actions in life. They describe different states or levels of the soul's existence and the processes through which souls are judged and purified.
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 14 (part 10)
“When, then, death actually takes place, and separates the soul from the body, the poor soul will then cling to that thread and refuse to let go her hold of it, but all her essences are still deeply immersed in the wrath of God; she is tortu…”
Both passages discuss the state of the soul after death and its journey towards redemption or enlightenment. They share themes of the soul's attachment to earthly desires and the process of purification, though they come from different mystical traditions.
◆gnosticism|Pistis Sophia|Document THIRDn
“Now therefore whenever should become completed the time of that man, at first indeed is wont to come out the Fate and lead the man [260 ] in unto the death by the Rulers with their bonds, these in which they were bound by the Destiny: and a…”
Both passages describe the journey of the soul after death, including judgment, punishment, and reincarnation based on the deeds and knowledge attained during life. They share a conceptual framework of moral accountability and the soul's progression through various states of existence.
◆gnosticism|Pistis Sophia|Document THIRDo
“Added also Jesus in the word, said he, If also a soul is which is not wont to hearken unto the counterfeit spirit (in) all his works, and this (soul) became good, she received the mysteries of the Light, these which (are) in the second Spac…”
Both passages discuss the journey of the soul after death and the role of knowledge or mysteries in determining the soul's fate. They share a conceptual parallel in the idea that the soul's understanding and recitation of certain truths or mysteries can influence its post-mortem journey and ultimate destiny.
◆gnosticism|Pistis Sophia|Document THIRDp
“And whenever the soul, whenever she should say the mystery of the loosening of the seals, and immediately is wont to be loosened the counterfeit spirit; and it is wont to cease coming in against the soul, and it ceaseth from allotting the s…”
Both passages discuss the journey of the soul after death and the role of knowledge or mysteries in determining the soul's fate. They share the theme of the soul's ascent or descent based on its actions and knowledge, though they come from different mystical traditions.
◆gnosticism|Pistis Sophia|Document THIRDr
“And that of the God to the God, namely, whenever the soul should receive mystery she is wont to give the defence to all the Rulers with the Place of the King, the Adamas.
And the soul is wont to give the honour with the glory to those of a…”
Both passages discuss the journey of the soul after death and the consequences of its actions. They describe different states or levels the soul can attain based on its knowledge and deeds, showing a conceptual parallel in their mystical traditions.
◆gnosticism|Pistis Sophia|Document THIRDs
“Concerning this word therefore my Lord, which thou saidst unto us once, (Become) being reconciled with thine enemy while thou art on the road with him, lest-haply thine enemy should give thee to the judge, and the judge should give thee to…”
Both passages discuss the journey of the soul after death and the consequences of one's actions in life. They describe different stages and judgments the soul undergoes, with a focus on the soul's purification and eventual return to a higher state, reflecting a common mystical theme of spiritual progression and judgment.
◆gnosticism|Pistis Sophia|Document THIRD
“And if that soul received her number of cycles, is wont the Virgin of the Light, she is wont to prove her, she is not wont to let them punish her, because that she received the number of cycle: but she is wont to deliver her unto the seven…”
Both passages discuss the journey of the soul after death and the role of virtues or mysteries in determining the soul's fate. They share the concept of purification and progression through different realms or states based on the soul's actions and knowledge.
◆gnosticism|Pistis Sophia|Document THIRD
“But if it is one out of the dregs of the purifying of the Light, is wont Melkhisedek the great Receiver of the Light to take her from the Rulers, or otherwise indeed if they are some out of the tears of their eyes, or out of the breath of t…”
Both passages discuss the concept of the soul's journey and its connection to divine truth or light. They describe different states or types of souls and the processes they undergo, including purification and the effects of forgetfulness. The passages share a mystical perspective on the soul's path and its interaction with higher realms.
◆gnosticism|Pistis Sophia|Document THIRD
“And I shall say unto you the name of the counterfeit spirit, and I shall say unto you the name of the Fate, and I shall say unto you the name of all the bonds, these in which are wont the Rulers to bind the counterfeit spirit in unto the so…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the soul, its connection to divine knowledge, and the consequences of its actions. They also describe a hierarchical structure of souls based on their understanding and proximity to the divine, emphasizing the importance of mystical knowledge for liberation or perfection.
◆gnosticism|Pistis Sophia|Document FIFTHe
“Then she is wont to take away that righteous soul and deliver her up to her Receivers and cast her unto the Aeons of the Sphere, that the Ministers of the Sphere may take her out unto water being underneath the Sphere, that it may become a…”
Both passages describe the journey of the soul after death, involving stages of purification, judgment, and reincarnation based on the soul's actions and knowledge of divine truths. They share the theme of the soul's progression and the influence of divine entities on this process.
◆neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter VII
“Hence that of which you are dubious is not true, “ that all things are bound with the indissoluble bonds of Necessity ,” which we call Fate. For the soul has a proper principle of circumduction to the intelligible, and of a separation from…”
Both passages discuss the concept of fate and the soul's ability to transcend it. They share the idea that the soul can rise above the mundane and connect with the divine, thereby escaping the constraints of fate or destiny.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 326
“Section 6 6. Souls that descend, souls that change their state- these, then, may be said to have memory, which deals with what has come and gone; but what subjects of remembrance can there be for souls whose lot is to remain unchanged? The…”
Both passages discuss the nature of the soul's connection to divine truth and the concept of remembrance or vision of the divine. Plotinus explores the idea of souls that remain unchanged and their continuous vision of God, while the second passage discusses the soul's vision of truth and the consequences of remembering or forgetting that vision.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 418
“Section 2 2. Let every soul recall, then, at the outset the truth that soul is the author of all living things, that it has breathed the life into them all, whatever is nourished by earth and sea, all the creatures of the air, the divine st…”
Both passages discuss the nature and role of the soul, its connection to the divine, and its influence on the world. They share the idea of the soul's elevated status and its role in imparting life and meaning to the universe.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 422 (part 2)
“But in soul the utterance is obscured, for soul is an image and must look to its own original: that Principle, on the contrary, looks to the First without mediation- thus becoming what it is- and has that vision not as from a distance but a…”
Both passages discuss the soul's relationship with a higher principle or truth. Passage A describes the soul's longing for and connection to the One, while Passage B discusses the soul's vision of truth and its consequences. Both emphasize the soul's aspiration towards a higher reality.
◆neoplatonism|Select Works of Plotinus|Select Works, Section 674
“Section 35 35. Such in this union is the soul's temper that even the act of Intellect, once so intimately loved, she now dismisses; Intellection is movement and she has no wish to move; she has nothing to say of this very Intellectual-Princ…”
Both passages describe the soul's ascent to a higher realm of understanding and union with the divine. They share the theme of the soul's transformation through contemplation and the attainment of a state beyond ordinary intellect, though they come from different mystical traditions.
◆renaissance_hermeticism|The Heroic Enthusiasts, Part I (Gli Eroici Furori)|INTRODUCTIONj
“The body is in the soul, the soul is in the mind, the mind is in God.
The life of the soul is the true life of the man.
Of all his various faculties, that which rules all, that which exalts our nature, is Thought.
By means of it we rise…”
Both passages explore the concept of the soul's journey and its connection to divine truth. Plato's passage discusses the soul's vision of truth and its reincarnation based on its experiences, while Bruno's passage describes the soul's elevation through thought and its union with the divine. Both emphasize the importance of the soul's connection to higher truths and the transformation of the individual through this connection.