[595b]
still more plainly apparent now that
we have distinguished the several parts1 of the soul.” “What
do you mean?” “Why, between ourselves2—for you will
not betray me to the tragic poets and all other imitators—that
kind of art seems to be a corruption3 of the
mind of all listeners who do not possess, as an antidote4
a knowledge of its real nature.” “What is your idea in
saying this?” he said. “I must speak out,” I
said, “though a certain love and reverence for Homer5 that has possessed me from a boy would stay me from speaking.
1 Lit. “species.” Cf. 435 B ff., 445 C, 580 D, 588 B ff., Phaedr. 271 D, Unity of Plato's Thought, p. 42.
2 Cf. Gorg. 462 B, Protag. 309 A, 339 E.
3 Cf. 605 C, Meno 91 C, Laws 890 B.
4 φάρμακον: this passage is the source of Plutarch's view of literature in education; see Quomodo adolescens poetas audire debeat 15 C.
5 Isoc. ii. 48-49 is perhaps imitating this. For Homer as a source of tragedy cf. also 598 D, 605 C-D, 607 A, 602 B, Theaet. 152 E, schol. Trendelenburg, pp. 75 ff.; Dryden, Discourse on Epic Poetry: “The origin of the stage was from the epic poem . . . those episodes of Homer which were proper for the state the poets amplifies each into an action,” etc. Cf. Aristot.Poet. 1448 b 35 f., Diog. Laert. iv. 40, and 393 A ff.
Plato. Plato in Twelve Volumes, Vols. 5 & 6 translated by Paul Shorey. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1969.
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