“ When the soul and the body are united, then nature orders the soul to rule and govern, and the body to obey and serve. ”
Plato, Phaedo. copy citation
Author | Plato |
---|---|
Source | Phaedo |
Topic | body soul |
Date | |
Language | English |
Reference | |
Note | Translated by Benjamin Jowett |
Weblink | http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1658/1658-h/1658-h.htm |
Context
“I think, Socrates, that, in the opinion of every one who follows the argument, the soul will be infinitely more like the unchangeable—even the most stupid person will not deny that.
And the body is more like the changing?
Yes.
Yet once more consider the matter in another light: When the soul and the body are united, then nature orders the soul to rule and govern, and the body to obey and serve. Now which of these two functions is akin to the divine? and which to the mortal? Does not the divine appear to you to be that which naturally orders and rules, and the mortal to be that which is subject and servant?”
source