Key Arguments

• Socrates defines purification as ‘the separation of the soul from the body… the habit of the soul gathering and collecting herself into herself from all sides out of the body; the dwelling in her own place alone… the release of the soul from the chains of the body’.
• He secures agreement that ‘this separation and release of the soul from the body is termed death’.
• He asserts that ‘the true philosophers, and they only, are ever seeking to release the soul’ and that ‘the separation and release of the soul from the body’ is ‘their especial study’.
• He concludes that there would be ‘a ridiculous contradiction in men studying to live as nearly as they can in a state of death, and yet repining when it comes upon them’.
• He summarizes: ‘the true philosophers, Simmias, are always occupied in the practice of dying, wherefore also to them least of all men is death terrible’.
• He argues that since they have been ‘in every way the enemies of the body, and are wanting to be alone with the soul’, it would be ‘inconsistent’ to tremble when their desire is granted, especially since there they hope ‘to gain that which in life they desired—and this was wisdom—and at the same time to be rid of the company of their enemy’.
• He reinforces this by analogy: many people are willing to die ‘animated by the hope of seeing there an earthly love, or wife, or son’, so a true lover of wisdom, convinced that only ‘in the world below’ can he enjoy her worthily, should depart ‘with joy’ rather than fear.

Source Quotes

Certainly, replied Simmias. And what is purification but the separation of the soul from the body, as I was saying before; the habit of the soul gathering and collecting herself into herself from all sides out of the body; the dwelling in her own place alone, as in another life, so also in this, as far as she can;—the release of the soul from the chains of the body? Very true, he said.

Very true, he said. And this separation and release of the soul from the body is termed death? To be sure, he said. And the true philosophers, and they only, are ever seeking to release the soul.

To be sure, he said. And the true philosophers, and they only, are ever seeking to release the soul. Is not the separation and release of the soul from the body their especial study? That is true.

That is true. And, as I was saying at first, there would be a ridiculous contradiction in men studying to live as nearly as they can in a state of death, and yet repining when it comes upon them. Clearly.

Clearly. And the true philosophers, Simmias, are always occupied in the practice of dying, wherefore also to them least of all men is death terrible. Look at the matter thus:—if they have been in every way the enemies of the body, and are wanting to be alone with the soul, when this desire of theirs is granted, how inconsistent would they be if they trembled and repined, instead of rejoicing at their departure to that place where, when they arrive, they hope to gain that which in life they desired—and this was wisdom—and at the same time to be rid of the company of their enemy.

And the true philosophers, Simmias, are always occupied in the practice of dying, wherefore also to them least of all men is death terrible. Look at the matter thus:—if they have been in every way the enemies of the body, and are wanting to be alone with the soul, when this desire of theirs is granted, how inconsistent would they be if they trembled and repined, instead of rejoicing at their departure to that place where, when they arrive, they hope to gain that which in life they desired—and this was wisdom—and at the same time to be rid of the company of their enemy. Many a man has been willing to go to the world below animated by the hope of seeing there an earthly love, or wife, or son, and conversing with them.

Look at the matter thus:—if they have been in every way the enemies of the body, and are wanting to be alone with the soul, when this desire of theirs is granted, how inconsistent would they be if they trembled and repined, instead of rejoicing at their departure to that place where, when they arrive, they hope to gain that which in life they desired—and this was wisdom—and at the same time to be rid of the company of their enemy. Many a man has been willing to go to the world below animated by the hope of seeing there an earthly love, or wife, or son, and conversing with them. And will he who is a true lover of wisdom, and is strongly persuaded in like manner that only in the world below he can worthily enjoy her, still repine at death? Will he not depart with joy?

Key Concepts

• And what is purification but the separation of the soul from the body, as I was saying before; the habit of the soul gathering and collecting herself into herself from all sides out of the body; the dwelling in her own place alone, as in another life, so also in this, as far as she can;—the release of the soul from the chains of the body?
• And this separation and release of the soul from the body is termed death? To be sure, he said.
• And the true philosophers, and they only, are ever seeking to release the soul. Is not the separation and release of the soul from the body their especial study?
• there would be a ridiculous contradiction in men studying to live as nearly as they can in a state of death, and yet repining when it comes upon them.
• And the true philosophers, Simmias, are always occupied in the practice of dying, wherefore also to them least of all men is death terrible.
• if they have been in every way the enemies of the body, and are wanting to be alone with the soul, when this desire of theirs is granted, how inconsistent would they be if they trembled and repined
• Many a man has been willing to go to the world below animated by the hope of seeing there an earthly love, or wife, or son, and conversing with them. And will he who is a true lover of wisdom, and is strongly persuaded in like manner that only in the world below he can worthily enjoy her, still repine at death?

Context

After arguing that knowledge requires the soul’s separation from the body, Socrates explicitly identifies philosophical purification with death and uses this to explain why the philosopher should rejoice, not fear, at his own death.