(517b9-13). These remarks about the Good might count as first interpretive revelation, Socrates’ and it is important to note that they are qualified both admission that or by Socrates’ ‘Whether not true only the and by guarded agreement to it’s god knows’ (517b6-7) Glaucon’s Socrates’ description of the have the same thought, at least as far as I am Good: ‘I able’ (517c5). Socrates’ condensed description of the Good as a cause is also, of course, famously under-elaborated and raises many questions. As a revelation to Glaucon, it is limited, although perhaps promising, and in any case it does not dispel all confusion. From this point forward, narrative is structured as a crescendo. If we divide the Socrates’ sections by topic, they gradually increase in length, culminating in revisionary Socrates’ definition of education. Five lines are devoted to repeating a topic that Socrates has just treated, namely that the prisoner who has escaped from the cave will no longer be interested in human affairs (517c6-d1). The following seven lines turn to a variation of a topic that also repeats what Socrates has previously said, namely that if the escaped prisoner does turn toward the human world, he will behave awkwardly and appear ridiculous (517d3-e1). Here we cannot help but be put in mind of trial by the choice of examples the narrative makes. The prisoner would Socrates’ in the courts or elsewhere, to contend about the appear ridiculous ‘if he’s compelled, either shadows of that in the previous section Socrates had also alluded to himself (in a justice.’ Note breech of realism) when he said that if anyone tried to lead the prisoners upward against their will, they would they could somehow get their hands on (517a5-5-6). Having ‘kill him’ ‘if him’ Socrates so pointedly allude to his own future, so well known to us, is a way that Plato inserts himself into the narrative. Plato and his reader know very well that this is fate, and yet Socrates’ when the character Socrates himself unknowingly makes the allusion, we are strikingly made aware that Plato crafts the narrative from a superior vantage point. The following 11 lines --
(517b9-13). These remarks about the Good might count as Socrates’ first interpretive revelation, and it is important to note that they are qualified both by Socrates’ admission that ‘Whether or not it’s true only the god knows’ (517b6-7) and by Glaucon’s guarded agreement to Socrates’ description of the Good: ‘I have the same thought, at least as far as I am able’ (517c5). Socrates’ condensed description of the Good as a cause is also, of course, famously under-elaborated and raises many questions. As a revelation to Glaucon, it is limited, although perhaps promising, and in any case it does not dispel all confusion. From this point forward, Socrates’ narrative is structured as a crescendo. If we divide the sections by topic, they gradually increase in length, culminating in Socrates’ revisionary definition of education. Five lines are devoted to repeating a topic that Socrates has just treated, namely that the prisoner who has escaped from the cave will no longer be interested in human affairs (517c6-d1). The following seven lines turn to a variation of a topic that also repeats what Socrates has previously said, namely that if the escaped prisoner does turn toward the human world, he will behave awkwardly and appear ridiculous (517d3-e1). Here we cannot help but be put in mind of Socrates’ trial by the choice of examples the narrative makes. The prisoner would appear ridiculous ‘if he’s compelled, either in the courts or elsewhere, to contend about the shadows of justice.’ Note that in the previous section Socrates had also alluded to himself (in a breech of realism) when he said that if anyone tried to lead the prisoners upward against their will, they would ‘kill him’ ‘if they could somehow get their hands on him’ (517a5-5-6). Having Socrates so pointedly allude to his own future, so well known to us, is a way that Plato inserts himself into the narrative. Plato and his reader know very well that this is Socrates’ fate, and yet when the character Socrates himself unknowingly makes the allusion, we are strikingly made aware that Plato crafts the narrative from a superior vantage point. The following 11 lines --