Plutarch on the Delay of the Divine JusticePlutarch
Philosophy
Plutarch on the Delay of the Divine Justice
Plutarch
Punishment -- Early works to 1800
But—omitting the greater part of what he saw—he said that the souls
of the dying rose from beneath like fiery bubbles through the parted
air. Then, the bubbles gradually bursting, they came forth, having a
human form, but of diminutive size. But they did not move alike; for
some sprang forth with wonderful agility, and mounted straight upward,
while others, whirling round in a circle like spindles, tending now
downward and then again upward, were borne with a complicated and
confused movement that could hardly be arrested even in a very long
time. He did not, indeed, know who many of these souls were; but seeing
two or three whom he recognized, he tried to join them and talk with
them. They, however, neither heard him, nor were in possession of their
right mind; but, demented and shy, shrinking from sight and touch, they
at first flitted round by themselves; then, meeting many souls in the
same condition and mingling with them, they moved in all directions
without aim or purpose, and gave utterance to inarticulate sounds like
battle-cries mingled with strains of lamentation and terror. Others
from above, in the zenith of the circumambient heavens, appeared
refulgent, and often approached one another in a kindly way, yet
avoiding those troubled souls; and they seemed to signify annoyance by
shrinking within themselves, and pleasure and approval by the expansion
and enlargement of the forms in which they moved.
Among these he said that he saw the soul of a kinsman of his, yet
at first was not sure of his identity, as he himself was but a boy
when this man died; but the soul, drawing near him, said, “Hail,
Thespesius.” When he marvelled at this, and replied that his name was
not Thespesius, but Aridaeus, the soul said, “It was Aridaeus, but from
henceforth it is Thespesius;[62:1] for you are not yet dead; but by
a certain allotment of the gods you come hither with your perceptive
faculties, while you have left the rest of your soul, like an anchor,
in your body. Let it be a token of this to you, both now and hereafter,
that the souls of the dead neither cast a shadow nor wink.”[63:1]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account