The dialogues of Plato in five volumes, Vol. 2 (of 5) : $b Translated into English with analyses and introductions
Plato · en
again on the opposite side, and some on the same side, and
some wind round the earth with one or many folds like the
coils of a serpent, and descend as far as they can, but always
return and fall into the chasm. The rivers flowing in either
direction can descend only to the centre and no further, for
opposite to the rivers is a precipice.
[Sidenote: Oceanus, Acheron, Pyriphlegethon, and Styx (or Cocytus).]
[Sidenote: _The geography of the world below._]
Now these rivers are many, and mighty, and diverse, and
there are four principal ones, of which the greatest and outermost
is that called Oceanus, which flows round the earth in
a circle; and in the opposite direction flows Acheron, which
passes under the earth through desert places into the 113
Acherusian lake: this is the lake to the shores of which the
souls of the many go when they are dead, and after waiting
an appointed time, which is to some a longer and to some a
shorter time, they are sent back to be born again as animals.
The third river passes out between the two, and near the place
of outlet pours into a vast region of fire, and forms a lake
larger than the Mediterranean Sea, boiling with water and
mud; and proceeding muddy and turbid, and winding about
the earth, comes, among other places, to the extremities of
the Acherusian lake, but mingles not with the waters of the
lake, and after making many coils about the earth plunges
into Tartarus at a deeper level. This is that Pyriphlegethon,
as the stream is called, which throws up jets of fire in
different parts of the earth. The fourth river goes out on
the opposite side, and falls first of all into a wild and savage
region, which is all of a dark blue colour, like lapis lazuli;
and this is that river which is called the Stygian river, and
falls into and forms the Lake Styx, and after falling into the
lake and receiving strange powers in the waters, passes
under the earth, winding round in the opposite direction, and
comes near the Acherusian lake from the opposite side to
Pyriphlegethon. And the water of this river too mingles
with no other, but flows round in a circle and falls into
Tartarus over against Pyriphlegethon; and the name of the
river, as the poets say, is Cocytus.
[Sidenote: The judgment of the dead.]
[Sidenote: _The mansions of the blessed._]