Sun, Line, and Cave Again

John Ferguson

doi:10.1017/S0009838800001786

Sun, Line, and Cave Again

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 February 2009

John Ferguson

Show author details

John Ferguson: Affiliation:
University College, Ibadan

Article contents

Extract
References

Get access

Rights & Permissions

Extract

I Want in this paper briefly to contribute two points to the elucidation of this famous passage, and apologize for the fact that my possessing the same name as one of its most illustrious interpreters may add confusion to the doxographic tradition.

The first point is not an original one. It is simply to revive an interpretation given by Henry Jackson in an article which strikes me as the most profound and pellucid which I have read on the subject, and which is in some danger of being forgotten. Raven, about ten years ago, insisted as a criterion of interpretation that the entire passage should be viewed ‘as a single and indivisible whole’. This is precisely what Jackson does, though he concentrates his attention, as indeed does Raven, on the line and the cave.

Type: Articles
Information: The Classical Quarterly , Volume 13 , Issue 2 , December 1963 , pp. 188 - 193

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0009838800001786 [Opens in a new window]
Copyright: Copyright © The Classical Association 1963

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

^{page 188 note 1} See Ferguson, A. S., ‘Plato's Simile of Light’, C.Q. xv (1921), 131 ff.Google Scholar; xvi (1922), 15ff.; ‘Plato's Simile of Light Again’, C.Q. xxviii (1934), 190ff.Google Scholar

^{page 188 note 2} Jackson, H., ‘On Plato's Republic VI 509 d sqq.’, J. Ph. x (1882), 132ff.Google Scholar

^{page 188 note 3} Raven, J. E., ‘Sun, Divided Line, and Cave’, C.Q. N.s. iii (1953), 22 ff.Google Scholar

^{page 188 note 4} Arist. Met. A6, 987^b14.

^{page 188 note 5} 4. 16.

^{page 188 note 6} 99 c.

^{page 189 note 1} Hackforth, R., Plato's Phaedo, p. 138.Google Scholar

^{page 189 note 2} 509 d.

^{page 189 note 3} Stocks, J. L., ‘The Divided Line’, C.Q. v (1911), 76.Google Scholar

^{page 190 note 1} 510 b–511 a.

^{page 190 note 2} 510 e.

^{page 190 note 3} Sir Ross, David, Plato's Theory of Ideas, pp. 47–48.Google Scholar

^{page 190 note 4} 510 b, 510 e.

^{page 190 note 5} ad loc.

^{page 190 note 6} 510 a; Raven, J. E., op. cit., pp. 23ff.Google Scholar

^{page 190 note 7} Murphy, N. R., ‘The “Simile of Light” Plato's Republic’, CQ. xxvi (1932), 100.Google Scholar

^{page 191 note 1} D.L. 3.6.

^{page 188 note 2} R.-E., s.v. Hermogenes (21).

^{page 191 note 3} Fr. 1.

^{page 191 note 4} 246 a.

^{page 191 note 5} ad loc.

^{page 191 note 6} Sext. Emp. Adv. Dogm. 1. 112.

^{page 191 note 7} Fr. 3, cf. 8. 34 ff. etc.

^{page 191 note 8} Fr. 8. 50 ff.

^{page 191 note 9} Simpl. Phys. 30. 14.

^{page 191 note 11} 517 c.

^{page 191 note 10} 509 d–510 a.

^{page 191 note 12} 513 e.

^{page 192 note 1} Fr. 1.

^{page 192 note 2} Lucr. 1. 146.

^{page 192 note 3} Stocks, J. L., art. cit., p. 82.Google Scholar

^{page 192 note 4} Fr. 6.

^{page 192 note 5} 515 a–d.

^{page 192 note 6} Fr. 8. 61.

^{page 192 note 7} 515e;517b.

^{page 192 note 8} Bowra, C. M., Problems in Greek Poetry, pp. 38ff.Google Scholar

^{page 192 note 9} Pi. JV. 7. 12–13; Bacch. 8. 20–1, 13. 175–6; cf. also H. Gundert, Pindar und sein Dichterberuf.

^{page 193 note 1} See Wright, J. H., ‘The Origin of Plato's Cave’, Harv. Stud. Class. Phil, xvii (1906), 130–42.Google Scholar

^{page 193 note 2} DK 7 B 6.

^{page 193 note 3} DK 31 B 120.

^{page 193 note 4} 509 b.

^{page 193 note 5} Fr. 8. 13.

^{page 193 note 6} Fr. 8. 29.

^{page 193 note 7} Fr. 8. 36.

Article contents

Sun, Line, and Cave Again

Extract

Access options

References

Save article to Kindle

Save article to Dropbox

Save article to Google Drive

Reply to: Submit a response

Your details

You have entered the maximum number of contributors

Conflicting interests