The Noble Singer

Consolidating Incantations in Plato's Phaedo

Abstract

Twice in Plato’s Phaedo, Socrates suggests that the singing of incantations may reduce fear towards the afterlife; first, when Simmias admits to the persistent fear of death; and second, when Socrates concludes his eschatological myth. In both instances, it is unclear what exactly he is telling them to do; indeed, the instances seem to disagree. In this paper, I will show that the two descriptions of incantations do not ostensibly agree and how. Then, I will explore the nuances of each reference and clarify their context by providing passages from other parts of the dialogue and by referring to Aristotle's Ethics. I aim to consolidate both references, if possible, and to clarify who can sing incantations and how it affects the listener.

Discipline: Philosophy

Faculty Mentor: Dr. Edvard Lorkovic