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(1/2) The Iliad by Homer translated by Robert Fagles - Full Version

(2/2) The Iliad by Homer translated by Robert Fagles - Full Version

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Here’s Donald Robertson’s free guide to his latest book on Socrates

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“There are certain tiny creatures that can bite or sting us,
without even being noticed. We feel nothing, and no wound
is visible. Only much later do we discover, to our surprise,
an itch or swelling where it seems we must have been bitten.
You once told me, Socrates, that would be my experience
when dealing with the wise.”
—How to Think Like Socrates

I would add “dealing with dreams” :deer:

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Love this quote

Well played

:green_heart:
:deer:
:pray:

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To give some interesting historical background, the How to Think Like Socrates quote is adapted from a quote given by Seneca in his letters. Seneca is quoting Phaedo of Elis a student of Socrates whom Socrates had saved from slavery after he started meeting with him.
Plato wrote a dialogue named after him which depicts Socrates’ final moments. Phaedo doesn’t speak in it but it is stated he’s present.

After his friend and mentor’s death he returned to Elis and founded a school of philosophy. Sadly we know nothing of his ideas as his writings and those of his followers are lost. The quote from Seneca if genuine is the only piece of his writing we possess.

Edit: Here’s a quote from the Wikipedia Page about the school regarding the little we know of its doctrines (and of course whether they come from Phaedo himself or his successor Menedemus):

Like the Megarians they seem to have believed in the individuality of “the Good,” the denial of the plurality of virtue, and of any real difference existing between the Good and the True. Cicero tells us that they placed all good in the mind, and in that acuteness of mind by which the truth is discerned. They denied that truth could be inferred by negative categorical propositions, and would only allow positive ones, and of these only simple ones.

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Thank you for letting me know about this.

Sounds like he freed him from slavery both literally and figuratively!:

“Phaedo says: “Certain tiny animals do not leave any pain when they sting us; so subtle is their power, so deceptive for purposes of harm. The bite is disclosed by a swelling, and even in the swelling there is no visible wound”. That will also be your experience when dealing with wise people, you will not discover how or when the benefit comes to you, but you will discover that you have received it.”

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What does the "plurality of virtue’ mean?

What does this mean?

Truth = Good

How did they define:

" His friendship with Antigonus II Gonatas seems to have roused suspicion as to his loyalty, and he sought safety first in the temple of Amphiaraus at Oropus, and later with Antigonus, at whose court he is said to have died of grief. Other accounts say that he starved himself to death on failing to induce Antigonus to free his native city.[2]"

The latter sounds like a pretty noble way to depart.

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Hello @NightHawk999

I don’t believe I can adequately answer your questions given that I merely quoted the Wikipedia page and I’m not even an amateur when it comes to ancient greek philosophy. Plus as I said we know next to nothing about the Elean school apart from the odd reference in other writers.

So I’ll speculate but please take it with several grains of salt.

A quick google search seems to suggest that the plurality of virtue is referring to the idea of whether or not they are unified. Plato and Aristotle both appear to have adhered to the idea of the Unity of Virtue. That is the virtues are interrelated and cannot be separated such that having one virtue will mean you’ll to some extent have all.

If this interpretation is right then the Elean school agreed with them regarding Virtue’s unity.

As for all good being in the mind, it does go on to say that the goodness was in “that acuteness of mind by which truth is discerned”. So it appears reasonable to me that they may have believed that the only true good was Wisdom. The ability to distinguish between true and false, good and evil (wikipdia says they denied any real difference between the good and the true).

Plato’s Dialogue the Euthydemus develops an argument to the effect that wisdom is the only true good, as anything externals like wealth or power can be used for good or evil. So the only true good is knowing how to use them properly i.e. wisdom.

This argument formed a major part of Stoic Philosophy and its idea that Virtue alone is the true good.

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The Illusion of Language: Our Virtual Reality

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Self Liberation through seeing with Naked Awareness - Padmasambhava - Dzogchen

Very interesting, makes you wonder that perhaps the Buddhists and Stoics, may have had more in common than most people think…

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