Book 1, Chapter 21

“If the subject required it, we could speak at any length about the many, varied, and magnificent sights the soul will have in the heavenly regions.

48 “When I think of these, I often marvel at the arrogance of certain philosophers. They admire their knowledge of nature, give exultant thanks to its discoverer and founder, and revere him as a god. Through him, they say, they have been freed from the harshest of masters: everlasting terror and fear by day and night. What terror? What fear? What old woman is so deranged as to fear those things which you, apparently, would fear if you had not learned natural philosophy—‘Acheron’s deep precincts of Orcus, death’s pale regions clouded in darkness’? Is a philosopher not ashamed to boast that he does not fear these things and has learned they are false? From that we can understand how naturally acute such people are, since without instruction they would have believed them.

49 “And what a splendid acquisition they have made in learning that, when their hour of death comes, they will perish altogether! Grant that it is so—for I offer no resistance—what is there in that to rejoice in or boast about? Yet certainly nothing occurs to me to show why the view of Pythagoras and Plato should not be true. Even if Plato offered no reasoning—see how much I grant the man—his authority alone would overcome me. But he has offered so many reasons that he seems to have wished to persuade others and certainly to have persuaded himself.”

“If the subject required it, we could talk at great length about the many, varied, magnificent sights the soul would have in the regions of the sky.

48 “When I think about that, the arrogance of some philosophers often amazes me. They’re delighted with the study of nature; they shower excited thanks on its founder and discoverer and honor him as a god. They claim he’s rescued them from terrible masters: terror that never ends, and fear all night and all day. What are they frightened of? Where does this terror come from? You seem to mean the things you’d have feared without your lessons in natural science: ‘Orcus’ deep halls by Acheron, death’s pale regions, places clouded with darkness.’ What old woman could be crazy enough to fear those? A philosopher boasts that he isn’t afraid of them and has found out they’re untrue—shouldn’t he be ashamed? We can judge their natural intelligence from that: without lessons, they would have believed it all.

49 “And apparently they’ve achieved something splendid in learning that when the time for death comes, they’ll perish completely. Suppose it’s so—I’m not arguing. What’s joyful or glorious about it? Yet I really can’t think of any reason why Pythagoras and Plato shouldn’t be right. Even if Plato gave no argument—notice how much credit I give the man—his authority alone would overcome me. But he’s given so many arguments that, while he seems to want to convince others, he’s certainly convinced himself.”