Inside a house-shaped underground cave, with entry open to light and as wide as the width of the cave, men think they see that you are in the very from childhood, chained his legs and neck, by having to stand still and you can see only forward, unable, because of the chain, to turn around the head. High and far behind them shines the light of a fire and between the fire and the prisoners raised a road race. Along this thought to see a low wall built, like the screen that the puppeteers put in front of people to show on top of them puppets. - I see, he said. - Imagine seeing men carrying objects along the low wall projecting from the edge of every kind, and statues and other figures of stone and wood, in whatever way you work, and, as is natural, some bearers talking, others silent. - A strange image is yours, he said, and those are strange prisoners. - They look like us, I said, you believe that these people can see, first of himself and comrades, nothing but the shadows cast by the fire on the wall of the cave that is in front of them? - And how can she replied, if they are forced to keep his head immobile for life? - And for the items carried is not the same? - Definitely. - If the prisoners could talk each other, do not you think they would think of calling their visions real objects? - Naturally. - And even if the prison had an echo from the opposite wall? Every time one of the loops did hear his voice, believe that the courts other than those passing shadow? - I do not, by Zeus! Said. - For those people short, I said, the truth can not be more the shadows of artificial objects. - Of course, he admitted. - Examine now resumed, as they could melt the chains and heal from unconsciousness. Admit that happen to their naturally a case like this, that one was loose, suddenly forced to stand, turn around in his head, to walk and raise our eyes to the light, and that by so doing he felt pain and the glare made him unable to see those items which first saw the shadows. What do you think would respond if that was said, that first saw emptiness devoid of meaning, but now, being closer to what it is and being directed toward objects that have to be more, can see better? and if, showing each objects that pass, you ask him and it forced him to answer what is? Do not you think that would be doubtful and judge more real the things he saw before those that were shown now? - Sure, he said.
And if you forced it to look the same light, hear no evil and do not run away, turning his eyes towards the objects that may support the view? and do not really judge them more clear than those that were shown? - And so, he said. - If you then went on, drag it out of there by force, up to the rough and steep ascent, and did not leave until I had taken in the light of the sun, it does not suffer and not irritated by be drawn? And, come to light, being dazzled his eyes, could not even see one of those things that are now true. - It could not, of course, said at least warning. - Should, I think, get used to if he wants to see the world better. And before observed, very easily, shadows, and then the images of humans and other objects in their reflections in the water, and then the objects themselves, and from these then, turning to look in the light of the stars and moon, may consider night of celestial bodies and the sky itself more easily than during the day, the sun and the sunlight. - Why not? - In the end, I think, may observe and contemplate what is really the sun, not its image, or other surface waters, but the sun itself, in the region that is proper. - For strength, he said. - After that, speaking of the sun, it may already conclude that it is to produce the seasons and years and govern all things of the visible world, and to be involved, somehow, all that he and his companions saw. - It is clear, said that with similar experiences so conclude. - Remember his first home and the wisdom of those who had there and his fellow prisoners, do not you think that would feel happy with the change and pity them? - Sure. - As for the honors and accolades that eventually then exchanged, and the first reserved for those who were most keen to observe objects passing and remember more than they used to pull out first and then together, because the success guessing, believe them ambirebbe and envy those among the prisoners they honor and power? or who would be in the condition called by Homer and would prefer to "serve others to wage a peasant, a man is without substance," and suffer all rather than have those opinions and to live that way? - So I think I said, agree to suffer all rather than live that way. - Think now about this other point, I said. If our man ridiscendesse and he would recover to sit on the same seat, would not have his eyes full of darkness, coming suddenly from the sun? - Yes, of course, he said. - And if you were to discern the shadows again and contend with those who have remained prisoners in the period in which the blurred vision, before the eyes return to normal? and if this period in which builds the habit was rather long? Then he would not be the subject of rice? and you would not think of him rising from his back with his eyes ruined and that is not even worth groped to go on? And who would take to dissolve and carry on those prisoners, maybe not the kill, if they could have it in your hands and kill him? - Of course, he said.
And if you forced it to look the same light, hear no evil and do not run away, turning his eyes towards the objects that may support the view? and do not really judge them more clear than those that were shown? - And so, he said. - If you then went on, drag it out of there by force, up to the rough and steep ascent, and did not leave until I had taken in the light of the sun, it does not suffer and not irritated by be drawn? And, come to light, being dazzled his eyes, could not even see one of those things that are now true. - It could not, of course, said at least warning. - Should, I think, get used to if he wants to see the world better. And before observed, very easily, shadows, and then the images of humans and other objects in their reflections in the water, and then the objects themselves, and from these then, turning to look in the light of the stars and moon, may consider night of celestial bodies and the sky itself more easily than during the day, the sun and the sunlight. - Why not? - In the end, I think, may observe and contemplate what is really the sun, not its image, or other surface waters, but the sun itself, in the region that is proper. - For strength, he said. - After that, speaking of the sun, it may already conclude that it is to produce the seasons and years and govern all things of the visible world, and to be involved, somehow, all that he and his companions saw. - It is clear, said that with similar experiences so conclude. - Remember his first home and the wisdom of those who had there and his fellow prisoners, do not you think that would feel happy with the change and pity them? - Sure. - As for the honors and accolades that eventually then exchanged, and the first reserved for those who were most keen to observe objects passing and remember more than they used to pull out first and then together, because the success guessing, believe them ambirebbe and envy those among the prisoners they honor and power? or who would be in the condition called by Homer and would prefer to "serve others to wage a peasant, a man is without substance," and suffer all rather than have those opinions and to live that way? - So I think I said, agree to suffer all rather than live that way. - Think now about this other point, I said. If our man ridiscendesse and he would recover to sit on the same seat, would not have his eyes full of darkness, coming suddenly from the sun? - Yes, of course, he said. - And if you were to discern the shadows again and contend with those who have remained prisoners in the period in which the blurred vision, before the eyes return to normal? and if this period in which builds the habit was rather long? Then he would not be the subject of rice? and you would not think of him rising from his back with his eyes ruined and that is not even worth groped to go on? And who would take to dissolve and carry on those prisoners, maybe not the kill, if they could have it in your hands and kill him? - Of course, he said.
Plato, The Myth of the Cave
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