The region above the heavens (To\n de\ u9peroura/nion to/pon) has never yet been celebrated as it deserves by any earthly poet, nor will it ever be (ou1te tij u3mnhse/ pw tw~n th=|de poihth\j ou1te pote\ u9mnh/sei kat’ a0ci/an). But it is like this (e1xei de\ w{de) – for one must be bold enough to say what is true (tolmhte/on gar ou]n to/ ge a0lhqe\j ei0pei=n), especially when speaking about truth (a1llwj te kai\ peri\ a0lhqei/aj le/gonta). This region is occupied by being which truly is, which is without colour or shape, intangible, observable by the steersman of the soul alone, by intellect, and to which the class of true knowledge relates (h9 ga\r a0xrw&mato/j te kai\ a0sxhma/tistoj kai\ a0nafh\j ou0si/a o1ntwj ou]sa, yuxh=j kubernh/th| mo/nw| qeath\ nw~|, peri\ h4n to\ th=j a0lhqou=j e0pisth/mhj ge/noj, tou=ton e1xei to\n to/pon). Thus because the mind of a god is nourished by insight and knowledge unmixed (a3t’ ou]n qeou= dia/noia nw~| te kai\ e0pisth/mh| a0khra/tw| trefome/nh), and so too that of every soul which is concerned to receive what is appropriate to it (kai\ a9pa/shj yuxh=j o3sh| a2n me/lh| to\ prosh/kon de/casqai), it is glad at last to see what is (i0dou=sa dia\ xro/nou to\ o2n a0gapa=| te) and is nourished and made happy by gazing on what is true (kai\ qewrou=sa t’a0lhqh= tre/fetai kai\ eu0paqei=), until the revolution brings it around in a circle to the same point (e3wj a2n ku/klw| h9 perifora\ ei0j t’au0to\ periene/gkh|). In its circuit it catches sight of justice itself (e0n de\ th=| perio/dw| kaqora=| me\n au0th\n dikaiosu/nhn), of self-control (kaqora=| de\ swfrosu/nhn), of knowledge (kaqora=| de\ e0pisth/mhn) – not that knowledge to which coming into being attaches (ou0x h2| ge/nesij pro/sestin), or that which seems to be different in each different one of the things we now say are (ou0d’ h3 e0sti/n pou e9te/ra e0n e9te/rw| ou]sa w{n h9mei=j nu=n o1ntwn kalou=men), but that which is in what really is and which is really knowledge (a0lla\ th\n e0n tw~| o3 e0stin o2n o1ntwj e0pisth/mhn ou]san); and having gazed and feasted in the same way on the other things which really are, (kai\ t’a]lla w(sau/twj ta\ o1nta o1ntwj qeasame/nh kai\ e9stiaqei=sa) it descends back into the region within the heavens (du=sa pa/lin ei0j to\ ei1sw tou= ou0ranou=) and goes home (oi1kade h]lqen). When it is there (e0lqou/shj de\ au0th=j), the charioteer stations his horses at their manger (o9 h9ni/oxoj pro\j th\n fa/tnhn tou\j i3ppouj sth/saj), throwing them ambrosia (pare/balen a0mbrosi/an te) and giving them nectar to drink (kai\ e0p’ au0th=| ne/ktar e0po/tisen).
This is the life of gods (Kai\ ou3toj me\n
qew~n bi/oj).
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