trings of
the body are unduly loosened or overstrained through disease or other
injury, then the soul, though most divine, like other harmonies of music
or of works of art, of course perishes at once, although the material
remains of the body may last for a considerable time, until they are
either decayed or burnt. And if any one maintains that the soul, being
the harmony of the elements of the body, is first to perish in that
which is called death, how shall we answer him?

Socrates looked fixedly at us as his manner was, and said with a smile:
Simmias has reason on his side; and why does not some one of you who
is better able than myself answer him? for there is force in his attack
upon me. But perhaps, before we answer him, we had better also hear what
Cebes has to say that we may gain time for reflection, and when they
have both spoken, we may either assent to them, if there is truth in
what they say, or if not, we will maintain our position. Please to tell
me then, Cebes, he said, what was the difficulty which troubled you?

Cebes said: I will tell you. My feeling is that the argument is where it
was, and open to the same objections which were urged before; for I am
ready to admit that the existence of the soul before entering into
the bodily form has been very ingeniously, and, if I may say so, quite
sufficiently proven; but the existence of the soul after death is still,
in my judgment, unproven. Now my objection is not the same as that of
Simmias; for I am not disposed to deny that the soul is stronger and
more lasting than the body, being of opinion that in all such respects
the soul very far excels the body. Well, then, says the argument to me,
why do you remain unconvinced?--When you see that the weaker continues
in existence after the man is dead, will you not admit that the more
lasting must also survive during the same period of time? Now I will
ask you to consider whether the objection, which, like Simmias, I will
express in a figure, is of any weight. The analogy which I will adduce
is that of an old weaver, who dies, and after his death somebody
says:--He is not dead, he must be alive;--see, there is the coat which
he himself wove and wore, and which remains whole and undecayed. And
then he proceeds to ask of some one who is incredulous, whether a man
lasts longer, or the coat which is in use and wear; and when he is
answered that a man lasts far longer, thinks that he has thus certainly
demonstrated t