Enlightened or unenlightened

Enlightened or unenlightened

Human beings living in underground den

A mouth open toward the light

They can not move, and they can only see before them

Be prevented by chains

A fire burning in the distance

Between the fire and the prisons

Marionette players

Carrying alls sorts of vessels, and statue and figures of animals

Which appear over the wall

Strange prisons

Like ourselves

The shadows of one another

Which the fire throws

An echo which came from the other side

The voice they heard came from a passing shadow

The truth would be literally nothing but the shadows

Of the images

If the prisoners are released

Liberated and compelled suddenly to stand

Look toward the light

Sharp pains

The glare will distress him

Unable to see the realties

He had seen shadows

He saw before was an illusion

Approaching, nearer to being

Toward move real existence

Will he not fancy the shadows

truer than the objects which are now

compelled to look straight at the light.

Pain

Will make him turn away to take refuge

Objects of vision

Conceive to be reality clear

Formed into the presence of the sun

His eyes will be dazzled

We will not be able to see

What are now realities

The upper world

He will see the shadows best

Next the reflections

Then he will gaze upon the light of the moon

Stars and the spangled heavens

By night better

Than

Sun by day

And when he remembered

His fellow prisoners

Pity them

Certainly, he would

To endure anything

Rather suffer

Than entertain false notions

Imagine once more

Suddenly out of the sun

His eyes full of darkness

He went up and came down without

It is better not even to think

If any one tried to loose

Catch the offender put him to death

At your desire I have expressed-whether right or wrongly God knows. In the world of knowledge, good appears last of all. Seen only with an effort. Those who wait. Unwilling to descend on human affairs. Their souls even hasting into the upper word. They desired to dwell. Yes, very natural.