letter　Omega　（oionoistike　and　oionistike）；　and　in　proportion
  prophecy　（mantike）　is　more　perfect　and　august　than　augury；　both　in
  name　and　fact；　in　the　same　proportion；　as　the　ancients　testify；　is
  madness　superior　to　a　sane　mind　（sophrosune）　for　the　one　is　only　of
  human；　but　the　other　of　divine　origin。　Again；　where　plagues　and
  mightiest　woes　have　bred　in　certain　families；　owing　to　some　ancient
  blood…guiltiness；　there　madness　has　entered　with　holy　prayers　and
  rites；　and　by　inspired　utterances　found　a　way　of　deliverance　for　those
  who　are　in　need；　and　he　who　has　part　in　this　gift；　and　is　truly
  possessed　and　duly　out　of　his　mind；　is　by　the　use　of　purifications　and
  mysteries　made　whole　and　except　from　evil；　future　as　well　as
  present；　and　has　a　release　from　the　calamity　which　was　afflicting　him。
  The　third　kind　is　the　madness　of　those　who　are　possessed　by　the　Muses；
  which　taking　hold　of　a　delicate　and　virgin　soul；　and　there　inspiring
  frenzy；　awakens　lyrical　and　all　other　numbers；　with　these　adorning　the
  myriad　actions　of　ancient　heroes　for　the　instruction　of　posterity。　But
  he　who；　having　no　touch　of　the　Muses'　madness　in　his　soul；　comes　to
  the　door　and　thinks　that　he　will　get　into　the　temple　by　the　help　of
  art…he；　I　say；　and　his　poetry　are　not　admitted；　the　sane　man
  disappears　and　is　nowhere　when　he　enters　into　rivalry　with　the　madman。
  I　might　tell　of　many　other　noble　deeds　which　have　sprung　from
  inspired　madness。　And　therefore；　let　no　one　frighten　or　flutter　us
  by　saying　that　the　temperate　friend　is　to　be　chosen　rather　than　the
  inspired；　but　let　him　further　show　that　love　is　not　sent　by　the　gods
  for　any　good　to　lover　or　beloved；　if　he　can　do　so　we　will　allow　him　to
  carry　off　the　palm。　And　we；　on　our　part；　will　prove　in　answer　to　him
  that　the　madness　of　love　is　the　greatest　of　heaven's　blessings；　and
  the　proof　shall　be　one　which　the　wise　will　receive；　and　the　witling
  disbelieve。　But　first　of　all；　let　us　view　the　affections　and　actions
  of　the　soul　divine　and　human；　and　try　to　ascertain　the　truth　about
  them。　The　beginning　of　our　proof　is　as　follows：…
  The　soul　through　all　her　being　is　immortal；　for　that　which　is　ever
  in　motion　is　immortal；　but　that　which　moves　another　and　is　moved　by
  another；　in　ceasing　to　move　ceases　also　to　live。　Only　the　self…moving；
  never　leaving　self；　never　ceases　to　move；　and　is　the　fountain　and
  beginning　of　motion　to　all　that　moves　besides。　Now；　the　beginning　is
  unbegotten；　for　that　which　is　begotten　has　a　beginning；　but　the
  beginning　is　begotten　of　nothing；　for　if　it　were　begotten　of
  something；　then　the　begotten　would　not　come　from　a　beginning。　But　if
  unbegotten；　it　must　also　be　indestructible；　for　if　beginning　were
  destroyed；　there　could　be　no　beginning　out　of　anything；　nor　anything
  out　of　a　beginning；　and　all　things　must　have　a　beginning。　And
  therefore　the　self…moving　is　the　beginning　of　motion；　and　this　can
  neither　be　destroyed　nor　begotten；　else　the　whole　heavens　and　all
  creation　would　collapse　and　stand　still；　and　never　again　have　motion
  or　birth。　But　if　the　self…moving　is　proved　to　be　immortal；　he　who
  affirms　that　self…motion　is　the　very　idea　and　essence　of　the　soul　will
  not　be　put　to　confusion。　For　the　body　which　is　moved　from　without　is
  soulless；　but　that　which　is　moved　from　within　has　a　soul；　for　such
  is　the　nature　of　the　soul。　But　if　this　be　true；　must　not　the　soul　be
  the　self…moving；　and　therefore　of　necessity　unbegotten　and　immortal？
  Enough　of　the　soul's　immortality。
  Of　the　nature　of　the　soul；　though　her　true　form　be　ever　a　theme　of
  large　and　more　than　mortal　discourse；　let　me　speak　briefly；　and　in　a
  figure。　And　let　the　figure　be　composite…a　pair　of　winged　horses　and
  a　charioteer。　Now　the　winged　horses　and　the　charioteers　of　the　gods
  are　all　of　them　noble　and　of　noble　descent；　but　those　of　other　races
  are　mixed；　the　human　charioteer　drives　his　in　a　pair；　and　one　of
  them　is　noble　and　of　noble　breed；　and　the　other　is　ignoble　and　of
  ignoble　breed；　and　the　driving　of　them　of　necessity　gives　a　great　deal
  of　trouble　to　him。　I　will　endeavour　to　explain　to　you　in　what　way
  the　mortal　differs　from　the　immortal　creature。　The　soul　in　her
  totality　has　the　care　of　inanimate　being　everywhere；　and　traverses　the
  whole　heaven　in　divers　forms　appearingwhen　perfect　and　fully
  winged　she　soars　upward；　and　orders　the　whole　world；　whereas　the
  imperfect　soul；　losing　her　wings　and　drooping　in　her　flight　at　last
  settles　on　the　solid　ground…there；　finding　a　home；　she　receives　an
  earthly　frame　which　appears　to　be　self…moved；　but　is　really　moved　by
  her　power；　and　this　composition　of　soul　and　body　is　called　a　living
  and　mortal　creature。　For　immortal　no　such　union　can　be　reasonably
  believed　to　be；　although　fancy；　not　having　seen　nor　surely　known　the
  nature　of　God；　may　imagine　an　immortal　creature　having　both　a　body　and
  also　a　soul　which　are　united　throughout　all　time。　Let　that；　however；
  be　as　God　wills；　and　be　spoken　of　acceptably　to　him。　And　now　let　us
  ask　the　reason　why　the　soul　loses　her　wings！
  The　wing　is　the　corporeal　element　which　is　most　akin　to　the
  divine；　and　which　by　nature　tends　to　soar　aloft　and　carry　that　which
  gravitates　downwards　into　the　upper　region；　which　is　the　habitation　of
  the　gods。　The　divine　is　beauty；　wisdom；　goodness；　and　the　like；　and　by
  these　the　wing　of　the　soul　is　nourished；　and　grows　apace；　but　when　fed
  upon　evil　and　foulness　and　the　opposite　of　good；　wastes　and　falls
  away。　Zeus；　the　mighty　lord；　holding　the　reins　of　a　winged　chariot；
  leads　the　way　in　heaven；　ordering　all　and　taking　care　of　all；　and
  there　follows　him　the　array　of　gods　and　demigods；　marshalled　in　eleven
  bands；　Hestia　alone　abides　at　home　in　the　house　of　heaven；　of　the　rest
  they　who　are　reckoned　among　the　princely　twelve　march　in　their
  appointed　order。　They　see　many　blessed　sights　in　the　inner　heaven；　and
  there　are　many　ways　to　and　fro；　along　which　the　blessed　gods　are
  passing；　every　one　doing　his　own　work；　he　may　follow　who　will　and　can；
  for　jealousy　has　no　place　in　the　celestial　choir。　But　when　they　go
  to　banquet　and　festival；　then　they　move　up　the　steep　to　the　top　of　the
  vault　of　heaven。　The　chariots　of　the　gods　in　even　poise；　obeying　the
  rein；　glide　rapidly；　but　the　others　labour；　for　the　vicious　steed　goes
  heavily；　weighing　down　the　charioteer　to　the　earth　when　his　steed
  has　not　been　thoroughly　trained：…and　this　is　the　hour　of　agony　and
  extremest　conflict　for　the　soul。　For　the　immortals；　when　they　are　at
  the　end　of　their　course；　go　forth　and　stand　upon　the　outside　of
  heaven；　and　the　revolution　of　the　spheres　carries　them　round；　and　they
  behold　the　things　beyond。　But　of　the　heaven　which　is　above　the
  heavens；　what　earthly　poet　ever　did　or　ever　will　sing　worthily？　It
  is　such　as　I　will　describe；　for　I　must　dare　to　speak　the　truth；　when
  truth　is　my　theme。　There　abides　the　very　being　with　which　true
  knowledge　is　concerned；　the　colourless；　formless；　intangible
  essence；　visible　only　to　mind；　the　pilot　of　the　soul。　The　divine
  intelligence；　being　nurtured　upon　mind　and　pure　knowledge；　and　the
  intelligence　of　every　soul　which　is　capable　of　receiving　the　food
  proper　to　it；　rejoices　at　beholding　reality；　and　once　more　gazing　upon
  truth；　is　replenished　and　made　glad；　until　the　revolution　of　the
  worlds　brings　her　round　again　to　the　same　place。　In　the　revolution　she
  beholds　justice；　and　temperance；　and　knowledge　absolute；　not　in　the
  form　of　generation　or　of　relation；　which　men　call　existence；　but
  knowledge　absolute　in　existence　absolute；　and　beholding　the　other　true
  existences　in　like　manner；　and　feasting　upon　them；　she　passes　down
  into　the　interior　of　the　heavens　and　returns　home；　and　there　the
  charioteer　putting　up　his　horses　at　the　stall；　gives　them　ambrosia
  to　eat　and　nectar　to　drink。
  Such　is　the　life　of　the　gods；　but　of　other　souls；　that　which　follows
  God　best　and　is　likest　to　him　lifts　the　head　of　the　charioteer　into
  the　outer　world；　and　is　carried　round　in　the　revolution；　troubled
  indeed　by　the　steeds；　and　with　difficulty　beholding　true　being；
  while　another　only　rises　and　falls；　and　sees；　and　again　fails　to　see
  by　reason　of　the　unruliness　of　the　steeds。　The　rest　of　the　souls　are
  also　longing　after　the　upper　world　and　they　all　follow；　but　not
  being　strong　enough　they　are　carried　round　below　the　surface；
  plunging；　treading　on　one　another；　each　striving　to　be　first；　and
  there　is　confusion　and　perspiration　and　the　extremity　of　effort；　and
  many　of　them　are　lamed　or　have　their　win