182 CREATIVE INVOLUTION 



carrying all sorts of vessels, and statues and figures of 

 animals made of wood and stone and various materials, 

 which appear over the wall? Some of them are talk- 

 ing, others silent. 



You have shown me a strange image, and they are 

 strange prisoners. 



Like ourselves, I replied; and they see only their own 

 shadows, or the shadows of one another, which the fire 

 throws on the opposite wall of the cave? 



True, he said; how could they see anything but the 

 shadows if they were never allowed to move their heads ? 



And of the objects which are being carried in like 

 manner they would only see the shadows? 



Yes, he said. 



And if they were able to converse with one another, 

 would they not suppose that they were naming what 

 was actually before them? 



Very true. 



And suppose further that the prison had an echo 

 which came from the other side, would they not be sure 

 to fancy when one of the passers-by spoke that the 

 voice which they heard came from the passing shadow? 



No question, he replied. 



To them, I said, the truth would be literally nothing 

 but the shadows of the images. 



That is certain. 



And now look again, and see what will naturally fol- 

 low if the prisoners are released and disabused of their 

 error. At first, when any of them is liberated and com- 

 pelled suddenly to stand up and turn his neck round 

 and walk and look towards the light, he will suffer 

 sharp pains; the glare will distress him, and he will be 

 unable to see the realities of which in his former state 

 he had seen the shadows; and then conceive some one 



