philebus   

Pro. Who is he?

Soc. The painter, who, after the scribe has done his work, draws

images in the soul of the things which he has described.

Pro. But when and how does he do this?

Soc. When a man, besides receiving from sight or some other sense

certain opinions or statements, sees in his mind the images of the

subjects of them;-is not this a very common mental phenomenom?

Pro. Certainly.

Soc. And the images answering to true opinions and words are true,

and to false opinions and words false; are they not?

Pro. They are.

Soc. If we are right so far, there arises a further question.

Pro. What is it?

Soc. Whether we experience the feeling of which I am speaking only

in relation to the present and the past, or in relation to the

future also?

Pro. I should say in relation to all times alike.

Soc. Have not purely mental pleasures and pains been described

already as in some cases anticipations of the bodily ones; from

which we may infer that anticipatory pleasures and pains have to do

with the future?

Pro. Most true.

Soc. And do all those writings and paintings which, as we were

saying a little while ago, are produced in us, relate to the past

and present only, and not to the future?

Pro. To the future, very much.

Soc. When you say, "Very much," you mean to imply that all these

representations are hopes about the future, and that mankind are

filled with, hopes in every stage of existence?

Pro. Exactly.

Soc. Answer me another question.

Pro. What question?