The joke of Socrates inspired

Phaedrus 238d and Cratylus 396d

Resumo

The current paper holds the thesis that Plato is joking when his Socrates claims to be inspired or under divine possession in Phaedrus 238d and Cratylus 396d. In order to prove this, first, both passages are read in their context; then, it is shown that throughout the whole corpus Plato contrasts knowledge and art (τέχνη) to false knowledge and inspiration (á¼Î½Î¸Î¿Ï…σιασμός); finally, the two abovementioned texts are interpreted according to this contrast, showing, thus, that the reader must be wary of Socrates’words when he teasingly claims to be inspired.