THE ALLEGORY OF THE CAVE 409
terials, which appear over the wall? Some of them are talking, 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 an- other, 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 no- thin? but the shadows of the imao-es.
That is certain.
And now look again, and see what will naturally follow if the prisoners are released and disabused of their error. At first, when any one of them is liber- ated and compelled 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
