Plato’s description of the heavenly spheres in the myth of Er

Abstract

The myth of Er is probably one of Plato’s most appealing yet puzzling passages. It is an eschatological myth, but it also embodies an astronomical description of a light and spindle, eight heavenly spheres, the harmony of these spheres, and the Fates. This description has long baffled scholars and commentators with its apparent obscurity. This dissertation aims to evaluate the degree of obscurity in Plato’s astronomical description through a 21st century diachronic reading of the passage. The discussion begins by reviewing some of the crucial aspects of Plato’s cosmogony as presented in the Timaeus (Ti.27d-40d), such as the qualities of the world-body and world-soul as well as the generation of the wandering and fixed stars. The discussion then proceeds with a chronological review of both traditional and more contemporary literature on the astronomical description of the myth of Er. The aim of the dissertation is then fulfilled by a diachronic philological investigation of seven obscure words found in the astronomical description. This investigation will proceed by referring to the appearance and use of the selected words in different contexts, texts, and periods of Greek history, with the hope that this may shed light on a clearer interpretation of the astronomical description. I also argue that there is no obscurity in the astronomical description for two reasons. First, a logical identification of the placement of each of the eight heavenly spheres is possible, and second, such an identification also complements the notions in the Timaeus and the secondary literature.