Pagina 796 van 1391

I mean that no one is willingly deceived in that which is the

truest and highest part of himself, or about the truest and

highest matters; there, above all, he is most afraid of a lie

having possession of him.

Still, he said, I do not comprehend you.

The reason is, I replied, that you attribute some profound

meaning to my words; but I am only saying that deception, or

being deceived or uninformed about the highest realities in the

highest part of themselves, which is the soul, and in that part

of them to have and to hold the lie, is what mankind least

like;-that, I say, is what they utterly detest.

There is nothing more hateful to them.

And, as I was just now remarking, this ignorance in the soul of

him who is deceived may be called the true lie; for the lie in

words is only a kind of imitation and shadowy image of a previous

affection of the soul, not pure unadulterated falsehood. Am I not

right?

Perfectly right.

The true lie is hated not only by the gods, but also by men?

Yes.