Pagina 475 de 1391

Plato probably intended to represent the earth, from which Er and

his companions are viewing the heavens, as stationary in place;

but whether or not herself revolving, unless this is implied in

the revolution of the axis, is uncertain (Timaeus). The spectator

may be supposed to look at the heavenly bodies, either from above

or below. The earth is a sort of earth and heaven in one, like

the heaven of the Phaedrus, on the back of which the spectator

goes out to take a peep at the stars and is borne round in the

revolution. There is no distinction between the equator and the

ecliptic. But Plato is no doubt led to imagine that the planets

have an opposite motion to that of the fixed stars, in order to

account for their appearances in the heavens. In the description

of the meadow, and the retribution of the good and evil after

death, there are traces of Homer.