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This section is designed to shed light on Parmenides '
Way of Truth', to delve beneath the text and illumi-
nate it's philosophical meaning.
THE STYLE
==========
As with anything written in verse, there is a great
deal of artistic creativity at work. Remember this is
a time before t.v. or the internet, verse was presen-
ted as a form of entertainment and as such designed
to please an audience. The ancients were in awe of
their gods, who reigned over every aspect of life,
blasphemy was a crime punishable by death (as Soc-
rates was well aware). It therefore would have been
very foolhardy to stand on stage and attribute any
reality to anything or anyone other than a god.
THE MEANING
============
The Mares - It is likely that the mares represent the reason that resides whithin the mortal
soul or human mind. Parmenides states
that the mares are wise and that it is
they who have initiated his journey,
caused him to search for the truth.
("as far as my heart may aspire")
The mares however are his transport,
they themselves have to be driven and
guided.
The Maidens - Parmenides says that the maidens are
daghters of the sun. Traditionally the
sun or light in any culture has been
used to represent good, whereas the
night or dark represents the bad. The
maidens therefore represent that
which is good, or that which is right.
The maidens are immortal and as such
must represent the eternal and ever-
lasting good, the ultimate and abso-
lute, right.
The Gates - The gates mark the entrance to sep-
erate paths, one of night and one of
day. One the right way, the other the
wrong way. The path of day is inevit-
ably the route to take if it is truth
you require. The path of night, being
a representation of that which is bad
can only lead to that which is false.
The gates are locked, and it is
Justice who holds the key.
Justice - "Her", Justice is "all-avenging", she
must be persuaded that one is worthy
of taking the 'path of day', those
deemed, not so must take the path of
night. It seemes, although it is not
clear, that the path of day is barred
to mortals, "beyond the tread of men"
Upon the pleadings of the maidens
she has agreed to talk to Parmenides.
Her Advise - She tells him that he must learn all
things! This she says is not only
the "unwaivering", unchanging,
"persuasive", trusted truth. But also
the untrustworthy opinions of men,
mortals.
The Moral - Above all, Justice is issueing a warn-
ing. The words of mortals can not be
trusted, for they will try to make you
believe, that which 'is not', exists.
Put another way, only that which 'is',
exists. There can be no truth in,
that which 'is not', because by defin-
ition it does not exist. Therefore it
follows, to believe in that which, 'is
not', is to have false knowledge.
It is clear that 'the path of night'
will always engulf the truth with it's
darkness. This path represents the
opinions of mortals, and can never be
trusted.
The Puzzle - What does this mean? Is it that the
only truth available to man, a mortal,
is that, they can never know the
absolute truth? Or does it mean that
truth requires the wisdom that only
reaon can bring? Opinions alternat-
ively being devoid of reason, or
persuasive analysis have failed to
establish reality and are therefore
not to be trusted, not guarenteed to
be true.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
===================
These are my opinions, as such according to Parmen-
ides they can not be trusted! I would love to hear
another interpretation of this poem. We all exper-
ience things differently, some pick up on things that
others can not see until they are pointed out, or
visa versa. Have I missed anything?
PHILOSOPHY FORUM
=================
You are invited to submit your interpretation of this poem.
All serious comments or questions will be published in the
forum section. Please interact, because that is how we
do philosophy!
Mail interpretations, comments and or questions...
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