Hortatory Address to the Greeks

In the tenth book, he clearly and openly wrote what he had learned from the prophets about the judgment.

However, due to his fear of the Greeks, he presented it as if he had heard it from a man who had been killed in battle, rather than directly from the prophets themselves. He invented a story about this man, who, when he was about to be buried on the twelfth day and was lying on the funeral pyre, came back to life and described the other world.

Here are his exact words: "For he said that he was present when someone asked another person where the great Ardiæus was. This Ardiæus had been a prince in a certain city of Pamphylia and had killed his elderly father and older brother, and committed many other unholy acts, as was reported. He said that the person who was asked responded: He neither comes here nor ever will. Among other terrifying sights, we saw this as well. When we were near the mouth of the pit and were about to return to the upper air, having undergone everything else, we suddenly saw both him and others like him, most of whom were tyrants.

There were also some private sinners who had committed great crimes. When they thought they were going to ascend, the mouth would not allow them, but roared when any of those who were so irredeemably wicked tried to ascend, unless they had paid the full penalty. Then fierce, fiery-looking men stood nearby, and upon hearing the noise, took some and led them away.

But Ardiæus and the rest, having been bound hand and foot, were dragged to the road outside with their heads lowered and their skin flayed, being torn with thorns.

The men indicated to those present the reason for their suffering and that they were being led away to be cast into Tartarus. He said that among all their various fears, this was the greatest, that the mouth would roar when they ascended, because if it was silent, everyone would gladly ascend. The punishments and torments were such as these, while, on the other hand, the rewards were the opposite." Here, Plato seems to me to have learned not only the doctrine of judgment from the prophets but also of the resurrection, which the Greeks refuse to believe.

His claim that the soul is judged along with the body proves nothing more clearly than his belief in the doctrine of the resurrection. How could Ardiæus and the rest have undergone such punishment in Hades if they had left their bodies on earth, with head, hands, feet, and skin? For certainly, they will never claim that the soul has a head, hands, feet, and skin.

But Plato, having encountered the testimonies of the prophets in Egypt and accepting their teachings concerning the resurrection of the body, teaches that the soul is judged along with the body.