Damascius on Hieratic #3: On the Phaedo B

Excerpts from the L. G. Westerink translation.

§38. "Why does he assume that the soul is invisible 'to human beings' only? Whatever is visible is visible also to man, either in the natural way or by a divine art; in each of the two causes there are two different possibilities: natural sight is a function either of this body of or the luminous body, and the divine art can be practiced either in individual trance or by means of certain forms of initiation."

§108. "... sacrifices offered to Hecate Trioditis at points where three roads meet and to representations of such forkings in other ceremonies. Furthermore, there are three ways of paying worship to the souls of the departed, one for the venerable priests, one for those who have died a violent death, one for the common run of people."

Interpreting the death scene of Socrates

§149. "There are many kinds of death: (1) natural death by decline, when the living organism, which received a limited capacity of life from the outset, has come to an end; this spontaneous death is recorded of some Indians as well as of those who live above on that pure earth*; (2) death from sickness, also decreed by fate; (3) violent death by an external force, e.g. a stone or an animal; (4) violent death by the hand of man, e.g. by execution or in combat; (5) violent death by one's own hand; (6) supernatural (huperphuês) death by dissolution of the elements, in other words, the death which many theurgists (theourgôn) have died. These kinds of death can be classified as follows. Death is either decreed by fate or voluntary and self-chosen; if decreed by fate, it is either natural [1] or violent; if violent, it is due either to climatic conditions and in general to disproportion between the elements of which we are made [2], or to chance [3], or to deliberate action of rational beings [4]; if, on the other hand, death is voluntary, this may mean that we do violence to nature [5] or that we set the soul free in the more divine way [6]."

*According to Damascius, there is an invisible upper region above the earth that is analogous to the earth's surface. I am not sure what he is referring to here (probably not the mortality of daimons?).

§150. "What do the ancient Attic death-rites (ta peri tous apoichomenous patria Attika) symbolize? - The closing of the eyes and mouth signifies the end of outward activity and reversion to the inner life; the laying down on the earth is a reminder that the soul should unite itself with the universe; the washing means purification from the world of process; the unction a disengaging from the mire of matter and a calling forth of divine inspiration (epipnoian); cremation transference to the higher, indivisible world; inhumation union with intelligible reality."

§151. "Why does Socrates not adhere to tradition? - Perhaps it was not customary to wash those who died a violent death.
Rather, it is suggested that even the body should be cleansed voluntarily and before death."

§152. "'Not to use the right word,' but one with a different meaning, is in the first place what it is said to be, 'not right,' e.g. if one says that Socrates is dead, instead of his body; secondly it causes emotional habituation to that which is wrong; finally it exposes us to the influence of [daimons] who are pleased by such errors."

§153. "Socrates considers pledging from the cup because he remembered that thsi death-bringing character also exists among the Gods; he refrains, though on the ground that tradition did not acknowledge the cult of it. Prayer, however, could be offered to all and on all occasions, since there is nothing that does not relate to the Gods."

§154. "Why does he pray for 'good luck' on his journey? - Because, having prepared himself in every way to acheive the good, he is now awaiting for the fulfillment of his hopes."

§155. "Why do the Pythagoreans want to die 'in religious silence'? - First, lest they cause the soul to fall back into sympathy with the dead body; secondly, lest they attract [daimons] who are pleased by such things; thirdly, lest they exclude the elevating presence of the Gods."

§157. "Why did Socrates say that he owed Asclepius that sacrifice, and why were those his last words? If it were due already, a man as careful as he was would not have forgotten it. - The reason is that the soul is in need of the care of the Healing God (Paiôniou) at the moment that she is free from all her toil; therefore the Oracle [frg. 131] says that souls in their upward flight sing the hymn to Paean."