Et Lux Perpetua

a reading of φῶς in Plato's Republic, Book VI

Plato and Aristotle are outside, debating the nature of form and beauty.

Plato: Can’t you see?

Aristotle: What?

Plato: Up there?

Aristotle: Where?

Plato: (pointing) There!

Aristotle: The clouds are moving.

Plato: Not there, you idiot.

Aristotle: Where?

Plato: (pointing aggressively) There!

Aristotle: The leaves are changing.

Plato: (sighs)

Aristotle: Look, Plato, if we didn’t have leaves to change color, would we know the season of Fall?

Plato: (sits)

Aristotle: (annoyingly) Are you going to be like this all day?

Plato: The sun, you idiot. If you didn’t have the unchangeable light of the sun, would you see the leaves, or the form of your stupidity, in the reflection of your mirror?

Aristotle: (exasperatedly) I guess you are going to be like this all day.

Plato: Sure.

And just like yesterday and tomorrow, they argue about nothing in particular, except whether stupidity takes form before it speaks, or, if it rather takes Aristotle to speak for stupidity to be known. 


Omnes manent.