At the Center of the Labyrinth . . . (On Pandemics, Dying, and Phaedrus)

Last updated on: May 20, 2020 at 1:50 pm by John Mark N. Reynolds

At the Center of the Labyrinth . . . (On Pandemics, Dying, and Phaedrus) 2020-05-20T13:50:46-04:00 John Mark N. Reynolds

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Socrates waits to die.

Athens has decided that he is a trouble maker, asking impertinent questions, arguing for the Good over against the gods of the Homer, refusing the exploitative educational practices of the day. Such men are often crucified by power, because they side with the poor and not the mob, the truth and not the credentialed, the good and not the priests. They are crazy with the inspiration of the good God.

Socrates had to die.

The rule-makers, the sophists, and the pharisees needed him dead. Socrates was dangerous, because Socrates would not accept genteel atheism or the civil religion created to placate the masses. Instead, he loved goodness so much that he kept pushing toward the Good: an end to atheism and polytheism. Socrates was condemned to die, but the rituals of the hypocrites delayed the date. The City sent a ship, a ritual sacrifice, to Delos recollecting the deliverance of Athens from the monstrous Minotaur. This monster had the head of bull and the body of man, the worst features of both creatures! Theseus killed this monstrous beast and the isle of Delos, dedicated to purity, commemorated this heroism yearly.

Rather than pollute their ceremony, Athens held off on killing their greatest citizen.

Yet Socrates is not afraid, he loves wisdom too much. Nothing can stop his questioning, his questing for the Good, the Truth, Beauty. Socrates is perfectly in love and knows no fear.

On Delos, shrines to Asclepius are dedicated to physical healing and this is a very good thing, but Socrates has lived a long, good life. He knows there is worse than death, dishonor. He will not escape. He will force Athens to kill him, force the populace to see what the puppet masters have done to them. Theseus saved Athens from a youth with the brains of a bull. Socrates will do better.

Facing death, pandemic terror, we must be reasonable, righteous, and regulate our passions. The worst that the establishment and the mixed up world can do is send us to eternity. There justice rules and all will be made right. Nothing will be forgotten that should be recollected.

The monster, the Minotaur, was at the center of the labyrinth. What if we question and search and we get to the center of the mystery and find nothing but a monster? Ancient Athens feared this was true. Scratch too hard on the assumptions of the city and the leadership and nothing good will come. Socrates had another idea. He saw, dimly as if in a mirror, something that provoked love. Socrates thought that if he kept wondering that all would be wonderful. His love was of something and that something would be as beautiful as the love provoked.

In prison, near death, Socrates is unafraid, uninhibited, he will talk, of poetry, of beauty, of death and what is on the other side. Delos, the place of official purity, is dedicated to Apollo, the god of sun, poetry. . .and at the start of Iliad plague. Socrates knows that the light that Athens worships at Delos is only a reflection of the True Light. Poetry can be bent to bad purposes, but the right harmony, the truest poetry, liberates. Socrates dies poetically, his every act a symbol, because he knows that every action of a just man in the face of injustice is a harmony that exposes the disharmony of the sophists, the fakers, the false elite.

Just as in Pericles’ time, there is a plague in the City that kills men. They do not die as Socrates will die. These moral cowards do not embrace justice and look to the afterlife with confidence. Instead, they quiver and seek to prolong petty tyrannies in this life. Why? They know in the life to come all fakery, all falsehoods, all real impurity will be purged.

The Socratic hero will slay the bull-headed monster.

Is there any question why Christians heard this story and felt a fundamental resonance? We will be reasonable, unafraid, rational, and seek justice in all we do.

Be calm. Carry on.

On Books

Spiritual Reflections

Previous Post

May 18, 2020

The Necessity of Poetry to the Analytic Mind

Next Post

May 20, 2020 Resist Hatred

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Apologetics Art Culture Education On Books On Education Philosophy Politics Pop Culture Spiritual Reflections Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 July 2025 June 2025 September 2024 July 2024 June 2024 December 2023 June 2023 September 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who was Ruth's first husband?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Elimelech Mahlon Boaz Chilion

Books by This Author John Mark Reynolds

See All Titles »