Plato's Chariot Allegory

 

Author of this image: Emanuel Piñeiro

Image description: The charioteer is the rational component of the soul and the other two components represent the two horses. The hearty component is the horse, "which is in a more beautiful condition, straight in appearance and with a body regularly divided, with a high neck, its nose is convex, it is white in colour, black-eyed, a lover of honour with artificiality and shame, a friend of true opinion, not needing wounds, being controlled only by impulse and word." (Phaedrus, 253d) However, the lustful component of the soul is the horse "crooked, fleshy, built without fit and stock, thick-necked, short-necked, full-bodied, dark in color, fair-eyed, bloodthirsty, a friend of debauchery and boasting, hairy on the ears, deaf, obeying, and yet scarcely, only whips and spikes." (Phaedrus, 253e) Just as a charioteer must force a rebellious horse into obedience with a firm hand ("he will bleed that wicked tongue and gums, and knock his feet and hips to the ground and cause him pain"), so too can a man control his lustful component with a firm will and reason. The myth of the charioteer: To better represent the soul, Plato used the image of a winged chariot with a charioteer for it. The soul of the gods has both horses beautiful, of good birth, straight in appearance, with bodies regularly divided, with high necks, bulging noses, white color, black eyes, lovers of honor with artificiality and shame, friends of true opinion, needing no wounds, governed only by impulse and word. But with the rest, one horse is crooked, fleshy, set up without tune and stock, thick-necked, short-necked, full-bearded, dark in colour, fair-eyed, blood-stained, a friend of rebellion and boasting, hairy in the ears, deaf, obeying scarcely whips and spurs. And the charioteer finds great difficulty in arranging such a horse. Souls come in various forms in the world, and change their forms in time. The perfect souls have great wings and soar high and dwell in space, while those that lose their wings fall to the ground, where they catch hold of something solid, thus giving rise to mortal life.