La visione di mania umana e divina in Platone
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Date
2013-12-30
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Wydawnictwo Poznańskiego Towarzystwa Przyjaciół Nauk
Title alternative
The concept of divine and human “mania” in the Platonic dialogues
Abstract
In this article will be discussed the passages of the Platonic dialogues that give information about the way in
which the philosopher understood the term “mania”. Particularly important is the reflection on this subject
contained in Phaedrus in which different kinds of madness were distinguished and briefly characterized.
Especially the essential is the concept of poetic inspiration because it takes an important place in Plato’s theoretical
and literary thought. It had also a significant influence on shaping his opinions on the subject of poets
and their work. The Plato’s term of poetic inspiration and connected with it the issues of literary output and its
reception make the fundamental part of this article.
Description
Plato in his dialogues presents a complex picture of madness although he does not give the
definition of the phenomenon. The philosopher singles out two main kinds of madness: divine and
human appropriately to the factors which create them – divine inspiration or imperfection of human
nature. In Plato’s concept “mania” takes form of poetic inspiration, love, a gift of prophecy,
a dance and mental illness. The picture of a human being deprived his senses makes an important
motive of his theoretical and literary deliberations. It is also a point of reference or an example
illustrating the main line of deliberation as for instance in the “Laws”.
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Keywords
Platonic dialogues, madness, prophecy, poetic inspiration, philosophic love
Citation
Symbolae Philologorum Posnaniensium, 2013, nr XXIII/2, s. 97-111.