Plato on Democritean Films

Abstract

Through close reading, I show that in Plato’s discussion of the lover (erastēs) and beloved (eromenos) at Phaedrus 250d-251c we can recognize an overlooked reference to the theories of the early atomist, Democritus. In particular, Plato borrows Democritus’ term for visual images/films, eidōla, while alluding to Empedocles’ similar theory of vision through effluences, aporroai. I also analyze the repeated stress on the adjective, enargēs, within the same context. Like eidōlon, the term enargēs would be picked up by later Hellenistic philosophers and become vital to their theories on criteria of truth and self-evidence, enargeia. By examining Plato’s usage of Democritus’ eidōla coupled with the adjective enargēs, first employed here in a philosophical context, we can not only better understand how Plato adapts contemporary scientific theories to suit his own philosophical principles, but also see how Democritus’ and Plato’s terminology would eventually influence Epicurus and the Stoa.