Orphic Myth in the dialogues of Plato

An exploration of the Orphic myths and cult in the philosophy and writings of Plato

Plato drew upon many sources as he explored the profound truths which are presented in his dialogues – but perhaps none are more fundamental and far-reaching then that of the Orphic teachings. The Orphic myths offer insights into the nature of reality, the place of the human self within that reality, the path we take as we experience life and death, and the possibilities of a radical change in consciousness if we can find our way through the twists and turns of the labyrinth that lies before each one of us. We will look at extracts from Plato's Phaedrus and Phaedo, together with the Orphic myth of Dionysus and the inscriptions on the mysterious Orphic gold tablets. The readings are fairly short, and we should have at least an hour for collaborative study and discussion.

No previous experience of formal philosophy is required.

Entrance in free, but donations between £3-5 will be welcomed.

A PDF download of the extract we will be reading is available on our website together with further details of this and other Prometheus Trust's activities: www.prometheustrust.co.uk (the PDF is on the "London Monday Evenings" page.)

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