Who is Er in the Myth of Er?
Er is a man named Er, son of Armenios from Pamphylia who died in battle and revived on his funeral pyre ten days after death. He serves as the narrator of Plato's account which concludes Book 10 of the Republic.
Questions about Myth of Er
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What happens to souls after they die according to the Myth of Er?
Judges order good souls up into the sky while immoral ones go below where they pay a tenfold penalty for wicked deeds. Souls eventually travel to the Plane of Oblivion where they drink water from the River of Forgetfulness before rebirth.
When does the event involving Er occur in Plato's Republic?
The story appears at section 10.614 through 10.621 of Plato's Republic as part of Socrates' dialogue with Glaucon. The revival takes place two days after his body remained undecomposed among the dead.
Why did Er remember the afterlife while other souls forgot it?
Er did not drink the waters of Lethe so his account was preserved for humankind unlike other souls who drank varying quantities of forgetfulness. He opened his eyes on the funeral pyre early morning able to recall the entire journey back to his body.
How is the Spindle of Necessity described in the text?
The spindle has a hook shaft fixed near the top and a whorl on the other end used to spin the shaft. Eight orbits sit on the whorl creating perfect circles that hold stars Saturn Jupiter Mars Sun Venus Mercury and Moon.