Quote: Socrates

We are just in that state; we dwell in a hollow of the earth, and think that we are dwelling on its surface; and we call the air heaven, and think it to be the heaven wherein the stars run their courses. But the truth is that we are too weak and slow to pass through to the surface of the air. For if any man could reach the surface, or take wings and fly upward, he would look up and see a world beyond, just as the fishes look forth from the sea, and behold our world. And he would know that that was the real heaven, and the real light, and the real earth, if his nature were able to endure the sight.

This is sucked out of the Socratic dialogue (hence the more strictly correct author would be Plato, but never mind) Phaedo, 109d–110a (Ancient Philosophy, Bard and Kaufmann 5th edition, Cornford translation). Socrates can really get on my nerves but some of his turns of verse are quite striking, at least out of context.

I am far from Christian or anything resembling it, but there’s something to be taken from the notion that a pure, perfect light is achievable, if only the air weren’t so thick. . .