"I decided that it was not wisdom that enabled poets to write their poetry, but a kind of instinct or inspiration, such as you find in seers and prophets who deliver all their sublime messages without knowing in the least what they mean"

Socrates touches upon the mysterious origins of poetic creativity by distinguishing between rational knowledge and the intuitive process that fuels poetry. He observes that poets do not necessarily possess conscious understanding or wisdom about the truths they express. Instead, their craft arises from an instinctual or inspired state, similar to the experiences of seers and prophets. These figures, revered for their insights and grand utterances, often serve as vessels for something beyond their own awareness, communicating profound messages without fully grasping their significance. In likening poets to seers and prophets, Socrates suggests that the artistic process is less about deliberate, logical thought and more about channeling something greater than oneself.

This perspective challenges the conventional association between wisdom and creation, positioning poetic ability closer to the realm of the mysterious, the divine, or the unconscious. Inspiration, for Socrates, is almost an external force , something that seizes the poet, taking them out of their ordinary capacities. The poet becomes an instrument through which knowledge or beauty is articulated, but not necessarily understood by its source. The concept parallels ancient ideas of the muse, who inspires artistic work, or the daimonion, a divine influence Socrates himself often references.

By separating wisdom from inspiration, Socrates raises questions about the nature of knowledge and the value we place on creative output. If poets lack understanding of their own work, should their verses be valued less, or do their words possess an authority all the same? Perhaps the significance lies not in the poet’s comprehension, but in the resonance their art finds among audiences who interpret or are moved by it. Socrates’ reflection thus invites us to consider the limits of rationality in human endeavors and the importance of surrendering, at times, to the irrational or unknowable sources within us that spark creativity and insight.