"Poets utter great and wise things which they do not themselves understand"
- Plato
About this Quote
This quote by Plato talks to the power of poetry and the innovative process. He suggests that poets are able to access a higher level of knowledge and insight than they are consciously aware of. This idea is supported by the notion that creativity is frequently a mystical and unforeseeable process, and that the artist is often surprised by the outcomes of their own work. Plato's quote implies that poets have the ability to tap into a source of knowledge that is beyond their own understanding, and that this knowledge is expressed through their work. This idea is further supported by the concept that creativity is typically a type of self-expression, which the artist is often uninformed of the deeper meaning of their work till it is finished. Eventually, Plato's quote suggests that poets are able to access a higher level of wisdom and insight than they are consciously knowledgeable about, which this wisdom is expressed through their work.