The Svetesvatara Upinashad in Hinduism states, "The quality of the soul determines its future body: earthly or airy, heavy or light. Its thoughts and its actions can lead it to freedom, or lead it to bondage" (Novak 19). The Hindu religion heavily believes in reincarnation, and the fact that it is only through knowledge and understanding that one can truly be released. Although these ideas were based in a culture far from Athens, these beliefs are reflected by Plato's character, Socrates, in The Phaedrus. It is through several myths that Socrates establishes his point, that the goal of life is to achieve "moksha," which is Sanskrit for freedom. One myth that thoroughly exemplifies his ideals is the myth of the cicada. In this tale, Socrates truly establishes a link to liberation from "maya," the Hindu term for worldly illusion. Through symbolism and several analogies, Socrates details his belief on the human soul.
             The idea of the cicada itself is meant to educate the obtuse Phaedrus. Men became so entranced by the idea of music that they actually died due to forgetting basic human needs (Plato 70). Socrates is here trying to educate Phaedrus on the idea of loving something so wholly, so entirely, that one is willing to die for it. Love does not simply need to be physical or romantic, though Socrates already established previously in the work that it could simply be the love of another. Here, however, he offers the possibility of love going beyond that love. Love can exist between a man and an idea, such as philosophy. It is through such love that one can become obsessed, it becomes a passionate experience without physical gratification.
             The fact that the cicadas do not need to fulfill basic life functions, but are able to live their entire life doing what they love most, forces the issue that through knowledge one is liberated. The cicadas no longer need to eat because their l...