They have somehow worked their way down to this stratified Cave to teach what they feel is best and true for the Cave dwellers. The free man who appears in the Cave could be a philosopher, or someone who has a genuine love of knowledge and enjoys teaching it for purposes other than his own advancement. They help to see truths which are usually abandoned as complex theories.
Once on the surface, the light is so radiant that the newly released prisoner cannot see. He believes he has gone blind but slowly begins to regain his sight. Once his eyes are accustomed to the light, he would slowly come to see the stars, moon and objects in the light of the sun; thus realizing he is in a better, more genuine place than in the Cave. .
Socrates explains that is if the escapee, the now enlightened thinker, were to ever try to return to the Cave and explain to others what he has seen and experienced, he would most likely be mocked and thought to have been blinded by the light. If he were to try to help the prisoners to the surface, he runs the chance of being killed for the prisoners would think he would be trying to afflict others with his blindness. .
Socrates believes though, that this is the price the enlightened prisoner would have to pay. This is what Socrates considers the just action in this case. Glaucon disagrees with Socrates, stating that the now knowledge-filled prisoner shouldn't return to the Cave for he would be unhappy amongst so much darkness. Socrates goes on to explain to Glaucon that it is not the duty of a released prisoner, who in this case symbolizes a philosopher or ruler, to be happy in life. It is his duty though, to educate others at all cost so that we may so attain an ideal state. Socrates also says early in the work that we are tied to the kind of government we have already established. With Socratic irony, Socrates actually explains that the ideal state might not necessarily be something to try to attain.
