Phaedrus — Plato

p. 359And, like his father, he keeps under the pleasures which are of the spending and not of the getting sort, being those which are called by us unnecessary. The argument will be clearer if we here distinguish which are the necessary and which are the unnecessary pleasures. I should like to do that.

Necessary pleasures are those of which we cannot get rid, and which benefit us when they are satisfied ; both kinds are rightly called necessary, because our nature is necessarily attracted to them. True. And therefore we are not wrong in calling them ^^^ necessary ? We are not.

Again, as to the desires which a man may get rid of, if he makes that his object when young, the presence of which, moreover, does no good, and in some cases the reverse of good, — shall we not be right in saying that all these are unnecessary ? Yes, certainly. Suppose we select an example of either kind, in order that we may have a general notion of them ? Very good.

Will not the desire of eating, that is, of simple food and condiments, as far as they are required for health and strength, be of the necessary class ? That is what I should suppose. The pleasure of eating is necessary in two ways, — first as beneficial, and also as needed for the support of life ? Yes. But the condiments are only necessary as being good for health ? Certainly.

And the desire which goes beyond this of viands of a less simple kind, which might generally be got rid of, if controlled and trained in youth, and is hurtful to the body and hurtful to the soul in the pursuit of wisdom and virtue, may be rightly called unnecessary ? Very right. May we not say that these spend and the other desires make money, because they are of use with a view to production ?

36o PLATO THE TEACHER Certainly. And of the pleasures of love, and all other pleasures, the same holds good? True. And the drone of which we were speaking meant him who was surfeited in pleasures and desires of this sort, and was governed by the unnecessary desires, whereas he who was governed by the necessary was miserly and oligarchical ? Very true, he said.

Again, I said, let us see how the democratical man grows out of the oligarchical : the following, as I suspect, is commonly the process. What?

When a young man who has been brought up as we were just now describing, in a vulgar and miserly way, has tasted drones' honey and has come to associate with fierce and cunning natures who are able to provide for him all sorts of refinements and varieties of pleasure, — then, as you may imagine, the change will begin of the oligarchical principle within him into the democratical. That, he said, is the inevitable result.

And as in the city like was helping like, and the change was effected by an alliance from without assisting one division of the citizens, so the young man also changes by a class of desires from without assisting a class of those within, that which is akin and alike again helping that which is akin and alike. Certainly.

And if there be any ally which aids the oligarchical side, . whether the influence of friends or kindred, advising or rebuking him, then there arises a faction and an opposite faction, and the result is a civil war. Certainly. And there are times when the democratical principle gives way to the oligarchical, and some of his desires die, and others are banished ; a spirit of reverence enters into the young man's soul and order is restored.

Yes, he said, that sometimes happens. And then, again, after the old desires have been driven out fresh ones spring up, which are like them ; they have never known a parent's discipline, and this makes them fierce and numerous.

p. 361 Yes, he said, that often occurs. They draw him to his old associates, and holding secret intercourse with him, breed and muster in him ? ^* Very true. At length they seize upon the citadel of the young man's soul, which they perceive to be void of all fair accomplishments and pursuits and of every true word, which are the best guardians and sentinels in the minds of men dear to the gods. None better.

False and boastful words and conceits grow up instead of them, and take the same position in him ? Yes, he said ; indeed they do. And so the young man returns into the country of the lotuseaters,^® and takes up his abode there in the face of all men, and if any help be sent by his friends to the oligarchical part of him, the vain conceits shut the gate of the king's fastness ; they will not allow the new ally to pass.

And if ambassadors, venerable for their age, come and parley, they refuse to listen to them ; there is a battle and they win : then modesty, which they call silliness, is ignominiously thrust into exile by them.

They affirm temperance to be unmanliness, and her also they contemptuously eject ; and they pretend that moderation and orderly expenditure are vulgarity and meanness ; and, with a company of vain appetites at their heels, they drive them beyond the border. Yes, with right good will.

And when they have made a sweep of the soul of him who is now in their power, and is being initiated by them in great 15 •« When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man. he walketh through dry places, seeking rest ; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my nouse whence I came out. And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished.

Then goeth he and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in and dwell there ; and the last state of that man is worse than the first." — Luke xi. 24-26. »• According to Homeric legend, Odysseus in his wanderines came to a land whose people ate only the fruit and blossom of a plant cafled the lotus. Those who tasted this food wished to remain there forever and Jost all desire for home.

" Whoever tasted once of that sweet food Wished not to see his native country more. Nor give his friends the knowledge of his fate. And then my messengers desired to dwell Among the Lotus-eaters, and to feed Upon the lotus, never to return." —Bryant's Homer. See Tennyson*s ** Lotus Eaters."