Phaedrus — Plato

THE SYMPOSIUM II9 ception, for where there is hardness he departs, where there is softness there he dwells ; and clinging always with his feet and in all manner of ways in the softest of soft places, how can he be other than the softest of all things ?

And he is the ^ youngest as well as the tenderest, and also he is of flexile form ; for without flexure he could not enfold all things, oFwind his way into and out of every soul of man without being discovered, if he were hard. And a proof of his flexibility and symmetry of form is his grace, which is universally admitted to be in an especial manner the attribute of Love ; ungrace and love are always at war with one another.

The fairness of his complexion is revealed by his habitation among the flowers, for he dwells not amid unflowering or fading beauties, whether of body or soul or aught else, but in the place of flowers and scents, there he dwells and abides. Enough of his beauty, — of which, however, there is more to tell.

But I must now speak of his virtue : his greatest glory is that he can neither do nor suffer wrong from any god or any man ; for he suffers not by force if he suffers, for force comes not near him, neither does he act by force. For all serve him of their own free-will, and where there is love as well as obedience, there, as the laws which are the lords of the city say, is justice.

And not only is he just but exceedingly temperate, for Temperance is the acknowledged ruler of the pleasures and desires, and no pleasure ever masters Love ; hie is their master and they are his servants ; and if he conquers them he must be temperate indeed.

As to courage, even the God of War is no match for him ; he is the captive and Love is the lord, for love, the love of Aphrodite, masters him, as the tale runs; and the master is stronger than the servant. And if he conquers the bravest of all he must be himself the bravest. Of his courage and justice and temperance I have spoken ; but I have yet to speak 'of his wisdom, and I must try to do my best, according to the measure of my ability.

For in the first place he is aj)oet (and here, like Eryximachus, I magnify my art), and he is also the source of poesy in others, which he could not be if he were not himself a poet.

And at the touch of him every one becomes a poet, even though he had no music in him before ; this also is a proof that Love is a good poet and accomplished in all the musical arts ; for no one can give to another that which he has not himself, or teach that of which he has 2p. 126no knowledge. Who will deny that the creation of the animals is his doing ? Are they not all the works of his wisdom, born and begotten of him ? And as to the artists, do we not know that he only of them whom love inspires has the light of fame ? — he whom love touches not walks in darkness.

The arts of medicine and archery and divination were discovered by Apollo, ^^ under the guidance of love and desire, so that he too is a disciple of Love. Also the melody of the Muses,* the metallurgy of Hephaestus,^^ the weaving of Athene, ^^ the empire of Zeus ^ over gods and men, are all due to Love, who was the inventor of them. Love set in order the empire of the gods, — the love of beauty, as is evident, for of deformity there is no love.

And formerly, as I was saying, dreadful deeds were done among the gods, because of the rule of necessity; but now since the birth of Love, and from the love of the beautiful, has sprung every good in heaven and earth. Therefore, Phaedrus, I say of Love that he is the • fairest and best in himself, and the cause of what is fairest and best in all other things.

And I have a mind to say of him in verse that he is the god who — " Gives peace on earth and calms the stormy deep, Who stills the waves and bids the sufferer sleep. He makes men to be of one mind at a banquet such as this, fulfilling them with affection and emptying them of disaffection.

In sacrifices, banquets, dances, he is our lord, — supplying kindness and banishing unkindness, giving friendship and forgiving enmity, the joy of the good, the wonder of the wise, the amazement of the gods ; desired by those who have no part in him, and precious to those who have the better part in him ; parent of delicacy, luxury, desire, fondness, softness, grace ; careful of the good, uncareful of the evil.

In every word, work, wish, fear, — pilot, helper, defender, saviour ; glory of gods and men, leader best and brightest : in whose footsteps let every man follow, chanting a hymn and joining 1* One of the greatest and most beneficent of the Greek gods, commonly called the god of light *» See Euthydemus, note 12. *» See Protagoras, note 39. «^ See Protagoras, note 4a ** See Protagoras, note 41.