Phaedrus — Plato
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THE SYMPOSIUM 12$ abundance of beauty and drawing towards the sea of beauty, and creating and beholding many fair and noble thoughts and notions in boundless love of wisdom ; until at length he grows and waxes strong, and at last the vision is revealed to him of a single science, which is the science of beauty everywhere.
To this I will proceed ; please to give me your very best attentyjn. *' For he who has been instructed thus far in the things of love, and who has learned to see the beautiful in due order and succession, when he comes toward the end will suddenly perceive a nature of wondrous beauty-^and this, Socrates, is that final cause of all our former toils, which in the first place is everlasting — not growing and decaying, or waxing and waning ; in the next place not fair in one point of view and foul in another, or at one time or in one relation or at one place fair, at another time or in another relation or at another place foul, as if fair to some and foul to others, or in the likeness of a face or hands or any other part of the bodily frame, or in any form of speech or knowledge, nor existing in any other being ; as for example, an animal, whether in earth or heaven, but beauty only, absolute, separate, simple, and everlasting, which without diminution and without increase, or any change, is imparted to the ever-growing and perishing beauties of all other things.
He who under the influence of true love rising upward from these begins to see that beauty, is not far from the end.
' And the true order of going or being led by another to the things of love, is to use the beauties of earth as steps along which he mounts upwards for the sake of that other beauty, going from one to two, and from two to all fair forms, and from fair forms to fair actions, and from fair actions to fair notions, until from fair notions he arrives at the notion of absolute beauty, and at last knows what the essence of beauty is.// This, my dear Socrates,** said the stranger of Mantineia, **is that hfe above all others which man should live, in the contemplation of beauty absolute ; a beauty which if you once beheld, you would see not to be after the measure of gold, and garments, and fair boys and youths, which when you now behold you are in fond amazement, and you and many a one are content to live seeing only and conversing with them without meat or drink, if that were possible — you only want to be with them and to look at them.
p. 126But what if man had eyes to see the true beauty — the divine beauty, I mean, pure and clear and unalloyed, not clogged with the pollutions of mortality, and all the colors and vanities of human life — thither looking, and holding converse with the true beauty divine and simple, and bringing into being and educating true creations of virtue and not idols only?
Do you not see that in that communion only, beholding beauty with the eye of the mind, he will be enabled to bring forth, not images of beauty, but realities ; for he has hold not of an image but of a reality, and bringing forth and educating true virtue to become the friend of God and be immortal, if mortal man may.
Would that be an ignoble life? »' Such, Phaedrus — and I speak not only to you, but to all men — weje the words of Diotima ; and I am persuaded of their truth. And being persuaded of them, I try to persuade others, that in the attainment of this end human nature will not easily find a better helper than Love.
And therefore, also, I say that every man ought to honor him as I myself honor him, and walk in his ways, and exhort others to do the same, even as I praise the power and spirit of love according to the measure of my ability now and ever. The words which I have spoken, you, Phaedrus, may call an encomium of love, or anything else which you please.
When Socrates had done speaking, the company applauded, and Aristophanes was beginning to say something in answer to the allusion which Socrates had made to his own speech, when suddenly there was a great knocking at the door of the house, as of revelers, and the sound of a flute-girl was heard.
Agathon told the attendants to go and see who were the intruders. ** If they are friends of ours,*' he said, "invite them in, but if not say that the drinking is over.'* A little while afterwards they heard the voice of Alcibiades resounding in the court; he was in a great state of intoxication, and kept roaring and shouting ' * Where is Agathon ?
Lead me to Agathon, ' ' and at length, supported by the flute-girl and some of his companions, he found his way to them. ** Hail, friends! " he said, appearing at the door crowned with a massive garland of ivy and wall-flowers, and having his head flowing with ribbons. ** Will you have a very drunken man as a companion of your revels ? Or shall I crown Agathon, as was my intenp. 127tion in coming, and go my way ? For I was unable to come yesterday, and therefore I come to-day, carrying on my head these ribbons, that taking them from my own head, I may crown the head of this fairest and wisest of men, as I may be allowed to call him. Will you laugh at me because I am ^ drunk ? Yet I know very well that I am speaking the truth, although you may laugh.
But first tell me whether I shall come in on the understanding that I am drunk. Will you drink with me or not? ** The company were vociferous in begging that he would take his place among them, and Agathon specially invited him.
Thereupon he was led in by the people who were with him ; and as he was being led he took the crown and ribbons from his head, intending to crown Agathon, and had them before his eyes ; this prevented him from seeing Socrates, who made way for him, and Alcibiades topk the vacant place between Agathon and Socrates, and in taking the place he embraced Agathon and crowned him.
Take off his sandals, said Agathon, and let him make a third on the same couch. By all means ; but who makes the third partner in our revels ? said Alcibiades, turning round and charting up as he caught sight of Socrates.
By Heracles, he said, what is this ? here is Socrates always lying in wait for me, and always, as his way is, coming out at all sorts of unsuspected places : and now, what have you to say for yourself, and why are you lying here, where I perceive that you have contrived to find a place, not by a professor or lover of jokes, like Aristophanes, but by the fairest of the company ?
Socrates turned to Agathon and said : I must ask you to protect me, Agathon ; for this passion of his has grown quite a serious matter. Since I became his admirer I have never been allowed to speak to any other fair one, or so much as to look at them. If I do he goes wild with envy and jealousy, and not only abuses me but can hardly keep his hands off me, and at this moment he may do me some harm.
Please to see to this, and either reconcile me to him, or, if he attempts violence, protect me, as I am in bodily fear of his mad and passionate attempts. There can never be reconciliation between you and me, said Alcibiades ; but for the present I will defer your chastisement. And I must beg you, Agathon, to give me back some of the
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