Phaedrus — Plato

p. 146up the bait of discourse, and you may lead me all round Attica, and over the wide world. And now having arrived, I intend to lie down, and do you choose any posture in which you can read best.

Begin, ^ [Phaedrus readsthe speech ® of Lysias_abo.ut Jave.— ^^ The lover^ysias^aimsrshould~l>e avoided as an unreasonable, disagreeable, fickle, jealous person^whp spoil§ the objecl: of his affection by undue praise, selfishly deprives ^Irrrirof other friends and of many like advantages, and atTast deserts him for "ahbther. ^ Whereas the non -lover is a truly flisinterested admirer, who desires at all times only the good of his friend.

His affection is for the advantage of both, and for the injury of neither. The speech is very pretentious in style, and although it contains a germ of truth, the author's purpose is evidently to make fine phrases, and not to arrive at a true conclusion about his subject. When he has finished reading, Phaedrus appeals to Socrates thus :] Now, Socrates, what do you think ? Is not the discourse excellent, especially the language?

Soc, Yes indeed, admirable ; the effect on me was ravishing. And this I owe to you, Phaedrus, for I observed you while reading to be in an ecstasy, and thinking that you are more experienced in these matters than I am, I followed your example, and, like you, became inspired with a divine frenzy. Phadr, Indeed, you are pleased to be merry. Soc, Do you mean that I am not in earnest ?

Phcedr, Now, don't talk in that way, Socrates, but let me have your real opinion ; I adjure you, by the god of friendship, to tell me whether you think that any Hellene ^^ could have said more or spoken better on the same subject. Soc. Well, but are you and I expected to praise the sentiments of the author, or only the clearness, and roundness, and accuracy, and tournure of the language?

As to the ^ first I willingly submit to your better judgment, for I am unworthy to form an opinion, having only attended to the rhetorical manner ; and I was doubting whether Lysias him- 2» Probably not written by Lysias but invented by Plato. «* Greek.

PHiEDRUS 147 self would be able to defend that ; for I thought, though I speak under correction, that he repeated himself two or three times, either from want of words or from want of pains ; and also, he appeared to me wantonly ambitious of showing how well he could say the same thing in two or three ways. Fhadr.

Nonsense, Socrates ; that was his exhaustive treatment of the subject ; for he omitted nothing ; this is the special merit of the speech, and I do not think that any one could have made a fuller or better. Soc, I cannot go so far as that with you. Ancient sages, men and women, who have spoken and written of these things, would rise up in judgment against me, if I lightly assented to you.

Fhcedr, Who are they, and where did you hear anything better than this ? Soc, I am sure that I must have heard ; I don't remember at this moment from whom ; perhaps from Sappho ^ the fair, Anacreon ^ the wise ; or, possibly, from a prose writer. What makes me say this ? Why, because I perceive that my bosom is full, and that I could make another speech as good as that of Lysias and different.

Now I am certain that this is not an invention of my own, for I am conscious that I know nothing, and therefore I can only infer that I have been filled through the ears, like a pitcher from the waters of another^ though I have actually forgotten in mystupidity who was my informant. Fhcedr. That is grand. But never mind where you heard the discourse or of whom ; let that, if you will, be a mystery not to be divulged even at my earnest desire.

But do as you say; promise to make another and better oration of equal length on the same subject, with other arguments ; and I, like the nine Archons,^ will promise to set up a golden image at Delphi* not only of myself, but of you, and as large as life. Soc, You are a dear golden simpleton if you 'suppose me to mean that Lysias has altogether missed the mark, and that I can make a speech from which all his arguments are to be excluded.

The worst of authors will say something that is to " Sappho (sSf fo) : a celebrated Greek lyric poetess living in the latter part of the seventh century B. c. ••Anacreon (A-nak're-on, 550 (?) — B.C.) : a famous Greek lyric poet *' Archons (ir'konz) : the chief magistrates at Athens, nine in number. '0 See Apology, note 12. It was customary to place there statues and other votive offerings in honor of the god.

p. 148the point. Who, for example, could speak on this thesis of yours without praising the discretion of the non-lover and blaming the folly of the lover ?

These are the common- ^ places which must come in (for what else is there to be said ?) and must be allowed and excused ; the only merit is in the arrangement of them, for there can be none in the invention ; but when you leave the commonplaces, then there may be some originality. Phcedr.

I admit that there is reason in that, and I will be reasonable too, and will allow you to start with the premise that the lover is more disordered in his wits than the nonlover ; and if you go on after that and make a longer and better speech than Lysias, and use other arguments, then I say again that a statue you shall have of beaten gold, and take your place by the colossal offering of the Cypselids at Olympia.^ Soc, Is not the lover serious, because only in fun I lay a finger upon his love ?

And so, Phsedrus, you really imagine that I am going to improve upon his ingenuity ? PhcBdr, There I have you as you had me, and you must speak "as you best can,** and no mistake.

And don't . . . compel me to say to you as you said to me, *' I know Socrates as well as I know myself, and he was wanting to speak, but he gave himself airs. * * Rather I would have you consider that from this place we stir not until you have unbosomed yourseh' of the speech ; for here are we all alone, and I am stronger, remember, and younger than you ; therefore perpend, and do not compel me to use violence.

Soc, But, my sweet Phsedrus, how can I ever compete with Lysias in an extempore speech ? He is a master in his art and I am an untaught man. Phcedr, You see how matters stand ; and therefore let there be no more pretences ; for, indeed, I know the word that is irresistible. Soc, Then don't say it. 2» Olympia (6-ljhn'pI-a) : a small plain in Elis near the south-western coast of Greece, about no miles from Athens.

Here was a grove sacred to Zeus, adorned with many temples, altars, statues, and votive offerings. Of the offerings of the Cypselids, who were descendants of Cypselus (syp'se-lus 655-625 B.C.), a tyrant of Corinth, Grote says: "Their offerings consecrated at Olympia excited great admiration, especially the gilt colossal Statue of Zeus," [History of Greece, I., ch. 9.]