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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/1600-h.zip b/1600-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f728e39 --- /dev/null +++ b/1600-h.zip diff --git a/1600-h/1600-h.htm b/1600-h/1600-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0ecb534 --- /dev/null +++ b/1600-h/1600-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3567 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" encoding="us-ascii"?> + +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd" > + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en"> + <head> + <title> + Symposium, by Plato + </title> + <style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve"> + + body { margin:5%; background:#faebd0; text-align:justify} + P { text-indent: 1em; margin-top: .25em; margin-bottom: .25em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; } + hr { width: 50%; text-align: center;} + .foot { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -3em; font-size: 90%; } + blockquote {font-size: 97%; font-style: italic; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .mynote {background-color: #DDE; color: #000; padding: .5em; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 95%;} + .toc { margin-left: 10%; margin-bottom: .75em;} + .toc2 { margin-left: 20%;} + div.fig { display:block; margin:0 auto; text-align:center; } + div.middle { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; } + .figleft {float: left; margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 1%;} + .figright {float: right; margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 1%;} + .pagenum {display:inline; font-size: 70%; font-style:normal; + margin: 0; padding: 0; position: absolute; right: 1%; + text-align: right;} + pre { font-style: italic; font-size: 90%; margin-left: 10%;} + +</style> + </head> + <body> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Symposium, by Plato + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Symposium + +Author: Plato + +Translator: B. Jowett + +Release Date: November 7, 2008 [EBook #1600] +Last Updated: January 15, 2013 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SYMPOSIUM *** + + + + +Produced by Sue Asscher, and David Widger + + + + + +</pre> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <h1> + SYMPOSIUM + </h1> + <p> + <br /> + </p> + <h2> + By Plato + </h2> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <h3> + Translated by Benjamin Jowett + </h3> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <h3> + Contents + </h3> + <table summary="" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto"> + <tr> + <td> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_INTR"> INTRODUCTION. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0002"> SYMPOSIUM </a> + </p> + </td> + </tr> + </table> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> <a name="link2H_INTR" id="link2H_INTR"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <h2> + INTRODUCTION. + </h2> + <p> + Of all the works of Plato the Symposium is the most perfect in form, and + may be truly thought to contain more than any commentator has ever dreamed + of; or, as Goethe said of one of his own writings, more than the author + himself knew. For in philosophy as in prophecy glimpses of the future may + often be conveyed in words which could hardly have been understood or + interpreted at the time when they were uttered (compare Symp.)—which + were wiser than the writer of them meant, and could not have been + expressed by him if he had been interrogated about them. Yet Plato was not + a mystic, nor in any degree affected by the Eastern influences which + afterwards overspread the Alexandrian world. He was not an enthusiast or a + sentimentalist, but one who aspired only to see reasoned truth, and whose + thoughts are clearly explained in his language. There is no foreign + element either of Egypt or of Asia to be found in his writings. And more + than any other Platonic work the Symposium is Greek both in style and + subject, having a beauty 'as of a statue,' while the companion Dialogue of + the Phaedrus is marked by a sort of Gothic irregularity. More too than in + any other of his Dialogues, Plato is emancipated from former philosophies. + The genius of Greek art seems to triumph over the traditions of + Pythagorean, Eleatic, or Megarian systems, and 'the old quarrel of poetry + and philosophy' has at least a superficial reconcilement. (Rep.) + </p> + <p> + An unknown person who had heard of the discourses in praise of love spoken + by Socrates and others at the banquet of Agathon is desirous of having an + authentic account of them, which he thinks that he can obtain from + Apollodorus, the same excitable, or rather 'mad' friend of Socrates, who + is afterwards introduced in the Phaedo. He had imagined that the + discourses were recent. There he is mistaken: but they are still fresh in + the memory of his informant, who had just been repeating them to Glaucon, + and is quite prepared to have another rehearsal of them in a walk from the + Piraeus to Athens. Although he had not been present himself, he had heard + them from the best authority. Aristodemus, who is described as having been + in past times a humble but inseparable attendant of Socrates, had reported + them to him (compare Xen. Mem.). + </p> + <p> + The narrative which he had heard was as follows:— + </p> + <p> + Aristodemus meeting Socrates in holiday attire, is invited by him to a + banquet at the house of Agathon, who had been sacrificing in thanksgiving + for his tragic victory on the day previous. But no sooner has he entered + the house than he finds that he is alone; Socrates has stayed behind in a + fit of abstraction, and does not appear until the banquet is half over. On + his appearing he and the host jest a little; the question is then asked by + Pausanias, one of the guests, 'What shall they do about drinking? as they + had been all well drunk on the day before, and drinking on two successive + days is such a bad thing.' This is confirmed by the authority of + Eryximachus the physician, who further proposes that instead of listening + to the flute-girl and her 'noise' they shall make speeches in honour of + love, one after another, going from left to right in the order in which + they are reclining at the table. All of them agree to this proposal, and + Phaedrus, who is the 'father' of the idea, which he has previously + communicated to Eryximachus, begins as follows:— + </p> + <p> + He descants first of all upon the antiquity of love, which is proved by + the authority of the poets; secondly upon the benefits which love gives to + man. The greatest of these is the sense of honour and dishonour. The lover + is ashamed to be seen by the beloved doing or suffering any cowardly or + mean act. And a state or army which was made up only of lovers and their + loves would be invincible. For love will convert the veriest coward into + an inspired hero. + </p> + <p> + And there have been true loves not only of men but of women also. Such was + the love of Alcestis, who dared to die for her husband, and in recompense + of her virtue was allowed to come again from the dead. But Orpheus, the + miserable harper, who went down to Hades alive, that he might bring back + his wife, was mocked with an apparition only, and the gods afterwards + contrived his death as the punishment of his cowardliness. The love of + Achilles, like that of Alcestis, was courageous and true; for he was + willing to avenge his lover Patroclus, although he knew that his own death + would immediately follow: and the gods, who honour the love of the beloved + above that of the lover, rewarded him, and sent him to the islands of the + blest. + </p> + <p> + Pausanias, who was sitting next, then takes up the tale:—He says + that Phaedrus should have distinguished the heavenly love from the + earthly, before he praised either. For there are two loves, as there are + two Aphrodites—one the daughter of Uranus, who has no mother and is + the elder and wiser goddess, and the other, the daughter of Zeus and + Dione, who is popular and common. The first of the two loves has a noble + purpose, and delights only in the intelligent nature of man, and is + faithful to the end, and has no shadow of wantonness or lust. The second + is the coarser kind of love, which is a love of the body rather than of + the soul, and is of women and boys as well as of men. Now the actions of + lovers vary, like every other sort of action, according to the manner of + their performance. And in different countries there is a difference of + opinion about male loves. Some, like the Boeotians, approve of them; + others, like the Ionians, and most of the barbarians, disapprove of them; + partly because they are aware of the political dangers which ensue from + them, as may be seen in the instance of Harmodius and Aristogeiton. At + Athens and Sparta there is an apparent contradiction about them. For at + times they are encouraged, and then the lover is allowed to play all sorts + of fantastic tricks; he may swear and forswear himself (and 'at lovers' + perjuries they say Jove laughs'); he may be a servant, and lie on a mat at + the door of his love, without any loss of character; but there are also + times when elders look grave and guard their young relations, and personal + remarks are made. The truth is that some of these loves are disgraceful + and others honourable. The vulgar love of the body which takes wing and + flies away when the bloom of youth is over, is disgraceful, and so is the + interested love of power or wealth; but the love of the noble mind is + lasting. The lover should be tested, and the beloved should not be too + ready to yield. The rule in our country is that the beloved may do the + same service to the lover in the way of virtue which the lover may do to + him. + </p> + <p> + A voluntary service to be rendered for the sake of virtue and wisdom is + permitted among us; and when these two customs—one the love of + youth, the other the practice of virtue and philosophy—meet in one, + then the lovers may lawfully unite. Nor is there any disgrace to a + disinterested lover in being deceived: but the interested lover is doubly + disgraced, for if he loses his love he loses his character; whereas the + noble love of the other remains the same, although the object of his love + is unworthy: for nothing can be nobler than love for the sake of virtue. + This is that love of the heavenly goddess which is of great price to + individuals and cities, making them work together for their improvement. + </p> + <p> + The turn of Aristophanes comes next; but he has the hiccough, and + therefore proposes that Eryximachus the physician shall cure him or speak + in his turn. Eryximachus is ready to do both, and after prescribing for + the hiccough, speaks as follows:— + </p> + <p> + He agrees with Pausanias in maintaining that there are two kinds of love; + but his art has led him to the further conclusion that the empire of this + double love extends over all things, and is to be found in animals and + plants as well as in man. In the human body also there are two loves; and + the art of medicine shows which is the good and which is the bad love, and + persuades the body to accept the good and reject the bad, and reconciles + conflicting elements and makes them friends. Every art, gymnastic and + husbandry as well as medicine, is the reconciliation of opposites; and + this is what Heracleitus meant, when he spoke of a harmony of opposites: + but in strictness he should rather have spoken of a harmony which succeeds + opposites, for an agreement of disagreements there cannot be. Music too is + concerned with the principles of love in their application to harmony and + rhythm. In the abstract, all is simple, and we are not troubled with the + twofold love; but when they are applied in education with their + accompaniments of song and metre, then the discord begins. Then the old + tale has to be repeated of fair Urania and the coarse Polyhymnia, who must + be indulged sparingly, just as in my own art of medicine care must be + taken that the taste of the epicure be gratified without inflicting upon + him the attendant penalty of disease. + </p> + <p> + There is a similar harmony or disagreement in the course of the seasons + and in the relations of moist and dry, hot and cold, hoar frost and + blight; and diseases of all sorts spring from the excesses or disorders of + the element of love. The knowledge of these elements of love and discord + in the heavenly bodies is termed astronomy, in the relations of men + towards gods and parents is called divination. For divination is the + peacemaker of gods and men, and works by a knowledge of the tendencies of + merely human loves to piety and impiety. Such is the power of love; and + that love which is just and temperate has the greatest power, and is the + source of all our happiness and friendship with the gods and with one + another. I dare say that I have omitted to mention many things which you, + Aristophanes, may supply, as I perceive that you are cured of the + hiccough. + </p> + <p> + Aristophanes is the next speaker:— + </p> + <p> + He professes to open a new vein of discourse, in which he begins by + treating of the origin of human nature. The sexes were originally three, + men, women, and the union of the two; and they were made round—having + four hands, four feet, two faces on a round neck, and the rest to + correspond. Terrible was their strength and swiftness; and they were + essaying to scale heaven and attack the gods. Doubt reigned in the + celestial councils; the gods were divided between the desire of quelling + the pride of man and the fear of losing the sacrifices. At last Zeus hit + upon an expedient. Let us cut them in two, he said; then they will only + have half their strength, and we shall have twice as many sacrifices. He + spake, and split them as you might split an egg with an hair; and when + this was done, he told Apollo to give their faces a twist and re-arrange + their persons, taking out the wrinkles and tying the skin in a knot about + the navel. The two halves went about looking for one another, and were + ready to die of hunger in one another's arms. Then Zeus invented an + adjustment of the sexes, which enabled them to marry and go their way to + the business of life. Now the characters of men differ accordingly as they + are derived from the original man or the original woman, or the original + man-woman. Those who come from the man-woman are lascivious and + adulterous; those who come from the woman form female attachments; those + who are a section of the male follow the male and embrace him, and in him + all their desires centre. The pair are inseparable and live together in + pure and manly affection; yet they cannot tell what they want of one + another. But if Hephaestus were to come to them with his instruments and + propose that they should be melted into one and remain one here and + hereafter, they would acknowledge that this was the very expression of + their want. For love is the desire of the whole, and the pursuit of the + whole is called love. There was a time when the two sexes were only one, + but now God has halved them,—much as the Lacedaemonians have cut up + the Arcadians,—and if they do not behave themselves he will divide + them again, and they will hop about with half a nose and face in basso + relievo. Wherefore let us exhort all men to piety, that we may obtain the + goods of which love is the author, and be reconciled to God, and find our + own true loves, which rarely happens in this world. And now I must beg you + not to suppose that I am alluding to Pausanias and Agathon (compare + Protag.), for my words refer to all mankind everywhere. + </p> + <p> + Some raillery ensues first between Aristophanes and Eryximachus, and then + between Agathon, who fears a few select friends more than any number of + spectators at the theatre, and Socrates, who is disposed to begin an + argument. This is speedily repressed by Phaedrus, who reminds the + disputants of their tribute to the god. Agathon's speech follows:— + </p> + <p> + He will speak of the god first and then of his gifts: He is the fairest + and blessedest and best of the gods, and also the youngest, having had no + existence in the old days of Iapetus and Cronos when the gods were at war. + The things that were done then were done of necessity and not of love. For + love is young and dwells in soft places,—not like Ate in Homer, + walking on the skulls of men, but in their hearts and souls, which are + soft enough. He is all flexibility and grace, and his habitation is among + the flowers, and he cannot do or suffer wrong; for all men serve and obey + him of their own free will, and where there is love there is obedience, + and where obedience, there is justice; for none can be wronged of his own + free will. And he is temperate as well as just, for he is the ruler of the + desires, and if he rules them he must be temperate. Also he is courageous, + for he is the conqueror of the lord of war. And he is wise too; for he is + a poet, and the author of poesy in others. He created the animals; he is + the inventor of the arts; all the gods are his subjects; he is the fairest + and best himself, and the cause of what is fairest and best in others; he + makes men to be of one mind at a banquet, filling them with affection and + emptying them of disaffection; the pilot, helper, defender, saviour of + men, in whose footsteps let every man follow, chanting a strain of love. + Such is the discourse, half playful, half serious, which I dedicate to the + god. + </p> + <p> + The turn of Socrates comes next. He begins by remarking satirically that + he has not understood the terms of the original agreement, for he fancied + that they meant to speak the true praises of love, but now he finds that + they only say what is good of him, whether true or false. He begs to be + absolved from speaking falsely, but he is willing to speak the truth, and + proposes to begin by questioning Agathon. The result of his questions may + be summed up as follows:— + </p> + <p> + Love is of something, and that which love desires is not that which love + is or has; for no man desires that which he is or has. And love is of the + beautiful, and therefore has not the beautiful. And the beautiful is the + good, and therefore, in wanting and desiring the beautiful, love also + wants and desires the good. Socrates professes to have asked the same + questions and to have obtained the same answers from Diotima, a wise woman + of Mantinea, who, like Agathon, had spoken first of love and then of his + works. Socrates, like Agathon, had told her that Love is a mighty god and + also fair, and she had shown him in return that Love was neither, but in a + mean between fair and foul, good and evil, and not a god at all, but only + a great demon or intermediate power (compare the speech of Eryximachus) + who conveys to the gods the prayers of men, and to men the commands of the + gods. + </p> + <p> + Socrates asks: Who are his father and mother? To this Diotima replies that + he is the son of Plenty and Poverty, and partakes of the nature of both, + and is full and starved by turns. Like his mother he is poor and squalid, + lying on mats at doors (compare the speech of Pausanias); like his father + he is bold and strong, and full of arts and resources. Further, he is in a + mean between ignorance and knowledge:—in this he resembles the + philosopher who is also in a mean between the wise and the ignorant. Such + is the nature of Love, who is not to be confused with the beloved. + </p> + <p> + But Love desires the beautiful; and then arises the question, What does he + desire of the beautiful? He desires, of course, the possession of the + beautiful;—but what is given by that? For the beautiful let us + substitute the good, and we have no difficulty in seeing the possession of + the good to be happiness, and Love to be the desire of happiness, although + the meaning of the word has been too often confined to one kind of love. + And Love desires not only the good, but the everlasting possession of the + good. Why then is there all this flutter and excitement about love? + Because all men and women at a certain age are desirous of bringing to the + birth. And love is not of beauty only, but of birth in beauty; this is the + principle of immortality in a mortal creature. When beauty approaches, + then the conceiving power is benign and diffuse; when foulness, she is + averted and morose. + </p> + <p> + But why again does this extend not only to men but also to animals? + Because they too have an instinct of immortality. Even in the same + individual there is a perpetual succession as well of the parts of the + material body as of the thoughts and desires of the mind; nay, even + knowledge comes and goes. There is no sameness of existence, but the new + mortality is always taking the place of the old. This is the reason why + parents love their children—for the sake of immortality; and this is + why men love the immortality of fame. For the creative soul creates not + children, but conceptions of wisdom and virtue, such as poets and other + creators have invented. And the noblest creations of all are those of + legislators, in honour of whom temples have been raised. Who would not + sooner have these children of the mind than the ordinary human ones? + (Compare Bacon's Essays, 8:—'Certainly the best works and of + greatest merit for the public have proceeded from the unmarried or + childless men; which both in affection and means have married and endowed + the public.') + </p> + <p> + I will now initiate you, she said, into the greater mysteries; for he who + would proceed in due course should love first one fair form, and then + many, and learn the connexion of them; and from beautiful bodies he should + proceed to beautiful minds, and the beauty of laws and institutions, until + he perceives that all beauty is of one kindred; and from institutions he + should go on to the sciences, until at last the vision is revealed to him + of a single science of universal beauty, and then he will behold the + everlasting nature which is the cause of all, and will be near the end. In + the contemplation of that supreme being of love he will be purified of + earthly leaven, and will behold beauty, not with the bodily eye, but with + the eye of the mind, and will bring forth true creations of virtue and + wisdom, and be the friend of God and heir of immortality. + </p> + <p> + Such, Phaedrus, is the tale which I heard from the stranger of Mantinea, + and which you may call the encomium of love, or what you please. + </p> + <p> + The company applaud the speech of Socrates, and Aristophanes is about to + say something, when suddenly a band of revellers breaks into the court, + and the voice of Alcibiades is heard asking for Agathon. He is led in + drunk, and welcomed by Agathon, whom he has come to crown with a garland. + He is placed on a couch at his side, but suddenly, on recognizing + Socrates, he starts up, and a sort of conflict is carried on between them, + which Agathon is requested to appease. Alcibiades then insists that they + shall drink, and has a large wine-cooler filled, which he first empties + himself, and then fills again and passes on to Socrates. He is informed of + the nature of the entertainment; and is ready to join, if only in the + character of a drunken and disappointed lover he may be allowed to sing + the praises of Socrates:— + </p> + <p> + He begins by comparing Socrates first to the busts of Silenus, which have + images of the gods inside them; and, secondly, to Marsyas the + flute-player. For Socrates produces the same effect with the voice which + Marsyas did with the flute. He is the great speaker and enchanter who + ravishes the souls of men; the convincer of hearts too, as he has + convinced Alcibiades, and made him ashamed of his mean and miserable life. + Socrates at one time seemed about to fall in love with him; and he thought + that he would thereby gain a wonderful opportunity of receiving lessons of + wisdom. He narrates the failure of his design. He has suffered agonies + from him, and is at his wit's end. He then proceeds to mention some other + particulars of the life of Socrates; how they were at Potidaea together, + where Socrates showed his superior powers of enduring cold and fatigue; + how on one occasion he had stood for an entire day and night absorbed in + reflection amid the wonder of the spectators; how on another occasion he + had saved Alcibiades' life; how at the battle of Delium, after the defeat, + he might be seen stalking about like a pelican, rolling his eyes as + Aristophanes had described him in the Clouds. He is the most wonderful of + human beings, and absolutely unlike anyone but a satyr. Like the satyr in + his language too; for he uses the commonest words as the outward mask of + the divinest truths. + </p> + <p> + When Alcibiades has done speaking, a dispute begins between him and + Agathon and Socrates. Socrates piques Alcibiades by a pretended affection + for Agathon. Presently a band of revellers appears, who introduce disorder + into the feast; the sober part of the company, Eryximachus, Phaedrus, and + others, withdraw; and Aristodemus, the follower of Socrates, sleeps during + the whole of a long winter's night. When he wakes at cockcrow the + revellers are nearly all asleep. Only Socrates, Aristophanes, and Agathon + hold out; they are drinking from a large goblet, which they pass round, + and Socrates is explaining to the two others, who are half-asleep, that + the genius of tragedy is the same as that of comedy, and that the writer + of tragedy ought to be a writer of comedy also. And first Aristophanes + drops, and then, as the day is dawning, Agathon. Socrates, having laid + them to rest, takes a bath and goes to his daily avocations until the + evening. Aristodemus follows. + </p> + <p> + ... + </p> + <p> + If it be true that there are more things in the Symposium of Plato than + any commentator has dreamed of, it is also true that many things have been + imagined which are not really to be found there. Some writings hardly + admit of a more distinct interpretation than a musical composition; and + every reader may form his own accompaniment of thought or feeling to the + strain which he hears. The Symposium of Plato is a work of this character, + and can with difficulty be rendered in any words but the writer's own. + There are so many half-lights and cross-lights, so much of the colour of + mythology, and of the manner of sophistry adhering—rhetoric and + poetry, the playful and the serious, are so subtly intermingled in it, and + vestiges of old philosophy so curiously blend with germs of future + knowledge, that agreement among interpreters is not to be expected. The + expression 'poema magis putandum quam comicorum poetarum,' which has been + applied to all the writings of Plato, is especially applicable to the + Symposium. + </p> + <p> + The power of love is represented in the Symposium as running through all + nature and all being: at one end descending to animals and plants, and + attaining to the highest vision of truth at the other. In an age when man + was seeking for an expression of the world around him, the conception of + love greatly affected him. One of the first distinctions of language and + of mythology was that of gender; and at a later period the ancient + physicist, anticipating modern science, saw, or thought that he saw, a sex + in plants; there were elective affinities among the elements, marriages of + earth and heaven. (Aesch. Frag. Dan.) Love became a mythic personage whom + philosophy, borrowing from poetry, converted into an efficient cause of + creation. The traces of the existence of love, as of number and figure, + were everywhere discerned; and in the Pythagorean list of opposites male + and female were ranged side by side with odd and even, finite and + infinite. + </p> + <p> + But Plato seems also to be aware that there is a mystery of love in man as + well as in nature, extending beyond the mere immediate relation of the + sexes. He is conscious that the highest and noblest things in the world + are not easily severed from the sensual desires, or may even be regarded + as a spiritualized form of them. We may observe that Socrates himself is + not represented as originally unimpassioned, but as one who has overcome + his passions; the secret of his power over others partly lies in his + passionate but self-controlled nature. In the Phaedrus and Symposium love + is not merely the feeling usually so called, but the mystical + contemplation of the beautiful and the good. The same passion which may + wallow in the mire is capable of rising to the loftiest heights—of + penetrating the inmost secret of philosophy. The highest love is the love + not of a person, but of the highest and purest abstraction. This + abstraction is the far-off heaven on which the eye of the mind is fixed in + fond amazement. The unity of truth, the consistency of the warring + elements of the world, the enthusiasm for knowledge when first beaming + upon mankind, the relativity of ideas to the human mind, and of the human + mind to ideas, the faith in the invisible, the adoration of the eternal + nature, are all included, consciously or unconsciously, in Plato's + doctrine of love. + </p> + <p> + The successive speeches in praise of love are characteristic of the + speakers, and contribute in various degrees to the final result; they are + all designed to prepare the way for Socrates, who gathers up the threads + anew, and skims the highest points of each of them. But they are not to be + regarded as the stages of an idea, rising above one another to a climax. + They are fanciful, partly facetious performances, 'yet also having a + certain measure of seriousness,' which the successive speakers dedicate to + the god. All of them are rhetorical and poetical rather than dialectical, + but glimpses of truth appear in them. When Eryximachus says that the + principles of music are simple in themselves, but confused in their + application, he touches lightly upon a difficulty which has troubled the + moderns as well as the ancients in music, and may be extended to the other + applied sciences. That confusion begins in the concrete, was the natural + feeling of a mind dwelling in the world of ideas. When Pausanias remarks + that personal attachments are inimical to despots. The experience of Greek + history confirms the truth of his remark. When Aristophanes declares that + love is the desire of the whole, he expresses a feeling not unlike that of + the German philosopher, who says that 'philosophy is home sickness.' When + Agathon says that no man 'can be wronged of his own free will,' he is + alluding playfully to a serious problem of Greek philosophy (compare + Arist. Nic. Ethics). So naturally does Plato mingle jest and earnest, + truth and opinion in the same work. + </p> + <p> + The characters—of Phaedrus, who has been the cause of more + philosophical discussions than any other man, with the exception of + Simmias the Theban (Phaedrus); of Aristophanes, who disguises under comic + imagery a serious purpose; of Agathon, who in later life is satirized by + Aristophanes in the Thesmophoriazusae, for his effeminate manners and the + feeble rhythms of his verse; of Alcibiades, who is the same strange + contrast of great powers and great vices, which meets us in history—are + drawn to the life; and we may suppose the less-known characters of + Pausanias and Eryximachus to be also true to the traditional recollection + of them (compare Phaedr., Protag.; and compare Sympos. with Phaedr.). We + may also remark that Aristodemus is called 'the little' in Xenophon's + Memorabilia (compare Symp.). + </p> + <p> + The speeches have been said to follow each other in pairs: Phaedrus and + Pausanias being the ethical, Eryximachus and Aristophanes the physical + speakers, while in Agathon and Socrates poetry and philosophy blend + together. The speech of Phaedrus is also described as the mythological, + that of Pausanias as the political, that of Eryximachus as the scientific, + that of Aristophanes as the artistic (!), that of Socrates as the + philosophical. But these and similar distinctions are not found in Plato;—they + are the points of view of his critics, and seem to impede rather than to + assist us in understanding him. + </p> + <p> + When the turn of Socrates comes round he cannot be allowed to disturb the + arrangement made at first. With the leave of Phaedrus he asks a few + questions, and then he throws his argument into the form of a speech + (compare Gorg., Protag.). But his speech is really the narrative of a + dialogue between himself and Diotima. And as at a banquet good manners + would not allow him to win a victory either over his host or any of the + guests, the superiority which he gains over Agathon is ingeniously + represented as having been already gained over himself by her. The + artifice has the further advantage of maintaining his accustomed + profession of ignorance (compare Menex.). Even his knowledge of the + mysteries of love, to which he lays claim here and elsewhere (Lys.), is + given by Diotima. + </p> + <p> + The speeches are attested to us by the very best authority. The madman + Apollodorus, who for three years past has made a daily study of the + actions of Socrates—to whom the world is summed up in the words + 'Great is Socrates'—he has heard them from another 'madman,' + Aristodemus, who was the 'shadow' of Socrates in days of old, like him + going about barefooted, and who had been present at the time. 'Would you + desire better witness?' The extraordinary narrative of Alcibiades is + ingeniously represented as admitted by Socrates, whose silence when he is + invited to contradict gives consent to the narrator. We may observe, by + the way, (1) how the very appearance of Aristodemus by himself is a + sufficient indication to Agathon that Socrates has been left behind; also, + (2) how the courtesy of Agathon anticipates the excuse which Socrates was + to have made on Aristodemus' behalf for coming uninvited; (3) how the + story of the fit or trance of Socrates is confirmed by the mention which + Alcibiades makes of a similar fit of abstraction occurring when he was + serving with the army at Potidaea; like (4) the drinking powers of + Socrates and his love of the fair, which receive a similar attestation in + the concluding scene; or the attachment of Aristodemus, who is not + forgotten when Socrates takes his departure. (5) We may notice the manner + in which Socrates himself regards the first five speeches, not as true, + but as fanciful and exaggerated encomiums of the god Love; (6) the + satirical character of them, shown especially in the appeals to mythology, + in the reasons which are given by Zeus for reconstructing the frame of + man, or by the Boeotians and Eleans for encouraging male loves; (7) the + ruling passion of Socrates for dialectics, who will argue with Agathon + instead of making a speech, and will only speak at all upon the condition + that he is allowed to speak the truth. We may note also the touch of + Socratic irony, (8) which admits of a wide application and reveals a deep + insight into the world:—that in speaking of holy things and persons + there is a general understanding that you should praise them, not that you + should speak the truth about them—this is the sort of praise which + Socrates is unable to give. Lastly, (9) we may remark that the banquet is + a real banquet after all, at which love is the theme of discourse, and + huge quantities of wine are drunk. + </p> + <p> + The discourse of Phaedrus is half-mythical, half-ethical; and he himself, + true to the character which is given him in the Dialogue bearing his name, + is half-sophist, half-enthusiast. He is the critic of poetry also, who + compares Homer and Aeschylus in the insipid and irrational manner of the + schools of the day, characteristically reasoning about the probability of + matters which do not admit of reasoning. He starts from a noble text: + 'That without the sense of honour and dishonour neither states nor + individuals ever do any good or great work.' But he soon passes on to more + common-place topics. The antiquity of love, the blessing of having a + lover, the incentive which love offers to daring deeds, the examples of + Alcestis and Achilles, are the chief themes of his discourse. The love of + women is regarded by him as almost on an equality with that of men; and he + makes the singular remark that the gods favour the return of love which is + made by the beloved more than the original sentiment, because the lover is + of a nobler and diviner nature. + </p> + <p> + There is something of a sophistical ring in the speech of Phaedrus, which + recalls the first speech in imitation of Lysias, occurring in the Dialogue + called the Phaedrus. This is still more marked in the speech of Pausanias + which follows; and which is at once hyperlogical in form and also + extremely confused and pedantic. Plato is attacking the logical feebleness + of the sophists and rhetoricians, through their pupils, not forgetting by + the way to satirize the monotonous and unmeaning rhythms which Prodicus + and others were introducing into Attic prose (compare Protag.). Of course, + he is 'playing both sides of the game,' as in the Gorgias and Phaedrus; + but it is not necessary in order to understand him that we should discuss + the fairness of his mode of proceeding. The love of Pausanias for Agathon + has already been touched upon in the Protagoras, and is alluded to by + Aristophanes. Hence he is naturally the upholder of male loves, which, + like all the other affections or actions of men, he regards as varying + according to the manner of their performance. Like the sophists and like + Plato himself, though in a different sense, he begins his discussion by an + appeal to mythology, and distinguishes between the elder and younger love. + The value which he attributes to such loves as motives to virtue and + philosophy is at variance with modern and Christian notions, but is in + accordance with Hellenic sentiment. The opinion of Christendom has not + altogether condemned passionate friendships between persons of the same + sex, but has certainly not encouraged them, because though innocent in + themselves in a few temperaments they are liable to degenerate into + fearful evil. Pausanias is very earnest in the defence of such loves; and + he speaks of them as generally approved among Hellenes and disapproved by + barbarians. His speech is 'more words than matter,' and might have been + composed by a pupil of Lysias or of Prodicus, although there is no hint + given that Plato is specially referring to them. As Eryximachus says, 'he + makes a fair beginning, but a lame ending.' + </p> + <p> + Plato transposes the two next speeches, as in the Republic he would + transpose the virtues and the mathematical sciences. This is done partly + to avoid monotony, partly for the sake of making Aristophanes 'the cause + of wit in others,' and also in order to bring the comic and tragic poet + into juxtaposition, as if by accident. A suitable 'expectation' of + Aristophanes is raised by the ludicrous circumstance of his having the + hiccough, which is appropriately cured by his substitute, the physician + Eryximachus. To Eryximachus Love is the good physician; he sees everything + as an intelligent physicist, and, like many professors of his art in + modern times, attempts to reduce the moral to the physical; or recognises + one law of love which pervades them both. There are loves and strifes of + the body as well as of the mind. Like Hippocrates the Asclepiad, he is a + disciple of Heracleitus, whose conception of the harmony of opposites he + explains in a new way as the harmony after discord; to his common sense, + as to that of many moderns as well as ancients, the identity of + contradictories is an absurdity. His notion of love may be summed up as + the harmony of man with himself in soul as well as body, and of all things + in heaven and earth with one another. + </p> + <p> + Aristophanes is ready to laugh and make laugh before he opens his mouth, + just as Socrates, true to his character, is ready to argue before he + begins to speak. He expresses the very genius of the old comedy, its + coarse and forcible imagery, and the licence of its language in speaking + about the gods. He has no sophistical notions about love, which is brought + back by him to its common-sense meaning of love between intelligent + beings. His account of the origin of the sexes has the greatest (comic) + probability and verisimilitude. Nothing in Aristophanes is more truly + Aristophanic than the description of the human monster whirling round on + four arms and four legs, eight in all, with incredible rapidity. Yet there + is a mixture of earnestness in this jest; three serious principles seem to + be insinuated:—first, that man cannot exist in isolation; he must be + reunited if he is to be perfected: secondly, that love is the mediator and + reconciler of poor, divided human nature: thirdly, that the loves of this + world are an indistinct anticipation of an ideal union which is not yet + realized. + </p> + <p> + The speech of Agathon is conceived in a higher strain, and receives the + real, if half-ironical, approval of Socrates. It is the speech of the + tragic poet and a sort of poem, like tragedy, moving among the gods of + Olympus, and not among the elder or Orphic deities. In the idea of the + antiquity of love he cannot agree; love is not of the olden time, but + present and youthful ever. The speech may be compared with that speech of + Socrates in the Phaedrus in which he describes himself as talking + dithyrambs. It is at once a preparation for Socrates and a foil to him. + The rhetoric of Agathon elevates the soul to 'sunlit heights,' but at the + same time contrasts with the natural and necessary eloquence of Socrates. + Agathon contributes the distinction between love and the works of love, + and also hints incidentally that love is always of beauty, which Socrates + afterwards raises into a principle. While the consciousness of discord is + stronger in the comic poet Aristophanes, Agathon, the tragic poet, has a + deeper sense of harmony and reconciliation, and speaks of Love as the + creator and artist. + </p> + <p> + All the earlier speeches embody common opinions coloured with a tinge of + philosophy. They furnish the material out of which Socrates proceeds to + form his discourse, starting, as in other places, from mythology and the + opinions of men. From Phaedrus he takes the thought that love is stronger + than death; from Pausanias, that the true love is akin to intellect and + political activity; from Eryximachus, that love is a universal phenomenon + and the great power of nature; from Aristophanes, that love is the child + of want, and is not merely the love of the congenial or of the whole, but + (as he adds) of the good; from Agathon, that love is of beauty, not + however of beauty only, but of birth in beauty. As it would be out of + character for Socrates to make a lengthened harangue, the speech takes the + form of a dialogue between Socrates and a mysterious woman of foreign + extraction. She elicits the final truth from one who knows nothing, and + who, speaking by the lips of another, and himself a despiser of rhetoric, + is proved also to be the most consummate of rhetoricians (compare + Menexenus). + </p> + <p> + The last of the six discourses begins with a short argument which + overthrows not only Agathon but all the preceding speakers by the help of + a distinction which has escaped them. Extravagant praises have been + ascribed to Love as the author of every good; no sort of encomium was too + high for him, whether deserved and true or not. But Socrates has no talent + for speaking anything but the truth, and if he is to speak the truth of + Love he must honestly confess that he is not a good at all: for love is of + the good, and no man can desire that which he has. This piece of + dialectics is ascribed to Diotima, who has already urged upon Socrates the + argument which he urges against Agathon. That the distinction is a fallacy + is obvious; it is almost acknowledged to be so by Socrates himself. For he + who has beauty or good may desire more of them; and he who has beauty or + good in himself may desire beauty and good in others. The fallacy seems to + arise out of a confusion between the abstract ideas of good and beauty, + which do not admit of degrees, and their partial realization in + individuals. + </p> + <p> + But Diotima, the prophetess of Mantineia, whose sacred and superhuman + character raises her above the ordinary proprieties of women, has taught + Socrates far more than this about the art and mystery of love. She has + taught him that love is another aspect of philosophy. The same want in the + human soul which is satisfied in the vulgar by the procreation of + children, may become the highest aspiration of intellectual desire. As the + Christian might speak of hungering and thirsting after righteousness; or + of divine loves under the figure of human (compare Eph. 'This is a great + mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church'); as the mediaeval + saint might speak of the 'fruitio Dei;' as Dante saw all things contained + in his love of Beatrice, so Plato would have us absorb all other loves and + desires in the love of knowledge. Here is the beginning of Neoplatonism, + or rather, perhaps, a proof (of which there are many) that the so-called + mysticism of the East was not strange to the Greek of the fifth century + before Christ. The first tumult of the affections was not wholly subdued; + there were longings of a creature moving about in worlds not realized, + which no art could satisfy. To most men reason and passion appear to be + antagonistic both in idea and fact. The union of the greatest + comprehension of knowledge and the burning intensity of love is a + contradiction in nature, which may have existed in a far-off primeval age + in the mind of some Hebrew prophet or other Eastern sage, but has now + become an imagination only. Yet this 'passion of the reason' is the theme + of the Symposium of Plato. And as there is no impossibility in supposing + that 'one king, or son of a king, may be a philosopher,' so also there is + a probability that there may be some few—perhaps one or two in a + whole generation—in whom the light of truth may not lack the warmth + of desire. And if there be such natures, no one will be disposed to deny + that 'from them flow most of the benefits of individuals and states;' and + even from imperfect combinations of the two elements in teachers or + statesmen great good may often arise. + </p> + <p> + Yet there is a higher region in which love is not only felt, but + satisfied, in the perfect beauty of eternal knowledge, beginning with the + beauty of earthly things, and at last reaching a beauty in which all + existence is seen to be harmonious and one. The limited affection is + enlarged, and enabled to behold the ideal of all things. And here the + highest summit which is reached in the Symposium is seen also to be the + highest summit which is attained in the Republic, but approached from + another side; and there is 'a way upwards and downwards,' which is the + same and not the same in both. The ideal beauty of the one is the ideal + good of the other; regarded not with the eye of knowledge, but of faith + and desire; and they are respectively the source of beauty and the source + of good in all other things. And by the steps of a 'ladder reaching to + heaven' we pass from images of visible beauty (Greek), and from the + hypotheses of the Mathematical sciences, which are not yet based upon the + idea of good, through the concrete to the abstract, and, by different + paths arriving, behold the vision of the eternal (compare Symp. (Greek) + Republic (Greek) also Phaedrus). Under one aspect 'the idea is love'; + under another, 'truth.' In both the lover of wisdom is the 'spectator of + all time and of all existence.' This is a 'mystery' in which Plato also + obscurely intimates the union of the spiritual and fleshly, the + interpenetration of the moral and intellectual faculties. + </p> + <p> + The divine image of beauty which resides within Socrates has been + revealed; the Silenus, or outward man, has now to be exhibited. The + description of Socrates follows immediately after the speech of Socrates; + one is the complement of the other. At the height of divine inspiration, + when the force of nature can no further go, by way of contrast to this + extreme idealism, Alcibiades, accompanied by a troop of revellers and a + flute-girl, staggers in, and being drunk is able to tell of things which + he would have been ashamed to make known if he had been sober. The state + of his affections towards Socrates, unintelligible to us and perverted as + they appear, affords an illustration of the power ascribed to the loves of + man in the speech of Pausanias. He does not suppose his feelings to be + peculiar to himself: there are several other persons in the company who + have been equally in love with Socrates, and like himself have been + deceived by him. The singular part of this confession is the combination + of the most degrading passion with the desire of virtue and improvement. + Such an union is not wholly untrue to human nature, which is capable of + combining good and evil in a degree beyond what we can easily conceive. In + imaginative persons, especially, the God and beast in man seem to part + asunder more than is natural in a well-regulated mind. The Platonic + Socrates (for of the real Socrates this may be doubted: compare his public + rebuke of Critias for his shameful love of Euthydemus in Xenophon, + Memorabilia) does not regard the greatest evil of Greek life as a thing + not to be spoken of; but it has a ridiculous element (Plato's Symp.), and + is a subject for irony, no less than for moral reprobation (compare + Plato's Symp.). It is also used as a figure of speech which no one + interpreted literally (compare Xen. Symp.). Nor does Plato feel any + repugnance, such as would be felt in modern times, at bringing his great + master and hero into connexion with nameless crimes. He is contented with + representing him as a saint, who has won 'the Olympian victory' over the + temptations of human nature. The fault of taste, which to us is so glaring + and which was recognized by the Greeks of a later age (Athenaeus), was not + perceived by Plato himself. We are still more surprised to find that the + philosopher is incited to take the first step in his upward progress + (Symp.) by the beauty of young men and boys, which was alone capable of + inspiring the modern feeling of romance in the Greek mind. The passion of + love took the spurious form of an enthusiasm for the ideal of beauty—a + worship as of some godlike image of an Apollo or Antinous. But the love of + youth when not depraved was a love of virtue and modesty as well as of + beauty, the one being the expression of the other; and in certain Greek + states, especially at Sparta and Thebes, the honourable attachment of a + youth to an elder man was a part of his education. The 'army of lovers and + their beloved who would be invincible if they could be united by such a + tie' (Symp.), is not a mere fiction of Plato's, but seems actually to have + existed at Thebes in the days of Epaminondas and Pelopidas, if we may + believe writers cited anonymously by Plutarch, Pelop. Vit. It is + observable that Plato never in the least degree excuses the depraved love + of the body (compare Charm.; Rep.; Laws; Symp.; and once more Xenophon, + Mem.), nor is there any Greek writer of mark who condones or approves such + connexions. But owing partly to the puzzling nature of the subject these + friendships are spoken of by Plato in a manner different from that + customary among ourselves. To most of them we should hesitate to ascribe, + any more than to the attachment of Achilles and Patroclus in Homer, an + immoral or licentious character. There were many, doubtless, to whom the + love of the fair mind was the noblest form of friendship (Rep.), and who + deemed the friendship of man with man to be higher than the love of woman, + because altogether separated from the bodily appetites. The existence of + such attachments may be reasonably attributed to the inferiority and + seclusion of woman, and the want of a real family or social life and + parental influence in Hellenic cities; and they were encouraged by the + practice of gymnastic exercises, by the meetings of political clubs, and + by the tie of military companionship. They were also an educational + institution: a young person was specially entrusted by his parents to some + elder friend who was expected by them to train their son in manly + exercises and in virtue. It is not likely that a Greek parent committed + him to a lover, any more than we should to a schoolmaster, in the + expectation that he would be corrupted by him, but rather in the hope that + his morals would be better cared for than was possible in a great + household of slaves. + </p> + <p> + It is difficult to adduce the authority of Plato either for or against + such practices or customs, because it is not always easy to determine + whether he is speaking of 'the heavenly and philosophical love, or of the + coarse Polyhymnia:' and he often refers to this (e.g. in the Symposium) + half in jest, yet 'with a certain degree of seriousness.' We observe that + they entered into one part of Greek literature, but not into another, and + that the larger part is free from such associations. Indecency was an + element of the ludicrous in the old Greek Comedy, as it has been in other + ages and countries. But effeminate love was always condemned as well as + ridiculed by the Comic poets; and in the New Comedy the allusions to such + topics have disappeared. They seem to have been no longer tolerated by the + greater refinement of the age. False sentiment is found in the Lyric and + Elegiac poets; and in mythology 'the greatest of the Gods' (Rep.) is not + exempt from evil imputations. But the morals of a nation are not to be + judged of wholly by its literature. Hellas was not necessarily more + corrupted in the days of the Persian and Peloponnesian wars, or of Plato + and the Orators, than England in the time of Fielding and Smollett, or + France in the nineteenth century. No one supposes certain French novels to + be a representation of ordinary French life. And the greater part of Greek + literature, beginning with Homer and including the tragedians, + philosophers, and, with the exception of the Comic poets (whose business + was to raise a laugh by whatever means), all the greater writers of Hellas + who have been preserved to us, are free from the taint of indecency. + </p> + <p> + Some general considerations occur to our mind when we begin to reflect on + this subject. (1) That good and evil are linked together in human nature, + and have often existed side by side in the world and in man to an extent + hardly credible. We cannot distinguish them, and are therefore unable to + part them; as in the parable 'they grow together unto the harvest:' it is + only a rule of external decency by which society can divide them. Nor + should we be right in inferring from the prevalence of any one vice or + corruption that a state or individual was demoralized in their whole + character. Not only has the corruption of the best been sometimes thought + to be the worst, but it may be remarked that this very excess of evil has + been the stimulus to good (compare Plato, Laws, where he says that in the + most corrupt cities individuals are to be found beyond all praise). (2) It + may be observed that evils which admit of degrees can seldom be rightly + estimated, because under the same name actions of the most different + degrees of culpability may be included. No charge is more easily set going + than the imputation of secret wickedness (which cannot be either proved or + disproved and often cannot be defined) when directed against a person of + whom the world, or a section of it, is predisposed to think evil. And it + is quite possible that the malignity of Greek scandal, aroused by some + personal jealousy or party enmity, may have converted the innocent + friendship of a great man for a noble youth into a connexion of another + kind. Such accusations were brought against several of the leading men of + Hellas, e.g. Cimon, Alcibiades, Critias, Demosthenes, Epaminondas: several + of the Roman emperors were assailed by similar weapons which have been + used even in our own day against statesmen of the highest character. (3) + While we know that in this matter there is a great gulf fixed between + Greek and Christian Ethics, yet, if we would do justice to the Greeks, we + must also acknowledge that there was a greater outspokenness among them + than among ourselves about the things which nature hides, and that the + more frequent mention of such topics is not to be taken as the measure of + the prevalence of offences, or as a proof of the general corruption of + society. It is likely that every religion in the world has used words or + practised rites in one age, which have become distasteful or repugnant to + another. We cannot, though for different reasons, trust the + representations either of Comedy or Satire; and still less of Christian + Apologists. (4) We observe that at Thebes and Lacedemon the attachment of + an elder friend to a beloved youth was often deemed to be a part of his + education; and was encouraged by his parents—it was only shameful if + it degenerated into licentiousness. Such we may believe to have been the + tie which united Asophychus and Cephisodorus with the great Epaminondas in + whose companionship they fell (Plutarch, Amat.; Athenaeus on the authority + of Theopompus). (5) A small matter: there appears to be a difference of + custom among the Greeks and among ourselves, as between ourselves and + continental nations at the present time, in modes of salutation. We must + not suspect evil in the hearty kiss or embrace of a male friend 'returning + from the army at Potidaea' any more than in a similar salutation when + practised by members of the same family. But those who make these + admissions, and who regard, not without pity, the victims of such + illusions in our own day, whose life has been blasted by them, may be none + the less resolved that the natural and healthy instincts of mankind shall + alone be tolerated (Greek); and that the lesson of manliness which we have + inherited from our fathers shall not degenerate into sentimentalism or + effeminacy. The possibility of an honourable connexion of this kind seems + to have died out with Greek civilization. Among the Romans, and also among + barbarians, such as the Celts and Persians, there is no trace of such + attachments existing in any noble or virtuous form. + </p> + <p> + (Compare Hoeck's Creta and the admirable and exhaustive article of Meier + in Ersch and Grueber's Cyclopedia on this subject; Plutarch, Amatores; + Athenaeus; Lysias contra Simonem; Aesch. c. Timarchum.) + </p> + <p> + The character of Alcibiades in the Symposium is hardly less remarkable + than that of Socrates, and agrees with the picture given of him in the + first of the two Dialogues which are called by his name, and also with the + slight sketch of him in the Protagoras. He is the impersonation of + lawlessness—'the lion's whelp, who ought not to be reared in the + city,' yet not without a certain generosity which gained the hearts of + men,—strangely fascinated by Socrates, and possessed of a genius + which might have been either the destruction or salvation of Athens. The + dramatic interest of the character is heightened by the recollection of + his after history. He seems to have been present to the mind of Plato in + the description of the democratic man of the Republic (compare also + Alcibiades 1). + </p> + <p> + There is no criterion of the date of the Symposium, except that which is + furnished by the allusion to the division of Arcadia after the destruction + of Mantinea. This took place in the year B.C. 384, which is the + forty-fourth year of Plato's life. The Symposium cannot therefore be + regarded as a youthful work. As Mantinea was restored in the year 369, the + composition of the Dialogue will probably fall between 384 and 369. + Whether the recollection of the event is more likely to have been renewed + at the destruction or restoration of the city, rather than at some + intermediate period, is a consideration not worth raising. + </p> + <p> + The Symposium is connected with the Phaedrus both in style and subject; + they are the only Dialogues of Plato in which the theme of love is + discussed at length. In both of them philosophy is regarded as a sort of + enthusiasm or madness; Socrates is himself 'a prophet new inspired' with + Bacchanalian revelry, which, like his philosophy, he characteristically + pretends to have derived not from himself but from others. The Phaedo also + presents some points of comparison with the Symposium. For there, too, + philosophy might be described as 'dying for love;' and there are not + wanting many touches of humour and fancy, which remind us of the + Symposium. But while the Phaedo and Phaedrus look backwards and forwards + to past and future states of existence, in the Symposium there is no break + between this world and another; and we rise from one to the other by a + regular series of steps or stages, proceeding from the particulars of + sense to the universal of reason, and from one universal to many, which + are finally reunited in a single science (compare Rep.). At first + immortality means only the succession of existences; even knowledge comes + and goes. Then follows, in the language of the mysteries, a higher and a + higher degree of initiation; at last we arrive at the perfect vision of + beauty, not relative or changing, but eternal and absolute; not bounded by + this world, or in or out of this world, but an aspect of the divine, + extending over all things, and having no limit of space or time: this is + the highest knowledge of which the human mind is capable. Plato does not + go on to ask whether the individual is absorbed in the sea of light and + beauty or retains his personality. Enough for him to have attained the + true beauty or good, without enquiring precisely into the relation in + which human beings stood to it. That the soul has such a reach of thought, + and is capable of partaking of the eternal nature, seems to imply that she + too is eternal (compare Phaedrus). But Plato does not distinguish the + eternal in man from the eternal in the world or in God. He is willing to + rest in the contemplation of the idea, which to him is the cause of all + things (Rep.), and has no strength to go further. + </p> + <p> + The Symposium of Xenophon, in which Socrates describes himself as a + pander, and also discourses of the difference between sensual and + sentimental love, likewise offers several interesting points of + comparison. But the suspicion which hangs over other writings of Xenophon, + and the numerous minute references to the Phaedrus and Symposium, as well + as to some of the other writings of Plato, throw a doubt on the + genuineness of the work. The Symposium of Xenophon, if written by him at + all, would certainly show that he wrote against Plato, and was acquainted + with his works. Of this hostility there is no trace in the Memorabilia. + Such a rivalry is more characteristic of an imitator than of an original + writer. The (so-called) Symposium of Xenophon may therefore have no more + title to be regarded as genuine than the confessedly spurious Apology. + </p> + <p> + There are no means of determining the relative order in time of the + Phaedrus, Symposium, Phaedo. The order which has been adopted in this + translation rests on no other principle than the desire to bring together + in a series the memorials of the life of Socrates. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2H_4_0002" id="link2H_4_0002"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + SYMPOSIUM + </h2> + <p> + PERSONS OF THE DIALOGUE: Apollodorus, who repeats to his companion the + dialogue which he had heard from Aristodemus, and had already once + narrated to Glaucon. Phaedrus, Pausanias, Eryximachus, Aristophanes, + Agathon, Socrates, Alcibiades, A Troop of Revellers. + </p> + <p> + SCENE: The House of Agathon. + </p> + <p> + Concerning the things about which you ask to be informed I believe that I + am not ill-prepared with an answer. For the day before yesterday I was + coming from my own home at Phalerum to the city, and one of my + acquaintance, who had caught a sight of me from behind, calling out + playfully in the distance, said: Apollodorus, O thou Phalerian (Probably a + play of words on (Greek), 'bald-headed.') man, halt! So I did as I was + bid; and then he said, I was looking for you, Apollodorus, only just now, + that I might ask you about the speeches in praise of love, which were + delivered by Socrates, Alcibiades, and others, at Agathon's supper. + Phoenix, the son of Philip, told another person who told me of them; his + narrative was very indistinct, but he said that you knew, and I wish that + you would give me an account of them. Who, if not you, should be the + reporter of the words of your friend? And first tell me, he said, were you + present at this meeting? + </p> + <p> + Your informant, Glaucon, I said, must have been very indistinct indeed, if + you imagine that the occasion was recent; or that I could have been of the + party. + </p> + <p> + Why, yes, he replied, I thought so. + </p> + <p> + Impossible: I said. Are you ignorant that for many years Agathon has not + resided at Athens; and not three have elapsed since I became acquainted + with Socrates, and have made it my daily business to know all that he says + and does. There was a time when I was running about the world, fancying + myself to be well employed, but I was really a most wretched being, no + better than you are now. I thought that I ought to do anything rather than + be a philosopher. + </p> + <p> + Well, he said, jesting apart, tell me when the meeting occurred. + </p> + <p> + In our boyhood, I replied, when Agathon won the prize with his first + tragedy, on the day after that on which he and his chorus offered the + sacrifice of victory. + </p> + <p> + Then it must have been a long while ago, he said; and who told you—did + Socrates? + </p> + <p> + No indeed, I replied, but the same person who told Phoenix;—he was a + little fellow, who never wore any shoes, Aristodemus, of the deme of + Cydathenaeum. He had been at Agathon's feast; and I think that in those + days there was no one who was a more devoted admirer of Socrates. + Moreover, I have asked Socrates about the truth of some parts of his + narrative, and he confirmed them. Then, said Glaucon, let us have the tale + over again; is not the road to Athens just made for conversation? And so + we walked, and talked of the discourses on love; and therefore, as I said + at first, I am not ill-prepared to comply with your request, and will have + another rehearsal of them if you like. For to speak or to hear others + speak of philosophy always gives me the greatest pleasure, to say nothing + of the profit. But when I hear another strain, especially that of you rich + men and traders, such conversation displeases me; and I pity you who are + my companions, because you think that you are doing something when in + reality you are doing nothing. And I dare say that you pity me in return, + whom you regard as an unhappy creature, and very probably you are right. + But I certainly know of you what you only think of me—there is the + difference. + </p> + <p> + COMPANION: I see, Apollodorus, that you are just the same—always + speaking evil of yourself, and of others; and I do believe that you pity + all mankind, with the exception of Socrates, yourself first of all, true + in this to your old name, which, however deserved, I know not how you + acquired, of Apollodorus the madman; for you are always raging against + yourself and everybody but Socrates. + </p> + <p> + APOLLODORUS: Yes, friend, and the reason why I am said to be mad, and out + of my wits, is just because I have these notions of myself and you; no + other evidence is required. + </p> + <p> + COMPANION: No more of that, Apollodorus; but let me renew my request that + you would repeat the conversation. + </p> + <p> + APOLLODORUS: Well, the tale of love was on this wise:—But perhaps I + had better begin at the beginning, and endeavour to give you the exact + words of Aristodemus: + </p> + <p> + He said that he met Socrates fresh from the bath and sandalled; and as the + sight of the sandals was unusual, he asked him whither he was going that + he had been converted into such a beau:— + </p> + <p> + To a banquet at Agathon's, he replied, whose invitation to his sacrifice + of victory I refused yesterday, fearing a crowd, but promising that I + would come to-day instead; and so I have put on my finery, because he is + such a fine man. What say you to going with me unasked? + </p> + <p> + I will do as you bid me, I replied. + </p> + <p> + Follow then, he said, and let us demolish the proverb:— + </p> + <p> + 'To the feasts of inferior men the good unbidden go;' + </p> + <p> + instead of which our proverb will run:— + </p> + <p> + 'To the feasts of the good the good unbidden go;' + </p> + <p> + and this alteration may be supported by the authority of Homer himself, + who not only demolishes but literally outrages the proverb. For, after + picturing Agamemnon as the most valiant of men, he makes Menelaus, who is + but a fainthearted warrior, come unbidden (Iliad) to the banquet of + Agamemnon, who is feasting and offering sacrifices, not the better to the + worse, but the worse to the better. + </p> + <p> + I rather fear, Socrates, said Aristodemus, lest this may still be my case; + and that, like Menelaus in Homer, I shall be the inferior person, who + </p> + <p> + 'To the feasts of the wise unbidden goes.' + </p> + <p> + But I shall say that I was bidden of you, and then you will have to make + an excuse. + </p> + <p> + 'Two going together,' + </p> + <p> + he replied, in Homeric fashion, one or other of them may invent an excuse + by the way (Iliad). + </p> + <p> + This was the style of their conversation as they went along. Socrates + dropped behind in a fit of abstraction, and desired Aristodemus, who was + waiting, to go on before him. When he reached the house of Agathon he + found the doors wide open, and a comical thing happened. A servant coming + out met him, and led him at once into the banqueting-hall in which the + guests were reclining, for the banquet was about to begin. Welcome, + Aristodemus, said Agathon, as soon as he appeared—you are just in + time to sup with us; if you come on any other matter put it off, and make + one of us, as I was looking for you yesterday and meant to have asked you, + if I could have found you. But what have you done with Socrates? + </p> + <p> + I turned round, but Socrates was nowhere to be seen; and I had to explain + that he had been with me a moment before, and that I came by his + invitation to the supper. + </p> + <p> + You were quite right in coming, said Agathon; but where is he himself? + </p> + <p> + He was behind me just now, as I entered, he said, and I cannot think what + has become of him. + </p> + <p> + Go and look for him, boy, said Agathon, and bring him in; and do you, + Aristodemus, meanwhile take the place by Eryximachus. + </p> + <p> + The servant then assisted him to wash, and he lay down, and presently + another servant came in and reported that our friend Socrates had retired + into the portico of the neighbouring house. 'There he is fixed,' said he, + 'and when I call to him he will not stir.' + </p> + <p> + How strange, said Agathon; then you must call him again, and keep calling + him. + </p> + <p> + Let him alone, said my informant; he has a way of stopping anywhere and + losing himself without any reason. I believe that he will soon appear; do + not therefore disturb him. + </p> + <p> + Well, if you think so, I will leave him, said Agathon. And then, turning + to the servants, he added, 'Let us have supper without waiting for him. + Serve up whatever you please, for there is no one to give you orders; + hitherto I have never left you to yourselves. But on this occasion imagine + that you are our hosts, and that I and the company are your guests; treat + us well, and then we shall commend you.' After this, supper was served, + but still no Socrates; and during the meal Agathon several times expressed + a wish to send for him, but Aristodemus objected; and at last when the + feast was about half over—for the fit, as usual, was not of long + duration—Socrates entered. Agathon, who was reclining alone at the + end of the table, begged that he would take the place next to him; that 'I + may touch you,' he said, 'and have the benefit of that wise thought which + came into your mind in the portico, and is now in your possession; for I + am certain that you would not have come away until you had found what you + sought.' + </p> + <p> + How I wish, said Socrates, taking his place as he was desired, that wisdom + could be infused by touch, out of the fuller into the emptier man, as + water runs through wool out of a fuller cup into an emptier one; if that + were so, how greatly should I value the privilege of reclining at your + side! For you would have filled me full with a stream of wisdom plenteous + and fair; whereas my own is of a very mean and questionable sort, no + better than a dream. But yours is bright and full of promise, and was + manifested forth in all the splendour of youth the day before yesterday, + in the presence of more than thirty thousand Hellenes. + </p> + <p> + You are mocking, Socrates, said Agathon, and ere long you and I will have + to determine who bears off the palm of wisdom—of this Dionysus shall + be the judge; but at present you are better occupied with supper. + </p> + <p> + Socrates took his place on the couch, and supped with the rest; and then + libations were offered, and after a hymn had been sung to the god, and + there had been the usual ceremonies, they were about to commence drinking, + when Pausanias said, And now, my friends, how can we drink with least + injury to ourselves? I can assure you that I feel severely the effect of + yesterday's potations, and must have time to recover; and I suspect that + most of you are in the same predicament, for you were of the party + yesterday. Consider then: How can the drinking be made easiest? + </p> + <p> + I entirely agree, said Aristophanes, that we should, by all means, avoid + hard drinking, for I was myself one of those who were yesterday drowned in + drink. + </p> + <p> + I think that you are right, said Eryximachus, the son of Acumenus; but I + should still like to hear one other person speak: Is Agathon able to drink + hard? + </p> + <p> + I am not equal to it, said Agathon. + </p> + <p> + Then, said Eryximachus, the weak heads like myself, Aristodemus, Phaedrus, + and others who never can drink, are fortunate in finding that the stronger + ones are not in a drinking mood. (I do not include Socrates, who is able + either to drink or to abstain, and will not mind, whichever we do.) Well, + as of none of the company seem disposed to drink much, I may be forgiven + for saying, as a physician, that drinking deep is a bad practice, which I + never follow, if I can help, and certainly do not recommend to another, + least of all to any one who still feels the effects of yesterday's + carouse. + </p> + <p> + I always do what you advise, and especially what you prescribe as a + physician, rejoined Phaedrus the Myrrhinusian, and the rest of the + company, if they are wise, will do the same. + </p> + <p> + It was agreed that drinking was not to be the order of the day, but that + they were all to drink only so much as they pleased. + </p> + <p> + Then, said Eryximachus, as you are all agreed that drinking is to be + voluntary, and that there is to be no compulsion, I move, in the next + place, that the flute-girl, who has just made her appearance, be told to + go away and play to herself, or, if she likes, to the women who are within + (compare Prot.). To-day let us have conversation instead; and, if you will + allow me, I will tell you what sort of conversation. This proposal having + been accepted, Eryximachus proceeded as follows:— + </p> + <p> + I will begin, he said, after the manner of Melanippe in Euripides, + </p> + <p> + 'Not mine the word' + </p> + <p> + which I am about to speak, but that of Phaedrus. For often he says to me + in an indignant tone:—'What a strange thing it is, Eryximachus, + that, whereas other gods have poems and hymns made in their honour, the + great and glorious god, Love, has no encomiast among all the poets who are + so many. There are the worthy sophists too—the excellent Prodicus + for example, who have descanted in prose on the virtues of Heracles and + other heroes; and, what is still more extraordinary, I have met with a + philosophical work in which the utility of salt has been made the theme of + an eloquent discourse; and many other like things have had a like honour + bestowed upon them. And only to think that there should have been an eager + interest created about them, and yet that to this day no one has ever + dared worthily to hymn Love's praises! So entirely has this great deity + been neglected.' Now in this Phaedrus seems to me to be quite right, and + therefore I want to offer him a contribution; also I think that at the + present moment we who are here assembled cannot do better than honour the + god Love. If you agree with me, there will be no lack of conversation; for + I mean to propose that each of us in turn, going from left to right, shall + make a speech in honour of Love. Let him give us the best which he can; + and Phaedrus, because he is sitting first on the left hand, and because he + is the father of the thought, shall begin. + </p> + <p> + No one will vote against you, Eryximachus, said Socrates. How can I oppose + your motion, who profess to understand nothing but matters of love; nor, I + presume, will Agathon and Pausanias; and there can be no doubt of + Aristophanes, whose whole concern is with Dionysus and Aphrodite; nor will + any one disagree of those whom I see around me. The proposal, as I am + aware, may seem rather hard upon us whose place is last; but we shall be + contented if we hear some good speeches first. Let Phaedrus begin the + praise of Love, and good luck to him. All the company expressed their + assent, and desired him to do as Socrates bade him. + </p> + <p> + Aristodemus did not recollect all that was said, nor do I recollect all + that he related to me; but I will tell you what I thought most worthy of + remembrance, and what the chief speakers said. + </p> + <p> + Phaedrus began by affirming that Love is a mighty god, and wonderful among + gods and men, but especially wonderful in his birth. For he is the eldest + of the gods, which is an honour to him; and a proof of his claim to this + honour is, that of his parents there is no memorial; neither poet nor + prose-writer has ever affirmed that he had any. As Hesiod says:— + </p> + <p> + 'First Chaos came, and then broad-bosomed Earth, The everlasting seat of + all that is, And Love.' + </p> + <p> + In other words, after Chaos, the Earth and Love, these two, came into + being. Also Parmenides sings of Generation: + </p> + <p> + 'First in the train of gods, he fashioned Love.' + </p> + <p> + And Acusilaus agrees with Hesiod. Thus numerous are the witnesses who + acknowledge Love to be the eldest of the gods. And not only is he the + eldest, he is also the source of the greatest benefits to us. For I know + not any greater blessing to a young man who is beginning life than a + virtuous lover, or to the lover than a beloved youth. For the principle + which ought to be the guide of men who would nobly live—that + principle, I say, neither kindred, nor honour, nor wealth, nor any other + motive is able to implant so well as love. Of what am I speaking? Of the + sense of honour and dishonour, without which neither states nor + individuals ever do any good or great work. And I say that a lover who is + detected in doing any dishonourable act, or submitting through cowardice + when any dishonour is done to him by another, will be more pained at being + detected by his beloved than at being seen by his father, or by his + companions, or by any one else. The beloved too, when he is found in any + disgraceful situation, has the same feeling about his lover. And if there + were only some way of contriving that a state or an army should be made up + of lovers and their loves (compare Rep.), they would be the very best + governors of their own city, abstaining from all dishonour, and emulating + one another in honour; and when fighting at each other's side, although a + mere handful, they would overcome the world. For what lover would not + choose rather to be seen by all mankind than by his beloved, either when + abandoning his post or throwing away his arms? He would be ready to die a + thousand deaths rather than endure this. Or who would desert his beloved + or fail him in the hour of danger? The veriest coward would become an + inspired hero, equal to the bravest, at such a time; Love would inspire + him. That courage which, as Homer says, the god breathes into the souls of + some heroes, Love of his own nature infuses into the lover. + </p> + <p> + Love will make men dare to die for their beloved—love alone; and + women as well as men. Of this, Alcestis, the daughter of Pelias, is a + monument to all Hellas; for she was willing to lay down her life on behalf + of her husband, when no one else would, although he had a father and + mother; but the tenderness of her love so far exceeded theirs, that she + made them seem to be strangers in blood to their own son, and in name only + related to him; and so noble did this action of hers appear to the gods, + as well as to men, that among the many who have done virtuously she is one + of the very few to whom, in admiration of her noble action, they have + granted the privilege of returning alive to earth; such exceeding honour + is paid by the gods to the devotion and virtue of love. But Orpheus, the + son of Oeagrus, the harper, they sent empty away, and presented to him an + apparition only of her whom he sought, but herself they would not give up, + because he showed no spirit; he was only a harp-player, and did not dare + like Alcestis to die for love, but was contriving how he might enter Hades + alive; moreover, they afterwards caused him to suffer death at the hands + of women, as the punishment of his cowardliness. Very different was the + reward of the true love of Achilles towards his lover Patroclus—his + lover and not his love (the notion that Patroclus was the beloved one is a + foolish error into which Aeschylus has fallen, for Achilles was surely the + fairer of the two, fairer also than all the other heroes; and, as Homer + informs us, he was still beardless, and younger far). And greatly as the + gods honour the virtue of love, still the return of love on the part of + the beloved to the lover is more admired and valued and rewarded by them, + for the lover is more divine; because he is inspired by God. Now Achilles + was quite aware, for he had been told by his mother, that he might avoid + death and return home, and live to a good old age, if he abstained from + slaying Hector. Nevertheless he gave his life to revenge his friend, and + dared to die, not only in his defence, but after he was dead. Wherefore + the gods honoured him even above Alcestis, and sent him to the Islands of + the Blest. These are my reasons for affirming that Love is the eldest and + noblest and mightiest of the gods; and the chiefest author and giver of + virtue in life, and of happiness after death. + </p> + <p> + This, or something like this, was the speech of Phaedrus; and some other + speeches followed which Aristodemus did not remember; the next which he + repeated was that of Pausanias. Phaedrus, he said, the argument has not + been set before us, I think, quite in the right form;—we should not + be called upon to praise Love in such an indiscriminate manner. If there + were only one Love, then what you said would be well enough; but since + there are more Loves than one,—should have begun by determining + which of them was to be the theme of our praises. I will amend this + defect; and first of all I will tell you which Love is deserving of + praise, and then try to hymn the praiseworthy one in a manner worthy of + him. For we all know that Love is inseparable from Aphrodite, and if there + were only one Aphrodite there would be only one Love; but as there are two + goddesses there must be two Loves. And am I not right in asserting that + there are two goddesses? The elder one, having no mother, who is called + the heavenly Aphrodite—she is the daughter of Uranus; the younger, + who is the daughter of Zeus and Dione—her we call common; and the + Love who is her fellow-worker is rightly named common, as the other love + is called heavenly. All the gods ought to have praise given to them, but + not without distinction of their natures; and therefore I must try to + distinguish the characters of the two Loves. Now actions vary according to + the manner of their performance. Take, for example, that which we are now + doing, drinking, singing and talking—these actions are not in + themselves either good or evil, but they turn out in this or that way + according to the mode of performing them; and when well done they are + good, and when wrongly done they are evil; and in like manner not every + love, but only that which has a noble purpose, is noble and worthy of + praise. The Love who is the offspring of the common Aphrodite is + essentially common, and has no discrimination, being such as the meaner + sort of men feel, and is apt to be of women as well as of youths, and is + of the body rather than of the soul—the most foolish beings are the + objects of this love which desires only to gain an end, but never thinks + of accomplishing the end nobly, and therefore does good and evil quite + indiscriminately. The goddess who is his mother is far younger than the + other, and she was born of the union of the male and female, and partakes + of both. But the offspring of the heavenly Aphrodite is derived from a + mother in whose birth the female has no part,—she is from the male + only; this is that love which is of youths, and the goddess being older, + there is nothing of wantonness in her. Those who are inspired by this love + turn to the male, and delight in him who is the more valiant and + intelligent nature; any one may recognise the pure enthusiasts in the very + character of their attachments. For they love not boys, but intelligent + beings whose reason is beginning to be developed, much about the time at + which their beards begin to grow. And in choosing young men to be their + companions, they mean to be faithful to them, and pass their whole life in + company with them, not to take them in their inexperience, and deceive + them, and play the fool with them, or run away from one to another of + them. But the love of young boys should be forbidden by law, because their + future is uncertain; they may turn out good or bad, either in body or + soul, and much noble enthusiasm may be thrown away upon them; in this + matter the good are a law to themselves, and the coarser sort of lovers + ought to be restrained by force; as we restrain or attempt to restrain + them from fixing their affections on women of free birth. These are the + persons who bring a reproach on love; and some have been led to deny the + lawfulness of such attachments because they see the impropriety and evil + of them; for surely nothing that is decorously and lawfully done can + justly be censured. Now here and in Lacedaemon the rules about love are + perplexing, but in most cities they are simple and easily intelligible; in + Elis and Boeotia, and in countries having no gifts of eloquence, they are + very straightforward; the law is simply in favour of these connexions, and + no one, whether young or old, has anything to say to their discredit; the + reason being, as I suppose, that they are men of few words in those parts, + and therefore the lovers do not like the trouble of pleading their suit. + In Ionia and other places, and generally in countries which are subject to + the barbarians, the custom is held to be dishonourable; loves of youths + share the evil repute in which philosophy and gymnastics are held, because + they are inimical to tyranny; for the interests of rulers require that + their subjects should be poor in spirit (compare Arist. Politics), and + that there should be no strong bond of friendship or society among them, + which love, above all other motives, is likely to inspire, as our Athenian + tyrants learned by experience; for the love of Aristogeiton and the + constancy of Harmodius had a strength which undid their power. And, + therefore, the ill-repute into which these attachments have fallen is to + be ascribed to the evil condition of those who make them to be + ill-reputed; that is to say, to the self-seeking of the governors and the + cowardice of the governed; on the other hand, the indiscriminate honour + which is given to them in some countries is attributable to the laziness + of those who hold this opinion of them. In our own country a far better + principle prevails, but, as I was saying, the explanation of it is rather + perplexing. For, observe that open loves are held to be more honourable + than secret ones, and that the love of the noblest and highest, even if + their persons are less beautiful than others, is especially honourable. + Consider, too, how great is the encouragement which all the world gives to + the lover; neither is he supposed to be doing anything dishonourable; but + if he succeeds he is praised, and if he fail he is blamed. And in the + pursuit of his love the custom of mankind allows him to do many strange + things, which philosophy would bitterly censure if they were done from any + motive of interest, or wish for office or power. He may pray, and entreat, + and supplicate, and swear, and lie on a mat at the door, and endure a + slavery worse than that of any slave—in any other case friends and + enemies would be equally ready to prevent him, but now there is no friend + who will be ashamed of him and admonish him, and no enemy will charge him + with meanness or flattery; the actions of a lover have a grace which + ennobles them; and custom has decided that they are highly commendable and + that there no loss of character in them; and, what is strangest of all, he + only may swear and forswear himself (so men say), and the gods will + forgive his transgression, for there is no such thing as a lover's oath. + Such is the entire liberty which gods and men have allowed the lover, + according to the custom which prevails in our part of the world. From this + point of view a man fairly argues that in Athens to love and to be loved + is held to be a very honourable thing. But when parents forbid their sons + to talk with their lovers, and place them under a tutor's care, who is + appointed to see to these things, and their companions and equals cast in + their teeth anything of the sort which they may observe, and their elders + refuse to silence the reprovers and do not rebuke them—any one who + reflects on all this will, on the contrary, think that we hold these + practices to be most disgraceful. But, as I was saying at first, the truth + as I imagine is, that whether such practices are honourable or whether + they are dishonourable is not a simple question; they are honourable to + him who follows them honourably, dishonourable to him who follows them + dishonourably. There is dishonour in yielding to the evil, or in an evil + manner; but there is honour in yielding to the good, or in an honourable + manner. Evil is the vulgar lover who loves the body rather than the soul, + inasmuch as he is not even stable, because he loves a thing which is in + itself unstable, and therefore when the bloom of youth which he was + desiring is over, he takes wing and flies away, in spite of all his words + and promises; whereas the love of the noble disposition is life-long, for + it becomes one with the everlasting. The custom of our country would have + both of them proven well and truly, and would have us yield to the one + sort of lover and avoid the other, and therefore encourages some to + pursue, and others to fly; testing both the lover and beloved in contests + and trials, until they show to which of the two classes they respectively + belong. And this is the reason why, in the first place, a hasty attachment + is held to be dishonourable, because time is the true test of this as of + most other things; and secondly there is a dishonour in being overcome by + the love of money, or of wealth, or of political power, whether a man is + frightened into surrender by the loss of them, or, having experienced the + benefits of money and political corruption, is unable to rise above the + seductions of them. For none of these things are of a permanent or lasting + nature; not to mention that no generous friendship ever sprang from them. + There remains, then, only one way of honourable attachment which custom + allows in the beloved, and this is the way of virtue; for as we admitted + that any service which the lover does to him is not to be accounted + flattery or a dishonour to himself, so the beloved has one way only of + voluntary service which is not dishonourable, and this is virtuous + service. + </p> + <p> + For we have a custom, and according to our custom any one who does service + to another under the idea that he will be improved by him either in + wisdom, or in some other particular of virtue—such a voluntary + service, I say, is not to be regarded as a dishonour, and is not open to + the charge of flattery. And these two customs, one the love of youth, and + the other the practice of philosophy and virtue in general, ought to meet + in one, and then the beloved may honourably indulge the lover. For when + the lover and beloved come together, having each of them a law, and the + lover thinks that he is right in doing any service which he can to his + gracious loving one; and the other that he is right in showing any + kindness which he can to him who is making him wise and good; the one + capable of communicating wisdom and virtue, the other seeking to acquire + them with a view to education and wisdom, when the two laws of love are + fulfilled and meet in one—then, and then only, may the beloved yield + with honour to the lover. Nor when love is of this disinterested sort is + there any disgrace in being deceived, but in every other case there is + equal disgrace in being or not being deceived. For he who is gracious to + his lover under the impression that he is rich, and is disappointed of his + gains because he turns out to be poor, is disgraced all the same: for he + has done his best to show that he would give himself up to any one's 'uses + base' for the sake of money; but this is not honourable. And on the same + principle he who gives himself to a lover because he is a good man, and in + the hope that he will be improved by his company, shows himself to be + virtuous, even though the object of his affection turn out to be a + villain, and to have no virtue; and if he is deceived he has committed a + noble error. For he has proved that for his part he will do anything for + anybody with a view to virtue and improvement, than which there can be + nothing nobler. Thus noble in every case is the acceptance of another for + the sake of virtue. This is that love which is the love of the heavenly + godess, and is heavenly, and of great price to individuals and cities, + making the lover and the beloved alike eager in the work of their own + improvement. But all other loves are the offspring of the other, who is + the common goddess. To you, Phaedrus, I offer this my contribution in + praise of love, which is as good as I could make extempore. + </p> + <p> + Pausanias came to a pause—this is the balanced way in which I have + been taught by the wise to speak; and Aristodemus said that the turn of + Aristophanes was next, but either he had eaten too much, or from some + other cause he had the hiccough, and was obliged to change turns with + Eryximachus the physician, who was reclining on the couch below him. + Eryximachus, he said, you ought either to stop my hiccough, or to speak in + my turn until I have left off. + </p> + <p> + I will do both, said Eryximachus: I will speak in your turn, and do you + speak in mine; and while I am speaking let me recommend you to hold your + breath, and if after you have done so for some time the hiccough is no + better, then gargle with a little water; and if it still continues, tickle + your nose with something and sneeze; and if you sneeze once or twice, even + the most violent hiccough is sure to go. I will do as you prescribe, said + Aristophanes, and now get on. + </p> + <p> + Eryximachus spoke as follows: Seeing that Pausanias made a fair beginning, + and but a lame ending, I must endeavour to supply his deficiency. I think + that he has rightly distinguished two kinds of love. But my art further + informs me that the double love is not merely an affection of the soul of + man towards the fair, or towards anything, but is to be found in the + bodies of all animals and in productions of the earth, and I may say in + all that is; such is the conclusion which I seem to have gathered from my + own art of medicine, whence I learn how great and wonderful and universal + is the deity of love, whose empire extends over all things, divine as well + as human. And from medicine I will begin that I may do honour to my art. + There are in the human body these two kinds of love, which are confessedly + different and unlike, and being unlike, they have loves and desires which + are unlike; and the desire of the healthy is one, and the desire of the + diseased is another; and as Pausanias was just now saying that to indulge + good men is honourable, and bad men dishonourable:—so too in the + body the good and healthy elements are to be indulged, and the bad + elements and the elements of disease are not to be indulged, but + discouraged. And this is what the physician has to do, and in this the art + of medicine consists: for medicine may be regarded generally as the + knowledge of the loves and desires of the body, and how to satisfy them or + not; and the best physician is he who is able to separate fair love from + foul, or to convert one into the other; and he who knows how to eradicate + and how to implant love, whichever is required, and can reconcile the most + hostile elements in the constitution and make them loving friends, is a + skilful practitioner. Now the most hostile are the most opposite, such as + hot and cold, bitter and sweet, moist and dry, and the like. And my + ancestor, Asclepius, knowing how to implant friendship and accord in these + elements, was the creator of our art, as our friends the poets here tell + us, and I believe them; and not only medicine in every branch but the arts + of gymnastic and husbandry are under his dominion. Any one who pays the + least attention to the subject will also perceive that in music there is + the same reconciliation of opposites; and I suppose that this must have + been the meaning of Heracleitus, although his words are not accurate; for + he says that The One is united by disunion, like the harmony of the bow + and the lyre. Now there is an absurdity saying that harmony is discord or + is composed of elements which are still in a state of discord. But what he + probably meant was, that harmony is composed of differing notes of higher + or lower pitch which disagreed once, but are now reconciled by the art of + music; for if the higher and lower notes still disagreed, there could be + no harmony,—clearly not. For harmony is a symphony, and symphony is + an agreement; but an agreement of disagreements while they disagree there + cannot be; you cannot harmonize that which disagrees. In like manner + rhythm is compounded of elements short and long, once differing and now in + accord; which accordance, as in the former instance, medicine, so in all + these other cases, music implants, making love and unison to grow up among + them; and thus music, too, is concerned with the principles of love in + their application to harmony and rhythm. Again, in the essential nature of + harmony and rhythm there is no difficulty in discerning love which has not + yet become double. But when you want to use them in actual life, either in + the composition of songs or in the correct performance of airs or metres + composed already, which latter is called education, then the difficulty + begins, and the good artist is needed. Then the old tale has to be + repeated of fair and heavenly love—the love of Urania the fair and + heavenly muse, and of the duty of accepting the temperate, and those who + are as yet intemperate only that they may become temperate, and of + preserving their love; and again, of the vulgar Polyhymnia, who must be + used with circumspection that the pleasure be enjoyed, but may not + generate licentiousness; just as in my own art it is a great matter so to + regulate the desires of the epicure that he may gratify his tastes without + the attendant evil of disease. Whence I infer that in music, in medicine, + in all other things human as well as divine, both loves ought to be noted + as far as may be, for they are both present. + </p> + <p> + The course of the seasons is also full of both these principles; and when, + as I was saying, the elements of hot and cold, moist and dry, attain the + harmonious love of one another and blend in temperance and harmony, they + bring to men, animals, and plants health and plenty, and do them no harm; + whereas the wanton love, getting the upper hand and affecting the seasons + of the year, is very destructive and injurious, being the source of + pestilence, and bringing many other kinds of diseases on animals and + plants; for hoar-frost and hail and blight spring from the excesses and + disorders of these elements of love, which to know in relation to the + revolutions of the heavenly bodies and the seasons of the year is termed + astronomy. Furthermore all sacrifices and the whole province of + divination, which is the art of communion between gods and men—these, + I say, are concerned only with the preservation of the good and the cure + of the evil love. For all manner of impiety is likely to ensue if, instead + of accepting and honouring and reverencing the harmonious love in all his + actions, a man honours the other love, whether in his feelings towards + gods or parents, towards the living or the dead. Wherefore the business of + divination is to see to these loves and to heal them, and divination is + the peacemaker of gods and men, working by a knowledge of the religious or + irreligious tendencies which exist in human loves. Such is the great and + mighty, or rather omnipotent force of love in general. And the love, more + especially, which is concerned with the good, and which is perfected in + company with temperance and justice, whether among gods or men, has the + greatest power, and is the source of all our happiness and harmony, and + makes us friends with the gods who are above us, and with one another. I + dare say that I too have omitted several things which might be said in + praise of Love, but this was not intentional, and you, Aristophanes, may + now supply the omission or take some other line of commendation; for I + perceive that you are rid of the hiccough. + </p> + <p> + Yes, said Aristophanes, who followed, the hiccough is gone; not, however, + until I applied the sneezing; and I wonder whether the harmony of the body + has a love of such noises and ticklings, for I no sooner applied the + sneezing than I was cured. + </p> + <p> + Eryximachus said: Beware, friend Aristophanes, although you are going to + speak, you are making fun of me; and I shall have to watch and see whether + I cannot have a laugh at your expense, when you might speak in peace. + </p> + <p> + You are right, said Aristophanes, laughing. I will unsay my words; but do + you please not to watch me, as I fear that in the speech which I am about + to make, instead of others laughing with me, which is to the manner born + of our muse and would be all the better, I shall only be laughed at by + them. + </p> + <p> + Do you expect to shoot your bolt and escape, Aristophanes? Well, perhaps + if you are very careful and bear in mind that you will be called to + account, I may be induced to let you off. + </p> + <p> + Aristophanes professed to open another vein of discourse; he had a mind to + praise Love in another way, unlike that either of Pausanias or + Eryximachus. Mankind, he said, judging by their neglect of him, have + never, as I think, at all understood the power of Love. For if they had + understood him they would surely have built noble temples and altars, and + offered solemn sacrifices in his honour; but this is not done, and most + certainly ought to be done: since of all the gods he is the best friend of + men, the helper and the healer of the ills which are the great impediment + to the happiness of the race. I will try to describe his power to you, and + you shall teach the rest of the world what I am teaching you. In the first + place, let me treat of the nature of man and what has happened to it; for + the original human nature was not like the present, but different. The + sexes were not two as they are now, but originally three in number; there + was man, woman, and the union of the two, having a name corresponding to + this double nature, which had once a real existence, but is now lost, and + the word 'Androgynous' is only preserved as a term of reproach. In the + second place, the primeval man was round, his back and sides forming a + circle; and he had four hands and four feet, one head with two faces, + looking opposite ways, set on a round neck and precisely alike; also four + ears, two privy members, and the remainder to correspond. He could walk + upright as men now do, backwards or forwards as he pleased, and he could + also roll over and over at a great pace, turning on his four hands and + four feet, eight in all, like tumblers going over and over with their legs + in the air; this was when he wanted to run fast. Now the sexes were three, + and such as I have described them; because the sun, moon, and earth are + three; and the man was originally the child of the sun, the woman of the + earth, and the man-woman of the moon, which is made up of sun and earth, + and they were all round and moved round and round like their parents. + Terrible was their might and strength, and the thoughts of their hearts + were great, and they made an attack upon the gods; of them is told the + tale of Otys and Ephialtes who, as Homer says, dared to scale heaven, and + would have laid hands upon the gods. Doubt reigned in the celestial + councils. Should they kill them and annihilate the race with thunderbolts, + as they had done the giants, then there would be an end of the sacrifices + and worship which men offered to them; but, on the other hand, the gods + could not suffer their insolence to be unrestrained. At last, after a good + deal of reflection, Zeus discovered a way. He said: 'Methinks I have a + plan which will humble their pride and improve their manners; men shall + continue to exist, but I will cut them in two and then they will be + diminished in strength and increased in numbers; this will have the + advantage of making them more profitable to us. They shall walk upright on + two legs, and if they continue insolent and will not be quiet, I will + split them again and they shall hop about on a single leg.' He spoke and + cut men in two, like a sorb-apple which is halved for pickling, or as you + might divide an egg with a hair; and as he cut them one after another, he + bade Apollo give the face and the half of the neck a turn in order that + the man might contemplate the section of himself: he would thus learn a + lesson of humility. Apollo was also bidden to heal their wounds and + compose their forms. So he gave a turn to the face and pulled the skin + from the sides all over that which in our language is called the belly, + like the purses which draw in, and he made one mouth at the centre, which + he fastened in a knot (the same which is called the navel); he also + moulded the breast and took out most of the wrinkles, much as a shoemaker + might smooth leather upon a last; he left a few, however, in the region of + the belly and navel, as a memorial of the primeval state. After the + division the two parts of man, each desiring his other half, came + together, and throwing their arms about one another, entwined in mutual + embraces, longing to grow into one, they were on the point of dying from + hunger and self-neglect, because they did not like to do anything apart; + and when one of the halves died and the other survived, the survivor + sought another mate, man or woman as we call them,—being the + sections of entire men or women,—and clung to that. They were being + destroyed, when Zeus in pity of them invented a new plan: he turned the + parts of generation round to the front, for this had not been always their + position, and they sowed the seed no longer as hitherto like grasshoppers + in the ground, but in one another; and after the transposition the male + generated in the female in order that by the mutual embraces of man and + woman they might breed, and the race might continue; or if man came to man + they might be satisfied, and rest, and go their ways to the business of + life: so ancient is the desire of one another which is implanted in us, + reuniting our original nature, making one of two, and healing the state of + man. Each of us when separated, having one side only, like a flat fish, is + but the indenture of a man, and he is always looking for his other half. + Men who are a section of that double nature which was once called + Androgynous are lovers of women; adulterers are generally of this breed, + and also adulterous women who lust after men: the women who are a section + of the woman do not care for men, but have female attachments; the female + companions are of this sort. But they who are a section of the male follow + the male, and while they are young, being slices of the original man, they + hang about men and embrace them, and they are themselves the best of boys + and youths, because they have the most manly nature. Some indeed assert + that they are shameless, but this is not true; for they do not act thus + from any want of shame, but because they are valiant and manly, and have a + manly countenance, and they embrace that which is like them. And these + when they grow up become our statesmen, and these only, which is a great + proof of the truth of what I am saving. When they reach manhood they are + lovers of youth, and are not naturally inclined to marry or beget + children,—if at all, they do so only in obedience to the law; but + they are satisfied if they may be allowed to live with one another + unwedded; and such a nature is prone to love and ready to return love, + always embracing that which is akin to him. And when one of them meets + with his other half, the actual half of himself, whether he be a lover of + youth or a lover of another sort, the pair are lost in an amazement of + love and friendship and intimacy, and one will not be out of the other's + sight, as I may say, even for a moment: these are the people who pass + their whole lives together; yet they could not explain what they desire of + one another. For the intense yearning which each of them has towards the + other does not appear to be the desire of lover's intercourse, but of + something else which the soul of either evidently desires and cannot tell, + and of which she has only a dark and doubtful presentiment. Suppose + Hephaestus, with his instruments, to come to the pair who are lying side + by side and to say to them, 'What do you people want of one another?' they + would be unable to explain. And suppose further, that when he saw their + perplexity he said: 'Do you desire to be wholly one; always day and night + to be in one another's company? for if this is what you desire, I am ready + to melt you into one and let you grow together, so that being two you + shall become one, and while you live live a common life as if you were a + single man, and after your death in the world below still be one departed + soul instead of two—I ask whether this is what you lovingly desire, + and whether you are satisfied to attain this?'—there is not a man of + them who when he heard the proposal would deny or would not acknowledge + that this meeting and melting into one another, this becoming one instead + of two, was the very expression of his ancient need (compare Arist. Pol.). + And the reason is that human nature was originally one and we were a + whole, and the desire and pursuit of the whole is called love. There was a + time, I say, when we were one, but now because of the wickedness of + mankind God has dispersed us, as the Arcadians were dispersed into + villages by the Lacedaemonians (compare Arist. Pol.). And if we are not + obedient to the gods, there is a danger that we shall be split up again + and go about in basso-relievo, like the profile figures having only half a + nose which are sculptured on monuments, and that we shall be like tallies. + Wherefore let us exhort all men to piety, that we may avoid evil, and + obtain the good, of which Love is to us the lord and minister; and let no + one oppose him—he is the enemy of the gods who opposes him. For if + we are friends of the God and at peace with him we shall find our own true + loves, which rarely happens in this world at present. I am serious, and + therefore I must beg Eryximachus not to make fun or to find any allusion + in what I am saying to Pausanias and Agathon, who, as I suspect, are both + of the manly nature, and belong to the class which I have been describing. + But my words have a wider application—they include men and women + everywhere; and I believe that if our loves were perfectly accomplished, + and each one returning to his primeval nature had his original true love, + then our race would be happy. And if this would be best of all, the best + in the next degree and under present circumstances must be the nearest + approach to such an union; and that will be the attainment of a congenial + love. Wherefore, if we would praise him who has given to us the benefit, + we must praise the god Love, who is our greatest benefactor, both leading + us in this life back to our own nature, and giving us high hopes for the + future, for he promises that if we are pious, he will restore us to our + original state, and heal us and make us happy and blessed. This, + Eryximachus, is my discourse of love, which, although different to yours, + I must beg you to leave unassailed by the shafts of your ridicule, in + order that each may have his turn; each, or rather either, for Agathon and + Socrates are the only ones left. + </p> + <p> + Indeed, I am not going to attack you, said Eryximachus, for I thought your + speech charming, and did I not know that Agathon and Socrates are masters + in the art of love, I should be really afraid that they would have nothing + to say, after the world of things which have been said already. But, for + all that, I am not without hopes. + </p> + <p> + Socrates said: You played your part well, Eryximachus; but if you were as + I am now, or rather as I shall be when Agathon has spoken, you would, + indeed, be in a great strait. + </p> + <p> + You want to cast a spell over me, Socrates, said Agathon, in the hope that + I may be disconcerted at the expectation raised among the audience that I + shall speak well. + </p> + <p> + I should be strangely forgetful, Agathon replied Socrates, of the courage + and magnanimity which you showed when your own compositions were about to + be exhibited, and you came upon the stage with the actors and faced the + vast theatre altogether undismayed, if I thought that your nerves could be + fluttered at a small party of friends. + </p> + <p> + Do you think, Socrates, said Agathon, that my head is so full of the + theatre as not to know how much more formidable to a man of sense a few + good judges are than many fools? + </p> + <p> + Nay, replied Socrates, I should be very wrong in attributing to you, + Agathon, that or any other want of refinement. And I am quite aware that + if you happened to meet with any whom you thought wise, you would care for + their opinion much more than for that of the many. But then we, having + been a part of the foolish many in the theatre, cannot be regarded as the + select wise; though I know that if you chanced to be in the presence, not + of one of ourselves, but of some really wise man, you would be ashamed of + disgracing yourself before him—would you not? + </p> + <p> + Yes, said Agathon. + </p> + <p> + But before the many you would not be ashamed, if you thought that you were + doing something disgraceful in their presence? + </p> + <p> + Here Phaedrus interrupted them, saying: not answer him, my dear Agathon; + for if he can only get a partner with whom he can talk, especially a + good-looking one, he will no longer care about the completion of our plan. + Now I love to hear him talk; but just at present I must not forget the + encomium on Love which I ought to receive from him and from every one. + When you and he have paid your tribute to the god, then you may talk. + </p> + <p> + Very good, Phaedrus, said Agathon; I see no reason why I should not + proceed with my speech, as I shall have many other opportunities of + conversing with Socrates. Let me say first how I ought to speak, and then + speak:— + </p> + <p> + The previous speakers, instead of praising the god Love, or unfolding his + nature, appear to have congratulated mankind on the benefits which he + confers upon them. But I would rather praise the god first, and then speak + of his gifts; this is always the right way of praising everything. May I + say without impiety or offence, that of all the blessed gods he is the + most blessed because he is the fairest and best? And he is the fairest: + for, in the first place, he is the youngest, and of his youth he is + himself the witness, fleeing out of the way of age, who is swift enough, + swifter truly than most of us like:—Love hates him and will not come + near him; but youth and love live and move together—like to like, as + the proverb says. Many things were said by Phaedrus about Love in which I + agree with him; but I cannot agree that he is older than Iapetus and + Kronos:—not so; I maintain him to be the youngest of the gods, and + youthful ever. The ancient doings among the gods of which Hesiod and + Parmenides spoke, if the tradition of them be true, were done of Necessity + and not of Love; had Love been in those days, there would have been no + chaining or mutilation of the gods, or other violence, but peace and + sweetness, as there is now in heaven, since the rule of Love began. Love + is young and also tender; he ought to have a poet like Homer to describe + his tenderness, as Homer says of Ate, that she is a goddess and tender:— + </p> + <p> + 'Her feet are tender, for she sets her steps, Not on the ground but on the + heads of men:' + </p> + <p> + herein is an excellent proof of her tenderness,—that she walks not + upon the hard but upon the soft. Let us adduce a similar proof of the + tenderness of Love; for he walks not upon the earth, nor yet upon the + skulls of men, which are not so very soft, but in the hearts and souls of + both gods and men, which are of all things the softest: in them he walks + and dwells and makes his home. Not in every soul without exception, for + where there is hardness he departs, where there is softness there he + dwells; and nestling 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? Of a truth he is the tenderest as well as the youngest, and also + he is of flexile form; for if he were hard and without flexure he could + not enfold all things, or wind his way into and out of every soul of man + undiscovered. 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 bloomless or fading beauties, whether of + body or soul or aught else, but in the place of flowers and scents, there + he sits and abides. Concerning the beauty of the god I have said enough; + and yet there remains much more which I might say. Of his virtue I have + now to speak: his greatest glory is that he can neither do nor suffer + wrong to or from any god or any man; for he suffers not by force if he + suffers; force comes not near him, neither when he acts does he act by + force. For all men in all things serve him of their own free will, and + where there is voluntary agreement, 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; he 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 others, 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 according to the measure of my ability I must try to do my + best. In the first place he is a poet (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 (A fragment + of the Sthenoaoea of Euripides.); this also is a proof that Love is a good + poet and accomplished in all the fine arts; for no one can give to another + that which he has not himself, or teach that of which he has no 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. And so Love set in order the empire of the gods—the + love of beauty, as is evident, for with deformity Love has no concern. In + the days of old, as I began by saying, dreadful deeds were done among the + gods, for they were ruled by 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 there comes into my mind a line of poetry in which he is said to be + the god who + </p> + <p> + 'Gives peace on earth and calms the stormy deep, Who stills the winds and + bids the sufferer sleep.' + </p> + <p> + This is he who empties men of disaffection and fills them with affection, + who makes them to meet together at banquets such as these: in sacrifices, + feasts, dances, he is our lord—who sends courtesy and sends away + discourtesy, who gives kindness ever and never gives unkindness; the + friend 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; regardful of the good, regardless of the evil: in every + word, work, wish, fear—saviour, pilot, comrade, helper; glory of + gods and men, leader best and brightest: in whose footsteps let every man + follow, sweetly singing in his honour and joining in that sweet strain + with which love charms the souls of gods and men. Such is the speech, + Phaedrus, half-playful, yet having a certain measure of seriousness, + which, according to my ability, I dedicate to the god. + </p> + <p> + When Agathon had done speaking, Aristodemus said that there was a general + cheer; the young man was thought to have spoken in a manner worthy of + himself, and of the god. And Socrates, looking at Eryximachus, said: Tell + me, son of Acumenus, was there not reason in my fears? and was I not a + true prophet when I said that Agathon would make a wonderful oration, and + that I should be in a strait? + </p> + <p> + The part of the prophecy which concerns Agathon, replied Eryximachus, + appears to me to be true; but not the other part—that you will be in + a strait. + </p> + <p> + Why, my dear friend, said Socrates, must not I or any one be in a strait + who has to speak after he has heard such a rich and varied discourse? I am + especially struck with the beauty of the concluding words—who could + listen to them without amazement? When I reflected on the immeasurable + inferiority of my own powers, I was ready to run away for shame, if there + had been a possibility of escape. For I was reminded of Gorgias, and at + the end of his speech I fancied that Agathon was shaking at me the + Gorginian or Gorgonian head of the great master of rhetoric, which was + simply to turn me and my speech into stone, as Homer says (Odyssey), and + strike me dumb. And then I perceived how foolish I had been in consenting + to take my turn with you in praising love, and saying that I too was a + master of the art, when I really had no conception how anything ought to + be praised. For in my simplicity I imagined that the topics of praise + should be true, and that this being presupposed, out of the true the + speaker was to choose the best and set them forth in the best manner. And + I felt quite proud, thinking that I knew the nature of true praise, and + should speak well. Whereas I now see that the intention was to attribute + to Love every species of greatness and glory, whether really belonging to + him or not, without regard to truth or falsehood—that was no matter; + for the original proposal seems to have been not that each of you should + really praise Love, but only that you should appear to praise him. And so + you attribute to Love every imaginable form of praise which can be + gathered anywhere; and you say that 'he is all this,' and 'the cause of + all that,' making him appear the fairest and best of all to those who know + him not, for you cannot impose upon those who know him. And a noble and + solemn hymn of praise have you rehearsed. But as I misunderstood the + nature of the praise when I said that I would take my turn, I must beg to + be absolved from the promise which I made in ignorance, and which (as + Euripides would say (Eurip. Hyppolytus)) was a promise of the lips and not + of the mind. Farewell then to such a strain: for I do not praise in that + way; no, indeed, I cannot. But if you like to hear the truth about love, I + am ready to speak in my own manner, though I will not make myself + ridiculous by entering into any rivalry with you. Say then, Phaedrus, + whether you would like to have the truth about love, spoken in any words + and in any order which may happen to come into my mind at the time. Will + that be agreeable to you? + </p> + <p> + Aristodemus said that Phaedrus and the company bid him speak in any manner + which he thought best. Then, he added, let me have your permission first + to ask Agathon a few more questions, in order that I may take his + admissions as the premisses of my discourse. + </p> + <p> + I grant the permission, said Phaedrus: put your questions. Socrates then + proceeded as follows:— + </p> + <p> + In the magnificent oration which you have just uttered, I think that you + were right, my dear Agathon, in proposing to speak of the nature of Love + first and afterwards of his works—that is a way of beginning which I + very much approve. And as you have spoken so eloquently of his nature, may + I ask you further, Whether love is the love of something or of nothing? + And here I must explain myself: I do not want you to say that love is the + love of a father or the love of a mother—that would be ridiculous; + but to answer as you would, if I asked is a father a father of something? + to which you would find no difficulty in replying, of a son or daughter: + and the answer would be right. + </p> + <p> + Very true, said Agathon. + </p> + <p> + And you would say the same of a mother? + </p> + <p> + He assented. + </p> + <p> + Yet let me ask you one more question in order to illustrate my meaning: Is + not a brother to be regarded essentially as a brother of something? + </p> + <p> + Certainly, he replied. + </p> + <p> + That is, of a brother or sister? + </p> + <p> + Yes, he said. + </p> + <p> + And now, said Socrates, I will ask about Love:—Is Love of something + or of nothing? + </p> + <p> + Of something, surely, he replied. + </p> + <p> + Keep in mind what this is, and tell me what I want to know—whether + Love desires that of which love is. + </p> + <p> + Yes, surely. + </p> + <p> + And does he possess, or does he not possess, that which he loves and + desires? + </p> + <p> + Probably not, I should say. + </p> + <p> + Nay, replied Socrates, I would have you consider whether 'necessarily' is + not rather the word. The inference that he who desires something is in + want of something, and that he who desires nothing is in want of nothing, + is in my judgment, Agathon, absolutely and necessarily true. What do you + think? + </p> + <p> + I agree with you, said Agathon. + </p> + <p> + Very good. Would he who is great, desire to be great, or he who is strong, + desire to be strong? + </p> + <p> + That would be inconsistent with our previous admissions. + </p> + <p> + True. For he who is anything cannot want to be that which he is? + </p> + <p> + Very true. + </p> + <p> + And yet, added Socrates, if a man being strong desired to be strong, or + being swift desired to be swift, or being healthy desired to be healthy, + in that case he might be thought to desire something which he already has + or is. I give the example in order that we may avoid misconception. For + the possessors of these qualities, Agathon, must be supposed to have their + respective advantages at the time, whether they choose or not; and who can + desire that which he has? Therefore, when a person says, I am well and + wish to be well, or I am rich and wish to be rich, and I desire simply to + have what I have—to him we shall reply: 'You, my friend, having + wealth and health and strength, want to have the continuance of them; for + at this moment, whether you choose or no, you have them. And when you say, + I desire that which I have and nothing else, is not your meaning that you + want to have what you now have in the future?' He must agree with us—must + he not? + </p> + <p> + He must, replied Agathon. + </p> + <p> + Then, said Socrates, he desires that what he has at present may be + preserved to him in the future, which is equivalent to saying that he + desires something which is non-existent to him, and which as yet he has + not got: + </p> + <p> + Very true, he said. + </p> + <p> + Then he and every one who desires, desires that which he has not already, + and which is future and not present, and which he has not, and is not, and + of which he is in want;—these are the sort of things which love and + desire seek? + </p> + <p> + Very true, he said. + </p> + <p> + Then now, said Socrates, let us recapitulate the argument. First, is not + love of something, and of something too which is wanting to a man? + </p> + <p> + Yes, he replied. + </p> + <p> + Remember further what you said in your speech, or if you do not remember I + will remind you: you said that the love of the beautiful set in order the + empire of the gods, for that of deformed things there is no love—did + you not say something of that kind? + </p> + <p> + Yes, said Agathon. + </p> + <p> + Yes, my friend, and the remark was a just one. And if this is true, Love + is the love of beauty and not of deformity? + </p> + <p> + He assented. + </p> + <p> + And the admission has been already made that Love is of something which a + man wants and has not? + </p> + <p> + True, he said. + </p> + <p> + Then Love wants and has not beauty? + </p> + <p> + Certainly, he replied. + </p> + <p> + And would you call that beautiful which wants and does not possess beauty? + </p> + <p> + Certainly not. + </p> + <p> + Then would you still say that love is beautiful? + </p> + <p> + Agathon replied: I fear that I did not understand what I was saying. + </p> + <p> + You made a very good speech, Agathon, replied Socrates; but there is yet + one small question which I would fain ask:—Is not the good also the + beautiful? + </p> + <p> + Yes. + </p> + <p> + Then in wanting the beautiful, love wants also the good? + </p> + <p> + I cannot refute you, Socrates, said Agathon:—Let us assume that what + you say is true. + </p> + <p> + Say rather, beloved Agathon, that you cannot refute the truth; for + Socrates is easily refuted. + </p> + <p> + And now, taking my leave of you, I would rehearse a tale of love which I + heard from Diotima of Mantineia (compare 1 Alcibiades), a woman wise in + this and in many other kinds of knowledge, who in the days of old, when + the Athenians offered sacrifice before the coming of the plague, delayed + the disease ten years. She was my instructress in the art of love, and I + shall repeat to you what she said to me, beginning with the admissions + made by Agathon, which are nearly if not quite the same which I made to + the wise woman when she questioned me: I think that this will be the + easiest way, and I shall take both parts myself as well as I can (compare + Gorgias). As you, Agathon, suggested (supra), I must speak first of the + being and nature of Love, and then of his works. First I said to her in + nearly the same words which he used to me, that Love was a mighty god, and + likewise fair; and she proved to me as I proved to him that, by my own + showing, Love was neither fair nor good. 'What do you mean, Diotima,' I + said, 'is love then evil and foul?' 'Hush,' she cried; 'must that be foul + which is not fair?' 'Certainly,' I said. 'And is that which is not wise, + ignorant? do you not see that there is a mean between wisdom and + ignorance?' 'And what may that be?' I said. 'Right opinion,' she replied; + 'which, as you know, being incapable of giving a reason, is not knowledge + (for how can knowledge be devoid of reason? nor again, ignorance, for + neither can ignorance attain the truth), but is clearly something which is + a mean between ignorance and wisdom.' 'Quite true,' I replied. 'Do not + then insist,' she said, 'that what is not fair is of necessity foul, or + what is not good evil; or infer that because love is not fair and good he + is therefore foul and evil; for he is in a mean between them.' 'Well,' I + said, 'Love is surely admitted by all to be a great god.' 'By those who + know or by those who do not know?' 'By all.' 'And how, Socrates,' she said + with a smile, 'can Love be acknowledged to be a great god by those who say + that he is not a god at all?' 'And who are they?' I said. 'You and I are + two of them,' she replied. 'How can that be?' I said. 'It is quite + intelligible,' she replied; 'for you yourself would acknowledge that the + gods are happy and fair—of course you would—would you dare to + say that any god was not?' 'Certainly not,' I replied. 'And you mean by + the happy, those who are the possessors of things good or fair?' 'Yes.' + 'And you admitted that Love, because he was in want, desires those good + and fair things of which he is in want?' 'Yes, I did.' 'But how can he be + a god who has no portion in what is either good or fair?' 'Impossible.' + 'Then you see that you also deny the divinity of Love.' + </p> + <p> + 'What then is Love?' I asked; 'Is he mortal?' 'No.' 'What then?' 'As in + the former instance, he is neither mortal nor immortal, but in a mean + between the two.' 'What is he, Diotima?' 'He is a great spirit (daimon), + and like all spirits he is intermediate between the divine and the + mortal.' 'And what,' I said, 'is his power?' 'He interprets,' she replied, + 'between gods and men, conveying and taking across to the gods the prayers + and sacrifices of men, and to men the commands and replies of the gods; he + is the mediator who spans the chasm which divides them, and therefore in + him all is bound together, and through him the arts of the prophet and the + priest, their sacrifices and mysteries and charms, and all prophecy and + incantation, find their way. For God mingles not with man; but through + Love all the intercourse and converse of God with man, whether awake or + asleep, is carried on. The wisdom which understands this is spiritual; all + other wisdom, such as that of arts and handicrafts, is mean and vulgar. + Now these spirits or intermediate powers are many and diverse, and one of + them is Love.' 'And who,' I said, 'was his father, and who his mother?' + 'The tale,' she said, 'will take time; nevertheless I will tell you. On + the birthday of Aphrodite there was a feast of the gods, at which the god + Poros or Plenty, who is the son of Metis or Discretion, was one of the + guests. When the feast was over, Penia or Poverty, as the manner is on + such occasions, came about the doors to beg. Now Plenty who was the worse + for nectar (there was no wine in those days), went into the garden of Zeus + and fell into a heavy sleep, and Poverty considering her own straitened + circumstances, plotted to have a child by him, and accordingly she lay + down at his side and conceived Love, who partly because he is naturally a + lover of the beautiful, and because Aphrodite is herself beautiful, and + also because he was born on her birthday, is her follower and attendant. + And as his parentage is, so also are his fortunes. In the first place he + is always poor, and anything but tender and fair, as the many imagine him; + and he is rough and squalid, and has no shoes, nor a house to dwell in; on + the bare earth exposed he lies under the open heaven, in the streets, or + at the doors of houses, taking his rest; and like his mother he is always + in distress. Like his father too, whom he also partly resembles, he is + always plotting against the fair and good; he is bold, enterprising, + strong, a mighty hunter, always weaving some intrigue or other, keen in + the pursuit of wisdom, fertile in resources; a philosopher at all times, + terrible as an enchanter, sorcerer, sophist. He is by nature neither + mortal nor immortal, but alive and flourishing at one moment when he is in + plenty, and dead at another moment, and again alive by reason of his + father's nature. But that which is always flowing in is always flowing + out, and so he is never in want and never in wealth; and, further, he is + in a mean between ignorance and knowledge. The truth of the matter is + this: No god is a philosopher or seeker after wisdom, for he is wise + already; nor does any man who is wise seek after wisdom. Neither do the + ignorant seek after wisdom. For herein is the evil of ignorance, that he + who is neither good nor wise is nevertheless satisfied with himself: he + has no desire for that of which he feels no want.' 'But who then, + Diotima,' I said, 'are the lovers of wisdom, if they are neither the wise + nor the foolish?' 'A child may answer that question,' she replied; 'they + are those who are in a mean between the two; Love is one of them. For + wisdom is a most beautiful thing, and Love is of the beautiful; and + therefore Love is also a philosopher or lover of wisdom, and being a lover + of wisdom is in a mean between the wise and the ignorant. And of this too + his birth is the cause; for his father is wealthy and wise, and his mother + poor and foolish. Such, my dear Socrates, is the nature of the spirit + Love. The error in your conception of him was very natural, and as I + imagine from what you say, has arisen out of a confusion of love and the + beloved, which made you think that love was all beautiful. For the beloved + is the truly beautiful, and delicate, and perfect, and blessed; but the + principle of love is of another nature, and is such as I have described.' + </p> + <p> + I said, 'O thou stranger woman, thou sayest well; but, assuming Love to be + such as you say, what is the use of him to men?' 'That, Socrates,' she + replied, 'I will attempt to unfold: of his nature and birth I have already + spoken; and you acknowledge that love is of the beautiful. But some one + will say: Of the beautiful in what, Socrates and Diotima?—or rather + let me put the question more clearly, and ask: When a man loves the + beautiful, what does he desire?' I answered her 'That the beautiful may be + his.' 'Still,' she said, 'the answer suggests a further question: What is + given by the possession of beauty?' 'To what you have asked,' I replied, + 'I have no answer ready.' 'Then,' she said, 'let me put the word "good" in + the place of the beautiful, and repeat the question once more: If he who + loves loves the good, what is it then that he loves?' 'The possession of + the good,' I said. 'And what does he gain who possesses the good?' + 'Happiness,' I replied; 'there is less difficulty in answering that + question.' 'Yes,' she said, 'the happy are made happy by the acquisition + of good things. Nor is there any need to ask why a man desires happiness; + the answer is already final.' 'You are right.' I said. 'And is this wish + and this desire common to all? and do all men always desire their own + good, or only some men?—what say you?' 'All men,' I replied; 'the + desire is common to all.' 'Why, then,' she rejoined, 'are not all men, + Socrates, said to love, but only some of them? whereas you say that all + men are always loving the same things.' 'I myself wonder,' I said, 'why + this is.' 'There is nothing to wonder at,' she replied; 'the reason is + that one part of love is separated off and receives the name of the whole, + but the other parts have other names.' 'Give an illustration,' I said. She + answered me as follows: 'There is poetry, which, as you know, is complex + and manifold. All creation or passage of non-being into being is poetry or + making, and the processes of all art are creative; and the masters of arts + are all poets or makers.' 'Very true.' 'Still,' she said, 'you know that + they are not called poets, but have other names; only that portion of the + art which is separated off from the rest, and is concerned with music and + metre, is termed poetry, and they who possess poetry in this sense of the + word are called poets.' 'Very true,' I said. 'And the same holds of love. + For you may say generally that all desire of good and happiness is only + the great and subtle power of love; but they who are drawn towards him by + any other path, whether the path of money-making or gymnastics or + philosophy, are not called lovers—the name of the whole is + appropriated to those whose affection takes one form only—they alone + are said to love, or to be lovers.' 'I dare say,' I replied, 'that you are + right.' 'Yes,' she added, 'and you hear people say that lovers are seeking + for their other half; but I say that they are seeking neither for the half + of themselves, nor for the whole, unless the half or the whole be also a + good. And they will cut off their own hands and feet and cast them away, + if they are evil; for they love not what is their own, unless perchance + there be some one who calls what belongs to him the good, and what belongs + to another the evil. For there is nothing which men love but the good. Is + there anything?' 'Certainly, I should say, that there is nothing.' 'Then,' + she said, 'the simple truth is, that men love the good.' 'Yes,' I said. + 'To which must be added that they love the possession of the good?' 'Yes, + that must be added.' 'And not only the possession, but the everlasting + possession of the good?' 'That must be added too.' 'Then love,' she said, + 'may be described generally as the love of the everlasting possession of + the good?' 'That is most true.' + </p> + <p> + 'Then if this be the nature of love, can you tell me further,' she said, + 'what is the manner of the pursuit? what are they doing who show all this + eagerness and heat which is called love? and what is the object which they + have in view? Answer me.' 'Nay, Diotima,' I replied, 'if I had known, I + should not have wondered at your wisdom, neither should I have come to + learn from you about this very matter.' 'Well,' she said, 'I will teach + you:—The object which they have in view is birth in beauty, whether + of body or soul.' 'I do not understand you,' I said; 'the oracle requires + an explanation.' 'I will make my meaning clearer,' she replied. 'I mean to + say, that all men are bringing to the birth in their bodies and in their + souls. There is a certain age at which human nature is desirous of + procreation—procreation which must be in beauty and not in + deformity; and this procreation is the union of man and woman, and is a + divine thing; for conception and generation are an immortal principle in + the mortal creature, and in the inharmonious they can never be. But the + deformed is always inharmonious with the divine, and the beautiful + harmonious. Beauty, then, is the destiny or goddess of parturition who + presides at birth, and therefore, when approaching beauty, the conceiving + power is propitious, and diffusive, and benign, and begets and bears + fruit: at the sight of ugliness she frowns and contracts and has a sense + of pain, and turns away, and shrivels up, and not without a pang refrains + from conception. And this is the reason why, when the hour of conception + arrives, and the teeming nature is full, there is such a flutter and + ecstasy about beauty whose approach is the alleviation of the pain of + travail. For love, Socrates, is not, as you imagine, the love of the + beautiful only.' 'What then?' 'The love of generation and of birth in + beauty.' 'Yes,' I said. 'Yes, indeed,' she replied. 'But why of + generation?' 'Because to the mortal creature, generation is a sort of + eternity and immortality,' she replied; 'and if, as has been already + admitted, love is of the everlasting possession of the good, all men will + necessarily desire immortality together with good: Wherefore love is of + immortality.' + </p> + <p> + All this she taught me at various times when she spoke of love. And I + remember her once saying to me, 'What is the cause, Socrates, of love, and + the attendant desire? See you not how all animals, birds, as well as + beasts, in their desire of procreation, are in agony when they take the + infection of love, which begins with the desire of union; whereto is added + the care of offspring, on whose behalf the weakest are ready to battle + against the strongest even to the uttermost, and to die for them, and will + let themselves be tormented with hunger or suffer anything in order to + maintain their young. Man may be supposed to act thus from reason; but why + should animals have these passionate feelings? Can you tell me why?' Again + I replied that I did not know. She said to me: 'And do you expect ever to + become a master in the art of love, if you do not know this?' 'But I have + told you already, Diotima, that my ignorance is the reason why I come to + you; for I am conscious that I want a teacher; tell me then the cause of + this and of the other mysteries of love.' 'Marvel not,' she said, 'if you + believe that love is of the immortal, as we have several times + acknowledged; for here again, and on the same principle too, the mortal + nature is seeking as far as is possible to be everlasting and immortal: + and this is only to be attained by generation, because generation always + leaves behind a new existence in the place of the old. Nay even in the + life of the same individual there is succession and not absolute unity: a + man is called the same, and yet in the short interval which elapses + between youth and age, and in which every animal is said to have life and + identity, he is undergoing a perpetual process of loss and reparation—hair, + flesh, bones, blood, and the whole body are always changing. Which is true + not only of the body, but also of the soul, whose habits, tempers, + opinions, desires, pleasures, pains, fears, never remain the same in any + one of us, but are always coming and going; and equally true of knowledge, + and what is still more surprising to us mortals, not only do the sciences + in general spring up and decay, so that in respect of them we are never + the same; but each of them individually experiences a like change. For + what is implied in the word "recollection," but the departure of + knowledge, which is ever being forgotten, and is renewed and preserved by + recollection, and appears to be the same although in reality new, + according to that law of succession by which all mortal things are + preserved, not absolutely the same, but by substitution, the old worn-out + mortality leaving another new and similar existence behind—unlike + the divine, which is always the same and not another? And in this way, + Socrates, the mortal body, or mortal anything, partakes of immortality; + but the immortal in another way. Marvel not then at the love which all men + have of their offspring; for that universal love and interest is for the + sake of immortality.' + </p> + <p> + I was astonished at her words, and said: 'Is this really true, O thou wise + Diotima?' And she answered with all the authority of an accomplished + sophist: 'Of that, Socrates, you may be assured;—think only of the + ambition of men, and you will wonder at the senselessness of their ways, + unless you consider how they are stirred by the love of an immortality of + fame. They are ready to run all risks greater far than they would have run + for their children, and to spend money and undergo any sort of toil, and + even to die, for the sake of leaving behind them a name which shall be + eternal. Do you imagine that Alcestis would have died to save Admetus, or + Achilles to avenge Patroclus, or your own Codrus in order to preserve the + kingdom for his sons, if they had not imagined that the memory of their + virtues, which still survives among us, would be immortal? Nay,' she said, + 'I am persuaded that all men do all things, and the better they are the + more they do them, in hope of the glorious fame of immortal virtue; for + they desire the immortal. + </p> + <p> + 'Those who are pregnant in the body only, betake themselves to women and + beget children—this is the character of their love; their offspring, + as they hope, will preserve their memory and giving them the blessedness + and immortality which they desire in the future. But souls which are + pregnant—for there certainly are men who are more creative in their + souls than in their bodies—conceive that which is proper for the + soul to conceive or contain. And what are these conceptions?—wisdom + and virtue in general. And such creators are poets and all artists who are + deserving of the name inventor. But the greatest and fairest sort of + wisdom by far is that which is concerned with the ordering of states and + families, and which is called temperance and justice. And he who in youth + has the seed of these implanted in him and is himself inspired, when he + comes to maturity desires to beget and generate. He wanders about seeking + beauty that he may beget offspring—for in deformity he will beget + nothing—and naturally embraces the beautiful rather than the + deformed body; above all when he finds a fair and noble and well-nurtured + soul, he embraces the two in one person, and to such an one he is full of + speech about virtue and the nature and pursuits of a good man; and he + tries to educate him; and at the touch of the beautiful which is ever + present to his memory, even when absent, he brings forth that which he had + conceived long before, and in company with him tends that which he brings + forth; and they are married by a far nearer tie and have a closer + friendship than those who beget mortal children, for the children who are + their common offspring are fairer and more immortal. Who, when he thinks + of Homer and Hesiod and other great poets, would not rather have their + children than ordinary human ones? Who would not emulate them in the + creation of children such as theirs, which have preserved their memory and + given them everlasting glory? Or who would not have such children as + Lycurgus left behind him to be the saviours, not only of Lacedaemon, but + of Hellas, as one may say? There is Solon, too, who is the revered father + of Athenian laws; and many others there are in many other places, both + among Hellenes and barbarians, who have given to the world many noble + works, and have been the parents of virtue of every kind; and many temples + have been raised in their honour for the sake of children such as theirs; + which were never raised in honour of any one, for the sake of his mortal + children. + </p> + <p> + 'These are the lesser mysteries of love, into which even you, Socrates, + may enter; to the greater and more hidden ones which are the crown of + these, and to which, if you pursue them in a right spirit, they will lead, + I know not whether you will be able to attain. But I will do my utmost to + inform you, and do you follow if you can. For he who would proceed aright + in this matter should begin in youth to visit beautiful forms; and first, + if he be guided by his instructor aright, to love one such form only—out + of that he should create fair thoughts; and soon he will of himself + perceive that the beauty of one form is akin to the beauty of another; and + then if beauty of form in general is his pursuit, how foolish would he be + not to recognize that the beauty in every form is and the same! And when + he perceives this he will abate his violent love of the one, which he will + despise and deem a small thing, and will become a lover of all beautiful + forms; in the next stage he will consider that the beauty of the mind is + more honourable than the beauty of the outward form. So that if a virtuous + soul have but a little comeliness, he will be content to love and tend + him, and will search out and bring to the birth thoughts which may improve + the young, until he is compelled to contemplate and see the beauty of + institutions and laws, and to understand that the beauty of them all is of + one family, and that personal beauty is a trifle; and after laws and + institutions he will go on to the sciences, that he may see their beauty, + being not like a servant in love with the beauty of one youth or man or + institution, himself a slave mean and narrow-minded, but drawing towards + and contemplating the vast sea of beauty, he will create many fair and + noble thoughts and notions in boundless love of wisdom; until on that + shore 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 attention: + </p> + <p> + '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 the final cause of all our former toils)—a nature + which in the first place is everlasting, not growing and decaying, or + waxing and waning; secondly, 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, or + existing in any other being, as for example, in an animal, or in heaven, + or in earth, or in any other place; but beauty 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 from these ascending under the influence of true + love, begins to perceive 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 + begin from the beauties of earth and mount upwards for the sake of that + other beauty, using these as steps only, and from one going on to two, and + from two to all fair forms, and from fair forms to fair practices, and + from fair practices 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 life 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, + whose presence now entrances you; and you and many a one would be content + to live seeing them only and conversing with them without meat or drink, + if that were possible—you only want to look at them and to be with + them. But 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 colours and vanities of human life—thither + looking, and holding converse with the true beauty simple and divine? + Remember how 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 nourishing true virtue to become the friend of God and be + immortal, if mortal man may. Would that be an ignoble life?' + </p> + <p> + Such, Phaedrus—and I speak not only to you, but to all of you—were + 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 helper better than love: And + therefore, also, I say that every man ought to honour him as I myself + honour him, and walk in his ways, and exhort others to do the same, and + praise the power and spirit of love according to the measure of my ability + now and ever. + </p> + <p> + The words which I have spoken, you, Phaedrus, may call an encomium of + love, or anything else which you please. + </p> + <p> + 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 revellers, 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 + attendants, he found his way to them. 'Hail, friends,' he said, appearing + at the door crowned with a massive garland of ivy and violets, his head + flowing with ribands. 'Will you have a very drunken man as a companion of + your revels? Or shall I crown Agathon, which was my intention in coming, + and go away? For I was unable to come yesterday, and therefore I am here + to-day, carrying on my head these ribands, 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; if I come in shall we have the understanding of which I spoke + (supra Will you have a very drunken man? etc.)? Will you drink with me or + not?' + </p> + <p> + 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, intending to crown + Agathon, he took the ribands from his own head and held them in front of + his eyes; he was thus prevented from seeing Socrates, who made way for + him, and Alcibiades took 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. + </p> + <p> + By all means; but who makes the third partner in our revels? said + Alcibiades, turning round and starting 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 + joker or lover of jokes, like Aristophanes, but by the fairest of the + company? + </p> + <p> + Socrates turned to Agathon and said: I must ask you to protect me, + Agathon; for the passion of this man has grown quite a serious matter to + me. 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. + </p> + <p> + 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 ribands that I may crown the + marvellous head of this universal despot—I would not have him + complain of me for crowning you, and neglecting him, who in conversation + is the conqueror of all mankind; and this not only once, as you were the + day before yesterday, but always. Whereupon, taking some of the ribands, + he crowned Socrates, and again reclined. + </p> + <p> + Then he said: You seem, my friends, to be sober, which is a thing not to + be endured; you must drink—for that was the agreement under which I + was admitted—and I elect myself master of the feast until you are + well drunk. Let us have a large goblet, Agathon, or rather, he said, + addressing the attendant, bring me that wine-cooler. The wine-cooler which + had caught his eye was a vessel holding more than two quarts—this he + filled and emptied, and bade the attendant fill it again for Socrates. + Observe, my friends, said Alcibiades, that this ingenious trick of mine + will have no effect on Socrates, for he can drink any quantity of wine and + not be at all nearer being drunk. Socrates drank the cup which the + attendant filled for him. + </p> + <p> + Eryximachus said: What is this, Alcibiades? Are we to have neither + conversation nor singing over our cups; but simply to drink as if we were + thirsty? + </p> + <p> + Alcibiades replied: Hail, worthy son of a most wise and worthy sire! + </p> + <p> + The same to you, said Eryximachus; but what shall we do? + </p> + <p> + That I leave to you, said Alcibiades. + </p> + <p> + 'The wise physician skilled our wounds to heal (from Pope's Homer, Il.)' + </p> + <p> + shall prescribe and we will obey. What do you want? + </p> + <p> + Well, said Eryximachus, before you appeared we had passed a resolution + that each one of us in turn should make a speech in praise of love, and as + good a one as he could: the turn was passed round from left to right; and + as all of us have spoken, and you have not spoken but have well drunken, + you ought to speak, and then impose upon Socrates any task which you + please, and he on his right hand neighbour, and so on. + </p> + <p> + That is good, Eryximachus, said Alcibiades; and yet the comparison of a + drunken man's speech with those of sober men is hardly fair; and I should + like to know, sweet friend, whether you really believe what Socrates was + just now saying; for I can assure you that the very reverse is the fact, + and that if I praise any one but himself in his presence, whether God or + man, he will hardly keep his hands off me. + </p> + <p> + For shame, said Socrates. + </p> + <p> + Hold your tongue, said Alcibiades, for by Poseidon, there is no one else + whom I will praise when you are of the company. + </p> + <p> + Well then, said Eryximachus, if you like praise Socrates. + </p> + <p> + What do you think, Eryximachus? said Alcibiades: shall I attack him and + inflict the punishment before you all? + </p> + <p> + What are you about? said Socrates; are you going to raise a laugh at my + expense? Is that the meaning of your praise? + </p> + <p> + I am going to speak the truth, if you will permit me. + </p> + <p> + I not only permit, but exhort you to speak the truth. + </p> + <p> + Then I will begin at once, said Alcibiades, and if I say anything which is + not true, you may interrupt me if you will, and say 'that is a lie,' + though my intention is to speak the truth. But you must not wonder if I + speak any how as things come into my mind; for the fluent and orderly + enumeration of all your singularities is not a task which is easy to a man + in my condition. + </p> + <p> + And now, my boys, I shall praise Socrates in a figure which will appear to + him to be a caricature, and yet I speak, not to make fun of him, but only + for the truth's sake. I say, that he is exactly like the busts of Silenus, + which are set up in the statuaries' shops, holding pipes and flutes in + their mouths; and they are made to open in the middle, and have images of + gods inside them. I say also that he is like Marsyas the satyr. You + yourself will not deny, Socrates, that your face is like that of a satyr. + Aye, and there is a resemblance in other points too. For example, you are + a bully, as I can prove by witnesses, if you will not confess. And are you + not a flute-player? That you are, and a performer far more wonderful than + Marsyas. He indeed with instruments used to charm the souls of men by the + power of his breath, and the players of his music do so still: for the + melodies of Olympus (compare Arist. Pol.) are derived from Marsyas who + taught them, and these, whether they are played by a great master or by a + miserable flute-girl, have a power which no others have; they alone + possess the soul and reveal the wants of those who have need of gods and + mysteries, because they are divine. But you produce the same effect with + your words only, and do not require the flute: that is the difference + between you and him. When we hear any other speaker, even a very good one, + he produces absolutely no effect upon us, or not much, whereas the mere + fragments of you and your words, even at second-hand, and however + imperfectly repeated, amaze and possess the souls of every man, woman, and + child who comes within hearing of them. And if I were not afraid that you + would think me hopelessly drunk, I would have sworn as well as spoken to + the influence which they have always had and still have over me. For my + heart leaps within me more than that of any Corybantian reveller, and my + eyes rain tears when I hear them. And I observe that many others are + affected in the same manner. I have heard Pericles and other great + orators, and I thought that they spoke well, but I never had any similar + feeling; my soul was not stirred by them, nor was I angry at the thought + of my own slavish state. But this Marsyas has often brought me to such a + pass, that I have felt as if I could hardly endure the life which I am + leading (this, Socrates, you will admit); and I am conscious that if I did + not shut my ears against him, and fly as from the voice of the siren, my + fate would be like that of others,—he would transfix me, and I + should grow old sitting at his feet. For he makes me confess that I ought + not to live as I do, neglecting the wants of my own soul, and busying + myself with the concerns of the Athenians; therefore I hold my ears and + tear myself away from him. And he is the only person who ever made me + ashamed, which you might think not to be in my nature, and there is no one + else who does the same. For I know that I cannot answer him or say that I + ought not to do as he bids, but when I leave his presence the love of + popularity gets the better of me. And therefore I run away and fly from + him, and when I see him I am ashamed of what I have confessed to him. Many + a time have I wished that he were dead, and yet I know that I should be + much more sorry than glad, if he were to die: so that I am at my wit's + end. + </p> + <p> + And this is what I and many others have suffered from the flute-playing of + this satyr. Yet hear me once more while I show you how exact the image is, + and how marvellous his power. For let me tell you; none of you know him; + but I will reveal him to you; having begun, I must go on. See you how fond + he is of the fair? He is always with them and is always being smitten by + them, and then again he knows nothing and is ignorant of all things—such + is the appearance which he puts on. Is he not like a Silenus in this? To + be sure he is: his outer mask is the carved head of the Silenus; but, O my + companions in drink, when he is opened, what temperance there is residing + within! Know you that beauty and wealth and honour, at which the many + wonder, are of no account with him, and are utterly despised by him: he + regards not at all the persons who are gifted with them; mankind are + nothing to him; all his life is spent in mocking and flouting at them. But + when I opened him, and looked within at his serious purpose, I saw in him + divine and golden images of such fascinating beauty that I was ready to do + in a moment whatever Socrates commanded: they may have escaped the + observation of others, but I saw them. Now I fancied that he was seriously + enamoured of my beauty, and I thought that I should therefore have a grand + opportunity of hearing him tell what he knew, for I had a wonderful + opinion of the attractions of my youth. In the prosecution of this design, + when I next went to him, I sent away the attendant who usually accompanied + me (I will confess the whole truth, and beg you to listen; and if I speak + falsely, do you, Socrates, expose the falsehood). Well, he and I were + alone together, and I thought that when there was nobody with us, I should + hear him speak the language which lovers use to their loves when they are + by themselves, and I was delighted. Nothing of the sort; he conversed as + usual, and spent the day with me and then went away. Afterwards I + challenged him to the palaestra; and he wrestled and closed with me + several times when there was no one present; I fancied that I might + succeed in this manner. Not a bit; I made no way with him. Lastly, as I + had failed hitherto, I thought that I must take stronger measures and + attack him boldly, and, as I had begun, not give him up, but see how + matters stood between him and me. So I invited him to sup with me, just as + if he were a fair youth, and I a designing lover. He was not easily + persuaded to come; he did, however, after a while accept the invitation, + and when he came the first time, he wanted to go away at once as soon as + supper was over, and I had not the face to detain him. The second time, + still in pursuance of my design, after we had supped, I went on conversing + far into the night, and when he wanted to go away, I pretended that the + hour was late and that he had much better remain. So he lay down on the + couch next to me, the same on which he had supped, and there was no one + but ourselves sleeping in the apartment. All this may be told without + shame to any one. But what follows I could hardly tell you if I were + sober. Yet as the proverb says, 'In vino veritas,' whether with boys, or + without them (In allusion to two proverbs.); and therefore I must speak. + Nor, again, should I be justified in concealing the lofty actions of + Socrates when I come to praise him. Moreover I have felt the serpent's + sting; and he who has suffered, as they say, is willing to tell his + fellow-sufferers only, as they alone will be likely to understand him, and + will not be extreme in judging of the sayings or doings which have been + wrung from his agony. For I have been bitten by a more than viper's tooth; + I have known in my soul, or in my heart, or in some other part, that worst + of pangs, more violent in ingenuous youth than any serpent's tooth, the + pang of philosophy, which will make a man say or do anything. And you whom + I see around me, Phaedrus and Agathon and Eryximachus and Pausanias and + Aristodemus and Aristophanes, all of you, and I need not say Socrates + himself, have had experience of the same madness and passion in your + longing after wisdom. Therefore listen and excuse my doings then and my + sayings now. But let the attendants and other profane and unmannered + persons close up the doors of their ears. + </p> + <p> + When the lamp was put out and the servants had gone away, I thought that I + must be plain with him and have no more ambiguity. So I gave him a shake, + and I said: 'Socrates, are you asleep?' 'No,' he said. 'Do you know what I + am meditating? 'What are you meditating?' he said. 'I think,' I replied, + 'that of all the lovers whom I have ever had you are the only one who is + worthy of me, and you appear to be too modest to speak. Now I feel that I + should be a fool to refuse you this or any other favour, and therefore I + come to lay at your feet all that I have and all that my friends have, in + the hope that you will assist me in the way of virtue, which I desire + above all things, and in which I believe that you can help me better than + any one else. And I should certainly have more reason to be ashamed of + what wise men would say if I were to refuse a favour to such as you, than + of what the world, who are mostly fools, would say of me if I granted it.' + To these words he replied in the ironical manner which is so + characteristic of him:—'Alcibiades, my friend, you have indeed an + elevated aim if what you say is true, and if there really is in me any + power by which you may become better; truly you must see in me some rare + beauty of a kind infinitely higher than any which I see in you. And + therefore, if you mean to share with me and to exchange beauty for beauty, + you will have greatly the advantage of me; you will gain true beauty in + return for appearance—like Diomede, gold in exchange for brass. But + look again, sweet friend, and see whether you are not deceived in me. The + mind begins to grow critical when the bodily eye fails, and it will be a + long time before you get old.' Hearing this, I said: 'I have told you my + purpose, which is quite serious, and do you consider what you think best + for you and me.' 'That is good,' he said; 'at some other time then we will + consider and act as seems best about this and about other matters.' + Whereupon, I fancied that he was smitten, and that the words which I had + uttered like arrows had wounded him, and so without waiting to hear more I + got up, and throwing my coat about him crept under his threadbare cloak, + as the time of year was winter, and there I lay during the whole night + having this wonderful monster in my arms. This again, Socrates, will not + be denied by you. And yet, notwithstanding all, he was so superior to my + solicitations, so contemptuous and derisive and disdainful of my beauty—which + really, as I fancied, had some attractions—hear, O judges; for + judges you shall be of the haughty virtue of Socrates—nothing more + happened, but in the morning when I awoke (let all the gods and goddesses + be my witnesses) I arose as from the couch of a father or an elder + brother. + </p> + <p> + What do you suppose must have been my feelings, after this rejection, at + the thought of my own dishonour? And yet I could not help wondering at his + natural temperance and self-restraint and manliness. I never imagined that + I could have met with a man such as he is in wisdom and endurance. And + therefore I could not be angry with him or renounce his company, any more + than I could hope to win him. For I well knew that if Ajax could not be + wounded by steel, much less he by money; and my only chance of captivating + him by my personal attractions had failed. So I was at my wit's end; no + one was ever more hopelessly enslaved by another. All this happened before + he and I went on the expedition to Potidaea; there we messed together, and + I had the opportunity of observing his extraordinary power of sustaining + fatigue. His endurance was simply marvellous when, being cut off from our + supplies, we were compelled to go without food—on such occasions, + which often happen in time of war, he was superior not only to me but to + everybody; there was no one to be compared to him. Yet at a festival he + was the only person who had any real powers of enjoyment; though not + willing to drink, he could if compelled beat us all at that,—wonderful + to relate! no human being had ever seen Socrates drunk; and his powers, if + I am not mistaken, will be tested before long. His fortitude in enduring + cold was also surprising. There was a severe frost, for the winter in that + region is really tremendous, and everybody else either remained indoors, + or if they went out had on an amazing quantity of clothes, and were well + shod, and had their feet swathed in felt and fleeces: in the midst of + this, Socrates with his bare feet on the ice and in his ordinary dress + marched better than the other soldiers who had shoes, and they looked + daggers at him because he seemed to despise them. + </p> + <p> + I have told you one tale, and now I must tell you another, which is worth + hearing, + </p> + <p> + 'Of the doings and sufferings of the enduring man' + </p> + <p> + while he was on the expedition. One morning he was thinking about + something which he could not resolve; he would not give it up, but + continued thinking from early dawn until noon—there he stood fixed + in thought; and at noon attention was drawn to him, and the rumour ran + through the wondering crowd that Socrates had been standing and thinking + about something ever since the break of day. At last, in the evening after + supper, some Ionians out of curiosity (I should explain that this was not + in winter but in summer), brought out their mats and slept in the open air + that they might watch him and see whether he would stand all night. There + he stood until the following morning; and with the return of light he + offered up a prayer to the sun, and went his way (compare supra). I will + also tell, if you please—and indeed I am bound to tell—of his + courage in battle; for who but he saved my life? Now this was the + engagement in which I received the prize of valour: for I was wounded and + he would not leave me, but he rescued me and my arms; and he ought to have + received the prize of valour which the generals wanted to confer on me + partly on account of my rank, and I told them so, (this, again, Socrates + will not impeach or deny), but he was more eager than the generals that I + and not he should have the prize. There was another occasion on which his + behaviour was very remarkable—in the flight of the army after the + battle of Delium, where he served among the heavy-armed,—I had a + better opportunity of seeing him than at Potidaea, for I was myself on + horseback, and therefore comparatively out of danger. He and Laches were + retreating, for the troops were in flight, and I met them and told them + not to be discouraged, and promised to remain with them; and there you + might see him, Aristophanes, as you describe (Aristoph. Clouds), just as + he is in the streets of Athens, stalking like a pelican, and rolling his + eyes, calmly contemplating enemies as well as friends, and making very + intelligible to anybody, even from a distance, that whoever attacked him + would be likely to meet with a stout resistance; and in this way he and + his companion escaped—for this is the sort of man who is never + touched in war; those only are pursued who are running away headlong. I + particularly observed how superior he was to Laches in presence of mind. + Many are the marvels which I might narrate in praise of Socrates; most of + his ways might perhaps be paralleled in another man, but his absolute + unlikeness to any human being that is or ever has been is perfectly + astonishing. You may imagine Brasidas and others to have been like + Achilles; or you may imagine Nestor and Antenor to have been like + Pericles; and the same may be said of other famous men, but of this + strange being you will never be able to find any likeness, however remote, + either among men who now are or who ever have been—other than that + which I have already suggested of Silenus and the satyrs; and they + represent in a figure not only himself, but his words. For, although I + forgot to mention this to you before, his words are like the images of + Silenus which open; they are ridiculous when you first hear them; he + clothes himself in language that is like the skin of the wanton satyr—for + his talk is of pack-asses and smiths and cobblers and curriers, and he is + always repeating the same things in the same words (compare Gorg.), so + that any ignorant or inexperienced person might feel disposed to laugh at + him; but he who opens the bust and sees what is within will find that they + are the only words which have a meaning in them, and also the most divine, + abounding in fair images of virtue, and of the widest comprehension, or + rather extending to the whole duty of a good and honourable man. + </p> + <p> + This, friends, is my praise of Socrates. I have added my blame of him for + his ill-treatment of me; and he has ill-treated not only me, but Charmides + the son of Glaucon, and Euthydemus the son of Diocles, and many others in + the same way—beginning as their lover he has ended by making them + pay their addresses to him. Wherefore I say to you, Agathon, 'Be not + deceived by him; learn from me and take warning, and do not be a fool and + learn by experience, as the proverb says.' + </p> + <p> + When Alcibiades had finished, there was a laugh at his outspokenness; for + he seemed to be still in love with Socrates. You are sober, Alcibiades, + said Socrates, or you would never have gone so far about to hide the + purpose of your satyr's praises, for all this long story is only an + ingenious circumlocution, of which the point comes in by the way at the + end; you want to get up a quarrel between me and Agathon, and your notion + is that I ought to love you and nobody else, and that you and you only + ought to love Agathon. But the plot of this Satyric or Silenic drama has + been detected, and you must not allow him, Agathon, to set us at variance. + </p> + <p> + I believe you are right, said Agathon, and I am disposed to think that his + intention in placing himself between you and me was only to divide us; but + he shall gain nothing by that move; for I will go and lie on the couch + next to you. + </p> + <p> + Yes, yes, replied Socrates, by all means come here and lie on the couch + below me. + </p> + <p> + Alas, said Alcibiades, how I am fooled by this man; he is determined to + get the better of me at every turn. I do beseech you, allow Agathon to lie + between us. + </p> + <p> + Certainly not, said Socrates, as you praised me, and I in turn ought to + praise my neighbour on the right, he will be out of order in praising me + again when he ought rather to be praised by me, and I must entreat you to + consent to this, and not be jealous, for I have a great desire to praise + the youth. + </p> + <p> + Hurrah! cried Agathon, I will rise instantly, that I may be praised by + Socrates. + </p> + <p> + The usual way, said Alcibiades; where Socrates is, no one else has any + chance with the fair; and now how readily has he invented a specious + reason for attracting Agathon to himself. + </p> + <p> + Agathon arose in order that he might take his place on the couch by + Socrates, when suddenly a band of revellers entered, and spoiled the order + of the banquet. Some one who was going out having left the door open, they + had found their way in, and made themselves at home; great confusion + ensued, and every one was compelled to drink large quantities of wine. + Aristodemus said that Eryximachus, Phaedrus, and others went away—he + himself fell asleep, and as the nights were long took a good rest: he was + awakened towards daybreak by a crowing of cocks, and when he awoke, the + others were either asleep, or had gone away; there remained only Socrates, + Aristophanes, and Agathon, who were drinking out of a large goblet which + they passed round, and Socrates was discoursing to them. Aristodemus was + only half awake, and he did not hear the beginning of the discourse; the + chief thing which he remembered was Socrates compelling the other two to + acknowledge that the genius of comedy was the same with that of tragedy, + and that the true artist in tragedy was an artist in comedy also. To this + they were constrained to assent, being drowsy, and not quite following the + argument. And first of all Aristophanes dropped off, then, when the day + was already dawning, Agathon. Socrates, having laid them to sleep, rose to + depart; Aristodemus, as his manner was, following him. At the Lyceum he + took a bath, and passed the day as usual. In the evening he retired to + rest at his own home. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Symposium, by Plato + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SYMPOSIUM *** + +***** This file should be named 1600-h.htm or 1600-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/0/1600/ + +Produced by Sue Asscher, and David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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Jowett + +Posting Date: November 7, 2008 [EBook #1600] +Release Date: January, 1999 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SYMPOSIUM *** + + + + +Produced by Sue Asscher + + + + + +SYMPOSIUM + +By Plato + + +Translated by Benjamin Jowett + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + +Of all the works of Plato the Symposium is the most perfect in form, +and may be truly thought to contain more than any commentator has ever +dreamed of; or, as Goethe said of one of his own writings, more than the +author himself knew. For in philosophy as in prophecy glimpses of the +future may often be conveyed in words which could hardly have been +understood or interpreted at the time when they were uttered (compare +Symp.)--which were wiser than the writer of them meant, and could not +have been expressed by him if he had been interrogated about them. +Yet Plato was not a mystic, nor in any degree affected by the Eastern +influences which afterwards overspread the Alexandrian world. He was +not an enthusiast or a sentimentalist, but one who aspired only to +see reasoned truth, and whose thoughts are clearly explained in his +language. There is no foreign element either of Egypt or of Asia to +be found in his writings. And more than any other Platonic work the +Symposium is Greek both in style and subject, having a beauty 'as of +a statue,' while the companion Dialogue of the Phaedrus is marked by +a sort of Gothic irregularity. More too than in any other of his +Dialogues, Plato is emancipated from former philosophies. The genius of +Greek art seems to triumph over the traditions of Pythagorean, Eleatic, +or Megarian systems, and 'the old quarrel of poetry and philosophy' has +at least a superficial reconcilement. (Rep.) + +An unknown person who had heard of the discourses in praise of love +spoken by Socrates and others at the banquet of Agathon is desirous of +having an authentic account of them, which he thinks that he can +obtain from Apollodorus, the same excitable, or rather 'mad' friend of +Socrates, who is afterwards introduced in the Phaedo. He had imagined +that the discourses were recent. There he is mistaken: but they are +still fresh in the memory of his informant, who had just been repeating +them to Glaucon, and is quite prepared to have another rehearsal of them +in a walk from the Piraeus to Athens. Although he had not been present +himself, he had heard them from the best authority. Aristodemus, who +is described as having been in past times a humble but inseparable +attendant of Socrates, had reported them to him (compare Xen. Mem.). + +The narrative which he had heard was as follows:-- + +Aristodemus meeting Socrates in holiday attire, is invited by him to +a banquet at the house of Agathon, who had been sacrificing in +thanksgiving for his tragic victory on the day previous. But no sooner +has he entered the house than he finds that he is alone; Socrates has +stayed behind in a fit of abstraction, and does not appear until the +banquet is half over. On his appearing he and the host jest a little; +the question is then asked by Pausanias, one of the guests, 'What shall +they do about drinking? as they had been all well drunk on the day +before, and drinking on two successive days is such a bad thing.' This +is confirmed by the authority of Eryximachus the physician, who further +proposes that instead of listening to the flute-girl and her 'noise' +they shall make speeches in honour of love, one after another, going +from left to right in the order in which they are reclining at the +table. All of them agree to this proposal, and Phaedrus, who is +the 'father' of the idea, which he has previously communicated to +Eryximachus, begins as follows:-- + +He descants first of all upon the antiquity of love, which is proved by +the authority of the poets; secondly upon the benefits which love gives +to man. The greatest of these is the sense of honour and dishonour. +The lover is ashamed to be seen by the beloved doing or suffering any +cowardly or mean act. And a state or army which was made up only of +lovers and their loves would be invincible. For love will convert the +veriest coward into an inspired hero. + +And there have been true loves not only of men but of women also. Such +was the love of Alcestis, who dared to die for her husband, and in +recompense of her virtue was allowed to come again from the dead. But +Orpheus, the miserable harper, who went down to Hades alive, that he +might bring back his wife, was mocked with an apparition only, and +the gods afterwards contrived his death as the punishment of his +cowardliness. The love of Achilles, like that of Alcestis, was +courageous and true; for he was willing to avenge his lover Patroclus, +although he knew that his own death would immediately follow: and +the gods, who honour the love of the beloved above that of the lover, +rewarded him, and sent him to the islands of the blest. + +Pausanias, who was sitting next, then takes up the tale:--He says that +Phaedrus should have distinguished the heavenly love from the earthly, +before he praised either. For there are two loves, as there are two +Aphrodites--one the daughter of Uranus, who has no mother and is the +elder and wiser goddess, and the other, the daughter of Zeus and Dione, +who is popular and common. The first of the two loves has a noble +purpose, and delights only in the intelligent nature of man, and is +faithful to the end, and has no shadow of wantonness or lust. The second +is the coarser kind of love, which is a love of the body rather than of +the soul, and is of women and boys as well as of men. Now the actions of +lovers vary, like every other sort of action, according to the manner of +their performance. And in different countries there is a difference of +opinion about male loves. Some, like the Boeotians, approve of them; +others, like the Ionians, and most of the barbarians, disapprove of +them; partly because they are aware of the political dangers which ensue +from them, as may be seen in the instance of Harmodius and Aristogeiton. +At Athens and Sparta there is an apparent contradiction about them. For +at times they are encouraged, and then the lover is allowed to play all +sorts of fantastic tricks; he may swear and forswear himself (and 'at +lovers' perjuries they say Jove laughs'); he may be a servant, and lie +on a mat at the door of his love, without any loss of character; but +there are also times when elders look grave and guard their young +relations, and personal remarks are made. The truth is that some of +these loves are disgraceful and others honourable. The vulgar love of +the body which takes wing and flies away when the bloom of youth is +over, is disgraceful, and so is the interested love of power or wealth; +but the love of the noble mind is lasting. The lover should be tested, +and the beloved should not be too ready to yield. The rule in our +country is that the beloved may do the same service to the lover in the +way of virtue which the lover may do to him. + +A voluntary service to be rendered for the sake of virtue and wisdom is +permitted among us; and when these two customs--one the love of youth, +the other the practice of virtue and philosophy--meet in one, then the +lovers may lawfully unite. Nor is there any disgrace to a disinterested +lover in being deceived: but the interested lover is doubly disgraced, +for if he loses his love he loses his character; whereas the noble +love of the other remains the same, although the object of his love is +unworthy: for nothing can be nobler than love for the sake of virtue. +This is that love of the heavenly goddess which is of great price to +individuals and cities, making them work together for their improvement. + +The turn of Aristophanes comes next; but he has the hiccough, and +therefore proposes that Eryximachus the physician shall cure him +or speak in his turn. Eryximachus is ready to do both, and after +prescribing for the hiccough, speaks as follows:-- + +He agrees with Pausanias in maintaining that there are two kinds of +love; but his art has led him to the further conclusion that the empire +of this double love extends over all things, and is to be found in +animals and plants as well as in man. In the human body also there are +two loves; and the art of medicine shows which is the good and which is +the bad love, and persuades the body to accept the good and reject the +bad, and reconciles conflicting elements and makes them friends. Every +art, gymnastic and husbandry as well as medicine, is the reconciliation +of opposites; and this is what Heracleitus meant, when he spoke of a +harmony of opposites: but in strictness he should rather have spoken of +a harmony which succeeds opposites, for an agreement of disagreements +there cannot be. Music too is concerned with the principles of love in +their application to harmony and rhythm. In the abstract, all is simple, +and we are not troubled with the twofold love; but when they are applied +in education with their accompaniments of song and metre, then the +discord begins. Then the old tale has to be repeated of fair Urania and +the coarse Polyhymnia, who must be indulged sparingly, just as in my +own art of medicine care must be taken that the taste of the epicure be +gratified without inflicting upon him the attendant penalty of disease. + +There is a similar harmony or disagreement in the course of the seasons +and in the relations of moist and dry, hot and cold, hoar frost and +blight; and diseases of all sorts spring from the excesses or disorders +of the element of love. The knowledge of these elements of love and +discord in the heavenly bodies is termed astronomy, in the relations of +men towards gods and parents is called divination. For divination is the +peacemaker of gods and men, and works by a knowledge of the tendencies +of merely human loves to piety and impiety. Such is the power of love; +and that love which is just and temperate has the greatest power, and +is the source of all our happiness and friendship with the gods and with +one another. I dare say that I have omitted to mention many things which +you, Aristophanes, may supply, as I perceive that you are cured of the +hiccough. + +Aristophanes is the next speaker:-- + +He professes to open a new vein of discourse, in which he begins by +treating of the origin of human nature. The sexes were originally three, +men, women, and the union of the two; and they were made round--having +four hands, four feet, two faces on a round neck, and the rest to +correspond. Terrible was their strength and swiftness; and they were +essaying to scale heaven and attack the gods. Doubt reigned in the +celestial councils; the gods were divided between the desire of quelling +the pride of man and the fear of losing the sacrifices. At last Zeus hit +upon an expedient. Let us cut them in two, he said; then they will only +have half their strength, and we shall have twice as many sacrifices. He +spake, and split them as you might split an egg with an hair; and when +this was done, he told Apollo to give their faces a twist and re-arrange +their persons, taking out the wrinkles and tying the skin in a knot +about the navel. The two halves went about looking for one another, and +were ready to die of hunger in one another's arms. Then Zeus invented an +adjustment of the sexes, which enabled them to marry and go their way +to the business of life. Now the characters of men differ accordingly +as they are derived from the original man or the original woman, or the +original man-woman. Those who come from the man-woman are lascivious and +adulterous; those who come from the woman form female attachments; those +who are a section of the male follow the male and embrace him, and in +him all their desires centre. The pair are inseparable and live together +in pure and manly affection; yet they cannot tell what they want of one +another. But if Hephaestus were to come to them with his instruments +and propose that they should be melted into one and remain one here and +hereafter, they would acknowledge that this was the very expression of +their want. For love is the desire of the whole, and the pursuit of the +whole is called love. There was a time when the two sexes were only one, +but now God has halved them,--much as the Lacedaemonians have cut up +the Arcadians,--and if they do not behave themselves he will divide +them again, and they will hop about with half a nose and face in basso +relievo. Wherefore let us exhort all men to piety, that we may obtain +the goods of which love is the author, and be reconciled to God, and +find our own true loves, which rarely happens in this world. And now I +must beg you not to suppose that I am alluding to Pausanias and Agathon +(compare Protag.), for my words refer to all mankind everywhere. + +Some raillery ensues first between Aristophanes and Eryximachus, and +then between Agathon, who fears a few select friends more than any +number of spectators at the theatre, and Socrates, who is disposed to +begin an argument. This is speedily repressed by Phaedrus, who reminds +the disputants of their tribute to the god. Agathon's speech follows:-- + +He will speak of the god first and then of his gifts: He is the fairest +and blessedest and best of the gods, and also the youngest, having had +no existence in the old days of Iapetus and Cronos when the gods were +at war. The things that were done then were done of necessity and not +of love. For love is young and dwells in soft places,--not like Ate +in Homer, walking on the skulls of men, but in their hearts and +souls, which are soft enough. He is all flexibility and grace, and his +habitation is among the flowers, and he cannot do or suffer wrong; for +all men serve and obey him of their own free will, and where there is +love there is obedience, and where obedience, there is justice; for +none can be wronged of his own free will. And he is temperate as well as +just, for he is the ruler of the desires, and if he rules them he must +be temperate. Also he is courageous, for he is the conqueror of the lord +of war. And he is wise too; for he is a poet, and the author of poesy in +others. He created the animals; he is the inventor of the arts; all the +gods are his subjects; he is the fairest and best himself, and the cause +of what is fairest and best in others; he makes men to be of one mind +at a banquet, filling them with affection and emptying them of +disaffection; the pilot, helper, defender, saviour of men, in whose +footsteps let every man follow, chanting a strain of love. Such is the +discourse, half playful, half serious, which I dedicate to the god. + +The turn of Socrates comes next. He begins by remarking satirically +that he has not understood the terms of the original agreement, for he +fancied that they meant to speak the true praises of love, but now he +finds that they only say what is good of him, whether true or false. He +begs to be absolved from speaking falsely, but he is willing to speak +the truth, and proposes to begin by questioning Agathon. The result of +his questions may be summed up as follows:-- + +Love is of something, and that which love desires is not that which love +is or has; for no man desires that which he is or has. And love is of +the beautiful, and therefore has not the beautiful. And the beautiful +is the good, and therefore, in wanting and desiring the beautiful, love +also wants and desires the good. Socrates professes to have asked the +same questions and to have obtained the same answers from Diotima, a +wise woman of Mantinea, who, like Agathon, had spoken first of love and +then of his works. Socrates, like Agathon, had told her that Love is a +mighty god and also fair, and she had shown him in return that Love was +neither, but in a mean between fair and foul, good and evil, and not a +god at all, but only a great demon or intermediate power (compare the +speech of Eryximachus) who conveys to the gods the prayers of men, and +to men the commands of the gods. + +Socrates asks: Who are his father and mother? To this Diotima replies +that he is the son of Plenty and Poverty, and partakes of the nature of +both, and is full and starved by turns. Like his mother he is poor and +squalid, lying on mats at doors (compare the speech of Pausanias); +like his father he is bold and strong, and full of arts and resources. +Further, he is in a mean between ignorance and knowledge:--in this he +resembles the philosopher who is also in a mean between the wise and the +ignorant. Such is the nature of Love, who is not to be confused with the +beloved. + +But Love desires the beautiful; and then arises the question, What does +he desire of the beautiful? He desires, of course, the possession of +the beautiful;--but what is given by that? For the beautiful let us +substitute the good, and we have no difficulty in seeing the possession +of the good to be happiness, and Love to be the desire of happiness, +although the meaning of the word has been too often confined to one +kind of love. And Love desires not only the good, but the everlasting +possession of the good. Why then is there all this flutter and +excitement about love? Because all men and women at a certain age are +desirous of bringing to the birth. And love is not of beauty only, but +of birth in beauty; this is the principle of immortality in a mortal +creature. When beauty approaches, then the conceiving power is benign +and diffuse; when foulness, she is averted and morose. + +But why again does this extend not only to men but also to animals? +Because they too have an instinct of immortality. Even in the same +individual there is a perpetual succession as well of the parts of the +material body as of the thoughts and desires of the mind; nay, even +knowledge comes and goes. There is no sameness of existence, but the new +mortality is always taking the place of the old. This is the reason why +parents love their children--for the sake of immortality; and this is +why men love the immortality of fame. For the creative soul creates not +children, but conceptions of wisdom and virtue, such as poets and other +creators have invented. And the noblest creations of all are those of +legislators, in honour of whom temples have been raised. Who would not +sooner have these children of the mind than the ordinary human ones? +(Compare Bacon's Essays, 8:--'Certainly the best works and of greatest +merit for the public have proceeded from the unmarried or childless men; +which both in affection and means have married and endowed the public.') + +I will now initiate you, she said, into the greater mysteries; for he +who would proceed in due course should love first one fair form, and +then many, and learn the connexion of them; and from beautiful bodies +he should proceed to beautiful minds, and the beauty of laws and +institutions, until he perceives that all beauty is of one kindred; and +from institutions he should go on to the sciences, until at last the +vision is revealed to him of a single science of universal beauty, and +then he will behold the everlasting nature which is the cause of all, +and will be near the end. In the contemplation of that supreme being of +love he will be purified of earthly leaven, and will behold beauty, not +with the bodily eye, but with the eye of the mind, and will bring forth +true creations of virtue and wisdom, and be the friend of God and heir +of immortality. + +Such, Phaedrus, is the tale which I heard from the stranger of Mantinea, +and which you may call the encomium of love, or what you please. + +The company applaud the speech of Socrates, and Aristophanes is about to +say something, when suddenly a band of revellers breaks into the court, +and the voice of Alcibiades is heard asking for Agathon. He is led +in drunk, and welcomed by Agathon, whom he has come to crown with +a garland. He is placed on a couch at his side, but suddenly, on +recognizing Socrates, he starts up, and a sort of conflict is carried +on between them, which Agathon is requested to appease. Alcibiades then +insists that they shall drink, and has a large wine-cooler filled, +which he first empties himself, and then fills again and passes on to +Socrates. He is informed of the nature of the entertainment; and is +ready to join, if only in the character of a drunken and disappointed +lover he may be allowed to sing the praises of Socrates:-- + +He begins by comparing Socrates first to the busts of Silenus, which +have images of the gods inside them; and, secondly, to Marsyas the +flute-player. For Socrates produces the same effect with the voice which +Marsyas did with the flute. He is the great speaker and enchanter +who ravishes the souls of men; the convincer of hearts too, as he has +convinced Alcibiades, and made him ashamed of his mean and miserable +life. Socrates at one time seemed about to fall in love with him; and he +thought that he would thereby gain a wonderful opportunity of receiving +lessons of wisdom. He narrates the failure of his design. He has +suffered agonies from him, and is at his wit's end. He then proceeds to +mention some other particulars of the life of Socrates; how they were at +Potidaea together, where Socrates showed his superior powers of enduring +cold and fatigue; how on one occasion he had stood for an entire day and +night absorbed in reflection amid the wonder of the spectators; how on +another occasion he had saved Alcibiades' life; how at the battle +of Delium, after the defeat, he might be seen stalking about like a +pelican, rolling his eyes as Aristophanes had described him in the +Clouds. He is the most wonderful of human beings, and absolutely unlike +anyone but a satyr. Like the satyr in his language too; for he uses the +commonest words as the outward mask of the divinest truths. + +When Alcibiades has done speaking, a dispute begins between him +and Agathon and Socrates. Socrates piques Alcibiades by a pretended +affection for Agathon. Presently a band of revellers appears, who +introduce disorder into the feast; the sober part of the company, +Eryximachus, Phaedrus, and others, withdraw; and Aristodemus, the +follower of Socrates, sleeps during the whole of a long winter's night. +When he wakes at cockcrow the revellers are nearly all asleep. Only +Socrates, Aristophanes, and Agathon hold out; they are drinking from a +large goblet, which they pass round, and Socrates is explaining to the +two others, who are half-asleep, that the genius of tragedy is the same +as that of comedy, and that the writer of tragedy ought to be a writer +of comedy also. And first Aristophanes drops, and then, as the day is +dawning, Agathon. Socrates, having laid them to rest, takes a bath and +goes to his daily avocations until the evening. Aristodemus follows. + +... + +If it be true that there are more things in the Symposium of Plato than +any commentator has dreamed of, it is also true that many things have +been imagined which are not really to be found there. Some writings +hardly admit of a more distinct interpretation than a musical +composition; and every reader may form his own accompaniment of thought +or feeling to the strain which he hears. The Symposium of Plato is a +work of this character, and can with difficulty be rendered in any words +but the writer's own. There are so many half-lights and cross-lights, +so much of the colour of mythology, and of the manner of sophistry +adhering--rhetoric and poetry, the playful and the serious, are so +subtly intermingled in it, and vestiges of old philosophy so curiously +blend with germs of future knowledge, that agreement among interpreters +is not to be expected. The expression 'poema magis putandum quam +comicorum poetarum,' which has been applied to all the writings of +Plato, is especially applicable to the Symposium. + +The power of love is represented in the Symposium as running through all +nature and all being: at one end descending to animals and plants, and +attaining to the highest vision of truth at the other. In an age +when man was seeking for an expression of the world around him, the +conception of love greatly affected him. One of the first distinctions +of language and of mythology was that of gender; and at a later period +the ancient physicist, anticipating modern science, saw, or thought +that he saw, a sex in plants; there were elective affinities among the +elements, marriages of earth and heaven. (Aesch. Frag. Dan.) Love became +a mythic personage whom philosophy, borrowing from poetry, converted +into an efficient cause of creation. The traces of the existence of +love, as of number and figure, were everywhere discerned; and in the +Pythagorean list of opposites male and female were ranged side by side +with odd and even, finite and infinite. + +But Plato seems also to be aware that there is a mystery of love in man +as well as in nature, extending beyond the mere immediate relation of +the sexes. He is conscious that the highest and noblest things in the +world are not easily severed from the sensual desires, or may even be +regarded as a spiritualized form of them. We may observe that Socrates +himself is not represented as originally unimpassioned, but as one who +has overcome his passions; the secret of his power over others partly +lies in his passionate but self-controlled nature. In the Phaedrus and +Symposium love is not merely the feeling usually so called, but the +mystical contemplation of the beautiful and the good. The same passion +which may wallow in the mire is capable of rising to the loftiest +heights--of penetrating the inmost secret of philosophy. The highest +love is the love not of a person, but of the highest and purest +abstraction. This abstraction is the far-off heaven on which the eye of +the mind is fixed in fond amazement. The unity of truth, the consistency +of the warring elements of the world, the enthusiasm for knowledge when +first beaming upon mankind, the relativity of ideas to the human +mind, and of the human mind to ideas, the faith in the invisible, +the adoration of the eternal nature, are all included, consciously or +unconsciously, in Plato's doctrine of love. + +The successive speeches in praise of love are characteristic of the +speakers, and contribute in various degrees to the final result; they +are all designed to prepare the way for Socrates, who gathers up the +threads anew, and skims the highest points of each of them. But they are +not to be regarded as the stages of an idea, rising above one another +to a climax. They are fanciful, partly facetious performances, 'yet also +having a certain measure of seriousness,' which the successive speakers +dedicate to the god. All of them are rhetorical and poetical rather than +dialectical, but glimpses of truth appear in them. When Eryximachus says +that the principles of music are simple in themselves, but confused +in their application, he touches lightly upon a difficulty which has +troubled the moderns as well as the ancients in music, and may be +extended to the other applied sciences. That confusion begins in the +concrete, was the natural feeling of a mind dwelling in the world of +ideas. When Pausanias remarks that personal attachments are inimical +to despots. The experience of Greek history confirms the truth of his +remark. When Aristophanes declares that love is the desire of the whole, +he expresses a feeling not unlike that of the German philosopher, who +says that 'philosophy is home sickness.' When Agathon says that no man +'can be wronged of his own free will,' he is alluding playfully to a +serious problem of Greek philosophy (compare Arist. Nic. Ethics). So +naturally does Plato mingle jest and earnest, truth and opinion in the +same work. + +The characters--of Phaedrus, who has been the cause of more +philosophical discussions than any other man, with the exception of +Simmias the Theban (Phaedrus); of Aristophanes, who disguises under +comic imagery a serious purpose; of Agathon, who in later life is +satirized by Aristophanes in the Thesmophoriazusae, for his effeminate +manners and the feeble rhythms of his verse; of Alcibiades, who is the +same strange contrast of great powers and great vices, which meets us +in history--are drawn to the life; and we may suppose the less-known +characters of Pausanias and Eryximachus to be also true to the +traditional recollection of them (compare Phaedr., Protag.; and compare +Sympos. with Phaedr.). We may also remark that Aristodemus is called +'the little' in Xenophon's Memorabilia (compare Symp.). + +The speeches have been said to follow each other in pairs: Phaedrus and +Pausanias being the ethical, Eryximachus and Aristophanes the physical +speakers, while in Agathon and Socrates poetry and philosophy blend +together. The speech of Phaedrus is also described as the mythological, +that of Pausanias as the political, that of Eryximachus as the +scientific, that of Aristophanes as the artistic (!), that of Socrates +as the philosophical. But these and similar distinctions are not found +in Plato;--they are the points of view of his critics, and seem to +impede rather than to assist us in understanding him. + +When the turn of Socrates comes round he cannot be allowed to disturb +the arrangement made at first. With the leave of Phaedrus he asks a few +questions, and then he throws his argument into the form of a speech +(compare Gorg., Protag.). But his speech is really the narrative of a +dialogue between himself and Diotima. And as at a banquet good manners +would not allow him to win a victory either over his host or any of +the guests, the superiority which he gains over Agathon is ingeniously +represented as having been already gained over himself by her. The +artifice has the further advantage of maintaining his accustomed +profession of ignorance (compare Menex.). Even his knowledge of the +mysteries of love, to which he lays claim here and elsewhere (Lys.), is +given by Diotima. + +The speeches are attested to us by the very best authority. The madman +Apollodorus, who for three years past has made a daily study of the +actions of Socrates--to whom the world is summed up in the words 'Great +is Socrates'--he has heard them from another 'madman,' Aristodemus, +who was the 'shadow' of Socrates in days of old, like him going about +barefooted, and who had been present at the time. 'Would you desire +better witness?' The extraordinary narrative of Alcibiades is +ingeniously represented as admitted by Socrates, whose silence when he +is invited to contradict gives consent to the narrator. We may observe, +by the way, (1) how the very appearance of Aristodemus by himself is +a sufficient indication to Agathon that Socrates has been left behind; +also, (2) how the courtesy of Agathon anticipates the excuse which +Socrates was to have made on Aristodemus' behalf for coming uninvited; +(3) how the story of the fit or trance of Socrates is confirmed by the +mention which Alcibiades makes of a similar fit of abstraction occurring +when he was serving with the army at Potidaea; like (4) the drinking +powers of Socrates and his love of the fair, which receive a similar +attestation in the concluding scene; or the attachment of Aristodemus, +who is not forgotten when Socrates takes his departure. (5) We may +notice the manner in which Socrates himself regards the first five +speeches, not as true, but as fanciful and exaggerated encomiums of the +god Love; (6) the satirical character of them, shown especially in +the appeals to mythology, in the reasons which are given by Zeus for +reconstructing the frame of man, or by the Boeotians and Eleans +for encouraging male loves; (7) the ruling passion of Socrates for +dialectics, who will argue with Agathon instead of making a speech, and +will only speak at all upon the condition that he is allowed to speak +the truth. We may note also the touch of Socratic irony, (8) which +admits of a wide application and reveals a deep insight into the +world:--that in speaking of holy things and persons there is a general +understanding that you should praise them, not that you should speak the +truth about them--this is the sort of praise which Socrates is unable to +give. Lastly, (9) we may remark that the banquet is a real banquet after +all, at which love is the theme of discourse, and huge quantities of +wine are drunk. + +The discourse of Phaedrus is half-mythical, half-ethical; and he +himself, true to the character which is given him in the Dialogue +bearing his name, is half-sophist, half-enthusiast. He is the critic +of poetry also, who compares Homer and Aeschylus in the insipid +and irrational manner of the schools of the day, characteristically +reasoning about the probability of matters which do not admit of +reasoning. He starts from a noble text: 'That without the sense of +honour and dishonour neither states nor individuals ever do any good +or great work.' But he soon passes on to more common-place topics. The +antiquity of love, the blessing of having a lover, the incentive which +love offers to daring deeds, the examples of Alcestis and Achilles, are +the chief themes of his discourse. The love of women is regarded by him +as almost on an equality with that of men; and he makes the singular +remark that the gods favour the return of love which is made by the +beloved more than the original sentiment, because the lover is of a +nobler and diviner nature. + +There is something of a sophistical ring in the speech of Phaedrus, +which recalls the first speech in imitation of Lysias, occurring in the +Dialogue called the Phaedrus. This is still more marked in the speech of +Pausanias which follows; and which is at once hyperlogical in form and +also extremely confused and pedantic. Plato is attacking the logical +feebleness of the sophists and rhetoricians, through their pupils, not +forgetting by the way to satirize the monotonous and unmeaning rhythms +which Prodicus and others were introducing into Attic prose (compare +Protag.). Of course, he is 'playing both sides of the game,' as in the +Gorgias and Phaedrus; but it is not necessary in order to understand him +that we should discuss the fairness of his mode of proceeding. The +love of Pausanias for Agathon has already been touched upon in the +Protagoras, and is alluded to by Aristophanes. Hence he is naturally the +upholder of male loves, which, like all the other affections or +actions of men, he regards as varying according to the manner of their +performance. Like the sophists and like Plato himself, though in a +different sense, he begins his discussion by an appeal to mythology, +and distinguishes between the elder and younger love. The value which +he attributes to such loves as motives to virtue and philosophy is at +variance with modern and Christian notions, but is in accordance with +Hellenic sentiment. The opinion of Christendom has not altogether +condemned passionate friendships between persons of the same sex, but +has certainly not encouraged them, because though innocent in themselves +in a few temperaments they are liable to degenerate into fearful evil. +Pausanias is very earnest in the defence of such loves; and he speaks of +them as generally approved among Hellenes and disapproved by barbarians. +His speech is 'more words than matter,' and might have been composed by +a pupil of Lysias or of Prodicus, although there is no hint given that +Plato is specially referring to them. As Eryximachus says, 'he makes a +fair beginning, but a lame ending.' + +Plato transposes the two next speeches, as in the Republic he would +transpose the virtues and the mathematical sciences. This is done partly +to avoid monotony, partly for the sake of making Aristophanes 'the cause +of wit in others,' and also in order to bring the comic and tragic +poet into juxtaposition, as if by accident. A suitable 'expectation' of +Aristophanes is raised by the ludicrous circumstance of his having the +hiccough, which is appropriately cured by his substitute, the physician +Eryximachus. To Eryximachus Love is the good physician; he sees +everything as an intelligent physicist, and, like many professors of his +art in modern times, attempts to reduce the moral to the physical; or +recognises one law of love which pervades them both. There are loves +and strifes of the body as well as of the mind. Like Hippocrates the +Asclepiad, he is a disciple of Heracleitus, whose conception of the +harmony of opposites he explains in a new way as the harmony after +discord; to his common sense, as to that of many moderns as well as +ancients, the identity of contradictories is an absurdity. His notion of +love may be summed up as the harmony of man with himself in soul as well +as body, and of all things in heaven and earth with one another. + +Aristophanes is ready to laugh and make laugh before he opens his mouth, +just as Socrates, true to his character, is ready to argue before he +begins to speak. He expresses the very genius of the old comedy, its +coarse and forcible imagery, and the licence of its language in speaking +about the gods. He has no sophistical notions about love, which +is brought back by him to its common-sense meaning of love between +intelligent beings. His account of the origin of the sexes has the +greatest (comic) probability and verisimilitude. Nothing in Aristophanes +is more truly Aristophanic than the description of the human monster +whirling round on four arms and four legs, eight in all, with incredible +rapidity. Yet there is a mixture of earnestness in this jest; three +serious principles seem to be insinuated:--first, that man cannot exist +in isolation; he must be reunited if he is to be perfected: secondly, +that love is the mediator and reconciler of poor, divided human nature: +thirdly, that the loves of this world are an indistinct anticipation of +an ideal union which is not yet realized. + +The speech of Agathon is conceived in a higher strain, and receives the +real, if half-ironical, approval of Socrates. It is the speech of the +tragic poet and a sort of poem, like tragedy, moving among the gods of +Olympus, and not among the elder or Orphic deities. In the idea of the +antiquity of love he cannot agree; love is not of the olden time, but +present and youthful ever. The speech may be compared with that speech +of Socrates in the Phaedrus in which he describes himself as talking +dithyrambs. It is at once a preparation for Socrates and a foil to him. +The rhetoric of Agathon elevates the soul to 'sunlit heights,' but at +the same time contrasts with the natural and necessary eloquence of +Socrates. Agathon contributes the distinction between love and the works +of love, and also hints incidentally that love is always of beauty, +which Socrates afterwards raises into a principle. While the +consciousness of discord is stronger in the comic poet Aristophanes, +Agathon, the tragic poet, has a deeper sense of harmony and +reconciliation, and speaks of Love as the creator and artist. + +All the earlier speeches embody common opinions coloured with a tinge of +philosophy. They furnish the material out of which Socrates proceeds to +form his discourse, starting, as in other places, from mythology and +the opinions of men. From Phaedrus he takes the thought that love is +stronger than death; from Pausanias, that the true love is akin to +intellect and political activity; from Eryximachus, that love is a +universal phenomenon and the great power of nature; from Aristophanes, +that love is the child of want, and is not merely the love of the +congenial or of the whole, but (as he adds) of the good; from Agathon, +that love is of beauty, not however of beauty only, but of birth +in beauty. As it would be out of character for Socrates to make a +lengthened harangue, the speech takes the form of a dialogue between +Socrates and a mysterious woman of foreign extraction. She elicits the +final truth from one who knows nothing, and who, speaking by the lips +of another, and himself a despiser of rhetoric, is proved also to be the +most consummate of rhetoricians (compare Menexenus). + +The last of the six discourses begins with a short argument which +overthrows not only Agathon but all the preceding speakers by the help +of a distinction which has escaped them. Extravagant praises have been +ascribed to Love as the author of every good; no sort of encomium was +too high for him, whether deserved and true or not. But Socrates has no +talent for speaking anything but the truth, and if he is to speak the +truth of Love he must honestly confess that he is not a good at all: for +love is of the good, and no man can desire that which he has. This +piece of dialectics is ascribed to Diotima, who has already urged +upon Socrates the argument which he urges against Agathon. That the +distinction is a fallacy is obvious; it is almost acknowledged to be so +by Socrates himself. For he who has beauty or good may desire more of +them; and he who has beauty or good in himself may desire beauty and +good in others. The fallacy seems to arise out of a confusion between +the abstract ideas of good and beauty, which do not admit of degrees, +and their partial realization in individuals. + +But Diotima, the prophetess of Mantineia, whose sacred and superhuman +character raises her above the ordinary proprieties of women, has taught +Socrates far more than this about the art and mystery of love. She has +taught him that love is another aspect of philosophy. The same want in +the human soul which is satisfied in the vulgar by the procreation of +children, may become the highest aspiration of intellectual desire. +As the Christian might speak of hungering and thirsting after +righteousness; or of divine loves under the figure of human (compare +Eph. 'This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the +church'); as the mediaeval saint might speak of the 'fruitio Dei;' as +Dante saw all things contained in his love of Beatrice, so Plato would +have us absorb all other loves and desires in the love of knowledge. +Here is the beginning of Neoplatonism, or rather, perhaps, a proof (of +which there are many) that the so-called mysticism of the East was +not strange to the Greek of the fifth century before Christ. The first +tumult of the affections was not wholly subdued; there were longings of +a creature moving about in worlds not realized, which no art could +satisfy. To most men reason and passion appear to be antagonistic both +in idea and fact. The union of the greatest comprehension of knowledge +and the burning intensity of love is a contradiction in nature, which +may have existed in a far-off primeval age in the mind of some Hebrew +prophet or other Eastern sage, but has now become an imagination only. +Yet this 'passion of the reason' is the theme of the Symposium of Plato. +And as there is no impossibility in supposing that 'one king, or son of +a king, may be a philosopher,' so also there is a probability that there +may be some few--perhaps one or two in a whole generation--in whom the +light of truth may not lack the warmth of desire. And if there be such +natures, no one will be disposed to deny that 'from them flow most of +the benefits of individuals and states;' and even from imperfect +combinations of the two elements in teachers or statesmen great good may +often arise. + +Yet there is a higher region in which love is not only felt, but +satisfied, in the perfect beauty of eternal knowledge, beginning with +the beauty of earthly things, and at last reaching a beauty in which +all existence is seen to be harmonious and one. The limited affection +is enlarged, and enabled to behold the ideal of all things. And here the +highest summit which is reached in the Symposium is seen also to be the +highest summit which is attained in the Republic, but approached from +another side; and there is 'a way upwards and downwards,' which is the +same and not the same in both. The ideal beauty of the one is the ideal +good of the other; regarded not with the eye of knowledge, but of faith +and desire; and they are respectively the source of beauty and the +source of good in all other things. And by the steps of a 'ladder +reaching to heaven' we pass from images of visible beauty (Greek), and +from the hypotheses of the Mathematical sciences, which are not yet +based upon the idea of good, through the concrete to the abstract, and, +by different paths arriving, behold the vision of the eternal (compare +Symp. (Greek) Republic (Greek) also Phaedrus). Under one aspect 'the +idea is love'; under another, 'truth.' In both the lover of wisdom is +the 'spectator of all time and of all existence.' This is a 'mystery' +in which Plato also obscurely intimates the union of the spiritual and +fleshly, the interpenetration of the moral and intellectual faculties. + +The divine image of beauty which resides within Socrates has been +revealed; the Silenus, or outward man, has now to be exhibited. +The description of Socrates follows immediately after the speech of +Socrates; one is the complement of the other. At the height of divine +inspiration, when the force of nature can no further go, by way of +contrast to this extreme idealism, Alcibiades, accompanied by a troop of +revellers and a flute-girl, staggers in, and being drunk is able to tell +of things which he would have been ashamed to make known if he had been +sober. The state of his affections towards Socrates, unintelligible to +us and perverted as they appear, affords an illustration of the power +ascribed to the loves of man in the speech of Pausanias. He does not +suppose his feelings to be peculiar to himself: there are several other +persons in the company who have been equally in love with Socrates, +and like himself have been deceived by him. The singular part of this +confession is the combination of the most degrading passion with the +desire of virtue and improvement. Such an union is not wholly untrue to +human nature, which is capable of combining good and evil in a degree +beyond what we can easily conceive. In imaginative persons, especially, +the God and beast in man seem to part asunder more than is natural in +a well-regulated mind. The Platonic Socrates (for of the real Socrates +this may be doubted: compare his public rebuke of Critias for his +shameful love of Euthydemus in Xenophon, Memorabilia) does not regard +the greatest evil of Greek life as a thing not to be spoken of; but it +has a ridiculous element (Plato's Symp.), and is a subject for irony, no +less than for moral reprobation (compare Plato's Symp.). It is also used +as a figure of speech which no one interpreted literally (compare Xen. +Symp.). Nor does Plato feel any repugnance, such as would be felt in +modern times, at bringing his great master and hero into connexion with +nameless crimes. He is contented with representing him as a saint, who +has won 'the Olympian victory' over the temptations of human nature. The +fault of taste, which to us is so glaring and which was recognized +by the Greeks of a later age (Athenaeus), was not perceived by Plato +himself. We are still more surprised to find that the philosopher is +incited to take the first step in his upward progress (Symp.) by the +beauty of young men and boys, which was alone capable of inspiring the +modern feeling of romance in the Greek mind. The passion of love took +the spurious form of an enthusiasm for the ideal of beauty--a worship +as of some godlike image of an Apollo or Antinous. But the love of youth +when not depraved was a love of virtue and modesty as well as of beauty, +the one being the expression of the other; and in certain Greek states, +especially at Sparta and Thebes, the honourable attachment of a youth to +an elder man was a part of his education. The 'army of lovers and their +beloved who would be invincible if they could be united by such a tie' +(Symp.), is not a mere fiction of Plato's, but seems actually to have +existed at Thebes in the days of Epaminondas and Pelopidas, if we +may believe writers cited anonymously by Plutarch, Pelop. Vit. It is +observable that Plato never in the least degree excuses the depraved +love of the body (compare Charm.; Rep.; Laws; Symp.; and once more +Xenophon, Mem.), nor is there any Greek writer of mark who condones or +approves such connexions. But owing partly to the puzzling nature of the +subject these friendships are spoken of by Plato in a manner different +from that customary among ourselves. To most of them we should hesitate +to ascribe, any more than to the attachment of Achilles and Patroclus in +Homer, an immoral or licentious character. There were many, doubtless, +to whom the love of the fair mind was the noblest form of friendship +(Rep.), and who deemed the friendship of man with man to be higher +than the love of woman, because altogether separated from the bodily +appetites. The existence of such attachments may be reasonably +attributed to the inferiority and seclusion of woman, and the want of +a real family or social life and parental influence in Hellenic cities; +and they were encouraged by the practice of gymnastic exercises, by the +meetings of political clubs, and by the tie of military companionship. +They were also an educational institution: a young person was specially +entrusted by his parents to some elder friend who was expected by them +to train their son in manly exercises and in virtue. It is not likely +that a Greek parent committed him to a lover, any more than we should +to a schoolmaster, in the expectation that he would be corrupted by him, +but rather in the hope that his morals would be better cared for than +was possible in a great household of slaves. + +It is difficult to adduce the authority of Plato either for or against +such practices or customs, because it is not always easy to determine +whether he is speaking of 'the heavenly and philosophical love, or +of the coarse Polyhymnia:' and he often refers to this (e.g. in the +Symposium) half in jest, yet 'with a certain degree of seriousness.' +We observe that they entered into one part of Greek literature, but not +into another, and that the larger part is free from such associations. +Indecency was an element of the ludicrous in the old Greek Comedy, as +it has been in other ages and countries. But effeminate love was always +condemned as well as ridiculed by the Comic poets; and in the New Comedy +the allusions to such topics have disappeared. They seem to have been no +longer tolerated by the greater refinement of the age. False sentiment +is found in the Lyric and Elegiac poets; and in mythology 'the greatest +of the Gods' (Rep.) is not exempt from evil imputations. But the morals +of a nation are not to be judged of wholly by its literature. Hellas +was not necessarily more corrupted in the days of the Persian and +Peloponnesian wars, or of Plato and the Orators, than England in the +time of Fielding and Smollett, or France in the nineteenth century. No +one supposes certain French novels to be a representation of ordinary +French life. And the greater part of Greek literature, beginning +with Homer and including the tragedians, philosophers, and, with the +exception of the Comic poets (whose business was to raise a laugh +by whatever means), all the greater writers of Hellas who have been +preserved to us, are free from the taint of indecency. + +Some general considerations occur to our mind when we begin to reflect +on this subject. (1) That good and evil are linked together in human +nature, and have often existed side by side in the world and in man to +an extent hardly credible. We cannot distinguish them, and are therefore +unable to part them; as in the parable 'they grow together unto the +harvest:' it is only a rule of external decency by which society can +divide them. Nor should we be right in inferring from the prevalence of +any one vice or corruption that a state or individual was demoralized +in their whole character. Not only has the corruption of the best been +sometimes thought to be the worst, but it may be remarked that this very +excess of evil has been the stimulus to good (compare Plato, Laws, where +he says that in the most corrupt cities individuals are to be found +beyond all praise). (2) It may be observed that evils which admit of +degrees can seldom be rightly estimated, because under the same name +actions of the most different degrees of culpability may be included. No +charge is more easily set going than the imputation of secret wickedness +(which cannot be either proved or disproved and often cannot be defined) +when directed against a person of whom the world, or a section of it, is +predisposed to think evil. And it is quite possible that the malignity +of Greek scandal, aroused by some personal jealousy or party enmity, may +have converted the innocent friendship of a great man for a noble youth +into a connexion of another kind. Such accusations were brought against +several of the leading men of Hellas, e.g. Cimon, Alcibiades, Critias, +Demosthenes, Epaminondas: several of the Roman emperors were assailed +by similar weapons which have been used even in our own day against +statesmen of the highest character. (3) While we know that in this +matter there is a great gulf fixed between Greek and Christian Ethics, +yet, if we would do justice to the Greeks, we must also acknowledge that +there was a greater outspokenness among them than among ourselves about +the things which nature hides, and that the more frequent mention of +such topics is not to be taken as the measure of the prevalence of +offences, or as a proof of the general corruption of society. It is +likely that every religion in the world has used words or practised +rites in one age, which have become distasteful or repugnant to another. +We cannot, though for different reasons, trust the representations +either of Comedy or Satire; and still less of Christian Apologists. +(4) We observe that at Thebes and Lacedemon the attachment of an +elder friend to a beloved youth was often deemed to be a part of his +education; and was encouraged by his parents--it was only shameful if +it degenerated into licentiousness. Such we may believe to have been the +tie which united Asophychus and Cephisodorus with the great Epaminondas +in whose companionship they fell (Plutarch, Amat.; Athenaeus on the +authority of Theopompus). (5) A small matter: there appears to be a +difference of custom among the Greeks and among ourselves, as between +ourselves and continental nations at the present time, in modes of +salutation. We must not suspect evil in the hearty kiss or embrace of +a male friend 'returning from the army at Potidaea' any more than in +a similar salutation when practised by members of the same family. But +those who make these admissions, and who regard, not without pity, the +victims of such illusions in our own day, whose life has been blasted +by them, may be none the less resolved that the natural and healthy +instincts of mankind shall alone be tolerated (Greek); and that the +lesson of manliness which we have inherited from our fathers shall not +degenerate into sentimentalism or effeminacy. The possibility of an +honourable connexion of this kind seems to have died out with Greek +civilization. Among the Romans, and also among barbarians, such as the +Celts and Persians, there is no trace of such attachments existing in +any noble or virtuous form. + +(Compare Hoeck's Creta and the admirable and exhaustive article of Meier +in Ersch and Grueber's Cyclopedia on this subject; Plutarch, Amatores; +Athenaeus; Lysias contra Simonem; Aesch. c. Timarchum.) + +The character of Alcibiades in the Symposium is hardly less remarkable +than that of Socrates, and agrees with the picture given of him in the +first of the two Dialogues which are called by his name, and also with +the slight sketch of him in the Protagoras. He is the impersonation of +lawlessness--'the lion's whelp, who ought not to be reared in the +city,' yet not without a certain generosity which gained the hearts of +men,--strangely fascinated by Socrates, and possessed of a genius which +might have been either the destruction or salvation of Athens. The +dramatic interest of the character is heightened by the recollection of +his after history. He seems to have been present to the mind of Plato +in the description of the democratic man of the Republic (compare also +Alcibiades 1). + +There is no criterion of the date of the Symposium, except that which +is furnished by the allusion to the division of Arcadia after the +destruction of Mantinea. This took place in the year B.C. 384, which is +the forty-fourth year of Plato's life. The Symposium cannot therefore be +regarded as a youthful work. As Mantinea was restored in the year 369, +the composition of the Dialogue will probably fall between 384 and +369. Whether the recollection of the event is more likely to have been +renewed at the destruction or restoration of the city, rather than at +some intermediate period, is a consideration not worth raising. + +The Symposium is connected with the Phaedrus both in style and subject; +they are the only Dialogues of Plato in which the theme of love is +discussed at length. In both of them philosophy is regarded as a sort of +enthusiasm or madness; Socrates is himself 'a prophet new inspired' with +Bacchanalian revelry, which, like his philosophy, he characteristically +pretends to have derived not from himself but from others. The Phaedo +also presents some points of comparison with the Symposium. For there, +too, philosophy might be described as 'dying for love;' and there are +not wanting many touches of humour and fancy, which remind us of the +Symposium. But while the Phaedo and Phaedrus look backwards and forwards +to past and future states of existence, in the Symposium there is no +break between this world and another; and we rise from one to the other +by a regular series of steps or stages, proceeding from the particulars +of sense to the universal of reason, and from one universal to many, +which are finally reunited in a single science (compare Rep.). At first +immortality means only the succession of existences; even knowledge +comes and goes. Then follows, in the language of the mysteries, a higher +and a higher degree of initiation; at last we arrive at the perfect +vision of beauty, not relative or changing, but eternal and absolute; +not bounded by this world, or in or out of this world, but an aspect of +the divine, extending over all things, and having no limit of space or +time: this is the highest knowledge of which the human mind is capable. +Plato does not go on to ask whether the individual is absorbed in the +sea of light and beauty or retains his personality. Enough for him to +have attained the true beauty or good, without enquiring precisely into +the relation in which human beings stood to it. That the soul has such +a reach of thought, and is capable of partaking of the eternal nature, +seems to imply that she too is eternal (compare Phaedrus). But Plato +does not distinguish the eternal in man from the eternal in the world or +in God. He is willing to rest in the contemplation of the idea, which +to him is the cause of all things (Rep.), and has no strength to go +further. + +The Symposium of Xenophon, in which Socrates describes himself as +a pander, and also discourses of the difference between sensual +and sentimental love, likewise offers several interesting points +of comparison. But the suspicion which hangs over other writings +of Xenophon, and the numerous minute references to the Phaedrus and +Symposium, as well as to some of the other writings of Plato, throw +a doubt on the genuineness of the work. The Symposium of Xenophon, if +written by him at all, would certainly show that he wrote against Plato, +and was acquainted with his works. Of this hostility there is no trace +in the Memorabilia. Such a rivalry is more characteristic of an imitator +than of an original writer. The (so-called) Symposium of Xenophon +may therefore have no more title to be regarded as genuine than the +confessedly spurious Apology. + +There are no means of determining the relative order in time of the +Phaedrus, Symposium, Phaedo. The order which has been adopted in +this translation rests on no other principle than the desire to bring +together in a series the memorials of the life of Socrates. + + + + +SYMPOSIUM + + +PERSONS OF THE DIALOGUE: Apollodorus, who repeats to his companion +the dialogue which he had heard from Aristodemus, and had already once +narrated to Glaucon. Phaedrus, Pausanias, Eryximachus, Aristophanes, +Agathon, Socrates, Alcibiades, A Troop of Revellers. + +SCENE: The House of Agathon. + + +Concerning the things about which you ask to be informed I believe that +I am not ill-prepared with an answer. For the day before yesterday I +was coming from my own home at Phalerum to the city, and one of my +acquaintance, who had caught a sight of me from behind, calling out +playfully in the distance, said: Apollodorus, O thou Phalerian (Probably +a play of words on (Greek), 'bald-headed.') man, halt! So I did as I +was bid; and then he said, I was looking for you, Apollodorus, only just +now, that I might ask you about the speeches in praise of love, which +were delivered by Socrates, Alcibiades, and others, at Agathon's supper. +Phoenix, the son of Philip, told another person who told me of them; +his narrative was very indistinct, but he said that you knew, and I wish +that you would give me an account of them. Who, if not you, should be +the reporter of the words of your friend? And first tell me, he said, +were you present at this meeting? + +Your informant, Glaucon, I said, must have been very indistinct indeed, +if you imagine that the occasion was recent; or that I could have been +of the party. + +Why, yes, he replied, I thought so. + +Impossible: I said. Are you ignorant that for many years Agathon has not +resided at Athens; and not three have elapsed since I became acquainted +with Socrates, and have made it my daily business to know all that he +says and does. There was a time when I was running about the world, +fancying myself to be well employed, but I was really a most wretched +being, no better than you are now. I thought that I ought to do anything +rather than be a philosopher. + +Well, he said, jesting apart, tell me when the meeting occurred. + +In our boyhood, I replied, when Agathon won the prize with his first +tragedy, on the day after that on which he and his chorus offered the +sacrifice of victory. + +Then it must have been a long while ago, he said; and who told you--did +Socrates? + +No indeed, I replied, but the same person who told Phoenix;--he was a +little fellow, who never wore any shoes, Aristodemus, of the deme of +Cydathenaeum. He had been at Agathon's feast; and I think that in +those days there was no one who was a more devoted admirer of Socrates. +Moreover, I have asked Socrates about the truth of some parts of his +narrative, and he confirmed them. Then, said Glaucon, let us have the +tale over again; is not the road to Athens just made for conversation? +And so we walked, and talked of the discourses on love; and therefore, +as I said at first, I am not ill-prepared to comply with your request, +and will have another rehearsal of them if you like. For to speak or to +hear others speak of philosophy always gives me the greatest pleasure, +to say nothing of the profit. But when I hear another strain, especially +that of you rich men and traders, such conversation displeases me; and +I pity you who are my companions, because you think that you are doing +something when in reality you are doing nothing. And I dare say that +you pity me in return, whom you regard as an unhappy creature, and very +probably you are right. But I certainly know of you what you only think +of me--there is the difference. + +COMPANION: I see, Apollodorus, that you are just the same--always +speaking evil of yourself, and of others; and I do believe that you pity +all mankind, with the exception of Socrates, yourself first of all, true +in this to your old name, which, however deserved, I know not how you +acquired, of Apollodorus the madman; for you are always raging against +yourself and everybody but Socrates. + +APOLLODORUS: Yes, friend, and the reason why I am said to be mad, and +out of my wits, is just because I have these notions of myself and you; +no other evidence is required. + +COMPANION: No more of that, Apollodorus; but let me renew my request +that you would repeat the conversation. + +APOLLODORUS: Well, the tale of love was on this wise:--But perhaps I had +better begin at the beginning, and endeavour to give you the exact words +of Aristodemus: + +He said that he met Socrates fresh from the bath and sandalled; and as +the sight of the sandals was unusual, he asked him whither he was going +that he had been converted into such a beau:-- + +To a banquet at Agathon's, he replied, whose invitation to his sacrifice +of victory I refused yesterday, fearing a crowd, but promising that I +would come to-day instead; and so I have put on my finery, because he is +such a fine man. What say you to going with me unasked? + +I will do as you bid me, I replied. + +Follow then, he said, and let us demolish the proverb:-- + +'To the feasts of inferior men the good unbidden go;' + +instead of which our proverb will run:-- + +'To the feasts of the good the good unbidden go;' + +and this alteration may be supported by the authority of Homer himself, +who not only demolishes but literally outrages the proverb. For, after +picturing Agamemnon as the most valiant of men, he makes Menelaus, who +is but a fainthearted warrior, come unbidden (Iliad) to the banquet of +Agamemnon, who is feasting and offering sacrifices, not the better to +the worse, but the worse to the better. + +I rather fear, Socrates, said Aristodemus, lest this may still be my +case; and that, like Menelaus in Homer, I shall be the inferior person, +who + +'To the feasts of the wise unbidden goes.' + +But I shall say that I was bidden of you, and then you will have to make +an excuse. + +'Two going together,' + +he replied, in Homeric fashion, one or other of them may invent an +excuse by the way (Iliad). + +This was the style of their conversation as they went along. Socrates +dropped behind in a fit of abstraction, and desired Aristodemus, who was +waiting, to go on before him. When he reached the house of Agathon +he found the doors wide open, and a comical thing happened. A servant +coming out met him, and led him at once into the banqueting-hall in +which the guests were reclining, for the banquet was about to begin. +Welcome, Aristodemus, said Agathon, as soon as he appeared--you are just +in time to sup with us; if you come on any other matter put it off, and +make one of us, as I was looking for you yesterday and meant to have +asked you, if I could have found you. But what have you done with +Socrates? + +I turned round, but Socrates was nowhere to be seen; and I had to +explain that he had been with me a moment before, and that I came by his +invitation to the supper. + +You were quite right in coming, said Agathon; but where is he himself? + +He was behind me just now, as I entered, he said, and I cannot think +what has become of him. + +Go and look for him, boy, said Agathon, and bring him in; and do you, +Aristodemus, meanwhile take the place by Eryximachus. + +The servant then assisted him to wash, and he lay down, and presently +another servant came in and reported that our friend Socrates had +retired into the portico of the neighbouring house. 'There he is fixed,' +said he, 'and when I call to him he will not stir.' + +How strange, said Agathon; then you must call him again, and keep +calling him. + +Let him alone, said my informant; he has a way of stopping anywhere and +losing himself without any reason. I believe that he will soon appear; +do not therefore disturb him. + +Well, if you think so, I will leave him, said Agathon. And then, turning +to the servants, he added, 'Let us have supper without waiting for him. +Serve up whatever you please, for there is no one to give you orders; +hitherto I have never left you to yourselves. But on this occasion +imagine that you are our hosts, and that I and the company are your +guests; treat us well, and then we shall commend you.' After this, +supper was served, but still no Socrates; and during the meal Agathon +several times expressed a wish to send for him, but Aristodemus +objected; and at last when the feast was about half over--for the fit, +as usual, was not of long duration--Socrates entered. Agathon, who was +reclining alone at the end of the table, begged that he would take +the place next to him; that 'I may touch you,' he said, 'and have the +benefit of that wise thought which came into your mind in the portico, +and is now in your possession; for I am certain that you would not have +come away until you had found what you sought.' + +How I wish, said Socrates, taking his place as he was desired, that +wisdom could be infused by touch, out of the fuller into the emptier +man, as water runs through wool out of a fuller cup into an emptier one; +if that were so, how greatly should I value the privilege of reclining +at your side! For you would have filled me full with a stream of wisdom +plenteous and fair; whereas my own is of a very mean and questionable +sort, no better than a dream. But yours is bright and full of promise, +and was manifested forth in all the splendour of youth the day before +yesterday, in the presence of more than thirty thousand Hellenes. + +You are mocking, Socrates, said Agathon, and ere long you and I will +have to determine who bears off the palm of wisdom--of this Dionysus +shall be the judge; but at present you are better occupied with supper. + +Socrates took his place on the couch, and supped with the rest; and then +libations were offered, and after a hymn had been sung to the god, +and there had been the usual ceremonies, they were about to commence +drinking, when Pausanias said, And now, my friends, how can we drink +with least injury to ourselves? I can assure you that I feel severely +the effect of yesterday's potations, and must have time to recover; and +I suspect that most of you are in the same predicament, for you were +of the party yesterday. Consider then: How can the drinking be made +easiest? + +I entirely agree, said Aristophanes, that we should, by all means, avoid +hard drinking, for I was myself one of those who were yesterday drowned +in drink. + +I think that you are right, said Eryximachus, the son of Acumenus; but +I should still like to hear one other person speak: Is Agathon able to +drink hard? + +I am not equal to it, said Agathon. + +Then, said Eryximachus, the weak heads like myself, Aristodemus, +Phaedrus, and others who never can drink, are fortunate in finding +that the stronger ones are not in a drinking mood. (I do not include +Socrates, who is able either to drink or to abstain, and will not mind, +whichever we do.) Well, as of none of the company seem disposed to drink +much, I may be forgiven for saying, as a physician, that drinking deep +is a bad practice, which I never follow, if I can help, and certainly +do not recommend to another, least of all to any one who still feels the +effects of yesterday's carouse. + +I always do what you advise, and especially what you prescribe as a +physician, rejoined Phaedrus the Myrrhinusian, and the rest of the +company, if they are wise, will do the same. + +It was agreed that drinking was not to be the order of the day, but that +they were all to drink only so much as they pleased. + +Then, said Eryximachus, as you are all agreed that drinking is to be +voluntary, and that there is to be no compulsion, I move, in the next +place, that the flute-girl, who has just made her appearance, be told +to go away and play to herself, or, if she likes, to the women who are +within (compare Prot.). To-day let us have conversation instead; and, +if you will allow me, I will tell you what sort of conversation. This +proposal having been accepted, Eryximachus proceeded as follows:-- + +I will begin, he said, after the manner of Melanippe in Euripides, + +'Not mine the word' + +which I am about to speak, but that of Phaedrus. For often he says to me +in an indignant tone:--'What a strange thing it is, Eryximachus, that, +whereas other gods have poems and hymns made in their honour, the great +and glorious god, Love, has no encomiast among all the poets who are +so many. There are the worthy sophists too--the excellent Prodicus for +example, who have descanted in prose on the virtues of Heracles and +other heroes; and, what is still more extraordinary, I have met with a +philosophical work in which the utility of salt has been made the theme +of an eloquent discourse; and many other like things have had a like +honour bestowed upon them. And only to think that there should have been +an eager interest created about them, and yet that to this day no one +has ever dared worthily to hymn Love's praises! So entirely has this +great deity been neglected.' Now in this Phaedrus seems to me to be +quite right, and therefore I want to offer him a contribution; also I +think that at the present moment we who are here assembled cannot do +better than honour the god Love. If you agree with me, there will be +no lack of conversation; for I mean to propose that each of us in turn, +going from left to right, shall make a speech in honour of Love. Let him +give us the best which he can; and Phaedrus, because he is sitting first +on the left hand, and because he is the father of the thought, shall +begin. + +No one will vote against you, Eryximachus, said Socrates. How can I +oppose your motion, who profess to understand nothing but matters of +love; nor, I presume, will Agathon and Pausanias; and there can be +no doubt of Aristophanes, whose whole concern is with Dionysus and +Aphrodite; nor will any one disagree of those whom I see around me. The +proposal, as I am aware, may seem rather hard upon us whose place is +last; but we shall be contented if we hear some good speeches first. Let +Phaedrus begin the praise of Love, and good luck to him. All the company +expressed their assent, and desired him to do as Socrates bade him. + +Aristodemus did not recollect all that was said, nor do I recollect all +that he related to me; but I will tell you what I thought most worthy of +remembrance, and what the chief speakers said. + +Phaedrus began by affirming that Love is a mighty god, and wonderful +among gods and men, but especially wonderful in his birth. For he is the +eldest of the gods, which is an honour to him; and a proof of his claim +to this honour is, that of his parents there is no memorial; neither +poet nor prose-writer has ever affirmed that he had any. As Hesiod +says:-- + +'First Chaos came, and then broad-bosomed Earth, The everlasting seat of +all that is, And Love.' + +In other words, after Chaos, the Earth and Love, these two, came into +being. Also Parmenides sings of Generation: + +'First in the train of gods, he fashioned Love.' + +And Acusilaus agrees with Hesiod. Thus numerous are the witnesses who +acknowledge Love to be the eldest of the gods. And not only is he the +eldest, he is also the source of the greatest benefits to us. For I know +not any greater blessing to a young man who is beginning life than a +virtuous lover, or to the lover than a beloved youth. For the principle +which ought to be the guide of men who would nobly live--that principle, +I say, neither kindred, nor honour, nor wealth, nor any other motive is +able to implant so well as love. Of what am I speaking? Of the sense of +honour and dishonour, without which neither states nor individuals ever +do any good or great work. And I say that a lover who is detected in +doing any dishonourable act, or submitting through cowardice when +any dishonour is done to him by another, will be more pained at being +detected by his beloved than at being seen by his father, or by his +companions, or by any one else. The beloved too, when he is found in +any disgraceful situation, has the same feeling about his lover. And if +there were only some way of contriving that a state or an army should be +made up of lovers and their loves (compare Rep.), they would be the very +best governors of their own city, abstaining from all dishonour, and +emulating one another in honour; and when fighting at each other's side, +although a mere handful, they would overcome the world. For what lover +would not choose rather to be seen by all mankind than by his beloved, +either when abandoning his post or throwing away his arms? He would be +ready to die a thousand deaths rather than endure this. Or who would +desert his beloved or fail him in the hour of danger? The veriest coward +would become an inspired hero, equal to the bravest, at such a time; +Love would inspire him. That courage which, as Homer says, the god +breathes into the souls of some heroes, Love of his own nature infuses +into the lover. + +Love will make men dare to die for their beloved--love alone; and women +as well as men. Of this, Alcestis, the daughter of Pelias, is a monument +to all Hellas; for she was willing to lay down her life on behalf of her +husband, when no one else would, although he had a father and mother; +but the tenderness of her love so far exceeded theirs, that she made +them seem to be strangers in blood to their own son, and in name only +related to him; and so noble did this action of hers appear to the gods, +as well as to men, that among the many who have done virtuously she is +one of the very few to whom, in admiration of her noble action, they +have granted the privilege of returning alive to earth; such exceeding +honour is paid by the gods to the devotion and virtue of love. But +Orpheus, the son of Oeagrus, the harper, they sent empty away, and +presented to him an apparition only of her whom he sought, but herself +they would not give up, because he showed no spirit; he was only a +harp-player, and did not dare like Alcestis to die for love, but was +contriving how he might enter Hades alive; moreover, they afterwards +caused him to suffer death at the hands of women, as the punishment +of his cowardliness. Very different was the reward of the true love of +Achilles towards his lover Patroclus--his lover and not his love (the +notion that Patroclus was the beloved one is a foolish error into which +Aeschylus has fallen, for Achilles was surely the fairer of the two, +fairer also than all the other heroes; and, as Homer informs us, he was +still beardless, and younger far). And greatly as the gods honour the +virtue of love, still the return of love on the part of the beloved to +the lover is more admired and valued and rewarded by them, for the lover +is more divine; because he is inspired by God. Now Achilles was quite +aware, for he had been told by his mother, that he might avoid death and +return home, and live to a good old age, if he abstained from slaying +Hector. Nevertheless he gave his life to revenge his friend, and dared +to die, not only in his defence, but after he was dead. Wherefore the +gods honoured him even above Alcestis, and sent him to the Islands of +the Blest. These are my reasons for affirming that Love is the eldest +and noblest and mightiest of the gods; and the chiefest author and giver +of virtue in life, and of happiness after death. + +This, or something like this, was the speech of Phaedrus; and some other +speeches followed which Aristodemus did not remember; the next which he +repeated was that of Pausanias. Phaedrus, he said, the argument has not +been set before us, I think, quite in the right form;--we should not be +called upon to praise Love in such an indiscriminate manner. If there +were only one Love, then what you said would be well enough; but since +there are more Loves than one,--should have begun by determining which +of them was to be the theme of our praises. I will amend this defect; +and first of all I will tell you which Love is deserving of praise, and +then try to hymn the praiseworthy one in a manner worthy of him. For we +all know that Love is inseparable from Aphrodite, and if there were +only one Aphrodite there would be only one Love; but as there are two +goddesses there must be two Loves. And am I not right in asserting that +there are two goddesses? The elder one, having no mother, who is called +the heavenly Aphrodite--she is the daughter of Uranus; the younger, who +is the daughter of Zeus and Dione--her we call common; and the Love +who is her fellow-worker is rightly named common, as the other love is +called heavenly. All the gods ought to have praise given to them, but +not without distinction of their natures; and therefore I must try to +distinguish the characters of the two Loves. Now actions vary according +to the manner of their performance. Take, for example, that which we +are now doing, drinking, singing and talking--these actions are not in +themselves either good or evil, but they turn out in this or that way +according to the mode of performing them; and when well done they are +good, and when wrongly done they are evil; and in like manner not every +love, but only that which has a noble purpose, is noble and worthy +of praise. The Love who is the offspring of the common Aphrodite is +essentially common, and has no discrimination, being such as the meaner +sort of men feel, and is apt to be of women as well as of youths, and +is of the body rather than of the soul--the most foolish beings are the +objects of this love which desires only to gain an end, but never thinks +of accomplishing the end nobly, and therefore does good and evil quite +indiscriminately. The goddess who is his mother is far younger than +the other, and she was born of the union of the male and female, and +partakes of both. But the offspring of the heavenly Aphrodite is derived +from a mother in whose birth the female has no part,--she is from the +male only; this is that love which is of youths, and the goddess being +older, there is nothing of wantonness in her. Those who are inspired by +this love turn to the male, and delight in him who is the more valiant +and intelligent nature; any one may recognise the pure enthusiasts in +the very character of their attachments. For they love not boys, but +intelligent beings whose reason is beginning to be developed, much about +the time at which their beards begin to grow. And in choosing young men +to be their companions, they mean to be faithful to them, and pass their +whole life in company with them, not to take them in their inexperience, +and deceive them, and play the fool with them, or run away from one to +another of them. But the love of young boys should be forbidden by law, +because their future is uncertain; they may turn out good or bad, either +in body or soul, and much noble enthusiasm may be thrown away upon them; +in this matter the good are a law to themselves, and the coarser sort +of lovers ought to be restrained by force; as we restrain or attempt to +restrain them from fixing their affections on women of free birth. These +are the persons who bring a reproach on love; and some have been led to +deny the lawfulness of such attachments because they see the impropriety +and evil of them; for surely nothing that is decorously and lawfully +done can justly be censured. Now here and in Lacedaemon the rules about +love are perplexing, but in most cities they are simple and easily +intelligible; in Elis and Boeotia, and in countries having no gifts of +eloquence, they are very straightforward; the law is simply in favour of +these connexions, and no one, whether young or old, has anything to say +to their discredit; the reason being, as I suppose, that they are men +of few words in those parts, and therefore the lovers do not like the +trouble of pleading their suit. In Ionia and other places, and generally +in countries which are subject to the barbarians, the custom is held +to be dishonourable; loves of youths share the evil repute in which +philosophy and gymnastics are held, because they are inimical to +tyranny; for the interests of rulers require that their subjects should +be poor in spirit (compare Arist. Politics), and that there should be no +strong bond of friendship or society among them, which love, above all +other motives, is likely to inspire, as our Athenian tyrants learned by +experience; for the love of Aristogeiton and the constancy of Harmodius +had a strength which undid their power. And, therefore, the ill-repute +into which these attachments have fallen is to be ascribed to the evil +condition of those who make them to be ill-reputed; that is to say, to +the self-seeking of the governors and the cowardice of the governed; on +the other hand, the indiscriminate honour which is given to them in some +countries is attributable to the laziness of those who hold this opinion +of them. In our own country a far better principle prevails, but, as +I was saying, the explanation of it is rather perplexing. For, observe +that open loves are held to be more honourable than secret ones, and +that the love of the noblest and highest, even if their persons are +less beautiful than others, is especially honourable. Consider, too, +how great is the encouragement which all the world gives to the lover; +neither is he supposed to be doing anything dishonourable; but if he +succeeds he is praised, and if he fail he is blamed. And in the pursuit +of his love the custom of mankind allows him to do many strange things, +which philosophy would bitterly censure if they were done from any +motive of interest, or wish for office or power. He may pray, and +entreat, and supplicate, and swear, and lie on a mat at the door, and +endure a slavery worse than that of any slave--in any other case friends +and enemies would be equally ready to prevent him, but now there is no +friend who will be ashamed of him and admonish him, and no enemy will +charge him with meanness or flattery; the actions of a lover have a +grace which ennobles them; and custom has decided that they are highly +commendable and that there no loss of character in them; and, what is +strangest of all, he only may swear and forswear himself (so men say), +and the gods will forgive his transgression, for there is no such thing +as a lover's oath. Such is the entire liberty which gods and men have +allowed the lover, according to the custom which prevails in our part of +the world. From this point of view a man fairly argues that in Athens +to love and to be loved is held to be a very honourable thing. But when +parents forbid their sons to talk with their lovers, and place them +under a tutor's care, who is appointed to see to these things, and their +companions and equals cast in their teeth anything of the sort which +they may observe, and their elders refuse to silence the reprovers +and do not rebuke them--any one who reflects on all this will, on the +contrary, think that we hold these practices to be most disgraceful. +But, as I was saying at first, the truth as I imagine is, that whether +such practices are honourable or whether they are dishonourable is not a +simple question; they are honourable to him who follows them honourably, +dishonourable to him who follows them dishonourably. There is dishonour +in yielding to the evil, or in an evil manner; but there is honour in +yielding to the good, or in an honourable manner. Evil is the vulgar +lover who loves the body rather than the soul, inasmuch as he is not +even stable, because he loves a thing which is in itself unstable, and +therefore when the bloom of youth which he was desiring is over, he +takes wing and flies away, in spite of all his words and promises; +whereas the love of the noble disposition is life-long, for it becomes +one with the everlasting. The custom of our country would have both of +them proven well and truly, and would have us yield to the one sort of +lover and avoid the other, and therefore encourages some to pursue, +and others to fly; testing both the lover and beloved in contests and +trials, until they show to which of the two classes they respectively +belong. And this is the reason why, in the first place, a hasty +attachment is held to be dishonourable, because time is the true test of +this as of most other things; and secondly there is a dishonour in being +overcome by the love of money, or of wealth, or of political power, +whether a man is frightened into surrender by the loss of them, or, +having experienced the benefits of money and political corruption, is +unable to rise above the seductions of them. For none of these things +are of a permanent or lasting nature; not to mention that no generous +friendship ever sprang from them. There remains, then, only one way of +honourable attachment which custom allows in the beloved, and this is +the way of virtue; for as we admitted that any service which the lover +does to him is not to be accounted flattery or a dishonour to himself, +so the beloved has one way only of voluntary service which is not +dishonourable, and this is virtuous service. + +For we have a custom, and according to our custom any one who does +service to another under the idea that he will be improved by him either +in wisdom, or in some other particular of virtue--such a voluntary +service, I say, is not to be regarded as a dishonour, and is not open +to the charge of flattery. And these two customs, one the love of youth, +and the other the practice of philosophy and virtue in general, ought to +meet in one, and then the beloved may honourably indulge the lover. For +when the lover and beloved come together, having each of them a law, and +the lover thinks that he is right in doing any service which he can to +his gracious loving one; and the other that he is right in showing any +kindness which he can to him who is making him wise and good; the one +capable of communicating wisdom and virtue, the other seeking to acquire +them with a view to education and wisdom, when the two laws of love are +fulfilled and meet in one--then, and then only, may the beloved yield +with honour to the lover. Nor when love is of this disinterested sort is +there any disgrace in being deceived, but in every other case there is +equal disgrace in being or not being deceived. For he who is gracious to +his lover under the impression that he is rich, and is disappointed of +his gains because he turns out to be poor, is disgraced all the same: +for he has done his best to show that he would give himself up to any +one's 'uses base' for the sake of money; but this is not honourable. And +on the same principle he who gives himself to a lover because he is a +good man, and in the hope that he will be improved by his company, shows +himself to be virtuous, even though the object of his affection turn +out to be a villain, and to have no virtue; and if he is deceived he has +committed a noble error. For he has proved that for his part he will do +anything for anybody with a view to virtue and improvement, than which +there can be nothing nobler. Thus noble in every case is the acceptance +of another for the sake of virtue. This is that love which is the +love of the heavenly godess, and is heavenly, and of great price to +individuals and cities, making the lover and the beloved alike eager in +the work of their own improvement. But all other loves are the offspring +of the other, who is the common goddess. To you, Phaedrus, I offer this +my contribution in praise of love, which is as good as I could make +extempore. + +Pausanias came to a pause--this is the balanced way in which I have +been taught by the wise to speak; and Aristodemus said that the turn of +Aristophanes was next, but either he had eaten too much, or from some +other cause he had the hiccough, and was obliged to change turns with +Eryximachus the physician, who was reclining on the couch below him. +Eryximachus, he said, you ought either to stop my hiccough, or to speak +in my turn until I have left off. + +I will do both, said Eryximachus: I will speak in your turn, and do you +speak in mine; and while I am speaking let me recommend you to hold your +breath, and if after you have done so for some time the hiccough is +no better, then gargle with a little water; and if it still continues, +tickle your nose with something and sneeze; and if you sneeze once or +twice, even the most violent hiccough is sure to go. I will do as you +prescribe, said Aristophanes, and now get on. + +Eryximachus spoke as follows: Seeing that Pausanias made a fair +beginning, and but a lame ending, I must endeavour to supply his +deficiency. I think that he has rightly distinguished two kinds of love. +But my art further informs me that the double love is not merely an +affection of the soul of man towards the fair, or towards anything, but +is to be found in the bodies of all animals and in productions of the +earth, and I may say in all that is; such is the conclusion which I seem +to have gathered from my own art of medicine, whence I learn how great +and wonderful and universal is the deity of love, whose empire extends +over all things, divine as well as human. And from medicine I will begin +that I may do honour to my art. There are in the human body these two +kinds of love, which are confessedly different and unlike, and being +unlike, they have loves and desires which are unlike; and the desire of +the healthy is one, and the desire of the diseased is another; and as +Pausanias was just now saying that to indulge good men is honourable, +and bad men dishonourable:--so too in the body the good and healthy +elements are to be indulged, and the bad elements and the elements of +disease are not to be indulged, but discouraged. And this is what the +physician has to do, and in this the art of medicine consists: for +medicine may be regarded generally as the knowledge of the loves and +desires of the body, and how to satisfy them or not; and the best +physician is he who is able to separate fair love from foul, or to +convert one into the other; and he who knows how to eradicate and how to +implant love, whichever is required, and can reconcile the most hostile +elements in the constitution and make them loving friends, is a skilful +practitioner. Now the most hostile are the most opposite, such as +hot and cold, bitter and sweet, moist and dry, and the like. And my +ancestor, Asclepius, knowing how to implant friendship and accord in +these elements, was the creator of our art, as our friends the poets +here tell us, and I believe them; and not only medicine in every branch +but the arts of gymnastic and husbandry are under his dominion. Any one +who pays the least attention to the subject will also perceive that in +music there is the same reconciliation of opposites; and I suppose that +this must have been the meaning of Heracleitus, although his words are +not accurate; for he says that The One is united by disunion, like the +harmony of the bow and the lyre. Now there is an absurdity saying that +harmony is discord or is composed of elements which are still in a state +of discord. But what he probably meant was, that harmony is composed of +differing notes of higher or lower pitch which disagreed once, but are +now reconciled by the art of music; for if the higher and lower notes +still disagreed, there could be no harmony,--clearly not. For harmony +is a symphony, and symphony is an agreement; but an agreement of +disagreements while they disagree there cannot be; you cannot harmonize +that which disagrees. In like manner rhythm is compounded of elements +short and long, once differing and now in accord; which accordance, as +in the former instance, medicine, so in all these other cases, music +implants, making love and unison to grow up among them; and thus music, +too, is concerned with the principles of love in their application to +harmony and rhythm. Again, in the essential nature of harmony and rhythm +there is no difficulty in discerning love which has not yet become +double. But when you want to use them in actual life, either in the +composition of songs or in the correct performance of airs or metres +composed already, which latter is called education, then the difficulty +begins, and the good artist is needed. Then the old tale has to be +repeated of fair and heavenly love--the love of Urania the fair and +heavenly muse, and of the duty of accepting the temperate, and those +who are as yet intemperate only that they may become temperate, and of +preserving their love; and again, of the vulgar Polyhymnia, who must +be used with circumspection that the pleasure be enjoyed, but may not +generate licentiousness; just as in my own art it is a great matter so +to regulate the desires of the epicure that he may gratify his tastes +without the attendant evil of disease. Whence I infer that in music, in +medicine, in all other things human as well as divine, both loves ought +to be noted as far as may be, for they are both present. + +The course of the seasons is also full of both these principles; and +when, as I was saying, the elements of hot and cold, moist and dry, +attain the harmonious love of one another and blend in temperance and +harmony, they bring to men, animals, and plants health and plenty, and +do them no harm; whereas the wanton love, getting the upper hand and +affecting the seasons of the year, is very destructive and injurious, +being the source of pestilence, and bringing many other kinds of +diseases on animals and plants; for hoar-frost and hail and blight +spring from the excesses and disorders of these elements of love, which +to know in relation to the revolutions of the heavenly bodies and the +seasons of the year is termed astronomy. Furthermore all sacrifices and +the whole province of divination, which is the art of communion between +gods and men--these, I say, are concerned only with the preservation +of the good and the cure of the evil love. For all manner of impiety is +likely to ensue if, instead of accepting and honouring and reverencing +the harmonious love in all his actions, a man honours the other love, +whether in his feelings towards gods or parents, towards the living or +the dead. Wherefore the business of divination is to see to these loves +and to heal them, and divination is the peacemaker of gods and men, +working by a knowledge of the religious or irreligious tendencies which +exist in human loves. Such is the great and mighty, or rather omnipotent +force of love in general. And the love, more especially, which is +concerned with the good, and which is perfected in company with +temperance and justice, whether among gods or men, has the greatest +power, and is the source of all our happiness and harmony, and makes us +friends with the gods who are above us, and with one another. I dare say +that I too have omitted several things which might be said in praise +of Love, but this was not intentional, and you, Aristophanes, may now +supply the omission or take some other line of commendation; for I +perceive that you are rid of the hiccough. + +Yes, said Aristophanes, who followed, the hiccough is gone; not, +however, until I applied the sneezing; and I wonder whether the harmony +of the body has a love of such noises and ticklings, for I no sooner +applied the sneezing than I was cured. + +Eryximachus said: Beware, friend Aristophanes, although you are going +to speak, you are making fun of me; and I shall have to watch and see +whether I cannot have a laugh at your expense, when you might speak in +peace. + +You are right, said Aristophanes, laughing. I will unsay my words; but +do you please not to watch me, as I fear that in the speech which I +am about to make, instead of others laughing with me, which is to the +manner born of our muse and would be all the better, I shall only be +laughed at by them. + +Do you expect to shoot your bolt and escape, Aristophanes? Well, perhaps +if you are very careful and bear in mind that you will be called to +account, I may be induced to let you off. + +Aristophanes professed to open another vein of discourse; he had a +mind to praise Love in another way, unlike that either of Pausanias or +Eryximachus. Mankind, he said, judging by their neglect of him, have +never, as I think, at all understood the power of Love. For if they had +understood him they would surely have built noble temples and altars, +and offered solemn sacrifices in his honour; but this is not done, and +most certainly ought to be done: since of all the gods he is the best +friend of men, the helper and the healer of the ills which are the great +impediment to the happiness of the race. I will try to describe his +power to you, and you shall teach the rest of the world what I am +teaching you. In the first place, let me treat of the nature of man and +what has happened to it; for the original human nature was not like +the present, but different. The sexes were not two as they are now, but +originally three in number; there was man, woman, and the union of the +two, having a name corresponding to this double nature, which had once +a real existence, but is now lost, and the word 'Androgynous' is only +preserved as a term of reproach. In the second place, the primeval man +was round, his back and sides forming a circle; and he had four hands +and four feet, one head with two faces, looking opposite ways, set on a +round neck and precisely alike; also four ears, two privy members, +and the remainder to correspond. He could walk upright as men now do, +backwards or forwards as he pleased, and he could also roll over and +over at a great pace, turning on his four hands and four feet, eight in +all, like tumblers going over and over with their legs in the air; this +was when he wanted to run fast. Now the sexes were three, and such as I +have described them; because the sun, moon, and earth are three; and the +man was originally the child of the sun, the woman of the earth, and the +man-woman of the moon, which is made up of sun and earth, and they were +all round and moved round and round like their parents. Terrible was +their might and strength, and the thoughts of their hearts were great, +and they made an attack upon the gods; of them is told the tale of Otys +and Ephialtes who, as Homer says, dared to scale heaven, and would +have laid hands upon the gods. Doubt reigned in the celestial councils. +Should they kill them and annihilate the race with thunderbolts, as they +had done the giants, then there would be an end of the sacrifices and +worship which men offered to them; but, on the other hand, the gods +could not suffer their insolence to be unrestrained. At last, after a +good deal of reflection, Zeus discovered a way. He said: 'Methinks I +have a plan which will humble their pride and improve their manners; men +shall continue to exist, but I will cut them in two and then they will +be diminished in strength and increased in numbers; this will have the +advantage of making them more profitable to us. They shall walk upright +on two legs, and if they continue insolent and will not be quiet, I will +split them again and they shall hop about on a single leg.' He spoke and +cut men in two, like a sorb-apple which is halved for pickling, or +as you might divide an egg with a hair; and as he cut them one after +another, he bade Apollo give the face and the half of the neck a turn +in order that the man might contemplate the section of himself: he would +thus learn a lesson of humility. Apollo was also bidden to heal their +wounds and compose their forms. So he gave a turn to the face and pulled +the skin from the sides all over that which in our language is called +the belly, like the purses which draw in, and he made one mouth at +the centre, which he fastened in a knot (the same which is called the +navel); he also moulded the breast and took out most of the wrinkles, +much as a shoemaker might smooth leather upon a last; he left a few, +however, in the region of the belly and navel, as a memorial of the +primeval state. After the division the two parts of man, each desiring +his other half, came together, and throwing their arms about one +another, entwined in mutual embraces, longing to grow into one, they +were on the point of dying from hunger and self-neglect, because they +did not like to do anything apart; and when one of the halves died and +the other survived, the survivor sought another mate, man or woman as +we call them,--being the sections of entire men or women,--and clung to +that. They were being destroyed, when Zeus in pity of them invented a +new plan: he turned the parts of generation round to the front, for this +had not been always their position, and they sowed the seed no longer as +hitherto like grasshoppers in the ground, but in one another; and after +the transposition the male generated in the female in order that by the +mutual embraces of man and woman they might breed, and the race might +continue; or if man came to man they might be satisfied, and rest, and +go their ways to the business of life: so ancient is the desire of one +another which is implanted in us, reuniting our original nature, making +one of two, and healing the state of man. Each of us when separated, +having one side only, like a flat fish, is but the indenture of a man, +and he is always looking for his other half. Men who are a section +of that double nature which was once called Androgynous are lovers of +women; adulterers are generally of this breed, and also adulterous women +who lust after men: the women who are a section of the woman do not care +for men, but have female attachments; the female companions are of this +sort. But they who are a section of the male follow the male, and while +they are young, being slices of the original man, they hang about men +and embrace them, and they are themselves the best of boys and youths, +because they have the most manly nature. Some indeed assert that they +are shameless, but this is not true; for they do not act thus from any +want of shame, but because they are valiant and manly, and have a manly +countenance, and they embrace that which is like them. And these when +they grow up become our statesmen, and these only, which is a great +proof of the truth of what I am saving. When they reach manhood they +are lovers of youth, and are not naturally inclined to marry or beget +children,--if at all, they do so only in obedience to the law; but they +are satisfied if they may be allowed to live with one another unwedded; +and such a nature is prone to love and ready to return love, always +embracing that which is akin to him. And when one of them meets with his +other half, the actual half of himself, whether he be a lover of youth +or a lover of another sort, the pair are lost in an amazement of love +and friendship and intimacy, and one will not be out of the other's +sight, as I may say, even for a moment: these are the people who pass +their whole lives together; yet they could not explain what they desire +of one another. For the intense yearning which each of them has towards +the other does not appear to be the desire of lover's intercourse, but +of something else which the soul of either evidently desires and cannot +tell, and of which she has only a dark and doubtful presentiment. +Suppose Hephaestus, with his instruments, to come to the pair who are +lying side by side and to say to them, 'What do you people want of one +another?' they would be unable to explain. And suppose further, that +when he saw their perplexity he said: 'Do you desire to be wholly one; +always day and night to be in one another's company? for if this is what +you desire, I am ready to melt you into one and let you grow together, +so that being two you shall become one, and while you live live a common +life as if you were a single man, and after your death in the world +below still be one departed soul instead of two--I ask whether this +is what you lovingly desire, and whether you are satisfied to attain +this?'--there is not a man of them who when he heard the proposal would +deny or would not acknowledge that this meeting and melting into one +another, this becoming one instead of two, was the very expression of +his ancient need (compare Arist. Pol.). And the reason is that human +nature was originally one and we were a whole, and the desire and +pursuit of the whole is called love. There was a time, I say, when we +were one, but now because of the wickedness of mankind God has dispersed +us, as the Arcadians were dispersed into villages by the Lacedaemonians +(compare Arist. Pol.). And if we are not obedient to the gods, there is +a danger that we shall be split up again and go about in basso-relievo, +like the profile figures having only half a nose which are sculptured +on monuments, and that we shall be like tallies. Wherefore let us exhort +all men to piety, that we may avoid evil, and obtain the good, of which +Love is to us the lord and minister; and let no one oppose him--he is +the enemy of the gods who opposes him. For if we are friends of the God +and at peace with him we shall find our own true loves, which rarely +happens in this world at present. I am serious, and therefore I must beg +Eryximachus not to make fun or to find any allusion in what I am saying +to Pausanias and Agathon, who, as I suspect, are both of the manly +nature, and belong to the class which I have been describing. But my +words have a wider application--they include men and women everywhere; +and I believe that if our loves were perfectly accomplished, and each +one returning to his primeval nature had his original true love, then +our race would be happy. And if this would be best of all, the best +in the next degree and under present circumstances must be the nearest +approach to such an union; and that will be the attainment of a +congenial love. Wherefore, if we would praise him who has given to +us the benefit, we must praise the god Love, who is our greatest +benefactor, both leading us in this life back to our own nature, and +giving us high hopes for the future, for he promises that if we are +pious, he will restore us to our original state, and heal us and make +us happy and blessed. This, Eryximachus, is my discourse of love, which, +although different to yours, I must beg you to leave unassailed by the +shafts of your ridicule, in order that each may have his turn; each, or +rather either, for Agathon and Socrates are the only ones left. + +Indeed, I am not going to attack you, said Eryximachus, for I thought +your speech charming, and did I not know that Agathon and Socrates are +masters in the art of love, I should be really afraid that they would +have nothing to say, after the world of things which have been said +already. But, for all that, I am not without hopes. + +Socrates said: You played your part well, Eryximachus; but if you were +as I am now, or rather as I shall be when Agathon has spoken, you would, +indeed, be in a great strait. + +You want to cast a spell over me, Socrates, said Agathon, in the hope +that I may be disconcerted at the expectation raised among the audience +that I shall speak well. + +I should be strangely forgetful, Agathon replied Socrates, of the +courage and magnanimity which you showed when your own compositions were +about to be exhibited, and you came upon the stage with the actors and +faced the vast theatre altogether undismayed, if I thought that your +nerves could be fluttered at a small party of friends. + +Do you think, Socrates, said Agathon, that my head is so full of the +theatre as not to know how much more formidable to a man of sense a few +good judges are than many fools? + +Nay, replied Socrates, I should be very wrong in attributing to you, +Agathon, that or any other want of refinement. And I am quite aware that +if you happened to meet with any whom you thought wise, you would care +for their opinion much more than for that of the many. But then we, +having been a part of the foolish many in the theatre, cannot be +regarded as the select wise; though I know that if you chanced to be in +the presence, not of one of ourselves, but of some really wise man, you +would be ashamed of disgracing yourself before him--would you not? + +Yes, said Agathon. + +But before the many you would not be ashamed, if you thought that you +were doing something disgraceful in their presence? + +Here Phaedrus interrupted them, saying: not answer him, my dear Agathon; +for if he can only get a partner with whom he can talk, especially a +good-looking one, he will no longer care about the completion of our +plan. Now I love to hear him talk; but just at present I must not forget +the encomium on Love which I ought to receive from him and from every +one. When you and he have paid your tribute to the god, then you may +talk. + +Very good, Phaedrus, said Agathon; I see no reason why I should not +proceed with my speech, as I shall have many other opportunities of +conversing with Socrates. Let me say first how I ought to speak, and +then speak:-- + +The previous speakers, instead of praising the god Love, or unfolding +his nature, appear to have congratulated mankind on the benefits which +he confers upon them. But I would rather praise the god first, and then +speak of his gifts; this is always the right way of praising everything. +May I say without impiety or offence, that of all the blessed gods he +is the most blessed because he is the fairest and best? And he is the +fairest: for, in the first place, he is the youngest, and of his youth +he is himself the witness, fleeing out of the way of age, who is swift +enough, swifter truly than most of us like:--Love hates him and will not +come near him; but youth and love live and move together--like to like, +as the proverb says. Many things were said by Phaedrus about Love in +which I agree with him; but I cannot agree that he is older than Iapetus +and Kronos:--not so; I maintain him to be the youngest of the gods, and +youthful ever. The ancient doings among the gods of which Hesiod +and Parmenides spoke, if the tradition of them be true, were done of +Necessity and not of Love; had Love been in those days, there would have +been no chaining or mutilation of the gods, or other violence, but peace +and sweetness, as there is now in heaven, since the rule of Love began. +Love is young and also tender; he ought to have a poet like Homer to +describe his tenderness, as Homer says of Ate, that she is a goddess and +tender:-- + +'Her feet are tender, for she sets her steps, Not on the ground but on +the heads of men:' + +herein is an excellent proof of her tenderness,--that she walks not +upon the hard but upon the soft. Let us adduce a similar proof of the +tenderness of Love; for he walks not upon the earth, nor yet upon the +skulls of men, which are not so very soft, but in the hearts and souls +of both gods and men, which are of all things the softest: in them +he walks and dwells and makes his home. Not in every soul without +exception, for where there is hardness he departs, where there is +softness there he dwells; and nestling 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? Of a truth he is the tenderest as well as +the youngest, and also he is of flexile form; for if he were hard and +without flexure he could not enfold all things, or wind his way into and +out of every soul of man undiscovered. 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 bloomless or +fading beauties, whether of body or soul or aught else, but in the place +of flowers and scents, there he sits and abides. Concerning the beauty +of the god I have said enough; and yet there remains much more which I +might say. Of his virtue I have now to speak: his greatest glory is that +he can neither do nor suffer wrong to or from any god or any man; for +he suffers not by force if he suffers; force comes not near him, neither +when he acts does he act by force. For all men in all things serve him +of their own free will, and where there is voluntary agreement, 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; he 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 others, 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 +according to the measure of my ability I must try to do my best. In the +first place he is a poet (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 (A fragment of the +Sthenoaoea of Euripides.); this also is a proof that Love is a good poet +and accomplished in all the fine arts; for no one can give to another +that which he has not himself, or teach that of which he has no +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. And so Love set +in order the empire of the gods--the love of beauty, as is evident, for +with deformity Love has no concern. In the days of old, as I began by +saying, dreadful deeds were done among the gods, for they were ruled +by 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 there +comes into my mind a line of poetry in which he is said to be the god +who + +'Gives peace on earth and calms the stormy deep, Who stills the winds +and bids the sufferer sleep.' + +This is he who empties men of disaffection and fills them with +affection, who makes them to meet together at banquets such as these: in +sacrifices, feasts, dances, he is our lord--who sends courtesy and sends +away discourtesy, who gives kindness ever and never gives unkindness; +the friend 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; regardful of the good, regardless of the +evil: in every word, work, wish, fear--saviour, pilot, comrade, helper; +glory of gods and men, leader best and brightest: in whose footsteps +let every man follow, sweetly singing in his honour and joining in that +sweet strain with which love charms the souls of gods and men. Such +is the speech, Phaedrus, half-playful, yet having a certain measure of +seriousness, which, according to my ability, I dedicate to the god. + +When Agathon had done speaking, Aristodemus said that there was a +general cheer; the young man was thought to have spoken in a manner +worthy of himself, and of the god. And Socrates, looking at Eryximachus, +said: Tell me, son of Acumenus, was there not reason in my fears? and +was I not a true prophet when I said that Agathon would make a wonderful +oration, and that I should be in a strait? + +The part of the prophecy which concerns Agathon, replied Eryximachus, +appears to me to be true; but not the other part--that you will be in a +strait. + +Why, my dear friend, said Socrates, must not I or any one be in a strait +who has to speak after he has heard such a rich and varied discourse? I +am especially struck with the beauty of the concluding words--who could +listen to them without amazement? When I reflected on the immeasurable +inferiority of my own powers, I was ready to run away for shame, if +there had been a possibility of escape. For I was reminded of Gorgias, +and at the end of his speech I fancied that Agathon was shaking at me +the Gorginian or Gorgonian head of the great master of rhetoric, which +was simply to turn me and my speech into stone, as Homer says (Odyssey), +and strike me dumb. And then I perceived how foolish I had been in +consenting to take my turn with you in praising love, and saying that +I too was a master of the art, when I really had no conception how +anything ought to be praised. For in my simplicity I imagined that the +topics of praise should be true, and that this being presupposed, out +of the true the speaker was to choose the best and set them forth in the +best manner. And I felt quite proud, thinking that I knew the nature of +true praise, and should speak well. Whereas I now see that the intention +was to attribute to Love every species of greatness and glory, +whether really belonging to him or not, without regard to truth or +falsehood--that was no matter; for the original proposal seems to have +been not that each of you should really praise Love, but only that +you should appear to praise him. And so you attribute to Love every +imaginable form of praise which can be gathered anywhere; and you say +that 'he is all this,' and 'the cause of all that,' making him appear +the fairest and best of all to those who know him not, for you cannot +impose upon those who know him. And a noble and solemn hymn of praise +have you rehearsed. But as I misunderstood the nature of the praise when +I said that I would take my turn, I must beg to be absolved from the +promise which I made in ignorance, and which (as Euripides would say +(Eurip. Hyppolytus)) was a promise of the lips and not of the mind. +Farewell then to such a strain: for I do not praise in that way; no, +indeed, I cannot. But if you like to hear the truth about love, I +am ready to speak in my own manner, though I will not make myself +ridiculous by entering into any rivalry with you. Say then, Phaedrus, +whether you would like to have the truth about love, spoken in any words +and in any order which may happen to come into my mind at the time. Will +that be agreeable to you? + +Aristodemus said that Phaedrus and the company bid him speak in +any manner which he thought best. Then, he added, let me have your +permission first to ask Agathon a few more questions, in order that I +may take his admissions as the premisses of my discourse. + +I grant the permission, said Phaedrus: put your questions. Socrates then +proceeded as follows:-- + +In the magnificent oration which you have just uttered, I think that you +were right, my dear Agathon, in proposing to speak of the nature of Love +first and afterwards of his works--that is a way of beginning which I +very much approve. And as you have spoken so eloquently of his nature, +may I ask you further, Whether love is the love of something or of +nothing? And here I must explain myself: I do not want you to say that +love is the love of a father or the love of a mother--that would be +ridiculous; but to answer as you would, if I asked is a father a father +of something? to which you would find no difficulty in replying, of a +son or daughter: and the answer would be right. + +Very true, said Agathon. + +And you would say the same of a mother? + +He assented. + +Yet let me ask you one more question in order to illustrate my meaning: +Is not a brother to be regarded essentially as a brother of something? + +Certainly, he replied. + +That is, of a brother or sister? + +Yes, he said. + +And now, said Socrates, I will ask about Love:--Is Love of something or +of nothing? + +Of something, surely, he replied. + +Keep in mind what this is, and tell me what I want to know--whether Love +desires that of which love is. + +Yes, surely. + +And does he possess, or does he not possess, that which he loves and +desires? + +Probably not, I should say. + +Nay, replied Socrates, I would have you consider whether 'necessarily' +is not rather the word. The inference that he who desires something +is in want of something, and that he who desires nothing is in want of +nothing, is in my judgment, Agathon, absolutely and necessarily true. +What do you think? + +I agree with you, said Agathon. + +Very good. Would he who is great, desire to be great, or he who is +strong, desire to be strong? + +That would be inconsistent with our previous admissions. + +True. For he who is anything cannot want to be that which he is? + +Very true. + +And yet, added Socrates, if a man being strong desired to be strong, or +being swift desired to be swift, or being healthy desired to be healthy, +in that case he might be thought to desire something which he already +has or is. I give the example in order that we may avoid misconception. +For the possessors of these qualities, Agathon, must be supposed to have +their respective advantages at the time, whether they choose or not; and +who can desire that which he has? Therefore, when a person says, I am +well and wish to be well, or I am rich and wish to be rich, and I desire +simply to have what I have--to him we shall reply: 'You, my friend, +having wealth and health and strength, want to have the continuance of +them; for at this moment, whether you choose or no, you have them. And +when you say, I desire that which I have and nothing else, is not your +meaning that you want to have what you now have in the future?' He must +agree with us--must he not? + +He must, replied Agathon. + +Then, said Socrates, he desires that what he has at present may be +preserved to him in the future, which is equivalent to saying that he +desires something which is non-existent to him, and which as yet he has +not got: + +Very true, he said. + +Then he and every one who desires, desires that which he has not +already, and which is future and not present, and which he has not, and +is not, and of which he is in want;--these are the sort of things which +love and desire seek? + +Very true, he said. + +Then now, said Socrates, let us recapitulate the argument. First, is not +love of something, and of something too which is wanting to a man? + +Yes, he replied. + +Remember further what you said in your speech, or if you do not remember +I will remind you: you said that the love of the beautiful set in +order the empire of the gods, for that of deformed things there is no +love--did you not say something of that kind? + +Yes, said Agathon. + +Yes, my friend, and the remark was a just one. And if this is true, Love +is the love of beauty and not of deformity? + +He assented. + +And the admission has been already made that Love is of something which +a man wants and has not? + +True, he said. + +Then Love wants and has not beauty? + +Certainly, he replied. + +And would you call that beautiful which wants and does not possess +beauty? + +Certainly not. + +Then would you still say that love is beautiful? + +Agathon replied: I fear that I did not understand what I was saying. + +You made a very good speech, Agathon, replied Socrates; but there is +yet one small question which I would fain ask:--Is not the good also the +beautiful? + +Yes. + +Then in wanting the beautiful, love wants also the good? + +I cannot refute you, Socrates, said Agathon:--Let us assume that what +you say is true. + +Say rather, beloved Agathon, that you cannot refute the truth; for +Socrates is easily refuted. + +And now, taking my leave of you, I would rehearse a tale of love which I +heard from Diotima of Mantineia (compare 1 Alcibiades), a woman wise in +this and in many other kinds of knowledge, who in the days of old, when +the Athenians offered sacrifice before the coming of the plague, delayed +the disease ten years. She was my instructress in the art of love, and +I shall repeat to you what she said to me, beginning with the admissions +made by Agathon, which are nearly if not quite the same which I made +to the wise woman when she questioned me: I think that this will be +the easiest way, and I shall take both parts myself as well as I can +(compare Gorgias). As you, Agathon, suggested (supra), I must speak +first of the being and nature of Love, and then of his works. First I +said to her in nearly the same words which he used to me, that Love was +a mighty god, and likewise fair; and she proved to me as I proved to him +that, by my own showing, Love was neither fair nor good. 'What do you +mean, Diotima,' I said, 'is love then evil and foul?' 'Hush,' she cried; +'must that be foul which is not fair?' 'Certainly,' I said. 'And is that +which is not wise, ignorant? do you not see that there is a mean between +wisdom and ignorance?' 'And what may that be?' I said. 'Right opinion,' +she replied; 'which, as you know, being incapable of giving a reason, +is not knowledge (for how can knowledge be devoid of reason? nor again, +ignorance, for neither can ignorance attain the truth), but is clearly +something which is a mean between ignorance and wisdom.' 'Quite true,' +I replied. 'Do not then insist,' she said, 'that what is not fair is of +necessity foul, or what is not good evil; or infer that because love +is not fair and good he is therefore foul and evil; for he is in a mean +between them.' 'Well,' I said, 'Love is surely admitted by all to be a +great god.' 'By those who know or by those who do not know?' 'By all.' +'And how, Socrates,' she said with a smile, 'can Love be acknowledged to +be a great god by those who say that he is not a god at all?' 'And who +are they?' I said. 'You and I are two of them,' she replied. 'How can +that be?' I said. 'It is quite intelligible,' she replied; 'for you +yourself would acknowledge that the gods are happy and fair--of course +you would--would you dare to say that any god was not?' 'Certainly not,' +I replied. 'And you mean by the happy, those who are the possessors of +things good or fair?' 'Yes.' 'And you admitted that Love, because he +was in want, desires those good and fair things of which he is in want?' +'Yes, I did.' 'But how can he be a god who has no portion in what is +either good or fair?' 'Impossible.' 'Then you see that you also deny the +divinity of Love.' + +'What then is Love?' I asked; 'Is he mortal?' 'No.' 'What then?' 'As in +the former instance, he is neither mortal nor immortal, but in a mean +between the two.' 'What is he, Diotima?' 'He is a great spirit (daimon), +and like all spirits he is intermediate between the divine and the +mortal.' 'And what,' I said, 'is his power?' 'He interprets,' she +replied, 'between gods and men, conveying and taking across to the gods +the prayers and sacrifices of men, and to men the commands and replies +of the gods; he is the mediator who spans the chasm which divides them, +and therefore in him all is bound together, and through him the arts of +the prophet and the priest, their sacrifices and mysteries and charms, +and all prophecy and incantation, find their way. For God mingles not +with man; but through Love all the intercourse and converse of God +with man, whether awake or asleep, is carried on. The wisdom which +understands this is spiritual; all other wisdom, such as that of arts +and handicrafts, is mean and vulgar. Now these spirits or intermediate +powers are many and diverse, and one of them is Love.' 'And who,' I +said, 'was his father, and who his mother?' 'The tale,' she said, 'will +take time; nevertheless I will tell you. On the birthday of Aphrodite +there was a feast of the gods, at which the god Poros or Plenty, who is +the son of Metis or Discretion, was one of the guests. When the feast +was over, Penia or Poverty, as the manner is on such occasions, came +about the doors to beg. Now Plenty who was the worse for nectar (there +was no wine in those days), went into the garden of Zeus and fell into +a heavy sleep, and Poverty considering her own straitened circumstances, +plotted to have a child by him, and accordingly she lay down at his side +and conceived Love, who partly because he is naturally a lover of the +beautiful, and because Aphrodite is herself beautiful, and also because +he was born on her birthday, is her follower and attendant. And as his +parentage is, so also are his fortunes. In the first place he is always +poor, and anything but tender and fair, as the many imagine him; and he +is rough and squalid, and has no shoes, nor a house to dwell in; on the +bare earth exposed he lies under the open heaven, in the streets, or at +the doors of houses, taking his rest; and like his mother he is always +in distress. Like his father too, whom he also partly resembles, he is +always plotting against the fair and good; he is bold, enterprising, +strong, a mighty hunter, always weaving some intrigue or other, keen in +the pursuit of wisdom, fertile in resources; a philosopher at all times, +terrible as an enchanter, sorcerer, sophist. He is by nature neither +mortal nor immortal, but alive and flourishing at one moment when he is +in plenty, and dead at another moment, and again alive by reason of his +father's nature. But that which is always flowing in is always flowing +out, and so he is never in want and never in wealth; and, further, he +is in a mean between ignorance and knowledge. The truth of the matter +is this: No god is a philosopher or seeker after wisdom, for he is wise +already; nor does any man who is wise seek after wisdom. Neither do the +ignorant seek after wisdom. For herein is the evil of ignorance, that he +who is neither good nor wise is nevertheless satisfied with himself: +he has no desire for that of which he feels no want.' 'But who then, +Diotima,' I said, 'are the lovers of wisdom, if they are neither the +wise nor the foolish?' 'A child may answer that question,' she replied; +'they are those who are in a mean between the two; Love is one of them. +For wisdom is a most beautiful thing, and Love is of the beautiful; and +therefore Love is also a philosopher or lover of wisdom, and being a +lover of wisdom is in a mean between the wise and the ignorant. And of +this too his birth is the cause; for his father is wealthy and wise, and +his mother poor and foolish. Such, my dear Socrates, is the nature of +the spirit Love. The error in your conception of him was very natural, +and as I imagine from what you say, has arisen out of a confusion of +love and the beloved, which made you think that love was all beautiful. +For the beloved is the truly beautiful, and delicate, and perfect, and +blessed; but the principle of love is of another nature, and is such as +I have described.' + +I said, 'O thou stranger woman, thou sayest well; but, assuming Love to +be such as you say, what is the use of him to men?' 'That, Socrates,' +she replied, 'I will attempt to unfold: of his nature and birth I have +already spoken; and you acknowledge that love is of the beautiful. But +some one will say: Of the beautiful in what, Socrates and Diotima?--or +rather let me put the question more clearly, and ask: When a man loves +the beautiful, what does he desire?' I answered her 'That the beautiful +may be his.' 'Still,' she said, 'the answer suggests a further question: +What is given by the possession of beauty?' 'To what you have asked,' +I replied, 'I have no answer ready.' 'Then,' she said, 'let me put the +word "good" in the place of the beautiful, and repeat the question once +more: If he who loves loves the good, what is it then that he loves?' +'The possession of the good,' I said. 'And what does he gain who +possesses the good?' 'Happiness,' I replied; 'there is less difficulty +in answering that question.' 'Yes,' she said, 'the happy are made happy +by the acquisition of good things. Nor is there any need to ask why a +man desires happiness; the answer is already final.' 'You are right.' +I said. 'And is this wish and this desire common to all? and do all men +always desire their own good, or only some men?--what say you?' 'All +men,' I replied; 'the desire is common to all.' 'Why, then,' she +rejoined, 'are not all men, Socrates, said to love, but only some of +them? whereas you say that all men are always loving the same things.' +'I myself wonder,' I said, 'why this is.' 'There is nothing to wonder +at,' she replied; 'the reason is that one part of love is separated +off and receives the name of the whole, but the other parts have other +names.' 'Give an illustration,' I said. She answered me as follows: +'There is poetry, which, as you know, is complex and manifold. All +creation or passage of non-being into being is poetry or making, and the +processes of all art are creative; and the masters of arts are all poets +or makers.' 'Very true.' 'Still,' she said, 'you know that they are not +called poets, but have other names; only that portion of the art which +is separated off from the rest, and is concerned with music and metre, +is termed poetry, and they who possess poetry in this sense of the word +are called poets.' 'Very true,' I said. 'And the same holds of love. For +you may say generally that all desire of good and happiness is only the +great and subtle power of love; but they who are drawn towards him +by any other path, whether the path of money-making or gymnastics or +philosophy, are not called lovers--the name of the whole is appropriated +to those whose affection takes one form only--they alone are said to +love, or to be lovers.' 'I dare say,' I replied, 'that you are right.' +'Yes,' she added, 'and you hear people say that lovers are seeking for +their other half; but I say that they are seeking neither for the half +of themselves, nor for the whole, unless the half or the whole be also a +good. And they will cut off their own hands and feet and cast them away, +if they are evil; for they love not what is their own, unless perchance +there be some one who calls what belongs to him the good, and what +belongs to another the evil. For there is nothing which men love but +the good. Is there anything?' 'Certainly, I should say, that there is +nothing.' 'Then,' she said, 'the simple truth is, that men love the +good.' 'Yes,' I said. 'To which must be added that they love the +possession of the good?' 'Yes, that must be added.' 'And not only the +possession, but the everlasting possession of the good?' 'That must be +added too.' 'Then love,' she said, 'may be described generally as the +love of the everlasting possession of the good?' 'That is most true.' + +'Then if this be the nature of love, can you tell me further,' she said, +'what is the manner of the pursuit? what are they doing who show all +this eagerness and heat which is called love? and what is the object +which they have in view? Answer me.' 'Nay, Diotima,' I replied, 'if I +had known, I should not have wondered at your wisdom, neither should I +have come to learn from you about this very matter.' 'Well,' she said, +'I will teach you:--The object which they have in view is birth in +beauty, whether of body or soul.' 'I do not understand you,' I said; +'the oracle requires an explanation.' 'I will make my meaning clearer,' +she replied. 'I mean to say, that all men are bringing to the birth in +their bodies and in their souls. There is a certain age at which human +nature is desirous of procreation--procreation which must be in beauty +and not in deformity; and this procreation is the union of man and +woman, and is a divine thing; for conception and generation are an +immortal principle in the mortal creature, and in the inharmonious they +can never be. But the deformed is always inharmonious with the divine, +and the beautiful harmonious. Beauty, then, is the destiny or goddess +of parturition who presides at birth, and therefore, when approaching +beauty, the conceiving power is propitious, and diffusive, and benign, +and begets and bears fruit: at the sight of ugliness she frowns and +contracts and has a sense of pain, and turns away, and shrivels up, and +not without a pang refrains from conception. And this is the reason why, +when the hour of conception arrives, and the teeming nature is full, +there is such a flutter and ecstasy about beauty whose approach is the +alleviation of the pain of travail. For love, Socrates, is not, as you +imagine, the love of the beautiful only.' 'What then?' 'The love of +generation and of birth in beauty.' 'Yes,' I said. 'Yes, indeed,' she +replied. 'But why of generation?' 'Because to the mortal creature, +generation is a sort of eternity and immortality,' she replied; 'and if, +as has been already admitted, love is of the everlasting possession +of the good, all men will necessarily desire immortality together with +good: Wherefore love is of immortality.' + +All this she taught me at various times when she spoke of love. And I +remember her once saying to me, 'What is the cause, Socrates, of love, +and the attendant desire? See you not how all animals, birds, as well as +beasts, in their desire of procreation, are in agony when they take the +infection of love, which begins with the desire of union; whereto is +added the care of offspring, on whose behalf the weakest are ready to +battle against the strongest even to the uttermost, and to die for them, +and will let themselves be tormented with hunger or suffer anything +in order to maintain their young. Man may be supposed to act thus from +reason; but why should animals have these passionate feelings? Can you +tell me why?' Again I replied that I did not know. She said to me: 'And +do you expect ever to become a master in the art of love, if you do not +know this?' 'But I have told you already, Diotima, that my ignorance is +the reason why I come to you; for I am conscious that I want a teacher; +tell me then the cause of this and of the other mysteries of love.' +'Marvel not,' she said, 'if you believe that love is of the immortal, +as we have several times acknowledged; for here again, and on the same +principle too, the mortal nature is seeking as far as is possible to be +everlasting and immortal: and this is only to be attained by generation, +because generation always leaves behind a new existence in the place of +the old. Nay even in the life of the same individual there is succession +and not absolute unity: a man is called the same, and yet in the short +interval which elapses between youth and age, and in which every animal +is said to have life and identity, he is undergoing a perpetual process +of loss and reparation--hair, flesh, bones, blood, and the whole body +are always changing. Which is true not only of the body, but also of the +soul, whose habits, tempers, opinions, desires, pleasures, pains, fears, +never remain the same in any one of us, but are always coming and going; +and equally true of knowledge, and what is still more surprising to us +mortals, not only do the sciences in general spring up and decay, +so that in respect of them we are never the same; but each of them +individually experiences a like change. For what is implied in the word +"recollection," but the departure of knowledge, which is ever being +forgotten, and is renewed and preserved by recollection, and appears to +be the same although in reality new, according to that law of succession +by which all mortal things are preserved, not absolutely the same, but +by substitution, the old worn-out mortality leaving another new and +similar existence behind--unlike the divine, which is always the same +and not another? And in this way, Socrates, the mortal body, or mortal +anything, partakes of immortality; but the immortal in another way. +Marvel not then at the love which all men have of their offspring; for +that universal love and interest is for the sake of immortality.' + +I was astonished at her words, and said: 'Is this really true, O +thou wise Diotima?' And she answered with all the authority of an +accomplished sophist: 'Of that, Socrates, you may be assured;--think +only of the ambition of men, and you will wonder at the senselessness of +their ways, unless you consider how they are stirred by the love of an +immortality of fame. They are ready to run all risks greater far than +they would have run for their children, and to spend money and undergo +any sort of toil, and even to die, for the sake of leaving behind them +a name which shall be eternal. Do you imagine that Alcestis would have +died to save Admetus, or Achilles to avenge Patroclus, or your own +Codrus in order to preserve the kingdom for his sons, if they had not +imagined that the memory of their virtues, which still survives among +us, would be immortal? Nay,' she said, 'I am persuaded that all men do +all things, and the better they are the more they do them, in hope of +the glorious fame of immortal virtue; for they desire the immortal. + +'Those who are pregnant in the body only, betake themselves to women and +beget children--this is the character of their love; their offspring, +as they hope, will preserve their memory and giving them the blessedness +and immortality which they desire in the future. But souls which are +pregnant--for there certainly are men who are more creative in their +souls than in their bodies--conceive that which is proper for the soul +to conceive or contain. And what are these conceptions?--wisdom and +virtue in general. And such creators are poets and all artists who are +deserving of the name inventor. But the greatest and fairest sort of +wisdom by far is that which is concerned with the ordering of states +and families, and which is called temperance and justice. And he who in +youth has the seed of these implanted in him and is himself inspired, +when he comes to maturity desires to beget and generate. He wanders +about seeking beauty that he may beget offspring--for in deformity he +will beget nothing--and naturally embraces the beautiful rather than +the deformed body; above all when he finds a fair and noble and +well-nurtured soul, he embraces the two in one person, and to such an +one he is full of speech about virtue and the nature and pursuits of a +good man; and he tries to educate him; and at the touch of the beautiful +which is ever present to his memory, even when absent, he brings forth +that which he had conceived long before, and in company with him tends +that which he brings forth; and they are married by a far nearer tie and +have a closer friendship than those who beget mortal children, for the +children who are their common offspring are fairer and more immortal. +Who, when he thinks of Homer and Hesiod and other great poets, would +not rather have their children than ordinary human ones? Who would not +emulate them in the creation of children such as theirs, which have +preserved their memory and given them everlasting glory? Or who would +not have such children as Lycurgus left behind him to be the saviours, +not only of Lacedaemon, but of Hellas, as one may say? There is Solon, +too, who is the revered father of Athenian laws; and many others there +are in many other places, both among Hellenes and barbarians, who have +given to the world many noble works, and have been the parents of virtue +of every kind; and many temples have been raised in their honour for the +sake of children such as theirs; which were never raised in honour of +any one, for the sake of his mortal children. + +'These are the lesser mysteries of love, into which even you, Socrates, +may enter; to the greater and more hidden ones which are the crown of +these, and to which, if you pursue them in a right spirit, they will +lead, I know not whether you will be able to attain. But I will do my +utmost to inform you, and do you follow if you can. For he who would +proceed aright in this matter should begin in youth to visit beautiful +forms; and first, if he be guided by his instructor aright, to love one +such form only--out of that he should create fair thoughts; and soon +he will of himself perceive that the beauty of one form is akin to the +beauty of another; and then if beauty of form in general is his pursuit, +how foolish would he be not to recognize that the beauty in every form +is and the same! And when he perceives this he will abate his violent +love of the one, which he will despise and deem a small thing, and +will become a lover of all beautiful forms; in the next stage he will +consider that the beauty of the mind is more honourable than the beauty +of the outward form. So that if a virtuous soul have but a little +comeliness, he will be content to love and tend him, and will search out +and bring to the birth thoughts which may improve the young, until he +is compelled to contemplate and see the beauty of institutions and laws, +and to understand that the beauty of them all is of one family, and that +personal beauty is a trifle; and after laws and institutions he will +go on to the sciences, that he may see their beauty, being not like +a servant in love with the beauty of one youth or man or institution, +himself a slave mean and narrow-minded, but drawing towards and +contemplating the vast sea of beauty, he will create many fair and noble +thoughts and notions in boundless love of wisdom; until on that shore 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 attention: + +'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 the final cause of all our former toils)--a nature +which in the first place is everlasting, not growing and decaying, or +waxing and waning; secondly, 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, +or existing in any other being, as for example, in an animal, or +in heaven, or in earth, or in any other place; but beauty 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 from these ascending under the +influence of true love, begins to perceive 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 begin from the beauties of earth and mount upwards +for the sake of that other beauty, using these as steps only, and from +one going on to two, and from two to all fair forms, and from fair forms +to fair practices, and from fair practices 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 life 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, whose presence now entrances you; +and you and many a one would be content to live seeing them only and +conversing with them without meat or drink, if that were possible--you +only want to look at them and to be with them. But 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 +colours and vanities of human life--thither looking, and holding +converse with the true beauty simple and divine? Remember how 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 +nourishing 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 of you--were 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 helper better than love: And +therefore, also, I say that every man ought to honour him as I myself +honour him, and walk in his ways, and exhort others to do the same, +and 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 revellers, 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 attendants, he found his way to them. 'Hail, friends,' he said, +appearing at the door crowned with a massive garland of ivy and violets, +his head flowing with ribands. 'Will you have a very drunken man as +a companion of your revels? Or shall I crown Agathon, which was my +intention in coming, and go away? For I was unable to come yesterday, +and therefore I am here to-day, carrying on my head these ribands, 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; if I come in shall we have +the understanding of which I spoke (supra Will you have a very drunken +man? etc.)? 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, intending to +crown Agathon, he took the ribands from his own head and held them in +front of his eyes; he was thus prevented from seeing Socrates, who made +way for him, and Alcibiades took 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 starting 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 joker 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 the passion of this man has grown quite a serious matter to +me. 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 ribands that I may crown the +marvellous head of this universal despot--I would not have him complain +of me for crowning you, and neglecting him, who in conversation is the +conqueror of all mankind; and this not only once, as you were the day +before yesterday, but always. Whereupon, taking some of the ribands, he +crowned Socrates, and again reclined. + +Then he said: You seem, my friends, to be sober, which is a thing not to +be endured; you must drink--for that was the agreement under which I +was admitted--and I elect myself master of the feast until you are +well drunk. Let us have a large goblet, Agathon, or rather, he said, +addressing the attendant, bring me that wine-cooler. The wine-cooler +which had caught his eye was a vessel holding more than two quarts--this +he filled and emptied, and bade the attendant fill it again for +Socrates. Observe, my friends, said Alcibiades, that this ingenious +trick of mine will have no effect on Socrates, for he can drink any +quantity of wine and not be at all nearer being drunk. Socrates drank +the cup which the attendant filled for him. + +Eryximachus said: What is this, Alcibiades? Are we to have neither +conversation nor singing over our cups; but simply to drink as if we +were thirsty? + +Alcibiades replied: Hail, worthy son of a most wise and worthy sire! + +The same to you, said Eryximachus; but what shall we do? + +That I leave to you, said Alcibiades. + +'The wise physician skilled our wounds to heal (from Pope's Homer, Il.)' + +shall prescribe and we will obey. What do you want? + +Well, said Eryximachus, before you appeared we had passed a resolution +that each one of us in turn should make a speech in praise of love, and +as good a one as he could: the turn was passed round from left to right; +and as all of us have spoken, and you have not spoken but have well +drunken, you ought to speak, and then impose upon Socrates any task +which you please, and he on his right hand neighbour, and so on. + +That is good, Eryximachus, said Alcibiades; and yet the comparison of +a drunken man's speech with those of sober men is hardly fair; and +I should like to know, sweet friend, whether you really believe what +Socrates was just now saying; for I can assure you that the very reverse +is the fact, and that if I praise any one but himself in his presence, +whether God or man, he will hardly keep his hands off me. + +For shame, said Socrates. + +Hold your tongue, said Alcibiades, for by Poseidon, there is no one else +whom I will praise when you are of the company. + +Well then, said Eryximachus, if you like praise Socrates. + +What do you think, Eryximachus? said Alcibiades: shall I attack him and +inflict the punishment before you all? + +What are you about? said Socrates; are you going to raise a laugh at my +expense? Is that the meaning of your praise? + +I am going to speak the truth, if you will permit me. + +I not only permit, but exhort you to speak the truth. + +Then I will begin at once, said Alcibiades, and if I say anything which +is not true, you may interrupt me if you will, and say 'that is a lie,' +though my intention is to speak the truth. But you must not wonder if +I speak any how as things come into my mind; for the fluent and orderly +enumeration of all your singularities is not a task which is easy to a +man in my condition. + +And now, my boys, I shall praise Socrates in a figure which will appear +to him to be a caricature, and yet I speak, not to make fun of him, but +only for the truth's sake. I say, that he is exactly like the busts of +Silenus, which are set up in the statuaries' shops, holding pipes and +flutes in their mouths; and they are made to open in the middle, and +have images of gods inside them. I say also that he is like Marsyas the +satyr. You yourself will not deny, Socrates, that your face is like that +of a satyr. Aye, and there is a resemblance in other points too. For +example, you are a bully, as I can prove by witnesses, if you will not +confess. And are you not a flute-player? That you are, and a performer +far more wonderful than Marsyas. He indeed with instruments used to +charm the souls of men by the power of his breath, and the players of +his music do so still: for the melodies of Olympus (compare Arist. Pol.) +are derived from Marsyas who taught them, and these, whether they are +played by a great master or by a miserable flute-girl, have a power +which no others have; they alone possess the soul and reveal the wants +of those who have need of gods and mysteries, because they are divine. +But you produce the same effect with your words only, and do not require +the flute: that is the difference between you and him. When we hear any +other speaker, even a very good one, he produces absolutely no effect +upon us, or not much, whereas the mere fragments of you and your words, +even at second-hand, and however imperfectly repeated, amaze and possess +the souls of every man, woman, and child who comes within hearing of +them. And if I were not afraid that you would think me hopelessly drunk, +I would have sworn as well as spoken to the influence which they have +always had and still have over me. For my heart leaps within me more +than that of any Corybantian reveller, and my eyes rain tears when +I hear them. And I observe that many others are affected in the same +manner. I have heard Pericles and other great orators, and I thought +that they spoke well, but I never had any similar feeling; my soul was +not stirred by them, nor was I angry at the thought of my own slavish +state. But this Marsyas has often brought me to such a pass, that I +have felt as if I could hardly endure the life which I am leading (this, +Socrates, you will admit); and I am conscious that if I did not shut my +ears against him, and fly as from the voice of the siren, my fate would +be like that of others,--he would transfix me, and I should grow old +sitting at his feet. For he makes me confess that I ought not to live as +I do, neglecting the wants of my own soul, and busying myself with the +concerns of the Athenians; therefore I hold my ears and tear myself away +from him. And he is the only person who ever made me ashamed, which you +might think not to be in my nature, and there is no one else who does +the same. For I know that I cannot answer him or say that I ought not to +do as he bids, but when I leave his presence the love of popularity gets +the better of me. And therefore I run away and fly from him, and when I +see him I am ashamed of what I have confessed to him. Many a time have +I wished that he were dead, and yet I know that I should be much more +sorry than glad, if he were to die: so that I am at my wit's end. + +And this is what I and many others have suffered from the flute-playing +of this satyr. Yet hear me once more while I show you how exact the +image is, and how marvellous his power. For let me tell you; none of you +know him; but I will reveal him to you; having begun, I must go on. See +you how fond he is of the fair? He is always with them and is always +being smitten by them, and then again he knows nothing and is ignorant +of all things--such is the appearance which he puts on. Is he not like a +Silenus in this? To be sure he is: his outer mask is the carved head +of the Silenus; but, O my companions in drink, when he is opened, what +temperance there is residing within! Know you that beauty and wealth and +honour, at which the many wonder, are of no account with him, and are +utterly despised by him: he regards not at all the persons who are +gifted with them; mankind are nothing to him; all his life is spent in +mocking and flouting at them. But when I opened him, and looked within +at his serious purpose, I saw in him divine and golden images of such +fascinating beauty that I was ready to do in a moment whatever Socrates +commanded: they may have escaped the observation of others, but I saw +them. Now I fancied that he was seriously enamoured of my beauty, and I +thought that I should therefore have a grand opportunity of hearing him +tell what he knew, for I had a wonderful opinion of the attractions of +my youth. In the prosecution of this design, when I next went to him, I +sent away the attendant who usually accompanied me (I will confess the +whole truth, and beg you to listen; and if I speak falsely, do you, +Socrates, expose the falsehood). Well, he and I were alone together, and +I thought that when there was nobody with us, I should hear him +speak the language which lovers use to their loves when they are by +themselves, and I was delighted. Nothing of the sort; he conversed +as usual, and spent the day with me and then went away. Afterwards I +challenged him to the palaestra; and he wrestled and closed with me +several times when there was no one present; I fancied that I might +succeed in this manner. Not a bit; I made no way with him. Lastly, as +I had failed hitherto, I thought that I must take stronger measures and +attack him boldly, and, as I had begun, not give him up, but see how +matters stood between him and me. So I invited him to sup with me, just +as if he were a fair youth, and I a designing lover. He was not easily +persuaded to come; he did, however, after a while accept the invitation, +and when he came the first time, he wanted to go away at once as soon as +supper was over, and I had not the face to detain him. The second +time, still in pursuance of my design, after we had supped, I went +on conversing far into the night, and when he wanted to go away, I +pretended that the hour was late and that he had much better remain. So +he lay down on the couch next to me, the same on which he had supped, +and there was no one but ourselves sleeping in the apartment. All this +may be told without shame to any one. But what follows I could hardly +tell you if I were sober. Yet as the proverb says, 'In vino veritas,' +whether with boys, or without them (In allusion to two proverbs.); and +therefore I must speak. Nor, again, should I be justified in concealing +the lofty actions of Socrates when I come to praise him. Moreover I +have felt the serpent's sting; and he who has suffered, as they say, is +willing to tell his fellow-sufferers only, as they alone will be likely +to understand him, and will not be extreme in judging of the sayings or +doings which have been wrung from his agony. For I have been bitten by a +more than viper's tooth; I have known in my soul, or in my heart, or in +some other part, that worst of pangs, more violent in ingenuous youth +than any serpent's tooth, the pang of philosophy, which will make a man +say or do anything. And you whom I see around me, Phaedrus and Agathon +and Eryximachus and Pausanias and Aristodemus and Aristophanes, all of +you, and I need not say Socrates himself, have had experience of the +same madness and passion in your longing after wisdom. Therefore listen +and excuse my doings then and my sayings now. But let the attendants and +other profane and unmannered persons close up the doors of their ears. + +When the lamp was put out and the servants had gone away, I thought that +I must be plain with him and have no more ambiguity. So I gave him a +shake, and I said: 'Socrates, are you asleep?' 'No,' he said. 'Do +you know what I am meditating? 'What are you meditating?' he said. 'I +think,' I replied, 'that of all the lovers whom I have ever had you are +the only one who is worthy of me, and you appear to be too modest to +speak. Now I feel that I should be a fool to refuse you this or any +other favour, and therefore I come to lay at your feet all that I have +and all that my friends have, in the hope that you will assist me in the +way of virtue, which I desire above all things, and in which I believe +that you can help me better than any one else. And I should certainly +have more reason to be ashamed of what wise men would say if I were to +refuse a favour to such as you, than of what the world, who are mostly +fools, would say of me if I granted it.' To these words he replied in +the ironical manner which is so characteristic of him:--'Alcibiades, my +friend, you have indeed an elevated aim if what you say is true, and if +there really is in me any power by which you may become better; truly +you must see in me some rare beauty of a kind infinitely higher than any +which I see in you. And therefore, if you mean to share with me and to +exchange beauty for beauty, you will have greatly the advantage of me; +you will gain true beauty in return for appearance--like Diomede, gold +in exchange for brass. But look again, sweet friend, and see whether you +are not deceived in me. The mind begins to grow critical when the bodily +eye fails, and it will be a long time before you get old.' Hearing this, +I said: 'I have told you my purpose, which is quite serious, and do you +consider what you think best for you and me.' 'That is good,' he said; +'at some other time then we will consider and act as seems best about +this and about other matters.' Whereupon, I fancied that he was smitten, +and that the words which I had uttered like arrows had wounded him, and +so without waiting to hear more I got up, and throwing my coat about him +crept under his threadbare cloak, as the time of year was winter, and +there I lay during the whole night having this wonderful monster in +my arms. This again, Socrates, will not be denied by you. And yet, +notwithstanding all, he was so superior to my solicitations, so +contemptuous and derisive and disdainful of my beauty--which really, as +I fancied, had some attractions--hear, O judges; for judges you shall +be of the haughty virtue of Socrates--nothing more happened, but in the +morning when I awoke (let all the gods and goddesses be my witnesses) I +arose as from the couch of a father or an elder brother. + +What do you suppose must have been my feelings, after this rejection, at +the thought of my own dishonour? And yet I could not help wondering +at his natural temperance and self-restraint and manliness. I never +imagined that I could have met with a man such as he is in wisdom and +endurance. And therefore I could not be angry with him or renounce his +company, any more than I could hope to win him. For I well knew that if +Ajax could not be wounded by steel, much less he by money; and my only +chance of captivating him by my personal attractions had failed. So +I was at my wit's end; no one was ever more hopelessly enslaved by +another. All this happened before he and I went on the expedition +to Potidaea; there we messed together, and I had the opportunity of +observing his extraordinary power of sustaining fatigue. His endurance +was simply marvellous when, being cut off from our supplies, we were +compelled to go without food--on such occasions, which often happen in +time of war, he was superior not only to me but to everybody; there was +no one to be compared to him. Yet at a festival he was the only person +who had any real powers of enjoyment; though not willing to drink, he +could if compelled beat us all at that,--wonderful to relate! no +human being had ever seen Socrates drunk; and his powers, if I am not +mistaken, will be tested before long. His fortitude in enduring cold was +also surprising. There was a severe frost, for the winter in that region +is really tremendous, and everybody else either remained indoors, or if +they went out had on an amazing quantity of clothes, and were well shod, +and had their feet swathed in felt and fleeces: in the midst of this, +Socrates with his bare feet on the ice and in his ordinary dress marched +better than the other soldiers who had shoes, and they looked daggers at +him because he seemed to despise them. + +I have told you one tale, and now I must tell you another, which is +worth hearing, + +'Of the doings and sufferings of the enduring man' + +while he was on the expedition. One morning he was thinking about +something which he could not resolve; he would not give it up, but +continued thinking from early dawn until noon--there he stood fixed +in thought; and at noon attention was drawn to him, and the rumour ran +through the wondering crowd that Socrates had been standing and thinking +about something ever since the break of day. At last, in the evening +after supper, some Ionians out of curiosity (I should explain that this +was not in winter but in summer), brought out their mats and slept in +the open air that they might watch him and see whether he would stand +all night. There he stood until the following morning; and with the +return of light he offered up a prayer to the sun, and went his way +(compare supra). I will also tell, if you please--and indeed I am bound +to tell--of his courage in battle; for who but he saved my life? Now +this was the engagement in which I received the prize of valour: for I +was wounded and he would not leave me, but he rescued me and my arms; +and he ought to have received the prize of valour which the generals +wanted to confer on me partly on account of my rank, and I told them so, +(this, again, Socrates will not impeach or deny), but he was more eager +than the generals that I and not he should have the prize. There was +another occasion on which his behaviour was very remarkable--in the +flight of the army after the battle of Delium, where he served among the +heavy-armed,--I had a better opportunity of seeing him than at Potidaea, +for I was myself on horseback, and therefore comparatively out of +danger. He and Laches were retreating, for the troops were in flight, +and I met them and told them not to be discouraged, and promised to +remain with them; and there you might see him, Aristophanes, as you +describe (Aristoph. Clouds), just as he is in the streets of Athens, +stalking like a pelican, and rolling his eyes, calmly contemplating +enemies as well as friends, and making very intelligible to anybody, +even from a distance, that whoever attacked him would be likely to +meet with a stout resistance; and in this way he and his companion +escaped--for this is the sort of man who is never touched in war; those +only are pursued who are running away headlong. I particularly observed +how superior he was to Laches in presence of mind. Many are the marvels +which I might narrate in praise of Socrates; most of his ways might +perhaps be paralleled in another man, but his absolute unlikeness to any +human being that is or ever has been is perfectly astonishing. You +may imagine Brasidas and others to have been like Achilles; or you may +imagine Nestor and Antenor to have been like Pericles; and the same may +be said of other famous men, but of this strange being you will never be +able to find any likeness, however remote, either among men who now are +or who ever have been--other than that which I have already suggested of +Silenus and the satyrs; and they represent in a figure not only himself, +but his words. For, although I forgot to mention this to you before, +his words are like the images of Silenus which open; they are ridiculous +when you first hear them; he clothes himself in language that is like +the skin of the wanton satyr--for his talk is of pack-asses and smiths +and cobblers and curriers, and he is always repeating the same things +in the same words (compare Gorg.), so that any ignorant or inexperienced +person might feel disposed to laugh at him; but he who opens the bust +and sees what is within will find that they are the only words which +have a meaning in them, and also the most divine, abounding in fair +images of virtue, and of the widest comprehension, or rather extending +to the whole duty of a good and honourable man. + +This, friends, is my praise of Socrates. I have added my blame of him +for his ill-treatment of me; and he has ill-treated not only me, but +Charmides the son of Glaucon, and Euthydemus the son of Diocles, and +many others in the same way--beginning as their lover he has ended by +making them pay their addresses to him. Wherefore I say to you, Agathon, +'Be not deceived by him; learn from me and take warning, and do not be a +fool and learn by experience, as the proverb says.' + +When Alcibiades had finished, there was a laugh at his outspokenness; +for he seemed to be still in love with Socrates. You are sober, +Alcibiades, said Socrates, or you would never have gone so far about +to hide the purpose of your satyr's praises, for all this long story is +only an ingenious circumlocution, of which the point comes in by the +way at the end; you want to get up a quarrel between me and Agathon, and +your notion is that I ought to love you and nobody else, and that you +and you only ought to love Agathon. But the plot of this Satyric or +Silenic drama has been detected, and you must not allow him, Agathon, to +set us at variance. + +I believe you are right, said Agathon, and I am disposed to think that +his intention in placing himself between you and me was only to divide +us; but he shall gain nothing by that move; for I will go and lie on the +couch next to you. + +Yes, yes, replied Socrates, by all means come here and lie on the couch +below me. + +Alas, said Alcibiades, how I am fooled by this man; he is determined to +get the better of me at every turn. I do beseech you, allow Agathon to +lie between us. + +Certainly not, said Socrates, as you praised me, and I in turn ought to +praise my neighbour on the right, he will be out of order in praising me +again when he ought rather to be praised by me, and I must entreat you +to consent to this, and not be jealous, for I have a great desire to +praise the youth. + +Hurrah! cried Agathon, I will rise instantly, that I may be praised by +Socrates. + +The usual way, said Alcibiades; where Socrates is, no one else has any +chance with the fair; and now how readily has he invented a specious +reason for attracting Agathon to himself. + +Agathon arose in order that he might take his place on the couch by +Socrates, when suddenly a band of revellers entered, and spoiled the +order of the banquet. Some one who was going out having left the door +open, they had found their way in, and made themselves at home; great +confusion ensued, and every one was compelled to drink large quantities +of wine. Aristodemus said that Eryximachus, Phaedrus, and others went +away--he himself fell asleep, and as the nights were long took a good +rest: he was awakened towards daybreak by a crowing of cocks, and +when he awoke, the others were either asleep, or had gone away; there +remained only Socrates, Aristophanes, and Agathon, who were drinking out +of a large goblet which they passed round, and Socrates was discoursing +to them. Aristodemus was only half awake, and he did not hear the +beginning of the discourse; the chief thing which he remembered was +Socrates compelling the other two to acknowledge that the genius of +comedy was the same with that of tragedy, and that the true artist in +tragedy was an artist in comedy also. To this they were constrained to +assent, being drowsy, and not quite following the argument. And first +of all Aristophanes dropped off, then, when the day was already +dawning, Agathon. Socrates, having laid them to sleep, rose to depart; +Aristodemus, as his manner was, following him. At the Lyceum he took a +bath, and passed the day as usual. In the evening he retired to rest at +his own home. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Symposium, by Plato + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SYMPOSIUM *** + +***** This file should be named 1600.txt or 1600.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/0/1600/ + +Produced by Sue Asscher + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + +This etext was prepared by Sue Asscher <asschers@aia.net.au> + + + + + +SYMPOSIUM + +by Plato + + + +Translated by Benjamin Jowett + + + + +INTRODUCTION. + +Of all the works of Plato the Symposium is the most perfect in form, and +may be truly thought to contain more than any commentator has ever dreamed +of; or, as Goethe said of one of his own writings, more than the author +himself knew. For in philosophy as in prophecy glimpses of the future may +often be conveyed in words which could hardly have been understood or +interpreted at the time when they were uttered (compare Symp.)--which were +wiser than the writer of them meant, and could not have been expressed by +him if he had been interrogated about them. Yet Plato was not a mystic, +nor in any degree affected by the Eastern influences which afterwards +overspread the Alexandrian world. He was not an enthusiast or a +sentimentalist, but one who aspired only to see reasoned truth, and whose +thoughts are clearly explained in his language. There is no foreign +element either of Egypt or of Asia to be found in his writings. And more +than any other Platonic work the Symposium is Greek both in style and +subject, having a beauty 'as of a statue,' while the companion Dialogue of +the Phaedrus is marked by a sort of Gothic irregularity. More too than in +any other of his Dialogues, Plato is emancipated from former philosophies. +The genius of Greek art seems to triumph over the traditions of +Pythagorean, Eleatic, or Megarian systems, and 'the old quarrel of poetry +and philosophy' has at least a superficial reconcilement. (Rep.) + +An unknown person who had heard of the discourses in praise of love spoken +by Socrates and others at the banquet of Agathon is desirous of having an +authentic account of them, which he thinks that he can obtain from +Apollodorus, the same excitable, or rather 'mad' friend of Socrates, who is +afterwards introduced in the Phaedo. He had imagined that the discourses +were recent. There he is mistaken: but they are still fresh in the memory +of his informant, who had just been repeating them to Glaucon, and is quite +prepared to have another rehearsal of them in a walk from the Piraeus to +Athens. Although he had not been present himself, he had heard them from +the best authority. Aristodemus, who is described as having been in past +times a humble but inseparable attendant of Socrates, had reported them to +him (compare Xen. Mem.). + +The narrative which he had heard was as follows:-- + +Aristodemus meeting Socrates in holiday attire, is invited by him to a +banquet at the house of Agathon, who had been sacrificing in thanksgiving +for his tragic victory on the day previous. But no sooner has he entered +the house than he finds that he is alone; Socrates has stayed behind in a +fit of abstraction, and does not appear until the banquet is half over. On +his appearing he and the host jest a little; the question is then asked by +Pausanias, one of the guests, 'What shall they do about drinking? as they +had been all well drunk on the day before, and drinking on two successive +days is such a bad thing.' This is confirmed by the authority of +Eryximachus the physician, who further proposes that instead of listening +to the flute-girl and her 'noise' they shall make speeches in honour of +love, one after another, going from left to right in the order in which +they are reclining at the table. All of them agree to this proposal, and +Phaedrus, who is the 'father' of the idea, which he has previously +communicated to Eryximachus, begins as follows:-- + +He descants first of all upon the antiquity of love, which is proved by the +authority of the poets; secondly upon the benefits which love gives to man. +The greatest of these is the sense of honour and dishonour. The lover is +ashamed to be seen by the beloved doing or suffering any cowardly or mean +act. And a state or army which was made up only of lovers and their loves +would be invincible. For love will convert the veriest coward into an +inspired hero. + +And there have been true loves not only of men but of women also. Such was +the love of Alcestis, who dared to die for her husband, and in recompense +of her virtue was allowed to come again from the dead. But Orpheus, the +miserable harper, who went down to Hades alive, that he might bring back +his wife, was mocked with an apparition only, and the gods afterwards +contrived his death as the punishment of his cowardliness. The love of +Achilles, like that of Alcestis, was courageous and true; for he was +willing to avenge his lover Patroclus, although he knew that his own death +would immediately follow: and the gods, who honour the love of the beloved +above that of the lover, rewarded him, and sent him to the islands of the +blest. + +Pausanias, who was sitting next, then takes up the tale:--He says that +Phaedrus should have distinguished the heavenly love from the earthly, +before he praised either. For there are two loves, as there are two +Aphrodites--one the daughter of Uranus, who has no mother and is the elder +and wiser goddess, and the other, the daughter of Zeus and Dione, who is +popular and common. The first of the two loves has a noble purpose, and +delights only in the intelligent nature of man, and is faithful to the end, +and has no shadow of wantonness or lust. The second is the coarser kind of +love, which is a love of the body rather than of the soul, and is of women +and boys as well as of men. Now the actions of lovers vary, like every +other sort of action, according to the manner of their performance. And in +different countries there is a difference of opinion about male loves. +Some, like the Boeotians, approve of them; others, like the Ionians, and +most of the barbarians, disapprove of them; partly because they are aware +of the political dangers which ensue from them, as may be seen in the +instance of Harmodius and Aristogeiton. At Athens and Sparta there is an +apparent contradiction about them. For at times they are encouraged, and +then the lover is allowed to play all sorts of fantastic tricks; he may +swear and forswear himself (and 'at lovers' perjuries they say Jove +laughs'); he may be a servant, and lie on a mat at the door of his love, +without any loss of character; but there are also times when elders look +grave and guard their young relations, and personal remarks are made. The +truth is that some of these loves are disgraceful and others honourable. +The vulgar love of the body which takes wing and flies away when the bloom +of youth is over, is disgraceful, and so is the interested love of power or +wealth; but the love of the noble mind is lasting. The lover should be +tested, and the beloved should not be too ready to yield. The rule in our +country is that the beloved may do the same service to the lover in the way +of virtue which the lover may do to him. + +A voluntary service to be rendered for the sake of virtue and wisdom is +permitted among us; and when these two customs--one the love of youth, the +other the practice of virtue and philosophy--meet in one, then the lovers +may lawfully unite. Nor is there any disgrace to a disinterested lover in +being deceived: but the interested lover is doubly disgraced, for if he +loses his love he loses his character; whereas the noble love of the other +remains the same, although the object of his love is unworthy: for nothing +can be nobler than love for the sake of virtue. This is that love of the +heavenly goddess which is of great price to individuals and cities, making +them work together for their improvement. + +The turn of Aristophanes comes next; but he has the hiccough, and therefore +proposes that Eryximachus the physician shall cure him or speak in his +turn. Eryximachus is ready to do both, and after prescribing for the +hiccough, speaks as follows:-- + +He agrees with Pausanias in maintaining that there are two kinds of love; +but his art has led him to the further conclusion that the empire of this +double love extends over all things, and is to be found in animals and +plants as well as in man. In the human body also there are two loves; and +the art of medicine shows which is the good and which is the bad love, and +persuades the body to accept the good and reject the bad, and reconciles +conflicting elements and makes them friends. Every art, gymnastic and +husbandry as well as medicine, is the reconciliation of opposites; and this +is what Heracleitus meant, when he spoke of a harmony of opposites: but in +strictness he should rather have spoken of a harmony which succeeds +opposites, for an agreement of disagreements there cannot be. Music too is +concerned with the principles of love in their application to harmony and +rhythm. In the abstract, all is simple, and we are not troubled with the +twofold love; but when they are applied in education with their +accompaniments of song and metre, then the discord begins. Then the old +tale has to be repeated of fair Urania and the coarse Polyhymnia, who must +be indulged sparingly, just as in my own art of medicine care must be taken +that the taste of the epicure be gratified without inflicting upon him the +attendant penalty of disease. + +There is a similar harmony or disagreement in the course of the seasons and +in the relations of moist and dry, hot and cold, hoar frost and blight; and +diseases of all sorts spring from the excesses or disorders of the element +of love. The knowledge of these elements of love and discord in the +heavenly bodies is termed astronomy, in the relations of men towards gods +and parents is called divination. For divination is the peacemaker of gods +and men, and works by a knowledge of the tendencies of merely human loves +to piety and impiety. Such is the power of love; and that love which is +just and temperate has the greatest power, and is the source of all our +happiness and friendship with the gods and with one another. I dare say +that I have omitted to mention many things which you, Aristophanes, may +supply, as I perceive that you are cured of the hiccough. + +Aristophanes is the next speaker:-- + +He professes to open a new vein of discourse, in which he begins by +treating of the origin of human nature. The sexes were originally three, +men, women, and the union of the two; and they were made round--having four +hands, four feet, two faces on a round neck, and the rest to correspond. +Terrible was their strength and swiftness; and they were essaying to scale +heaven and attack the gods. Doubt reigned in the celestial councils; the +gods were divided between the desire of quelling the pride of man and the +fear of losing the sacrifices. At last Zeus hit upon an expedient. Let us +cut them in two, he said; then they will only have half their strength, and +we shall have twice as many sacrifices. He spake, and split them as you +might split an egg with an hair; and when this was done, he told Apollo to +give their faces a twist and re-arrange their persons, taking out the +wrinkles and tying the skin in a knot about the navel. The two halves went +about looking for one another, and were ready to die of hunger in one +another's arms. Then Zeus invented an adjustment of the sexes, which +enabled them to marry and go their way to the business of life. Now the +characters of men differ accordingly as they are derived from the original +man or the original woman, or the original man-woman. Those who come from +the man-woman are lascivious and adulterous; those who come from the woman +form female attachments; those who are a section of the male follow the +male and embrace him, and in him all their desires centre. The pair are +inseparable and live together in pure and manly affection; yet they cannot +tell what they want of one another. But if Hephaestus were to come to them +with his instruments and propose that they should be melted into one and +remain one here and hereafter, they would acknowledge that this was the +very expression of their want. For love is the desire of the whole, and +the pursuit of the whole is called love. There was a time when the two +sexes were only one, but now God has halved them,--much as the +Lacedaemonians have cut up the Arcadians,--and if they do not behave +themselves he will divide them again, and they will hop about with half a +nose and face in basso relievo. Wherefore let us exhort all men to piety, +that we may obtain the goods of which love is the author, and be reconciled +to God, and find our own true loves, which rarely happens in this world. +And now I must beg you not to suppose that I am alluding to Pausanias and +Agathon (compare Protag.), for my words refer to all mankind everywhere. + +Some raillery ensues first between Aristophanes and Eryximachus, and then +between Agathon, who fears a few select friends more than any number of +spectators at the theatre, and Socrates, who is disposed to begin an +argument. This is speedily repressed by Phaedrus, who reminds the +disputants of their tribute to the god. Agathon's speech follows:-- + +He will speak of the god first and then of his gifts: He is the fairest +and blessedest and best of the gods, and also the youngest, having had no +existence in the old days of Iapetus and Cronos when the gods were at war. +The things that were done then were done of necessity and not of love. For +love is young and dwells in soft places,--not like Ate in Homer, walking on +the skulls of men, but in their hearts and souls, which are soft enough. +He is all flexibility and grace, and his habitation is among the flowers, +and he cannot do or suffer wrong; for all men serve and obey him of their +own free will, and where there is love there is obedience, and where +obedience, there is justice; for none can be wronged of his own free will. +And he is temperate as well as just, for he is the ruler of the desires, +and if he rules them he must be temperate. Also he is courageous, for he +is the conqueror of the lord of war. And he is wise too; for he is a poet, +and the author of poesy in others. He created the animals; he is the +inventor of the arts; all the gods are his subjects; he is the fairest and +best himself, and the cause of what is fairest and best in others; he makes +men to be of one mind at a banquet, filling them with affection and +emptying them of disaffection; the pilot, helper, defender, saviour of men, +in whose footsteps let every man follow, chanting a strain of love. Such +is the discourse, half playful, half serious, which I dedicate to the god. + +The turn of Socrates comes next. He begins by remarking satirically that +he has not understood the terms of the original agreement, for he fancied +that they meant to speak the true praises of love, but now he finds that +they only say what is good of him, whether true or false. He begs to be +absolved from speaking falsely, but he is willing to speak the truth, and +proposes to begin by questioning Agathon. The result of his questions may +be summed up as follows:-- + +Love is of something, and that which love desires is not that which love is +or has; for no man desires that which he is or has. And love is of the +beautiful, and therefore has not the beautiful. And the beautiful is the +good, and therefore, in wanting and desiring the beautiful, love also wants +and desires the good. Socrates professes to have asked the same questions +and to have obtained the same answers from Diotima, a wise woman of +Mantinea, who, like Agathon, had spoken first of love and then of his +works. Socrates, like Agathon, had told her that Love is a mighty god and +also fair, and she had shown him in return that Love was neither, but in a +mean between fair and foul, good and evil, and not a god at all, but only a +great demon or intermediate power (compare the speech of Eryximachus) who +conveys to the gods the prayers of men, and to men the commands of the +gods. + +Socrates asks: Who are his father and mother? To this Diotima replies +that he is the son of Plenty and Poverty, and partakes of the nature of +both, and is full and starved by turns. Like his mother he is poor and +squalid, lying on mats at doors (compare the speech of Pausanias); like his +father he is bold and strong, and full of arts and resources. Further, he +is in a mean between ignorance and knowledge:--in this he resembles the +philosopher who is also in a mean between the wise and the ignorant. Such +is the nature of Love, who is not to be confused with the beloved. + +But Love desires the beautiful; and then arises the question, What does he +desire of the beautiful? He desires, of course, the possession of the +beautiful;--but what is given by that? For the beautiful let us substitute +the good, and we have no difficulty in seeing the possession of the good to +be happiness, and Love to be the desire of happiness, although the meaning +of the word has been too often confined to one kind of love. And Love +desires not only the good, but the everlasting possession of the good. Why +then is there all this flutter and excitement about love? Because all men +and women at a certain age are desirous of bringing to the birth. And love +is not of beauty only, but of birth in beauty; this is the principle of +immortality in a mortal creature. When beauty approaches, then the +conceiving power is benign and diffuse; when foulness, she is averted and +morose. + +But why again does this extend not only to men but also to animals? +Because they too have an instinct of immortality. Even in the same +individual there is a perpetual succession as well of the parts of the +material body as of the thoughts and desires of the mind; nay, even +knowledge comes and goes. There is no sameness of existence, but the new +mortality is always taking the place of the old. This is the reason why +parents love their children--for the sake of immortality; and this is why +men love the immortality of fame. For the creative soul creates not +children, but conceptions of wisdom and virtue, such as poets and other +creators have invented. And the noblest creations of all are those of +legislators, in honour of whom temples have been raised. Who would not +sooner have these children of the mind than the ordinary human ones? +(Compare Bacon's Essays, 8:--'Certainly the best works and of greatest +merit for the public have proceeded from the unmarried or childless men; +which both in affection and means have married and endowed the public.') + +I will now initiate you, she said, into the greater mysteries; for he who +would proceed in due course should love first one fair form, and then many, +and learn the connexion of them; and from beautiful bodies he should +proceed to beautiful minds, and the beauty of laws and institutions, until +he perceives that all beauty is of one kindred; and from institutions he +should go on to the sciences, until at last the vision is revealed to him +of a single science of universal beauty, and then he will behold the +everlasting nature which is the cause of all, and will be near the end. In +the contemplation of that supreme being of love he will be purified of +earthly leaven, and will behold beauty, not with the bodily eye, but with +the eye of the mind, and will bring forth true creations of virtue and +wisdom, and be the friend of God and heir of immortality. + +Such, Phaedrus, is the tale which I heard from the stranger of Mantinea, +and which you may call the encomium of love, or what you please. + +The company applaud the speech of Socrates, and Aristophanes is about to +say something, when suddenly a band of revellers breaks into the court, and +the voice of Alcibiades is heard asking for Agathon. He is led in drunk, +and welcomed by Agathon, whom he has come to crown with a garland. He is +placed on a couch at his side, but suddenly, on recognizing Socrates, he +starts up, and a sort of conflict is carried on between them, which Agathon +is requested to appease. Alcibiades then insists that they shall drink, +and has a large wine-cooler filled, which he first empties himself, and +then fills again and passes on to Socrates. He is informed of the nature +of the entertainment; and is ready to join, if only in the character of a +drunken and disappointed lover he may be allowed to sing the praises of +Socrates:-- + +He begins by comparing Socrates first to the busts of Silenus, which have +images of the gods inside them; and, secondly, to Marsyas the flute-player. +For Socrates produces the same effect with the voice which Marsyas did with +the flute. He is the great speaker and enchanter who ravishes the souls of +men; the convincer of hearts too, as he has convinced Alcibiades, and made +him ashamed of his mean and miserable life. Socrates at one time seemed +about to fall in love with him; and he thought that he would thereby gain a +wonderful opportunity of receiving lessons of wisdom. He narrates the +failure of his design. He has suffered agonies from him, and is at his +wit's end. He then proceeds to mention some other particulars of the life +of Socrates; how they were at Potidaea together, where Socrates showed his +superior powers of enduring cold and fatigue; how on one occasion he had +stood for an entire day and night absorbed in reflection amid the wonder of +the spectators; how on another occasion he had saved Alcibiades' life; how +at the battle of Delium, after the defeat, he might be seen stalking about +like a pelican, rolling his eyes as Aristophanes had described him in the +Clouds. He is the most wonderful of human beings, and absolutely unlike +anyone but a satyr. Like the satyr in his language too; for he uses the +commonest words as the outward mask of the divinest truths. + +When Alcibiades has done speaking, a dispute begins between him and Agathon +and Socrates. Socrates piques Alcibiades by a pretended affection for +Agathon. Presently a band of revellers appears, who introduce disorder +into the feast; the sober part of the company, Eryximachus, Phaedrus, and +others, withdraw; and Aristodemus, the follower of Socrates, sleeps during +the whole of a long winter's night. When he wakes at cockcrow the +revellers are nearly all asleep. Only Socrates, Aristophanes, and Agathon +hold out; they are drinking from a large goblet, which they pass round, and +Socrates is explaining to the two others, who are half-asleep, that the +genius of tragedy is the same as that of comedy, and that the writer of +tragedy ought to be a writer of comedy also. And first Aristophanes drops, +and then, as the day is dawning, Agathon. Socrates, having laid them to +rest, takes a bath and goes to his daily avocations until the evening. +Aristodemus follows. + +... + +If it be true that there are more things in the Symposium of Plato than any +commentator has dreamed of, it is also true that many things have been +imagined which are not really to be found there. Some writings hardly +admit of a more distinct interpretation than a musical composition; and +every reader may form his own accompaniment of thought or feeling to the +strain which he hears. The Symposium of Plato is a work of this character, +and can with difficulty be rendered in any words but the writer's own. +There are so many half-lights and cross-lights, so much of the colour of +mythology, and of the manner of sophistry adhering--rhetoric and poetry, +the playful and the serious, are so subtly intermingled in it, and vestiges +of old philosophy so curiously blend with germs of future knowledge, that +agreement among interpreters is not to be expected. The expression 'poema +magis putandum quam comicorum poetarum,' which has been applied to all the +writings of Plato, is especially applicable to the Symposium. + +The power of love is represented in the Symposium as running through all +nature and all being: at one end descending to animals and plants, and +attaining to the highest vision of truth at the other. In an age when man +was seeking for an expression of the world around him, the conception of +love greatly affected him. One of the first distinctions of language and +of mythology was that of gender; and at a later period the ancient +physicist, anticipating modern science, saw, or thought that he saw, a sex +in plants; there were elective affinities among the elements, marriages of +earth and heaven. (Aesch. Frag. Dan.) Love became a mythic personage whom +philosophy, borrowing from poetry, converted into an efficient cause of +creation. The traces of the existence of love, as of number and figure, +were everywhere discerned; and in the Pythagorean list of opposites male +and female were ranged side by side with odd and even, finite and infinite. + +But Plato seems also to be aware that there is a mystery of love in man as +well as in nature, extending beyond the mere immediate relation of the +sexes. He is conscious that the highest and noblest things in the world +are not easily severed from the sensual desires, or may even be regarded as +a spiritualized form of them. We may observe that Socrates himself is not +represented as originally unimpassioned, but as one who has overcome his +passions; the secret of his power over others partly lies in his passionate +but self-controlled nature. In the Phaedrus and Symposium love is not +merely the feeling usually so called, but the mystical contemplation of the +beautiful and the good. The same passion which may wallow in the mire is +capable of rising to the loftiest heights--of penetrating the inmost secret +of philosophy. The highest love is the love not of a person, but of the +highest and purest abstraction. This abstraction is the far-off heaven on +which the eye of the mind is fixed in fond amazement. The unity of truth, +the consistency of the warring elements of the world, the enthusiasm for +knowledge when first beaming upon mankind, the relativity of ideas to the +human mind, and of the human mind to ideas, the faith in the invisible, the +adoration of the eternal nature, are all included, consciously or +unconsciously, in Plato's doctrine of love. + +The successive speeches in praise of love are characteristic of the +speakers, and contribute in various degrees to the final result; they are +all designed to prepare the way for Socrates, who gathers up the threads +anew, and skims the highest points of each of them. But they are not to be +regarded as the stages of an idea, rising above one another to a climax. +They are fanciful, partly facetious performances, 'yet also having a +certain measure of seriousness,' which the successive speakers dedicate to +the god. All of them are rhetorical and poetical rather than dialectical, +but glimpses of truth appear in them. When Eryximachus says that the +principles of music are simple in themselves, but confused in their +application, he touches lightly upon a difficulty which has troubled the +moderns as well as the ancients in music, and may be extended to the other +applied sciences. That confusion begins in the concrete, was the natural +feeling of a mind dwelling in the world of ideas. When Pausanias remarks +that personal attachments are inimical to despots. The experience of Greek +history confirms the truth of his remark. When Aristophanes declares that +love is the desire of the whole, he expresses a feeling not unlike that of +the German philosopher, who says that 'philosophy is home sickness.' When +Agathon says that no man 'can be wronged of his own free will,' he is +alluding playfully to a serious problem of Greek philosophy (compare Arist. +Nic. Ethics). So naturally does Plato mingle jest and earnest, truth and +opinion in the same work. + +The characters--of Phaedrus, who has been the cause of more philosophical +discussions than any other man, with the exception of Simmias the Theban +(Phaedrus); of Aristophanes, who disguises under comic imagery a serious +purpose; of Agathon, who in later life is satirized by Aristophanes in the +Thesmophoriazusae, for his effeminate manners and the feeble rhythms of his +verse; of Alcibiades, who is the same strange contrast of great powers and +great vices, which meets us in history--are drawn to the life; and we may +suppose the less-known characters of Pausanias and Eryximachus to be also +true to the traditional recollection of them (compare Phaedr., Protag.; and +compare Sympos. with Phaedr.). We may also remark that Aristodemus is +called 'the little' in Xenophon's Memorabilia (compare Symp.). + +The speeches have been said to follow each other in pairs: Phaedrus and +Pausanias being the ethical, Eryximachus and Aristophanes the physical +speakers, while in Agathon and Socrates poetry and philosophy blend +together. The speech of Phaedrus is also described as the mythological, +that of Pausanias as the political, that of Eryximachus as the scientific, +that of Aristophanes as the artistic (!), that of Socrates as the +philosophical. But these and similar distinctions are not found in Plato; +--they are the points of view of his critics, and seem to impede rather +than to assist us in understanding him. + +When the turn of Socrates comes round he cannot be allowed to disturb the +arrangement made at first. With the leave of Phaedrus he asks a few +questions, and then he throws his argument into the form of a speech +(compare Gorg., Protag.). But his speech is really the narrative of a +dialogue between himself and Diotima. And as at a banquet good manners +would not allow him to win a victory either over his host or any of the +guests, the superiority which he gains over Agathon is ingeniously +represented as having been already gained over himself by her. The +artifice has the further advantage of maintaining his accustomed profession +of ignorance (compare Menex.). Even his knowledge of the mysteries of +love, to which he lays claim here and elsewhere (Lys.), is given by +Diotima. + +The speeches are attested to us by the very best authority. The madman +Apollodorus, who for three years past has made a daily study of the actions +of Socrates--to whom the world is summed up in the words 'Great is +Socrates'--he has heard them from another 'madman,' Aristodemus, who was +the 'shadow' of Socrates in days of old, like him going about barefooted, +and who had been present at the time. 'Would you desire better witness?' +The extraordinary narrative of Alcibiades is ingeniously represented as +admitted by Socrates, whose silence when he is invited to contradict gives +consent to the narrator. We may observe, by the way, (1) how the very +appearance of Aristodemus by himself is a sufficient indication to Agathon +that Socrates has been left behind; also, (2) how the courtesy of Agathon +anticipates the excuse which Socrates was to have made on Aristodemus' +behalf for coming uninvited; (3) how the story of the fit or trance of +Socrates is confirmed by the mention which Alcibiades makes of a similar +fit of abstraction occurring when he was serving with the army at Potidaea; +like (4) the drinking powers of Socrates and his love of the fair, which +receive a similar attestation in the concluding scene; or the attachment of +Aristodemus, who is not forgotten when Socrates takes his departure. (5) +We may notice the manner in which Socrates himself regards the first five +speeches, not as true, but as fanciful and exaggerated encomiums of the god +Love; (6) the satirical character of them, shown especially in the appeals +to mythology, in the reasons which are given by Zeus for reconstructing the +frame of man, or by the Boeotians and Eleans for encouraging male loves; +(7) the ruling passion of Socrates for dialectics, who will argue with +Agathon instead of making a speech, and will only speak at all upon the +condition that he is allowed to speak the truth. We may note also the +touch of Socratic irony, (8) which admits of a wide application and reveals +a deep insight into the world:--that in speaking of holy things and persons +there is a general understanding that you should praise them, not that you +should speak the truth about them--this is the sort of praise which +Socrates is unable to give. Lastly, (9) we may remark that the banquet is +a real banquet after all, at which love is the theme of discourse, and huge +quantities of wine are drunk. + +The discourse of Phaedrus is half-mythical, half-ethical; and he himself, +true to the character which is given him in the Dialogue bearing his name, +is half-sophist, half-enthusiast. He is the critic of poetry also, who +compares Homer and Aeschylus in the insipid and irrational manner of the +schools of the day, characteristically reasoning about the probability of +matters which do not admit of reasoning. He starts from a noble text: +'That without the sense of honour and dishonour neither states nor +individuals ever do any good or great work.' But he soon passes on to more +common-place topics. The antiquity of love, the blessing of having a +lover, the incentive which love offers to daring deeds, the examples of +Alcestis and Achilles, are the chief themes of his discourse. The love of +women is regarded by him as almost on an equality with that of men; and he +makes the singular remark that the gods favour the return of love which is +made by the beloved more than the original sentiment, because the lover is +of a nobler and diviner nature. + +There is something of a sophistical ring in the speech of Phaedrus, which +recalls the first speech in imitation of Lysias, occurring in the Dialogue +called the Phaedrus. This is still more marked in the speech of Pausanias +which follows; and which is at once hyperlogical in form and also extremely +confused and pedantic. Plato is attacking the logical feebleness of the +sophists and rhetoricians, through their pupils, not forgetting by the way +to satirize the monotonous and unmeaning rhythms which Prodicus and others +were introducing into Attic prose (compare Protag.). Of course, he is +'playing both sides of the game,' as in the Gorgias and Phaedrus; but it is +not necessary in order to understand him that we should discuss the +fairness of his mode of proceeding. The love of Pausanias for Agathon has +already been touched upon in the Protagoras, and is alluded to by +Aristophanes. Hence he is naturally the upholder of male loves, which, +like all the other affections or actions of men, he regards as varying +according to the manner of their performance. Like the sophists and like +Plato himself, though in a different sense, he begins his discussion by an +appeal to mythology, and distinguishes between the elder and younger love. +The value which he attributes to such loves as motives to virtue and +philosophy is at variance with modern and Christian notions, but is in +accordance with Hellenic sentiment. The opinion of Christendom has not +altogether condemned passionate friendships between persons of the same +sex, but has certainly not encouraged them, because though innocent in +themselves in a few temperaments they are liable to degenerate into fearful +evil. Pausanias is very earnest in the defence of such loves; and he +speaks of them as generally approved among Hellenes and disapproved by +barbarians. His speech is 'more words than matter,' and might have been +composed by a pupil of Lysias or of Prodicus, although there is no hint +given that Plato is specially referring to them. As Eryximachus says, 'he +makes a fair beginning, but a lame ending.' + +Plato transposes the two next speeches, as in the Republic he would +transpose the virtues and the mathematical sciences. This is done partly +to avoid monotony, partly for the sake of making Aristophanes 'the cause of +wit in others,' and also in order to bring the comic and tragic poet into +juxtaposition, as if by accident. A suitable 'expectation' of Aristophanes +is raised by the ludicrous circumstance of his having the hiccough, which +is appropriately cured by his substitute, the physician Eryximachus. To +Eryximachus Love is the good physician; he sees everything as an +intelligent physicist, and, like many professors of his art in modern +times, attempts to reduce the moral to the physical; or recognises one law +of love which pervades them both. There are loves and strifes of the body +as well as of the mind. Like Hippocrates the Asclepiad, he is a disciple +of Heracleitus, whose conception of the harmony of opposites he explains in +a new way as the harmony after discord; to his common sense, as to that of +many moderns as well as ancients, the identity of contradictories is an +absurdity. His notion of love may be summed up as the harmony of man with +himself in soul as well as body, and of all things in heaven and earth with +one another. + +Aristophanes is ready to laugh and make laugh before he opens his mouth, +just as Socrates, true to his character, is ready to argue before he begins +to speak. He expresses the very genius of the old comedy, its coarse and +forcible imagery, and the licence of its language in speaking about the +gods. He has no sophistical notions about love, which is brought back by +him to its common-sense meaning of love between intelligent beings. His +account of the origin of the sexes has the greatest (comic) probability and +verisimilitude. Nothing in Aristophanes is more truly Aristophanic than +the description of the human monster whirling round on four arms and four +legs, eight in all, with incredible rapidity. Yet there is a mixture of +earnestness in this jest; three serious principles seem to be insinuated:-- +first, that man cannot exist in isolation; he must be reunited if he is to +be perfected: secondly, that love is the mediator and reconciler of poor, +divided human nature: thirdly, that the loves of this world are an +indistinct anticipation of an ideal union which is not yet realized. + +The speech of Agathon is conceived in a higher strain, and receives the +real, if half-ironical, approval of Socrates. It is the speech of the +tragic poet and a sort of poem, like tragedy, moving among the gods of +Olympus, and not among the elder or Orphic deities. In the idea of the +antiquity of love he cannot agree; love is not of the olden time, but +present and youthful ever. The speech may be compared with that speech of +Socrates in the Phaedrus in which he describes himself as talking +dithyrambs. It is at once a preparation for Socrates and a foil to him. +The rhetoric of Agathon elevates the soul to 'sunlit heights,' but at the +same time contrasts with the natural and necessary eloquence of Socrates. +Agathon contributes the distinction between love and the works of love, and +also hints incidentally that love is always of beauty, which Socrates +afterwards raises into a principle. While the consciousness of discord is +stronger in the comic poet Aristophanes, Agathon, the tragic poet, has a +deeper sense of harmony and reconciliation, and speaks of Love as the +creator and artist. + +All the earlier speeches embody common opinions coloured with a tinge of +philosophy. They furnish the material out of which Socrates proceeds to +form his discourse, starting, as in other places, from mythology and the +opinions of men. From Phaedrus he takes the thought that love is stronger +than death; from Pausanias, that the true love is akin to intellect and +political activity; from Eryximachus, that love is a universal phenomenon +and the great power of nature; from Aristophanes, that love is the child of +want, and is not merely the love of the congenial or of the whole, but (as +he adds) of the good; from Agathon, that love is of beauty, not however of +beauty only, but of birth in beauty. As it would be out of character for +Socrates to make a lengthened harangue, the speech takes the form of a +dialogue between Socrates and a mysterious woman of foreign extraction. +She elicits the final truth from one who knows nothing, and who, speaking +by the lips of another, and himself a despiser of rhetoric, is proved also +to be the most consummate of rhetoricians (compare Menexenus). + +The last of the six discourses begins with a short argument which +overthrows not only Agathon but all the preceding speakers by the help of a +distinction which has escaped them. Extravagant praises have been ascribed +to Love as the author of every good; no sort of encomium was too high for +him, whether deserved and true or not. But Socrates has no talent for +speaking anything but the truth, and if he is to speak the truth of Love he +must honestly confess that he is not a good at all: for love is of the +good, and no man can desire that which he has. This piece of dialectics is +ascribed to Diotima, who has already urged upon Socrates the argument which +he urges against Agathon. That the distinction is a fallacy is obvious; it +is almost acknowledged to be so by Socrates himself. For he who has beauty +or good may desire more of them; and he who has beauty or good in himself +may desire beauty and good in others. The fallacy seems to arise out of a +confusion between the abstract ideas of good and beauty, which do not admit +of degrees, and their partial realization in individuals. + +But Diotima, the prophetess of Mantineia, whose sacred and superhuman +character raises her above the ordinary proprieties of women, has taught +Socrates far more than this about the art and mystery of love. She has +taught him that love is another aspect of philosophy. The same want in the +human soul which is satisfied in the vulgar by the procreation of children, +may become the highest aspiration of intellectual desire. As the Christian +might speak of hungering and thirsting after righteousness; or of divine +loves under the figure of human (compare Eph. 'This is a great mystery, but +I speak concerning Christ and the church'); as the mediaeval saint might +speak of the 'fruitio Dei;' as Dante saw all things contained in his love +of Beatrice, so Plato would have us absorb all other loves and desires in +the love of knowledge. Here is the beginning of Neoplatonism, or rather, +perhaps, a proof (of which there are many) that the so-called mysticism of +the East was not strange to the Greek of the fifth century before Christ. +The first tumult of the affections was not wholly subdued; there were +longings of a creature + +Moving about in worlds not realized, + +which no art could satisfy. To most men reason and passion appear to be +antagonistic both in idea and fact. The union of the greatest +comprehension of knowledge and the burning intensity of love is a +contradiction in nature, which may have existed in a far-off primeval age +in the mind of some Hebrew prophet or other Eastern sage, but has now +become an imagination only. Yet this 'passion of the reason' is the theme +of the Symposium of Plato. And as there is no impossibility in supposing +that 'one king, or son of a king, may be a philosopher,' so also there is a +probability that there may be some few--perhaps one or two in a whole +generation--in whom the light of truth may not lack the warmth of desire. +And if there be such natures, no one will be disposed to deny that 'from +them flow most of the benefits of individuals and states;' and even from +imperfect combinations of the two elements in teachers or statesmen great +good may often arise. + +Yet there is a higher region in which love is not only felt, but satisfied, +in the perfect beauty of eternal knowledge, beginning with the beauty of +earthly things, and at last reaching a beauty in which all existence is +seen to be harmonious and one. The limited affection is enlarged, and +enabled to behold the ideal of all things. And here the highest summit +which is reached in the Symposium is seen also to be the highest summit +which is attained in the Republic, but approached from another side; and +there is 'a way upwards and downwards,' which is the same and not the same +in both. The ideal beauty of the one is the ideal good of the other; +regarded not with the eye of knowledge, but of faith and desire; and they +are respectively the source of beauty and the source of good in all other +things. And by the steps of a 'ladder reaching to heaven' we pass from +images of visible beauty (Greek), and from the hypotheses of the +Mathematical sciences, which are not yet based upon the idea of good, +through the concrete to the abstract, and, by different paths arriving, +behold the vision of the eternal (compare Symp. (Greek) Republic (Greek) +also Phaedrus). Under one aspect 'the idea is love'; under another, +'truth.' In both the lover of wisdom is the 'spectator of all time and of +all existence.' This is a 'mystery' in which Plato also obscurely +intimates the union of the spiritual and fleshly, the interpenetration of +the moral and intellectual faculties. + +The divine image of beauty which resides within Socrates has been revealed; +the Silenus, or outward man, has now to be exhibited. The description of +Socrates follows immediately after the speech of Socrates; one is the +complement of the other. At the height of divine inspiration, when the +force of nature can no further go, by way of contrast to this extreme +idealism, Alcibiades, accompanied by a troop of revellers and a flute-girl, +staggers in, and being drunk is able to tell of things which he would have +been ashamed to make known if he had been sober. The state of his +affections towards Socrates, unintelligible to us and perverted as they +appear, affords an illustration of the power ascribed to the loves of man +in the speech of Pausanias. He does not suppose his feelings to be +peculiar to himself: there are several other persons in the company who +have been equally in love with Socrates, and like himself have been +deceived by him. The singular part of this confession is the combination +of the most degrading passion with the desire of virtue and improvement. +Such an union is not wholly untrue to human nature, which is capable of +combining good and evil in a degree beyond what we can easily conceive. In +imaginative persons, especially, the God and beast in man seem to part +asunder more than is natural in a well-regulated mind. The Platonic +Socrates (for of the real Socrates this may be doubted: compare his public +rebuke of Critias for his shameful love of Euthydemus in Xenophon, +Memorabilia) does not regard the greatest evil of Greek life as a thing not +to be spoken of; but it has a ridiculous element (Plato's Symp.), and is a +subject for irony, no less than for moral reprobation (compare Plato's +Symp.). It is also used as a figure of speech which no one interpreted +literally (compare Xen. Symp.). Nor does Plato feel any repugnance, such +as would be felt in modern times, at bringing his great master and hero +into connexion with nameless crimes. He is contented with representing him +as a saint, who has won 'the Olympian victory' over the temptations of +human nature. The fault of taste, which to us is so glaring and which was +recognized by the Greeks of a later age (Athenaeus), was not perceived by +Plato himself. We are still more surprised to find that the philosopher is +incited to take the first step in his upward progress (Symp.) by the beauty +of young men and boys, which was alone capable of inspiring the modern +feeling of romance in the Greek mind. The passion of love took the +spurious form of an enthusiasm for the ideal of beauty--a worship as of +some godlike image of an Apollo or Antinous. But the love of youth when +not depraved was a love of virtue and modesty as well as of beauty, the one +being the expression of the other; and in certain Greek states, especially +at Sparta and Thebes, the honourable attachment of a youth to an elder man +was a part of his education. The 'army of lovers and their beloved who +would be invincible if they could be united by such a tie' (Symp.), is not +a mere fiction of Plato's, but seems actually to have existed at Thebes in +the days of Epaminondas and Pelopidas, if we may believe writers cited +anonymously by Plutarch, Pelop. Vit. It is observable that Plato never in +the least degree excuses the depraved love of the body (compare Charm.; +Rep.; Laws; Symp.; and once more Xenophon, Mem.), nor is there any Greek +writer of mark who condones or approves such connexions. But owing partly +to the puzzling nature of the subject these friendships are spoken of by +Plato in a manner different from that customary among ourselves. To most +of them we should hesitate to ascribe, any more than to the attachment of +Achilles and Patroclus in Homer, an immoral or licentious character. There +were many, doubtless, to whom the love of the fair mind was the noblest +form of friendship (Rep.), and who deemed the friendship of man with man to +be higher than the love of woman, because altogether separated from the +bodily appetites. The existence of such attachments may be reasonably +attributed to the inferiority and seclusion of woman, and the want of a +real family or social life and parental influence in Hellenic cities; and +they were encouraged by the practice of gymnastic exercises, by the +meetings of political clubs, and by the tie of military companionship. +They were also an educational institution: a young person was specially +entrusted by his parents to some elder friend who was expected by them to +train their son in manly exercises and in virtue. It is not likely that a +Greek parent committed him to a lover, any more than we should to a +schoolmaster, in the expectation that he would be corrupted by him, but +rather in the hope that his morals would be better cared for than was +possible in a great household of slaves. + +It is difficult to adduce the authority of Plato either for or against such +practices or customs, because it is not always easy to determine whether he +is speaking of 'the heavenly and philosophical love, or of the coarse +Polyhymnia:' and he often refers to this (e.g. in the Symposium) half in +jest, yet 'with a certain degree of seriousness.' We observe that they +entered into one part of Greek literature, but not into another, and that +the larger part is free from such associations. Indecency was an element +of the ludicrous in the old Greek Comedy, as it has been in other ages and +countries. But effeminate love was always condemned as well as ridiculed +by the Comic poets; and in the New Comedy the allusions to such topics have +disappeared. They seem to have been no longer tolerated by the greater +refinement of the age. False sentiment is found in the Lyric and Elegiac +poets; and in mythology 'the greatest of the Gods' (Rep.) is not exempt +from evil imputations. But the morals of a nation are not to be judged of +wholly by its literature. Hellas was not necessarily more corrupted in the +days of the Persian and Peloponnesian wars, or of Plato and the Orators, +than England in the time of Fielding and Smollett, or France in the +nineteenth century. No one supposes certain French novels to be a +representation of ordinary French life. And the greater part of Greek +literature, beginning with Homer and including the tragedians, +philosophers, and, with the exception of the Comic poets (whose business +was to raise a laugh by whatever means), all the greater writers of Hellas +who have been preserved to us, are free from the taint of indecency. + +Some general considerations occur to our mind when we begin to reflect on +this subject. (1) That good and evil are linked together in human nature, +and have often existed side by side in the world and in man to an extent +hardly credible. We cannot distinguish them, and are therefore unable to +part them; as in the parable 'they grow together unto the harvest:' it is +only a rule of external decency by which society can divide them. Nor +should we be right in inferring from the prevalence of any one vice or +corruption that a state or individual was demoralized in their whole +character. Not only has the corruption of the best been sometimes thought +to be the worst, but it may be remarked that this very excess of evil has +been the stimulus to good (compare Plato, Laws, where he says that in the +most corrupt cities individuals are to be found beyond all praise). (2) It +may be observed that evils which admit of degrees can seldom be rightly +estimated, because under the same name actions of the most different +degrees of culpability may be included. No charge is more easily set going +than the imputation of secret wickedness (which cannot be either proved or +disproved and often cannot be defined) when directed against a person of +whom the world, or a section of it, is predisposed to think evil. And it +is quite possible that the malignity of Greek scandal, aroused by some +personal jealousy or party enmity, may have converted the innocent +friendship of a great man for a noble youth into a connexion of another +kind. Such accusations were brought against several of the leading men of +Hellas, e.g. Cimon, Alcibiades, Critias, Demosthenes, Epaminondas: several +of the Roman emperors were assailed by similar weapons which have been used +even in our own day against statesmen of the highest character. (3) While +we know that in this matter there is a great gulf fixed between Greek and +Christian Ethics, yet, if we would do justice to the Greeks, we must also +acknowledge that there was a greater outspokenness among them than among +ourselves about the things which nature hides, and that the more frequent +mention of such topics is not to be taken as the measure of the prevalence +of offences, or as a proof of the general corruption of society. It is +likely that every religion in the world has used words or practised rites +in one age, which have become distasteful or repugnant to another. We +cannot, though for different reasons, trust the representations either of +Comedy or Satire; and still less of Christian Apologists. (4) We observe +that at Thebes and Lacedemon the attachment of an elder friend to a beloved +youth was often deemed to be a part of his education; and was encouraged by +his parents--it was only shameful if it degenerated into licentiousness. +Such we may believe to have been the tie which united Asophychus and +Cephisodorus with the great Epaminondas in whose companionship they fell +(Plutarch, Amat.; Athenaeus on the authority of Theopompus). (5) A small +matter: there appears to be a difference of custom among the Greeks and +among ourselves, as between ourselves and continental nations at the +present time, in modes of salutation. We must not suspect evil in the +hearty kiss or embrace of a male friend 'returning from the army at +Potidaea' any more than in a similar salutation when practised by members +of the same family. But those who make these admissions, and who regard, +not without pity, the victims of such illusions in our own day, whose life +has been blasted by them, may be none the less resolved that the natural +and healthy instincts of mankind shall alone be tolerated (Greek); and that +the lesson of manliness which we have inherited from our fathers shall not +degenerate into sentimentalism or effeminacy. The possibility of an +honourable connexion of this kind seems to have died out with Greek +civilization. Among the Romans, and also among barbarians, such as the +Celts and Persians, there is no trace of such attachments existing in any +noble or virtuous form. + +(Compare Hoeck's Creta and the admirable and exhaustive article of Meier in +Ersch and Grueber's Cyclopedia on this subject; Plutarch, Amatores; +Athenaeus; Lysias contra Simonem; Aesch. c. Timarchum.) + +The character of Alcibiades in the Symposium is hardly less remarkable than +that of Socrates, and agrees with the picture given of him in the first of +the two Dialogues which are called by his name, and also with the slight +sketch of him in the Protagoras. He is the impersonation of lawlessness-- +'the lion's whelp, who ought not to be reared in the city,' yet not without +a certain generosity which gained the hearts of men,--strangely fascinated +by Socrates, and possessed of a genius which might have been either the +destruction or salvation of Athens. The dramatic interest of the character +is heightened by the recollection of his after history. He seems to have +been present to the mind of Plato in the description of the democratic man +of the Republic (compare also Alcibiades 1). + +There is no criterion of the date of the Symposium, except that which is +furnished by the allusion to the division of Arcadia after the destruction +of Mantinea. This took place in the year B.C. 384, which is the forty- +fourth year of Plato's life. The Symposium cannot therefore be regarded as +a youthful work. As Mantinea was restored in the year 369, the composition +of the Dialogue will probably fall between 384 and 369. Whether the +recollection of the event is more likely to have been renewed at the +destruction or restoration of the city, rather than at some intermediate +period, is a consideration not worth raising. + +The Symposium is connected with the Phaedrus both in style and subject; +they are the only Dialogues of Plato in which the theme of love is +discussed at length. In both of them philosophy is regarded as a sort of +enthusiasm or madness; Socrates is himself 'a prophet new inspired' with +Bacchanalian revelry, which, like his philosophy, he characteristically +pretends to have derived not from himself but from others. The Phaedo also +presents some points of comparison with the Symposium. For there, too, +philosophy might be described as 'dying for love;' and there are not +wanting many touches of humour and fancy, which remind us of the Symposium. +But while the Phaedo and Phaedrus look backwards and forwards to past and +future states of existence, in the Symposium there is no break between this +world and another; and we rise from one to the other by a regular series of +steps or stages, proceeding from the particulars of sense to the universal +of reason, and from one universal to many, which are finally reunited in a +single science (compare Rep.). At first immortality means only the +succession of existences; even knowledge comes and goes. Then follows, in +the language of the mysteries, a higher and a higher degree of initiation; +at last we arrive at the perfect vision of beauty, not relative or +changing, but eternal and absolute; not bounded by this world, or in or out +of this world, but an aspect of the divine, extending over all things, and +having no limit of space or time: this is the highest knowledge of which +the human mind is capable. Plato does not go on to ask whether the +individual is absorbed in the sea of light and beauty or retains his +personality. Enough for him to have attained the true beauty or good, +without enquiring precisely into the relation in which human beings stood +to it. That the soul has such a reach of thought, and is capable of +partaking of the eternal nature, seems to imply that she too is eternal +(compare Phaedrus). But Plato does not distinguish the eternal in man from +the eternal in the world or in God. He is willing to rest in the +contemplation of the idea, which to him is the cause of all things (Rep.), +and has no strength to go further. + +The Symposium of Xenophon, in which Socrates describes himself as a pander, +and also discourses of the difference between sensual and sentimental love, +likewise offers several interesting points of comparison. But the +suspicion which hangs over other writings of Xenophon, and the numerous +minute references to the Phaedrus and Symposium, as well as to some of the +other writings of Plato, throw a doubt on the genuineness of the work. The +Symposium of Xenophon, if written by him at all, would certainly show that +he wrote against Plato, and was acquainted with his works. Of this +hostility there is no trace in the Memorabilia. Such a rivalry is more +characteristic of an imitator than of an original writer. The (so-called) +Symposium of Xenophon may therefore have no more title to be regarded as +genuine than the confessedly spurious Apology. + +There are no means of determining the relative order in time of the +Phaedrus, Symposium, Phaedo. The order which has been adopted in this +translation rests on no other principle than the desire to bring together +in a series the memorials of the life of Socrates. + + +SYMPOSIUM + +by + +Plato + +Translated by Benjamin Jowett + + +PERSONS OF THE DIALOGUE: +Apollodorus, who repeats to his companion the dialogue which he had heard +from Aristodemus, and had already once narrated to Glaucon. +Phaedrus, Pausanias, Eryximachus, Aristophanes, Agathon, Socrates, +Alcibiades, A Troop of Revellers. + +SCENE: The House of Agathon. + + +Concerning the things about which you ask to be informed I believe that I +am not ill-prepared with an answer. For the day before yesterday I was +coming from my own home at Phalerum to the city, and one of my +acquaintance, who had caught a sight of me from behind, calling out +playfully in the distance, said: Apollodorus, O thou Phalerian (Probably a +play of words on (Greek), 'bald-headed.') man, halt! So I did as I was +bid; and then he said, I was looking for you, Apollodorus, only just now, +that I might ask you about the speeches in praise of love, which were +delivered by Socrates, Alcibiades, and others, at Agathon's supper. +Phoenix, the son of Philip, told another person who told me of them; his +narrative was very indistinct, but he said that you knew, and I wish that +you would give me an account of them. Who, if not you, should be the +reporter of the words of your friend? And first tell me, he said, were you +present at this meeting? + +Your informant, Glaucon, I said, must have been very indistinct indeed, if +you imagine that the occasion was recent; or that I could have been of the +party. + +Why, yes, he replied, I thought so. + +Impossible: I said. Are you ignorant that for many years Agathon has not +resided at Athens; and not three have elapsed since I became acquainted +with Socrates, and have made it my daily business to know all that he says +and does. There was a time when I was running about the world, fancying +myself to be well employed, but I was really a most wretched being, no +better than you are now. I thought that I ought to do anything rather than +be a philosopher. + +Well, he said, jesting apart, tell me when the meeting occurred. + +In our boyhood, I replied, when Agathon won the prize with his first +tragedy, on the day after that on which he and his chorus offered the +sacrifice of victory. + +Then it must have been a long while ago, he said; and who told you--did +Socrates? + +No indeed, I replied, but the same person who told Phoenix;--he was a +little fellow, who never wore any shoes, Aristodemus, of the deme of +Cydathenaeum. He had been at Agathon's feast; and I think that in those +days there was no one who was a more devoted admirer of Socrates. +Moreover, I have asked Socrates about the truth of some parts of his +narrative, and he confirmed them. Then, said Glaucon, let us have the tale +over again; is not the road to Athens just made for conversation? And so +we walked, and talked of the discourses on love; and therefore, as I said +at first, I am not ill-prepared to comply with your request, and will have +another rehearsal of them if you like. For to speak or to hear others +speak of philosophy always gives me the greatest pleasure, to say nothing +of the profit. But when I hear another strain, especially that of you rich +men and traders, such conversation displeases me; and I pity you who are my +companions, because you think that you are doing something when in reality +you are doing nothing. And I dare say that you pity me in return, whom you +regard as an unhappy creature, and very probably you are right. But I +certainly know of you what you only think of me--there is the difference. + +COMPANION: I see, Apollodorus, that you are just the same--always speaking +evil of yourself, and of others; and I do believe that you pity all +mankind, with the exception of Socrates, yourself first of all, true in +this to your old name, which, however deserved, I know not how you +acquired, of Apollodorus the madman; for you are always raging against +yourself and everybody but Socrates. + +APOLLODORUS: Yes, friend, and the reason why I am said to be mad, and out +of my wits, is just because I have these notions of myself and you; no +other evidence is required. + +COMPANION: No more of that, Apollodorus; but let me renew my request that +you would repeat the conversation. + +APOLLODORUS: Well, the tale of love was on this wise:--But perhaps I had +better begin at the beginning, and endeavour to give you the exact words of +Aristodemus: + +He said that he met Socrates fresh from the bath and sandalled; and as the +sight of the sandals was unusual, he asked him whither he was going that he +had been converted into such a beau:-- + +To a banquet at Agathon's, he replied, whose invitation to his sacrifice of +victory I refused yesterday, fearing a crowd, but promising that I would +come to-day instead; and so I have put on my finery, because he is such a +fine man. What say you to going with me unasked? + +I will do as you bid me, I replied. + +Follow then, he said, and let us demolish the proverb:-- + +'To the feasts of inferior men the good unbidden go;' + +instead of which our proverb will run:-- + +'To the feasts of the good the good unbidden go;' + +and this alteration may be supported by the authority of Homer himself, who +not only demolishes but literally outrages the proverb. For, after +picturing Agamemnon as the most valiant of men, he makes Menelaus, who is +but a fainthearted warrior, come unbidden (Iliad) to the banquet of +Agamemnon, who is feasting and offering sacrifices, not the better to the +worse, but the worse to the better. + +I rather fear, Socrates, said Aristodemus, lest this may still be my case; +and that, like Menelaus in Homer, I shall be the inferior person, who + +'To the feasts of the wise unbidden goes.' + +But I shall say that I was bidden of you, and then you will have to make an +excuse. + +'Two going together,' + +he replied, in Homeric fashion, one or other of them may invent an excuse +by the way (Iliad). + +This was the style of their conversation as they went along. Socrates +dropped behind in a fit of abstraction, and desired Aristodemus, who was +waiting, to go on before him. When he reached the house of Agathon he +found the doors wide open, and a comical thing happened. A servant coming +out met him, and led him at once into the banqueting-hall in which the +guests were reclining, for the banquet was about to begin. Welcome, +Aristodemus, said Agathon, as soon as he appeared--you are just in time to +sup with us; if you come on any other matter put it off, and make one of +us, as I was looking for you yesterday and meant to have asked you, if I +could have found you. But what have you done with Socrates? + +I turned round, but Socrates was nowhere to be seen; and I had to explain +that he had been with me a moment before, and that I came by his invitation +to the supper. + +You were quite right in coming, said Agathon; but where is he himself? + +He was behind me just now, as I entered, he said, and I cannot think what +has become of him. + +Go and look for him, boy, said Agathon, and bring him in; and do you, +Aristodemus, meanwhile take the place by Eryximachus. + +The servant then assisted him to wash, and he lay down, and presently +another servant came in and reported that our friend Socrates had retired +into the portico of the neighbouring house. 'There he is fixed,' said he, +'and when I call to him he will not stir.' + +How strange, said Agathon; then you must call him again, and keep calling +him. + +Let him alone, said my informant; he has a way of stopping anywhere and +losing himself without any reason. I believe that he will soon appear; do +not therefore disturb him. + +Well, if you think so, I will leave him, said Agathon. And then, turning +to the servants, he added, 'Let us have supper without waiting for him. +Serve up whatever you please, for there is no one to give you orders; +hitherto I have never left you to yourselves. But on this occasion imagine +that you are our hosts, and that I and the company are your guests; treat +us well, and then we shall commend you.' After this, supper was served, +but still no Socrates; and during the meal Agathon several times expressed +a wish to send for him, but Aristodemus objected; and at last when the +feast was about half over--for the fit, as usual, was not of long duration +--Socrates entered. Agathon, who was reclining alone at the end of the +table, begged that he would take the place next to him; that 'I may touch +you,' he said, 'and have the benefit of that wise thought which came into +your mind in the portico, and is now in your possession; for I am certain +that you would not have come away until you had found what you sought.' + +How I wish, said Socrates, taking his place as he was desired, that wisdom +could be infused by touch, out of the fuller into the emptier man, as water +runs through wool out of a fuller cup into an emptier one; if that were so, +how greatly should I value the privilege of reclining at your side! For +you would have filled me full with a stream of wisdom plenteous and fair; +whereas my own is of a very mean and questionable sort, no better than a +dream. But yours is bright and full of promise, and was manifested forth +in all the splendour of youth the day before yesterday, in the presence of +more than thirty thousand Hellenes. + +You are mocking, Socrates, said Agathon, and ere long you and I will have +to determine who bears off the palm of wisdom--of this Dionysus shall be +the judge; but at present you are better occupied with supper. + +Socrates took his place on the couch, and supped with the rest; and then +libations were offered, and after a hymn had been sung to the god, and +there had been the usual ceremonies, they were about to commence drinking, +when Pausanias said, And now, my friends, how can we drink with least +injury to ourselves? I can assure you that I feel severely the effect of +yesterday's potations, and must have time to recover; and I suspect that +most of you are in the same predicament, for you were of the party +yesterday. Consider then: How can the drinking be made easiest? + +I entirely agree, said Aristophanes, that we should, by all means, avoid +hard drinking, for I was myself one of those who were yesterday drowned in +drink. + +I think that you are right, said Eryximachus, the son of Acumenus; but I +should still like to hear one other person speak: Is Agathon able to drink +hard? + +I am not equal to it, said Agathon. + +Then, said Eryximachus, the weak heads like myself, Aristodemus, Phaedrus, +and others who never can drink, are fortunate in finding that the stronger +ones are not in a drinking mood. (I do not include Socrates, who is able +either to drink or to abstain, and will not mind, whichever we do.) Well, +as of none of the company seem disposed to drink much, I may be forgiven +for saying, as a physician, that drinking deep is a bad practice, which I +never follow, if I can help, and certainly do not recommend to another, +least of all to any one who still feels the effects of yesterday's carouse. + +I always do what you advise, and especially what you prescribe as a +physician, rejoined Phaedrus the Myrrhinusian, and the rest of the company, +if they are wise, will do the same. + +It was agreed that drinking was not to be the order of the day, but that +they were all to drink only so much as they pleased. + +Then, said Eryximachus, as you are all agreed that drinking is to be +voluntary, and that there is to be no compulsion, I move, in the next +place, that the flute-girl, who has just made her appearance, be told to go +away and play to herself, or, if she likes, to the women who are within +(compare Prot.). To-day let us have conversation instead; and, if you will +allow me, I will tell you what sort of conversation. This proposal having +been accepted, Eryximachus proceeded as follows:-- + +I will begin, he said, after the manner of Melanippe in Euripides, + +'Not mine the word' + +which I am about to speak, but that of Phaedrus. For often he says to me +in an indignant tone:--'What a strange thing it is, Eryximachus, that, +whereas other gods have poems and hymns made in their honour, the great and +glorious god, Love, has no encomiast among all the poets who are so many. +There are the worthy sophists too--the excellent Prodicus for example, who +have descanted in prose on the virtues of Heracles and other heroes; and, +what is still more extraordinary, I have met with a philosophical work in +which the utility of salt has been made the theme of an eloquent discourse; +and many other like things have had a like honour bestowed upon them. And +only to think that there should have been an eager interest created about +them, and yet that to this day no one has ever dared worthily to hymn +Love's praises! So entirely has this great deity been neglected.' Now in +this Phaedrus seems to me to be quite right, and therefore I want to offer +him a contribution; also I think that at the present moment we who are here +assembled cannot do better than honour the god Love. If you agree with me, +there will be no lack of conversation; for I mean to propose that each of +us in turn, going from left to right, shall make a speech in honour of +Love. Let him give us the best which he can; and Phaedrus, because he is +sitting first on the left hand, and because he is the father of the +thought, shall begin. + +No one will vote against you, Eryximachus, said Socrates. How can I oppose +your motion, who profess to understand nothing but matters of love; nor, I +presume, will Agathon and Pausanias; and there can be no doubt of +Aristophanes, whose whole concern is with Dionysus and Aphrodite; nor will +any one disagree of those whom I see around me. The proposal, as I am +aware, may seem rather hard upon us whose place is last; but we shall be +contented if we hear some good speeches first. Let Phaedrus begin the +praise of Love, and good luck to him. All the company expressed their +assent, and desired him to do as Socrates bade him. + +Aristodemus did not recollect all that was said, nor do I recollect all +that he related to me; but I will tell you what I thought most worthy of +remembrance, and what the chief speakers said. + +Phaedrus began by affirming that Love is a mighty god, and wonderful among +gods and men, but especially wonderful in his birth. For he is the eldest +of the gods, which is an honour to him; and a proof of his claim to this +honour is, that of his parents there is no memorial; neither poet nor +prose-writer has ever affirmed that he had any. As Hesiod says:-- + +'First Chaos came, and then broad-bosomed Earth, +The everlasting seat of all that is, +And Love.' + +In other words, after Chaos, the Earth and Love, these two, came into +being. Also Parmenides sings of Generation: + +'First in the train of gods, he fashioned Love.' + +And Acusilaus agrees with Hesiod. Thus numerous are the witnesses who +acknowledge Love to be the eldest of the gods. And not only is he the +eldest, he is also the source of the greatest benefits to us. For I know +not any greater blessing to a young man who is beginning life than a +virtuous lover, or to the lover than a beloved youth. For the principle +which ought to be the guide of men who would nobly live--that principle, I +say, neither kindred, nor honour, nor wealth, nor any other motive is able +to implant so well as love. Of what am I speaking? Of the sense of honour +and dishonour, without which neither states nor individuals ever do any +good or great work. And I say that a lover who is detected in doing any +dishonourable act, or submitting through cowardice when any dishonour is +done to him by another, will be more pained at being detected by his +beloved than at being seen by his father, or by his companions, or by any +one else. The beloved too, when he is found in any disgraceful situation, +has the same feeling about his lover. And if there were only some way of +contriving that a state or an army should be made up of lovers and their +loves (compare Rep.), they would be the very best governors of their own +city, abstaining from all dishonour, and emulating one another in honour; +and when fighting at each other's side, although a mere handful, they would +overcome the world. For what lover would not choose rather to be seen by +all mankind than by his beloved, either when abandoning his post or +throwing away his arms? He would be ready to die a thousand deaths rather +than endure this. Or who would desert his beloved or fail him in the hour +of danger? The veriest coward would become an inspired hero, equal to the +bravest, at such a time; Love would inspire him. That courage which, as +Homer says, the god breathes into the souls of some heroes, Love of his own +nature infuses into the lover. + +Love will make men dare to die for their beloved--love alone; and women as +well as men. Of this, Alcestis, the daughter of Pelias, is a monument to +all Hellas; for she was willing to lay down her life on behalf of her +husband, when no one else would, although he had a father and mother; but +the tenderness of her love so far exceeded theirs, that she made them seem +to be strangers in blood to their own son, and in name only related to him; +and so noble did this action of hers appear to the gods, as well as to men, +that among the many who have done virtuously she is one of the very few to +whom, in admiration of her noble action, they have granted the privilege of +returning alive to earth; such exceeding honour is paid by the gods to the +devotion and virtue of love. But Orpheus, the son of Oeagrus, the harper, +they sent empty away, and presented to him an apparition only of her whom +he sought, but herself they would not give up, because he showed no spirit; +he was only a harp-player, and did not dare like Alcestis to die for love, +but was contriving how he might enter Hades alive; moreover, they +afterwards caused him to suffer death at the hands of women, as the +punishment of his cowardliness. Very different was the reward of the true +love of Achilles towards his lover Patroclus--his lover and not his love +(the notion that Patroclus was the beloved one is a foolish error into +which Aeschylus has fallen, for Achilles was surely the fairer of the two, +fairer also than all the other heroes; and, as Homer informs us, he was +still beardless, and younger far). And greatly as the gods honour the +virtue of love, still the return of love on the part of the beloved to the +lover is more admired and valued and rewarded by them, for the lover is +more divine; because he is inspired by God. Now Achilles was quite aware, +for he had been told by his mother, that he might avoid death and return +home, and live to a good old age, if he abstained from slaying Hector. +Nevertheless he gave his life to revenge his friend, and dared to die, not +only in his defence, but after he was dead. Wherefore the gods honoured +him even above Alcestis, and sent him to the Islands of the Blest. These +are my reasons for affirming that Love is the eldest and noblest and +mightiest of the gods; and the chiefest author and giver of virtue in life, +and of happiness after death. + +This, or something like this, was the speech of Phaedrus; and some other +speeches followed which Aristodemus did not remember; the next which he +repeated was that of Pausanias. Phaedrus, he said, the argument has not +been set before us, I think, quite in the right form;--we should not be +called upon to praise Love in such an indiscriminate manner. If there were +only one Love, then what you said would be well enough; but since there are +more Loves than one,--should have begun by determining which of them was to +be the theme of our praises. I will amend this defect; and first of all I +will tell you which Love is deserving of praise, and then try to hymn the +praiseworthy one in a manner worthy of him. For we all know that Love is +inseparable from Aphrodite, and if there were only one Aphrodite there +would be only one Love; but as there are two goddesses there must be two +Loves. And am I not right in asserting that there are two goddesses? The +elder one, having no mother, who is called the heavenly Aphrodite--she is +the daughter of Uranus; the younger, who is the daughter of Zeus and Dione +--her we call common; and the Love who is her fellow-worker is rightly +named common, as the other love is called heavenly. All the gods ought to +have praise given to them, but not without distinction of their natures; +and therefore I must try to distinguish the characters of the two Loves. +Now actions vary according to the manner of their performance. Take, for +example, that which we are now doing, drinking, singing and talking--these +actions are not in themselves either good or evil, but they turn out in +this or that way according to the mode of performing them; and when well +done they are good, and when wrongly done they are evil; and in like manner +not every love, but only that which has a noble purpose, is noble and +worthy of praise. The Love who is the offspring of the common Aphrodite is +essentially common, and has no discrimination, being such as the meaner +sort of men feel, and is apt to be of women as well as of youths, and is of +the body rather than of the soul--the most foolish beings are the objects +of this love which desires only to gain an end, but never thinks of +accomplishing the end nobly, and therefore does good and evil quite +indiscriminately. The goddess who is his mother is far younger than the +other, and she was born of the union of the male and female, and partakes +of both. But the offspring of the heavenly Aphrodite is derived from a +mother in whose birth the female has no part,--she is from the male only; +this is that love which is of youths, and the goddess being older, there is +nothing of wantonness in her. Those who are inspired by this love turn to +the male, and delight in him who is the more valiant and intelligent +nature; any one may recognise the pure enthusiasts in the very character of +their attachments. For they love not boys, but intelligent beings whose +reason is beginning to be developed, much about the time at which their +beards begin to grow. And in choosing young men to be their companions, +they mean to be faithful to them, and pass their whole life in company with +them, not to take them in their inexperience, and deceive them, and play +the fool with them, or run away from one to another of them. But the love +of young boys should be forbidden by law, because their future is +uncertain; they may turn out good or bad, either in body or soul, and much +noble enthusiasm may be thrown away upon them; in this matter the good are +a law to themselves, and the coarser sort of lovers ought to be restrained +by force; as we restrain or attempt to restrain them from fixing their +affections on women of free birth. These are the persons who bring a +reproach on love; and some have been led to deny the lawfulness of such +attachments because they see the impropriety and evil of them; for surely +nothing that is decorously and lawfully done can justly be censured. Now +here and in Lacedaemon the rules about love are perplexing, but in most +cities they are simple and easily intelligible; in Elis and Boeotia, and in +countries having no gifts of eloquence, they are very straightforward; the +law is simply in favour of these connexions, and no one, whether young or +old, has anything to say to their discredit; the reason being, as I +suppose, that they are men of few words in those parts, and therefore the +lovers do not like the trouble of pleading their suit. In Ionia and other +places, and generally in countries which are subject to the barbarians, the +custom is held to be dishonourable; loves of youths share the evil repute +in which philosophy and gymnastics are held, because they are inimical to +tyranny; for the interests of rulers require that their subjects should be +poor in spirit (compare Arist. Politics), and that there should be no +strong bond of friendship or society among them, which love, above all +other motives, is likely to inspire, as our Athenian tyrants learned by +experience; for the love of Aristogeiton and the constancy of Harmodius had +a strength which undid their power. And, therefore, the ill-repute into +which these attachments have fallen is to be ascribed to the evil condition +of those who make them to be ill-reputed; that is to say, to the self- +seeking of the governors and the cowardice of the governed; on the other +hand, the indiscriminate honour which is given to them in some countries is +attributable to the laziness of those who hold this opinion of them. In +our own country a far better principle prevails, but, as I was saying, the +explanation of it is rather perplexing. For, observe that open loves are +held to be more honourable than secret ones, and that the love of the +noblest and highest, even if their persons are less beautiful than others, +is especially honourable. Consider, too, how great is the encouragement +which all the world gives to the lover; neither is he supposed to be doing +anything dishonourable; but if he succeeds he is praised, and if he fail he +is blamed. And in the pursuit of his love the custom of mankind allows him +to do many strange things, which philosophy would bitterly censure if they +were done from any motive of interest, or wish for office or power. He may +pray, and entreat, and supplicate, and swear, and lie on a mat at the door, +and endure a slavery worse than that of any slave--in any other case +friends and enemies would be equally ready to prevent him, but now there is +no friend who will be ashamed of him and admonish him, and no enemy will +charge him with meanness or flattery; the actions of a lover have a grace +which ennobles them; and custom has decided that they are highly +commendable and that there no loss of character in them; and, what is +strangest of all, he only may swear and forswear himself (so men say), and +the gods will forgive his transgression, for there is no such thing as a +lover's oath. Such is the entire liberty which gods and men have allowed +the lover, according to the custom which prevails in our part of the world. +From this point of view a man fairly argues that in Athens to love and to +be loved is held to be a very honourable thing. But when parents forbid +their sons to talk with their lovers, and place them under a tutor's care, +who is appointed to see to these things, and their companions and equals +cast in their teeth anything of the sort which they may observe, and their +elders refuse to silence the reprovers and do not rebuke them--any one who +reflects on all this will, on the contrary, think that we hold these +practices to be most disgraceful. But, as I was saying at first, the truth +as I imagine is, that whether such practices are honourable or whether they +are dishonourable is not a simple question; they are honourable to him who +follows them honourably, dishonourable to him who follows them +dishonourably. There is dishonour in yielding to the evil, or in an evil +manner; but there is honour in yielding to the good, or in an honourable +manner. Evil is the vulgar lover who loves the body rather than the soul, +inasmuch as he is not even stable, because he loves a thing which is in +itself unstable, and therefore when the bloom of youth which he was +desiring is over, he takes wing and flies away, in spite of all his words +and promises; whereas the love of the noble disposition is life-long, for +it becomes one with the everlasting. The custom of our country would have +both of them proven well and truly, and would have us yield to the one sort +of lover and avoid the other, and therefore encourages some to pursue, and +others to fly; testing both the lover and beloved in contests and trials, +until they show to which of the two classes they respectively belong. And +this is the reason why, in the first place, a hasty attachment is held to +be dishonourable, because time is the true test of this as of most other +things; and secondly there is a dishonour in being overcome by the love of +money, or of wealth, or of political power, whether a man is frightened +into surrender by the loss of them, or, having experienced the benefits of +money and political corruption, is unable to rise above the seductions of +them. For none of these things are of a permanent or lasting nature; not +to mention that no generous friendship ever sprang from them. There +remains, then, only one way of honourable attachment which custom allows in +the beloved, and this is the way of virtue; for as we admitted that any +service which the lover does to him is not to be accounted flattery or a +dishonour to himself, so the beloved has one way only of voluntary service +which is not dishonourable, and this is virtuous service. + +For we have a custom, and according to our custom any one who does service +to another under the idea that he will be improved by him either in wisdom, +or in some other particular of virtue--such a voluntary service, I say, is +not to be regarded as a dishonour, and is not open to the charge of +flattery. And these two customs, one the love of youth, and the other the +practice of philosophy and virtue in general, ought to meet in one, and +then the beloved may honourably indulge the lover. For when the lover and +beloved come together, having each of them a law, and the lover thinks that +he is right in doing any service which he can to his gracious loving one; +and the other that he is right in showing any kindness which he can to him +who is making him wise and good; the one capable of communicating wisdom +and virtue, the other seeking to acquire them with a view to education and +wisdom, when the two laws of love are fulfilled and meet in one--then, and +then only, may the beloved yield with honour to the lover. Nor when love +is of this disinterested sort is there any disgrace in being deceived, but +in every other case there is equal disgrace in being or not being deceived. +For he who is gracious to his lover under the impression that he is rich, +and is disappointed of his gains because he turns out to be poor, is +disgraced all the same: for he has done his best to show that he would +give himself up to any one's 'uses base' for the sake of money; but this is +not honourable. And on the same principle he who gives himself to a lover +because he is a good man, and in the hope that he will be improved by his +company, shows himself to be virtuous, even though the object of his +affection turn out to be a villain, and to have no virtue; and if he is +deceived he has committed a noble error. For he has proved that for his +part he will do anything for anybody with a view to virtue and improvement, +than which there can be nothing nobler. Thus noble in every case is the +acceptance of another for the sake of virtue. This is that love which is +the love of the heavenly godess, and is heavenly, and of great price to +individuals and cities, making the lover and the beloved alike eager in the +work of their own improvement. But all other loves are the offspring of +the other, who is the common goddess. To you, Phaedrus, I offer this my +contribution in praise of love, which is as good as I could make extempore. + +Pausanias came to a pause--this is the balanced way in which I have been +taught by the wise to speak; and Aristodemus said that the turn of +Aristophanes was next, but either he had eaten too much, or from some other +cause he had the hiccough, and was obliged to change turns with Eryximachus +the physician, who was reclining on the couch below him. Eryximachus, he +said, you ought either to stop my hiccough, or to speak in my turn until I +have left off. + +I will do both, said Eryximachus: I will speak in your turn, and do you +speak in mine; and while I am speaking let me recommend you to hold your +breath, and if after you have done so for some time the hiccough is no +better, then gargle with a little water; and if it still continues, tickle +your nose with something and sneeze; and if you sneeze once or twice, even +the most violent hiccough is sure to go. I will do as you prescribe, said +Aristophanes, and now get on. + +Eryximachus spoke as follows: Seeing that Pausanias made a fair beginning, +and but a lame ending, I must endeavour to supply his deficiency. I think +that he has rightly distinguished two kinds of love. But my art further +informs me that the double love is not merely an affection of the soul of +man towards the fair, or towards anything, but is to be found in the bodies +of all animals and in productions of the earth, and I may say in all that +is; such is the conclusion which I seem to have gathered from my own art of +medicine, whence I learn how great and wonderful and universal is the deity +of love, whose empire extends over all things, divine as well as human. +And from medicine I will begin that I may do honour to my art. There are +in the human body these two kinds of love, which are confessedly different +and unlike, and being unlike, they have loves and desires which are unlike; +and the desire of the healthy is one, and the desire of the diseased is +another; and as Pausanias was just now saying that to indulge good men is +honourable, and bad men dishonourable:--so too in the body the good and +healthy elements are to be indulged, and the bad elements and the elements +of disease are not to be indulged, but discouraged. And this is what the +physician has to do, and in this the art of medicine consists: for +medicine may be regarded generally as the knowledge of the loves and +desires of the body, and how to satisfy them or not; and the best physician +is he who is able to separate fair love from foul, or to convert one into +the other; and he who knows how to eradicate and how to implant love, +whichever is required, and can reconcile the most hostile elements in the +constitution and make them loving friends, is a skilful practitioner. Now +the most hostile are the most opposite, such as hot and cold, bitter and +sweet, moist and dry, and the like. And my ancestor, Asclepius, knowing +how to implant friendship and accord in these elements, was the creator of +our art, as our friends the poets here tell us, and I believe them; and not +only medicine in every branch but the arts of gymnastic and husbandry are +under his dominion. Any one who pays the least attention to the subject +will also perceive that in music there is the same reconciliation of +opposites; and I suppose that this must have been the meaning of +Heracleitus, although his words are not accurate; for he says that The One +is united by disunion, like the harmony of the bow and the lyre. Now there +is an absurdity saying that harmony is discord or is composed of elements +which are still in a state of discord. But what he probably meant was, +that harmony is composed of differing notes of higher or lower pitch which +disagreed once, but are now reconciled by the art of music; for if the +higher and lower notes still disagreed, there could be no harmony,--clearly +not. For harmony is a symphony, and symphony is an agreement; but an +agreement of disagreements while they disagree there cannot be; you cannot +harmonize that which disagrees. In like manner rhythm is compounded of +elements short and long, once differing and now in accord; which +accordance, as in the former instance, medicine, so in all these other +cases, music implants, making love and unison to grow up among them; and +thus music, too, is concerned with the principles of love in their +application to harmony and rhythm. Again, in the essential nature of +harmony and rhythm there is no difficulty in discerning love which has not +yet become double. But when you want to use them in actual life, either in +the composition of songs or in the correct performance of airs or metres +composed already, which latter is called education, then the difficulty +begins, and the good artist is needed. Then the old tale has to be +repeated of fair and heavenly love--the love of Urania the fair and +heavenly muse, and of the duty of accepting the temperate, and those who +are as yet intemperate only that they may become temperate, and of +preserving their love; and again, of the vulgar Polyhymnia, who must be +used with circumspection that the pleasure be enjoyed, but may not generate +licentiousness; just as in my own art it is a great matter so to regulate +the desires of the epicure that he may gratify his tastes without the +attendant evil of disease. Whence I infer that in music, in medicine, in +all other things human as well as divine, both loves ought to be noted as +far as may be, for they are both present. + +The course of the seasons is also full of both these principles; and when, +as I was saying, the elements of hot and cold, moist and dry, attain the +harmonious love of one another and blend in temperance and harmony, they +bring to men, animals, and plants health and plenty, and do them no harm; +whereas the wanton love, getting the upper hand and affecting the seasons +of the year, is very destructive and injurious, being the source of +pestilence, and bringing many other kinds of diseases on animals and +plants; for hoar-frost and hail and blight spring from the excesses and +disorders of these elements of love, which to know in relation to the +revolutions of the heavenly bodies and the seasons of the year is termed +astronomy. Furthermore all sacrifices and the whole province of +divination, which is the art of communion between gods and men--these, I +say, are concerned only with the preservation of the good and the cure of +the evil love. For all manner of impiety is likely to ensue if, instead of +accepting and honouring and reverencing the harmonious love in all his +actions, a man honours the other love, whether in his feelings towards gods +or parents, towards the living or the dead. Wherefore the business of +divination is to see to these loves and to heal them, and divination is the +peacemaker of gods and men, working by a knowledge of the religious or +irreligious tendencies which exist in human loves. Such is the great and +mighty, or rather omnipotent force of love in general. And the love, more +especially, which is concerned with the good, and which is perfected in +company with temperance and justice, whether among gods or men, has the +greatest power, and is the source of all our happiness and harmony, and +makes us friends with the gods who are above us, and with one another. I +dare say that I too have omitted several things which might be said in +praise of Love, but this was not intentional, and you, Aristophanes, may +now supply the omission or take some other line of commendation; for I +perceive that you are rid of the hiccough. + +Yes, said Aristophanes, who followed, the hiccough is gone; not, however, +until I applied the sneezing; and I wonder whether the harmony of the body +has a love of such noises and ticklings, for I no sooner applied the +sneezing than I was cured. + +Eryximachus said: Beware, friend Aristophanes, although you are going to +speak, you are making fun of me; and I shall have to watch and see whether +I cannot have a laugh at your expense, when you might speak in peace. + +You are right, said Aristophanes, laughing. I will unsay my words; but do +you please not to watch me, as I fear that in the speech which I am about +to make, instead of others laughing with me, which is to the manner born of +our muse and would be all the better, I shall only be laughed at by them. + +Do you expect to shoot your bolt and escape, Aristophanes? Well, perhaps +if you are very careful and bear in mind that you will be called to +account, I may be induced to let you off. + +Aristophanes professed to open another vein of discourse; he had a mind to +praise Love in another way, unlike that either of Pausanias or Eryximachus. +Mankind, he said, judging by their neglect of him, have never, as I think, +at all understood the power of Love. For if they had understood him they +would surely have built noble temples and altars, and offered solemn +sacrifices in his honour; but this is not done, and most certainly ought to +be done: since of all the gods he is the best friend of men, the helper +and the healer of the ills which are the great impediment to the happiness +of the race. I will try to describe his power to you, and you shall teach +the rest of the world what I am teaching you. In the first place, let me +treat of the nature of man and what has happened to it; for the original +human nature was not like the present, but different. The sexes were not +two as they are now, but originally three in number; there was man, woman, +and the union of the two, having a name corresponding to this double +nature, which had once a real existence, but is now lost, and the word +'Androgynous' is only preserved as a term of reproach. In the second +place, the primeval man was round, his back and sides forming a circle; and +he had four hands and four feet, one head with two faces, looking opposite +ways, set on a round neck and precisely alike; also four ears, two privy +members, and the remainder to correspond. He could walk upright as men now +do, backwards or forwards as he pleased, and he could also roll over and +over at a great pace, turning on his four hands and four feet, eight in +all, like tumblers going over and over with their legs in the air; this was +when he wanted to run fast. Now the sexes were three, and such as I have +described them; because the sun, moon, and earth are three; and the man was +originally the child of the sun, the woman of the earth, and the man-woman +of the moon, which is made up of sun and earth, and they were all round and +moved round and round like their parents. Terrible was their might and +strength, and the thoughts of their hearts were great, and they made an +attack upon the gods; of them is told the tale of Otys and Ephialtes who, +as Homer says, dared to scale heaven, and would have laid hands upon the +gods. Doubt reigned in the celestial councils. Should they kill them and +annihilate the race with thunderbolts, as they had done the giants, then +there would be an end of the sacrifices and worship which men offered to +them; but, on the other hand, the gods could not suffer their insolence to +be unrestrained. At last, after a good deal of reflection, Zeus discovered +a way. He said: 'Methinks I have a plan which will humble their pride and +improve their manners; men shall continue to exist, but I will cut them in +two and then they will be diminished in strength and increased in numbers; +this will have the advantage of making them more profitable to us. They +shall walk upright on two legs, and if they continue insolent and will not +be quiet, I will split them again and they shall hop about on a single +leg.' He spoke and cut men in two, like a sorb-apple which is halved for +pickling, or as you might divide an egg with a hair; and as he cut them one +after another, he bade Apollo give the face and the half of the neck a turn +in order that the man might contemplate the section of himself: he would +thus learn a lesson of humility. Apollo was also bidden to heal their +wounds and compose their forms. So he gave a turn to the face and pulled +the skin from the sides all over that which in our language is called the +belly, like the purses which draw in, and he made one mouth at the centre, +which he fastened in a knot (the same which is called the navel); he also +moulded the breast and took out most of the wrinkles, much as a shoemaker +might smooth leather upon a last; he left a few, however, in the region of +the belly and navel, as a memorial of the primeval state. After the +division the two parts of man, each desiring his other half, came together, +and throwing their arms about one another, entwined in mutual embraces, +longing to grow into one, they were on the point of dying from hunger and +self-neglect, because they did not like to do anything apart; and when one +of the halves died and the other survived, the survivor sought another +mate, man or woman as we call them,--being the sections of entire men or +women,--and clung to that. They were being destroyed, when Zeus in pity of +them invented a new plan: he turned the parts of generation round to the +front, for this had not been always their position, and they sowed the seed +no longer as hitherto like grasshoppers in the ground, but in one another; +and after the transposition the male generated in the female in order that +by the mutual embraces of man and woman they might breed, and the race +might continue; or if man came to man they might be satisfied, and rest, +and go their ways to the business of life: so ancient is the desire of one +another which is implanted in us, reuniting our original nature, making one +of two, and healing the state of man. Each of us when separated, having +one side only, like a flat fish, is but the indenture of a man, and he is +always looking for his other half. Men who are a section of that double +nature which was once called Androgynous are lovers of women; adulterers +are generally of this breed, and also adulterous women who lust after men: +the women who are a section of the woman do not care for men, but have +female attachments; the female companions are of this sort. But they who +are a section of the male follow the male, and while they are young, being +slices of the original man, they hang about men and embrace them, and they +are themselves the best of boys and youths, because they have the most +manly nature. Some indeed assert that they are shameless, but this is not +true; for they do not act thus from any want of shame, but because they are +valiant and manly, and have a manly countenance, and they embrace that +which is like them. And these when they grow up become our statesmen, and +these only, which is a great proof of the truth of what I am saving. When +they reach manhood they are lovers of youth, and are not naturally inclined +to marry or beget children,--if at all, they do so only in obedience to the +law; but they are satisfied if they may be allowed to live with one another +unwedded; and such a nature is prone to love and ready to return love, +always embracing that which is akin to him. And when one of them meets +with his other half, the actual half of himself, whether he be a lover of +youth or a lover of another sort, the pair are lost in an amazement of love +and friendship and intimacy, and one will not be out of the other's sight, +as I may say, even for a moment: these are the people who pass their whole +lives together; yet they could not explain what they desire of one another. +For the intense yearning which each of them has towards the other does not +appear to be the desire of lover's intercourse, but of something else which +the soul of either evidently desires and cannot tell, and of which she has +only a dark and doubtful presentiment. Suppose Hephaestus, with his +instruments, to come to the pair who are lying side by side and to say to +them, 'What do you people want of one another?' they would be unable to +explain. And suppose further, that when he saw their perplexity he said: +'Do you desire to be wholly one; always day and night to be in one +another's company? for if this is what you desire, I am ready to melt you +into one and let you grow together, so that being two you shall become one, +and while you live live a common life as if you were a single man, and +after your death in the world below still be one departed soul instead of +two--I ask whether this is what you lovingly desire, and whether you are +satisfied to attain this?'--there is not a man of them who when he heard +the proposal would deny or would not acknowledge that this meeting and +melting into one another, this becoming one instead of two, was the very +expression of his ancient need (compare Arist. Pol.). And the reason is +that human nature was originally one and we were a whole, and the desire +and pursuit of the whole is called love. There was a time, I say, when we +were one, but now because of the wickedness of mankind God has dispersed +us, as the Arcadians were dispersed into villages by the Lacedaemonians +(compare Arist. Pol.). And if we are not obedient to the gods, there is a +danger that we shall be split up again and go about in basso-relievo, like +the profile figures having only half a nose which are sculptured on +monuments, and that we shall be like tallies. Wherefore let us exhort all +men to piety, that we may avoid evil, and obtain the good, of which Love is +to us the lord and minister; and let no one oppose him--he is the enemy of +the gods who opposes him. For if we are friends of the God and at peace +with him we shall find our own true loves, which rarely happens in this +world at present. I am serious, and therefore I must beg Eryximachus not +to make fun or to find any allusion in what I am saying to Pausanias and +Agathon, who, as I suspect, are both of the manly nature, and belong to the +class which I have been describing. But my words have a wider application +--they include men and women everywhere; and I believe that if our loves +were perfectly accomplished, and each one returning to his primeval nature +had his original true love, then our race would be happy. And if this +would be best of all, the best in the next degree and under present +circumstances must be the nearest approach to such an union; and that will +be the attainment of a congenial love. Wherefore, if we would praise him +who has given to us the benefit, we must praise the god Love, who is our +greatest benefactor, both leading us in this life back to our own nature, +and giving us high hopes for the future, for he promises that if we are +pious, he will restore us to our original state, and heal us and make us +happy and blessed. This, Eryximachus, is my discourse of love, which, +although different to yours, I must beg you to leave unassailed by the +shafts of your ridicule, in order that each may have his turn; each, or +rather either, for Agathon and Socrates are the only ones left. + +Indeed, I am not going to attack you, said Eryximachus, for I thought your +speech charming, and did I not know that Agathon and Socrates are masters +in the art of love, I should be really afraid that they would have nothing +to say, after the world of things which have been said already. But, for +all that, I am not without hopes. + +Socrates said: You played your part well, Eryximachus; but if you were as +I am now, or rather as I shall be when Agathon has spoken, you would, +indeed, be in a great strait. + +You want to cast a spell over me, Socrates, said Agathon, in the hope that +I may be disconcerted at the expectation raised among the audience that I +shall speak well. + +I should be strangely forgetful, Agathon replied Socrates, of the courage +and magnanimity which you showed when your own compositions were about to +be exhibited, and you came upon the stage with the actors and faced the +vast theatre altogether undismayed, if I thought that your nerves could be +fluttered at a small party of friends. + +Do you think, Socrates, said Agathon, that my head is so full of the +theatre as not to know how much more formidable to a man of sense a few +good judges are than many fools? + +Nay, replied Socrates, I should be very wrong in attributing to you, +Agathon, that or any other want of refinement. And I am quite aware that +if you happened to meet with any whom you thought wise, you would care for +their opinion much more than for that of the many. But then we, having +been a part of the foolish many in the theatre, cannot be regarded as the +select wise; though I know that if you chanced to be in the presence, not +of one of ourselves, but of some really wise man, you would be ashamed of +disgracing yourself before him--would you not? + +Yes, said Agathon. + +But before the many you would not be ashamed, if you thought that you were +doing something disgraceful in their presence? + +Here Phaedrus interrupted them, saying: not answer him, my dear Agathon; +for if he can only get a partner with whom he can talk, especially a good- +looking one, he will no longer care about the completion of our plan. Now +I love to hear him talk; but just at present I must not forget the encomium +on Love which I ought to receive from him and from every one. When you and +he have paid your tribute to the god, then you may talk. + +Very good, Phaedrus, said Agathon; I see no reason why I should not proceed +with my speech, as I shall have many other opportunities of conversing with +Socrates. Let me say first how I ought to speak, and then speak:-- + +The previous speakers, instead of praising the god Love, or unfolding his +nature, appear to have congratulated mankind on the benefits which he +confers upon them. But I would rather praise the god first, and then speak +of his gifts; this is always the right way of praising everything. May I +say without impiety or offence, that of all the blessed gods he is the most +blessed because he is the fairest and best? And he is the fairest: for, +in the first place, he is the youngest, and of his youth he is himself the +witness, fleeing out of the way of age, who is swift enough, swifter truly +than most of us like:--Love hates him and will not come near him; but youth +and love live and move together--like to like, as the proverb says. Many +things were said by Phaedrus about Love in which I agree with him; but I +cannot agree that he is older than Iapetus and Kronos:--not so; I maintain +him to be the youngest of the gods, and youthful ever. The ancient doings +among the gods of which Hesiod and Parmenides spoke, if the tradition of +them be true, were done of Necessity and not of Love; had Love been in +those days, there would have been no chaining or mutilation of the gods, or +other violence, but peace and sweetness, as there is now in heaven, since +the rule of Love began. Love is young and also tender; he ought to have a +poet like Homer to describe his tenderness, as Homer says of Ate, that she +is a goddess and tender:-- + +'Her feet are tender, for she sets her steps, +Not on the ground but on the heads of men:' + +herein is an excellent proof of her tenderness,--that she walks not upon +the hard but upon the soft. Let us adduce a similar proof of the +tenderness of Love; for he walks not upon the earth, nor yet upon the +skulls of men, which are not so very soft, but in the hearts and souls of +both gods and men, which are of all things the softest: in them he walks +and dwells and makes his home. Not in every soul without exception, for +where there is hardness he departs, where there is softness there he +dwells; and nestling 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? +Of a truth he is the tenderest as well as the youngest, and also he is of +flexile form; for if he were hard and without flexure he could not enfold +all things, or wind his way into and out of every soul of man undiscovered. +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 bloomless or fading beauties, whether of body or soul or aught +else, but in the place of flowers and scents, there he sits and abides. +Concerning the beauty of the god I have said enough; and yet there remains +much more which I might say. Of his virtue I have now to speak: his +greatest glory is that he can neither do nor suffer wrong to or from any +god or any man; for he suffers not by force if he suffers; force comes not +near him, neither when he acts does he act by force. For all men in all +things serve him of their own free will, and where there is voluntary +agreement, 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; he 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 others, +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 according to the +measure of my ability I must try to do my best. In the first place he is a +poet (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 (A fragment of the Sthenoaoea of Euripides.); this +also is a proof that Love is a good poet and accomplished in all the fine +arts; for no one can give to another that which he has not himself, or +teach that of which he has no 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. +And so Love set in order the empire of the gods--the love of beauty, as is +evident, for with deformity Love has no concern. In the days of old, as I +began by saying, dreadful deeds were done among the gods, for they were +ruled by 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 there comes +into my mind a line of poetry in which he is said to be the god who + +'Gives peace on earth and calms the stormy deep, +Who stills the winds and bids the sufferer sleep.' + +This is he who empties men of disaffection and fills them with affection, +who makes them to meet together at banquets such as these: in sacrifices, +feasts, dances, he is our lord--who sends courtesy and sends away +discourtesy, who gives kindness ever and never gives unkindness; the friend +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; +regardful of the good, regardless of the evil: in every word, work, wish, +fear--saviour, pilot, comrade, helper; glory of gods and men, leader best +and brightest: in whose footsteps let every man follow, sweetly singing in +his honour and joining in that sweet strain with which love charms the +souls of gods and men. Such is the speech, Phaedrus, half-playful, yet +having a certain measure of seriousness, which, according to my ability, I +dedicate to the god. + +When Agathon had done speaking, Aristodemus said that there was a general +cheer; the young man was thought to have spoken in a manner worthy of +himself, and of the god. And Socrates, looking at Eryximachus, said: Tell +me, son of Acumenus, was there not reason in my fears? and was I not a true +prophet when I said that Agathon would make a wonderful oration, and that I +should be in a strait? + +The part of the prophecy which concerns Agathon, replied Eryximachus, +appears to me to be true; but not the other part--that you will be in a +strait. + +Why, my dear friend, said Socrates, must not I or any one be in a strait +who has to speak after he has heard such a rich and varied discourse? I am +especially struck with the beauty of the concluding words--who could listen +to them without amazement? When I reflected on the immeasurable +inferiority of my own powers, I was ready to run away for shame, if there +had been a possibility of escape. For I was reminded of Gorgias, and at +the end of his speech I fancied that Agathon was shaking at me the +Gorginian or Gorgonian head of the great master of rhetoric, which was +simply to turn me and my speech into stone, as Homer says (Odyssey), and +strike me dumb. And then I perceived how foolish I had been in consenting +to take my turn with you in praising love, and saying that I too was a +master of the art, when I really had no conception how anything ought to be +praised. For in my simplicity I imagined that the topics of praise should +be true, and that this being presupposed, out of the true the speaker was +to choose the best and set them forth in the best manner. And I felt quite +proud, thinking that I knew the nature of true praise, and should speak +well. Whereas I now see that the intention was to attribute to Love every +species of greatness and glory, whether really belonging to him or not, +without regard to truth or falsehood--that was no matter; for the original +proposal seems to have been not that each of you should really praise Love, +but only that you should appear to praise him. And so you attribute to +Love every imaginable form of praise which can be gathered anywhere; and +you say that 'he is all this,' and 'the cause of all that,' making him +appear the fairest and best of all to those who know him not, for you +cannot impose upon those who know him. And a noble and solemn hymn of +praise have you rehearsed. But as I misunderstood the nature of the praise +when I said that I would take my turn, I must beg to be absolved from the +promise which I made in ignorance, and which (as Euripides would say +(Eurip. Hyppolytus)) was a promise of the lips and not of the mind. +Farewell then to such a strain: for I do not praise in that way; no, +indeed, I cannot. But if you like to hear the truth about love, I am ready +to speak in my own manner, though I will not make myself ridiculous by +entering into any rivalry with you. Say then, Phaedrus, whether you would +like to have the truth about love, spoken in any words and in any order +which may happen to come into my mind at the time. Will that be agreeable +to you? + +Aristodemus said that Phaedrus and the company bid him speak in any manner +which he thought best. Then, he added, let me have your permission first +to ask Agathon a few more questions, in order that I may take his +admissions as the premisses of my discourse. + +I grant the permission, said Phaedrus: put your questions. Socrates then +proceeded as follows:-- + +In the magnificent oration which you have just uttered, I think that you +were right, my dear Agathon, in proposing to speak of the nature of Love +first and afterwards of his works--that is a way of beginning which I very +much approve. And as you have spoken so eloquently of his nature, may I +ask you further, Whether love is the love of something or of nothing? And +here I must explain myself: I do not want you to say that love is the love +of a father or the love of a mother--that would be ridiculous; but to +answer as you would, if I asked is a father a father of something? to which +you would find no difficulty in replying, of a son or daughter: and the +answer would be right. + +Very true, said Agathon. + +And you would say the same of a mother? + +He assented. + +Yet let me ask you one more question in order to illustrate my meaning: Is +not a brother to be regarded essentially as a brother of something? + +Certainly, he replied. + +That is, of a brother or sister? + +Yes, he said. + +And now, said Socrates, I will ask about Love:--Is Love of something or of +nothing? + +Of something, surely, he replied. + +Keep in mind what this is, and tell me what I want to know--whether Love +desires that of which love is. + +Yes, surely. + +And does he possess, or does he not possess, that which he loves and +desires? + +Probably not, I should say. + +Nay, replied Socrates, I would have you consider whether 'necessarily' is +not rather the word. The inference that he who desires something is in +want of something, and that he who desires nothing is in want of nothing, +is in my judgment, Agathon, absolutely and necessarily true. What do you +think? + +I agree with you, said Agathon. + +Very good. Would he who is great, desire to be great, or he who is strong, +desire to be strong? + +That would be inconsistent with our previous admissions. + +True. For he who is anything cannot want to be that which he is? + +Very true. + +And yet, added Socrates, if a man being strong desired to be strong, or +being swift desired to be swift, or being healthy desired to be healthy, in +that case he might be thought to desire something which he already has or +is. I give the example in order that we may avoid misconception. For the +possessors of these qualities, Agathon, must be supposed to have their +respective advantages at the time, whether they choose or not; and who can +desire that which he has? Therefore, when a person says, I am well and +wish to be well, or I am rich and wish to be rich, and I desire simply to +have what I have--to him we shall reply: 'You, my friend, having wealth +and health and strength, want to have the continuance of them; for at this +moment, whether you choose or no, you have them. And when you say, I +desire that which I have and nothing else, is not your meaning that you +want to have what you now have in the future?' He must agree with us--must +he not? + +He must, replied Agathon. + +Then, said Socrates, he desires that what he has at present may be +preserved to him in the future, which is equivalent to saying that he +desires something which is non-existent to him, and which as yet he has not +got: + +Very true, he said. + +Then he and every one who desires, desires that which he has not already, +and which is future and not present, and which he has not, and is not, and +of which he is in want;--these are the sort of things which love and desire +seek? + +Very true, he said. + +Then now, said Socrates, let us recapitulate the argument. First, is not +love of something, and of something too which is wanting to a man? + +Yes, he replied. + +Remember further what you said in your speech, or if you do not remember I +will remind you: you said that the love of the beautiful set in order the +empire of the gods, for that of deformed things there is no love--did you +not say something of that kind? + +Yes, said Agathon. + +Yes, my friend, and the remark was a just one. And if this is true, Love +is the love of beauty and not of deformity? + +He assented. + +And the admission has been already made that Love is of something which a +man wants and has not? + +True, he said. + +Then Love wants and has not beauty? + +Certainly, he replied. + +And would you call that beautiful which wants and does not possess beauty? + +Certainly not. + +Then would you still say that love is beautiful? + +Agathon replied: I fear that I did not understand what I was saying. + +You made a very good speech, Agathon, replied Socrates; but there is yet +one small question which I would fain ask:--Is not the good also the +beautiful? + +Yes. + +Then in wanting the beautiful, love wants also the good? + +I cannot refute you, Socrates, said Agathon:--Let us assume that what you +say is true. + +Say rather, beloved Agathon, that you cannot refute the truth; for Socrates +is easily refuted. + +And now, taking my leave of you, I would rehearse a tale of love which I +heard from Diotima of Mantineia (compare 1 Alcibiades), a woman wise in +this and in many other kinds of knowledge, who in the days of old, when the +Athenians offered sacrifice before the coming of the plague, delayed the +disease ten years. She was my instructress in the art of love, and I shall +repeat to you what she said to me, beginning with the admissions made by +Agathon, which are nearly if not quite the same which I made to the wise +woman when she questioned me: I think that this will be the easiest way, +and I shall take both parts myself as well as I can (compare Gorgias). As +you, Agathon, suggested (supra), I must speak first of the being and nature +of Love, and then of his works. First I said to her in nearly the same +words which he used to me, that Love was a mighty god, and likewise fair; +and she proved to me as I proved to him that, by my own showing, Love was +neither fair nor good. 'What do you mean, Diotima,' I said, 'is love then +evil and foul?' 'Hush,' she cried; 'must that be foul which is not fair?' +'Certainly,' I said. 'And is that which is not wise, ignorant? do you not +see that there is a mean between wisdom and ignorance?' 'And what may that +be?' I said. 'Right opinion,' she replied; 'which, as you know, being +incapable of giving a reason, is not knowledge (for how can knowledge be +devoid of reason? nor again, ignorance, for neither can ignorance attain +the truth), but is clearly something which is a mean between ignorance and +wisdom.' 'Quite true,' I replied. 'Do not then insist,' she said, 'that +what is not fair is of necessity foul, or what is not good evil; or infer +that because love is not fair and good he is therefore foul and evil; for +he is in a mean between them.' 'Well,' I said, 'Love is surely admitted by +all to be a great god.' 'By those who know or by those who do not know?' +'By all.' 'And how, Socrates,' she said with a smile, 'can Love be +acknowledged to be a great god by those who say that he is not a god at +all?' 'And who are they?' I said. 'You and I are two of them,' she +replied. 'How can that be?' I said. 'It is quite intelligible,' she +replied; 'for you yourself would acknowledge that the gods are happy and +fair--of course you would--would you dare to say that any god was not?' +'Certainly not,' I replied. 'And you mean by the happy, those who are the +possessors of things good or fair?' 'Yes.' 'And you admitted that Love, +because he was in want, desires those good and fair things of which he is +in want?' 'Yes, I did.' 'But how can he be a god who has no portion in +what is either good or fair?' 'Impossible.' 'Then you see that you also +deny the divinity of Love.' + +'What then is Love?' I asked; 'Is he mortal?' 'No.' 'What then?' 'As in +the former instance, he is neither mortal nor immortal, but in a mean +between the two.' 'What is he, Diotima?' 'He is a great spirit (daimon), +and like all spirits he is intermediate between the divine and the mortal.' +'And what,' I said, 'is his power?' 'He interprets,' she replied, 'between +gods and men, conveying and taking across to the gods the prayers and +sacrifices of men, and to men the commands and replies of the gods; he is +the mediator who spans the chasm which divides them, and therefore in him +all is bound together, and through him the arts of the prophet and the +priest, their sacrifices and mysteries and charms, and all prophecy and +incantation, find their way. For God mingles not with man; but through +Love all the intercourse and converse of God with man, whether awake or +asleep, is carried on. The wisdom which understands this is spiritual; all +other wisdom, such as that of arts and handicrafts, is mean and vulgar. +Now these spirits or intermediate powers are many and diverse, and one of +them is Love.' 'And who,' I said, 'was his father, and who his mother?' +'The tale,' she said, 'will take time; nevertheless I will tell you. On +the birthday of Aphrodite there was a feast of the gods, at which the god +Poros or Plenty, who is the son of Metis or Discretion, was one of the +guests. When the feast was over, Penia or Poverty, as the manner is on +such occasions, came about the doors to beg. Now Plenty who was the worse +for nectar (there was no wine in those days), went into the garden of Zeus +and fell into a heavy sleep, and Poverty considering her own straitened +circumstances, plotted to have a child by him, and accordingly she lay down +at his side and conceived Love, who partly because he is naturally a lover +of the beautiful, and because Aphrodite is herself beautiful, and also +because he was born on her birthday, is her follower and attendant. And as +his parentage is, so also are his fortunes. In the first place he is +always poor, and anything but tender and fair, as the many imagine him; and +he is rough and squalid, and has no shoes, nor a house to dwell in; on the +bare earth exposed he lies under the open heaven, in the streets, or at the +doors of houses, taking his rest; and like his mother he is always in +distress. Like his father too, whom he also partly resembles, he is always +plotting against the fair and good; he is bold, enterprising, strong, a +mighty hunter, always weaving some intrigue or other, keen in the pursuit +of wisdom, fertile in resources; a philosopher at all times, terrible as an +enchanter, sorcerer, sophist. He is by nature neither mortal nor immortal, +but alive and flourishing at one moment when he is in plenty, and dead at +another moment, and again alive by reason of his father's nature. But that +which is always flowing in is always flowing out, and so he is never in +want and never in wealth; and, further, he is in a mean between ignorance +and knowledge. The truth of the matter is this: No god is a philosopher +or seeker after wisdom, for he is wise already; nor does any man who is +wise seek after wisdom. Neither do the ignorant seek after wisdom. For +herein is the evil of ignorance, that he who is neither good nor wise is +nevertheless satisfied with himself: he has no desire for that of which he +feels no want.' 'But who then, Diotima,' I said, 'are the lovers of +wisdom, if they are neither the wise nor the foolish?' 'A child may answer +that question,' she replied; 'they are those who are in a mean between the +two; Love is one of them. For wisdom is a most beautiful thing, and Love +is of the beautiful; and therefore Love is also a philosopher or lover of +wisdom, and being a lover of wisdom is in a mean between the wise and the +ignorant. And of this too his birth is the cause; for his father is +wealthy and wise, and his mother poor and foolish. Such, my dear Socrates, +is the nature of the spirit Love. The error in your conception of him was +very natural, and as I imagine from what you say, has arisen out of a +confusion of love and the beloved, which made you think that love was all +beautiful. For the beloved is the truly beautiful, and delicate, and +perfect, and blessed; but the principle of love is of another nature, and +is such as I have described.' + +I said, 'O thou stranger woman, thou sayest well; but, assuming Love to be +such as you say, what is the use of him to men?' 'That, Socrates,' she +replied, 'I will attempt to unfold: of his nature and birth I have already +spoken; and you acknowledge that love is of the beautiful. But some one +will say: Of the beautiful in what, Socrates and Diotima?--or rather let +me put the question more clearly, and ask: When a man loves the beautiful, +what does he desire?' I answered her 'That the beautiful may be his.' +'Still,' she said, 'the answer suggests a further question: What is given +by the possession of beauty?' 'To what you have asked,' I replied, 'I have +no answer ready.' 'Then,' she said, 'let me put the word "good" in the +place of the beautiful, and repeat the question once more: If he who loves +loves the good, what is it then that he loves?' 'The possession of the +good,' I said. 'And what does he gain who possesses the good?' +'Happiness,' I replied; 'there is less difficulty in answering that +question.' 'Yes,' she said, 'the happy are made happy by the acquisition +of good things. Nor is there any need to ask why a man desires happiness; +the answer is already final.' 'You are right.' I said. 'And is this wish +and this desire common to all? and do all men always desire their own good, +or only some men?--what say you?' 'All men,' I replied; 'the desire is +common to all.' 'Why, then,' she rejoined, 'are not all men, Socrates, +said to love, but only some of them? whereas you say that all men are +always loving the same things.' 'I myself wonder,' I said, 'why this is.' +'There is nothing to wonder at,' she replied; 'the reason is that one part +of love is separated off and receives the name of the whole, but the other +parts have other names.' 'Give an illustration,' I said. She answered me +as follows: 'There is poetry, which, as you know, is complex and manifold. +All creation or passage of non-being into being is poetry or making, and +the processes of all art are creative; and the masters of arts are all +poets or makers.' 'Very true.' 'Still,' she said, 'you know that they are +not called poets, but have other names; only that portion of the art which +is separated off from the rest, and is concerned with music and metre, is +termed poetry, and they who possess poetry in this sense of the word are +called poets.' 'Very true,' I said. 'And the same holds of love. For you +may say generally that all desire of good and happiness is only the great +and subtle power of love; but they who are drawn towards him by any other +path, whether the path of money-making or gymnastics or philosophy, are not +called lovers--the name of the whole is appropriated to those whose +affection takes one form only--they alone are said to love, or to be +lovers.' 'I dare say,' I replied, 'that you are right.' 'Yes,' she added, +'and you hear people say that lovers are seeking for their other half; but +I say that they are seeking neither for the half of themselves, nor for the +whole, unless the half or the whole be also a good. And they will cut off +their own hands and feet and cast them away, if they are evil; for they +love not what is their own, unless perchance there be some one who calls +what belongs to him the good, and what belongs to another the evil. For +there is nothing which men love but the good. Is there anything?' +'Certainly, I should say, that there is nothing.' 'Then,' she said, 'the +simple truth is, that men love the good.' 'Yes,' I said. 'To which must +be added that they love the possession of the good?' 'Yes, that must be +added.' 'And not only the possession, but the everlasting possession of +the good?' 'That must be added too.' 'Then love,' she said, 'may be +described generally as the love of the everlasting possession of the good?' +'That is most true.' + +'Then if this be the nature of love, can you tell me further,' she said, +'what is the manner of the pursuit? what are they doing who show all this +eagerness and heat which is called love? and what is the object which they +have in view? Answer me.' 'Nay, Diotima,' I replied, 'if I had known, I +should not have wondered at your wisdom, neither should I have come to +learn from you about this very matter.' 'Well,' she said, 'I will teach +you:--The object which they have in view is birth in beauty, whether of +body or soul.' 'I do not understand you,' I said; 'the oracle requires an +explanation.' 'I will make my meaning clearer,' she replied. 'I mean to +say, that all men are bringing to the birth in their bodies and in their +souls. There is a certain age at which human nature is desirous of +procreation--procreation which must be in beauty and not in deformity; and +this procreation is the union of man and woman, and is a divine thing; for +conception and generation are an immortal principle in the mortal creature, +and in the inharmonious they can never be. But the deformed is always +inharmonious with the divine, and the beautiful harmonious. Beauty, then, +is the destiny or goddess of parturition who presides at birth, and +therefore, when approaching beauty, the conceiving power is propitious, and +diffusive, and benign, and begets and bears fruit: at the sight of +ugliness she frowns and contracts and has a sense of pain, and turns away, +and shrivels up, and not without a pang refrains from conception. And this +is the reason why, when the hour of conception arrives, and the teeming +nature is full, there is such a flutter and ecstasy about beauty whose +approach is the alleviation of the pain of travail. For love, Socrates, is +not, as you imagine, the love of the beautiful only.' 'What then?' 'The +love of generation and of birth in beauty.' 'Yes,' I said. 'Yes, indeed,' +she replied. 'But why of generation?' 'Because to the mortal creature, +generation is a sort of eternity and immortality,' she replied; 'and if, as +has been already admitted, love is of the everlasting possession of the +good, all men will necessarily desire immortality together with good: +Wherefore love is of immortality.' + +All this she taught me at various times when she spoke of love. And I +remember her once saying to me, 'What is the cause, Socrates, of love, and +the attendant desire? See you not how all animals, birds, as well as +beasts, in their desire of procreation, are in agony when they take the +infection of love, which begins with the desire of union; whereto is added +the care of offspring, on whose behalf the weakest are ready to battle +against the strongest even to the uttermost, and to die for them, and will +let themselves be tormented with hunger or suffer anything in order to +maintain their young. Man may be supposed to act thus from reason; but why +should animals have these passionate feelings? Can you tell me why?' +Again I replied that I did not know. She said to me: 'And do you expect +ever to become a master in the art of love, if you do not know this?' 'But +I have told you already, Diotima, that my ignorance is the reason why I +come to you; for I am conscious that I want a teacher; tell me then the +cause of this and of the other mysteries of love.' 'Marvel not,' she said, +'if you believe that love is of the immortal, as we have several times +acknowledged; for here again, and on the same principle too, the mortal +nature is seeking as far as is possible to be everlasting and immortal: +and this is only to be attained by generation, because generation always +leaves behind a new existence in the place of the old. Nay even in the +life of the same individual there is succession and not absolute unity: a +man is called the same, and yet in the short interval which elapses between +youth and age, and in which every animal is said to have life and identity, +he is undergoing a perpetual process of loss and reparation--hair, flesh, +bones, blood, and the whole body are always changing. Which is true not +only of the body, but also of the soul, whose habits, tempers, opinions, +desires, pleasures, pains, fears, never remain the same in any one of us, +but are always coming and going; and equally true of knowledge, and what is +still more surprising to us mortals, not only do the sciences in general +spring up and decay, so that in respect of them we are never the same; but +each of them individually experiences a like change. For what is implied +in the word "recollection," but the departure of knowledge, which is ever +being forgotten, and is renewed and preserved by recollection, and appears +to be the same although in reality new, according to that law of succession +by which all mortal things are preserved, not absolutely the same, but by +substitution, the old worn-out mortality leaving another new and similar +existence behind--unlike the divine, which is always the same and not +another? And in this way, Socrates, the mortal body, or mortal anything, +partakes of immortality; but the immortal in another way. Marvel not then +at the love which all men have of their offspring; for that universal love +and interest is for the sake of immortality.' + +I was astonished at her words, and said: 'Is this really true, O thou wise +Diotima?' And she answered with all the authority of an accomplished +sophist: 'Of that, Socrates, you may be assured;--think only of the +ambition of men, and you will wonder at the senselessness of their ways, +unless you consider how they are stirred by the love of an immortality of +fame. They are ready to run all risks greater far than they would have run +for their children, and to spend money and undergo any sort of toil, and +even to die, for the sake of leaving behind them a name which shall be +eternal. Do you imagine that Alcestis would have died to save Admetus, or +Achilles to avenge Patroclus, or your own Codrus in order to preserve the +kingdom for his sons, if they had not imagined that the memory of their +virtues, which still survives among us, would be immortal? Nay,' she said, +'I am persuaded that all men do all things, and the better they are the +more they do them, in hope of the glorious fame of immortal virtue; for +they desire the immortal. + +'Those who are pregnant in the body only, betake themselves to women and +beget children--this is the character of their love; their offspring, as +they hope, will preserve their memory and giving them the blessedness and +immortality which they desire in the future. But souls which are pregnant +--for there certainly are men who are more creative in their souls than in +their bodies--conceive that which is proper for the soul to conceive or +contain. And what are these conceptions?--wisdom and virtue in general. +And such creators are poets and all artists who are deserving of the name +inventor. But the greatest and fairest sort of wisdom by far is that which +is concerned with the ordering of states and families, and which is called +temperance and justice. And he who in youth has the seed of these +implanted in him and is himself inspired, when he comes to maturity desires +to beget and generate. He wanders about seeking beauty that he may beget +offspring--for in deformity he will beget nothing--and naturally embraces +the beautiful rather than the deformed body; above all when he finds a fair +and noble and well-nurtured soul, he embraces the two in one person, and to +such an one he is full of speech about virtue and the nature and pursuits +of a good man; and he tries to educate him; and at the touch of the +beautiful which is ever present to his memory, even when absent, he brings +forth that which he had conceived long before, and in company with him +tends that which he brings forth; and they are married by a far nearer tie +and have a closer friendship than those who beget mortal children, for the +children who are their common offspring are fairer and more immortal. Who, +when he thinks of Homer and Hesiod and other great poets, would not rather +have their children than ordinary human ones? Who would not emulate them +in the creation of children such as theirs, which have preserved their +memory and given them everlasting glory? Or who would not have such +children as Lycurgus left behind him to be the saviours, not only of +Lacedaemon, but of Hellas, as one may say? There is Solon, too, who is the +revered father of Athenian laws; and many others there are in many other +places, both among Hellenes and barbarians, who have given to the world +many noble works, and have been the parents of virtue of every kind; and +many temples have been raised in their honour for the sake of children such +as theirs; which were never raised in honour of any one, for the sake of +his mortal children. + +'These are the lesser mysteries of love, into which even you, Socrates, may +enter; to the greater and more hidden ones which are the crown of these, +and to which, if you pursue them in a right spirit, they will lead, I know +not whether you will be able to attain. But I will do my utmost to inform +you, and do you follow if you can. For he who would proceed aright in this +matter should begin in youth to visit beautiful forms; and first, if he be +guided by his instructor aright, to love one such form only--out of that he +should create fair thoughts; and soon he will of himself perceive that the +beauty of one form is akin to the beauty of another; and then if beauty of +form in general is his pursuit, how foolish would he be not to recognize +that the beauty in every form is and the same! And when he perceives this +he will abate his violent love of the one, which he will despise and deem a +small thing, and will become a lover of all beautiful forms; in the next +stage he will consider that the beauty of the mind is more honourable than +the beauty of the outward form. So that if a virtuous soul have but a +little comeliness, he will be content to love and tend him, and will search +out and bring to the birth thoughts which may improve the young, until he +is compelled to contemplate and see the beauty of institutions and laws, +and to understand that the beauty of them all is of one family, and that +personal beauty is a trifle; and after laws and institutions he will go on +to the sciences, that he may see their beauty, being not like a servant in +love with the beauty of one youth or man or institution, himself a slave +mean and narrow-minded, but drawing towards and contemplating the vast sea +of beauty, he will create many fair and noble thoughts and notions in +boundless love of wisdom; until on that shore 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 attention: + +'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 the final cause of all our former toils)--a nature which +in the first place is everlasting, not growing and decaying, or waxing and +waning; secondly, 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, or existing in any +other being, as for example, in an animal, or in heaven, or in earth, or in +any other place; but beauty 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 +from these ascending under the influence of true love, begins to perceive +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 begin from the beauties +of earth and mount upwards for the sake of that other beauty, using these +as steps only, and from one going on to two, and from two to all fair +forms, and from fair forms to fair practices, and from fair practices 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 life 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, whose presence now entrances +you; and you and many a one would be content to live seeing them only and +conversing with them without meat or drink, if that were possible--you only +want to look at them and to be with them. But 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 colours and +vanities of human life--thither looking, and holding converse with the true +beauty simple and divine? Remember how 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 nourishing 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 of you--were 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 helper better than love: And therefore, +also, I say that every man ought to honour him as I myself honour him, and +walk in his ways, and exhort others to do the same, and 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 revellers, 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 +attendants, he found his way to them. 'Hail, friends,' he said, appearing +at the door crowned with a massive garland of ivy and violets, his head +flowing with ribands. 'Will you have a very drunken man as a companion of +your revels? Or shall I crown Agathon, which was my intention in coming, +and go away? For I was unable to come yesterday, and therefore I am here +to-day, carrying on my head these ribands, 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; if I come in shall we have the understanding of which I spoke +(supra Will you have a very drunken man? etc.)? 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, intending to crown +Agathon, he took the ribands from his own head and held them in front of +his eyes; he was thus prevented from seeing Socrates, who made way for him, +and Alcibiades took 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 starting 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 +joker 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 the passion of this man has grown quite a serious matter to +me. 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 ribands that I may crown the +marvellous head of this universal despot--I would not have him complain of +me for crowning you, and neglecting him, who in conversation is the +conqueror of all mankind; and this not only once, as you were the day +before yesterday, but always. Whereupon, taking some of the ribands, he +crowned Socrates, and again reclined. + +Then he said: You seem, my friends, to be sober, which is a thing not to +be endured; you must drink--for that was the agreement under which I was +admitted--and I elect myself master of the feast until you are well drunk. +Let us have a large goblet, Agathon, or rather, he said, addressing the +attendant, bring me that wine-cooler. The wine-cooler which had caught his +eye was a vessel holding more than two quarts--this he filled and emptied, +and bade the attendant fill it again for Socrates. Observe, my friends, +said Alcibiades, that this ingenious trick of mine will have no effect on +Socrates, for he can drink any quantity of wine and not be at all nearer +being drunk. Socrates drank the cup which the attendant filled for him. + +Eryximachus said: What is this, Alcibiades? Are we to have neither +conversation nor singing over our cups; but simply to drink as if we were +thirsty? + +Alcibiades replied: Hail, worthy son of a most wise and worthy sire! + +The same to you, said Eryximachus; but what shall we do? + +That I leave to you, said Alcibiades. + +'The wise physician skilled our wounds to heal (from Pope's Homer, Il.)' + +shall prescribe and we will obey. What do you want? + +Well, said Eryximachus, before you appeared we had passed a resolution that +each one of us in turn should make a speech in praise of love, and as good +a one as he could: the turn was passed round from left to right; and as +all of us have spoken, and you have not spoken but have well drunken, you +ought to speak, and then impose upon Socrates any task which you please, +and he on his right hand neighbour, and so on. + +That is good, Eryximachus, said Alcibiades; and yet the comparison of a +drunken man's speech with those of sober men is hardly fair; and I should +like to know, sweet friend, whether you really believe what Socrates was +just now saying; for I can assure you that the very reverse is the fact, +and that if I praise any one but himself in his presence, whether God or +man, he will hardly keep his hands off me. + +For shame, said Socrates. + +Hold your tongue, said Alcibiades, for by Poseidon, there is no one else +whom I will praise when you are of the company. + +Well then, said Eryximachus, if you like praise Socrates. + +What do you think, Eryximachus? said Alcibiades: shall I attack him and +inflict the punishment before you all? + +What are you about? said Socrates; are you going to raise a laugh at my +expense? Is that the meaning of your praise? + +I am going to speak the truth, if you will permit me. + +I not only permit, but exhort you to speak the truth. + +Then I will begin at once, said Alcibiades, and if I say anything which is +not true, you may interrupt me if you will, and say 'that is a lie,' though +my intention is to speak the truth. But you must not wonder if I speak any +how as things come into my mind; for the fluent and orderly enumeration of +all your singularities is not a task which is easy to a man in my +condition. + +And now, my boys, I shall praise Socrates in a figure which will appear to +him to be a caricature, and yet I speak, not to make fun of him, but only +for the truth's sake. I say, that he is exactly like the busts of Silenus, +which are set up in the statuaries' shops, holding pipes and flutes in +their mouths; and they are made to open in the middle, and have images of +gods inside them. I say also that he is like Marsyas the satyr. You +yourself will not deny, Socrates, that your face is like that of a satyr. +Aye, and there is a resemblance in other points too. For example, you are +a bully, as I can prove by witnesses, if you will not confess. And are you +not a flute-player? That you are, and a performer far more wonderful than +Marsyas. He indeed with instruments used to charm the souls of men by the +power of his breath, and the players of his music do so still: for the +melodies of Olympus (compare Arist. Pol.) are derived from Marsyas who +taught them, and these, whether they are played by a great master or by a +miserable flute-girl, have a power which no others have; they alone possess +the soul and reveal the wants of those who have need of gods and mysteries, +because they are divine. But you produce the same effect with your words +only, and do not require the flute: that is the difference between you and +him. When we hear any other speaker, even a very good one, he produces +absolutely no effect upon us, or not much, whereas the mere fragments of +you and your words, even at second-hand, and however imperfectly repeated, +amaze and possess the souls of every man, woman, and child who comes within +hearing of them. And if I were not afraid that you would think me +hopelessly drunk, I would have sworn as well as spoken to the influence +which they have always had and still have over me. For my heart leaps +within me more than that of any Corybantian reveller, and my eyes rain +tears when I hear them. And I observe that many others are affected in the +same manner. I have heard Pericles and other great orators, and I thought +that they spoke well, but I never had any similar feeling; my soul was not +stirred by them, nor was I angry at the thought of my own slavish state. +But this Marsyas has often brought me to such a pass, that I have felt as +if I could hardly endure the life which I am leading (this, Socrates, you +will admit); and I am conscious that if I did not shut my ears against him, +and fly as from the voice of the siren, my fate would be like that of +others,--he would transfix me, and I should grow old sitting at his feet. +For he makes me confess that I ought not to live as I do, neglecting the +wants of my own soul, and busying myself with the concerns of the +Athenians; therefore I hold my ears and tear myself away from him. And he +is the only person who ever made me ashamed, which you might think not to +be in my nature, and there is no one else who does the same. For I know +that I cannot answer him or say that I ought not to do as he bids, but when +I leave his presence the love of popularity gets the better of me. And +therefore I run away and fly from him, and when I see him I am ashamed of +what I have confessed to him. Many a time have I wished that he were dead, +and yet I know that I should be much more sorry than glad, if he were to +die: so that I am at my wit's end. + +And this is what I and many others have suffered from the flute-playing of +this satyr. Yet hear me once more while I show you how exact the image is, +and how marvellous his power. For let me tell you; none of you know him; +but I will reveal him to you; having begun, I must go on. See you how fond +he is of the fair? He is always with them and is always being smitten by +them, and then again he knows nothing and is ignorant of all things--such +is the appearance which he puts on. Is he not like a Silenus in this? To +be sure he is: his outer mask is the carved head of the Silenus; but, O my +companions in drink, when he is opened, what temperance there is residing +within! Know you that beauty and wealth and honour, at which the many +wonder, are of no account with him, and are utterly despised by him: he +regards not at all the persons who are gifted with them; mankind are +nothing to him; all his life is spent in mocking and flouting at them. But +when I opened him, and looked within at his serious purpose, I saw in him +divine and golden images of such fascinating beauty that I was ready to do +in a moment whatever Socrates commanded: they may have escaped the +observation of others, but I saw them. Now I fancied that he was seriously +enamoured of my beauty, and I thought that I should therefore have a grand +opportunity of hearing him tell what he knew, for I had a wonderful opinion +of the attractions of my youth. In the prosecution of this design, when I +next went to him, I sent away the attendant who usually accompanied me (I +will confess the whole truth, and beg you to listen; and if I speak +falsely, do you, Socrates, expose the falsehood). Well, he and I were +alone together, and I thought that when there was nobody with us, I should +hear him speak the language which lovers use to their loves when they are +by themselves, and I was delighted. Nothing of the sort; he conversed as +usual, and spent the day with me and then went away. Afterwards I +challenged him to the palaestra; and he wrestled and closed with me several +times when there was no one present; I fancied that I might succeed in this +manner. Not a bit; I made no way with him. Lastly, as I had failed +hitherto, I thought that I must take stronger measures and attack him +boldly, and, as I had begun, not give him up, but see how matters stood +between him and me. So I invited him to sup with me, just as if he were a +fair youth, and I a designing lover. He was not easily persuaded to come; +he did, however, after a while accept the invitation, and when he came the +first time, he wanted to go away at once as soon as supper was over, and I +had not the face to detain him. The second time, still in pursuance of my +design, after we had supped, I went on conversing far into the night, and +when he wanted to go away, I pretended that the hour was late and that he +had much better remain. So he lay down on the couch next to me, the same +on which he had supped, and there was no one but ourselves sleeping in the +apartment. All this may be told without shame to any one. But what +follows I could hardly tell you if I were sober. Yet as the proverb says, +'In vino veritas,' whether with boys, or without them (In allusion to two +proverbs.); and therefore I must speak. Nor, again, should I be justified +in concealing the lofty actions of Socrates when I come to praise him. +Moreover I have felt the serpent's sting; and he who has suffered, as they +say, is willing to tell his fellow-sufferers only, as they alone will be +likely to understand him, and will not be extreme in judging of the sayings +or doings which have been wrung from his agony. For I have been bitten by +a more than viper's tooth; I have known in my soul, or in my heart, or in +some other part, that worst of pangs, more violent in ingenuous youth than +any serpent's tooth, the pang of philosophy, which will make a man say or +do anything. And you whom I see around me, Phaedrus and Agathon and +Eryximachus and Pausanias and Aristodemus and Aristophanes, all of you, and +I need not say Socrates himself, have had experience of the same madness +and passion in your longing after wisdom. Therefore listen and excuse my +doings then and my sayings now. But let the attendants and other profane +and unmannered persons close up the doors of their ears. + +When the lamp was put out and the servants had gone away, I thought that I +must be plain with him and have no more ambiguity. So I gave him a shake, +and I said: 'Socrates, are you asleep?' 'No,' he said. 'Do you know what +I am meditating? 'What are you meditating?' he said. 'I think,' I +replied, 'that of all the lovers whom I have ever had you are the only one +who is worthy of me, and you appear to be too modest to speak. Now I feel +that I should be a fool to refuse you this or any other favour, and +therefore I come to lay at your feet all that I have and all that my +friends have, in the hope that you will assist me in the way of virtue, +which I desire above all things, and in which I believe that you can help +me better than any one else. And I should certainly have more reason to be +ashamed of what wise men would say if I were to refuse a favour to such as +you, than of what the world, who are mostly fools, would say of me if I +granted it.' To these words he replied in the ironical manner which is so +characteristic of him:--'Alcibiades, my friend, you have indeed an elevated +aim if what you say is true, and if there really is in me any power by +which you may become better; truly you must see in me some rare beauty of a +kind infinitely higher than any which I see in you. And therefore, if you +mean to share with me and to exchange beauty for beauty, you will have +greatly the advantage of me; you will gain true beauty in return for +appearance--like Diomede, gold in exchange for brass. But look again, +sweet friend, and see whether you are not deceived in me. The mind begins +to grow critical when the bodily eye fails, and it will be a long time +before you get old.' Hearing this, I said: 'I have told you my purpose, +which is quite serious, and do you consider what you think best for you and +me.' 'That is good,' he said; 'at some other time then we will consider +and act as seems best about this and about other matters.' Whereupon, I +fancied that he was smitten, and that the words which I had uttered like +arrows had wounded him, and so without waiting to hear more I got up, and +throwing my coat about him crept under his threadbare cloak, as the time of +year was winter, and there I lay during the whole night having this +wonderful monster in my arms. This again, Socrates, will not be denied by +you. And yet, notwithstanding all, he was so superior to my solicitations, +so contemptuous and derisive and disdainful of my beauty--which really, as +I fancied, had some attractions--hear, O judges; for judges you shall be of +the haughty virtue of Socrates--nothing more happened, but in the morning +when I awoke (let all the gods and goddesses be my witnesses) I arose as +from the couch of a father or an elder brother. + +What do you suppose must have been my feelings, after this rejection, at +the thought of my own dishonour? And yet I could not help wondering at his +natural temperance and self-restraint and manliness. I never imagined that +I could have met with a man such as he is in wisdom and endurance. And +therefore I could not be angry with him or renounce his company, any more +than I could hope to win him. For I well knew that if Ajax could not be +wounded by steel, much less he by money; and my only chance of captivating +him by my personal attractions had failed. So I was at my wit's end; no +one was ever more hopelessly enslaved by another. All this happened before +he and I went on the expedition to Potidaea; there we messed together, and +I had the opportunity of observing his extraordinary power of sustaining +fatigue. His endurance was simply marvellous when, being cut off from our +supplies, we were compelled to go without food--on such occasions, which +often happen in time of war, he was superior not only to me but to +everybody; there was no one to be compared to him. Yet at a festival he +was the only person who had any real powers of enjoyment; though not +willing to drink, he could if compelled beat us all at that,--wonderful to +relate! no human being had ever seen Socrates drunk; and his powers, if I +am not mistaken, will be tested before long. His fortitude in enduring +cold was also surprising. There was a severe frost, for the winter in that +region is really tremendous, and everybody else either remained indoors, or +if they went out had on an amazing quantity of clothes, and were well shod, +and had their feet swathed in felt and fleeces: in the midst of this, +Socrates with his bare feet on the ice and in his ordinary dress marched +better than the other soldiers who had shoes, and they looked daggers at +him because he seemed to despise them. + +I have told you one tale, and now I must tell you another, which is worth +hearing, + +'Of the doings and sufferings of the enduring man' + +while he was on the expedition. One morning he was thinking about +something which he could not resolve; he would not give it up, but +continued thinking from early dawn until noon--there he stood fixed in +thought; and at noon attention was drawn to him, and the rumour ran through +the wondering crowd that Socrates had been standing and thinking about +something ever since the break of day. At last, in the evening after +supper, some Ionians out of curiosity (I should explain that this was not +in winter but in summer), brought out their mats and slept in the open air +that they might watch him and see whether he would stand all night. There +he stood until the following morning; and with the return of light he +offered up a prayer to the sun, and went his way (compare supra). I will +also tell, if you please--and indeed I am bound to tell--of his courage in +battle; for who but he saved my life? Now this was the engagement in which +I received the prize of valour: for I was wounded and he would not leave +me, but he rescued me and my arms; and he ought to have received the prize +of valour which the generals wanted to confer on me partly on account of my +rank, and I told them so, (this, again, Socrates will not impeach or deny), +but he was more eager than the generals that I and not he should have the +prize. There was another occasion on which his behaviour was very +remarkable--in the flight of the army after the battle of Delium, where he +served among the heavy-armed,--I had a better opportunity of seeing him +than at Potidaea, for I was myself on horseback, and therefore +comparatively out of danger. He and Laches were retreating, for the troops +were in flight, and I met them and told them not to be discouraged, and +promised to remain with them; and there you might see him, Aristophanes, as +you describe (Aristoph. Clouds), just as he is in the streets of Athens, +stalking like a pelican, and rolling his eyes, calmly contemplating enemies +as well as friends, and making very intelligible to anybody, even from a +distance, that whoever attacked him would be likely to meet with a stout +resistance; and in this way he and his companion escaped--for this is the +sort of man who is never touched in war; those only are pursued who are +running away headlong. I particularly observed how superior he was to +Laches in presence of mind. Many are the marvels which I might narrate in +praise of Socrates; most of his ways might perhaps be paralleled in another +man, but his absolute unlikeness to any human being that is or ever has +been is perfectly astonishing. You may imagine Brasidas and others to have +been like Achilles; or you may imagine Nestor and Antenor to have been like +Pericles; and the same may be said of other famous men, but of this strange +being you will never be able to find any likeness, however remote, either +among men who now are or who ever have been--other than that which I have +already suggested of Silenus and the satyrs; and they represent in a figure +not only himself, but his words. For, although I forgot to mention this to +you before, his words are like the images of Silenus which open; they are +ridiculous when you first hear them; he clothes himself in language that is +like the skin of the wanton satyr--for his talk is of pack-asses and smiths +and cobblers and curriers, and he is always repeating the same things in +the same words (compare Gorg.), so that any ignorant or inexperienced +person might feel disposed to laugh at him; but he who opens the bust and +sees what is within will find that they are the only words which have a +meaning in them, and also the most divine, abounding in fair images of +virtue, and of the widest comprehension, or rather extending to the whole +duty of a good and honourable man. + +This, friends, is my praise of Socrates. I have added my blame of him for +his ill-treatment of me; and he has ill-treated not only me, but Charmides +the son of Glaucon, and Euthydemus the son of Diocles, and many others in +the same way--beginning as their lover he has ended by making them pay +their addresses to him. Wherefore I say to you, Agathon, 'Be not deceived +by him; learn from me and take warning, and do not be a fool and learn by +experience, as the proverb says.' + +When Alcibiades had finished, there was a laugh at his outspokenness; for +he seemed to be still in love with Socrates. You are sober, Alcibiades, +said Socrates, or you would never have gone so far about to hide the +purpose of your satyr's praises, for all this long story is only an +ingenious circumlocution, of which the point comes in by the way at the +end; you want to get up a quarrel between me and Agathon, and your notion +is that I ought to love you and nobody else, and that you and you only +ought to love Agathon. But the plot of this Satyric or Silenic drama has +been detected, and you must not allow him, Agathon, to set us at variance. + +I believe you are right, said Agathon, and I am disposed to think that his +intention in placing himself between you and me was only to divide us; but +he shall gain nothing by that move; for I will go and lie on the couch next +to you. + +Yes, yes, replied Socrates, by all means come here and lie on the couch +below me. + +Alas, said Alcibiades, how I am fooled by this man; he is determined to get +the better of me at every turn. I do beseech you, allow Agathon to lie +between us. + +Certainly not, said Socrates, as you praised me, and I in turn ought to +praise my neighbour on the right, he will be out of order in praising me +again when he ought rather to be praised by me, and I must entreat you to +consent to this, and not be jealous, for I have a great desire to praise +the youth. + +Hurrah! cried Agathon, I will rise instantly, that I may be praised by +Socrates. + +The usual way, said Alcibiades; where Socrates is, no one else has any +chance with the fair; and now how readily has he invented a specious reason +for attracting Agathon to himself. + +Agathon arose in order that he might take his place on the couch by +Socrates, when suddenly a band of revellers entered, and spoiled the order +of the banquet. Some one who was going out having left the door open, they +had found their way in, and made themselves at home; great confusion +ensued, and every one was compelled to drink large quantities of wine. +Aristodemus said that Eryximachus, Phaedrus, and others went away--he +himself fell asleep, and as the nights were long took a good rest: he was +awakened towards daybreak by a crowing of cocks, and when he awoke, the +others were either asleep, or had gone away; there remained only Socrates, +Aristophanes, and Agathon, who were drinking out of a large goblet which +they passed round, and Socrates was discoursing to them. Aristodemus was +only half awake, and he did not hear the beginning of the discourse; the +chief thing which he remembered was Socrates compelling the other two to +acknowledge that the genius of comedy was the same with that of tragedy, +and that the true artist in tragedy was an artist in comedy also. To this +they were constrained to assent, being drowsy, and not quite following the +argument. And first of all Aristophanes dropped off, then, when the day +was already dawning, Agathon. Socrates, having laid them to sleep, rose to +depart; Aristodemus, as his manner was, following him. At the Lyceum he +took a bath, and passed the day as usual. In the evening he retired to +rest at his own home. + + + + + +End of this Project Gutenberg Etext of Symposium, by Plato + diff --git a/old/sympo10.zip b/old/sympo10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..dd39a9a --- /dev/null +++ b/old/sympo10.zip |