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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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