Part

  1 Intro|          dreamed of; or, as Goethe said of one of his own writings,
  2 Intro|         Let us cut them in two, he said; then they will only have
  3 Intro|         will now initiate you, she said, into the greater mysteries;
  4 Intro|             The speeches have been said to follow each other in
  5 Text |         playfully in the distance, said: Apollodorus, O thou Phalerian (
  6 Text |          as I was bid; and then he said, I was looking for you,
  7 Text |            very indistinct, but he said that you knew, and I wish
  8 Text |      friend? And first tell me, he said, were you present at this
  9 Text |         Your informant, Glaucon, I said, must have been very indistinct
 10 Text |          thought so.~Impossible: I said. Are you ignorant that for
 11 Text |            a philosopher.~Well, he said, jesting apart, tell me
 12 Text |          been a long while ago, he said; and who told you—did Socrates?~
 13 Text |           he confirmed them. Then, said Glaucon, let us have the
 14 Text |          love; and therefore, as I said at first, I am not ill-prepared
 15 Text |            and the reason why I am said to be mad, and out of my
 16 Text |           words of Aristodemus:~He said that he met Socrates fresh
 17 Text |           replied.~Follow then, he said, and let us demolish the
 18 Text |           I rather fear, Socrates, said Aristodemus, lest this may
 19 Text |       begin. Welcome, Aristodemus, said Agathon, as soon as he appeared—
 20 Text |        were quite right in coming, said Agathon; but where is he
 21 Text |         just now, as I entered, he said, and I cannot think what
 22 Text |          Go and look for him, boy, said Agathon, and bring him in;
 23 Text |        house. ‘There he is fixed,’ said he, ‘and when I call to
 24 Text |            not stir.’~How strange, said Agathon; then you must call
 25 Text |        calling him.~Let him alone, said my informant; he has a way
 26 Text |        think so, I will leave him, said Agathon. And then, turning
 27 Text |         that ‘I may touch you,’ he said, ‘and have the benefit of
 28 Text |           you sought.’~How I wish, said Socrates, taking his place
 29 Text |         You are mocking, Socrates, said Agathon, and ere long you
 30 Text |           drinking, when Pausanias said, And now, my friends, how
 31 Text |         easiest?~I entirely agree, said Aristophanes, that we should,
 32 Text |          think that you are right, said Eryximachus, the son of
 33 Text |        hard?~I am not equal to it, said Agathon.~Then, said Eryximachus,
 34 Text |            it, said Agathon.~Then, said Eryximachus, the weak heads
 35 Text |        much as they pleased.~Then, said Eryximachus, as you are
 36 Text |         follows:—~I will begin, he said, after the manner of Melanippe
 37 Text |          against you, Eryximachus, said Socrates. How can I oppose
 38 Text |         not recollect all that was said, nor do I recollect all
 39 Text |            what the chief speakers said.~Phaedrus began by affirming
 40 Text |            Pausanias. Phaedrus, he said, the argument has not been
 41 Text |            one Love, then what you said would be well enough; but
 42 Text |          to speak; and Aristodemus said that the turn of Aristophanes
 43 Text |         below him. Eryximachus, he said, you ought either to stop
 44 Text |          left off.~I will do both, said Eryximachus: I will speak
 45 Text |          will do as you prescribe, said Aristophanes, and now get
 46 Text |      several things which might be said in praise of Love, but this
 47 Text |          rid of the hiccough.~Yes, said Aristophanes, who followed,
 48 Text |           I was cured.~Eryximachus said: Beware, friend Aristophanes,
 49 Text |           in peace.~You are right, said Aristophanes, laughing.
 50 Text |           Eryximachus. Mankind, he said, judging by their neglect
 51 Text |          Zeus discovered a way. He said: ‘Methinks I have a plan
 52 Text |            saw their perplexity he said: ‘Do you desire to be wholly
 53 Text |           not going to attack you, said Eryximachus, for I thought
 54 Text |          of things which have been said already. But, for all that,
 55 Text |            without hopes.~Socrates said: You played your part well,
 56 Text |           spell over me, Socrates, said Agathon, in the hope that
 57 Text |            Do you think, Socrates, said Agathon, that my head is
 58 Text |            him—would you not?~Yes, said Agathon.~But before the
 59 Text |         talk.~Very good, Phaedrus, said Agathon; I see no reason
 60 Text |     proverb says. Many things were said by Phaedrus about Love in
 61 Text |           beauty of the god I have said enough; and yet there remains
 62 Text |           of poetry in which he is said to be the god who~‘Gives
 63 Text |         done speaking, Aristodemus said that there was a general
 64 Text |            looking at Eryximachus, said: Tell me, son of Acumenus,
 65 Text |          not a true prophet when I said that Agathon would make
 66 Text |       strait.~Why, my dear friend, said Socrates, must not I or
 67 Text |        nature of the praise when I said that I would take my turn,
 68 Text |      agreeable to you?~Aristodemus said that Phaedrus and the company
 69 Text |            I grant the permission, said Phaedrus: put your questions.
 70 Text |         would be right.~Very true, said Agathon.~And you would say
 71 Text |         brother or sister?~Yes, he said.~And now, said Socrates,
 72 Text |             Yes, he said.~And now, said Socrates, I will ask about
 73 Text |           think?~I agree with you, said Agathon.~Very good. Would
 74 Text |             replied Agathon.~Then, said Socrates, he desires that
 75 Text |         has not got:~Very true, he said.~Then he and every one who
 76 Text |         desire seek?~Very true, he said.~Then now, said Socrates,
 77 Text |           true, he said.~Then now, said Socrates, let us recapitulate
 78 Text |          Remember further what you said in your speech, or if you
 79 Text |    remember I will remind you: you said that the love of the beautiful
 80 Text |       something of that kind?~Yes, said Agathon.~Yes, my friend,
 81 Text |        wants and has not?~True, he said.~Then Love wants and has
 82 Text |       cannot refute you, Socrates, said Agathon:—Let us assume that
 83 Text |       shall repeat to you what she said to me, beginning with the
 84 Text |         then of his works. First I said to her in nearly the same
 85 Text |           do you mean, Diotima,’ I said, ‘is love then evil and
 86 Text |          not fair?’ ‘Certainly,’ I said. ‘And is that which is not
 87 Text |           And what may that be?’ I said. ‘Right opinion,’ she replied; ‘
 88 Text |           Do not then insist,’ she said, ‘that what is not fair
 89 Text |           between them.’ ‘Well,’ I said, ‘Love is surely admitted
 90 Text |            And how, Socrates,’ she said with a smile, ‘can Love
 91 Text |               And who are they?’ I said. ‘You and I are two of them,’
 92 Text |      replied. ‘How can that be?’ I said. ‘It is quite intelligible,’
 93 Text |         the mortal.’ ‘And what,’ I said, ‘is his power?’ ‘He interprets,’
 94 Text |        them is Love.’ ‘And who,’ I said, ‘was his father, and who
 95 Text |           mother?’ ‘The tale,’ she said, ‘will take time; nevertheless
 96 Text |          But who then, Diotima,’ I said, ‘are the lovers of wisdom,
 97 Text |            as I have described.’~I said, ‘O thou stranger woman,
 98 Text |          may be his.’ ‘Still,’ she said, ‘the answer suggests a
 99 Text |         answer ready.’ ‘Then,’ she said, ‘let me put the word “good”
100 Text |         possession of the good,’ I said. ‘And what does he gain
101 Text |         that question.’ ‘Yes,’ she said, ‘the happy are made happy
102 Text |         final.’ ‘You are right.’ I said. ‘And is this wish and this
103 Text |         are not all men, Socrates, said to love, but only some of
104 Text |      things.’ ‘I myself wonder,’ I said, ‘why this is.’ ‘There is
105 Text |           Give an illustration,’ I said. She answered me as follows: ‘
106 Text |           Very true.’ ‘Still,’ she said, ‘you know that they are
107 Text |      called poets.’ ‘Very true,’ I said. ‘And the same holds of
108 Text |           form only—they alone are said to love, or to be lovers.’ ‘
109 Text |           is nothing.’ ‘Then,’ she said, ‘the simple truth is, that
110 Text |           love the good.’ ‘Yes,’ I said. ‘To which must be added
111 Text |       added too.’ ‘Then love,’ she said, ‘may be described generally
112 Text |          you tell me further,’ she said, ‘what is the manner of
113 Text |          very matter.’ ‘Well,’ she said, ‘I will teach you:—The
114 Text |          do not understand you,’ I said; ‘the oracle requires an
115 Text |         birth in beauty.’ ‘Yes,’ I said. ‘Yes, indeed,’ she replied. ‘
116 Text |           that I did not know. She said to me: ‘And do you expect
117 Text |           love.’ ‘Marvel not,’ she said, ‘if you believe that love
118 Text |           in which every animal is said to have life and identity,
119 Text |       astonished at her words, and said: ‘Is this really true, O
120 Text |       would be immortal? Nay,’ she said, ‘I am persuaded that all
121 Text |           This, my dear Socrates,’ said the stranger of Mantineia, ‘
122 Text |           are friends of ours,’ he said, ‘invite them in, but if
123 Text |          them. ‘Hail, friends,’ he said, appearing at the door crowned
124 Text |         him. Take off his sandals, said Agathon, and let him make
125 Text |       third partner in our revels? said Alcibiades, turning round
126 Text |          Socrates. By Heracles, he said, what is this? here is Socrates
127 Text |     Socrates turned to Agathon and said: I must ask you to protect
128 Text | reconciliation between you and me, said Alcibiades; but for the
129 Text |            again reclined.~Then he said: You seem, my friends, to
130 Text |             Agathon, or rather, he said, addressing the attendant,
131 Text |     Socrates. Observe, my friends, said Alcibiades, that this ingenious
132 Text |        filled for him.~Eryximachus said: What is this, Alcibiades?
133 Text |      worthy sire!~The same to you, said Eryximachus; but what shall
134 Text |           do?~That I leave to you, said Alcibiades.~‘The wise physician
135 Text |            What do you want?~Well, said Eryximachus, before you
136 Text |         That is good, Eryximachus, said Alcibiades; and yet the
137 Text |           hands off me.~For shame, said Socrates.~Hold your tongue,
138 Text |        Socrates.~Hold your tongue, said Alcibiades, for by Poseidon,
139 Text |            the company.~Well then, said Eryximachus, if you like
140 Text |            you think, Eryximachus? said Alcibiades: shall I attack
141 Text |           all?~What are you about? said Socrates; are you going
142 Text |         Then I will begin at once, said Alcibiades, and if I say
143 Text |            gave him a shake, and I said: ‘Socrates, are you asleep?’ ‘
144 Text |          are you asleep?’ ‘No,’ he said. ‘Do you know what I am
145 Text |            are you meditating?’ he said. ‘I think,’ I replied, ‘
146 Text |          get old.’ Hearing this, I said: ‘I have told you my purpose,
147 Text |            me.’ ‘That is good,’ he said; ‘at some other time then
148 Text |      Pericles; and the same may be said of other famous men, but
149 Text |         You are sober, Alcibiades, said Socrates, or you would never
150 Text |           I believe you are right, said Agathon, and I am disposed
151 Text |          the couch below me.~Alas, said Alcibiades, how I am fooled
152 Text |         between us.~Certainly not, said Socrates, as you praised
153 Text |           Socrates.~The usual way, said Alcibiades; where Socrates
154 Text |    quantities of wine. Aristodemus said that Eryximachus, Phaedrus,