I was bid ; and then he said, I was looking for you, Apollo-
dorus, only just now, that I might hear about the discourses
in praise of love, which were delivered by Socrates, Alcibi-
ades, and others, at Agathon's supper. Phoenix the son of
Philip told another person, who told me of them, and he said
that you knew ; but he was himself very indistinct, and I wish
1 Apollodorus(a-porio-do'rus). friend and disciple of Socrates, and present
at his death. See Phsedo, 59 and 117.
Phaedrus : see the dialogue Phasdrus.
Pausanias : see Protagoras, 315 and note 22.
Eryximachus : a physician. See Protagoras, 315 and note 18 ; Phaedrus,
268.
Aristophanes : comic poet. See Apology, note 5.
Agathon (ag'a-thon, 400 B.C.) : an Athenian tragic poet, called the " fair
Agathon " on account of his extreme beauty. See Protagoras, 315.
Alcibiades : see Protagoras, note 1.
2 Phalerum (fa-le'rum) : one of the harbors of Athens.
107
108 PLATO THE TEACHER
that you would give me an account of them. Who but you
should be the reporter of the words of your friend ? And first
tell me, he said, were you present at this meeting ?
Your informant, Glaucon, I said, must have been very in-
distinct indeed, if you imagine that the occasion was recent,
or that I could have been present.
Why, yes, he replied, that was my impression.
But how is that possible? I said. For Agathon has not
been in Athens for many years (are you aware of that?), and
my acquaintance with Socrates, of whose every action and
word I now make a daily study, is not as yet of three
years' standing. I used to be running about the world,
thinking that I was doing something, and would have done
anything rather than be a philosopher : I >v*as"almost^as miser-
able as you are now.
Well, he said, cease from jesting, and^tell me when the
meeting occurred. : \ v • \ i *
In our boyhood, I replied, when Agathon won the prize
with his first tragedy, 3 on the day after that on wrrrch he and
his chorus offered the sacrifice of victory.
That is a long while ago, he said ; and who told you — did
Socrates ?
No indeed, I replied, but the same person who told Phoe-
nix ; he was a little fellow, who never wore any shoes, Aris-
todemus, of the deme of Cydathenaeum. 4 He had been at
this feast ; and I think that there was no one in those days
who was a more devoted admirer of Socrates. Moreover, I
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 made for conversa-
tion ? And so we walked, and talked of the discourses on
love; and therefore, as I said at first, I am prepared with an
answer, and will have another rehearsal, if you like. For I
love to speak or to hear others speak of philosophy ; there is
3 The Greek drama had its origin in one of the chief religious festivals
of the people — the Dionysia (di'o-ny'sf-a). It was originally a chorus, sung
in honor of the god Dionysus (di'o-ny'sus). Later, actors were introduced,
but the chorus was retained. The drama became an important part of the
festival. Three days were given to the public presentation of new dramas.
The State offered prizes to the contesting authors. The first prize was a
crown, publicly presented. This was the highest distinction that could be
conferred on a dramatic author at Athens.
4 Aristodemus (a-ris'to-da'mus). Cydathenaeum (sid-ath-e-ne'um).
THE SYMPOSIUM IO9
the greatest pleasure in that, to say nothing of the profit. But
when I hear any other discourses, especially those of you rich
men and traders, they are irksome to me j and I pity you who
are my companions, because you always think that you are
hard at work when really you are idling. And I dare say
that you pity me in return, whom you regard as an unfortu-
nate wight, which I perhaps am. ^But I certainly know of you
what you only think of me — there is the difference.
Companion. I see, Apollodorus, that you are just the same,
— always speaking evil of yourself, and of others ; and I do
believe that you pity all mankind, beginning with yourself
and including everybody else with the exception of Socrates,
true in this to your old name, which, however deserved, I
know not how you acquired, of Apollodorus the madman ;
for your humor is always to be out of humor with yourself
and with everybody except Socrates.
Apollodorus. Yes, friend, and I am proved to be mad, and
out of my wits, because I have these notions of myself and
you ; no other evidence is required.
Com. I have no wish to dispute about that, Apollodorus ; but
let me renew my request that you would repeat the tale of love.
Apoll. Well, the tale of love was on this wise: But per-
haps I had better begin at the beginning, and endeavor
to repeat to you the words as Aristodemus gave them.
He said that he met Socrates fresh from the bath and san-
daled ; and as the sight of the sandals was unusual, he asked
him whither he was going that he was so fine.
To a banquet at Agathon's, he replied, whom I refused yes-
terday, fearing the crowd that there would be at his sacrifice,
but promising that I would come to-day instead ; and I have
put on my finery because he is a fine creature. What say you
to going with me unbidden ?
Yes, I replied, I will go with you, if you like.
Follow then, he said, and let us demolish the proverb that —
" To the feasts of lesser men the good unhidden go ; "
instead of which our proverb will run that —
" To the feasts of the good unbidden go the good ;"
and this alteration may be supported by the authority of
Homer, who not only demolishes but literally outrages this
IIO PLATO THE TEACHER
proverb. For after picturing Agamemnon 5 as the most valiant
of men, he makes Menelaus, who is but a soft-hearted warrior,
come of his own accord to the sacrificial feast of Agamemnon,
the worse to the better.
I am afraid, Socrates, said Aristodemus, that I shall rather
be the inferior person, who, like Menelaus in Homer, —
"To the feasts of the wise unbidden goes."
But I shall say that I was bidden of you, and then you will
have to make the excuse.
" Two going together,"
he replied, in Homeric fashion, may invent an excuse by the way.
This was the style of their conversation as they went along;
and a comical thing happened — Socrates stayed 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 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 ; you are just in time to
sup with us ; if you come on any other errand put that off,
and make one of us, as I was looking for you yesterday and
meant to have asked you, if I could have found you. But
what have you done with Socrates ?
I turned round and saw that Socrates was missing, and I
had to explain that he had been with me a moment before,
and that I came by his invitation.
You were quite right in coming, said Agathon ; and where
is he himself?
He was behind me just now, as I entered, he said, and
I cannot think what has become of him.
Go and look for him, boy, said Agathon, and bring him in;
do you, Aristodemus, meanwhile take the place by Eryximachus.
Then he said that the attendant assisted him to wash, and
that he lay down, and presently another servant came in and
said that our friend Socrates had retired into the portico of the
neighboring house. " There he is fixed, and when I call to
him," said the servant, " he will not stir."
How strange, said Agathon ; then you must call him again,
and keep calling him.
6 See Apology, note 21.
THE SYMPOSIUM III
Let him alone, said my informant ; he has just a habit of
stopping anywhere and losing himself without any reason ;
don't disturb him, as I believe he will soon appear.
Well, if you say that, I will not interfere with him, said
Agathon. My domestics, who on these occasions become my
masters, shall entertain us as their guests. " Put on the table
whatever you like," he said to the servants, " as usual when
there is no one to give you orders, which I never do. Imagine
that you are our hosts, and that I and the company are your
guests; and treat us well, and then we shall commend you."
After this they supped ; and during the meal Agathon several
times expressed a wish to send for Socrates, but Aristodemus
would not allow him ; and when the feast was 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 the sage, he said, and get some of that wisdom which
came into your mind in the portico. For I am certain that you
would not have left until you had found what you were seeking.
How I wish, said Socrates, taking his place as he was de-
sired, that wisdom could be infused through the medium of
touch, out of the full into the empty man, like the water
which the wool sucks out of the full vessel into an empty one ;
in that case how much I should prize sitting by you ! For you
would have filled me full of gifts of wisdom, plenteous and
fair, in comparison of which my own is of a very mean and
questionable sort, no better than a dream ; but yours is bright
and only beginning, and was manifested forth in all the
splendor of youth the day before yesterday, in the presence of
more than thirty thousand Hellenes. 6
You are insolent, said Agathon; and you and I will have to
settle hereafter who bears off the palm of wisdom, and of this
Dionysus 7 shall be the judge; but at present you are better
occupied with the banquet. 6
Socrates took his place on the couch ; and when the
meal was ended, and the libations offered, and after a hymn
had been sung to the God, and there had been the usual cere-
monies, — as they were about to commence drinking, Pausanias
reminded them that they had had a bout yesterday, from which
•Greeks. See Protagoras, note IX.
» The god whose festival the city was then celebrating.
112 PLATO THE TEACHER
he and most of them were still suffering, and they ought to be
allowed to recover, and not go on drinking to-day. He would
therefore ask, How the drinking could be made easiest ?
I entirely agree, said Aristophanes, that we should, by all
means, get off the drinking, having been myself one of those
who were yesterday drowned in drink.
I think that you are right, said Eryximachus the son of
Acumen us ; but I should like to hear one other person speak.
What are the inclinations of our host ?
I am not able to drink, said Agathon.
Then, said Eryximachus, the weak heads like myself, Aristo-
demus, Phsedrus, 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 an exceptional being, and
able either to drink or to abstain.) Well, then, as the company
seem indisposed to drink much, I may be forgiven for saying,
as a physician, that drinking is a bad practice, which I never,
if I can help, follow, and certainly do not recommend to an-
other, least of all to any one who still feels the effects of
yesterday's carouse.
I always follow 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.
All agreed that drinking was not to be the order of the day.
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 ; she may play to herself,
or, if she has a mind, to the women who are within. But on
this day let us have conversation instead ; and, if you will
allow me, I will tell you what sort of conversation. This
proposal having been accepted, Eryximachus proceeded
as follows : —
I will begin, he said, after the manner of Melanippe in
Euripides 8 , —
"Not mine the word"
which I am about to speak, but that of Phaedrus. For he is
in the habit of complaining that, whereas other gods have
8 Euripides (u-rfp'i-dez, 480-406 B.C.): a celebrated Athenian tragic poet.
Melanippe (meTa-nfp'pe) : a character in a lost play by him.
THE SYMPOSIUM
113
poems and hymns made in their honor by the poets, who are
so many, the great and glorious god, Love, has not a single
panegyrist or encomiast. Many Sophists also, as for example
the excellent Prodicus, 9 have descanted in prose on the virtues
of Heracles 10 and other heroes; and, what is still more extra-
ordinary, I have met with a philosophical work in which the
utility of salt has been made the theme of an eloquent dis-
course; and many other like things have had a like honor
bestowed upon them. And only to think that there should
have been an eager interest created about them, and yet that
to this day, as Phaedrus well and truly says, no one has ever
dared worthily to hymn Love's praises. This mighty deity
has been neglected wholly ! Now I want to offer Phaedrus a
contribution to his feast; nor do I see how the present com-
pany can, at this moment, do anything better than honor the
god Love. And if you agree to this, there will be no lack of
conversation ; for I mean to propose that each of us in turn
shall make a discourse in honor of Love. Let us have
the best which he can make; and Phaedrus, who is sitting
first on the left hand, and is the father of the thought, shall
begin.
No one will oppose that, Eryximachus, said Socrates; I cer-
tainly cannot refuse to speak on the only subject of which I
profess to have any knowledge, and Agathon and Pausanias
will surely assent ; and there can be no doubt of Aristophanes,
who is always in the company of Dionysus n and Aphro-
dite 12 ; nor will any one disagree of those whom I see around
me. The proposal, as I am aware, may seem hard upon us
whose place is last; but that does not matter if we hear some
good speeches first. Let Phaedrus begin the praise of „
Love, and good luck to him. All the company ex- ' "
pressed their assent, and desired him to do as Socrates
bade him.
[" Phaedrus began by affirming that Love is a mighty
god, and wonderful among gods and men, but especially won-
9 See Protagoras, note 1.
10 See Euthydemus, note 20.
11 God of wine — the Roman Bacchus.
12 Aphrodite (af'ro-di'te): goddess of love and beauty, corresponding to
the Roman Venus.
8
114 PLATO THE TEACHER
derful in his birth. " He is the oldest of the gods and without
parentage. As Hesiod says :
" First Chaos came, and then broad-bosomed Earth,
The everlasting seat of all that is,
And Love."
Parmenides 13 agrees with Hesiod. Love is not only the old-
est but also the most beneficent of the gods. The greatest
blessing to any youth is to love and be loved. Love im-
plants in the youth the sense of honor. The veriest coward
becomes an inspired hero when the god breathes love into his
soul. An army of lovers, though a mere handful, would over-
come the world. For love a man will surrender his life as
Alcestis u did for her husband, and as Achilles 15 did to
avenge the death of his friend.]
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. Nev-
ertheless he gave his life to revenge his friend, and dared to
die, not only on his behalf, but after his death. Wherefore
the gods honored 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 happiness and virtue, in
life and after death.
This, or something like this, was the speech of Phaedrus ;
and some other speeches followed which Aristodemus did not
remember ; the next which he repeated was that of Pausanias.
[Pausanias said that the speech of Phaedrus had assumed
that there was only one love, whereas there are really two —
one a heavenly, the other a common. Pausanias character-
ized these two kinds of love as follows :]
Evil is the vulgar lover who loves the body rather than the
soul, and who is inconstant because he is a lover of the incon-
13 Parmenides (par-men'i-dez, 520? B.C.): a Greek philosopher and
poet.
14 Alcestis (ai-ses'tis): the beautiful young wife of Admetus (Sd-me'tus), a
mythical king of Thessaly. She sacrificed her own life to save that of her
husband when the Fates decreed that he could live only on condition that
some one die in his stead.
15 See Apology, note 21.
THE SYMPOSIUM H5
stant ; and therefore when the bloom of youth which he was
desiring is over, he takes wings and flies away, in spite of all
his words and promises ; whereas the love of the noble mind,
which is in union with the unchangeable, is everlasting.
. . . This is that love which is the love of the heavenly
goddess, 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 common or vulgar goddess. To you, Phae-
drus, I offer this my encomium of love, which is as good as I
could make on the sudden.
When Pausanias came to a pause (this is the balanced way
in which I have been taught by the wise to speak), Aristode-
mus said that the turn of Aristophanes was next, but that
either he had eaten too much, or from some, other cause he had
the hiccough, and was obliged to change 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 am better.
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 this fails, then
to gargle with a little water ; and if the hiccough still con-
tinues, tickle your nose with something and sneeze ; and if
yon sneeze once or twice, even the most violent hiccough is
sure to go. In the mean time I will take your turn, and you
shall take mine. I will do as you prescribe, said Aristophanes,
and now get on.
[Eryximachus constructed a myth whose purpose was to
show that love is the principle of unity and health in body
and soul and in all nature. He concluded as follows :]
And that love, 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 friend-
ship with the gods which are above us, and with one another.
I dare say that I 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
Il6 PLATO THE TEACHER
other line of commendation ; as I perceive that you are cured
of the hiccough.
Yes, said Aristophanes, who followed, the hiccough
1 â– is gone ; not, however, until I applied the sneezing ; and
I wonder whether the principle of order in the human
frame requires this sort of noises and ticklings, for I no sooner
applied the sneezing than I was cured.
Eryximachus said : Take care, friend Aristophanes, you are
beginning with a joke, and I shall have to watch if you talk
nonsense; and the interruption will be occasioned by your
own fault.
You are very right, said Aristophanes, laughing, and I will
retract what I said ; and do you please not to watch me, as I
fear that in what I am going to say, instead of making others
laugh, which is to the manner born of our muse and would be
all the better, I shall only be laughed at by them.
[Aristophanes related another myth in which he repre-
sented that the principle of all human activity is desire to
complete our deficiencies and attain wholeness and unity of
life. He concluded as follows :]
And I believe that if all of us obtained our love, and each
one had his particular beloved, thus returning to his original
nature, then our race would be happy. And if this would be
best of all, that which would be best under present circum-
stances would be the nearest approach to such a union ; and
that will be the attainment of a congenial love. Therefore
we shall do well to praise the god Love, who is the author of
this gift, and who is also our greatest benefactor, leading us in
this life back to our own nature, and giving us high hopes for
the future, that if we are pious, he will restore us to our origi-
nal state, and heal us and make us happy and blessed. This,
Eryximachus, is my discourse of love, which, although differ-
ent from yours, I must beg you to leave unassailed by the
shafts of your ridicule, in order that each may have his turn ;
each, or rather either, for Agathon and Socrates are the only
ones left.
Indeed, I am not going to attack you, said Eryximachus,
for I thought your speech charming, and did I not know that
Agathon and Socrates are masters in the art of love, I should
THE SYMPOSIUM II7
be really afraid that they would have nothing to say, after all
the world of things which have been said already. But, for all
that, I am not without hopes.
Socrates said : You did your part well, Eryximachus ; ,9 ^
but if you were as I am now, or rather as I shall be when Ag-
athon has spoken, you would, indeed, be in a great strait.
You want to cast a spell over me, Socrates, said Agathon,
in the hope that I may be disconcerted, thinking of the antic-
ipation which the theatre has of my fine speech.
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, coming
upon the stage with the actors and facing the whole theatre
altogether undismayed, if I thought that your nerves could be
fluttered at a small party of friends.
Do you think, Socrates, said Agathon, that my head is
so full of the theatre as not to know how much more for-
midable to a man of sense a few good judges are than many
fools ?
Nay, replied Socrates, I should be very wrong in attribut-
ing to you, Agathon, that or any other want of refinement.
And I am quite aware that if you happened to meet with any
one whom you thought wise, you would care for his 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 re-
garded as the select wise ; though I know that if you chanced
to light upon a really wise man, you would be ashamed of
disgracing yourself before him, — would you not ?
Yes, said Agathon.
But you would not be ashamed of disgracing yourself before
the many ?
Here Phaedrus interrupted them, saying: Don't answer
him, my dear Agathon j 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 j but just at present I must not forget the enco-
mium on Love which I ought to receive from him and every
one. When you and he have paid the tribute to the God,
then you may talk.
Very good, Phaedrus, said Agathon ; I see no reason why
I should not proceed with my speech, as I shall have other
Il8 PLATO THE TEACHER
opportunities of conversing with Socrates. Let me say first
how I ought to speak, and then speak.
The previous speakers, instead of praising the god Love, or
unfolding his nature, appear to have congratulated mankind
on the benefits which he confers upon them. But I
would rather praise the God first, and then speak of his
gifts ; this is always the right way of praising everything.
May I express unblamed then, that of all the blessed gods he
is the blessedest and the best ? And also the fairest, which I
prove in this way : for, in the first place, Phaedrus, he is the
youngest, and of his youth he is himself the witness, fleeing
out of the way of age, which is swift enough surely, swifter
than most of us like : yet he cannot be overtaken by him ; he
is not a bird of that feather ; youth and love live and move
together, — like to like, as the proverb says. There are many
things which Phaedrus said about Love in which I agree with
him ; but I cannot agree that he is older than Iapetus 16 and
Kronos 17 — that is not the truth ; as I maintain, he is the
youngest of the gods, and youthful ever. The ancient things