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360 BC
PHAEDRUS
by Plato
translated by Benjamin Jowett
PHAEDRUS
PERSONS OF THE DIALOGUE： SOCRATES； PHAEDRUS。 Scene： Under a
plane…tree； by the banks of the Ilissus。
Socrates。 My dear Phaedrus； whence come you； and whither are you
going？
Phaedrus。 I come from Lysias the son of Cephalus； and I am going
to take a walk outside the wall； for I have been sitting with him
the whole morning； and our common friend Acumenus tells me that it
is much more refreshing to walk in the open air than to be shut up
in a cloister。
Soc。 There he is right。 Lysias then； I suppose； was in the town？
Phaedr。 Yes； he was staying with Epicrates； here at the house of
Morychus； that house which is near the temple of Olympian Zeus。
Soc。 And how did he entertain you？ Can I be wrong in supposing
that Lysias gave you a feast of discourse？
Phaedr。 You shall hear； if you can spare time to accompany me。
Soc。 And should I not deem the conversation of you and Lysias 〃a
thing of higher import；〃 as I may say in the words of Pindar； 〃than
any business〃？
Phaedr。 Will you go on？
Soc。 And will you go on with the narration？
Phaedr。 My tale； Socrates； is one of your sort； for love was the
theme which occupied us …love after a fashion： Lysias has been writing
about a fair youth who was being tempted； but not by a lover； and this
was the point： he ingeniously proved that the non…lover should be
accepted rather than the lover。
Soc。 O that is noble of him！ I wish that he would say the poor man
rather than the rich； and the old man rather than the young one；
then he would meet the case of me and of many a man； his words would
be quite refreshing； and he would be a public benefactor。 For my part；
I do so long to hear his speech； that if you walk all the way to
Megara； and when you have reached the wall come back； as Herodicus
recommends； without going in； I will keep you company。
Phaedr。 What do you mean； my good Socrates？ How can you imagine that
my unpractised memory can do justice to an elaborate work； which the
greatest rhetorician of the age spent a long time in composing。
Indeed； I cannot； I would give a great deal if I could。
Soc。 I believe that I know Phaedrus about as well as I know
myself； and I am very sure that the speech of Lysias was repeated to
him； not once only； but again and again；…he insisted on hearing it
many times over and Lysias was very willing to gratify him； at last；
when nothing else would do； he got hold of the book； and looked at
what he most wanted to see；…this occupied him during the whole
morning； …and then when he was tired with sitting； he went out to take
a walk； not until； by the dog； as I believe； he had simply learned
by heart the entire discourse； unless it was unusually long； and he
went to a place outside the wall that he might practise his lesson。
There he saw a certain lover of discourse who had a similar
weakness；…he saw and rejoiced； now thought he； 〃I shall have a partner
in my revels。〃 And he invited him to come and walk with him。 But
when the lover of discourse begged that he would repeat the tale； he
gave himself airs and said； 〃No I cannot；〃 as if he were indisposed；
although； if the hearer had refused； he would sooner or later have
been compelled by him to listen whether he would or no。 Therefore；
Phaedrus； bid him do at once what he will soon do whether bidden or
not。
Phaedr。 I see that you will not let me off until I speak in some
fashion or other； verily therefore my best plan is to speak as I
best can。
Soc。 A very true remark； that of yours。
Phaedr。 I will do as I say； but believe me； Socrates； I did not
learn the very words…O no； nevertheless I have a general notion of
what he said； and will give you a summary of the points in which the
lover differed from the non…lover。 Let me begin at the beginning。
Soc。 Yes； my sweet one； but you must first of all show what you have
in your left hand under your cloak； for that roll； as I suspect； is
the actual discourse。 Now； much as I love you； I would not have you
suppose that I am going to have your memory exercised at my expense；
if you have Lysias himself here。
Phaedr。 Enough； I see that I have no hope of practising my art
upon you。 But if I am to read； where would you please to sit？
Soc。 Let us turn aside and go by the Ilissus； we will sit down at
some quiet spot。
Phaedr。 I am fortunate in not having my sandals； and as you never
have any； I think that we may go along the brook and cool our feet
in the water； this will be the easiest way； and at midday and in the
summer is far from being unpleasant。
Soc。 Lead on； and look out for a place in which we can sit down。
Phaedr。 Do you see the tallest plane…tree in the distance？
Soc。 Yes。
Phaedr。 There are shade and gentle breezes； and grass on which we
may either sit or lie down。
Soc。 Move forward。
Phaedr。 I should like to know； Socrates； whether the place is not
somewhere here at which Boreas is said to have carried off Orithyia
from the banks of the Ilissus？
Soc。 Such is the tradition。
Phaedr。 And is this the exact spot？ The little stream is
delightfully clear and bright； I can fancy that there might be maidens
playing near。
Soc。 I believe that the spot is not exactly here； but about a
quarter of a mile lower down； where you cross to the temple of
Artemis； and there is； I think； some sort of an altar of Boreas at the
place。
Phaedr。 I have never noticed it； but I beseech you to tell me；
Socrates； do you believe this tale？
Soc。 The wise are doubtful； and I should not be singular if； like
them； I too doubted。 I might have a rational explanation that Orithyia
was playing with Pharmacia； when a northern gust carried her over
the neighbouring rocks； and this being the manner of her death； she
was said to have been carried away by Boreas。 There is a
discrepancy； however； about the locality； according to another version
of the story she was taken from Areopagus； and not from this place。
Now I quite acknowledge that these allegories are very nice； but he is
not to be envied who has to invent them； much labour and ingenuity
will be required of him； and when he has once begun； he must go on and
rehabilitate Hippocentaurs and chimeras dire。 Gorgons and winged
steeds flow in apace； and numberless other inconceivable and
portentous natures。 And if he is sceptical about them； and would
fain reduce them one after another to the rules of probability； this
sort of crude philosophy will take up a great deal of time。 Now I have
no leisure for such enquiries； shall I tell you why？ I must first know
myself； as the Delphian inscription says； to be curious about that
which is not my concern； while I am still in ignorance of my own self；
would be ridiculous。 And therefore I bid farewell to all this； the
common opinion is enough for me。 For； as I was saying； I want to
know not about this； but about myself： am I a monster more complicated
and swollen with passion than the serpent Typho； or a creature of a
gentler and simpler sort； to whom Nature has given a diviner and
lowlier destiny？ But let me ask you； friend： have we not reached the
plane…tree to which you were conducting us？
Phaedr。 Yes； this is the tree。
Soc。 By Here； a fair resting…place； full of summer sounds and
scents。 Here is this lofty and spreading plane…tree； and the agnus
cast us high and clustering； in the fullest blossom and the greatest
fragrance； and the stream which flows beneath the plane…tree is
deliciously cold to the feet。 Judging from the ornaments and images；
this must be a spot sacred to Achelous and the Nymphs。 How
delightful is the breeze：…so very sweet； and there is a sound in the
air shrill and summerlike which makes answer to the chorus of the
cicadae。 But the greatest charm of all is the grass； like a pillow
gently sloping to the head。 My dear Phaedrus； you have been an
admirable guide。
Phaedr。 What an incomprehensible being you are； Socrates： when you
are in the country； as you say； you really are like some stranger
who is led about by a guide。 Do you ever cross the border？ I rather
think that you never venture even outside the gates。
Soc。 Very true； my good friend； and I hope that you will excuse