按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
when desire； which is devoid of reason； rules in us and drags us to
pleasure； that power of misrule is called excess。 Now excess has
many names； and many members； and many forms； and any of these forms
when very marked gives a name； neither honourable nor creditable； to
the bearer of the name。 The desire of eating； for example； which
gets the better of the higher reason and the other desires； is
called gluttony； and he who is possessed by it is called a glutton…I
the tyrannical desire of drink； which inclines the possessor of the
desire to drink； has a name which is only too obvious； and there can
be as little doubt by what name any other appetite of the same
family would be called；…it will be the name of that which happens to
be eluminant。 And now I think that you will perceive the drift of my
discourse； but as every spoken word is in a manner plainer than the
unspoken； I had better say further that the irrational desire which
overcomes the tendency of opinion towards right； and is led away to
the enjoyment of beauty； and especially of personal beauty； by the
desires which are her own kindred…that supreme desire； I say； which by
leading conquers and by the force of passion is reinforced； from
this very force； receiving a name； is called love。〃
And now； dear Phaedrus； I shall pause for an instant to ask
whether you do not think me； as I appear to myself； inspired？
Phaedr。 Yes； Socrates； you seem to have a very unusual flow of
words。
Soc。 Listen to me； then； in silence； for surely the place is holy；
so that you must not wonder； if； as I proceed； I appear to be in a
divine fury； for already I am getting into dithyrambics。
Phaedr。 Nothing can be truer。
Soc。 The responsibility rests with you。 But hear what follows； and
Perhaps the fit may be averted； all is in their hands above。 I will go
on talking to my youth。 Listen：
Thus； my friend； we have declared and defined the nature of the
subject。 Keeping the definition in view； let us now enquire what
advantage or disadvantage is likely to ensue from the lover or the
non…lover to him who accepts their advances。
He who is the victim of his passions and the slave of pleasure
will of course desire to make his beloved as agreeable to himself as
possible。 Now to him who has a mind discased anything is agreeable
which is not opposed to him； but that which is equal or superior is
hateful to him； and therefore the lover Will not brook any superiority
or equality on the part of his beloved； he is always employed in
reducing him to inferiority。 And the ignorant is the inferior of the
wise； the coward of the brave； the slow of speech of the speaker；
the dull of the clever。 These； and not these only； are the mental
defects of the beloved；…defects which； when implanted by nature； are
necessarily a delight to the lover； and when not implanted； he must
contrive to implant them in him； if he would not be deprived of his
fleeting joy。 And therefore he cannot help being jealous； and will
debar his beloved from the advantages of society which would make a
man of him； and especially from that society which would have given
him wisdom； and thereby he cannot fail to do him great harm。 That is
to say； in his excessive fear lest he should come to be despised in
his eyes he will be compelled to banish from him divine philosophy；
and there is no greater injury which he can inflict upon him than
this。 He will contrive that his beloved shall be wholly ignorant；
and in everything shall look to him； he is to be the delight of the
lover's heart； and a curse to himself。 Verily； a lover is a profitable
guardian and associate for him in all that relates to his mind。
Let us next see how his master； whose law of life is pleasure and
not good； will keep and train the body of his servant。 Will he not
choose a beloved who is delicate rather than sturdy and strong？ One
brought up in shady bowers and not in the bright sun； a stranger to
manly exercises and the sweat of toil； accustomed only to a soft and
luxurious diet； instead of the hues of health having the colours of
paint and ornament； and the rest of a piece？…such a life as any one
can imagine and which I need not detail at length。 But I may sum up
all that I have to say in a word； and pass on。 Such a person in war；
or in any of the great crises of life； will be the anxiety of his
friends and also of his lover； and certainly not the terror of his
enemies； which nobody can deny。
And now let us tell what advantage or disadvantage the beloved
will receive from the guardianship and society of his lover in the
matter of his property； this is the next point to be considered。 The
lover will be the first to see what； indeed； will be sufficiently
evident to all men； that he desires above all things to deprive his
beloved of his dearest and best and holiest possessions； father；
mother； kindred； friends； of all whom he thinks may be hinderers or
reprovers of their most sweet converse； he will even cast a jealous
eye upon his gold and silver or other property； because these make him
a less easy prey； and when caught less manageable； hence he is of
necessity displeased at his possession of them and rejoices at their
loss； and he would like him to be wifeless； childless； homeless； as
well； and the longer the better； for the longer he is all this； the
longer he will enjoy him。
There are some soft of animals； such as flatterers； who are
dangerous and； mischievous enough； and yet nature has mingled a
temporary pleasure and grace in their composition。 You may say that
a courtesan is hurtful； and disapprove of such creatures and their
practices； and yet for the time they are very pleasant。 But the
lover is not only hurtful to his love； he is also an extremely
disagreeable companion。 The old proverb says that 〃birds of a
feather flock together〃； I suppose that equality of years inclines
them to the same pleasures； and similarity begets friendship； yet
you may have more than enough even of this； and verily constraint is
always said to be grievous。 Now the lover is not only unlike his
beloved； but he forces himself upon him。 For he is old and his love is
young； and neither day nor night will he leave him if he can help；
necessity and the sting of desire drive him on； and allure him with
the pleasure which he receives from seeing； hearing； touching；
perceiving him in every way。 And therefore he is delighted to fasten
upon him and to minister to him。 But what pleasure or consolation
can the beloved be receiving all this time？ Must he not feel the
extremity of disgust when he looks at an old shrivelled face and the
remainder to match； which even in a description is disagreeable； and
quite detestable when he is forced into daily contact with his
lover； moreover he is jealously watched and guarded against everything
and everybody； and has to hear misplaced and exaggerated praises of
himself； and censures equally inappropriate； which are intolerable
when the man is sober； and； besides being intolerable； are published
all over the world in all their indelicacy and wearisomeness when he
is drunk。
And not only while his love continues is he mischievous and
unpleasant； but when his love ceases he becomes a perfidious enemy
of him on whom he showered his oaths and prayers and promises； and yet
could hardly prevail upon him to tolerate the tedium of his company
even from motives of interest。 The hour of payment arrives； and now he
is the servant of another master； instead of love and infatuation；
wisdom and temperance are his bosom's lords； but the beloved has not
discovered the change which has taken place in him； when he asks for a
return and recalls to his recollection former sayings and doings； he
believes himself to be speaking to the same person； and the other； not
having the courage to confess the truth； and not knowing how to fulfil
the oaths and promises which he made when under the dominion of folly；
and having now grown wise and temperate； does not want to do as he did
or to be as he was before。 And so he runs away and is constrained to
be a defaulter； the oyster…shell has fallen with the other side
uppermost…he changes pursuit into flight； while the other is compelled
to follow him with passion and imprecation not knowing that he ought
never from the first to have accepted a demented lover instead of a
sensible non…lover； and that in making such a choice he was giving
himself up to a faithl