The Dialogues of Plato (Jowett)/Phaedrus Introduction

←

Cratylus

The Dialogues of Plato
by Plato

Phaedrus Introduction by Benjamin Jowett

Phaedrus (the Dialogue)

→

3748045The Dialogues of Plato — Phaedrus IntroductionBenjamin Jowett

PHAEDRUS.

INTRODUCTION.

Phaedrus.
Introduction The Phaedrus is closely connected with the Symposium, and Phaedrus. may be regarded either as introducing or following it. The two Dialogues together contain the whole philosophy of Plato on the nature of love, which in the Republic and in the later writings of Plato is only introduced playfully or as a figure of speech. But in the Phaedrus and Symposium love and philosophy join hands, and one is an aspect of the other. The spiritual and emotional part is elevated into the ideal, to which in the Symposium man- kind are described as looking forward, and which in the Phaedrus, as well as in the Phaedo, they are seeking to recover from a former state of existence. Whether the subject of the Dialogue is love or rhetoric, or the union of the two, or the relation of philosophy to love and to art in general, and to the human soul, will be here- after considered. And perhaps we may arrive at some conclusion such as the following — that the dialogue is not strictly confined to a single subject, but passes from one to another with the natural freedom of conversation.

^{Steph. 227} Analysis. Phaedrus lias been spending the morning with Lysias, the celebrated rhetorician, and is going to refresh himself by taking a walk outside the wall, when he is met by Socrates, who professes that he will not leave him vmtil he has delivered up the speech ²²⁸ with which Lysias has regaled him, and which he is carrying about in his mind, or more probably in a book hidden under his cloak, and is intending to study as he walks. The imputation is not denied, and the two agree to direct their steps out of the public way along the stream of the Ilissus towards a plane-tree which is seen in the distance. There, lying down amidst pleasant sounds and scents, they will read the speech of Lysias. The ²²⁹ country is a novelty to Socrates, who never goes out of the town;

Phaedrtis. and hence he is full of admiration for the beauties of nature, which Analysis, he seems to be drinking in for the first time. As they are on their way, Phaedrus asks the opinion of Socrates respecting the local tradition of Boreas and Oreithyia. Socrates, after a satirical allusion to the ' rationalizers ' of his day, replies that he has no time for these 'nice ' interpretations of mythology, and he pities any one who has. When you once begin there is no end of them, and they spring from an uncritical philosophy after all. ' The proper study of mankind is man ; ' and he is a far more complex and wonderful being than the serpent Typho. Socrates 230 as yet does not know himself; and why should he care to know about unearthly monsters ? Engaged in such conversation, they arrive at the plane-tree ; when they have found a convenient resting-place, Phaedrus pulls out the speech and reads : — ■ The speech consists of a foolish paradox which is to the effect that the non-lover ought to be accepted rather than the lover — 231 because he is more rational, more agreeable, more enduring, less suspicious, less hurtful, less boastful, less engrossing, and because there are more of them, and for a great many other reasons which are equally unmeaning. Phaedrus is captivated with the beauty of the periods, and wants to make Socrates say that nothing was or ever could be written better. Socrates does not think much of 235 the matter, but then he has only attended to the form, and in that he has detected several repetitions and other marks of haste. He cannot agree with Phaedrus in the extreme value which he sets upon this performance, because he is afraid of doing injustice to Anacreon and Sappho and other great writers, and is almost inclined to think that he himself, or rather some power residing within him, could make a speech better than that of Lysias on the same theme, and also different from his, if he may be allowed the 236 use of a few commonplaces which all speakers must equally employ. Phaedrus is delighted at the prospect of having another speech, and promises that he will set up a golden statue of Socrates at Delphi, if he keeps his word. Some raillery ensues, and at length Socrates, conquered by the threat that he shall never again hear a speech of Lysias unless he fulfils his promise, veils his face 237 and begins.

PHAEDRUS.

PERSONS OF THE DIALOGUE.

Socrates.

Phaedrus.

Scene:—Under a plane-tree, by the banks of the Ilissus.

^{Steph. 227}

Phaedrus.
Socrates, Phaedrus.

Phaedrus who has just left Lysias the orator, is about to take a walk in the country, when he meets Socrates.

SOCRATES. My dear Phaedrus, whence come you, and whither are you going?

Phaedrus. I have 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 accom- pany 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 ?

The theme of Lysias was a paradox about love. 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

Phaedrus.
Socrates, Phaedrus. 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 j'ou 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 ²²⁸ 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.

The ways of Phaedrus are well known to Socrates, 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 un- usually 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 re- joiced ; 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.