Soc。　Very　true；　my　good　friend；　and　I　hope　that　you　will　excuse　me
  when　you　hear　the　reason；　which　is；　that　I　am　a　lover　of　knowledge；
  and　the　men　who　dwell　in　the　city　are　my　teachers；　and　not　the　trees
  or　the　country。　Though　I　do　indeed　believe　that　you　have　found　a　spell
  with　which　to　draw　me　out　of　the　city　into　the　country；　like　a
  hungry　cow　before　whom　a　bough　or　a　bunch　of　fruit　is　waved。　For
  only　hold　up　before　me　in　like　manner　a　book；　and　you　may　lead　me
  all　round　Attica；　and　over　the　wide　world。　And　now　having　arrived；　I
  intend　to　lie　down；　and　do　you　choose　any　posture　in　which　you　can
  read　best。　Begin。
  Phaedr。　Listen。　You　know　how　matters　stand　with　me；　and　how；　as　I
  conceive；　this　affair　may　be　arranged　for　the　advantage　of　both　of　us。
  And　I　maintain　that　I　ought　not　to　fail　in　my　suit；　because　I　am　not
  your　lover：　for　lovers　repent　of　the　kindnesses　which　they　have
  shown　when　their　passion　ceases；　but　to　the　non…lovers　who　are　free
  and　not　under　any　compulsion；　no　time　of　repentance　ever　comes；　for
  they　confer　their　benefits　according　to　the　measure　of　their
  ability；　in　the　way　which　is　most　conducive　to　their　own　interest。
  Then　again；　lovers　consider　how　by　reason　of　their　love　they　have
  neglected　their　own　concerns　and　rendered　service　to　others：　and
  when　to　these　benefits　conferred　they　add　on　the　troubles　which　they
  have　endured；　they　think　that　they　have　long　ago　made　to　the　beloved　a
  very　ample　return。　But　the　non…lover　has　no　such　tormenting
  recollections；　he　has　never　neglected　his　affairs　or　quarrelled　with
  his　relations；　he　has　no　troubles　to　add　up　or　excuse　to　invent；　and
  being　well　rid　of　all　these　evils；　why　should　he　not　freely　do　what
  will　gratify　the　beloved？
  If　you　say　that　the　lover　is　more　to　be　esteemed；　because　his　love
  is　thought　to　be　greater；　for　he　is　willing　to　say　and　do　what　is
  hateful　to　other　men；　in　order　to　please　his　beloved；…that；　if　true；
  is　only　a　proof　that　he　will　prefer　any　future　love　to　his　present；
  and　will　injure　his　old　love　at　the　pleasure　of　the　new。　And　how；　in　a
  matter　of　such　infinite　importance；　can　a　man　be　right　in　trusting
  himself　to　one　who　is　afflicted　with　a　malady　which　no　experienced
  person　would　attempt　to　cure；　for　the　patient　himself　admits　that　he
  is　not　in　his　right　mind；　and　acknowledges　that　he　is　wrong　in　his
  mind；　but　says　that　he　is　unable　to　control　himself？　And　if　he　came　to
  his　right　mind；　would　he　ever　imagine　that　the　desires　were　good　which
  he　conceived　when　in　his　wrong　mind？　Once　more；　there　are　many　more
  non…lovers　than　lovers；　and　if　you　choose　the　best　of　the　lovers；
  you　will　not　have　many　to　choose　from；　but　if　from　the　non…lovers；　the
  choice　will　be　larger；　and　you　will　be　far　more　likely　to　find　among
  them　a　person　who　is　worthy　of　your　friendship。　If　public　opinion　be
  your　dread；　and　you　would　avoid　reproach；　in　all　probability　the
  lover；　who　is　always　thinking　that　other　men　are　as　emulous　of　him
  as　he　is　of　them；　will　boast　to　some　one　of　his　successes；　and　make
  a　show　of　them　openly　in　the　pride　of　his　heart；…he　wants　others　to
  know　that　his　labour　has　not　been　lost；　but　the　non…lover　is　more
  his　own　master；　and　is　desirous　of　solid　good；　and　not　of　the
  opinion　of　mankind。　Again；　the　lover　may　be　generally　noted　or　seen
  following　the　beloved　（this　is　his　regular　occupation）；　and　whenever
  they　are　observed　to　exchange　two　words　they　are　supposed　to　meet
  about　some　affair　of　love　either　past　or　in　contemplation；　but　when
  non…lovers　meet；　no　one　asks　the　reason　why；　because　people　know
  that　talking　to　another　is　natural；　whether　friendship　or　mere
  pleasure　be　the　motive。
  Once　more；　if　you　fear　the　fickleness　of　friendship；　consider　that
  in　any　other　case　a　quarrel　might　be　a　mutual　calamity；　but　now；
  when　you　have　given　up　what　is　most　precious　to　you；　you　will　be　the
  greater　loser；　and　therefore；　you　will　have　more　reason　in　being
  afraid　of　the　lover；　for　his　vexations　are　many；　and　he　is　always
  fancying　that　every　one　is　leagued　against　him。　Wherefore　also　he
  debars　his　beloved　from　society；　he　will　not　have　you　intimate　with
  the　wealthy；　lest　they　should　exceed　him　in　wealth；　or　with　men　of
  education；　lest　they　should　be　his　superiors　in　understanding；　and
  he　is　equally　afraid　of　anybody's　influence　who　has　any　other
  advantage　over　himself。　If　he　can　persuade　you　to　break　with　them；　you
  are　left　without　friend　in　the　world；　or　if；　out　of　a　regard　to　your
  own　interest；　you　have　more　sense　than　to　comply　with　his　desire；
  you　will　have　to　quarrel　with　him。　But　those　who　are　non…lovers；　and
  whose　success　in　love　is　the　reward　of　their　merit；　will　not　be
  jealous　of　the　companions　of　their　beloved；　and　will　rather　hate　those
  who　refuse　to　be　his　associates；　thinking　that　their　favourite　is
  slighted　by　the　latter　and　benefited　by　the　former；　for　more　love　than
  hatred　may　be　expected　to　come　to　him　out　of　his　friendship　with
  others。　Many　lovers　too　have　loved　the　person　of　a　youth　before　they
  knew　his　character　or　his　belongings；　so　that　when　their　passion　has
  passed　away；　there　is　no　knowing　whether　they　will　continue　to　be
  his　friends；　whereas；　in　the　case　of　non…lovers　who　were　always
  friends；　the　friendship　is　not　lessened　by　the　favours　granted；　but
  the　recollection　of　these　remains　with　them；　and　is　an　earnest　of　good
  things　to　come。
  Further；　I　say　that　you　are　likely　to　be　improved　by　me；　whereas　the
  lover　will　spoil　you。　For　they　praise　your　words　and　actions　in　a
  wrong　way；　partly；　because　they　are　afraid　of　offending　you；　and　also；
  their　judgment　is　weakened　by　passion。　Such　are　the　feats　which　love
  exhibits；　he　makes　things　painful　to　the　disappointed　which　give　no
  pain　to　others；　he　compels　the　successful　lover　to　praise　what　ought
  not　to　give　him　pleasure；　and　therefore　the　beloved　is　to　be　pitied
  rather　than　envied。　But　if　you　listen　to　me；　in　the　first　place；　I；　in
  my　intercourse　with　you；　shall　not　merely　regard　present　enjoyment；
  but　also　future　advantage；　being　not　mastered　by　love；　but　my　own
  master；　nor　for　small　causes　taking　violent　dislikes；　but　even　when
  the　cause　is　great；　slowly　laying　up　little　wrath…unintentional
  offences　I　shall　forgive；　and　intentional　ones　I　shall　try　to　prevent；
  and　these　are　the　marks　of　a　friendship　which　will　last。
  Do　you　think　that　a　lover　only　can　be　a　firm　friend？　reflect：…if
  this　were　true；　we　should　set　small　value　on　sons；　or　fathers；　or
  mothers；　nor　should　we　ever　have　loyal　friends；　for　our　love　of　them
  arises　not　from　passion；　but　from　other　associations。　Further；　if　we
  ought　to　shower　favours　on　those　who　are　the　most　eager　suitors；…on
  that　principle；　we　ought　always　to　do　good；　not　to　the　most
  virtuous；　but　to　the　most　needy；　for　they　are　the　persons　who　will
  be　most　relieved；　and　will　therefore　be　the　most　grateful；　and　when
  you　make　a　feast　you　should　invite　not　your　friend；　but　the　beggar　and
  the　empty　soul；　for　they　will　love　you；　and　attend　you；　and　come　about
  your　doors；　and　will　be　the　best　pleased；　and　the　most　grateful；　and
  will　invoke　many　a　blessing　on　your　head。　Yet　surely　you　ought　not
  to　be　granting　favours　to　those　who　besiege　you　with　prayer；　but　to
  those　who　are　best　able　to　reward　you；　nor　to　the　lover　only；　but　to
  those　who　are　worthy　of　love；　nor　to　those　who　will　enjoy　the　bloom　of
  your　youth；　but　to　those　who　will　share　their　possessions　with　you
  in　age；　nor　to　those　who；　having　succeeded；　will　glory　in　their
  success　to　others；　but　to　those　who　will　be　modest　and　tell　no
  tales；　nor　to　those　who　care　about　you　for　a　moment　only；　but　to　those
  who　will　continue　your　friends　through　life；　nor　to　those　who；　when
  their　passion　is　over；　will　pick　a　quarrel　with　you；　but　rather　to
  those　who；　when　the　charm　of　youth　has　left　you；　will　show　their　own
  virtue。　Remember　what　I　have　said；　and　consider　yet　this　further
  point：　friends　admonish　the　lover　under　the　idea　that　his　way　of
  life　is　bad；　but　no　one　of　his　kindred　ever　yet　censured　the
  non…lover；　or　thought　that　he　was　ill…advised　about　his　own　interests。
  〃Perhaps　you　will　ask　me　whether　I　propose　that　you　should　indulge
  every　non…lover。　To　which　I　reply　that　not　even　the　lover　would　advise
  you　to　indulge　all　lovers；　for　the　indiscriminate　favour　is　less
  esteemed　by　the　rational　recipient；　and　less　easily　hidden　by　him
  who　would　escape　the　censure　of　the　world。　Now　love　ought　to　be　for
  the　advantage　of　both　parties；　and　for　the　i