360　BC
  SYMPOSIUM
  by　Plato
  translated　by　Benjamin　Jowett
  SYMPOSIUM
  PERSONS　OF　THE　DIALOGUE：　APOLLODORUS；　who　repeats　to　his　companion　the　dialogue　which　he　had　heard　from　Aristodemus；　and　had　already　once　narrated　to　Glaucon；　PHAEDRUS；　PAUSANIAS；　ERYXIMACHUS；　ARISTOPHANES；　AGATHON；　SOCRATES；　ALCIBIADES；　A　TROOP　OF　REVELLERS。　Scene：　The　House　of　Agathon。
  Concerning　the　things　about　which　you　ask　to　be　informed　I　believe　that　I　am　not　ill…prepared　with　an　answer。　For　the　day　before　yesterday　I　was　coming　from　my　own　home　at　Phalerum　to　the　city；　and　one　of　my　acquaintance；　who　had　caught　a　sight　of　me　from　behind；　hind；　out　playfully　in　the　distance；　said：　Apollodorus；　O　thou　Phalerian　man；　halt！　So　I　did　as　I　was　bid；　and　then　he　said；　I　was　looking　for　you；　Apollodorus；　only　just　now；　that　I　might　ask　you　about　the　speeches　in　praise　of　love；　which　were　delivered　by　Socrates；　Alcibiades；　and　others；　at　Agathon's　supper。　Phoenix；　the　son　of　Philip；　told　another　person　who　told　me　of　them；　his　narrative　was　very　indistinct；　but　he　said　that　you　knew；　and　I　wish　that　you　would　give　me　an　account　of　them。　Who；　if　not　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　indistinct　indeed；　if　you　imagine　that　the　occasion　was　recent；　or　that　I　could　have　been　of　the　party。　　　Why；　yes；　he　replied；　I　thought　so。　　　Impossible：　I　said。　Are　you　ignorant　that　for　many　years　Agathon　has　not　resided　at　Athens；　and　not　three　have　elapsed　since　I　became　acquainted　with　Socrates；　and　have　made　it　my　daily　business　to　know　all　that　he　says　and　does。　There　was　a　time　when　I　was　running　about　the　world；　fancying　myself　to　be　well　employed；　but　I　was　really　a　most　wretched　thing；　no　better　than　you　are　now。　I　thought　that　I　ought　to　do　anything　rather　than　be　a　philosopher。　　　Well；　he　said；　jesting　apart；　tell　me　when　the　meeting　occurred。　　　In　our　boyhood；　I　replied；　when　Agathon　won　the　prize　with　his　first　tragedy；　on　the　day　after　that　on　which　he　and　his　chorus　offered　the　sacrifice　of　victory。　　　Then　it　must　have　been　a　long　while　ago；　he　said；　and　who　told　you…did　Socrates？　　　No　indeed；　I　replied；　but　the　same　person　who　told　Phoenix；…he　was　a　little　fellow；　who　never　wore　any　shoes　Aristodemus；　of　the　deme　of　Cydathenaeum。　He　had　been　at　Agathon's　feast；　and　I　think　that　in　those　days　there　was　no　one　who　was　a　more　devoted　admirer　of　Socrates。　Moreover；　I　have　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　just　made　for　conversation？　And　so　we　walked；　and　talked　of　the　discourses　on　love；　and　therefore；　as　I　said　at　first；　I　am　not　ill…prepared　to　comply　with　your　request；　and　will　have　another　rehearsal　of　them　if　you　like。　For　to　speak　or　to　hear　others　speak　of　philosophy　always　gives　me　the　greatest　pleasure；　to　say　nothing　of　the　profit。　But　when　I　hear　another　strain；　especially　that　of　you　rich　men　and　traders；　such　conversation　displeases　me；　and　I　pity　you　who　are　my　companions；　because　you　think　that　you　are　doing　something　when　in　reality　you　are　doing　nothing。　And　I　dare　say　that　you　pity　me　in　return；　whom　you　regard　as　an　unhappy　creature；　and　very　probably　you　are　right。　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；　with　the　exception　of　Socrates；　yourself　first　of　all；　true　in　this　to　your　old　name；　which；　however　deserved　I　know　how　you　acquired；　of　Apollodorus　the　madman；　for　you　are　always　raging　against　yourself　and　everybody　but　Socrates。　　　Apollodorus。　Yes；　friend；　and　the　reason　why　I　am　said　to　be　mad；　and　out　of　my　wits；　is　just　because　I　have　these　notions　of　myself　and　you；　no　other　evidence　is　required。　　　Com。　No　more　of　that；　Apollodorus；　but　let　me　renew　my　request　that　you　would　repeat　the　conversation。　　　Apoll。　Well；　the　tale　of　love　was　on　this　wise：…But　perhaps　I　had　better　begin　at　the　beginning；　and　endeavour　to　give　you　the　exact　words　of　Aristodemus：　　　He　said　that　he　met　Socrates　fresh　from　the　bath　and　sandalled；　and　as　the　sight　of　the　sandals　was　unusual；　he　asked　him　whither　he　was　going　that　he　had　been　converted　into　such　a　beau：…　　　To　a　banquet　at　Agathon's；　he　replied；　whose　invitation　to　his　sacrifice　of　victory　I　refused　yesterday；　fearing　a　crowd；　but　promising　that　I　would　come　to…day　instead；　and　so　I　have　put　on　my　finery；　because　he　is　such　a　fine　man。　What　say　you　to　going　with　me　unasked？　　　I　will　do　as　you　bid　me；　I　replied。　　　Follow　then；　he　said；　and　let　us　demolish　the　proverb：
  To　the　feasts　of　inferior　men　the　good　unbidden　go；
  instead　of　which　our　proverb　will　run：…
  To　the　feasts　of　the　good　the　good　unbidden　go；
  and　this　alteration　may　be　supported　by　the　authority　of　Homer　himself；　who　not　only　demolishes　but　literally　outrages　the　proverb。　For；　after　picturing　Agamemnon　as　the　most　valiant　of　men；　he　makes　Menelaus；　who　is　but　a　fainthearted　warrior；　come　unbidden　to　the　banquet　of　Agamemnon；　who　is　feasting　and　offering　sacrifices；　not　the　better　to　the　worse；　but　the　worse　to　the　better。　　　I　rather　fear；　Socrates；　said　Aristodemus；　lest　this　may　still　be　my　case；　and　that；　like　Menelaus　in　Homer；　I　shall　be　the　inferior　person；　who
  To　the　leasts　of　the　wise　unbidden　goes。
  But　I　shall　say　that　I　was　bidden　of　you；　and　then　you　will　have　to　make　an　excuse。
  Two　going　together；
  he　replied；　in　Homeric　fashion；　one　or　other　of　them　may　invent　an　excuse　by　the　way。　　　This　was　the　style　of　their　conversation　as　they　went　along。　Socrates　dropped　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　comical　thing　happened。　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；　as　soon　as　he　appeared…you　are　just　in　time　to　sup　with　us；　if　you　come　on　any　other　matter　put　it　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；　but　Socrates　was　nowhere　to　be　seen；　and　I　had　to　explain　that　he　had　been　with　me　a　moment　before；　and　that　I　came　by　his　invitation　to　the　supper。　　　You　were　quite　right　in　coming；　said　Agathon；　but　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；　and　do　you；　Aristodemus；　meanwhile　take　the　place　by　Eryximachus。　　　The　servant　then　assisted　him　to　wash；　and　he　lay　down；　and　presently　another　servant　came　in　and　reported　that　our　friend　Socrates　had　retired　into　the　portico　of　the　neighbouring　house。　〃There　he　is　fixed；〃　said　he；　〃and　when　I　call　to　him　he　will　not　stir。〃　　　How　strange；　said　Agathon；　then　you　must　call　him　again；　and　keep　calling　him。　　　Let　him　alone；　said　my　informant；　he　has　a　way　of　stopping　anywhere　and　losing　himself　without　any　reason。　I　believe　that　he　will　soon　appear；　do　not　therefore　disturb　him。　　　Well；　if　you　think　so；　I　will　leave　him；　said　Agathon。　And　then；　turning　to　the　servants；　he　added；　〃Let　us　have　supper　without　waiting　for　him。　Serve　up　whatever　you　please；　for　there；　is　no　one　to　give　you　orders；　hitherto　I　have　never　left　you　to　yourselves。　But　on　this　occasion　imagine　that　you　art　our　hosts；　and　that　I　and　the　company　are　your　guests；　treat　us　well；　and　then　we　shall　commend　you。〃　After　this；　supper　was　served；　but　still　no…Socrates；　and　during　the　meal　Agathon　several　times　expressed　a　wish　to　send　for　him；　but　Aristodemus　objected；　and　at　last　when　the　feast　was　about　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　you；〃　he　said；　〃and　have　the　benefit　of　that　wise　thought　which　came　into　your　mind　in　the　portico；　and　is　now　in　your　possession；　for　I　am　certain　that　you　would　not　have　come　away　until　you　had　found　what　you　sought。〃　　　How　I　wish；　said　Socrates；　taking　his　place　as　he　was　desired；　that　wisdom　could　be　infused　by　touch；　out　of　the　fuller　the　emptier　man；　as　water　runs　through　wool　out　of　a　fuller　cup　into　an　emptier　one；　if　that　were　so；　how　greatly　should　I　value　the　privilege　of　reclining　at　your　side！　For　you　would　have　filled　me　full　with　a　stream　of　wisdom　plenteous　and　fair；　whereas　my　own　is　of　a　very　mean　and　questionable　sort；　no　better　than　a　dream。　But　yours　is　bright　and　full　of　promise；　and　was　manifested　forth　in　all　the　splendour　of　youth　the　day　before　yesterday；　in　the　presence　of　more　than　thirty　thousand　Hellenes。　　　You　are　mocking；　Socrates；　said　Agathon；　and　ere　lon