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comes at which they receive their wings they have the same plumage
because of their love。
Thus great are the heavenly blessings which the friendship of a
lover will confer upon you； my youth。 Whereas the attachment of the
non…lover； which is alloyed with a worldly prudence and has worldly
and niggardly ways of doling out benefits； will breed in your soul
those vulgar qualities which the populace applaud； will send you
bowling round the earth during a period of nine thousand years； and
leave； you a fool in the world below。
And thus； dear Eros； I have made and paid my recantation； as well
and as fairly as I could； more especially in the matter of the
poetical figures which I was compelled to use； because Phaedrus
would have them。 And now forgive the past and accept the present；
and be gracious and merciful to me； and do not in thine anger
deprive me of sight； or take from me the art of love which thou hast
given me； but grant that I may be yet more esteemed in the eyes of the
fair。 And if Phaedrus or I myself said anything rude in our first
speeches； blame Lysias； who is the father of the brat； and let us have
no more of his progeny； bid him study philosophy； like his brother
Polemarchus； and then his lover Phaedrus will no longer halt between
two opinions； but will dedicate himself wholly to love and to
philosophical discourses。
Phaedr。 I join in the prayer； Socrates； and say with you； if this be
for my good； may your words come to pass。 But why did you make your
second oration so much finer than the first？ I wonder why。 And I begin
to be afraid that I shall lose conceit of Lysias； and that he will
appear tame in comparison； even if he be willing to put another as
fine and as long as yours into the field； which I doubt。 For quite
lately one of your politicians was abusing him on this very account；
and called him a 〃speech writer〃 again and again。 So that a feeling of
pride may probably induce him to give up writing speeches。
Soc。 What a very amusing notion！ But I think； my young man； that you
are much mistaken in your friend if you imagine that he is
frightened at a little noise； and possibly； you think that his
assailant was in earnest？
Phaedr。 I thought； Socrates； that he was。 And you are aware that the
greatest and most influential statesmen are ashamed of writing
speeches and leaving them in a written form； lest they should be
called Sophists by posterity。
Soc。 You seem to be unconscious； Phaedrus； that the 〃sweet elbow〃 of
the proverb is really the long arm of the Nile。 And you appear to be
equally unaware of the fact that this sweet elbow of theirs is also
a long arm。 For there is nothing of which our great politicians are so
fond as of writing speeches and bequeathing them to posterity。 And
they add their admirers' names at the top of the writing； out of
gratitude to them。
Phaedr。 What do you mean？ I do not understand。
Soc。 Why； do you not know that when a politician writes； he begins
with the names of his approvers？
Phaedr。 How so？
Soc。 Why； he begins in this manner： 〃Be it enacted by the senate；
the people； or both； on the motion of a certain person；〃 who is our
author； and so putting on a serious face； he proceeds to display his
own wisdom to his admirers in what is often a long and tedious
composition。 Now what is that sort of thing but a regular piece of
authorship？
Phaedr。 True。
Soc。 And if the law is finally approved； then the author leaves
the theatre in high delight； but if the law is rejected and he is done
out of his speech…making； and not thought good enough to write； then
he and his party are in mourning。
Phaedr。 Very true。
Soc。 So far are they from despising； or rather so highly do they
value the practice of writing。
Phaedr。 No doubt。
Soc。 And when the king or orator has the power； as Lycurgus or Solon
or Darius had； of attaining an immortality or authorship in a state；
is he not thought by posterity； when they see his compositions； and
does he not think himself； while he is yet alive； to be a god？
Phaedr。 Very true。
Soc。 Then do you think that any one of this class； however
ill…disposed； would reproach Lysias with being an author？
Phaedr。 Not upon your view； for according to you he would be casting
a slur upon his own favourite pursuit。
Soc。 Any one may see that there is no disgrace in the mere fact of
writing。
Phaedr。 Certainly not。
Soc。 The disgrace begins when a man writes not well； but badly。
Phaedr。 Clearly。
Soc。 And what is well and what is badly…need we ask Lysias； or any
other poet or orator； who ever wrote or will write either a
political or any other work； in metre or out of metre； poet or prose
writer； to teach us this？
Phaedr。 Need we？ For what should a man live if not for the pleasures
of discourse？ Surely not for the sake of bodily pleasures； which
almost always have previous pain as a condition of them； and therefore
are rightly called slavish。
Soc。 There is time enough。 And I believe that the grasshoppers
chirruping after their manner in the heat of the sun over our heads
are talking to one another and looking down at us。 What would they say
if they saw that we； like the many； are not conversing； but slumbering
at mid…day； lulled by their voices； too indolent to think？ Would
they not have a right to laugh at us？ They might imagine that we
were slaves； who； coming to rest at a place of resort of theirs；
like sheep lie asleep at noon around the well。 But if they see us
discoursing； and like Odysseus sailing past them； deaf to their
siren voices； they may perhaps； out of respect； give us of the gifts
which they receive from the gods that they may impart them to men。
Phaedr。 What gifts do you mean？ I never heard of any。
Soc。 A lover of music like yourself ought surely to have heard the
story of the grasshoppers； who are said to have been human beings in
an age before the Muses。 And when the Muses came and song appeared
they were ravished with delight； and singing always； never thought
of eating and drinking； until at last in their forgetfulness they
died。 And now they live again in the grasshoppers； and this is the
return which the Muses make to them…they neither hunger； nor thirst；
but from the hour of their birth are always singing； and never
eating or drinking； and when they die they go and inform the Muses
in heaven who honours them on earth。 They win the love of
Terpsichore for the dancers by their report of them； of Erato for
the lovers； and of the other Muses for those who do