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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 faithless； morose； envious； disagreeable being；
hurtful to his estate； hurtful to his bodily health； and still more
hurtful to the cultivation of his mind； than which there neither is
nor ever will be anything more honoured in the eyes both of gods and
men。 Consider this； fair youth； and know that in the friendship of the
lover there is no real kindness； he has an appetite and wants to
feed upon you：
As wolves love lambs so lovers love their loves。
But I told you so； I am speaking in verse； and therefore I had
better make an end； enough。
Phaedr。 I thought that you were only halfway and were going to
make a similar speech about all the advantages of accepting the
non…lover。 Why do you not proceed？
Soc。 Does not your simplicity observe that I have got out of
dithyrambics into heroics； when only uttering a censure on the
lover？ And if I am to add the praises of the non…lover； what will
become of me？ Do you not perceive that I am already overtaken by the
Nymphs to whom you have mischievously exposed me？ And therefore will
only add that the non…lover has all the advantages in which the
lover is accused of being deficient。 And now I will say no more； there
has been enough of both of them。 Leaving the tale to its fate； I
will cross the river and make the best of my way home； lest a worse
thing be inflicted upon me by you。
Phaedr。 Not yet； Socrates； not until the heat of the day has passed；
do you not see that the hour is almost noon？ there is the midday sun
standing still； as people say； in the meridian。 Let us rather stay and
talk over what has been said； and then return in the cool。
Soc。 Your love of discourse； Phaedrus； is superhuman； simply
marvellous； and I do not believe that there is any one of your
contemporaries who has either made or in one way or another has
compelled others to make an equal number of speeches。 I would except
Simmias the Theban； but all the rest are far behind you。 And now； I do
verily believe that you have been the cause of another。
Phaedr。 That is good news。 But what do you mean？
Soc。 I mean to say that as I was about to cross the stream the usual
sign was given to me；…that sign which always forbids； but never
bids； me to do anything which I am going to do； and I thought that I
heard a voice saying in my car that I had been guilty of impiety； and。
that I must not go away until I had made an atonement。 Now I am a
diviner； though not a very good one； but I have enough religion for my
own use； as you might say of a bad writer…his writing is good enough
for him； and I am beginning to see that I was in error。 O my friend；
how prophetic is the human soul！ At the time I had a sort of
misgiving； and； like Ibycus； 〃I was troubled； I feared that I might be
buying honour from men at the price of sinning against the gods。〃
Now I recognize my error。
Phaedr。 What error？
Soc。 That was a dreadful speech which you brought with you； and
you made me utter one as bad。
Phaedr。 How so？
Soc。 It was foolish； I say；…to a certain extent； impious； can
anything be more dreadful？
Phaedr。 Nothing； if the speech was really such as you describe。
Soc。 Well； and is not Eros the son of Aphrodite； and a god？
Phaedr。 So men say。
Soc。 But that was not acknowledged by Lysias in his speech； nor by
you in that other speech which you by a charm drew from my lips。 For
if love be； as he surely is； a divinity； he cannot be evil。 Yet this
was the error of both the speeches。 There was also a simplicity
about them which was refreshing； having no truth or honesty in them；
nevertheless they pretended to be something； hoping to succeed in
deceiving the manikins of earth and gain celebrity among them。
Wherefore I must have a purgation。 And I bethink me of an ancient
purgation of mythological error which was devised； not by Homer； for
he never had the wit to discover why he was blind； but by Stesichorus；
who was a philosopher and knew the reason why； and therefore； when
he lost his eyes； for that was the penalty which was inflicted upon
him for reviling the lovely Helen； he at once purged himself。 And
the purgation was a recantation； which began thus；…
False is that word of mine…the truth is that thou didst not embark
in ships； nor ever go to the walls of Troy；
and when he had completed his poem； which is called 〃the recantation；〃
immediately his sight returned to him。 Now I will be wiser than either
Stesichorus or Homer； in that I am going to make my recantation for
reviling love before I suffer； and this I will attempt； not as before；
veiled and ashamed； but with forehead bold and bare。
Phaedr。 Nothing could be more agreeable to me than to hear you say
so。
Soc。 Only think； my good Phaedrus； what an utter want of delicacy
was shown in the two discourses； I mean； in my own and in that which
you recited out of the book。 Would not any one who was himself of a
noble and gentle nature； and who loved or ever had loved a nature like
his own； when we tell of the petty causes of lovers' jealousies； and
of their exceeding animosities； and of the injuries which they do to
their beloved； have imagined that our ideas of love were taken from
some haunt of sailors to which good manners were unknown…he would
certainly never have admitted the justice of our censure？
Phaedr。 I dare say not； Socrates。
Soc。 Therefore； because I blush at the thought of this person； and
also because I am afraid of Love himself； I desire to wash the brine
out of my ears with water from the spring； and I would counsel
Lysias not to d