Phaedrus

​SOCRATES: And while he is loving, he is harmful and unpleasant, but when his love has ceased, he becomes untrustworthy for the time thereafter, for which he promised many things with many oaths and entreaties, and barely maintained the companionship of that time, which was painful to bear, through the hope of good things. And then, when it is time to pay, having changed to another ruler and guardian within himself, mind and self-control instead of love and madness, he has become another person without his beloved realizing it. And the boy demands a return for those things of that time, reminding him of what was done and said, as if talking to the same person; but he, out of shame, neither dares to say that he has become another, nor does he know how to make firm the oaths and promises of his former foolish rule, having already obtained mind and self-control, lest by doing the same things as before he should become like that former self and become the same person again. Consequently, he becomes a fugitive from these, and the former lover, having necessarily defaulted on his promises, like the spinning of a shell, changes his course and rushes into flight; and the other is forced to pursue him, being angry and calling upon the gods, having been completely ignorant of the whole matter from the beginning, namely, that he should never have granted his favors to a lover who was of necessity out of his mind, but much rather to one who was not in love and possessed a mind; otherwise, it would be necessary to surrender himself to one who is untrustworthy, sullen, envious, unpleasant, harmful to his property, harmful to his bodily condition, and by far most harmful to the education of his soul, than which nothing is or ever will be truly more honored among both men and gods. Therefore, my boy, you must consider these things, and know that the friendship of a lover does not arise with goodwill, but like food, for the sake of satiety, as wolves love lambs, so lovers love a boy. This is that, Phaedrus. You would no longer hear me speaking beyond this, but let my speech now have its end. PHAEDRUS: And yet I thought it was in the middle, and that it would say equal things about the non-lover, how one ought to favor him more, telling how many good things he has in turn; but now, Socrates, why are you stopping? SOCRATES: Did you not notice, my blessed friend, that I am already uttering epic verses and no longer dithyrambs, and that too while finding fault? If I begin to praise the other, what do you think I shall do? Do you not know that I shall clearly be possessed by the Nymphs, to whom you intentionally exposed me? So I say in a single word, that for all the things we have reviled in the one, the opposite good things belong to the other. And what need is there of a long speech? For enough has been said about both.

​SOCRATES: And so indeed the myth will suffer that which is fitting for it to suffer; and I shall cross this river and go away before I am forced by you to do something greater. PHAEDRUS: Not yet, Socrates, not until the heat has passed. Or do you not see that it is almost already noon, the so-called stationary noon? But let us wait and discuss what has been said together, and perhaps we shall go when it cools off. SOCRATES: You are indeed divine concerning speeches, Phaedrus, and absolutely wonderful. For I think that of the speeches produced in your lifetime, no one has caused more to be made than you, either by speaking them yourself or by forcing others in one way or another—I exclude Simmias of Thebes from my speech; but you far surpass all the others—and now again you seem to have been the cause of a certain speech being spoken by me. PHAEDRUS: You are certainly not announcing war. But how indeed and what is this? SOCRATES: When I was about to cross the river, my good friend, the demonic sign, which is accustomed to happen to me, occurred— and it always holds me back from whatever I am about to do—and I seemed to hear a voice from this very place, which does not allow me to depart until I have made expiation, on the ground that I have committed some offense against the divine. Now, I am indeed a prophet, though not a very serious one, but like those who are poor at reading and writing, sufficient only for myself; so now I clearly understand my offense. For indeed, my companion, the soul is also something prophetic; for it troubled me even some time ago while I was speaking the speech, and I was somehow shrinking back after the manner of Ibycus, lest by sinning against the gods “I should purchase honor from men;” but now I have perceived the offense. PHAEDRUS: What indeed do you mean? SOCRATES: A dreadful, Phaedrus, a dreadful speech you have brought yourself and forced me to speak. PHAEDRUS: How so? SOCRATES: Foolish and somewhat impious; than which what could be more dreadful? PHAEDRUS: Nothing, if indeed you speak the truth. SOCRATES: What then? Do you not believe Love to be a son of Aphrodite and a god? PHAEDRUS: So it is said. SOCRATES: Certainly not by Lysias, nor by that speech of yours, which was spoken through my mouth after being drugged by you.