SOCRATES: I mean to say that the composition a bad carver might. Just as our two discourses, was mostly playful. Yet in these chance fancies alike assumed, first of all, a single form of un-of the hour were involved two principles of which reason; and then, as the body which from being we should be too glad to have a clearer descrip-one becomes double and may be divided into a tion if art could give us one.
left side and right side, each having parts right and left of the same name—after this manner the PHAEDRUS: What are they?
speaker proceeded to divide the parts of the left side and did not desist until he found in them an SOCRATES: First, the comprehension of scattered evil or left-handed love which he justly reviled; particulars in one idea; as in our definition of and the other discourse leading us to the mad-love, which whether true or false certainly gave ness which lay on the right side, found another clearness and consistency to the discourse, the love, also having the same name, but divine, speaker should define his several notions and so which the speaker held up before us and ap-make his meaning clear.
plauded and affirmed to be the author of the greatest benefits.
PHAEDRUS: What is the other principle, Socrates?
PHAEDRUS: Most true.
SOCRATES: The second principle is that of divi-SOCRATES: I am myself a great lover of these sion into species according to the natural forma-processes of division and generalization; they tion, where the joint is, not breaking any part as help me to speak and to think. And if I find any 102
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man who is able to see ‘a One and Many’ in and, at any rate, is not to be despised by you nature, him I follow, and ‘walk in his footsteps and me. But how much is left?
as if he were a god.’ And those who have this art, I have hitherto been in the habit of calling PHAEDRUS: There is a great deal surely to be dialecticians; but God knows whether the name found in books of rhetoric?
is right or not. And I should like to know what name you would give to your or to Lysias’ dis-SOCRATES: Yes; thank you for reminding me:—
ciples, and whether this may not be that famous There is the exordium, showing how the speech art of rhetoric which Thrasymachus and others should begin, if I remember rightly; that is what teach and practise? Skilful speakers they are, and you mean—the niceties of the art?
impart their skill to any who is willing to make kings of them and to bring gifts to them.
PHAEDRUS: Yes.
PHAEDRUS: Yes, they are royal men; but their SOCRATES: Then follows the statement of facts, art is not the same with the art of those whom and upon that witnesses; thirdly, proofs; fourthly, you call, and rightly, in my opinion, dialecti-probabilities are to come; the great Byzantian cians:—Still we are in the dark about rhetoric.
word-maker also speaks, if I am not mistaken, of confirmation and further confirmation.
SOCRATES: What do you mean? The remains of it, if there be anything remaining which can be PHAEDRUS: You mean the excellent Theodorus.
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SOCRATES: Yes; and he tells how refutation or SOCRATES: Then there is Hippias the Elean further refutation is to be managed, whether in stranger, who probably agrees with him.
accusation or defence. I ought also to mention the illustrious Parian, Evenus, who first invented PHAEDRUS: Yes.
insinuations and indirect praises; and also indirect censures, which according to some he put SOCRATES: And there is also Polus, who has trea-into verse to help the memory. But shall I ‘to suries of diplasiology, and gnomology, and dumb forgetfulness consign’ Tisias and Gorgias, eikonology, and who teaches in them the names who are not ignorant that probability is supe-of which Licymnius made him a present; they rior to truth, and who by force of argument make were to give a polish.
the little appear great and the great little, disguise the new in old fashions and the old in new PHAEDRUS: Had not Protagoras something of fashions, and have discovered forms for every-the same sort?
thing, either short or going on to infinity. I remember Prodicus laughing when I told him of SOCRATES: Yes, rules of correct diction and many this; he said that he had himself discovered the other fine precepts; for the ‘sorrows of a poor true rule of art, which was to be neither long old man,’ or any other pathetic case, no one is nor short, but of a convenient length.
better than the Chalcedonian giant; he can put a whole company of people into a passion and PHAEDRUS: Well done, Prodicus!
out of one again by his mighty magic, and is first-rate at inventing or disposing of any sort of cal-104
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umny on any grounds or none. All of them agree SOCRATES: It has. But I should like to know in asserting that a speech should end in a reca-whether you have the same feeling as I have pitulation, though they do not all agree to use about the rhetoricians? To me there seem to be the same word.
a great many holes in their web.
PHAEDRUS: You mean that there should be a PHAEDRUS: Give an example.
summing up of the arguments in order to remind the hearers of them.
SOCRATES: I will. Suppose a person to come to your friend Eryximachus, or to his father SOCRATES: I have now said all that I have to say Acumenus, and to say to him: ‘I know how to of the art of rhetoric: have you anything to add?
apply drugs which shall have either a heating or a cooling effect, and I can give a vomit and also PHAEDRUS: Not much; nothing very important.
a purge, and all that sort of thing; and knowing all this, as I do, I claim to be a physician and to SOCRATES: Leave the unimportant and let us make physicians by imparting this knowledge bring the really important question into the light to others,’—what do you suppose that they would of day, which is: What power has this art of rheto-say?
ric, and when?
PHAEDRUS: They would be sure to ask him PHAEDRUS: A very great power in public meet-whether he knew ‘to whom’ he would give his ings.
medicines, and ‘when,’ and ‘how much.’