SOCRATES: He would be a very simple person, or may not understand them, and know not to and quite a stranger to the oracles of Thamus or whom they should reply, to whom not: and, if Ammon, who should leave in writing or receive they are maltreated or abused, they have no in writing any art under the idea that the writ-parent to protect them; and they cannot protect ten word would be intelligible or certain; or who or defend themselves.
deemed that writing was at all better than knowledge and recollection of the same matters?
PHAEDRUS: That again is most true.
PHAEDRUS: That is most true.
SOCRATES: Is there not another kind of word or speech far better than this, and having far SOCRATES: I cannot help feeling, Phaedrus, that greater power—a son of the same family, but law-writing is unfortunately like painting; for the fully begotten?
creations of the painter have the attitude of life, and yet if you ask them a question they preserve PHAEDRUS: Whom do you mean, and what is a solemn silence. And the same may be said of his origin?
speeches. You would imagine that they had intelligence, but if you want to know anything and SOCRATES: I mean an intelligent word graven put a question to one of them, the speaker al-in the soul of the learner, which can defend it-ways gives one unvarying answer. And when self, and knows when to speak and when to be they have been once written down they are silent.
tumbled about anywhere among those who may 117
Plato
PHAEDRUS: You mean the living word of knowl-SOCRATES: And can we suppose that he who edge which has a soul, and of which the written knows the just and good and honourable has less word is properly no more than an image?
understanding, than the husbandman, about his own seeds?
SOCRATES: Yes, of course that is what I mean.
And now may I be allowed to ask you a ques-PHAEDRUS: Certainly not.
tion: Would a husbandman, who is a man of sense, take the seeds, which he values and which SOCRATES: Then he will not seriously incline to he wishes to bear fruit, and in sober seriousness
‘write’ his thoughts ‘in water’ with pen and plant them during the heat of summer, in some ink, sowing words which can neither speak for garden of Adonis, that he may rejoice when he themselves nor teach the truth adequately to sees them in eight days appearing in beauty? at others?
least he would do so, if at all, only for the sake of amusement and pastime. But when he is in ear-PHAEDRUS: No, that is not likely.
nest he sows in fitting soil, and practises hus-bandry, and is satisfied if in eight months the SOCRATES: No, that is not likely—in the garden seeds which he has sown arrive at perfection?
of letters he will sow and plant, but only for the sake of recreation and amusement; he will write PHAEDRUS: Yes, Socrates, that will be his way them down as memorials to be treasured against when he is in earnest; he will do the other, as the forgetfulness of old age, by himself, or by you say, only in play.
any other old man who is treading the same path.