He will rejoice in beholding their tender growth; SOCRATES: And now, Phaedrus, having agreed and while others are refreshing their souls with upon the premises we may decide about the con-banqueting and the like, this will be the pastime clusion.
in which his days are spent.
PHAEDRUS: About what conclusion?
PHAEDRUS: A pastime, Socrates, as noble as the other is ignoble, the pastime of a man who can SOCRATES: About Lysias, whom we censured, be amused by serious talk, and can discourse and his art of writing, and his discourses, and merrily about justice and the like.
the rhetorical skill or want of skill which was shown in them—these are the questions which SOCRATES: True, Phaedrus. But nobler far is the we sought to determine, and they brought us to serious pursuit of the dialectician, who, finding this point. And I think that we are now pretty a congenial soul, by the help of science sows and well informed about the nature of art and its plants therein words which are able to help them-opposite.
selves and him who planted them, and are not unfruitful, but have in them a seed which others PHAEDRUS: Yes, I think with you; but I wish that brought up in different soils render immortal, you would repeat what was said.
making the possessors of it happy to the utmost extent of human happiness.
SOCRATES: Until a man knows the truth of the several particulars of which he is writing or PHAEDRUS: Far nobler, certainly.
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and having defined them again to divide them sured—did not our previous argument show—?
until they can be no longer divided, and until in like manner he is able to discern the nature of PHAEDRUS: Show what?
the soul, and discover the different modes of discourse which are adapted to different natures, SOCRATES: That whether Lysias or any other and to arrange and dispose them in such a way writer that ever was or will be, whether private that the simple form of speech may be addressed man or statesman, proposes laws and so becomes to the simpler nature, and the complex and com-the author of a political treatise, fancying that posite to the more complex nature—until he has there is any great certainty and clearness in his accomplished all this, he will be unable to handle performance, the fact of his so writing is only a arguments according to rules of art, as far as disgrace to him, whatever men may say. For not their nature allows them to be subjected to art, to know the nature of justice and injustice, and either for the purpose of teaching or persuad-good and evil, and not to be able to distinguish ing;—such is the view which is implied in the the dream from the reality, cannot in truth be whole preceding argument.
otherwise than disgraceful to him, even though he have the applause of the whole world.
PHAEDRUS: Yes, that was our view, certainly.
PHAEDRUS: Certainly.
SOCRATES: Secondly, as to the censure which was passed on the speaking or writing of discourses, SOCRATES: But he who thinks that in the writ-and how they might be rightly or wrongly cen-ten word there is necessarily much which is not 120
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serious, and that neither poetry nor prose, spo-PHAEDRUS: That is most assuredly my desire ken or written, is of any great value, if, like the and prayer.
compositions of the rhapsodes, they are only recited in order to be believed, and not with any SOCRATES: And now the play is played out; and view to criticism or instruction; and who thinks of rhetoric enough. Go and tell Lysias that to the that even the best of writings are but a reminis-fountain and school of the Nymphs we went down, cence of what we know, and that only in prin-and were bidden by them to convey a message to ciples of justice and goodness and nobility taught him and to other composers of speeches—to Homer and communicated orally for the sake of instruc-and other writers of poems, whether set to mu-tion and graven in the soul, which is the true sic or not; and to Solon and others who have com-way of writing, is there clearness and perfection posed writings in the form of political discourses and seriousness, and that such principles are a which they would term laws—to all of them we man’s own and his legitimate offspring;—being, are to say that if their compositions are based in the first place, the word which he finds in his on knowledge of the truth, and they can defend own bosom; secondly, the brethren and descen-or prove them, when they are put to the test, by dants and relations of his idea which have been spoken arguments, which leave their writings duly implanted by him in the souls of others;—
poor in comparison of them, then they are to be and who cares for them and no others—this is called, not only poets, orators, legislators, but the right sort of man; and you and I, Phaedrus, are worthy of a higher name, befitting the seri-would pray that we may become like him.
ous pursuit of their life.