Platos Symposium
Aristodemus said that Phaedrus and the com-replying, of a son or daughter: and the answer pany bid him speak in any manner which he would be right.
thought best. Then, he added, let me have your Very true, said Agathon.
permission first to ask Agathon a few more ques-And you would say the same of a mother?
tions, in order that I may take his admissions as He assented.
the premisses of my discourse.
Yet let me ask you one more question in order I grant the permission, said Phaedrus: put your to illustrate my meaning: Is not a brother to be questions. Socrates then proceeded as follows:—
regarded essentially as a brother of something?
In the magnificent oration which you have just Certainly, he replied.
uttered, I think that you were right, my dear That is, of a brother or sister?
Agathon, in proposing to speak of the nature of Yes, he said.
Love first and afterwards of his works—that is a And now, said Socrates, I will ask about Love:—
way of beginning which I very much approve.
Is Love of something or of nothing?
And as you have spoken so eloquently of his na-Of something, surely, he replied.
ture, may I ask you further, Whether love is the Keep in mind what this is, and tell me what I love of something or of nothing? And here I must want to know—whether Love desires that of explain myself: I do not want you to say that which love is.
love is the love of a father or the love of a mother—
Yes, surely.
that would be ridiculous; but to answer as you And does he possess, or does he not possess, would, if I asked is a father a father of some-that which he loves and desires?
thing? to which you would find no difficulty in Probably not, I should say.