Platos Symposium
Socrates turned to Agathon and said: I must fore yesterday, but always. Whereupon, taking ask you to protect me, Agathon; for the passion some of the ribands, he crowned Socrates, and of this man has grown quite a serious matter to again reclined.
me. Since I became his admirer I have never been Then he said: You seem, my friends, to be so-allowed to speak to any other fair one, or so much ber, which is a thing not to be endured; you must as to look at them. If I do, he goes wild with drink—for that was the agreement under which envy and jealousy, and not only abuses me but I was admitted—and I elect myself master of the can hardly keep his hands off me, and at this feast until you are well drunk. Let us have a large moment he may do me some harm. Please to see goblet, Agathon, or rather, he said, addressing to this, and either reconcile me to him, or, if he the attendant, bring me that wine-cooler. The attempts violence, protect me, as I am in bodily wine-cooler which had caught his eye was a ves-fear of his mad and passionate attempts.
sel holding more than two quarts—this he filled There can never be reconciliation between you and emptied, and bade the attendant fill it again and me, said Alcibiades; but for the present I for Socrates. Observe, my friends, said Alcibiades, will defer your chastisement. And I must beg you, that this ingenious trick of mine will have no Agathon, to give me back some of the ribands effect on Socrates, for he can drink any quantity that I may crown the marvellous head of this of wine and not be at all nearer being drunk.
universal despot—I would not have him complain Socrates drank the cup which the attendant filled of me for crowning you, and neglecting him, who for him.
in conversation is the conqueror of all mankind; Eryximachus said: What is this, Alcibiades? Are and this not only once, as you were the day be-we to have neither conversation nor singing over 83
Platos Symposium
our cups; but simply to drink as if we were with those of sober men is hardly fair; and I thirsty?
should like to know, sweet friend, whether you Alcibiades replied: Hail, worthy son of a most really believe what Socrates was just now say-wise and worthy sire!
ing; for I can assure you that the very reverse is The same to you, said Eryximachus; but what the fact, and that if I praise any one but himself shall we do?
in his presence, whether God or man, he will That I leave to you, said Alcibiades.
hardly keep his hands off me.
‘The wise physician skilled our wounds to heal For shame, said Socrates.
(from Pope’s Homer, Il.)’shall prescribe and we Hold your tongue, said Alcibiades, for by will obey. What do you want?
Poseidon, there is no one else whom I will praise Well, said Eryximachus, before you appeared when you are of the company.
we had passed a resolution that each one of us Well then, said Eryximachus, if you like praise in turn should make a speech in praise of love, Socrates.
and as good a one as he could: the turn was What do you think, Eryximachus? said passed round from left to right; and as all of us Alcibiades: shall I attack him and inflict the pun-have spoken, and you have not spoken but have ishment before you all?
well drunken, you ought to speak, and then im-What are you about? said Socrates; are you go-pose upon Socrates any task which you please, ing to raise a laugh at my expense? Is that the and he on his right hand neighbour, and so on.
meaning of your praise?
That is good, Eryximachus, said Alcibiades; and I am going to speak the truth, if you will per-yet the comparison of a drunken man’s speech mit me.