Platos Symposium
COMPANION: No more of that, Apollodorus; but
‘ To the feasts of inferior men the good unbid-let me renew my request that you would repeat den go;’instead of which our proverb will run:—
the conversation.
‘ To the feasts of the good the good unbidden go;’and this alteration may be supported by the APOLLODORUS: Well, the tale of love was on this authority of Homer himself, who not only demol-wise:—But perhaps I had better begin at the be-ishes but literally outrages the proverb. For, af-ginning, and endeavour to give you the exact ter picturing Agamemnon as the most valiant of words of Aristodemus:
men, he makes Menelaus, who is but a faint-He said that he met Socrates fresh from the bath hearted warrior, come unbidden (Iliad) to the and sandalled; and as the sight of the sandals was banquet of Agamemnon, who is feasting and unusual, he asked him whither he was going that offering sacrifices, not the better to the worse, he had been converted into such a beau:—
but the worse to the better.
To a banquet at Agathon’s, he replied, whose I rather fear, Socrates, said Aristodemus, lest invitation to his sacrifice of victory I refused yes-this may still be my case; and that, like Menelaus terday, fearing a crowd, but promising that I in Homer, I shall be the inferior person, who would come to-day instead; and so I have put on
‘ To the feasts of the wise unbidden goes.’
my finery, because he is such a fine man. What But I shall say that I was bidden of you, and say you to going with me unasked?
then you will have to make an excuse.
I will do as you bid me, I replied.
‘ Two going together,’he replied, in Homeric Follow then, he said, and let us demolish the fashion, one or other of them may invent an ex-proverb:—
cuse by the way (Iliad).