symposium-第6部分

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n　the　theatre；　cannot　be　regarded　as　the　select　wise；　though　I　know　that　if　you　chanced　to　be　in　the　presence；　not　of　one　of　ourselves；　but　of　some　really　wise　man；　you　would　be　ashamed　of　disgracing　yourself　before　him…would　you　not？　　　Yes；　said　Agathon。　　　But　before　the　many　you　would　not　be　ashamed；　if　you　thought　that　you　were　doing　something　disgraceful　in　their　presence？　　　Here　Phaedrus　interrupted　them；　saying：　not　answer　him；　my　dear　Agathon；　for　if　he　can　only　get　a　partner　with　whom　he　can　talk；　especially　a　good…looking　one；　he　will　no　longer　care　about　the　completion　of　our　plan。　Now　I　love　to　hear　him　talk；　but　just　at　present　I　must　not　forget　the　encomium　on　Love　which　I　ought　to　receive　from　him　and　from　every　one。　When　you　and　he　have　paid　your　tribute　to　the　god；　then　you　may　talk。　　　Very　good；　Phaedrus；　said　Agathon；　I　see　no　reason　why　I　should　not　proceed　with　my　speech；　as　I　shall　have　many　other　opportunities　of　conversing　with　Socrates。　Let　me　say　first　how　I　ought　to　speak；　and　then　speak：…　　　The　previous　speakers；　instead　of　praising　the　god　Love；　or　unfolding　his　nature；　appear　to　have　congratulated　mankind　on　the　benefits　which　he　confers　upon　them。　But　I　would　rather　praise　the　god　first；　and　then　speak　of　his　gifts；　this　is　always　the　right　way　of　praising　everything。　May　I　say　without　impiety　or　offence；　that　of　all　the　blessed　gods　he　is　the　most　blessed　because　he　is　the　fairest　and　best？　And　he　is　the　fairest：　for；　in　the　first　place；　he　is　the　youngest；　and　of　his　youth　he　is　himself　the　witness；　fleeing　out　of　the　way　of　age；　who　is　swift　enough；　swifter　truly　than　most　of　us　like：…Love　hates　him　and　will　not　come　near　him；　but　youth　and　love　live　and　move　together…like　to　like；　as　the　proverb　says。　Many　things　were　said　by　Phaedrus　about　Love　in　which　I　agree　with　him；　but　I　cannot　agree　that　he　is　older　than　Iapetus　and　Kronos：…not　so；　I　maintain　him　to　be　the　youngest　of　the　gods；　and　youthful　ever。　The　ancient　doings　among　the　gods　of　which　Hesiod　and　Parmenides　spoke；　if　the　tradition　of　them　be　true；　were　done　of　Necessity　and　not　Love；　had　Love　been　in　those　days；　there　would　have　been　no　chaining　or　mutilation　of　the　gods；　or　other　violence；　but　peace　and　sweetness；　as　there　is　now　in　heaven；　since　the　rule　of　Love　began。　　　Love　is　young　and　also　tender；　he　ought　to　have　a　poet　like　Homer　to　describe　his　tenderness；　as　Homer　says　of　Ate；　that　she　is　a　goddess　and　tender：

　　　　　Her　feet　are　tender；　for　she　sets　her　steps；　　　　　　Not　on　the　ground　but　on　the　heads　of　men：

herein　is　an　excellent　proof　of　her　tenderness　that；…she　walks　not　upon　the　hard　but　upon　the　soft。　Let　us　adduce　a　similar　proof　of　the　tenderness　of　Love；　for　he　walks　not　upon　the　earth；　nor　yet　upon　skulls　of　men；　which　are　not　so　very　soft；　but　in　the　hearts　and　souls　of　both　god；　and　men；　which　are　of　all　things　the　softest：　in　them　he　walks　and　dwells　and　makes　his　home。　Not　in　every　soul　without　exception；　for　Where　there　is　hardness　he　departs；　where　there　is　softness　there　he　dwells；　and　nestling　always　with　his　feet　and　in　all　manner　of　ways　in　the　softest　of　soft　places；　how　can　he　be　other　than　the　softest　of　all　things？　Of　a　truth　he　is　the　tenderest　as　well　as　the　youngest；　and　also　he　is　of　flexile　form；　for　if　he　were　hard　and　without　flexure　he　could　not　enfold　all　things；　or　wind　his　way　into　and　out　of　every　soul　of　man　undiscovered。　And　a　proof　of　his　flexibility　and　symmetry　of　form　is　his　grace；　which　is　universally　admitted　to　be　in　an　especial　manner　the　attribute　of　Love；　ungrace　and　love　are　always　at　war　with　one　another。　The　fairness　of　his　complexion　is　revealed　by　his　habitation　among　the　flowers；　for　he　dwells　not　amid　bloomless　or　fading　beauties；　whether　of　body　or　soul　or　aught　else；　but　in　the　place　of　flowers　and　scents；　there　he　sits　and　abides。　Concerning　the　beauty　of　the　god　I　have　said　enough；　and　yet　there　remains　much　more　which　I　might　say。　Of　his　virtue　I　have　now　to　speak：　his　greatest　glory　is　that　he　can　neither　do　nor　suffer　wrong　to　or　from　any　god　or　any　man；　for　he　suffers　not　by　force　if　he　suffers；　force　comes　not　near　him；　neither　when　he　acts　does　he　act　by　force。　For　all　men　in　all　things　serve　him　of　their　own　free　will；　and　where　there　is　voluntary　agreement；　there；　as　the　laws　which　are　the　lords　of　the　city　say；　is　justice。　And　not　only　is　he　just　but　exceedingly　temperate；　for　Temperance　is　the　acknowledged　ruler　of　the　pleasures　and　desires；　and　no　pleasure　ever　masters　Love；　he　is　their　master　and　they　are　his　servants；　and　if　he　conquers　them　he　must　be　temperate　indeed。　As　to　courage；　even　the　God　of　War　is　no　match　for　him；　he　is　the　captive　and　Love　is　the　lord；　for　love；　the　love　of　Aphrodite；　masters　him；　as　the　tale　runs；　and　the　master　is　stronger　than　the　servant。　And　if　he　conquers　the　bravest　of　all　others；　he　must　be　himself　the　bravest。　　　Of　his　courage　and　justice　and　temperance　I　have　spoken；　but　I　have　yet　to　speak　of　his　wisdom…and　according　to　the　measure　of　my　ability　I　must　try　to　do　my　best。　In　the　first　place　he　is　a　poet　（and　here；　like　Eryximachus；　I　magnify　my　art）；　and　he　is　also　the　source　of　poesy　in　others；　which　he　could　not　be　if　he　were　not　himself　a　poet。　And　at　the　touch　of　him　every　one　becomes　a　poet；　even　though　he　had　no　music　in　him　before；　this　also　is　a　proof　that　Love　is　a　good　poet　and　accomplished　in　all　the　fine　arts；　for　no　one　can　give　to　another　that　which　he　has　not　himself；　or　teach　that　of　which　he　has　no　knowledge。　Who　will　deny　that　the　creation　of　the　animals　is　his　doing？　Are　they　not　all　the　works　his　wisdom；　born　and　begotten　of　him？　And　as　to　the　artists；　do　we　not　know　that　he　only　of　them　whom　love　inspires　has　the　light　of　fame？…he　whom　Love　touches　riot　walks　in　darkness。　The　arts　of　medicine　and　archery　and　divination　were　discovered　by　Apollo；　under　the　guidance　of　love　and　desire；　so　that　he　too　is　a　disciple　of　Love。　Also　the　melody　of　the　Muses；　the　metallurgy　of　Hephaestus；　the　weaving　of　Athene；　the　empire　of　Zeus　over　gods　and　men；　are　all　due　to　Love；　who　was　the　inventor　of　them。　And　so　Love　set　in　order　the　empire　of　the　gods…the　love　of　beauty；　as　is　evident；　for　with　deformity　Love　has　no　concern。　In　the　days　of　old；　as　I　began　by　saying；　dreadful　deeds　were　done　among　the　gods；　for　they　were　ruled　by　Necessity；　but　now　since　the　birth　of　Love；　and　from　the　Love　of　the　beautiful；　has　sprung　every　good　in　heaven　and　earth。　Therefore；　Phaedrus；　I　say　of　Love　that　he　is　the　fairest　and　best　in　himself；　and　the　cause　of　what　is　fairest　and　best　in　all　other　things。　And　there　comes　into　my　mind　a　line　of　poetry　in　which　he　is　said　to　be　the　god　who

　　　　　Gives　peace　on　earth　and　calms　the　stormy　deep；　　　　　　Who　stills　the　winds　and　bids　the　sufferer　sleep。

This　is　he　who　empties　men　of　disaffection　and　fills　them　with　affection；　who　makes　them　to　meet　together　at　banquets　such　as　these：　in　sacrifices；　feasts；　dances；　he　is　our　lord…who　sends　courtesy　and　sends　away　discourtesy；　who　gives　kindness　ever　and　never　gives　unkindness；　the　friend　of　the　good；　the　wonder　of　the　wise；　the　amazement　of　the　gods；　desired　by　those　who　have　no　part　in　him；　and　precious　to　those　who　have　the　better　part　in　him；　parent　of　delicacy；　luxury；　desire；　fondness；　softness；　grace；　regardful　of　the　good；　regardless　of　the　evil：　in　every　word；　work；　wish；　fear…saviour；　pilot；　comrade；　helper；　glory　of　gods　and　men；　leader　best　and　brightest：　in　whose　footsteps　let　every　man　follow；　sweetly　singing　in　his　honour　and　joining　in　that　sweet　strain　with　which　love　charms　the　souls　of　gods　and　men。　Such　is　the　speech；　Phaedrus；　half…playful；　yet　having　a　certain　measure　of　seriousness；　which；　according　to　my　ability；　I　dedicate　to　the　god。　　　When　Agathon　had　done　speaking；　Aristodemus　said　that　there　was　a　general　cheer；　the　young　man　was　thought　to　have　spoken　in　a　manner　worthy　of　himself；　and　of　the　god。　And　Socrates；　looking　at　Eryximachus；　said：　Tell　me；　son　of　Acumenus；　was　there　not　reason　in　my　fears？　and　was　I　not　a　true　prophet　when　I　said　that　Agathon　would　make　a　wonderful　oration；　and　that　I　should　be　in　a　strait？　　　The　part　of　the　prophecy　which　concerns　Agathon；　replied　Eryximachus；　appears　to　me　to　be　true；　but；　not　the　other　part…that　you　will　be　in　a　strait。　　　Why；　my　dear　friend；　said　Socrates；　must　not　I　or　any　one　be　in　a　strait　who　has　to　speak　after　he　has　heard　such　a　rich　and　varied　discourse？　I　am　especially　struck　with　the　beauty　of　the　concluding　words…who　could　listen　to　them　without　amazement？　When　I　reflected　on　the　immeasurable　inferiority　of　my　own　powers；　I　was　ready　to　run　away　for　shame；　if　there　had　been　a　possibility　of　escape。　For　I　was　reminded　of　Gorgias；　and　at　the　end　of　his　speech　I　fancied　that　Agathon　was　shaking　at　me　the　Gorginian　or　Gorgonian　head　of　the　great　master　of　rhetoric；　which　was　simply　to　turn　me　and　my　speech；　into　stone；　as　Homer　says；　and　strike　me　dumb。　And　then　I　perceived　how　foolish　I　had　been　in　consenting　to　take　my　turn　with　you　in　praising　love；　and　saying　that　I　too　was　a　master　of　the　art；　when　I　really　had　no　conception　how　anything　ought　to　be　praised。　For　in　my　simplicity　I　imagined　that　the　topics　of　praise　should　be　true；　and　that　this　being　presupposed；　out　of　the　true　the　speaker　was　to　choose　the　best　and　set　them　forth　in　the　best　manner。　And　I　felt　quite　proud；　thinking　that　I　knew　the　nature　of　true　praise；　and　should　speak　well。　Whereas　I　now　see　that　the　intention　was　to　attribute　to　Love　every　species　of　greatness　and　glory；　whether　really　belonging　to　him　not；　without　regard　to　truth　or　falsehood…that　was　no　matter；　for　the　original；　proposal　seems　to　have　been　not　that　each　of　you　should　really　praise　Love；　but　only　that　you　should　appear　to　praise　him。　And　so　you　attribute　to　Love　every　imaginable　form　of　praise　which　can　be　gathered　anywhere；　and　you　say　that　〃he　is　all　this；〃　and　〃the　cause　of　all　that；〃　making　him　appear　the　fairest　and　best　of　all　to　those　who　know　him　not；　for　you　cannot　impose　upon　those　who　know　him。　And　a　noble　and　solemn　hymn　of　praise　have　you　rehearsed。　But　as　I　misunderstood　the　nature　of　the　praise　when　I　said　that　I　would　take　my　turn；　I　must　beg　to　be　absolved　from　the　promise　which　I　made　in　ignorance；