The Symposium

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Eh, bless my ears, what's that? (Socrates broke in upon this final
flourish of the speaker). So beautiful you claim to rival me, you
boaster?

Crit. Why, yes indeed, I hope so, or else I should be uglier than all
the Silenuses in the Satyric drama.[33]

[33] The MSS. add ["to whom, be it noted, Socrates indeed bore a
marked resemblance"]. Obviously a gloss. Cf. Aristoph. "Clouds,"
224; Plat. "Symp." 215 B.

Good! (Socrates rejoined); the moment the programme of discussion is
concluded,[34] please remember, we must obtain a verdict on the point
of beauty. Judgment shall be given--not at the bar of Alexander, son
of Priam--but of these[35] who, as you flatter yourself, have such a
hankering to kiss you.

[34] Lit. "the arguments proposed have gone the round."

[35] i.e. "the boy and girl." Al. "the present company, who are so
eager to bestow on you their kisses."

Oh, Socrates (he answered, deprecatingly), will you not leave it to
the arbitrament of Cleinias?

Then Socrates: Will you never tire of repeating that one name? It is
Cleinias here, there, and everywhere with you.

Crit. And if his name died on my lips, think you my mind would less
recall his memory? Know you not, I bear so clear an image of him in my
soul, that had I the sculptor's or the limner's skill, I might portray
his features as exactly from this image of the mind as from
contemplation of his actual self.

But Socrates broke in: Pray, why then, if you bear about this lively
image, why do you give me so much trouble, dragging me to this and
that place, where you hope to see him?

Crit. For this good reason, Socrates, the sight of him inspires
gladness, whilst his phantom brings not joy so much as it engenders
longing.

At this point Hermogenes protested: I find it most unlike you,
Socrates, to treat thus negligently one so passion-crazed as
Critobulus.

Socrates replied: Do you suppose the sad condition of the patient
dates from the moment only of our intimacy?

Herm. Since when, then?

Soc. Since when? Why, look at him: the down begins to mantle on his
cheeks,[36] and on the nape[37] of Cleinias' neck already mounts. The
fact is, when they fared to the same school together, he caught the
fever. This his father was aware of, and consigned him to me, hoping I
might be able to do something for him. Ay, and his plight is not so
sorry now. Once he would stand agape at him like one whose gaze is
fixed upon the Gorgons,[38] his eyes one stony stare, and like a stone
himself turn heavily away. But nowadays I have seen the statue
actually blink.[39] And yet, may Heaven help me! my good sirs, I
think, between ourselves, the culprit must have bestowed a kiss on
Cleinias, than which love's flame asks no fiercer fuel.[40] So
insatiable a thing it is and so suggestive of mad fantasy. [And for
this reason held perhaps in higher honour, because of all external
acts the close of lip with lip bears the same name as that of soul
with soul in love.][41] Wherefore, say I, let every one who wishes to
be master of himself and sound of soul abstain from kisses imprinted
on fair lips.[42]

[36] Lit. "creeping down beside his ears." Cf. "Od." xi. 319:

{prin sphoin upo krotaphoisin ioulous
anthesai pukasai te genus euanthei lakhne.}

"(Zeus destroyed the twain) ere the curls had bloomed beneath
their temples, and darked their chins with the blossom of youth."
--Butcher and Lang. Cf. Theocr. xv. 85: {praton ioulon apo
krotaphon kataballon}, "with the first down upon his cheeks"
(Lang); Aesch. "Theb." 534.

[37] {pros to opisthen}, perhaps = "ad posteriorem capitis partem,"
which would be more applicable to Critobulus, whose whiskers were
just beginning to grow, than to Callias. Possibly we should read
(after Pollux, ii. 10) {peri ten upenen}, "on the upper lip." See
Plat. "Protag." 309 B; "Il." xxiv. 348; "Od." x. 279.

[38] Cf. Pind. "Pyth." x. 75.

[39] See "Cyrop." I. iv. 28; Shakesp. "Ven. and Ad." 89: "But when her
lips were ready for his pay, he winks, and turns his lips another
way."

[40] Or, "a kiss which is to passion as dry combustious matter is to
fire," Shakesp. ib. 1162.

[41] Or, "is namesake of the love within the soul of lovers." The
whole passage, involving a play on the words {philein
phileisthai}, "where kisses rain without, love reigns within," is
probably to be regarded as a gloss. Cf. "Mem." I. iii. 13.

[42] Cf. "Mem." I. iii. 8-14.

Then Charmides: Oh! Socrates, why will you scare your friends with
these hobgoblin terrors,[43] bidding us all beware of handsome faces,
whilst you yourself--yes, by Apollo, I will swear I saw you at the
schoolmaster's[44] that time when both of you were poring over one
book, in which you searched for something, you and Critobulus, head to
head, shoulder to shoulder bare, as if incorporate?[45]

[43] Cf. Plat. "Crit." 46 D; "Hell." IV. iv. 17; Arist. "Birds," 1245.

[44] "Grammarian's." Plat. "Protag." 312 B; 326 D; Dem. 315. 8.

[45] Like Hermia and Helena, "Mids. N. D." iii. 2. 208.

As yes, alack the day! (he answered); and that is why, no doubt, my
shoulder ached for more than five days afterwards, as if I had been
bitten by some fell beast, and methought I felt a sort of scraping at
the heart.[46] Now therefore, in the presence of these witnesses, I
warn you, Critobulus, never again to touch me till you wear as thick a
crop of hair[47] upon your chin as on your head.

[46] Reading {knisma}, "scratching." Plat. "Hipp. maj." 304 A. Al.
{knesma}.

[47] See Jebb, "Theophr. Ch." xxiv. 16.

So pell-mell they went at it, half jest half earnest, and so the
medley ended. Callias here called on Charmides.

Call. Now, Charmides, it lies with you to tell us why you pride
yourself on poverty.[48]

[48] Zeune, cf. "Cyrop." VIII. iii. 35-50.

Charmides responded: On all hands it is admitted, I believe, that
confidence is better than alarm; better to be a freeman than a slave;
better to be worshipped than pay court to others; better to be trusted
than to be suspected by one's country.

Well now, I will tell you how it fared with me in this same city when
I was wealthy. First, I lived in daily terror lest some burglar should
break into my house and steal my goods and do myself some injury. I
cringed before informers.[49] I was obliged to pay these people court,
because I knew that I could injure them far less than they could
injure me. Never-ending the claims upon my pocket which the state
enforced upon me; and as to setting foot abroad, that was beyond the
range of possibility. But now that I have lost my property across the
frontier,[50] and derive no income from my lands in Attica itself; now
that my very household goods have been sold up, I stretch my legs at
ease, I get a good night's rest. The distrust of my fellow-citizens
has vanished; instead of trembling at threats, it is now my turn to
threaten; at last I feel myself a freeman, with liberty to go abroad
or stay at home as suits my fancy. The tables now are turned. It is
the rich who rise to give me their seats, who stand aside and make way
for me as I meet them in the streets. To-day I am like a despot,
yesterday I was literally a slave; formerly it was I who had to pay my
tribute[51] to the sovereign people, now it is I who am supported by
the state by means of general taxation.[52]

[49] "And police agents."

[50] Cf. "Mem." II. viii. 1.

[51] {phoros}, tributum. Al. "property-tax." Cf. "Econ." ii. 6.

[52] {telos}, vectigal. Sturz, "Lex. Xen." s.v. Cf. "Pol. Ath." i. 3.

And there is another thing. So long as I was rich, they threw in my
teeth as a reproach that I was friends with Socrates, but now that I
am become a beggar no one troubles his head two straws about the
matter. Once more, the while I rolled in plenty I had everything to
lose, and, as a rule, I lost it; what the state did not exact, some
mischance stole from me. But now that is over. I lose nothing, having
nought to lose; but, on the contrary, I have everything to gain, and
live in hope of some day getting something.[53]

[53] "I feed on the pleasures of hope, and fortune in the future."

Call. And so, of course, your one prayer is that you may never more be
rich, and if you are visited by a dream of luck your one thought is to
offer sacrifice to Heaven to avert misfortune.[54]

[54] Or, "you wake up in a fright, and offer sacrifice to the
'Averters.'" For {tois apotropaiois} see Aristoph. "Plutus," 359;
Plat. "Laws," 854 B; "Hell." III. iii. 4.

Char. No, that I do not. On the contrary, I run my head into each
danger most adventurously. I endure, if haply I may see a chance of
getting something from some quarter of the sky some day.

Come now (Socrates exclaimed), it lies with you, sir, you,
Antisthenes, to explain to us, how it is that you, with means so
scanty, make so loud a boast of wealth.

Because (he answered) I hold to the belief, sirs, that wealth and
poverty do not lie in a man's estate, but in men's souls. Even in
private life how many scores of people have I seen, who, although they
roll in wealth, yet deem themselves so poor, there is nothing they
will shrink from, neither toil nor danger, in order to add a little to
their store.[55] I have known two brothers,[56] heirs to equal
fortunes, one of whom has enough, more than enough, to cover his
expenditure; the other is in absolute indigence. And so to monarchs,
there are not a few, I perceive, so ravenous of wealth that they will
outdo the veriest vagrants in atrocity. Want[57] prompts a thousand
crimes, you must admit. Why do men steal? why break burglariously into
houses? why hale men and women captive and make slaves of them? Is it
not from want? Nay, there are monarchs who at one fell swoop destroy
whole houses, make wholesale massacre, and oftentimes reduce entire
states to slavery, and all for the sake of wealth. These I must needs
pity for the cruel malady which plagues them. Their condition, to my
mind, resembles that poor creature's who, in spite of all he has[58]
and all he eats, can never stay the wolf that gnaws his vitals.

[55] Cf. "Cyrop." VIII. ii. 21; Hor. "Epist." i. 2. 26, "semper avarus
eget."

[56] Is Antisthenes thinking of Callias and Hermogenes? (presuming
these are sons of Hipponicus and brothers). Cf. "Mem." II. x. 3.

[57] Or, "'Tis want that does it." See "Pol. Ath." i. 5; "Rev," i. 1.

[58] Reading {ekhon}, or if {pinon}, transl. "who eats and drinks, but
never sates himself."

But as to me, my riches are so plentiful I cannot lay my hands on them
myself;[59] yet for all that I have enough to eat till my hunger is
stayed, to drink till my thirst is sated;[60] to clothe myself withal;
and out of doors not Callias there, with all his riches, is more safe
than I from shivering; and when I find myself indoors, what warmer
shirting[61] do I need than my bare walls? what ampler greatcoat than
the tiles above my head? these seem to suit me well enough; and as to
bedclothes, I am not so ill supplied but it is a business to arouse me
in the morning.

[59] "That I can scarce discover any portion of it." Zeune cf. "Econ."
viii. 2.

[60] So "the master" himself. See "Mem." I. ii. 1, vi. 5.

[61] Cf. Aristot. "Pol." ii. 8. 1, of Hippodamus.

And as to sexual desire, my body's need is satisfied by what comes
first to hand. Indeed, there is no lack of warmth in the caress which
greets me, just because it is unsought by others.[62]

[62] Cf. "Mem." I. iii. 14, the germ of cynicism and stoicism, the
Socratic {XS} form of "better to marry than to burn."

Well then, these several pleasures I enjoy so fully that I am much
more apt to pray for less than more of them, so strongly do I feel
that some of them are sweeter than what is good for one or profitable.

But of all the precious things in my possession, I reckon this the
choicest, that were I robbed of my whole present stock, there is no
work so mean, but it would amply serve me to furnish me with
sustenance. Why, look you, whenever I desire to fare delicately, I
have not to purchase precious viands in the market, which becomes
expensive, but I open the storehouse of my soul, and dole them
out.[63] Indeed, as far as pleasure goes, I find it better to await
desire before I suffer meat or drink to pass my lips, than to have
recourse to any of your costly viands, as, for instance, now, when I
have chanced on this fine Thasian wine,[64] and sip it without thirst.
But indeed, the man who makes frugality, not wealth of worldly goods,
his aim, is on the face of it a much more upright person. And why?--
the man who is content with what he has will least of all be prone to
clutch at what is his neighbour's.

[63] Or, "turn to the storehouse of a healthy appetite." See "Apol."
18, the same sentiment "ex ore Socratis."

[64] See Athen. "Deipnos." i. 28.

And here's a point worth noting. Wealth of my sort will make you
liberal of soul. Look at Socrates; from him it was I got these riches.
He did not supply me with it by weight or by measure, but just as much
as I could carry, he with bounteous hand consigned to me. And I, too,
grudge it to no man now. To all my friends without distinction I am
ready to display my opulence: come one, come all; and whosoever likes
to take a share is welcome to the wealth that lies within my soul.
Yes, and moreover, that most luxurious of possessions,[65] unbroken
leisure, you can see, is mine, which leaves me free to contemplate
things worthy of contemplation,[66] and to drink in with my ears all
charming sounds. And what I value most, freedom to spend whole days in
pure scholastic intercourse[67] with Socrates, to whom I am
devoted.[68] And he, on his side, is not the person to admire those
whose tale of gold and silver happens to be the largest, but those who
are well-pleasing to him he chooses for companions, and will consort
with to the end.

[65] See Eur. "Ion," 601. Lit. "at every moment I command it."

[66] "To gaze upon all fairest shows (like a spectator in the
theatre), and to drink in sounds most delectable." So Walt
Whitman.

[67] Aristot. "Rhet." ii. 4. 12; "Eth. N." ix. 4. 9.

[68] See "Mem." III. xi. 17.

With these words the speaker ended, and Callias exclaimed:

By Hera, I envy you your wealth, Antisthenes, firstly, because the
state does not lay burthens on you and treat you like a slave; and
secondly, people do not fall into a rage with you when you refuse to
be their creditor.

You may stay your envy (interposed Niceratus), I shall presently
present myself to borrow of him this same key of his to
independence.[69] Trained as I am to cast up figures by my master
Homer--

Seven tripods, which ne'er felt the fire, and of gold ten talents
And burnished braziers twenty, and horses twelve--[70]

by weight and measure duly reckoned,[71] I cannot stay my craving for
enormous wealth. And that's the reason certain people, I daresay,
imagine I am inordinately fond of riches.

[69] Or, "his want-for-nothing," or, "supply-all."

[70] Niceratus quotes "Il." ix. 122, 123, 263, 264.

[71] Or, "by number and by measure," "so much apiece, so much a
pound," in reference to Antisthenes' remark that Socrates does not
stint his "good things."

The remark drew forth a peal of laughter from the company, who thought
the speaker hit the truth exactly.

Then some one: It lies with you, Hermogenes, to tell us who your
friends are; and next, to demonstrate the greatness of their power and
their care for you, if you would prove to us your right to pride
yoruself on them.

Herm. That the gods know all things, that the present and the future
lie before their eyes, are tenets held by Hellenes and barbarians
alike. This is obvious; or else, why do states and nations, one and
all, inquire of the gods by divination what they ought to do and what
they ought not? This also is apparent, that we believe them able to do
us good and to do us harm; or why do all men pray to Heaven to avert
the evil and bestow the good? Well then, my boast is that these gods,
who know and can do all things,[72] deign to be my friends; so that,
by reason of their care for me, I can never escape from their
sight,[73] neither by night nor by day, whithersoever I essay to go,
whatsoever I take in hand to do.[74] But because they know beforehand
the end and issue of each event, they give me signals, sending
messengers, be it some voice,[75] or vision of the night, with omens
of the solitary bird, which tell me what I should and what I should
not do. When I listen to their warnings all goes well with me, I have
no reason to repent; but if, as ere now has been the case, I have been
disobedient, chastisement has overtaken me.

[72] Cf. "Mem." I. i. 19; I. iv. 18.

[73] Schneid. cf. Hom. "Il." x. 279, {oude se letho kinomenos}, "nor
doth any motion of mine escape thee" (A. Lang); and see Arrian,
"Epictet." i. 12. 3.

[74] Cf. Ps. cxxxix. "Domine probasti."

[75] See "Mem." I. i. 3; "Apol." xii. 13; "Cyrop." VIII. vii. 3.

Then Socrates: All this I well believe,[76] but there is one thing I
would gladly learn of you: What service do you pay the gods, so to
secure their friendship?

[76] Lit. "Nay, nought of the things you tell us is incredible,
but . . ."

Truly it is not a ruinous service, Socrates (he answered)--far from
it. I give them thanks, which is not costly. I make return to them of
all they give to me from time to time. I speak well of them, with all
the strength I have. And whenever I take their sacred names to
witness, I do not wittingly falsify my word.

Then God be praised (said Socrates), if being what you are, you have
such friends; the gods themselves, it would appear, delight in
nobleness of soul.[77]

[77] {kalokagathia}, "beautiful and gentle manhood."

Thus, in solemn sort, the theme was handled, thus gravely ended.

But now it was the jester's turn, and so they fell to asking him:[78]
What could he see to pride himself upon so vastly in the art of making
people laugh?

[78] Lit. "now that they had come to Philippus (in the 'period' of
discussion), they . . ." Or read, after Hartman, "An. Xen." p.
242, {eken} (sc. {o logos}).

Surely I have good reason (he replied). The whole world knows my
business is to set them laughing, so when they are in luck's way, they
eagerly invite me to a share of it; but if ill betide them, helter-
skelter off they go, and never once turn back,[79] so fearful are they
I may set them laughing will he nill he.

[79] Plat. "Rep." 620 E; "Laws," 854 C.

Nic. Heavens! you have good reason to be proud; with me it is just the
opposite. When any of my friends are doing well, they take good care
to turn their backs on me,[80] but if ever it goes ill with them, they
claim relationship by birth,[81] and will not let their long-lost
cousin out of sight.

[80] Or, "they take good care to get out of my way," "they hold aloof
from me entirely."

[81] Or, "produce the family-pedigree and claim me for a cousin." Cf.
Lucian v., "Tim." 49; Ter. "Phorm." ii. 33, 45.

Charm. Well, well! and you, sir (turning to the Syracusan), what do
you pride yourself upon? No doubt, upon the boy?

The Syr. Not I, indeed; I am terribly afraid concerning him. It is
plain enough to me that certain people are contriving for his
ruin.[82]

[82] {diaphtheirai} = (1) to destroy, make away with; (2) to ruin and
corrupt, seduce by bribes or otherwise.

Good gracious![83] (Socrates exclaimed, when he heard that), what
crime can they conceive your boy is guilty of that they should wish to
make an end of him?

[83] Lit. "Heracles!" "Zounds!"

The Syr. I do not say they want to murder him, but wheedle him away
with bribes to pass his nights with them.

Soc. And if that happened, you on your side, it appears, believe the
boy will be corrupted?

The Syr. Beyond all shadow of a doubt, most villainously.

Soc. And you, of course, you never dream of such a thing. You don't
spend nights with him?

The Syr. Of course I do, all night and every night.

Soc. By Hera, what a mighty piece of luck[84] for you--to be so
happily compounded, of such flesh and blood. You alone can't injure
those who sleep beside you. You have every right, it seems, to boast
of your own flesh, if nothing else.

[84] Cf. Plat. "Symp." 217 A.

The Syr. Nay, in sooth, it is not on that I pride myself.

Soc. Well, on what then?

The Syr. Why, on the silly fools who come and see my puppet show.[85]
I live on them.

[85] "My marionettes." Cf. Herod. ii. 48; Lucian lxxii., "De Syr. d."
16; Aristot. "de Mund." 6.

Phil. Ah yes! and that explains how the other day I heard you praying
to the gods to grant you, wheresoe'er you chance to be, great store of
corn and wine, but dearth of wits.[86]

[86] Or, "of fruits abundance, but of wits a famine." Cf. Plat. "Rep."
546 A. His prayer resembles that of the thievish trader in Ovid,
"Fast." v. 675 foll., "Grant me to-day my daily . . . fraud!" but
in spite of himself (like Dogberry), he seems to pray to the gods
to "write him down an ass"!

Pass on (said Callias); now it is your turn, Socrates. What have you
to say to justify your choice? How can you boast of so discredited an
art?[87]

[87] Sc. "the hold-door trade."

He answered: Let us first decide[88] what are the duties of the good
go-between;[89] and please to answer every question without
hesitating; let us know the points to which we mutually assent.[90]
Are you agreed to that?

[88] Or, "define in common." Cf. "Mem." IV. vi. 15.

[89] Or, "man-praiser." Cf. "The Manx Witch," p. 47 (T. E. Brown),
"And Harry, more like a dooiney-molla For Jack, lak helpin him to
woo." See, too, Mr. Hall Caine's "Manxman," p. 73.

[90] See Plat. "Rep." 342 D, for a specimen of Socratic procedure,
"from one point of agreement to another."

The Company, in chorus. Without a doubt (they answered, and the
formula, once started, was every time repeated by the company, full
chorus).

Soc. Are you agreed it is the business of a good go-between to make
him (or her) on whom he plies his art agreeable to those with
them?[91]

[91] Al. "their followers." See "Mem." II. vi. 36.

Omnes. Without a doubt.

Soc. And, further, that towards agreeableness, one step at any rate
consists in wearing a becoming fashion of the hair and dress?[92] Are
you agreed to that?

[92] See Becker, "Char." Exc. iii. to Sc. xi.

Omnes. Without a doubt.

Soc. And we know for certain, that with the same eyes a man may dart a
look of love or else of hate[93] on those he sees. Are you agreed?

[93] See "Mem." III. x. 5.

Omnes. Without a doubt.

Soc. Well! and with the same tongue and lips and voice may speak with
modesty or boastfulnes?

Omnes. Without a doubt.

Soc. And there are words that bear the stamp of hate, and words that
tend to friendliness?[94]

[94] Cf. Ep. St. James iii. 10, "Out of the same mouth proceedeth
blessing and cursing."

Omnes. Without a doubt.

Soc. The good go-between will therefore make his choice between them,
and teach only what conduces to agreeableness?

Omnes. Without a doubt.

Soc. And is he the better go-between who can make his clients pleasing
to one person only, or can make them pleasing to a number?[95]

[95] Or, "to the many." The question is ambiguous. {e} = "an" or
"quam."

The company was here divided; the one half answered, "Yes, of course,
the largest number," whilst the others still maintained, "Without a
doubt."

And Socrates, remarking, "That proposition is agreed to also," thus
proceeded: And if further he were able to make them pleasing to the
whole community, should we not have found in this accomplished person
an arch-go-between?

Clearly so (they answered with one voice).

Soc. If then a man had power to make his clients altogether pleasing;
that man, I say, might justly pride himself upon his art, and should
by rights receive a large reward?[96]

[96] Or, "he deserves to do a rattling business," "to take handsome
fees." Cf. Sheridan's Mrs. Coupler, in "A Trip to Scarborough."

And when these propositions were agreed to also, he turned about and
said: Just such a man, I take it, is before you in the person of
Antisthenes![97]

[97] See Diog. Laert. "Antisth." VI. i. 8; Plut. "Symp." ii. 1. 503.

Whereupon Antisthenes exclaimed: What! are you going to pass on the
business? will you devolve this art of yours on me as your successor,
Socrates?[98]

[98] Or, "going to give up business, and hand on the trade to me as
your successor?"

I will, upon my word, I will (he answered): since I see that you have
practised to some purpose, nay elaborated, an art which is the
handmaid to this other.

And what may that be? asked Antisthenes.

Soc. The art of the procurer.[99]

[99] Cf. Plat. "Theaet." 150 A; Aristot. "Eth. N." v. 2, 13; Aeschin.
3, 7; Plut. "Solon," 23.

The other (in a tone of deep vexation): Pray, what thing of the sort
are you aware I ever perpetrated?

Soc. I am aware that it was you who introduced our host here, Callias,
to that wise man Prodicus;[100] they were a match, you saw, the one
enamoured of philosophy, and the other in need of money. It was you
again, I am well enough aware, who introduced him once again to
Hippias[101] of Elis, from whom he learnt his "art of memory";[102]
since which time he has become a very ardent lover,[103] from
inability to forget each lovely thing he sets his eyes on. And quite
lately, if I am not mistaken, it was you who sounded in my ears such
praise of our visitor from Heraclea,[104] that first you made me
thirst for his society, and then united us.[105] For which indeed I am
your debtor, since I find him a fine handsome fellow and true
gentleman.[106] And did you not, moreover, sing the praises of
Aeschylus of Phlius[107] in my ears and mine in his?--in fact,
affected us so much by what you said, we fell in love and took to
coursing wildly in pursuit of one another like two dogs upon a
trail.[108]

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