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_Socr._ My dear Phædrus, whither are you going, and from whence come
you?
_Phæ._ From Lysias, son of Cephalus, Socrates; but I am going for a walk
outside the walls; for I have spent a long time there, sitting from very
early in the morning; but in obedience to your and my friend Acumenus, I
take my walks in the open roads; for he says that they are more
refreshing than those in the course.
_Socr._ He says rightly, my friend: Lysias then, as it seems, was in the
city?
_Phæ._ Yes, with Epicrates in the Morychian house here, near the
Olympium.
_Socr._ What was your employment there? Without doubt Lysias feasted you
with speeches?
_Phæ._ You shall hear, if you have leisure to go on with me and listen.
_Socr._ What then? do you not think that, according to Pindar[116], I
should consider it a matter above all want and leisure, to listen to the
conversation between you and Lysias?
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Footnote 116:
Isthm. i. 2.
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_Phæ._ Proceed then.
_Socr._ Do you begin your story.
2. _Phæ._ And indeed, Socrates, the subject is suited to you. For the
question, in which we spent our time, I know not how, was amatory. For
Lysias had written a speech in which he described a beautiful youth as
being courted, but not by a lover; and on this very point he argued with
great subtilty; for he maintains that favour ought to be shewn to one
who is not in love, rather than to one who is in love.
_Socr._ Generous man! I wish he had written that favour should be shewn
to a poor man rather than a rich one, and to an old than a young, and so
on with respect to such things as happen to me and the most of us; for
then his discourses would be charming and of general usefulness. I, for
my part, am so very desirous to hear his speech, that even if you
prolong your walk to Megara, and, after Herodicus, when you have reached
the wall, turn back again, I shall on no account lag behind you.
3. _Phæ._ How say you, most excellent Socrates? Do you think, that what
Lysias, the most able writer of the day, composed at his leisure in a
long space of time, I who am but a novice could repeat from memory in a
manner worthy of him? Far from it; though I would rather be able to do
so than be the possessor of a large sum of gold.
_Socr._ Phædrus, if I know not Phædrus, I have also forgotten myself;
but neither of these is the case; for I know well that on hearing
Lysias’s speech he not only heard it once, but urged him to read it
repeatedly, and he readily complied; neither was this sufficient for
Phædrus, but at length having got hold of the book, he examined the
parts he liked best; and having done this, sitting from very early in
the morning, he was fatigued and went out for a walk, as I believe, by
the dog, having learnt the whole speech by heart, if it is not a very
long one. And he was going outside the walls, that he might con it over,
and, [4.] meeting with one who has a desire for hearing speeches, was
delighted at seeing him approach, because he would have one to share his
enthusiasm, and bade him accompany him in his walk. But when that lover
of speeches begged him to recite it, he affected shyness, as if he did
not wish to repeat it, though at length he would have compelled one to
listen to it even though one was not willing to do so. Do you then,
Phædrus, entreat him to do now what he will soon do at all events.
_Phæ._ It is, in truth, far best for me to repeat it as well as I can;
for I see you are determined not to let me go, until I have delivered it
some how or another.
_Socr._ You think perfectly right.
_Phæ._ I will do it then; but in truth, Socrates, I have by no means
learnt the words of this oration by heart, though the general outline of
all the several parts, in which he said the claims of one who is in love
and one who is not differ from each other, I can go through summarily
and in order, beginning from the first.
5. _Socr._ But shew me first, my dear friend, what you have got there in
your left hand, under your cloak; for I suspect that you have got the
speech itself: and if this is the case, think thus of me, that I love
you very much, but that, when Lysias is present, I have by no means made
up my mind to lend myself to you to practise upon. Come then, shew it
me.
_Phæ._ Stop, you have dashed down the hope I had, Socrates, of
practising upon you. But where do you wish we should sit down and read?
_Socr._ Let us turn down here, and go near the Ilissus, then we will sit
down quietly, wherever you please.
_Phæ._ Very seasonably, as it appears, I happen to be without shoes, for
you are always so. It will be easiest for us then to walk by the shallow
stream, wetting our feet, and it will not be unpleasant, especially at
this season of the year, and this time of the day.
_Socr._ Lead on then, and at the same time look out for a place where we
may sit down.