A Proposal: Speeches in Praise of Love

176a After this, Aristodemus said, when Socrates had reclined and dined with the others, they poured libations, sang a hymn to the god and performed the other customary rites, and turned to drinking. Then Pausanias opened the conversation, more or less like this: "Well, gentlemen, how shall we drink most comfortably? For my part, I tell you, I am really in a bad way from yesterday's drinking and need some respite — and so, I think, do most of you, for you were there yesterday. 176b So consider how we may drink most comfortably."

Aristophanes said: "You are quite right, Pausanias, that we must arrange by every means some relief in our drinking; for I am one of those who were soaked yesterday."

Hearing them, Eryximachus the son of Acumenus said: "You are right indeed. And there is one more of you I want to hear from: how strong is Agathon for drinking?"

"Not at all," he said. "I am not strong either."

176c "It would be a godsend for us, it seems," said Eryximachus, "for me and Aristodemus and Phaedrus and these others, if you, the ablest drinkers, have now given up; for we are always unable. Socrates I leave out of account; he is able either way, so whichever we do will suit him. Since, then, none of those present seems eager to drink much wine, perhaps I shall be less disagreeable if I tell you the truth about drunkenness. For this, I think, 176d has become plain to me from medicine: that drunkenness is harmful to men. I would not willingly go far in drinking myself, nor advise anyone else to, especially when still suffering from the day before."

"Well," said Phaedrus of Myrrhinus, taking him up, "I am used to following your advice, especially on medical matters; and now, if they are wise, so will the rest." 176e When they heard this, they all agreed not to make the present gathering a drunken one, but to drink only as they pleased.

"Since, then," said Eryximachus, "it has been decided that each shall drink as much as he likes, and that there shall be no compulsion, I next propose that we dismiss the flute-girl who has just come in — let her play to herself, or if she likes, to the women inside — and that we spend our time together today in speeches. And what speeches, if you wish, I am willing to propose."

177a They all said they wished it, and urged him to make his proposal. So Eryximachus said: "The beginning of my speech is like Euripides' Melanippe: 'the tale is not mine',¹ but Phaedrus' here, which I am going to tell. Phaedrus is always complaining to me: 'Is it not a terrible thing, Eryximachus, that the poets have made hymns and paeans to other gods, but to Love, so ancient and so great a god, not one of all the poets there have ever been 177b has composed a single song of praise? And if you look at our worthy sophists, they write eulogies of Heracles and others in prose, as the excellent Prodicus does — and that is less surprising; but I once came across a book by a learned man in which salt received marvellous praise for its usefulness, and you can see many other such things 177c eulogized. That such pains should be taken over such matters, and yet that no man has ever dared, to this very day, to hymn Love worthily — so neglected has so great a god been!' In this Phaedrus seems to me to be right. So I want both to make my contribution to him and do him a favour, and at the same time I think it fitting on this occasion for us who are present to honour the god. If, 177d then, you agree, we should find enough to occupy us in speeches. I think each of us, going round from left to right, should make a speech in praise of Love, as fine as he can; and Phaedrus should begin first, since he reclines in the first place and is also the father of the subject."

"No one will vote against you, Eryximachus," said Socrates. "I could hardly refuse, I who say that I know nothing but the matters of love; nor could Agathon and 177e Pausanias, nor Aristophanes, whose whole life is spent on Dionysus and Aphrodite, nor anyone else of those I see here. It is not quite fair to us who recline in the last places; but if those before us speak well and adequately, that will be enough for us. Good luck, then: let Phaedrus begin and praise Love."

All the others agreed with this and 178a urged him on, as Socrates had done. Now Aristodemus did not remember everything that each of them said, nor do I remember all that he told me; but I will tell you the speech of each of those whom I thought most worth remembering.

1. A line from a lost tragedy of Euripides; the heroine begins a story she has learned from her mother. ↩