[12] Lit. "how serious are his brows."
[13] The phrases somehow remind one of Sappho's famous ode:
{phainetai moi kenos isos theoisin emmen oner, ostis enantios toi izanei, kai plasion adu phoneusas upakouei kai gelosas imeroen}.
But there we must stop. Hermogenes is a sort of Sir Percivale, "such a courtesy spake thro' the limbs and in the voice."
Nay, so help me Heaven! (he replied), but I do love most desperately yourself, O Socrates!
Whereat Socrates, still carrying on the jest, with a coy, coquettish air,[14] replied: Yes; only please do not bother me at present. I have other things to do, you see.
[14] Al. "like a true coquet." Cf. Plat. "Phaedr." 228 C.
Antisthenes replied: How absolutely true to your own character, arch go-between![15] It is always either your familiar oracle won't suffer you, that's your pretext, and so you can't converse with me; or you are bent upon something or somebody else.
[15] See "Mem." III. xi. 14.
Then Socrates: For Heaven's sake, don't carbonado[16] me, Antisthenes, that's all. Any other savagery on your part I can stand, and will stand, as a lover should. However (he added), the less we say about your love the better, since it is clearly an attachment not to my soul, but to my lovely person.
[16] Or, "tear and scratch me."
And then, turning to Callias: And that you, Callias, do love Autolycus, this whole city knows and half the world besides,[17] if I am not mistaken; and the reason is that you are both sons of famous fathers, and yourselves illustrious. For my part I have ever admired your nature, but now much more so, when I see that you are in love with one who does not wanton in luxury or languish in effeminacy,[18] but who displays to all his strength, his hardihood, his courage, and sobriety of soul. To be enamoured of such qualities as these is a proof itself of a true lover's nature.
[17] Lit. "many a foreign visitor likewise."
[18] See the Attic type of character, as drawn by Pericles, Thuc. ii. 40.
Whether indeed Aphrodite be one or twain[19] in personality, the heavenly and the earthly, I cannot tell, for Zeus, who is one and indivisible, bears many titles.[20] But this thing I know, that these twain have separate altars, shrines, and sacrifices,[21] as befits their nature--she that is earthly, of a lighter and a laxer sort; she that is heavenly, purer and holier in type. And you may well conjecture, it is the earthly goddess, the common Aphrodite, who sends forth the bodily loves; while from her that is named of heaven, Ourania, proceed those loves which feed upon the soul, on friendship and on noble deeds. It is by this latter, Callias, that you are held in bonds, if I mistake not, Love divine.[22] This I infer as well from the fair and noble character of your friend, as from the fact that you invite his father to share your life and intercourse.[23] Since no part of these is hidden from the father by the fair and noble lover.
[19] For Aphrodite Ourania and Pandemos see Plat. "Symp." 180.
[20] Lit. "that is believed to be the same." See Cic. "De N. D." iii. 16. Cf. Aesch. "Prom." 210 (of Themis and Gaia), {pollon onomaton morphe mia}.
[21] e.g. to Aphrodite Pandemos a white goat, {mekas leuke}, but to Aphrodite Ourania a heifer, and {thusiai nephaliai}, offerings without wine, i.e. of water, milk, and honey. Schol. to Soph. "Oed. Col." 100; Lucian, lxvii. "Dial. Mer." 7. 1.
[22] Lit. "by Eros."
[23] Cf. Plat. "Prot." 318 A; Aristoph. "Thesmoph." 21, "learned conversazioni."
Hermogenes broke in: By Hera, Socrates, I much admire you for many things, and now to see how in the act of gratifying Callias you are training him in duty and true excellence.[24]
[24] Lit. "teaching him what sort of man he ought to be." This, as we know, is the very heart and essence of the Socratic (= {XS}) method. See "Mem." I. ii. 3.
Why, yes (he said), if only that his cup of happiness may overflow, I wish to testify to him how far the love of soul is better than the love of body.
Without friendship,[25] as we full well know, there is no society of any worth. And this friendship, what is it? On the part of those whose admiration[26] is bestowed upon the inner disposition, it is well named a sweet and voluntary compulsion. But among those whose desire[26] is for the body, there are not a few who blame, nay hate, the ways of their beloved ones. And even where attachment[26] clings to both,[27] even so the bloom of beauty after all does quickly reach its prime; the flower withers, and when that fails, the affection which was based upon it must also wither up and perish. But the soul, with every step she makes in her onward course towards deeper wisdom, grows ever worthier of love.
[25] Lit. "That without love no intercourse is worth regarding, we all know."
[26] N.B.--{agamenon, epithumounton, sterxosi}. Here, as often, the author seems to have studied the {orthoepeia} of Prodicus. See "Mem." II. i. 24.
[27] i.e. "body and character."
Ay, and in the enjoyment of external beauty a sort of surfeit is engendered. Just as the eater's appetite palls through repletion with regard to meats,[28] so will the feelings of a lover towards his idol. But the soul's attachment, owing to its purity, knows no satiety.[29] Yet not therefore, as a man might fondly deem, has it less of the character of loveliness.[30] But very clearly herein is our prayer fulfilled, in which we beg the goddess to grant us words and deeds that bear the impress of her own true loveliness.[31]
[28] Cf. "Mem." III. xi. 13.
[29] Lit. "is more insatiate." Cf. Charles Wesley's hymn:
O Love Divine, how sweet Thou art! When shall I find my willing heart All taken up by Thee?
[30] Lit. "is she, the soul, more separate from Aphrodite."
[31] Or, "stamped with the image of Aphrodite." Zeune cf. Lucr. i. 24, addressing Venus, "te sociam studeo scribendis versibus esse," "I would have thee for a helpmate in writing the verses . . ."; and below, 28, "quo magis aeternum da dictis, diva, leporem," "Wherefore all the more, O lady, lend my lays an ever-living charm" (H. A. J. Munro).
That a soul whose bloom is visible alike in beauty of external form, free and unfettered, and an inner disposition, bashful, generous; a spirit[32] at once imperial and affable,[33] born to rule among its fellows--that such a being will, of course, admire and fondly cling to his beloved, is a thesis which needs no further argument on my part. Rather I will essay to teach you, how it is natural that this same type of lover should in turn be loved by his soul's idol.[34]
[32] Cf. Plat. "Phaedr." 252 E.
[33] The epithet {philophron} occurs "Mem." III. i. 6, of a general; ib. III. v. 3 (according to the vulg. reading), of the Athenians.
[34] Or, "the boy whom he cherishes."
How, in the first place, is it possible for him to hate a lover who, he knows, regards him as both beautiful and good?[35] and, in the next place, one who, it is clear, is far more anxious to promote the fair estate of him he loves[36] than to indulge his selfish joys? and above all, when he has faith and trust that neither dereliction,[37] nor loss of beauty through sickness, nor aught else, will diminish their affection.
[35] Or, "perfection."
[36] Lit. "the boy."
[37] Reading {en para ti poiese}. Al. "come what come may," lit. "no alteration"; or if reading {parebese} transl. "although his May of youth should pass, and sickness should mar his features, the tie of friendship will not be weakened."
If, then, they own a mutual devotion,[38] how can it but be, they will take delight in gazing each into the other's eyes, hold kindly converse, trust and be trusted, have forethought for each other, in success rejoice together, in misfortune share their troubles; and so long as health endures make merry cheer, day in day out; or if either of them should fall on sickness, then will their intercourse be yet more constant; and if they cared for one another face to face, much more will they care when parted.[39] Are not all these the outward tokens of true loveliness?[40] In the exercise of such sweet offices, at any rate, they show their passion for holy friendship's state, and prove its bliss, continuously pacing life's path from youth to eld.