CHAPTER XXVI.

PHÆDRUS--SYMPOSION.

These two are the two erotic dialogues of Plato. Phædrus is the originator of both 1

Eros as conceived by Plato. Different sentiment prevalent in Hellenic antiquity and in modern times. Position of women in Greece _ib._

Eros, considered as the great stimulus to improving philosophical communion. Personal Beauty, the great point of approximation between the world of sense and the world of Ideas. Gradual generalisation of the sentiment 4

All men love Good, as the means of Happiness, but they pursue it by various means. The name _Eros_ is confined to one special case of this large variety 5

Desire of mental copulation and procreation, as the only attainable likeness of immortality, requires the sight of personal beauty as an originating stimulus 6

Highest exaltation of the erotic impulse in a few privileged minds, when it ascends gradually to the love of Beauty in general. This is the most absorbing sentiment of all 7

Purpose of the Symposion, to contrast this Platonic view of Eros with several different views of it previously enunciated by the other speakers; closing with a panegyric on Sokrates, by the drunken Alkibiades 8

Views of Eros presented by Phædrus, Pausanias, Eryximachus, Aristophanes, Agathon 9

Discourse of Sokrates from revelation of Diotima. He describes Eros as not a God, but an intermediate Dæmon between Gods and men, constantly aspiring to divinity, but not attaining it 9

Analogy of the erotic aspiration with that of the philosopher, who knows his own ignorance and thirsts for knowledge 10

Eros as presented in the Phædrus--Discourse of Lysias, and counter-discourse of Sokrates, adverse to Eros--Sokrates is seized with remorse, and recants in a high-flown panegyric on Eros 11

Panegyric--Sokrates admits that the influence of Eros is a variety of madness, but distinguishes good and bad varieties of madness, both coming from the Gods. Good madness is far better than sobriety _ib._

Poetical mythe delivered by Sokrates, describing the immortality and pre-existence of the soul, and its pre-natal condition of partial companionship with Gods and eternal Ideas 12

Operation of such pre-natal experience upon the Intellectual faculties of man--Comparison and combination of particular sensations indispensable--Reminiscence 13

Reminiscence is kindled up in the soul of the philosopher by the aspect of visible Beauty, which is the great link between the world of sense and the world of Ideas 14

Elevating influence ascribed, both in Phædrus and Symposion, to Eros Philosophus. Mixture in the mind of Plato, of poetical fancy and religious mysticism, with dialectic theory 15

Differences between Symposion and Phædrus. In-dwelling conceptions assumed by the former, pre-natal experiences by the latter 17

Nothing but metaphorical immortality recognised in Symposion _ib._

Form or Idea of Beauty presented singly and exclusively in Symposion 18

Eros recognised, both in Phædrus and Symposion, as affording the initiatory stimulus to philosophy--Not so recognised in Phædon, Theætêtus, and elsewhere _ib._

Concluding scene and speech of Alkibiades in the Symposion--Behaviour of Sokrates to Alkibiades and other handsome youths 19

Perfect self-command of Sokrates--proof against every sort of trial 20

Drunkenness of others at the close of the Symposion--Sokrates is not affected by it, but continues his dialectic process 21

Symposion and Phædon--each is the antithesis and complement of the other 22

Symposion of Plato compared with that of Xenophon _ib._

Small proportion of the serious, in the Xenophontic Symposion 24

Platonic Symposion more ideal and transcendental than the Xenophontic 25

Second half of the Phædrus--passes into a debate on Rhetoric. Eros is considered as a subject for rhetorical exercise 26

Lysias is called a logographer by active politicians. Contempt conveyed by the word. Sokrates declares that the only question is, Whether a man writes well or ill 27

Question about teaching the art of writing well or speaking well. Can it be taught upon system or principle? Or does the successful Rhetor succeed only by unsystematic knack? 28

Theory of Sokrates--that all art of persuasion must be founded upon a knowledge of the truth, and of gradations of resemblance to the truth _ib._

Comparison made by Sokrates between the discourse of Lysias and his own. Eros is differently understood: Sokrates defined what he meant by it: Lysias did not define 29

Logical processes--Definition and Division--both of them exemplified in the two discourses of Sokrates _ib._

View of Sokrates--that there is no real Art of Rhetoric, except what is already comprised in Dialectic--The rhetorical teaching is empty and useless 30

What the Art of Rhetoric ought to be--Analogy of Hippokrates and the medical Art 31

Art of Rhetoric ought to include a systematic classification of minds with all their varieties, and of discourses with all their varieties. The Rhetor must know how to apply the one to the other, suitably to each particular case 32

The Rhetorical Artist must farther become possessed of real truth, as well as that which his auditors believe to be truth. He is not sufficiently rewarded for this labour 33

Question about Writing--As an Art, for the purpose of instruction, it can do little--Reasons why. Writing may remind the reader of what he already knows _ib._

Neither written words, nor continuous speech, will produce any serious effect in teaching. Dialectic and cross-examination are necessary 34

The Dialectician and Cross-Examiner is the only man who can really teach. If the writer can do this, he is more than a writer 37

Lysias is only a logographer: Isokrates promises to become a philosopher 38

Date of the Phædrus--not an early dialogue _ib._

Criticism given by Plato on the three discourses--His theory of Rhetoric is more Platonic than Sokratic _ib._

His theory postulates, in the Rhetor, knowledge already assured--it assumes that all the doubts have been already removed 39

The Expositor, with knowledge and logical process, teaches minds unoccupied and willing to learn _ib._

The Rhetor does not teach, but persuades persons with minds pre-occupied--guiding them methodically from error to truth 40

He must then classify the minds to be persuaded, and the means of persuasion or varieties of discourse. He must know how to fit on the one to the other in each particular case 41

Plato's _Idéal_ of the Rhetorical Art--involves in part incompatible conditions--the Wise man or philosopher will never be listened to by the public _ib._

The other part of the Platonic _Idéal_ is grand but unattainable--breadth of psychological data and classified modes of discourse 42

Plato's ideal grandeur compared with the rhetorical teachers--Usefulness of these teachers for the wants of an accomplished man 44

The Rhetorical teachers conceived the Art too narrowly: Plato conceived it too widely. The principles of an Art are not required to be explained to all learners 45

Plato includes in his conception of Art, the application thereof to new particular cases. This can never be taught by rule 46

Plato's charge against the Rhetorical teachers is not made out 47

Plato has not treated Lysias fairly, in neglecting his greater works, and selecting for criticism an erotic exercise for a private circle 47

No fair comparison can be taken between this exercise of Lysias and the discourses delivered by Sokrates in the Phædrus 48

Continuous discourse, either written or spoken, inefficacious as a means of instruction to the ignorant 49

Written matter is useful as a memorandum for persons who know--or as an elegant pastime 50

Plato's didactic theories are pitched too high to be realised 51

No one has ever been found competent to solve the difficulties raised by Sokrates, Arkesilaus, Karneades, and the negative vein of philosophy _ib._

Plato's _idéal_ philosopher can only be realised under the hypothesis of a pre-existent and omniscient soul, stimulated into full reminiscence here 52

Different proceeding of Plato in the Timæus 53

Opposite tendencies co-existent in Plato's mind--Extreme of the Transcendental or Absolute--Extreme of specialising adaptation to individuals and occasions 54