The Symposium [17]
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."
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."