Symposium

who is by nature to one’s mind. And in hymning the god who is the cause of this, 193d we should justly hymn Love, who in the present benefits us most by leading us to what is akin, and for the future offers the greatest hopes: that if we offer the gods piety, he will establish us in our ancient nature and, by healing us, make us blessed and happy.”

“This, Eryximachus,” he said, “is my speech about Love, of another kind than yours. As I begged you, then, do not make comedy of it, so that we may hear the rest as well, what each 193e will say, or rather what each of the two; for Agathon and Socrates are left.”

“Well, I shall obey you,” Eryximachus said, he said; “for indeed the speech was spoken to my pleasure. And if I did not know Socrates and Agathon to be formidable in matters of love,¹ I should be very much afraid that they would be at a loss for speeches,² because so much of every kind has been said; but as it is I am confident all the same.”

194aThen Socrates said, “That is because you yourself competed well, Eryximachus; but if you were where I now am, or rather perhaps where I shall be when Agathon too has spoken well,³ you would be very much afraid indeed, and at your wits’ end, as I am now.”

“You want to bewitch me, Socrates,” said Agathon, “so that I may be thrown into confusion by thinking that the theatre has great expectations that I shall speak well.”

“I should indeed be forgetful, Agathon,” said Socrates, “194bif, after seeing your courage and pride as you mounted the platform⁴ with the actors and looked out at so great a theatre, about to display your own speeches, and were not in the least panic-stricken, I should now think you would be thrown into confusion on account of us few human beings.”