Symposium

Agathon, if there is any large cup. Or rather, there is no need; but bring, boy,” he said, “that wine-cooler,” having seen that it 214a held more than eight kotylai.¹ Having filled this, he first drank it off himself, then told the slave to pour for Socrates, and at the same time said, “Against Socrates, gentlemen, my trick is nothing; for however much anyone tells him to drink, drinking off just so much he will never be any the more drunk.”

So when the slave had poured, Socrates drank; and Eryximachus said, “How then, Alcibiades, are we behaving? 214b Are we thus neither to say anything over the cup nor to sing anything, but simply drink like the thirsty?”

So Alcibiades said, “Eryximachus, most excellent son of a most excellent and most temperate father, greetings!”

“And to you,” said Eryximachus; “but what are we to do?”

“Whatever you tell us. For you must be obeyed:

for a doctor is a man worth many others;²

so order whatever you want.”

“Listen, then,” said Eryximachus. “Before you came in, we resolved that each of us, going to the right, must 214c make a speech about Love in turn, the most beautiful he could, and make an encomium of him. Now all the rest of us have spoken; but since you have not spoken and have drunk off your cup, it is just that you should speak, and when you have spoken, give Socrates whatever order you want, and he the man on his right, and so on with the others.”

“Well, Eryximachus,” said Alcibiades, “you speak well; but for a drunk man to set his speeches beside those of the sober may not be on equal terms. And at the same time, you blessed man, does 214d Socrates persuade you of anything he said just now? Or do you know that it is all the opposite of what he was saying? For this man, if I praise anyone while he is