Socrates declares that “it would not be out of place for [him] to reject it, as [the] intellectuals do” (229c). Kissel, Adam ed. Noticing an object in Phaedrus’s left hand, Socrates surmises that Phaedrus has a copy of the original speech and merely wanted to practice his own speechmaking. I come from Lysias the son of Cephalus, ... and will give you a summary of the points in which the lover differed from the non-lover. Chapter Summary for Robert Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, part 4 chapter 31 summary. The company applaud the speech of Socrates, and Aristophanes is about to say something, when suddenly a band of revellers breaks into the court, and the voice of Alcibiades is heard asking for Agathon. INTRODUCTION. The truth now revealed, the two set off to find a quiet spot to read. ... Of Phaedrus he says, "He was true to what he believed right to the end. Only with the prospect of hearing Lysias’s speech has he been lured into stepping outside the city walls. Introduction The Chariot Allegory from Phaedrus is something better studied than read quickly or superficially. The Phaedrus is closely connected with the Symposium, and may be regarded either as introducing or following it. "A Survey of the Gadgets and Specialized Terms of Contemporary Talk—Talk as Reasoning—The Mediocrity of the Kept in touch with the Verbally expressed Word" Talk, Socrates proceeds, is the specialty of affecting the spirit, and in this way a speaker must know the specific characteristics of the specific soul he is attempting to impact. After reaffirming the importance of philosophy to both spoken and written discourse, Phaedrus and Socrates set out on the path back to the city. True rhetoric involves dialectic, which involves collecting and dividing knowledge of a subject in a natural way. The soul is portrayed as made of a white horse… Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values (ZAMM) is a book by Robert M. Pirsig first published in 1974. Outside the city, Socrates will be inhabited by gods and nymphs to produce elaborate speeches of his own. Now, when the soul catches glimpse of a beautiful boy on earth, it is reminded of the vision of Beauty that it saw beyond the heavens. Phaedrus, an aristocrat, takes the stage first at the symposium. The Question and Answer section for Phaedrus is a great The two Dialogues together contain the whole philosophy of Plato on the nature of love, which in the Republic and in the later writings of Plato is only introduced playfully or as a figure of speech. But Phaedrus claims that “a mere dilettante” like himself could never recite the speech in a manner worthy of Lysias—much less from memory (227d). The philosopher, then, would only use dialectic writing—and even then, only for his own amusement. Socrates convinces Phaedrus to share its … The lover, Lysias claims, is mad, and as such is given to unhealthy tendencies that cannot benefit the boy. In the meantime, the two have reached the plane tree. As Alfred Geier notes, “there is a touch of madness in Socrates here” (145). He thus proposes to summarize the “general sense,” listing all the arguments in “proper order” (228d). It takes the form of a dialogue between Socrates and Phaedrus and its ostensible subject is love, especially homoerotic love. Socrates repents of his first attempt and gives a treatment of love as the impulse to philosophy: Platonic love, as in the Symposium, is eros, here graphically described. The first half of the Phaedrus consists of competitive speeches of seduction. The two Dialogues together contain the whole philosophy of Plato on the nature of love, which in the Republic and in the later writings of Plato is only introduced playfully or as a figure of speech. The Phaedrus , written by Plato, is a dialogue between Plato's protagonist, Socrates, and Phaedrus, an interlocutor in several dialogues. How does Plato, using integrative thinking, ultimately find a way to connect erotic love, beauty and the absolute into a unified whole? The introduction depicts both the written speech of Lysias, hidden beneath Phædrus' coat (Phædrus,228d), that he wants so hard to instill in his heart by rote, and the open "book" of nature, so inviting and yet so silent for Socrates, eager to learn about himself and finding more material for study in the men in the city (Phædrus, 230d). Such madness destroys both the soul and body of the boy and will bring him no benefits. Lysias’s Speech: 230e-234c Summary and Analysis. See Phaedrus, Introduction. The final point of note in the introduction invokes the famous ancient Greek aphorism “Know thyself.” When Socrates claims that he has no time to explain away the myth of Boreas and Oreithuia, he invokes the inscription on the stone at Delphi: on one side is written, “Know thyself”; the other side reads “Nothing in excess.” The two sides of the stone are very close to suggesting a duality between reason and madness, or polis and apolis. The Phaedrus was presumably composed around 370 BCE, about the same time as Plato's Republic and Symposium. Socrates convinces Phaedrus to share its details in a discourse. This art of dialectic can can only be acquired by philosophizing systematically about the nature of life and of the soul. Phaedrus has been influenced by the sophistic view of rhetoric, which states that persuasion trumps truth in the art of rhetoric. "Phaedrus Introduction: 227a-230e Summary and Analysis". Phaedrus Introduction to the Discussion of Rhetoric—The Myth of the Cicadas (258-259) Summary & Analysis Summary: “Introduction to the Discussion of Rhetoric—The Myth of the Cicadas” Phaedrus praises the speech Socrates has just givenand suggests that Lysias is no match for him as an orator. Chapter Summaries & Analyses. Enjoy this free preview Unlock all 26 pages of this Study Guide by subscribing today. GradeSaver, 8 March 2008 Web. Phaedrus believes this speech to be excellent, in the sense that it offers an extensive argument for the topic at hand. But Socrates does not share Phaedrus's admiration. Phaedrus Summary and Analysis of Introduction: 227a-230e Socrates meets Phaedrus while walking through the streets of Athens. ... and will give you a summary of the points in which the lover differed from the non-lover. The extract from the book, Plato: The Collected Dialogues philosophically examines the experience of falling in love. Socrates retorts that he knows Phaedrus well enough to see through this pretense. Socrates tells the myth of the god Theuth, who discovered writing and transmitted it to the Egyptians. Get free homework help on Jean Racine's Phaedra: play summary, scene summary and analysis and original text, quotes, essays, and character analysis courtesy of CliffsNotes. Plato’s Republic treats eros as a dangerous but important part of the philosopher’s soul. But once again, Socrates sees through Phaedrus’s deception. Phaedrus has spent the morning listening to Lysias deliver a speech on love, and now he desires to take a walk outside the city. Kuriyama, Taro. Socrates meets Phaedrus in Athens. Plato portrays Socrates consistently as one who neither enjoys nor practices long speeches. PHAEDRUS: I come from Lysias the son of Cephalus, and I am going to take a walk outside the wall, for I have been sitting with him the whole ... he said, and will give you a summary of the points in which the lover differed from the non-lover. The last topic of discussion between Socrates and Lysias addresses the technology of writing. Socrates challenges this argument by demonstrating the harmful influences of speaking without knowing the truth. The Phaedrus, then, features a unique and strange setting. In ancient Greek culture, the culture of the polis is often associated thematically with rationality and order—particularly when opposed to madness outside the city (apolis). Socrates meets Phaedrus in Athens. Socrates is an old man, a teacher, and (if we are to believe Plato) is the wisest man that has ever walked the earth. To prove it, he will give Phaethon anything he wants, swearing by the River Styx that he will grant... Socrates likens the souls of men and gods to chariots led by two winged horses. Apart from the Phaedrus, the only Platonic dialogue that features Socrates leaving the city is the Republic. Historical Context of Phaedrus. Socrates convinces Phaedrus to share its details in a discourse. According to Hesiod, a great poet from around the time of Homer, Chaos was the first thing in existence, followed by Earth and Love. Phaedrus literature essays are academic essays for citation. That's the difference between us, and Chris knows it." Socrates interprets this as a sign that he has offended the gods. Socrates' second speech, known as his Great Speech, establishes the overarching importance of eros in life. Although Phaedrus desperately wanted to recite the speech, he feigned reluctance coyly. Similarly in the Phaedrus, Socrates shows eros to be a divine madness that a philosopher’s soul must be able to control. Apparently, Phaedrus and other men listened to Lysias deliver a speech on love. "Phaedrus Summary". Euripides’s Bacchae represents one such example, and the Phaedrus follows in the tradition. FreeBookSummary.com . Copyright © 1999 - 2020 GradeSaver LLC. ©1995, Hackett Green Library Stacks B380 .A5 N44 1995 How can we go about trying to understand Plato, when so much--the whole history of Western philosophy--separates us from him? These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Phaedrus by Plato. Socrates asks how Phaedrus spent his time with Lysias. Socrates asks how Phaedrus spent his time with Lysias. The novel begins with Socrates meeting Phaedrus in Athens. The Question and Answer section for Phaedrus is a great Socrates is an old man, a teacher, and (if we are to believe Plato) is the wisest man that has ever walked the earth. Phaedrus Plato. Phaedrus on Love. Lysias's speech argues that in a pederastic relationship, a boy should give his favors to an old man who is not in love rather than one who is in love. ... and will give you a summary of the points in which the lover differed from the non-lover. Gaius Julius Phaedrus (/ ˈ f iː d r ə s /; Greek: Φαῖδρος; Phaîdros) was a 1st-century CE Roman fabulist and the first versifier of a collection of Aesop's fables into Latin. Of all the works of Plato the Symposium is the most perfect in form, and may be truly thought to contain more than any commentator has ever dreamed of; or, as Goethe said of one of his own writings, more than the author himself knew. It takes the form of a dialogue between Socrates and Phaedrus and its ostensible subject is love, especially homoerotic love. The gods possess horses of entirely good breed and are thus able to fly in heaven eternally. Transition to Discussion of Rhetoric: 257b-259d, Discussion of Rhetoric, Part I: 259e-266c, Discussion of Rhetoric, Part II: 266c-274b, On the Relationship of Socrates and Plato, Loving Reflections: The Effects of Mirroring in Shakespeare’s Sonnets and Plato’s Phaedrus, A Comparison of Carr's "Is Google Making Us Stupid" and Plato's "Phaedrus", Plato’s and Smith’s Differing Epistemologies: Assessing "Phaedrus" and "Rereading Barthes and Nabokov". The gods possess horses of entirely good breed and are thus able to fly in heaven eternally. Apollo says he is. The novel includes discussions of the soul, madness, divine inspiration, and practice and mastery of an art of rhetoric. Phaedrus literature essays are academic essays for citation. The Phaedrus is closely connected with the Symposium, and may be regarded either as introducing or following it. Moreover, in terms of content, Socrates claims that he can make a better speech based on ideas borrowed from other writers. After Socrates concludes his Great Speech, the dialogue transitions to a discussion of rhetoric and writing. Socrates expresses a deep appreciation for the loveliness of their natural surroundings, to which Phaedrus responds that Socrates appears “totally out of place” (230c)—for Socrates habitually stays within the city, where he can learn from people. Even so, once Socrates leaves the city, his touch of madness acquires a clear etiology. Socrates explains that Phaedrus has “found a potion to charm [him] into leaving” (230d). Not affiliated with Harvard College. As they approach a plane tree on the banks of the river Ilisus, Phaedrus asks Socrates whether he believes in the legend of Boreas and Oreithuia—which allegedly took place on the banks of the Ilisus. He then set out for the country, where he could practice reciting the speech. Phaedrus has just left Lysias, son of Cephalus, a well known rhetorician and his lover, who gave a speech on love. Socrates expresses a keen interest in hearing Lysias’s speech. Brief Biography of Plato. And even if they did, a lot of Plato's work is pretty conventionally literary anyway, if we do say so ourselves. Plato’s Republic treats eros as a dangerous but important part of the philosopher’s soul. In addition to eros and rhetoric, the Phaedrus also treats the theme of madness and thus may reveal the benefits of some excess—notwithstanding the oxymoronic nature of the phrase. After an interval of some months or years, and at Phlius, a town of Peloponnesus, the tale of the last hours of Socrates is narrated to Echecrates and other Phliasians by Phaedo the 'beloved disciple.' Indianapolis: Hackett, 1995. What should we look for when we read it? Socrates justifies his conclusion by saying that he was inspired by the Nymphs and did not want to be carried away. Phaedrus was probably composed around 370 b.c.e., but the dramatic date of the dialogue is about 410 b.c.e., about ten years before the trial and death of Socrates. The word translated as “potion” is the ancient Greek pharmakon, which can refer either to a medicine or a poison. Moreover, his daimonion, or small demon, which we see occasionally in other dialogues, will appear to counsel him against returning prematurely to the city (242c). The novel Phaedrus by Plato consists of a series of speeches that defines love as a discussion of the proper use of rhetoric. He maintains, however, that he really did not memorize the speech verbatim. The souls of men, however, all have a bad horse and will eventually fall back down to earth. In a pederastic relationship, eros... Phaethon, a young man, travels to the Palace of the Sun to meet Apollo and find out if the sun god is in fact his father. Phaedrus Summary. Socrates’ first speech provides a counterpart to Lysias’s argument. When Theuth presented writing to King Thamus of Egypt, he heralded it as a device that would increase wisdom and memory. During the Middle Ages, the collections of fables popular throughout Western Europe were most likely derived from Phaedrus. Phaedrus / translated, with introduction and notes, by Alexander Nehamas & Paul Woodruff ; with a selection of early Greek poems and fragments about love, translated by Paul Woodruff. But even in the Republic, Socrates would not have needed to step foot outside the city walls to visit the Athenian port Piraeus (Nehamas and Woodruff, x). Most likely derived from Apollo, Dionysus, the only Platonic dialogue that features Socrates the. Offers high-quality Study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and Analysis of Phaedrus ' translations appeared under the ``. C. E Translated by Benjamin Jowett Persons of the god Theuth, who follows his exercising routine suggested by common! 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