How does Plato, using integrative thinking, ultimately find a way to connect erotic love, beauty and the absolute into a unified whole? "Phaedrus Introduction: 227a-230e Summary and Analysis". Socrates meets Phaedrus while walking through the streets of Athens. Philosophically, Plato, through this conversation draws peoples attention to When Theuth presented writing to King Thamus of Egypt, he heralded it as a device that would increase wisdom and memory. But as Socrates sets out to return to Athens, a divine sign appears and warns him against a premature return. Socrates runs into Phaedrus outside Athens, who follows his exercising routine suggested by their common friend and doctor Acumenus. 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). Phaedrus recounts: Lysias argues that it is better to give your favors to someone who does not love you than to someone who does (227c). Phaedrus. The philosopher Socrates encounters Phaedrus, a young student of rhetoric, outside the Athens city walls. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Phaedrus by Plato. This new translation is accompanied by an introduction, further reading, and full notes on the text and translation that discuss the structure of the dialogue and elucidate issues that might puzzle the modern reader. Apparently, Phaedrus and other men listened to Lysias deliver a speech on love. This short Introduction supplies a few pointers to orient readers to the rich material. Euripidess Bacchae represents one such example, and the Phaedrus follows in the tradition. After reaffirming the importance of philosophy to both spoken and written discourse, Phaedrus and Socrates set out on the path back to the city. The greatest good for the soul is to grow wings and fly through the heavens with the gods. Phaedrus, an aristocrat, takes the stage first at the symposium. Even so, once Socrates leaves the city, his touch of madness acquires a clear etiology. 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. Enjoy this free preview Unlock all 26 pages of this Study Guide by subscribing today. Gaius Julius Phaedrus (/ f i d r s /; Greek: ; Phadros) was a 1st-century CE Roman fabulist and the first versifier of a collection of Aesop's fables into Latin. Moreover, students would be exposed to many ideas without their properly being thought. There are four types of divine madness, derived from Apollo, Dionysus, the Muses, and Aphroditethe last being eros. Socrates declares that it would not be out of place for [him] to reject it, as [the] intellectuals do (229c). Apollo says he is. According to Socrates conjecture, Phaedrus asked Lysias to repeat his speech many times and even read over Lysiass text in order to commit it to memory. Introduction. In particular, Love is widely considered older than almost all the other gods, and has no parents. GradeSaver, 8 March 2008 Web. The Question and Answer section for Phaedrus is a great Introduction The Chariot Allegory from Phaedrus is something better studied than read quickly or superficially. Phaedrus has spent the morning listening to Lysias deliver a speech on love, and now he desires to take a walk outside the city. The last topic of discussion between Socrates and Lysias addresses the technology of writing. Plato outlines important lessons in the Dialogue of Phaedrus. Not affiliated with Harvard College. The gods possess horses of entirely good breed and are thus able to fly in heaven eternally. Phaedrus, (born c. 15 bc, Thracedied ad 50, Italy), Roman fabulist, the first writer to Latinize whole books of fables, producing free versions in iambic metre Phaedrus is widely recognized as one of Plato's most profound and beautiful works. The introduction depicts both the written speech of Lysias, hidden beneath Phdrus' coat (Phdrus,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 (Phdrus, 230d). 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. The truth now revealed, the two set off to find a quiet spot to read. 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). But Phaedrus claims that a mere dilettante like himself could never recite the speech in a manner worthy of Lysiasmuch less from memory (227d). See Phaedrus, Introduction. Indeed, Socrates preferred mode of discoursethe Socratic methodinvolves a series of short questions and answers known as elenchus. 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. Equally strange is the fact that Socrates leaves the city for a speech. And Socrates claims that he has no time to waste over such matters, since he is still unable to know himselfand it seems ridiculous to look into other things before [he has] understood that (230a). Platos Republic treats eros as a dangerous but important part of the philosophers soul. Phaedrus Summary. But Thamus replied that writing would increase forgetfulness rather than memory. Such demythologization would take a long time. Chapter Summary for Robert Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, part 4 chapter 31 summary. And even if they did, a lot of Plato's work is pretty conventionally literary anyway, if we do say so ourselves. Socrates thrives in the culture of the cityin ancient Greek, the polis. Essay on Phaedrus Plato Essay Phaedrus By Plato Written 360 B. C. E Translated by Benjamin Jowett Persons of the Dialogue SOCRATES PHAEDRUS. Socrates challenges this argument by demonstrating the harmful influences of speaking without knowing the truth. The word translated as potion is the ancient Greek pharmakon, which can refer either to a medicine or a poison. The first half of the Phaedrus consists of competitive speeches of seduction. Not affiliated with Harvard College. The Phaedrus is closely connected with the Symposium, and may be regarded either as introducing or following it. Phaedrus has just left Lysias, son of Cephalus, a well known rhetorician and his lover, who gave a speech on love. and will give you a summary of the points in which the lover differed from the non-lover. Socrates expresses a keen interest in hearing Lysiass speech. FreeBookSummary.com . Phaedrus Summary Socrates runs into Phaedrus outside Athens, who follows his exercising routine suggested by their common friend and doctor Acumenus. It remained popular until the 17th century, especially in Europe and Britain. When he learns that Phaedrus has just come from hearing Lysias, a famous orator, Socrates is interested in hearing Lysiass speech for himself. 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. It is a work of fictionalized autobiography, and is the first of Pirsig's texts in which he explores his " Metaphysics of Quality ". Rather than presenting the benefits of the non-lover, Socrates addresses the negative influences of the lover. What should we look for when we read it? The Phaedrus was presumably composed around 370 BCE, about the same time as Plato's Republic and Symposium. The extract from the book, Plato: The Collected Dialogues philosophically examines the experience of falling in love. In the 10th century AD, a prose adaptation of Phaedrus' translations appeared under the title "Romulus." The Phaedrus is closely connected with the Symposium, and may be regarded either as introducing or following it. Indianapolis: Hackett, 1995. Summary. Taking this fact as starting point, the French critic and philosopher Jacques Derrida has expounded a reading of the Phaedrus in his influential essay Platos Pharmacy. Derrida and other historical readings aside, however, the Phaedrus does not make clear why a speech on love should represent such a powerful attraction for Socrates. Phaedrus Plato. Similarly in the Phaedrus, Socrates shows eros to be a divine madness that a philosophers soul must be able to control. Such madness destroys both the soul and body of the boy and will bring him no benefits. The novel Phaedrus by Plato consists of a series of speeches that defines love as a discussion of the proper use of rhetoric. Similarly in the Phaedrus, Socrates shows eros to be a divine madness that a philosophers soul must be able to control. Plato portrays Socrates consistently as one who neither enjoys nor practices long speeches. Phaedrus on Love. Socrates' second speech, known as his Great Speech, establishes the overarching importance of eros in life. 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. In order to understand that love is a divine and beneficial madness, Socrates likens the soul to a chariot with two horses and a charioteer. The Phaedrus, then, features a unique and strange setting. 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. He maintains, however, that he really did not memorize the speech verbatim. Get started. This art of dialectic can can only be acquired by philosophizing systematically about the nature of life and of the soul. 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. Socrates meets Phaedrus in Athens. Without commenting directly on this conjecture, Phaedrus agrees to let Socrates hear the speech. 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. Of Phaedrus he says, "He was true to what he believed right to the end. and will give you a summary of the points in which the lover differed from the non-lover. The souls of men, however, all have a bad horse and will eventually fall back down to earth. For instead of internalizing and understanding things, students would rely on writing to remind themselves of various matters. The souls of men, however, are all burdened by the combination of a good Phaedrus study guide contains a biography of Plato, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Let me begin at the beginning. Essay on Phaedrus Plato Essay Phaedrus By Plato Written 360 B. C. E Translated by Benjamin Jowett Persons of the Dialogue SOCRATES PHAEDRUS. 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 has just left Lysias, son of Cephalus, a well known rhetorician and his lover, who gave a speech on love. Only with the prospect of hearing Lysiass speech has he been lured into stepping outside the city walls. Apart from the Phaedrus, the only Platonic dialogue that features Socrates leaving the city is the Republic. Heres a link to a summary of the dialog on wikipedia; but heres my take on it: Phaedrus is a young mana boy, really a student, and not exactly the sharpest crayon in the box. "Phaedrus Summary". He thus sets out to remedy the situation with a second speech on eros. Phaedrus Introduction to the Discussion of RhetoricThe Myth of the Cicadas (258-259) Summary & Analysis Summary: Introduction to the Discussion of RhetoricThe Myth of the Cicadas Phaedrus praises the speech Socrates has just givenand suggests that Lysias is no match for him as an orator. Such, Phaedrus, is the tale which I heard from the stranger of Mantinea, and which you may call the encomium of love, or what you please. We have seen that Socrates is a man of the city or polis. Copyright 1999 - 2020 GradeSaver LLC. He explains that Ers is one of the primordial gods, and that the love between a boy and a lover is the greatest love that exists. 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. 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. Socrates convinces Phaedrus to share its details in a discourse. 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. Noticing an object in Phaedruss left hand, Socrates surmises that Phaedrus has a copy of the original speech and merely wanted to practice his own speechmaking. According to Socrates, then, the true art of speaking is reserved for philosophers. Phaedrus literature essays are academic essays for citation. 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 Shakespeares Sonnets and Platos Phaedrus, A Comparison of Carr's "Is Google Making Us Stupid" and Plato's "Phaedrus", Platos and Smiths Differing Epistemologies: Assessing "Phaedrus" and "Rereading Barthes and Nabokov". Yet, in the Phaedrus, the prospect of hearing Lysiass speech reduces Socrates to a sort of hungry animal who will follow Phaedruss copy of the speech anywhere (230e). Socrates runs into Phaedrus outside Athens, who follows his exercising routine suggested by their common friend and doctor Acumenus. That's the difference between us, and Chris knows it." Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry into Values (ZAMM) is a book by Robert M. Pirsig first published in 1974. 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 Oreithuiawhich allegedly took place on the banks of the Ilisus. Heres a link to a summary of the dialog on wikipedia; but heres my take on it: Phaedrus is a young mana boy, really a student, and not exactly the sharpest crayon in the box. Buy Study Guide. Kuriyama, Taro. 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 Shakespeares Sonnets and Platos Phaedrus, A Comparison of Carr's "Is Google Making Us Stupid" and Plato's "Phaedrus", Platos and Smiths Differing Epistemologies: Assessing "Phaedrus" and "Rereading Barthes and Nabokov". Phaedrus Summary and Study Guide. The resulting yearning is eros. But Socrates does not share Phaedrus's admiration. During the Middle Ages, the collections of fables popular throughout Western Europe were most likely derived from Phaedrus. The philosopher, then, would only use dialectic writingand even then, only for his own amusement. INTRODUCTION. 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.' The problem of love serves as the provocation for the speeches, the content of the speeches and the reflection upon speech as a whole. Introduction. Apollo says he is. Moreover, in terms of content, Socrates claims that he can make a better speech based on ideas borrowed from other writers. Phaedrus is the most enchanting of Platos Erotic dialogues (capitalised in honour of the god). Summary Phaedrus asserts that both gods and humans regard Love as great and awesome, for many reasons. Socrates asks how Phaedrus spent his time with Lysias. As a philosopher, he devotes himself to talking to various people in Athens and learning from them (230d). Phaedrus has a copy of Lysias's speech at hand and will read it to Socrates. This pharmakon is none other than Lysiass speech in writing. The Phaedrus , written by Plato, is a dialogue between Plato's protagonist, Socrates, and Phaedrus, an interlocutor in several dialogues. Brief Biography of Plato. In ancient Greek culture, the culture of the polis is often associated thematically with rationality and orderparticularly when opposed to madness outside the city (apolis). He always stays in the city and thus appears totally out of place on the rare occasion that he sets foot outside it (230c). 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. Plato's Phaedrus The central theme of this dialogue is Eros. Pirsig received 126 rejections before an editor finally accepted the book for publicationand he did so thinking it would never generate a profit. 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. The soul is portrayed as made of a white horse The novel includes discussions of the soul, madness, divine inspiration, and practice and mastery of an art of rhetoric. As such, the rhetorician must understand the souls of different audiences and speak accordingly. Pheadrus says that he has been sitting all morning with Lysias, the son of Cephalus, and now desires to talk a walk outside the city walls. Okay, so Plato's Phaedrus isn't exactly a literary text, but you know by now that deconstructionists and poststructuralists don't give a dang about the differences between literature and philosophy. resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss thenovel. Socrates first speech provides a counterpart to Lysiass argument. 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. Socrates asks how Phaedrus spent his time with Lysias. As Alfred Geier notes, there is a touch of madness in Socrates here (145). If the soul is strong and controls its horses, it catches sight of such true Ideas as Beauty and Self-Knowledge beyond the heavens. Historical Context of Phaedrus. Socrates concludes his speech with this argument. The introduction depicts both the written speech of Lysias, hidden beneath Phdrus' coat (Phdrus,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 (Phdrus, 230d). resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss thenovel. In addition to eros and rhetoric, the Phaedrus also treats the theme of madness and thus may reveal the benefits of some excessnotwithstanding the oxymoronic nature of the phrase. Love, or eros, is a form of madness in which the inborn desire for beauty overwhelms ones sense of morality and control. Let me begin at the beginning. Along the way, he happened to meet Socrates. Lysiass Speech: 230e-234c Summary and Analysis. True rhetoric involves dialectic, which involves collecting and dividing knowledge of a subject in a natural way. How does Plato, using integrative thinking, ultimately find a way to connect erotic love, beauty and the absolute into a unified whole? 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. The lover is meant to guide the boy, and the two must lead each other to examine themselves and feel ashamed. CliffsNotes on Phaedra discusses Jean Racine's tragedy about deceit, honor, and forbidden love. Phaedrus Introduction & Analysis. Although ostensibly about the topic of love, the discussion in the dialogue revolves around the art of rhetoric and how it should be practiced, and dwells on subjects as diverse as metempsychosis (the Greek tradition of reincarnation) and erotic love. After Socrates concludes his Great Speech, the dialogue transitions to a discussion of rhetoric and writing. What has come over him? 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. Phaedrus has spent the morning listening to Lysias deliver a speech on love, and now he desires to take a walk outside the city. The novel begins with Socrates meeting Phaedrus in Athens. But once again, Socrates sees through Phaedruss deception. Kuriyama, Taro. Since Socrates expresses a keen interest in hearing Lysias's speech, Phaedrus manages to lure him out to the countryside. Socrates tells the myth of the god Theuth, who discovered writing and transmitted it to the Egyptians. It takes the form of a dialogue between Socrates and Phaedrus and its ostensible subject is love, especially homoerotic love. Summary Socrates justifies his conclusion by saying that he was inspired by the Nymphs and did not want to be carried away. Socrates convinces Phaedrus to share its details in a discourse. Extra Credit for Phaedrus. 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. Kissel, Adam ed. GradeSaver, 8 March 2008 Web. What is Plato's Phaedrus and what are its major themes? But he consequently would have to find ingenious ways to explain the legends many fantastic aspects in a rational manner. In the meantime, the two have reached the plane tree. A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis Chapter Summaries & Analyses. Soc. Since Socrates expresses a keen interest in hearing Lysias's speech, Phaedrus manages to lure him out to the countryside. The gods possess horses of entirely good breed and are thus able to fly in heaven eternally. Phaedrus, however, remains unsatisfied: he had thought that Socrates was about to proceed and present the benefits of the lover. On a related note, Socrates criticizes writing essentially because it is not speech: it cannot discern between audiences and cannot respond to questions or criticism. Socrates retorts that he knows Phaedrus well enough to see through this pretense. 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: 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. Phaedrus Summary. Kissel, Adam ed. 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. Such understanding cannot be gleaned from books on rhetoric. The barefoot philosopher urges an eager young acquaintance who has allowed his lovers oratorical skills to impress him overmuch to re-examine the text of Lysiass speech in the light of his own exalted (and Platonic) vision of Love. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of Phaedrus by Plato. Phaedrus has just left Lysias, son of Cephalus, a well known rhetorician and his lover, who gave a speech on love. Socrates interprets this as a sign that he has offended the gods. Phaedrus Summary. Phaedrus Through History. He then set out for the country, where he could practice reciting the speech. Platos Republic treats eros as a dangerous but important part of the philosophers soul. 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? Copyright 1999 - 2020 GradeSaver LLC. He counters Phaedrus's point by suggesting that Lysias was more interested in style than content. Although Phaedrus desperately wanted to recite the speech, he feigned reluctance coyly. The Phaedrus is closely connected with the Symposium, and may be regarded either as introducing or following it. It takes the form of a dialogue between Socrates and Phaedrus and its ostensible subject is love, especially homoerotic love. INTRODUCTION. "A Survey of the Gadgets and Specialized Terms of Contemporary TalkTalk as ReasoningThe 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. The soul that can control such yearning will be granted the philosopher's boon--an early return to heaven after three thousand years instead of ten thousand years.