symposium-第8节
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ht to desire something which he already has or is。 I give the example in order that we may avoid misconception。 For the possessors of these qualities； Agathon； must be supposed to have their respective advantages at the time； whether they choose or not； and who can desire that which he has？ Therefore when a person says； I am well and wish to be well； or I am rich and wish to be rich； and I desire simply to have what I have…to him we shall reply： 〃You； my friend； having wealth and health and strength； want to have the continuance of them； for at this moment； whether you choose or no； you have them。 And when you say； I desire that which I have and nothing else； is not your meaning that you want to have what you now have in the future？ 〃He must agree with us…must he not？ He must； replied Agathon。 Then； said Socrates； he desires that what he has at present may be preserved to him in the future； which is equivalent to saying that he desires something which is non…existent to him； and which as yet he has not got。 Very true； he said。 Then he and every one who desires； desires that which he has not already； and which is future and not present； and which he has not； and is not； and of which he is in want；…these are the sort of things which love and desire seek？ Very true； he said。 Then now； said Socrates； let us recapitulate the argument。 First； is not love of something； and of something too which is wanting to a man？ Yes； he replied。 Remember further what you said in your speech； or if you do not remember I will remind you： you said that the love of the beautiful set in order the empire of the gods； for that of deformed things there is no love…did you not say something of that kind？ Yes； said Agathon。 Yes； my friend； and the remark was a just one。 And if this is true； Love is the love of beauty and not of deformity？ He assented。 And the admission has been already made that Love is of something which a man wants and has not？ True； he said。 Then Love wants and has not beauty？ Certainly； he replied。 And would you call that beautiful which wants and does not possess beauty？ Certainly not。 Then would you still say that love is beautiful？ Agathon replied： I fear that I did not understand what I was saying。 You made a very good speech； Agathon； replied Socrates； but there is yet one small question which I would fain ask：…Is not the good also the beautiful？ Yes。 Then in wanting the beautiful； love wants also the good？ I cannot refute you； Socrates； said Agathon：…Let us assume that what you say is true。 Say rather； beloved Agathon； that you cannot refute the truth； for Socrates is easily refuted。 And now； taking my leave of you； I would rehearse a tale of love which I heard from Diotima of Mantineia； a woman wise in this and in many other kinds of knowledge； who in the days of old； when the Athenians offered sacrifice before the coming of the plague； delayed the disease ten years。 She was my instructress in the art of love； and I shall repeat to you what she said to me； beginning with the admissions made by Agathon； which are nearly if not quite the same which I made to the wise woman when she questioned me…I think that this will be the easiest way； and I shall take both parts myself as well as I can。 As you； Agathon； suggested； I must speak first of the being and nature of Love； and then of his works。 First I said to her in nearly the same words which he used to me； that Love was a mighty god； and likewise fair and she proved to me as I proved to him that； by my own showing； Love was neither fair nor good。 〃What do you mean； Diotima；〃 I said； 〃is love then evil and foul？〃 〃Hush；〃 she cried； 〃must that be foul which is not fair？〃 〃Certainly；〃 I said。 〃And is that which is not wise； ignorant？ do you not see that there is a mean between wisdom and ignorance？〃 〃And what may that be？〃 I said。 〃Right opinion；〃 she replied； 〃which； as you know； being incapable of giving a reason； is not knowledge （for how can knowledge be devoid of reason？ nor again； ignorance； for neither can ignorance attain the truth）； but is clearly something which is a mean between ignorance and wisdom。〃 〃Quite true；〃 I replied。 〃Do not then insist；〃 she said； 〃that what is not fair is of necessity foul； or what is not good evil； or infer that because love is not fair and good he is therefore foul and evil； for he is in a mean between them。〃 〃Well；〃 I said； 〃Love is surely admitted by all to be a great god。〃 〃By those who know or by those who do not know？〃 〃By all。〃 〃And how； Socrates；〃 she said with a smile； 〃can Love be acknowledged to be a great god by those who say that he is not a god at all？〃 〃And who are they？〃 I said。 〃You and I are two of them；〃 she replied。 〃How can that be？〃 I said。 〃It is quite intelligible；〃 she replied； 〃for you yourself would acknowledge that the gods are happy and fair of course you would…would to say that any god was not？〃 〃Certainly not；〃 I replied。 〃And you mean by the happy； those who are the possessors of things good or fair？〃 〃Yes。〃 〃And you admitted that Love； because he was in want； desires those good and fair things of which he is in want？〃 〃Yes； I did。〃 〃But how can he be a god who has no portion in what is either good or fair？〃 〃Impossible。〃 〃Then you see that you also deny the divinity of Love。〃 〃What then is Love？〃 I asked； 〃Is he mortal？〃 〃No。〃 〃What then？〃 〃As in the former instance； he is neither mortal nor immortal； but in a mean between the two。〃 〃What is he； Diotima？〃 〃He is a great spirit （daimon）； and like all spirits he is intermediate between the divine and the mortal。〃 〃And what；〃 I said； 〃is his power？〃 〃He interprets；〃 she replied； 〃between gods and men； conveying and taking across to the gods the prayers and sacrifices of men； and to men the commands and replies of the gods； he is the mediator who spans the chasm which divides them； and therefore in him all is bound together； and through him the arts of the prophet and the priest； their sacrifices and mysteries and charms； and all； prophecy and incantation； find their way。 For God mingles not with man； but through Love。 all the intercourse； and converse of god with man； whether awake or asleep； is carried on。 The wisdom which understands this is spiritual； all other wisdom； such as that of arts and handicrafts； is mean and vulgar。 Now these spirits or intermediate powers are many and diverse； and one of them is Love。 〃And who；〃 I said； 〃was his father； and who his mother？〃 〃The tale；〃 she said； 〃will take time； nevertheless I will tell you。 On the birthday of Aphrodite there was a feast of the gods； at which the god Poros or Plenty； who is the son of Metis or Discretion； was one of the guests。 When the feast was over； Penia or Poverty； as the manner is on such occasions； came about the doors to beg。 Now Plenty who was the worse for nectar （there was no wine in those days）； went into the garden of Zeus and fell into a heavy sleep； and Poverty considering her own straitened circumstances； plotted to have a child by him； and accordingly she lay down at his side and conceived love； who partly because he is naturally a lover of the beautiful； and because Aphrodite is herself beautiful； and also because he was born on her birthday； is her follower and attendant。 And as his parentage is； so also are his fortunes。 In the first place he is always poor； and anything but tender and fair； as the many imagine him； and he is rough and squalid； and has no shoes； nor a house to dwell in； on the bare earth exposed he lies under the open heaven； in…the streets； or at the doors of houses； taking his rest； and like his mother he is always in distress。 Like his father too； whom he also partly resembles； he is always plotting against the fair and good； he is bold； enterprising； strong； a mighty hunter； always weaving some intrigue or other； keen in the pursuit of wisdom； fertile in resources； a philosopher at all times； terrible as an enchanter； sorcerer； sophist。 He is by nature neither mortal nor immortal； but alive and flourishing at one moment when he is in plenty； and dead at another moment； and again alive by reason of his father's nature。 But that which is always flowing in is always flowing out； and so he is never in want and never in wealth； and； further； he is in a mean between ignorance and knowledge。 The truth of the matter is this： No god is a philosopher。 or seeker after wisdom； for he is wise already； nor does any man who is wise seek after wisdom。 Neither do the ignorant seek after Wisdom。 For herein is the evil of ignorance； that he who is neither good nor wise is nevertheless satisfied with himself： he has no desire for that of which he feels no want。〃 〃But…who then； Diotima；〃 I said； 〃are the lovers of wisdom； if they are neither the wise nor the foolish？〃 〃A child may answer that question；〃 she replied； 〃they are those who are in a mean between the two； Love is one of them。 For wisdom is a most beautiful thing； and Love is of the beautiful； and therefore Love is also a philosopher： or lover of wisdom； and being a lover of wisdom is in a mean between the wise and the ignorant。 And of this too his birth is the cause； for his father is wealthy and wise； and his mother poor and foolish。 Such； my dear Socrates； is the nature of the spir
