The Symposium | Page 8

the mile race." Cf. Plat. "Prot." 335 E.
[33] Or, "resolute exercise of the whole body." See Aristot. "Pol." viii. 4. 9; "Rhet." i. 5. 14.
[34] Or, "be dependent on a fellow-gymnast." "Pol. Lac." ix. 5; Plat. "Soph." 218 B; "Laws," 830 B; "Symp." 217 B, C.
[35] Or, "to strip in puiblic when my hair turns gray." Socrates was (421 B.C.) about 50, but is pictured, I think, as an oldish man.
[36] See Aristot. "H. A." ix. 45. 1; "Econ." viii. 13.
[37] Passage referred to by Diog. Laert. ii. 5. 15; Lucian, "de Salt." 25; Plut. "Praec. San." 496.
[38] "Take my exercise."
[39] Zeune cf. Max. Tyr. "Diss." vii. 9; xxxix. 5.
Yes, that I will swear to (the other answered), and at first I stood aghast, I feared me you had parted with your senses; but when I heard your explanation, pretty much what you have just now told us, I went home and--I will not say, began to dance myself (it is an accomplishment I have not been taught as yet), but I fell to sparring,[40] an art of which I have a very pretty knowledge.
[40] "Sparring," etc., an art which Quintil. "Inst. Or." i. 11, 17, attributes to Socrates. Cf. Herod. vi. 129 concerning Hippocleides; and Rich, "Dict. of Antiq." s.v. "Chironomia."
That's true, upon my life! (exclaimed the jester). One needs but look at you to see there's not a dram of difference between legs and shoulders.[41] I'll be bound, if both were weighed in the scales apart, like "tops and bottoms," the clerks of the market[42] would let you off scot-free.
[41] Lit. "your legs are equal in weight with your shoulders." Cf. "Od." xviii. 373, {elikes . . . isophoroi boes}, "of equal age and force to bear the yoke."--Butcher and Lang.
[42] See Boeckh, "Public Economy of Athens," p. 48; Aristoph. "Acharn." 723; Lys. 165, 34.
Then Callias: O Socrates, do please invite me when you begin your dancing lessons. I will be your vis-a-vis,[43] and take lessons with you.
[43] Cf. "Anab." V. iv. 12.
Come on (the jester shouted), give us a tune upon the pipe, and let me show you how to dance.
So saying up he got, and mimicked the dances of the boy and girl in burlesque fashion, and inasmuch as the spectators had been pleased to think the natural beauty of the boy enhanced by every gesture of his body in the dance, so the jester must give a counter- representation,[44] in which each twist and movement of his body was a comical exaggeration of nature.
[44] Reading {antepedeizen}. Cf. Plat. "Theaet." 162 B; "Ages." i. 12; if vulg. {antapedeizen}, transl. "would prove per contra each bend," etc. Cf. Aristot. "Rhet." ii. 26. 3.
And since the girl had bent herself backwards and backwards, till she was nearly doubled into the form of a hoop, so he must try to imitate a hoop by stooping forwards and ducking down his head.
And as finally, the boy had won a round of plaudits for the manner in which he kept each muscle of the body in full exercise whilst dancing, so now the jester, bidding the flute-girl quicken the time (presto! presto! prestissimo!), fell to capering madly, tossing legs and arms and head together, until he was fairly tired out, and threw himself dead beat upon the sofa, gasping:
There, that's a proof that my jigs too are splendid exercise; at any rate, I am dying of thirst; let the attendant kindly fill me the mighty goblet.[45]
[45] Cf. Plat. "Symp." 223 C.
Quite right (said Callias), and we will pledge you. Our throats are parched with laughing at you.
At this point Socrates: Nay, gentlemen, if drinking is the order of the day, I heartily approve. Wine it is in very truth that moistens the soul of man,[46] that lulls at once all cares to sleep, even as mandragora[47] drugs our human senses, and at the same time kindles light-hearted thoughts,[48] as oil a flame. Yet it fares with the banquets of men,[49] if I mistake not, precisely as with plants that spring and shoot on earth. When God gives these vegetable growths too full a draught of rain, they cannot lift their heads nor feel the light air breathe through them; but if they drink in only the glad supply they need, they stand erect, they shoot apace, and reach maturity of fruitage. So we, too, if we drench our throats with over- copious draughts,[50] ere long may find our legs begin to reel and our thoughts begin to falter;[51] we shall scarce be able to draw breath, much less to speak a word in season. But if (to borrow language from the mint of Gorgias[52]), if only the attendants will bedew us with a frequent mizzle[53] of small glasses, we shall not be violently driven on by wine to drunkenness, but with