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14 - Phaedrus - Plato · The Philosophy Insights Collection

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  Section fourteen. And now Fidrus, having agreed upon the premises, we may
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  decide about the conclusion about what conclusion about Lucias whom we censur'd, and his
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  art of writing, and his discourses, and the rhetorical skill or want of
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  skill, which was shown in them. These are the questions which we sought
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  to determine, and they brought us to this point. And I think that
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  we are now pretty well informed about the nature of art and its opposite.
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  Yes, I think with you, but I wish that you would repeat what
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  was said hum Until a man knows the truth of the all particulars of which
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  he is writing or speaking, and is able to define them as they are,
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  and, having defined them again, to divide them until they can be
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  no longer divided, And until in like manner, he is able to discern
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  the nature of the soul, and discover the different modes of discourse which are
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  adapted to different natures, and to arrange and dispose them in such a way
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  that the simple form of speech may be addressed to the simpler nature, and
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  the complex and composite to the more complex nature. Until he has accomplished all
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  this, he will be unable to handle arguments according to rules of art,
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  as far as their nature allows them to be subjected to art, either for
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  the purpose of teaching or persuading. Such is the view which is implied in
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  the whole preceding argument. Yes, that was our view certainly. Secondly,
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  as to the censure which was passed on the speaking or writing of discourses,
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  and how they might be rightly or wrongly censured, did not our previous argument
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  show show what that? Whether Lucias or any other writer that ever was or
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  will be, whether private man or statesman proposes laws and so becomes the author
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  of a political treatise, fancying that there is any great certainty and clearness in
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  his performance, the fact of his soul writing is only a disgrace to him,
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  whatever men may say. For not to know the nature of justice and
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  injustice, and good and evil, and not to be able to distinguish the
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  dream from the reality, cannot in truth be otherwise than disgraceful to him,
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  even though he have the applause of the whole world. Certainly, but he
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  who thinks that in the written word there is necessarily much which is not serious,
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  and that neither poetry nor prose, spoken or written is of any great
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  value if, like the compositions of the Rhapsodes, they are only recited in
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  order to be believed, and not with any view to criticism or in instruction.
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  And who thinks that even the best of writings are but a reminiscence of
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  what we know? And that only in principles of justice and goodness and nobility,
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  taught and communicated orally for the sake of instruction and graven in the soul,
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  which is the true way of writing, is their clearness and perfection and
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  seriousness. And that such principles are a man's own and his legitimate offspring,
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  being in the first place, the word which he finds in his own bosom.
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  Secondly the brethren and descendants and relations of his idea which have been duly
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  implanted by him in the souls of others, and who cares for them and
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  no other. This is the right sort of man. And you and I,
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  Fidrus, would pray that we may become like him. That is most
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  assuredly my desire and prayer. And now the play is played out, and
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  of rhetoric enough, go and tell Lysias that to the fountain and school of
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  the Nymphs we went down, and we're bidden by them to convey a message
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  to him, and to other composers of speeches, to Homer and other writers
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  of poems, whether set to music or not, and to Solon and others
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  who have composed writings in the form of political discourses which they would term laws.
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  To all of them, we are to say that if their compositions are
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  based on knowledge of the truth, and they can defend or prove them when
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  they are put to the test by spoken arguments which leave their writings poor in
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  comparison of them, then they are to be called not only poets orators legislators,
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  but are worthy of a higher name befitting the serious pursuit of their life.
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  What name would you assign to them? Whyse I may not call them,
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  for that is a great name which belongs to God alone. Lovers of
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  wisdom or philosophers. Is their modest and befitting title very suitable. And he
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  who cannot write eyes above his own compilations and compositions which he has been long
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  patching and piecing, adding some and taking away some, may be justly called
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  poet or speech maker or law maker. Certainly, now go and tell this
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  to your companion. But there is also a friend of yours who ought not
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  to be forgotten. Who is he? I soo Crtse the fair? What
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  message will you send to him? And how shall we describe him? Iso?
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  Cratese is still young fightrous, But I am willing to hazard a prophecy
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  concerning him. What would you prophesy? I? I think that he has
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  a genius which soars above the orations of Lucias, and that his character is
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  cast in a finer mold. My impression of him is that he will marvelously
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  improve as he grows older, and that all former rhetoricians will be as children
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  in comparison of him. And I believe that he will not be satisfied with
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  rhetoric, but that there is in him a divine inspiration which will lead him
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  to things higher still, for he has an element of philosophy in his nature.
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  This is the message of the God's dwelling in this place, and which
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  I will myself deliver to Isocrates, who is my delight, and do you
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  the other to Lucias, who is yours. I will. And now,
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  as the heat is abated, let us depart. Should we not offer up
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  a prayer? First of all to the local deities, by all means,
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  Beloved Pan and all ye other gods who haunt this place, give me beauty
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  in the inward soul. And may the outward and inward man be at one.
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  May I reckon the wise to be the wealthy, And may I have
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  such a quantity of gold as a temperate man and he only can bear and
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  carry. Oh, think more. The prayer I think is enough for me.
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  Ask the same for me. For friends should have all things in common.
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  Let us go. End of section fourteen.