KM Platon Klassiker Auslegen Herausgegeben von < Ottred Hoffe Symposion Band 39 Herausgegeben von Christoph Hoorn ted Hilo, Profesor fir Philsopie Akademie Verlag sm der Universit Thingen.u Pierre Destrée ‘The Speech of Alcibiades (212c4-222b7) 11.1 Revisting Diotima’ speech through laughter Inthe begining ofthe Syma, bth inthe se he ie of Pato’ Dialogue ad ofthis socal gathering, Eeyuimachorofersthe media advice of ecading he fie {lat esa dhe masil-cm-seul entertainment, to the advantage of eons (ven if plat yiecamt = the Iteray wy Pat rtsens» phosphil cones ‘on the question of what oe, or moze encraly man desir, cost in and which tec best suits this dese, which ou dese fr appinese And besides Gay tht, lao also isso the very ual way thae hi spel symposium going fo tke place: eying wry name iwi bes symposium, era driaking pry —where ho, ralast no ne wl be consumed, =i de allow rational ig oak place ‘Tosay the a, tht rsein honour of Ero staking place ne comply die- rent amasphere. Afr the sernesy, crise and high-minded that imate Diosma speech, especly in er reveaon ofthe highest mysteries of love the = ice and we ender ar broly confoned with he loud sn ascous eat of ah ‘mite gues who iS incest ha he needs to be py suport bya te fis and his servants or, perhaps, comrades So ato wine ex and msl tri ‘eat this isin ways ymporum restored oi ronal ye ‘With iota spect, the aulience was sending + sore of waged, in the sense thats logos was of sernns mporsance (pd), ad (tle nthe spd) it se rather elevated Gemma de word usally characterizing thi) in prec tone with theme: Updo proce in isn encom nono ofthe gu Eros, Albi, ‘whos mul in love with Sorat, an hlp bt pronounce an encom in honovr ‘ofthe objet of his love, Soca Ad contrary to the previous specs, expel icunay Alia speech, atleast ei sure, soppsed to he quite fanny andgs Phones Destnte ners, 0 the audience wil testi in Iu ghing terms 220, Here we heves ‘very drnkan elo love of Sorts who offering hi ellos) para ncomium of Eros, where high pease of i bjt of love wil be paradnially mined ‘wth hashand aggresive accustionofhyris gin hi, This pro encomon which cline a parole aecuston asia Socrates on the chage of reling Inne Alias int the pester myst fe, Tne as Socrates exp (224), hi dines cally attening «sore of ssi ply ofthe kind that were usually pon sae ar the ite of heen presented ina Doni festa The origin and eae facto of tee ari plage srenot wel nown, bet ar we can sc fom Earp Cyl which sin ft hoy compete example et of suc splay, bt without the three corresponding tage, ‘hs ply were parody ora burlesque ie play ona aged or at est age them, ‘si tht ease, he amour pine of Ody bing taped in Polyphemu eave, Ina sila way, ab one recent merece hs apy desrbed Pao re toi tng burlesque rein ofthe previous apc" pech by Diotn into Ali ‘kes’ mouth In alo to the saying like the Bare ofthe las an the sie tone ofthe speech ths may be cea seen, hi, nthe stein at east he main, a of Aebinds specch which parodia reflect the tree age dvson of Suerte? Speech, which in ura metpborclly eadpt the three tage dso ofthe Elec ptr int in Clement of Alexanders) pepaatry parton (than, lesser mysteries and geste mysteries: Aline: begins his nce by recling how hea been shamed by Socttes dating his meting with hi, ext 8 the practice tf lenchos should make one ashamed of one fale opions, ands Plat describes {hic in the Spb 2260-2510) evenally promoting» chr ofthe he contin by dscbing the nature of his vn’ oer esey 3 Doin sete the ged Ean, whic recall she rectal o the mato abot the goddes of Dente end Peseone a th Elwin, lesser mysteries and his speah culminates with i eli the so-el- Jed seduction sen, wherein be begged Sore to tain he fl revlon, ea 1m vaste asin the contemplation fee Frm ofthe Bs in Dita’ speech, hich corespenus oth conrenpiton of the sata ofthe godeses! ‘Ad yet. even fthe tne ofthe spec sles signed wo nae the aus ugh (bot the diet, soe audience of Aline, and Pato drc Athenian sear) ‘Alcbinds speach sin tof mot serous imporeace. iw a al eal hisry (ono eas alleged fet) are eons in the backround. Thematic date of hs gathering ‘sAL6 BC, evo day ser Agudhons voy at the Lens’ etal and tht date he well inown adopted son of Pexls, Alabide (who in his al 303) silvery well 1 Sel 201, Ohne een sh td 2 Romi a pt tre et oC we ier 2 wrt oon fe he ‘TweSrarew ov Atcimuapes 193 coosideredin Athens. Bat esery ear of Pate Sepa (which ws probably writen ‘some pin inthe 370) i well aware ha Ali was lege eo desert he ‘lenin alo profne the Fenian myer one year afer hi thei, before Sia eran Athens which was sce ene ofthe an cass of her dfeat gains ‘Spat, And rach and every reser lo wellaware,perbape min Deca fe famous (elon for) parapet aps Socrates by the sphist Prats, Aas, ses als among the dpe" of Sorte, nd perhaps even among his most aleted tnd preferred one. Ths the prod of Diodnasreelatin of the highest mysteries foflovein the seduction scene cab ust nny, at least for Plt readership, ince it "Tuo unstable to Alias profusion ofthe Elena mywerin Andehe fpurodic accusation of iris where Aad cal auence oe pes of Socrates {nor simply fae for Pas readership, sce of couse Socrates was envied of brs hich inched both mp and the compton oF the yout “Ths bo the fc hati speck boul evi" Dia spesch and the null allusions oral fits, an above al the aceon of eomapting the youth ‘eine Sore make his speech era ae Ass, ft, sendy Der nounced {the very begining ofthe Syms whe tbe unbamed character asks Apllodo- ‘total him abou the meeting berween Agathon, Sorte an Andes” (1720, Ncibind spsch mths be red aba oro dpe o counterpart Soc 00| ‘the ocean of Agathon pty, Contrary to how ithas heen eed radon, Alc ‘ke speech this nything bo sor of sppendae where Plt would ave nended to lsrae his igre of Eros with Socrates and ceefoe take wp the defence of is “ache Socrates onc gun but is emer pr of hie loge "Now: how did Plt intend orev” Dios speech? Meno inereetere would eal prety that Alcbiades’ ypeech must be read at sore of dpa to Diotima doar, there are many ite divergent and sometins ‘comply appre interpretations of ie There ae peaking very roughly, vo man Interpretive camp, One can understand hit yreitation” eter n postive way 2 ‘complementary approach o Diotima’ speech, oe the contrary, ina neti Wa, {acral undemning of Dinas presentation of Ero, According to the Bt way ‘of reading it ne my read Alia speech as proving swith pater way loo- Tinga the phlenphical scen: ning on the imporance of Altbiader dscrption of bis solar mectings wih Socrates Domine Set argos that Plt main poise, ‘tas opctare the poof view ofthe beloved intend ofthe point of wew the ‘er ata the one in Dinta presentation (Sot 2000). Akermnely,ocssng on [sbi deserion of Sorte, Frisbee Sbefel rpc tht Pato sim was to ub ‘ete troagh humour and parol the complex naar” ofthe philosopher tac was presented ty Ditmas epoch (Shei 2001 2006). On the ober ie, nea Few> i 104 Pune Desente Inerprees hav ed 0 show how Plato in ht sme a undermining Dione ap rch. alloving Gregory Visto famous study according to which Po complecy Asie persooal ove (Vass 1973), Michel Gagurin argues da lato meant os. ease Soeates of hy, which toe sen a4 consequence of his phiaop hel cnt, ‘Socrates would paradccally be ered for arng became the pele phsoper, ba * having been nepal of edcating the youth propery (Gagan 197). Ox pep, night wereadAlsiade’ speech ots oreofanowerto Vato challenge? Aucoin, to Martha Nasu, though dis is, very pgm spesch, Plato would have bees ocatng another, more humane and down-to-earth view foros (Nba 1986, In thic caper, would Hk to defend a mulevled reading of Alsbinde'spech, Tes the eas wl ny o show, that Pato ants lhminate some ofthe views he ‘hs put int Ditmas road npr, is description of filed guidance tomas sch knowledeoffers some important clus in understanding how the scent spp sed to work: Baths is only on Git eve 0 to speak. Theresa det whch as Soleted mech commentary trons odor inesprcer:sfanknes (pmb) dec bes Albinde way of addresing lis sence 2720) Since Alibiaes preset 4 rather trai figure whe let ime tobe the the maser ofthe dking pry (Gopi which acl sounds Hk ap on the nase ofthe city lar slo] go? thisepicladesnoezati” way of ddresing ences igh be en, sgl fone: Bueths igh ako dex, T want osuggest the way Pat ins desing his adience, ai byway ofthe drunken Altbades Pato lowed mse tees some very tough equ. And he does frm wo diferent perspectives the ne hand iti dic ot w se thi whele parodia Soctes aa very seriou ritiqe ofthe trations wy of eda te youth. Ann te oer had, ‘ne might abo sex even i dhs remains more ipl, exltue that Plato dese this tomer eather whase methods evenly evel napa of edhe people he Alben 11.2 Philosophy an sex: Interpretig the ,seduction scene" Toneisto take seriously the ea tha Plato mans revise Diasec, sere i, to eginwith, one era fetor that sould be ken flint acount. Asha beens mcm ben remarked byinterpecr its quite king dnt Diotima spsh 0 ‘sry early pased by is aude Agsthon pech arose unions than ng apple fr lhe people ies sid, almost olay hit nly ‘some prs" Diotins seer while Aristophanes vas lng toy something? Tu Seescuon ALcmunes 195 obvi wo sy something in response when he heard Dios cel alluding bit owa speech, before being nterrapted bythe entrance of Aline 2129, tay sound od for us moder readers, who wool ely consider Dina speech to be ne ofthe mont nied presentations of 2 Platonic phlsaphicl Ison hi is et tainly very undestundale rom 2 Greek point of ew In many ways, gto speech represents how soch a gathering of Grek, mae aristocracy considered love and se- ‘al doe their unis applause mans he all agrument. So afer Dita ‘ay that in reaching the highest evel of the nse of love” dans wo piers 1 guidance in the ways oflove™ (2106) the ler wl aly nee the beau elf [esl novcleed up with human flesh and ours and gest mao rabbis {2i1e)ccomesas no supe hatch men don show mach ems! And not ony Shae isa woman who Socrates teacher, thats cern way hi erate who stag him themes of love" chat i ake eal, wo tang im how wo ake Jove” 201d; eo be compared with 210e}! Socnte? dct sullen, ar wll x Patt et readership cnt possibly be very pleased reas convinced by such statement, ‘which in ay rons contrary tn ther own ron of love and padres, Tf therefore, Aline speech fo be ead as revtation of Dota that Plato resentation ofthe righ way philosophical edvete young people, most be read, (ene ft evel at eat a serous defence of ough buregu ike prsenion ‘of exasuophi alr fs purpose As we wll te, Plt wes ughter anderson ssa means try and make is redeship onderstnd something aout thenselve, and {ei owe (nisoncepioas oat love and pater edueon, and he way oe 0 [ike Athan, a Dini pce, the ech of Aline tls theta ional pen ofan encomium wo god the expsion of the pas of ue peed go followed by hs cities (ys), ~e second par, tata be ore pei splitsithe casein Azathon pech ito is ites” ret) sd bisection” ene) To be sare sine Alcibiades drank, be enna be expected tos follow this order, ss inthe cn inthe very well eonaracted speech of Agaton He wl be presenting is ‘spel anton, hts palderaste/hsopel oe anda the same une lang nd pardescly pring is apne, and sf be ad forosen to say wmethng ‘when presenting his ature at the egining, be wil et oi sheen presenting Fisch. And ye, lao makes Albis low very logical ptt is becuse of his sr tare io a i ear me ery Hi pen ‘Rema pr ne fa ct mec ac med eau et SEN Cn inn ni py ee196 Poe Drsente ‘vey nature, being (a the images desert) semis and alibi sty so hate end ‘phyiscal mocking Alben other words the eduction scene which tll us how Socrates bared towards Alebindoom tat parc ight, selon age oe ‘fone wishes, sari mths) ised at revealing nw, theongh parody whit sr of ‘aetviy Sorte did practic, and scoring to which rae. Tha pil ctitg {siseear fom the sat of his spec, Scrat erotik aig thatthe edocs eis spponed en give through orf philosophic piderei ‘So, Alsbiades gis is encomium of Socrates with ages es tobe compared thas sen we can ein some atelier of seals, which ean be opened and catia ert statue of gods And more precely since thse le are uly represented a yng the fue (hauls, dat in ta dbl pipe) he ery atraly compared tothe famous Marys who wis the best fhe player eer Favs Bonuses everyody Inowsin that sey he wo a cones apats Apollon fe which he wa yee Iau of his hybris in defying god. Tbe sre, Socrates doesnot pay the he, ‘ac nly als et hi gr ate exerci these elect om Alas alte does Whenever listen i, my ez i restr than tha ofthe Corgbants, My ear found and car flow ot whes espe and Lae that many other people ar aed Inthe ame way” 2180-0, “These images te usualy ierprete in a sersightlorwardly pose wi, wth eae focusing on the importance of the sates ofthe god inside the ems tae which reminds sin one way oe another ofthe rete mysteries abd tes ig hat make ‘Albis elie» coryane maybe undestond ar anther image forthe eure refuaton Aebiaes hae a alladed to.” Ye, cven if there eran some pose ‘ale in thes images, i sould be noted tht not only the tone of Albin but alo these themes shoul be sen a extrac hurl for Scrat ere that he conte iseomedy, or more presley pay, which alain his we of thee age. Ba it ‘sa comedy thay sin Astopanes week i very rb, and where Bae fx ‘mentioned by Aedes mel) wa actly big part ofthe game. For repeal ‘comping Socrates toa Marys has stn anocert sou it Ae Abide itl ‘ays to Socrates a sre of explant of why he dees hm hie way you ae a8 hybrises On asiperialleve, coal simplymean hah, Hk the lena tym, ‘ta man loving young boy, was uying w sexually zal them ries ay mean ps) a meaning Plato willy witha tela om, Bute obvouly alo means Something mc es gen fy ys may alo men ais these with Massy he ‘veryimpiosdesize wo brave, and place oneself above, the ps which isaboy 8 ‘minder of Soca 399 accusation of mp Andi fc such mening waaay ‘playin he very deeripson ofthe statu of heat thee states Postel fei thse which ae ina Erie of Hermes ss" (Hermalin). Whether Te Srescn or Atctmapes 197 ot his word inf po in veal Gre was inseted by lat, ters pons {0 the sates of Hermes wbich were to be deserted by Alabiades hima the ‘fal of nating Alnde to hs love mysteries wa 0 end pin sich a impious 41 AndsinceAlbindes ware Socrates hat he wl ake revenge on him nthe te £2134, oneis mas probably being let understand thar Abed s going woke is revenge aia sates ike Soerses ize, if denerting the stacy we sort ‘of vergence aginst Sorte, nthe sense tht he took revenge or the fat athe dd ‘ot raage ta be cated by Bi Theselcion scene that ulmiates Abas agi spechpresetshow Socrates? scr on hat nigh followed rom bi ery pas ‘He atened tn what sand then he si hs highly ioe manner nud one Dats pial of hin My dea Alabiaes, Tok 3 hough you're really no fool f what you ny about me tre nd T somehow do have the ‘apace (danas) o make you a baterperon, Yow mst be seg in me = ‘erty beyond comperton and one tat fr superior your own good oaks yox'veseen hi and ar trying to sri adel with mein which we exchange ometype of bean fr another, ye planing to make good poft fom me out eying ro get re benny in return fr sppetance, and to make amexhange that realy ald or bronze But look ore closely ny happy fren, and te aware dat Tim worth nding. The mid’ igh begins sce sharply when eight declines and you'e alan way from thi pot: 2186- 2190) ‘Alii’ mind is obviously no yet shap enough, ned, sine he doesnot wan 10 Terie, aoe t open his eyes to he fc that Socrates tht, Soe’ physic spperance ~ acl wort nothing” bd gets a nates ot he pony ca a sting nn Socater bo and taking him in is ars, spends the whole night th im, sldhogh wabout any Sher seal consequence: ‘You can tl his i ie, Sorts! Despite al Tred this man here depise, scorned and isuted (hdviz) ny young beary which T cought was worth ie jae fo, you ae the jer Sorat’ arogance! (2192) According tothe strc ene, the scenes suppl tbe ighly comical or dis ate "nga Apuhon ho: here we sce avery sang say ho ined of hing sex with the mose anil young man of Athens, ree abstinence; ad, na way sma to ‘shh sina enn bean ins eg ne ny: th Soran wey mo ‘Sept a mrs un mao gp pos, ee Scere ine198 __ Pusan: Desrne ‘what we wines in Euripides’ Cy, where theo say almost raped by he young Polpomes, we ao have hoe aneremenr who i supped tobe cored by bi ea ‘a doing ale anc ave sex with he much oder Socnes as ihe were hin the ‘rane when Alcibiades empacly ay that Socrates way espe ih, one an imagine his audience laoghing at such parody ofan sul” on hs beset eis 2 ante” parody of lve telat were, where the jelous oie) lids ip faces a Socrates wil pally sade servards separate en oes bis remenae ofthe day Agaton 2226-4) ‘Ye, Po’ dec, Adhenanreadeip cn be sen aang in tht way, a ifthe scone were nothing but lest, hale thea, ince Abas is dew really lec he wort enemy of Athens we mist se inall ofthis sharp accusation gan Socrates’ way of eductg is elves, of sips” and especially agit bis hybri ‘oka his mn, Albiades seems to bessving before Socrates pare ulges, ow he ‘niseducted mal Twas the most talented man of Athens andthe most bes on, hat the bes posible eromenos and according tothe suience’ way of ander. Sanding psiderateedoction by rfsing to ave sx wth i nore peel > penetra), heeft tami hie Knowledge ome! Ae Did ere ha {eve the states inside Sorat an be sen as embryo-Lkevermen tht correspond {6 the way Diotims dexribes the plilowpher erate a al of semen and ssking the ‘uae mea into whom he may dsctargele And since Alchades phasis ‘that hes actly een these this action does sound very togh ned: youlee me see what your semen now look ike, bt by evenly refosing to penta me, yo refed torment tome which woud ave mae of mea lteter ant ‘Alsi then trying the make the oi dha Socrates did not want totais genuine moral knowledge: he tr aren young boys arouse desi to ge his ‘vole, and finally deine them ll by giving nothing of wha they are expecting. Socrates, here represent hs way of deceiving people by priming tobe Inlove with yang people, and pretending to have knowledge ean other, Bo Alain ethno te kind inthe end And th charge can go ven ther. The session Scones abo presented a a parody af the intercoure beeen Peni nd Poros where swe se Penia-crmans who ikea ts, cel ges int Poros! bed and nd "pepe ld the go Fro. With sch an comer ann ease athe ring forknowledge"Alades and the mowledgeate Sorts, we might have expected sm exeaerdnary chlor oatome for bot of them, and for ue whole i! Sige thisespcatin i dramatically nfl, how i heat tobe explained? Why didn Socrates eee sch mt inecous, imparting such eaching io Alia 3 woald have produced reat oteone? 9 Rew 18.32 1 ‘Tue Srutcw ov Ascimapes 199 [Leth examine the charge, and how Pato tied wo eapand wit. But ie of lone should ser Vitor tig, scoring to which Sorte led lve Alba propery waped inthe upper worl f te pure real of bau, be woud have been Incapable of ating hn Say 2 teacher The nimual work bing no, fom he summit ofthe scent perspective jst rbbih" ane might conclade tha taking sie to help people ying in such a por word would not be woth. Yt say ober Ieper are noice here ensign of Socrates eri dining Alcibiades, ‘or Agnthon, who he sia love with ight now: On de cntay ay Ald tells ot ‘rps he ea at el charmed in front of Socrates, which nites hae hae slreiy~and probably often ~ undergone dhe ft preliminary ep nthe loeb ‘ncationdesrbed by Snore what correspond to Agathon and also the Young ‘Socrates refttion. Bur nt ony dha ane rc, Soerster made hime the strtueshe contain dats Alciaes wil ald tthe end is beau pechen which ‘acy inden therefore, tha with Socrates e has already begun the ascent desrbed lbyDiouina. Plt ths ot denng that Socrates acl id tech him and wa my nmited wo help him each whit he sso the ullint of re elcaton wars epi. ‘So why did Socrates eventually eefise to eachnge his precious knowledge with Al sind this fimous sere? Here quite obvi, e knowledge Sorte does nt, ‘nd in fit cant, tans to Alia he one Socrates hat gine fom hi a ess to the ghighes mysteries” Butchi i arly wht Andes andes, ‘more precely Alebiades dns sndentand tha ach + Incwedge not ans table, When Sores reises so hve sex wth Kim, he as that he wuld rake» bad ‘change receiving physic! beauty (or sexual plesre) in exchange forging el be ysl best, Sorte i aying to Aliads no on these level Or of the Same vl se, phys besa But Albiades Joes not understand nd eres ust explain: gm worth nothing”: Which meas what you take to be the objec of ‘revelation that any boy she abject of your lve, is nothing worthabile what you treo deste or love limstely, the For af the god, and nota pursue bay ‘rpeon, Abad in other words, des se thre ates ofthe oe a ifthey were Socrates hinsell As Deborah Stier has vividly appested,Aletade iin ove with mate, wth Socrates ea a, stead of contemplating the sats he seine Sate eat wih eis per stuooph* hon otc the ea othe toy enrtha Te rh Seca repeatedly Screw Jc eoges in medtaton toch wt em at Sogn me mie200___Phnane Desert presen, Ut he for of the bea” Obvily, Sora not to ame then, bar lsd blindness "Now, is als sometines sggesed that ane way of understanding the sedtion| seene ft pont out the exchange of rles, erween the omen andthe at he Tudges" of Soest’ arrogance” may be sen reat acaing Socrates for another esson:in inverting tae aes, bes mpl playing with peopl reusing ota them Fisknowlege. And this tan accion Aindes wll empha epest tthe very end ofhisspech, with naditiona ier warn towards Agatha 'm te only ‘nee has dane this thee lo Charms the som of icon, Ethylene he Soa of Dials and rest dea of other people He deve ther nto thinking he the love an then ern ot wo be de lord tea, 'm warning you, Agha oto be Scie by hi, bt to lea frm what sua G20), ‘Bor es we know from Dima dict (which in arn Alia! report of thi scene confims) hiss xsl what he righ way of eesti const i tds in Inaghing at hat iveson of rls 84 normal Athenian seience would doin reading Euripides’ Gbps, Plo, sfc tes ome then fle bck that polity fa hs sech, Sorts has impli peesated msl athe mens of Duna (enc 2 Agahon ina his at es potential rome), but i their mein word often ‘epee, meuning bot ena ntrcoure and meeting which, ina pian on tex, mpiesurtained discussion ~ she mals hs ree hatin fc ihe who st assme the oe ofthe ove, ofthe lover who isda o expres hi dei tha is ‘een, nto aes loved ne nd that he hers lange his erase, bu both ‘iscromeny od pide or his midwife Lis though, or thanks to» beoutlajee florea the eee has in cach nd every desing tan wile ble tenes ssc so asto eget” beaut speeches, and actions. And of curse slong wih thi Inidaton into the steric oflore thatthe eelation ofthe dese’ prope objets, Socrates isle by Diosma to reali is love st owe redirect woven nay bes instead of only one, nd thea towards beaut speeches and actions, fn reach the smi th ascent (aif ewer climbing the tps of empl) where he freee the ocean ofthe bes and the, deny, the For ofthe Bev thisis sams with he form ofthe beri rate lve oly al is Alsi for apes ct live» ie tealy worth vig. “Thus by evoking Alhinde desire and playing the omens, Sori appropri ‘refitistadasa pry makes Aladesnto an one that soon person ‘cls tomar shapes, But wy does he gt that? What Plo doing, Tam soggesing, tiring Alcbinde section apsnst Socrates inco an acuson gaint the radsoal way of edocsting youth. Look a Alebads, Pato ays to hi ‘Tor Sriccn oF mechs arpeamin fattest rewemmaat an be ion amet ar aniomicnniteer cies Sats ertcagiennat ee ay Pee ator inning eee ser arom fesioe tenner tne epee Sooo Soeientatedsuctrtsta asecaranoenn ee tone temgecicien aerate Sere oar nten cl cacsaeneaes eee raat ts aches tee ane Seige teenage Saige cba tenable cate rucpeaie Sircetiaireany satiny cg se reremcttercacertatatyene caspieaiiieatay ricci qocignats corer eea iy wage capt Seema ee ateuns Sit ioe Savas tua oan ioaooeaes ene ee eee eo eomicane cee a errant Paterna en Saeindhakay aa merestines 11.3 Philosophy and Education: Akrasia asa test case [Now there second letel I think at which we may read Aide’ charge punt Socrates There bios ances wach more pesing question, ht an aene render canot help but sk himself other intrreers ave evenly doe) bt “ny din Socrtes sce in conncngAlbade to flow hi, dst ur gst ‘ahem? To besue Albis wa adler buthealso bad suongdesiteto improve Isl, Sowhy couldn Socatermanags 0 elp in daring al thon ere bce A sind innate ha tei relationship a ta ee one)? Wy me peel ci he tanage wo ech! hit desire for one bay to many, and from thereto beau ‘yu and hence upto the form ofthe best? As as ben ight stesed by some interpreter the way Dio peesent this scent sey Socet that ¥yi 1 Theanpnty Noha 1, oh eby aer,sot___Prrtnr Desa telecast a nase, he psosopbical education manly consists in rechnneling the dese fr bodies to the desire for he forme which alone can floor die for happies and hs shuld appen though cog proces ofelighecn ofthe proper objet of that dese And swe hae just en thats ex what Sorte is Sing with Alcbiads in ying eo make hi understand tht hes spl wrong is tleson of his desire objet ust pen the je of oar ineligene, he syst im, and Youll en that a enol phy body, Lam words podung So since Socrates fovkdn make Alas understand dat aen we allowed Blame Sorte naved in aking each a purely elie method to be the penne method of edusing the yout : “On the the and seems that Plato ko wanted ores hat Altbinde in face leam something fom Socrates. His encomium ends with his His dscsions (or aguments Jog) ar alo very ke those Sen dha you ‘open up. Ifyou ae prepared ose to Socrates log they seem ably "clos ie .]Botifyoa can pen them up apdsee imide, you wl ad ‘hey are the only ones tha ake ay Sense, Youwlabs find hey are the most ‘ripeand conti the mostimageslaglmara ofr: They range one mest “tno ofthe objec tht jou a eaminelconepate (pe) 908 sre gt becomes gond-an-besl person aba 216-2223) Even if Akibide taking shout Sorte speeches, af Weare sed other rm he «ary dinloges, and not aor Diosma acy, he seams vo have ely een the prance of dinner" message, and ese to have undertone thes. Ora he ery lesa hit saying that heh een then ge which are abou the subject that ‘you ma examine you ate going obec a morally god persone seems ly {eknowldge hate ha understood theimporanes snd probably aso thi eaning ‘And he very central expenion in Greek culture, flstypt, shoud renin us ofthe tral of Alba this guerng where hei report at acing where Agatbon ‘waand demanding be rouge ation (212) Ax fas ban duly natied by 00 Imerpeter this epetion of the name Agioa must be seen aa pun oo the ae teat goo" pointing the ict hat Albides ix entering aerang With ‘he desire fo the por: om she sate perspective dhs could mean, wth the dese Sor goods ke wine aod sex ut ram the pilsopicl perspective, with the desire for ‘moral improvement aif perhaps, ao waned to jin Diouna’ programme for che en ofthe Baul fll which se Dota hs js i constaes he te 00d of human ie. 15 nite pt yf Che Ka ih 9 Te Seeeca or Atcimupes 205 In sum, the character of Alcibiades sho allows Plan co revise Diotima spech in another way as hasbeen suggested by Richard Kraut (2008) ~ and a preSiared | cain wy in Psa speech» wth Alchades, we are fing the possi, not ‘resentin Dita’ speech, ob ros(andala ind amos, since Albeit ho ering fo ann which threatens this whe scent Foe frm the Repu (which is generally agreed to hive been composed by Plato jt before, or afer, the ‘Shmperon, ics dieu to dey. Tshink, that Aline adumbeates whe the Repu excl desrbes she ran pars ofthe soul and ea he the way het both scted to being genuinely edocsted and is rfl to her Secrats vice ile, coating dees "have hear Pevcesand other goad orton. bathe ave’ ditrbed me sau made me dae wih he sais gay of my ie. Ba thie Marys bere sof had theft cm me and ude oe thik that the ie Iz leadings not worth ving Yu can say ths is noe uve, Socrates. Bren now Tam wel avare dai Talloed myself stn toh col ot res bt voallae thesame experince sun. He makes me dt that] That m0 ‘See of mye and insted ge involed in Athenian poles So Fore mye ‘o lock my eas and go aay, ike someone xaping the Ses to prevent ny sting there atl growing old beside him. Hes the only person i whose uipunyDve fd an experience you might ink me incapable of ~ feng ‘ame wth someone; Tony fe shame in is capany. am wel aware that Tannoe ange gaint the ct ha 1 onght oo the things he urges eto ho. Yerwhen I eve him Fam ely aware that Lam defeated (enews) tyrhonour from te cromd So Tale a rummway slave and escape fom him 1se2185) [eisdfiuloct se ere something sna to wat Plato dessin the famous ps sagein fi. IV (39e-440n) where Leon i smulaneosly experiencing dest 0 ureteral aerctie)copes, and shane bese he ow och pacing mally Fepulie, Here, the shame Altbaves experiences in onto Sorts isthe sign Da he Fal rsa wht sping ary inhi: he prefer taking cre ofthe Abe ia meaning ace eing honoured by the Aenians, insted of aking ere of his sok iz porsing the wader tha tly god for ving sey wort ing. And ‘wa his knowledge tat he ought to pursue wisdom steal of nour i tet” ‘the ypcal word for deserting the phenomenen of aban), hei fully aware” ofthis, she's ao lly aware” (emus emai, am xprion pete ed in th ps. Sage tha an’ psy stay an isen © Soca ac or couse. Like someone ‘wn worl at ik her the wis promised by he Siena (wth, most prabbyseg Phenne Deven uo Snot ~ emp. since iti repore hat Alias mippromouace fo! be ores ise wo block his ear nd fle. ‘Weare witnessing then, think (pce Shefld 2004, spend) case fslrtc con fl, excep tat mine Albi acy cones tha tia conti tht he does ot epetence when he iin he presen of Socrates, In ht pesence he might wll, have the sare sore of dee to be honoured by the Athenian crowd, that desi i prey ep ner contrel by his resus ~ beat of the info of Scrat At ‘he fist el hea be rea pa voarng Sorte: coding Alias hin ‘el Socnesmanaged keep iw ander convo aslong ashe was yong, id unde his {oodinflencewbich in tsi ine with Xenophon epor ooh cio Andes, Finself wh willy dacied” to break thi inflence and keep ay dace hin selfrom Socrates Bat fo eaderhi that has the Repub ming, presingquston ‘nmpose uel why it the cave tha inthe aon of Soraey, Alas! motivation ‘o orse ws fades say so easly? How sit posible that without the presence of Socrates, his desire for hone as ely and pally come bck ote surfed sin out over” hs bes meno? Ione poses these Question nthe content of the {scent esos unavoidable that we mist reenie that as ever linea ight ap pear suck Socratic” desription rns the kof blag a van ope, Following Dad Reeve who rightly cummentsonspaege fhe Repu (910-4950) where Alias isinall kelyhood refered otha there Pato represent Alebiades ts soncone who Ind he pono be a philosopher, bu who aed to become one becrse he did’ receive the ge sor of (atomic) edestion’,” Two ie to suggest he his ‘might ale be alae ton the Symp. order o make ¢ ows for people ike Alabiadey, ie potential tyrant who ares oll anniv by deren irasona desires comnke he ascent that sto get pulnopical econ, pole order mat ‘tbe pu im place with a fre edaton of what the Recalls the ional part ofthe soul (which evenly consi inthe poet edeton of te oer none ‘to make aliance wth the reason agains the appetites. The revitation® of Dich ‘pesshinay thea he msc more profoond here than one usally tks tea be: icons in reconiing tat his speech remain iain, and tits more bse eduction, tha ofthe irational parc fou soul i fst needed f ane ely want prot am ‘his philosophical elation. 6 Tsay Ate, Mie hep Pad A147 1 ave 9816 CF she let oer Rae eM, wh ages at ‘Aine ee Soe tant a 128, a Tre Sprecm or Avemanns 205 Biiogopy Hc ett set ain Cogan Snare cheat emt re scence Ea ae dnc naam rtm enero er ee ee {Gk C1087 Mat Toy of Des in Raver of Mey XL. 7-108. HST eres erie Reersrsaa nh re ea ‘Nasbwam A158 The eho Ane ego Spin M. Nowe The See ce te tetera ae oe eee ice set i Sst sn to 7 Sgiteetaatecttemciinenan Sec D8 Pot Spa Dini Fen Quen is Carin 41-86, BE cesarean tte Seen tsnetatimce aceteaneinoc