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Socrates. Dear Phaedrus, whither away, and where do you come from?
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Phaedrus. From Lysias, Socrates, the son of Cephalus; and I am going for a walk outside the wall. For I spent a long time there with Lysias, sitting since early morning; and on the advice of your friend and mine, Acumenus, I am taking my walk on the roads; for he says they are less fatiguing than the streets.
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Socrates. He is right, my friend. Then Lysias, it seems,was in the city?
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Phaedrus. Yes, at Epicrates’ house, the one that belonged to Morychus, near the Olympieum.
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Socrates. What was your conversation? But it is obvious that Lysias entertained you with his speeches.
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Phaedrus. You shall hear, if you have leisure to walk along and listen.
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Socrates. What? Don’t you believe that I consider hearing your conversation with Lysias a greater thing even than business,Pind. Isthm 1.1as Pindar says?Pind. I. 1.1Μᾶτερ ἐμά, τὸ τεόν, χρύσασπι Θήβα, πρᾶγμα καὶ ἀσχολίας ὑπέρτερον θήσομαι. My mother, Thebes of the golden shield, I will consider thy interest greater even than business.
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Phaedrus. Lead on, then.
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Socrates. Speak.
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Phaedrus. Indeed, Socrates, you are just the man to hear it. For the discourse about which we conversed, was in a way, a love-speech. For Lysias has represented one of the beauties being tempted, but not by a lover; this is just the clever thing about it; for he says that favors should be granted rather to the one who is not in love than to the lover.
