An interlude

Socrates: Well then (A)ta/r), my dear Phaedrus (w} fi/le Fai=dre), do you think (dokw~ ti soi/), as I do myself (w#sper e0mautw~|), that something more than human has happened to me (qei=on pa/qoj peponqe/nai;).

Phaedrus: I agree (Pa/nu me\n ou]n), Socrates (w} Sw&kratej), that you’ve been seized by a fluency greater than normal (para\ to\ ei0wqo\j eu1roia/ ti/j se ei1lhfen).

Socrates: Then hear me in silence (Sigh=| toi/nun mou a1koue). For the spot really seems to be a divine one (tw~| o1nti ga\r qei=oj e1oiken o9 to/poj ei]nai), so that if perhaps I become possessed by nymphs as my speech proceeds (w#ste e0a\n a1ra polla/kij numfo/lhptoj proi+o/ntpj tou= lo/gou ge/nwmai), do not be surprised (mh\ qauma/shj); as it is I’m already close to uttering in dithyrambs (ta\ nu=n ga\r ou0ke/ti po/rrw diqura/mbwn fqe/ggomai).

Phaedrus: Very true (A)lhqe/stata le/geij).

Socrates: For that you’re responsible (Tou/twn me/ntoi su\ ai1tioj). But listen to what remains (a0lla\ ta\ loipa\ a1koue); perhaps the threat may be averted (i1swj ga\r k’a2n a0potra/poito to\ e0pio/n). However, that will be a matter for god (tau=ta ne\n ou]n qew~| melh/sei); we must go back to the boy with our speech (h9mi=n de\ pro\j to\n pai=da pa/lin tw~| lo/gw| i0te/on).

***

On the margin of my Oxford edition of Plato I wrote: “In Plato’s time the dithyramb was in full decay.” Unfortunately, I did not note the reference for this quotation, but I have no doubt that I took it from a very dependable source. Concerning the note that followed – "The scholiast on Aristophanes’ Aves 1393 quotes a proverb kai\ diqura/mbwn nou=n e0xei=j e0la/ttona [‘you have less reason than dithyrambs’].” – for its provenance I perhaps don't need to go any further than myself; there was a time when I was engrossed in Aristophanes and in the scholia to his works.

The interlude has undoubtedly a comical side to it. But it would be wrong, I think, to see the reference to the spot in which Socrates speaks ‘as a divine one’ just through the lens of his reference to dithyrambs. It is more important to see it, and thus the interlude, in terms of the passage in which the enchanted Socrates speaks of the spot in which Phaedrus is to read Lysias’ speech:

‘By Hera (Nh\ th\n H#ran), a fine stopping place (kalh/ ge h9 katagwgh/). This plane-tree (h3te ga\r pla/tanoj au3th), is very spreading (ma/l’ a0mfilafh/j te) and tall (kai\ u9yhlh/), and the tallness and shadiness of the agnus (tou= te a1gnou to\ u3yoj kai\ to\ su/skion) are quite lovely (pa/gkalon); and being in full flower (kai\ w(j a0kmh\n e1xei th=j a1nqhj) it seems to make the place smell as sweetly as it could (w(j a2n eu0wde/staton pare/xoi to\n to/pon). The stream, too (H3 te au] phgh/), flows very attractively under the plane (xariesta/th u9po\ th=j plata/nou r9ei=), with the coolest water (ma/la yuxrou= u3datoj), to judge by my foot (w#ste ge tw}| podi\ tekmh/rasqai). From the figurines and statuettes, the spot seems to be sacred to some Nymphs and to Achelous (Numfw~n te/ tinwn kai\ A)xelw|&ou i9ero\n a0po\ tw~n korw~n te kai\ a0galma/twn e1oiken ei]nai). Then again, if you like (ei0 d’ au2 bou/lei), how welcome it is, the freshness of the place, and very pleasant (to\ eu1pnoun tou= to/pou w(j a0gaphto\n kai\ sfo/dra h9du/); it echoes with a summery shrillness (qerino/n te kai\ liguro\n u9phxei=) to the cicadas’ song (tw~| tw~n tettigw~n xorw~|).  Most delightful of all is the matter of the grass (pa/ntwn de\ komyo/taton to\ th=j po/aj), growing on a gentle slope (o3ti e0n h0re/ma prosa/ntei) and thick enough to be just right to rest one’s head upon (i9kanh\ pe/fuke katakline/nti th\n kefalh\n pagka/lwj e1xein).’ (Phdr. 229b2-c5)