Socrates continues

At 276d Socrates compared the amusement provided by writing to amusements provided to others by symposia (drinking-parties). Phaedrus enthusiastically concurred: ‘A very fine form of amusement it is you’re talking of, Socrates, in contrast to the mean one’. Socrates agreed: Yes, Phaedrus, just so; but!!!

But I think it is far finer if one is in earnest about them (Polu\ d’ oi]mai kalli/wn spoudh\ peri\ au0ta\ gi/gnetai); when a man makes use of the science of dialectic (o3tan tij th=| dialektikh=| te\xnh| xrw&menoj), and taking a fitting soul (labw_n yuxh\n prosh/kousan) plants (futeu/h| te) and sows in it (kai\ spei/rh|) words accompanied by knowledge (met’ e0pisth/mhj lo/gouj), which are able to help themselves and the man who planted them (oi4 e9autoi=j tw~| te futeu/santi bohqei=n i9kanoi/), and are not without fruit (kai\ ou0xi\ a1karpoi) but contain a seed (a1lla\ e1xontej spe/rma), from which others grow in other soils (o3qen a1lloi e0n a1lloij h1qesi fuo/menoi), capable of rendering it for ever immortal (tou=t’ a1ei\ a0qa/naton pare/xein i9kanoi/), and making the one who has it as happy (kai\ to\n e1xonta eu0daimonei=n poiou=ntej) as it is possible for a man to be (ei0j o3son a0nqrw&pw| dunato\n ma/lista).

Phaedrus: This is indeed still finer (Polu\ ga\r tou=t’ e1ti ka/llion le/geij).