εἰ δὲ βούλει. This phrase serves to
introduce a fresh point, marking the transition from poets to
“sophists”; cp. 209 D, 220 D (εἰ δὲ
βούλεσθε), Lach. 188 C,
etc.: but to add an infin., as here (σκέψασθαι), is
unusual.
τοὺς χρηστοὺς σοφιστάς. “The
worthy sophists”; considering that Phaedrus is the speaker, we must suppose
that the adj. is seriously meant, not ironical.
καταλογάδην ξυγγράφειν.
“Writing in prose,” oratione soluta. Cp.
Isocr. II. 7 καὶ τῶν μετὰ μέτρου ποιημάτων καὶ τῶν
καταλογάδην συγγραμμάτων: Lysis 204 D, Laws
811 E, 975 D.
ὥσπερ...Πρόδικος. This alludes to
Prodicus's celebrated parable “The Choice of Heracles,” for which
see Xen. Mem. II. i. 21 ff. For Prodicus of Ceos, see Zeller
Presocr. Phil. vol. II. pp. 416 ff., 473 (E. T.); Gomperz Gr.
Thinkers (E. T.) I. pp. 425 ff.
ἧττον καὶ. For the unusual position of
καὶ after the comparative, cp. Xen.
Cyr. I. vi. 38 ταῦτα γὰρ μᾶλλον καὶ
ἐξαπατᾶν δύναται.
ἐνῆσαν ἅλες. Logically, of course, the
subject ought to be ἔπαινος, not ἅλες. The same βιβλίον is
alluded to in Isocr. X. 12 τῶν...τοὺς βομβυλιοὺς καὶ τοὺς
ἅλας καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα βουληθέντων ἐπαινεῖν: its authorship is now
generally ascribed (as by Sauppe, Blass, Hug) to the rhetor Polycrates: see further
Introd. § II. B (e).
This text is part of:
The Symposium of Plato. R. G. Bury. 1909. Cambridge. W. Heffer and Sons.
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