u, Callias, may
boast of making men more just and upright, to me belongs by juster
right than yours to train mankind to every excellence. We are the
true inspirers (26) who infuse some subtle fire into amorous souls, we
beauties, and thereby raise them to new heights of being; we render them
more liberal in the pursuit of wealth; we give them a zest for toil that
mocks at danger, and enables them where honour the fair vision leads, to
follow. (27) We fill their souls with deeper modesty, a self-constraint
more staunch; about the things they care for most, there floats a
halo of protecting awe. (28) Fools and unwise are they who choose not
beauteous men to be their generals. How merrily would I, at any rate,
march through fire by the side of Cleinias; (29) and so would all of
you, I know full well, in company of him who now addresses you.

(25) "We beauties."

(26) The {eispnelas} in relation to the {aitas}, the Inspirer to the
Hearer. Cf. Theocr. xii. 13; Ael. "V. H." iii. 12. See Muller,
"Dorians," ii. 300 foll.

(27) {philokaloterous}. Cf. Plat. "Phaedr." 248 D; "Criti." 111 E;
Aristot. "Eth. N." iv. 4. 4; x. 9. 3.

(28) Lit. "they feel most awe of what they most desire."

(29) Cf. "Mem." I. iii. 9.

Cease, therefore, your perplexity, O Socrates, abandon fears and doubts,
believe and know that this thing of which I make great boast, my beauty,
has power to confer some benefit on humankind.

Once more, let no man dare dishonour beauty, merely because the flower
of it soon fades, since even as a child has growth in beauty, so is it
with the stripling, the grown man, the reverend senior. (30) And
this the proof of my contention. Whom do we choose to bear the sacred
olive-shoot (31) in honour of Athena?--whom else save beautiful old men?
witnessing thereby (32) that beauty walks hand in hand as a companion
with every age of life, from infancy to eld.

(30) Cf. ib. III. iii. 12.

(31) Cf. Aristoph. "Wasps," 544.

(32) Or, "beauty steps in attendance lovingly hand in hand at every
season of the life of man." So Walt Whitman, passim.

Or again, if it be sweet to win from willing hearts the things we seek
for, I am persuaded that, by the eloquence of silence, I could win a
kiss from yonder girl or boy more speedily than ever you could, O sage!
by help of half a hundred subtle arguments.

Eh, bless my ears, what's that? (Socrates broke in upon this final
flourish of the speaker). So beaut