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f his supple body?

To which Charmides replied: How like a flatterer you are! one would think you had set yourself to puff the dancing…master。'27'

'27' See 〃The Critic;〃 I。 ii。

To be sure (he answered solemnly); and there's another point I could not help observing: how while he danced no portion of his body remained idle; neck and legs and hands together; one and all were exercised。'28' That is how a man should dance; who wants to keep his body light and healthy。'29' (Then turning to the Syracusan; he added): I cannot say how much obliged I should be to you; O man of Syracuse; for lessons in deportment。 Pray teach me my steps。'30'

'28' Cf。 〃Pol。 Lac。〃 v。 9。

'29' Cf。 Aristot。 〃H。 A。〃 vi。 21。 4。

'30' 〃Gestures;〃 〃postures;〃 〃figures。〃 See Eur。 〃Cycl。〃 221;     Aristoph。 〃Peace;〃 323; Isocr。 〃Antid。〃 183。

And what use will you make of them? (the other asked)。

God bless me! I shall dance; of course (he answered)。

The remark was greeted with a peal of merriment。

Then Socrates; with a most serious expression of countenance:'31' You are pleased to laugh at me。 Pray; do you find it so ridiculous my wishing to improve my health by exercise? or to enjoy my victuals better? to sleep better? or is it the sort of exercise I set my heart on? Not like those runners of the long race;'32' to have my legs grow muscular and my shoulders leaner in proportion; nor like a boxer; thickening chest and shoulders at expense of legs; but by distribution of the toil throughout my limbs'33' I seek to give an even balance to my body。 Or are you laughing to think that I shall not in future have to seek a partner in the training school;'34' whereby it will not be necessary for an old man like myself to strip in public?'35' All I shall need will be a seven…sofa'd chamber;'36' where I can warm to work;'37' just like the lad here who has found this room quite ample for the purpose。 And in winter I shall do gymnastics'38' under cover; or when the weather is broiling under shade。 。 。 。 But what is it you keep on laughing atthe wish on my part to reduce to moderate size a paunch a trifle too rotund? Is that the source of merriment?'39' Perhaps you are not aware; my friends; that Charmidesyes! he there caught me only the other morning in the act of dancing?

'31' 〃Bearing a weighty and serious brow。〃

'32' 〃Like your runner of the mile race。〃 Cf。 Plat。 〃Prot。〃 335 E。

'33' Or; 〃resolute exercise of the whole body。〃 See Aristot。 〃Pol。〃     viii。 4。 9; 〃Rhet。〃 i。 5。 14。

'34' Or; 〃be dependent on a fellow…gymnast。〃 〃Pol。 Lac。〃 ix。 5; Plat。     〃Soph。〃 218 B; 〃Laws;〃 830 B; 〃Symp。〃 217 B; C。

'35' Or; 〃to strip in puiblic when my hair turns gray。〃 Socrates was     (421 B。C。) about 50; but is pictured; I think; as an oldish man。

'36' See Aristot。 〃H。 A。〃 ix。 45。 1; 〃Econ。〃 viii。 13。

'37' Passage referred to by Diog。 Laert。 ii。 5。 15; Lucian; 〃de Salt。〃     25; Plut。 〃Praec。 San。〃 496。

'38' 〃Take my exercise。〃

'39' Zeune cf。 Max。 Tyr。 〃Diss。〃 vii。 9; xxxix。 5。

Yes; that I will swear to (the other answered); and at first I stood aghast; I feared me you had parted with your senses; but when I heard your explanation; pretty much what you have just now told us; I went home andI will not say; began to dance myself (it is an accomplishment I have not been taught as yet); but I fell to sparring;'40' an art of which I have a very pretty knowledge。

'40' 〃Sparring;〃 etc。; an art which Quintil。 〃Inst。 Or。〃 i。 11; 17;     attributes to Socrates。 Cf。 Herod。 vi。 129 concerning     Hippocleides; and Rich; 〃Dict。 of Antiq。〃 s。v。 〃Chironomia。〃

That's true; upon my life! (exclaimed the jester)。 One needs but look at you to see there's not a dram of difference between legs and shoulders。'41' I'll be bound; if both were weighed in the scales apart; like 〃tops and bottoms;〃 the clerks of the market'42' would let you off scot…free。

'41' Lit。 〃your legs are equal in weight with your shoulders。〃 Cf。     〃Od。〃 xviii。 373; {elikes 。 。 。 isophoroi boes}; 〃of equal age and     force to bear the yoke。〃Butcher and Lang。

'42' See Boeckh; 〃Public Economy of Athens;〃 p。 48; Aristoph。     〃Acharn。〃 723; Lys。 165; 34。

Then Callias: O Socrates; do please invite me when you begin your dancing lessons。 I will be your vis…a…vis;'43' and take lessons with you。

'43' Cf。 〃Anab。〃 V。 iv。 12。

Come on (the jester shouted); give us a tune upon the pipe; and let me show you how to dance。

So saying up he got; and mimicked the dances of the boy and girl in burlesque fashion; and inasmuch as the spectators had been pleased to think the natural beauty of the boy enhanced by every gesture of his body in the dance; so the jester must give a counter… representation;'44' in which each twist and movement of his body was a comical exaggeration of nature。

'44' Reading {antepedeizen}。 Cf。 Plat。 〃Theaet。〃 162 B; 〃Ages。〃 i。 12;     if vulg。 {antapedeizen}; transl。 〃would prove per contra each     bend;〃 etc。 Cf。 Aristot。 〃Rhet。〃 ii。 26。 3。

And since the girl had bent herself backwards and backwards; till she was nearly doubled into the form of a hoop; so he must try to imitate a hoop by stooping forwards and ducking down his head。

And as finally; the boy had won a round of plaudits for the manner in which he kept each muscle of the body in full exercise whilst dancing; so now the jester; bidding the flute…girl quicken the time (presto! presto! prestissimo!); fell to capering madly; tossing legs and arms and head together; until he was fairly tired out; and threw himself dead beat upon the sofa; gasping:

There; that's a proof that my jigs too are splendid exercise; at any rate; I am dying of thirst; let the attendant kindly fill me the mighty goblet。'45'

'45' Cf。 Plat。 〃Symp。〃 223 C。

Quite right (said Callias); and we will pledge you。 Our throats are parched with laughing at you。

At this point Socrates: Nay; gentlemen; if drinking is the order of the day; I heartily approve。 Wine it is in very truth that moistens the soul of man;'46' that lulls at once all cares to sleep; even as mandragora'47' drugs our human senses; and at the same time kindles light…hearted thoughts;'48' as oil a flame。 Yet it fares with the banquets of men;'49' if I mistake not; precisely as with plants that spring and shoot on earth。 When God gives these vegetable growths too full a draught of rain; they cannot lift their heads nor feel the light air breathe through them; but if they drink in only the glad supply they need; they stand erect; they shoot apace; and reach maturity of fruitage。 So we; too; if we drench our throats with over… copious draughts;'50' ere long may find our legs begin to reel and our thoughts begin to falter;'51' we shall scarce be able to draw breath; much less to speak a word in season。 But if (to borrow language from the mint of Gorgias'52'); if only the attendants will bedew us with a frequent mizzle'53' of small glasses; we shall not be violently driven on by wine to drunkenness; but with sweet seduction reach the goal of sportive levity。

'46' Cf。 Plat。 〃Laws;〃 649; Aristoph。 〃Knights;〃 96:

Come; quick now; bring me a lusty stoup of wine; To moisten my understanding and inspire me (H。 Frere)。

'47' Cf。 Plat。 〃Rep。〃 vi。 488 C; Dem。 〃Phil。〃 iv。 133。 1; Lucian v。;     〃Tim。〃 2; lxxiii。; 〃Dem。 Enc。〃 36。 See 〃Othello;〃 iii。 3。 330:

Not poppy; nor mandragora; Nor all the drowsy syrups of the world;

    〃Antony and Cl。〃 i。 5; 4。

'48' Cf。 1 Esdras iii。 20: 〃It turneth also every thought into jollity     and mirth;〃 {eis euokhian kai euphrosunen}。 The whole passage is     quoted by Athen。 504。 Stob。 〃Fl。〃 lvi。 17。

'49' Reading {sumposia}; cf。 Theog。 298; 496; or if after Athen。     {somata} transl。 〃persons。〃

'50' Or; 〃if we swallow at a gulp the liquor。〃 Cf。 Plat。 〃Sym。〃 176 D。

'51' See 〃Cyrop。〃 I。 iii。 10; VIII。 viii。 10; Aristoph。 〃Wasps;〃 1324;     〃Pol。 Lac。〃 v。 7。

'52' For phrases filed by Gorgias; see Aristot。 〃Rhet。〃 iii。 3;     〃faults of taste in the use of metaphors;〃 Longin。 〃de Subl。〃 3。     See also Plat。 〃Symp。〃 198 C。

'53' Cf。 Aristoph。 〃Peace;〃 1141; Theophr。 〃Lap。〃 13; Lucian; xvii。;     〃De merc。 cond。〃 27; Cic。 〃Cat。 m。〃 14; transl。 〃pocula 。 。 。     minuta atque rorantia。〃

The proposition was unanimously carried; with a rider appended by Philippus: The cup…bearers should imitate good charioteers; and push the cups round; quickening the pace each circuit。'54'

'54' Or; 〃at something faster than a hand…gallop each round。〃 See the     drinking song in 〃Antony and Cl。〃 i。 7。 120。



III

During this interval; whilst the cup…bearers carried out their duties; the boy played on the lyre tuned to accompany the flute; and sang。'1'

'1' Cf。 Plat。 〃Laws;〃 812 C; Aristot。 〃Poet。〃 i。 4。

The performance won the plaudits of the company; and drew from Charmides a speech as follows: Sirs; what Socrates was claiming in behalf of wine applies in my opinion no less aptly to the present composition。 So rare a blending of boyish and of girlish beauty; and of voice with instrument; is potent to lull sorrow to sleep; and to kindle Aphrodite's flame。

Then Socrates; reverting in a manner to the charge: The young people have fully proved their power to give us pleasure。 Yet; charming as they are; we still regard ourselves; no doubt; as much their betters。 What a shame to think that we should here be met together; and yet make no effort ourselves to heighten the festivity!'2'

'2' See Plat。 〃Prot。〃 347 D; 〃A company like this of ours; and men     such as we profess to be; do not require the help of another's     voice;〃 etc。Jowett。 Cf。 id。 〃Symp。〃 176: 〃To…day let us have     conversation instead; and if you will allow me; I will tell you     what sort of conversation。〃

Several of the company exclaimed at once: Be our director then yourself。 Explain what style of talk we should engage in to achieve that object。'3'

'3' {exegou}。 〃Prescribe the form of words we must lay hold of to     achieve the object; and we will set to work; arch…casuist。〃

Nothing (he replied) would please me better than to demand of Callias a prompt performance of his promise。 He told us; you recollect; if we would dine with him; he would give us an exhibition of his wisdom。

To which challenge Callias: That I will readily; but you o

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