Then, he added, let me have your permission first
to ask Agathon a few more questions, in order that I may take his
admissions as the premisses of my discourse.
I grant the permission, said Phaedrus: put your questions. Socrates then
proceeded as follows:--
In the magnificent oration which you have just uttered, I think that you
were right, my dear Agathon, in proposing to speak of the nature of Love
first and afterwards of his works--that is a way of beginning which I very
much approve. And as you have spoken so eloquently of his nature, may I
ask you further, Whether love is the love of something or of nothing? And
here I must explain myself: I do not want you to say that love is the love
of a father or the love of a mother--that would be ridiculous; but to
answer as you would, if I asked is a father a father of something? to which
you would find no difficulty in replying, of a son or daughter: and the
answer would be right.
Very true, said Agathon.
And you would say the same of a mother?
He assented.
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