Soc.And if Adrastus the mellifluous or Pericles heard of these wonderful arts, brachylogies and eikonologies and all the hard names which we have been endeavouring to draw into the light of day, what would they say? Instead of losing temper and applying uncomplimentary epithets, as you and I have been doing, to the authors of such an imaginary art, their superior wisdom would rather censure us, as well as them."Have a little patience, Phaedrus and Socrates, they would say; you should not be in such a passion with those who from some want of dialectical skill are unable to define the nature of rhetoric, and consequently suppose that they have found the art in the preliminary conditions of it, and when these have been taught by them to others, fancy that the whole art of rhetoric has been taught by them; but as to using the several instruments of the art effectively, or making the composition a whole,-an application of it such as this is they regard as an easy thing which their disciples may make for themselves."Phaedr.I quite admit, Socrates, that the art of rhetoric which these men teach and of which they write is such as you describe-there I agree with you.But I still want to know where and how the true art of rhetoric and persuasion is to be acquired.
Soc.The perfection which is required of the finished orator is, or rather must be, like the perfection of anything else; partly given by nature, but may also be assisted by art.If you have the natural power and add to it knowledge and practice, you will be a distinguished speaker; if you fall short in either of these, you will be to that extent defective.But the art, as far as there is an art, of rhetoric does not lie in the direction of Lysias or Thrasymachus.
Phaedr.In what direction then?
Soc.I conceive Pericles to have been the most accomplished of rhetoricians.
Phaedr.What of that?
Soc.All the great arts require discussion and high speculation about the truths of nature; hence come loftiness of thought and completeness of execution.And this, as I conceive, was the quality which, in addition to his natural gifts, Pericles acquired from his intercourse with Anaxagoras whom he happened to know.He was thus imbued with the higher philosophy, and attained the knowledge of Mind and the negative of Mind, which were favourite themes of Anaxagoras, and applied what suited his purpose to the art of speaking.
Phaedr.Explain.
Soc.Rhetoric is like medicine.
Phaedr.How so?
Soc.Why, because medicine has to define the nature of the body and rhetoric of the soul-if we would proceed, not empirically but scientifically, in the one case to impart health and strength by giving medicine and food in the other to implant the conviction or virtue which you desire, by the right application of words and training.
Phaedr.There, Socrates, I suspect that you are right.
Soc.And do you think that you can know the nature of the soul intelligently without knowing the nature of the whole?
Phaedr.Hippocrates the Asclepiad says that the nature even of the body can only be understood as a whole.
Soc.Yes, friend, and he was right:-still, we ought not to be content with the name of Hippocrates, but to examine and see whether his argument agrees with his conception of nature.
Phaedr.I agree.
Soc.Then consider what truth as well as Hippocrates says about this or about any other nature.Ought we not to consider first whether that which we wish to learn and to teach is a simple or multiform thing, and if simple, then to enquire what power it has of acting or being acted upon in relation to other things, and if multiform, then to number the forms; and see first in the case of one of them, and then in.case of all of them, what is that power of acting or being acted upon which makes each and all of them to be what they are?
Phaedr.You may very likely be right, Socrates.
Soc.The method which proceeds without analysis is like the groping of a blind man.Yet, surely, he who is an artist ought not to admit of a comparison with the blind, or deaf.The rhetorician, who teaches his pupil to speak scientifically, will particularly set forth the nature of that being to which he addresses his speeches; and this, I conceive, to be the soul.
Phaedr.Certainly.
Soc.His whole effort is directed to the soul; for in that he seeks to produce conviction.
Phaedr.Yes.
Soc.Then clearly, Thrasymachus or any one else who teaches rhetoric in earnest will give an exact description of the nature of the soul;which will enable us to see whether she be single and same, or, like the body, multiform.That is what we should call showing the nature of the soul.
Phaedr.Exactly.
Soc.He will explain, secondly, the mode in which she acts or is acted upon.
Phaedr.True.
Soc.Thirdly, having classified men and speeches, and their kinds and affections, and adapted them to one another, he will tell the reasons of his arrangement, and show why one soul is persuaded by a particular form of argument, and another not.
Phaedr.You have hit upon a very good way.
Soc.Yes, that is the true and only way in which any subject can be set forth or treated by rules of art, whether in speaking or writing.But the writers of the present day, at whose feet you have sat, craftily, conceal the nature of the soul which they know quite well.Nor, until they adopt our method of reading and writing, can we admit that they write by rules of art?
Phaedr.What is our method?
Soc.I cannot give you the exact details; but I should like to tell you generally, as far as is in my power, how a man ought to proceed according to rules of art.
Phaedr.Let me hear.
