Commentary on Plato's Symposium

of the meal, Bernardo Nutio took that book of Plato called, The Banquet of Love. Having read its orations in order, he begged all the guests that each one should interpret his own, with which everyone was content, and lots were cast. That first oration of Phaedrus fell to Giovanni Cavalcanti to interpret; the oration of Pausanias to Antonio, the theologian; that of Eryximachus, the physician, to Ficino, the physician; to Cristoforo, the poet, that of Aristophanes, the poet; that of Agathon, the youth, was given to Carlo Marsupini; the dispute of Socrates to Tomaso Benci; that of Alcibiades to Cristoforo Marsupini. All were content with this lot. But the Bishop and the physician being forced to leave, the one for the care of souls, the other for that of bodies, they left their parts of the speech to Giovanni Cavalcanti. To this, everyone turned, and being settled to listen, they fell silent; then that worthy man began thus.

By what rule one ought to praise love, and what its dignity and greatness are. Cap. II.

Most grateful, oh good friends, has the lot been to me today, by which it is granted to me to represent the person of Phaedrus—that Phaedrus of Myrrhinus, I say, whose friendship the Theban Lysias, a most perfect orator, esteemed so highly that in an oration of his, composed with much vigil and labor, he strives to make himself his friend. His appearance so astonished Socrates that often, near the river Ilissus, moved by his splendor and lifted on high, he sang of divine mysteries; he who before appeared ignorant not only of heavenly things but even of these low ones. Plato was so pleased with the wit of this man,