in general-then and then only, when these two principles coincide, and in no other circumstances, is it honourable for a man to yield to his lover. In these circumstances, too, there is no disgrace in being deceived, whereas in all others he is disgraced even if he has been deceived. Suppose that he grants favors to a lover believing him to be rich, and is then disappointed of his hope of gain by the lover turning out to be poor; he is disgraced none the less, because he has shown himself to be the sort of person who would do any service to anybody for money. But by the same reasoning if he grants favours to a lover believing the latter to be a good man and that he himself will be improved by association with him, and is disappointed because the lover turns out to be bad and devoid of merit, it does him credit to have been so deceived; he, also, has revealed his true nature, which is to be willing to do anything for anybody who can help him attain excellence and improve himself, and nothing can be more honourable than that. So we conclude that it is in all cases honourable to comply with a lover to attain excellence. This is the Heavenly Love which is associated with the Heavenly Goddess, and which is valuable both to states and to individuals because it entails upon both lover and beloved self-discipline for the attainment of excellence. All other forms. of love belong to the other Goddess, the Common Aphrodite. This is the best contribution that I can improvise for you, Phaedrus, on the subject of love." (CONCLUSION OF THE SPEECH BY PAUSANIAS)
2.2.
EDITOR'S NOTE:
The Greek conception of the homoerotic relationship was involved almost exclusively with the teacher-pupil, father-son, man-boy images, or "complexes." The relationship was considered (at least by those adhering to the ideas of Pausanias) as basically an educative-aesthetic relationship between an older and a younger man, the former demonstrating mature knowledge and ideals, the latter aspiring to these for the perfection of his own character. The more intimate and erotic aspects of the relationship appear to have been thought of as an acceptable channel for the basic process of character-development. Though such a relationship is by no means uncommon in the modern homoerotic "tradition", it is far from being typical, as it was in the ancient Greek tradition. Therefore some minor liberties have been taken with the translator's text, so as to de-emphasize the age differential, and to bring the Greek conception into greater consistence with modern conditions, wherein attachments between equally-independent persons are not infrequent. No changes have been made which after the basic, qualitative sense of the Dialogue.
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