This is my all time favourite piece of ancient philosophy. Love and wisdom become an indivisible whole, together their unity taking each of us closer to the absolute truth, which exists as a blueprint in heaven. Justice balance and harmony are created only when the mind and the heart live as one. Each is components of the wisdom that reins supreme only as a consequence of this perfect and indestructible unity.
I think that it is only those with love in their hearts that can see this truth. When we love or are loved we trigger within our mortal minds a memory of that which exists only in our immortal souls. This memory has its roots in a time between births when we danced amongst the gods and bathed in the eternal flame of their absolute knowledge of the good, the right and the beautiful. Philosophy is the medium that takes us closest to the truth, love inspires philosophy and philosophy teaches us to love wisely.
The Pheadrus is not for the faint hearted; it inspires far too much soul searching. But if you are brave, whish only to walk the path of true love and truth, then it is essential to read it and learn its lessons well!
I will leave you with a few of the beautiful quotes that can be found within this wonderful ancient text. But remember it is always a mistake to read only fragments of Plato for every word has a relevance all of its own.
Pheadrus has tempted Socrates to leave the walled city for a place the latter has not visited for a long time. Pheadrus takes Socrates away from all that is familiar and into the fresh, vibrant and beautiful countryside. This inspires Socrates to open the gates to the emotional side of his nature and talk about the love he has for Pheadrus and it's relative consequences. Pheadrus puts before Socrates a question, (is it better to give your favours to a lover, or to the non lover?). Together they explore the consequences of each path, but in the end Socrates explains why to give your favours to a non-lover is to do your soul an injustice.
[244 a] "There is no truth to that story' - that when a lover is available you should give your favours to a man who doesn�t love you instead, because he is in control of himself while the lover has lost his head. That would have been fine to say if madness were bad, pure and simple; but in fact the best things we have come from madness, when it is a gift of the god."
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