Binghamton University The Open Repository @ Binghamton (The ORB) The Society for Ancient Greek Philosophy Newsletter 12-1974 The Tragic and Comic Poet of the Symposium Diskin Clay Haverford College Follow this and additional works at: https://orb.binghamton.edu/sagp Part of the Ancient History, Greek and Roman through Late Antiquity Commons, Ancient Philosophy Commons, and the History of Philosophy Commons Recommended Citation Diskin Clay presented "The Tragic and Comic Poet of the Symposium" to the meeting of the Society for Ancient Greek Philosophy with the American Philological Association in Chicago in 1974. A revised version was published in Arion NS 2 (1975) 238-261, and reprinted in J. P. Anton & A. Preus, eds. 1983. Essays in Ancient Greek Philosophy vol. 2, SUNY Press, 321-339. For information about the author, see: https://classicalstudies.org/scs-news/memoriam-diskin-clay This Article is brought to you for free and open access by The Open Repository @ Binghamton (The ORB). It has been accepted for inclusion in The Society for Ancient Greek Philosophy Newsletter by an authorized administrator of The Open Repository @ Binghamton (The ORB). For more information, please contact [email protected]. Śӿ ό·Dzɹąӿ êĤӿ yͱ˧ɵĀӿ Ύҝӿ ͒Ǔӿ ѾɁӿ ?$ -:A !'A 3&4B 5>ad !" oN%EOu - B % 5B \edcӿ 4 _F^u H.Ld ҮΣӿ ?5/bd m~ IJ­4̐Lӿ FPu kRD"~ %)Md ĊˏƢϜ ӷ Ѡɥ͡˿ӿ ͞ǟӿ {ν͟Іӿ 5 U`Vu ?SH,#\~ ҁ!¶%ӿ ɝщӿ e-Tw@~ i-ӿ 3.A $H!~ ISu~ =A (pu ɓÏƮϨӀЭFӿ Nsr2=)mWu Å&ĸӿ Xa067u Fb*NVu L D d 3HnS~ o.%~ '"ǹɋ҉Dӿ ҽҋӿ ˎÇҊͺ7Тӿ @46T UAIMd ȵӏƂӿ !",B Lʸ Ρӿ A5=#~ #$B =:B /ɍϛӿ )ςӿ ǣͩҸσӿ ͚ ӿ шȈ͈Ѐӿ Vc189u %(.4A ɞ˸ӿ " 3 " " '.B ċ΁˯γ΂ЩƩľӿ " J V*?d ?dm~ e:w ]"X^#f&Jp~ 2Fw B<=7W^E?8d 1E]M /(?68 ;0)A<B jǷÂ҈Ɋͷ̟ӿ @Q2YdGK+AVu uӿ &HNu ͯҹɲБӿ ŗӿ >+d pUw ѓȖŨӿӹǨʇϞ+ҏӿ d"K/~ qcLgBr4UG~ F%u r0)~ M~ 0ӿ e,u V(w -ɤˣųӿ w V ͍ιau ͎Ǐӿ ˶ϡϢʊǻӿ FIxC~ Ǜ͝λӿ ,Ȟŭӿ ̢ƟӣˍӬӿ ˪ÆϗϘ"Ĺӿ yY25N~ Z[ ~ ~ ,=fw ?50cd 19B !ӿ Ǣɪ˄ӿ .)ӿ fRBX:gu ¬$ıӿ F>?Cku ҷΧͤ̆ӿ 0Ɏƣӿ ː Фҍӿ Z!/"w ͏ǐӿ Ҍɏӿ ńʑÕ˘Άǿ3Gӿ ëүыӿ ȌŜӿ &ĺСӿ /A ӞɮѴȷӿ 6Ss7Eh~ A ˃¡Ћѧӿ <") . ǔӿ ˩ʹĵƓϋ%ӿ ĞΛ˵˷̓2 ϺʬLjфIӿ Μ̈́ˢӴӿ јȝŬӿ 1 M]d Q''d ͕Ǘӿ ѐȓŤӿ Sw )w ʅ̣ҎǺϝ ˑӿ G~ ƲабƳ̱Җʓײӿ DLiw ͉Njӿ юȑŢӿ # φӼѿɂχӿ ѣȧ ̄ӿ +w >džεʫˡΚȇӍLJ[?aӿ İͦżЎӿ -?gw ĐΈ̯đ˙ӂŅӿ әɫѭȯӿ ѯȱӿ ˔Чґӿ # ɟ˹ӿ X_8l'~ ͊njӿ |πͥЍӿ LS 3[u ͋Ǎӿ ΋ē*ÚҚгTӿ »҂ɅƔώӿ ȗɠЂӿ (B&`v9SH~ ĔΏ̸Ҟʗ̶Ӄдӿ w ŋʞиėӆйкʟΓ̽ӿ ӟȻɴÿȼӿ НһϾʂӑƝОӿ ђȕŧӿ ƥαʋβɑ̥Ӱӿ ͌ǎӿ *@B Nq;<O\u ^w ъȍŝӿ Ş˺ĥӿ ͖ǘӿ n˝ĘʠùʡâŌƾл;ӿ :VO|i;H~ ]M !-u ,:` Md Z&d ðÀ̛ζҺƚ҆ӿ OAB'w Ѕўӿ θӅá̼Ҥʜҥʝзӿ (ǜӿ ӓɣ˾űӿ æϹDžӿ ĝΙ͂уӌ˴ŒZӿ k̫ӿ # ƫЫƬÎAgƭЬӿ ɯ̏ѵͫӿ h."u ̚ʀǵɈ҅Pӿ ~ӿ ȢĪӿ íƃ̍ӿ ќȡŰӿ 9ӺǮàңəƽϳ:ӿ K͛ ӿ ѝȣӿ T'm?Diu ͔ǖӿ 1ɘƼӿ њȠůӿ έϒ¿ɿЛƙӿ ͑ǒӿ PC\w ȶ«ѳӿ άϐ ɾКƗӿ S3Od [?d /o#u ìƀƁ̌ӿ ǭʚ1Ңʛ̻ȅ˜ӳӿ ͹ǦǧƠϙơĻӿ ӝɭѲȴӿ rˠĜʩüʪåőт=ӿ ǁ̿ĚΕ˱ʣӇ#ӿ ΑǬӿ ΒĖϱÝҡƺжWӿ wҴћӿ ӿ ӎŦϿӿ ʼnʘǪǫƸϰ̷ҟӿ ĠΞ͆ӒNJϼцèҫʭΟ͇ӿ ĕΐ̹Ҡʙ̺ӄƹеӿ эȐšӿ ½Ć҄ɽ͵̘ӿ ͓Ǖӿ Ҧɚӿ ŁʏÍ˕΄Ǿҿӿ `4w ŊÞӲøϲƻßʷXӿ ҵЈѤӿ bw яȒţӿ Ψͭɱ̑Ѹӿ ӡɃƌψƍMӿ lȁÖҬɕ·̮8Яӿ ; 5 *>A ęƿ˞ǀúϴãҧʢΔ̾ӿ öȀʒ̭Юӿ _3w ïϽƉ¯ʰӿ ҰΤӻӿ >lIw ʶ̰ΉӦ˚ņȂƱӿ ͐Ǒӿ ӖȦѢӿ oTw ЇɧĬӿ ̃ĭӿ ł΅̪ӿ ';#Pd C;d ӿ ЁʹŕġOu ҇ɉ̜ϓ̝ĶQӿ +06# 91AӸɢЄӿ <kHw ́͢ʿӧӿ ˀɦ̂ʮӿ a6w 5ɒÊҒӿ t.hw 5*w ӕȤŵ̀ӿ " /ɐӿ čɔÐϩÑĎҔƯϪӿ ˻Ŕӿ ѷȹƆ˦Ƈӿ ͬǤӿ ьȎşӿ õÒ̬ηӁưҕӿ ϫÓŃʐďÔ˖˗ӱӿ Ąɀ´̓ǰƋӿ Ѷȸƅɰτӿ 2>79B sĢӿ ȏŠJӿ ǡŹˁ˂ӿ ÁМˋƛƜήRӿ tģӿ R7w ҀɄƐωƑӿ ϊƒ˨µɸ̕ӿ éύʲӿ ƎĴDZƏЖNӿоӉ϶ϷΗӊ̀Ŏʥ́Ȇӿ \&d &@Yjw òϟʈ˒˓ʉÈ̤Ґӿ Ӷ@BϭҘϮÙʔҙӿ ˆ°ѹͮӿ nKw īμŲӔӿ (ǝӿ ΊĒϬØҗƴвSӿ "P~ oϵʤмҨΖōǂ#ӈнӿ z>)Qj~ ȉŘӿ ͳΪ]ӽ̔Еӿ ȜɡЃӿ ŷөŸЊӿ ҶΦͣ̅ӿ w [#0$w ѥȨѦӿ ȩЉӿ +B " # _`bӿ xzӿ }Ŗӿ Г²fijӿ ѻȿ³Ѽӿ Ȋřӿ Ӥͽʳӿ ҭ΢ӿ ̙Ƙ ϑӿ ļÉӮóϠƤ ʴEӿ Ӝȳſ̋ӿ љȟŮӿ ĂͲăʱВӿ vN w ÃˌϕƞÄķӫӿ ĉϖΠʄ̡ǸӾӿ ˼Ħӿ Ⱥƈӿ А®4ӿ ѰȲªѱӿ ёȔťӿ Wt1*af~ s%Jw ¾ЙˊƕƖΫӿ ;Gw șĩӿ ŇƶδÛϯқƷňUӿ mȄÜVҜɗ΍̵Hӿ ,27!& -A Ë̩ŀӿ ΃ČϧÌғƪЪӿ ӛŽρӿ єȘũӿ ͧ̉˅Ӫӿ ͨ̊žЏӿ Дѽɷˈˉӿ §ӗʯŻCӿ ;d U(bd uMw ĿϦʍ̧ʵʎ̨ǽӿ ǩ*Ό˰ӿ w ˇ±υǯƊӿ ýұΥӿ ӠȽɶāȾӿ ѡȥŶӨӿ {"b+~ GLQ-;$d Ǡξ͠ˤӿ ʾŴǞџӿ c8w ϏɼǴɇ҃Oӿ h˽ħӿ Νğϻç2ljхӿ rXw Ɇ¼Ӑɻ̗dzӿ w <f} ĈҼПРʃ͸̠ӿ ӚɬѮȰӿ Ҫɛ˳Yӿ pϸʦпҩΘŏǃ˲Ӌрӿ З¸ɺӿ ѫȮ©Ѭӿ ȋśӿ þ͙ҳʼĨӿ @Jlu ϤƦ˭Ƨˮôƨϥӿ ʺʻӿ ͘ǚӿ Әȭ¨Ѫӿ qWw Ќ¦ɩįӿ Ǚ͗κӿ ɖӿ ɜ œͅӿ .ӿ îƄ̎ӿ ͪ$ӿ Ȭ¥̈Įӿ d9w ȫź¤οӿ іȚŪӿ ÷Ƶȃʕ̲̳ʖ̴^ӿ ¹̖ӿ ӢºИӿ Ľϣ΀5Шʌ̦Ǽӿ ?!"d vҲѕӿ їțūӿ ˥£ɨ̇ӿ ΩͰɳ̒Ѻӿ !# ѨȪ¢ѩӿ " ӥ Хӿ ǥͶϔćʁ̞Ƕӿ j.$?u " -2- agree that it is possible for one and the same man to know how to create comedy and tragedy, and that the man who has the sk:Ul of a tragic poet is also a comic poet. Compelled to these conclusions and not entirely following the Hne of argument, they began to nod off. Aristophanes was the first to doze off, and then, when it was already daylight, Agathon followed suit. And once he had seen them asleep, Socrates got up, and went away. And after Socrates had spent his day as usual and return�d home at nightfall to get some sleep, the dialogue between Plato and his reader begins. For we are brought to ask what comedy arid tragedy have to do with one another; and what the last argument of the .symposium has to do with its central argument� the praise of Eros. I The answer to the Platonic riddle propounded at the end of the Ez!!tposium does not lie in the history of Greek literature. In the early spring of 416 there was no Greek or Athenian dramatist who wrote both comedy and tragedy. Only in Hellenistic times do we discover a poet w�o wrote both tragedies and comedies: 60 of one and .30 of the other. Shakespeare arrived on the scene of the Globe twenty centuries after Socrates argued his paradox. If it is to be found anywhere, the answer to our riddle lies submerged in the dialogue itself. Tne �ymposium is a drama narrated within the frame of a dramatic dialogue. It begins with the dramatic recital which leads to the narrative of what was said and done. at Agathon's victory celebration. It confuse� the and.ent. categories invented to describe the Platonic dialogues. It is both dramatic and narrative. Within the frame dialogue supported by the syntactical reminders of accusatives and ' i.n.Hrli tives and the string of 'he saids,' the heart of Plato s Sy_:meosium :ts made up of direct discourse. Some of the most telling indications we have for the staging of the drama of the banquet hall come from the narrath•e links which Adstodemus carefully provided Apollodorus as he moved from.speech to speech. The drama.tic action of the Symposiu,!ll requires a cast of seven speakers. There are others present who do not speak in Plators dialogue, but who did speak in praise of Eros (180 C). Bv this detail we come to realize that there is a difference between Piato's Svm:oosium and Agathonts banquet. There are also a number of Ttltruders ch:unken who say nothing, but are anythi.ng but KWq:>a 1tp6owmx. When. Socrates finally appears in the middle of the feast, he dis­ covers Phaedrus recltning on the first of the banqueting benches. Between Phaedrus and Pausanias he could see son1e other guests, but we never learn who they were or what they said (180 C). Then came Aristophanes, and next to him Eryxim.achus (18S·c). Aristodemus came next� but he is forgotten from the moment Agathon invited him to take . , -3- A) • . our momentary expectation Aristodemus his place (175 that will turn is The effect this spea� in after �ry��.ma�hus disappointed. of to throw focus the ·final arrangement which gap J,s into th� ':�}tarpest rt together. .The same brings bri gs Aristophanes and Agathon technique int� ont ct lo&?i Pausanias. gath n c a the o� Phaedrus and 9At A o ' s banquet spoken at Plato s S osiu they . they "Were an interval. In ymp m come after another. 5 · . one is � chance that Socrates found Agath,�:m a}one (175 C). Taking It ace next to his becomes ast the pl host, Socrates £0'Xct't0� and le is an accident too Aristophanes prevented from hono�red. It that is speaking after Pausanias sudden and of hie.coughs (185 by a severe bout CD). have spoken after re Eryximachus. But He should Pausanias and befo Arist.qphanes' is no accident an Socrates' position in h:i.ccough more an th Aristophanes have but the banqust. might had too much to eat, can imagine 'some ' his hiccough (185 C). Ar:i.stodemus ' other cause for to carry on, or to speak Unable indeed coherently, Aristophanes S:Sks to either cure or to ·place. e Eryxi,machus him speak in his Unwis ly � the learned Eryximachus offers to it turns Aristoph�h do both. As out, es an acute and re res of the is stif'fering from attack of hiccoughs qui all therapeutic measures the prescribes. re h - but doctor He holds his b at must gasp he comes and this' r�ritedy when up for air. He gargles, when ·· too te .nose roduce. a ·siteez��· as . ,•, -.: � proves ineffective� he es his to p • '... f all :i.s deliverirt What this means is that a.s Eryxima.chus g himself Eros� his imforthnate of his pompous and profound description of is hiccoughing, gargling, wheezing, snorting and neighbor gasping, these it must be sneezing.