as I do,
neglecting the wants of my own soul, and busying myself with the
concerns of the Athenians; therefore I hold my ears and tear myself
away from him. And he is the only person who ever made me ashamed,
which you might think not to be in my nature, and there is no one else
who does the same. For I know that I can not answer him or say that I
ought not to do as he bids, but when I leave his presence the love of
popularity gets the better of me. And therefore I run away and fly
from him, and when I see him I am ashamed of what I have confest to
him. And many a time I wish that he were dead, and yet I know that I
should be much more sorry than glad if he were to die; so that I am at
my wit's end.

"And this is what I and many others have suffered from the
flute-playing of this satyr. Yet hear me once more while I show you
how exact the image is, and how marvelous his power. For I am sure
that none of you know him; but I know him and will describe him, as I
have begun. See you how fond he is of the fair? He is always with them
and is always being smitten by them, and then again he knows nothing
and is ignorant of all things--that is the appearance which he puts
on. Is he not like a Silenus in this? Yes, surely; that is, his outer
mask, which is the carved head of the Silenus; but when he is opened,
what temperance there is, as I may say to you, O my companions in
drink, residing within. Know you that beauty and wealth and honor, at
which the many wonder, are of no account with him, and are utterly
despised by him; he regards not at all the persons who are gifted with
them; mankind are nothing to him; all his life is spent in mocking
and flouting at them. But when I opened him, and looked within at his
serious purpose, I saw in him divine and golden images of such
fascinating beauty that I was ready to do in a moment whatever
Socrates commanded (they may have escaped the observation of others,
but I saw them). Now I thought that he was seriously enamored of my
beauty, and this appeared to be a grand opportunity of hearing him
tell what he knew, for I had a wonderful opinion of the attractions of
my youth.

"In the prosecution of this design, when I next went to him, I sent
away the attendant who usually accompanied me (I will confess the
whole truth, and beg you to listen; and if I speak falsely, do you,
Socrates, expose the falsehood). Well, he and I were alone together,
and I thought that when there was nobody wit