in his highest moments of
inspiration he has an eye to his own gains.

The old quarrel between philosophy and poetry, which in the Republic
leads to their final separation, is already working in the mind of
Plato, and is embodied by him in the contrast between Socrates and Ion.
Yet here, as in the Republic, Socrates shows a sympathy with the poetic
nature. Also, the manner in which Ion is affected by his own recitations
affords a lively illustration of the power which, in the Republic,
Socrates attributes to dramatic performances over the mind of the
performer. His allusion to his embellishments of Homer, in which
he declares himself to have surpassed Metrodorus of Lampsacus and
Stesimbrotus of Thasos, seems to show that, like them, he belonged to
the allegorical school of interpreters. The circumstance that nothing
more is known of him may be adduced in confirmation of the argument that
this truly Platonic little work is not a forgery of later times.

ION

PERSONS OF THE DIALOGUE: Socrates, Ion.

SOCRATES: Welcome, Ion. Are you from your native city of Ephesus?

ION: No, Socrates; but from Epidaurus, where I attended the festival of
Asclepius.

SOCRATES: And do the Epidaurians have contests of rhapsodes at the
festival?

ION: O yes; and of all sorts of musical performers.

SOCRATES: And were you one of the competitors--and did you succeed?

ION: I obtained the first prize of all, Socrates.

SOCRATES: Well done; and I hope that you will do the same for us at the
Panathenaea.

ION: And I will, please heaven.

SOCRATES: I often envy the profession of a rhapsode, Ion; for you have
always to wear fine clothes, and to look as beautiful as you can is a
part of your art. Then, again, you are obliged to be continually in the
company of many good poets; and especially of Homer, who is the best
and most divine of them; and to understand him, and not merely learn
his words by rote, is a thing greatly to be envied. And no man can be
a rhapsode who does not understand the meaning of the poet. For the
rhapsode ought to interpret the mind of the poet to his hearers, but
how can he interpret him well unless he knows what he means? All this is
greatly to be envied.

ION: Very true, Socrates; interpretation has certainly been the most
laborious part of my art; and I believe myself able to speak about
Homer better than any man; and that neither Metrodorus of Lampsacus, nor
Stesimbrotus of Thasos, nor Glaucon, n