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Name: Plato Date: 428
BCE – 348 BCE Region: Athens [modern Greece] Citation: Symposium 179e-180a |
[The gods] honor Thetis' son Achilles, and sent him to the Isles of the Blessed because when he heard from his mother that if he killed Hector it would bring about his death, but if he didn't he would return to his homeland and die an old man. Achilles boldly chose to fight on behalf of his lover Patroclus and avenge his death, and not only die for him, but also be killed once his lover was slain. Indeed the gods loved Achilles even more for this act, and honored him with notable glory because he acted in such a way on behalf of his lover.
οὐχ ὥσπερ Ἀχιλλέα τὸν τῆς Θέτιδος ὑὸν ἐτίμησαν καὶ εἰς μακάρων νήσους ἀπέπεμψαν, ὅτι πεπυσμένος παρὰ τῆς μητρὸς ὡς ἀποθανοῖτο ἀποκτείνας Ἕκτορα, μὴ ποιήσας δὲ τοῦτο οἴκαδε ἐλθὼν γηραιὸς τελευτήσοι, ἐτόλμησεν ἑλέσθαι βοηθήσας τῷ ἐραστῇ Πατρόκλῳ καὶ τιμωρήσας οὐ μόνον ὑπεραποθανεῖν ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπαποθανεῖν τετελευτηκότι: ὅθεν δὴ καὶ ὑπεραγασθέντες οἱ θεοὶ διαφερόντως αὐτὸν ἐτίμησαν, ὅτι τὸν ἐραστὴν οὕτω περὶ πολλοῦ ἐποιεῖτο.
Achillem autem Thetidis filium honorarunt, et in beatorum insulas miserunt, quia cum accepisset a matre, si Hectorem occidisset, statim sibi moriendum fore: sin minus, in patriam se rediturum, et senem denique, moriturum, audacter elegit pro Patroclo amatore suo pugnare, eiusque mortem ulcisi, nec pro illo mori solum, sed et perempto illo interfici. Quod quidem magnopere probantes dii, insigni eum gloria decorarunt, quia tanti amatorem suum fecisset.
Translated from Greek into Latin by Marcilio Ficino 1592Plato [428 BCE – 348 BCE, modern Greece] was an Athenian
philosopher who is considered one of the most influential minds of Greek
thought. Using his predecessor Socrates as his mouthpiece, he composed a number
of philosophical dialogues that explored various ethical, philosophical, and
moral concepts. He was the founder of the Athenian Academy, and was the mentor
of the famous philosopher Aristotle.
