Symposium.
Aristodemus, Agathon.
544 Socrates and his attendant Aristodemus Sym- be my case; and that, like Menelaus in Homer, I shall b( -^ the inferior person, who Aristode- mus, Agathon. Aristode- mus is wel- come on his own ac- count, but where is his inseparable compa- nion ? ' To the feasts of the wise unbidden goes.' But I shall say that I was bidden of you, and then you will have to make an excuse. ' Two going together,' he' replied, in Homeric fashion, one or other of them may invent an excuse by the way This was the style of their conversation as they went along. Socrates dropped behind in a fit of abstraction, and desired Aristodemus, who was waiting, to go on before him. When he reached the house of Agathon he found the doors wide open, and a comical thing happened. A servant coming out met him, and led him at once into the banqueting-hall in which the guests were reclining, for the banquet was about to begin. Welcome, Aristodemus, said Agathon, as soon as he appeared — you are just in time to sup with us ; if you come on any other matter put it off, and make one of us, as I was looking for you yesterday and meant to have asked you, if I could have found you. But what have you done with Socrates ? I turned round, but Socrates was nowhere to be seen ; and I had to explain that he had been with me a moment before, and that I came by his invitation to the supper. You were quite right in coming, said Agathon ; but where is he himself? He was behind me just now, as I entered, he said, and I 175 cannot think what has become of him. Go and look for him, boy, said Agathon, and bring him in ; and do you, Aristodemus, meanwhile take the place by Eryximachus. The servant then assisted him to wash, and he lay down, and presently another servant came in and reported that our friend Socrates had retired into the portico of the neighbour- ing house. 'There he is fixed,' said he, 'and when I call to him he will not stir.' > Iliad 224.
