380BC
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byPlato
translatedbyBenjaminJowett
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PERSONSOFTHEDIALOGUE:SOCRATES;ION
Socrates。Welcome，Ion。AreyoufromyournativecityofEphesus？
Ion。No，Socrates;butfromEpidaurus，whereIattendedthefestival
ofAsclepius。
Soc。AnddotheEpidaurianshavecontestsofrhapsodesatthe
festival？
Ion。Oyes;andofallsortsofmusicalperformers。
Soc。Andwereyouoneofthecompetitors—anddidyousucceed？
Ion。Iobtainedthefirstprizeofall，Socrates。
Soc。Welldone;andIhopethatyouwilldothesameforusatthe
Panathenaea。
Ion。AndIwill，pleaseheaven。
Soc。Ioftenenvytheprofessionofarhapsode，Ion;foryouhave
alwaystowearfineclothes，andtolookasbeautifulasyoucanis
apartofyourart。Then，again，youareobligedtobecontinually
inthecompanyofmanygoodpoets;andespeciallyofHomer，whoisthe
bestandmostdivineofthem;andtounderstandhim，andnotmerely
learnhiswordsbyrote，isathinggreatlytobeenvied。Andnoman
canbearhapsodewhodoesnotunderstandthemeaningofthepoet。For
therhapsodeoughttointerpretthemindofthepoettohishearers，
buthowcanheinterprethimwellunlessheknowswhathemeans？All
thisisgreatlytobeenvied。
Ion。Verytrue，Socrates;interpretationhascertainlybeenthemost
laboriouspartofmyart;andIbelievemyselfabletospeakabout
Homerbetterthananyman;andthatneitherMetrodorusofLampsacus，
norStesimbrotusofThasos，norGlaucon，noranyoneelsewhoever
was，hadasgoodideasaboutHomerasIhave，orasmany。
Soc。Iamgladtohearyousayso，Ion;Iseethatyouwillnot
refusetoacquaintmewiththem。
Ion。Certainly，Socrates;andyoureallyoughttohearhow
exquisitelyIrenderHomer。IthinkthattheHomeridaeshouldgive
meagoldencrown。
Soc。Ishalltakeanopportunityofhearingyourembellishmentsof
himatsomeothertime。ButjustnowIshouldliketoaskyoua
question:DoesyourartextendtoHesiodandArchilochus，orto
Homeronly？
Ion。ToHomeronly;heisinhimselfquiteenough。
Soc。ArethereanythingsaboutwhichHomerandHesiodagree？
Ion。Yes;inmyopinionthereareagoodmany。
Soc。AndcanyouinterpretbetterwhatHomersays，orwhatHesiod
says，aboutthesemattersinwhichtheyagree？
Ion。Icaninterpretthemequallywell，Socrates，wheretheyagree。
Soc。Butwhataboutmattersinwhichtheydonotagree？—for
example，aboutdivination，ofwhichbothHomerandHesiodhave
somethingtosay—
Ion。Verytrue:
Soc。Wouldyouoragoodprophetbeabetterinterpreterofwhat
thesetwopoetssayaboutdivination，notonlywhentheyagree，but
whentheydisagree？
Ion。Aprophet。
Soc。Andifyouwereaprophet，wouldyoubeabletointerpret
themwhentheydisagreeaswellaswhentheyagree？
Ion。Clearly。
Soc。ButhowdidyoucometohavethisskillaboutHomeronly，and
notaboutHesiodortheotherpoets？DoesnotHomerspeakofthe
samethemeswhichallotherpoetshandle？Isnotwarhisgreat
argument？anddoeshenotspeakofhumansocietyandofintercourseof
men，goodandbad，skilledandunskilled，andofthegodsconversing
withoneanotherandwithmankind，andaboutwhathappensinheaven
andintheworldbelow，andthegenerationsofgodsandheroes？Are
notthesethethemesofwhichHomersings？
Ion。Verytrue，Socrates。
Soc。Anddonottheotherpoetssingofthesame？
Ion。Yes，Socrates;butnotinthesamewayasHomer。
Soc。What，inaworseway？
Ion。Yes，inafarworse。
Soc。AndHomerinabetterway？
Ion。Heisincomparablybetter。
Soc。Andyetsurely，mydearfriendIon，inadiscussionabout
arithmetic，wheremanypeoplearespeaking，andonespeaksbetterthan
therest，thereissomebodywhocanjudgewhichofthemisthegood
speaker？
Ion。Yes。
Soc。Andhewhojudgesofthegoodwillbethesameashewhojudges
ofthebadspeakers？
Ion。Thesame。
Soc。Andhewillbethearithmetician？
Ion。Yes。
Soc。Well，andindiscussionsaboutthewholesomenessoffood，
whenmanypersonsarespeaking，andonespeaksbetterthantherest，
willhewhorecognizesthebetterspeakerbeadifferentpersonfrom
himwhorecognizestheworse，orthesame？
Ion。Clearlythesame。
Soc。Andwhoishe，andwhatishisname？
Ion。Thephysician。
Soc。Andspeakinggenerally，inalldiscussionsinwhichthesubject
isthesameandmanymenarespeaking，willnothewhoknowsthe
goodknowthebadspeakeralso？Forifhedoesnotknowthebad，
neitherwillheknowthegoodwhenthesametopicisbeingdiscussed。
Ion。True。
Soc。Isnotthesamepersonskilfulinboth？
Ion。Yes。
Soc。AndyousaythatHomerandtheotherpoets，suchasHesiod
andArchilochus，speakofthesamethings，althoughnotinthesame
way;buttheonespeakswellandtheothernotsowell？
Ion。Yes;andIamrightinsayingso。
Soc。Andifyouknewthegoodspeaker，youwouldalsoknowthe
inferiorspeakerstobeinferior？
Ion。Thatistrue。
Soc。Then，mydearfriend，canIbemistakeninsayingthatIonis
equallyskilledinHomerandinotherpoets，sincehehimself
acknowledgesthatthesamepersonwillbeagoodjudgeofallthose
whospeakofthesamethings;andthatalmostallpoetsdospeakof
thesamethings？
Ion。Whythen，Socrates，doIloseattentionandgotosleepand
haveabsolutelynoideasoftheleastvalue，whenanyonespeaksof
anyotherpoet;butwhenHomerismentioned，Iwakeupatonceand
amallattentionandhaveplentytosay？
Soc。Thereason，myfriend，isobvious。Noonecanfailtosee
thatyouspeakofHomerwithoutanyartorknowledge。Ifyouwereable
tospeakofhimbyrulesofart，youwouldhavebeenabletospeak
ofallotherpoets;forpoetryisawhole。
Ion。Yes。
Soc。Andwhenanyoneacquiresanyotherartasawhole，thesame
maybesaidofthem。Wouldyoulikemetoexplainmymeaning，Ion？
Ion。Yes，indeed，Socrates;Iverymuchwishthatyouwould:forI
lovetohearyouwisementalk。
Soc。Othatwewerewise，Ion，andthatyoucouldtrulycallus
so;butyourhapsodesandactors，andthepoetswhoseversesyousing，
arewise;whereasIamacommonman，whoonlyspeakthetruth。For
considerwhataverycommonplaceandtrivialthingisthiswhichI
havesaid—athingwhichanymanmightsay:thatwhenamanhas
acquiredaknowledgeofawholeart，theenquiryintogoodandbad
isoneandthesame。Letusconsiderthismatter;isnottheartof
paintingawhole？
Ion。Yes。
Soc。Andthereareandhavebeenmanypaintersgoodandbad？
Ion。Yes。
Soc。Anddidyoueverknowanyonewhowasskilfulinpointingout
theexcellencesanddefectsofPolygnotusthesonofAglaophon，but
incapableofcriticizingotherpainters;andwhentheworkofany
otherpainterwasproduced，wenttosleepandwasataloss，andhad
noideas;butwhenhehadtogivehisopinionaboutPolygnotus，or
whoeverthepaintermightbe，andabouthimonly，wokeupandwas
attentiveandhadplentytosay？
Ion。Noindeed，Ihaveneverknownsuchaperson。
Soc。Ordidyoueverknowofanyoneinsculpture，whowasskilful
inexpoundingthemeritsofDaedalusthesonofMetion，orofEpeius
thesonofPanopeus，orofTheodorustheSamian，orofany
individualsculptor;butwhentheworksofsculptorsingeneralwere
produced，wasatalossandwenttosleepandhadnothingtosay？
Ion。Noindeed;nomorethantheother。
Soc。AndifIamnotmistaken，younevermetwithanyoneamong
flute—playersorharp—playersorsingerstotheharporrhapsodeswho
wasabletodiscourseofOlympusorThamyrasorOrpheus，orPhemius
therhapsodeofIthaca，butwasatalosswhenhecametospeakofIon
ofEphesus，andhadnonotionofhismeritsordefects？
Ion。Icannotdenywhatyousay，Socrates。NeverthelessIam
consciousinmyownself，andtheworldagreeswithmeinthinking
thatIdospeakbetterandhavemoretosayaboutHomerthananyother
man。ButIdonotspeakequallywellaboutothers—tellmethe
reasonofthis。
Soc。Iperceive，Ion;andIwillproceedtoexplaintoyouwhatI
imaginetobethereasonofthis。Thegiftwhichyoupossessof
speakingexcellentlyaboutHomerisnotanart，but，asIwasjust
saying，aninspiration;thereisadivinitymovingyou，likethat
containedinthestonewhichEuripidescallsamagnet，butwhichis
commonlyknownasthestoneofHeraclea。Thisstonenotonly
attractsironrings，butalsoimpartstothemasimilarpowerof
attractingotherrings;andsometimesyoumayseeanumberofpieces
ofironandringssuspendedfromoneanothersoastoformquitea
longchain:andallofthemderivetheirpowerofsuspensionfrom
theoriginalstone。InlikemannertheMusefirstofallinspires
menherself;andfromtheseinspiredpersonsachainofother
personsissuspended，whotaketheinspiration。Forallgoodpoets，
epicaswellaslyric，composetheirbeautifulpoemsnotbyart，but
becausetheyareinspiredandpossessed。AndastheCorybantian
revellerswhentheydancearenotintheirrightmind，sothelyric
poetsarenotintheirrightmindwhentheyarecomposingtheir
beautifulstrains:butwhenfallingunderthepowerofmusicandmetre
theyareinspiredandpossessed;likeBacchicmaidenswhodrawmilk
andhoneyfromtheriverswhentheyareundertheinfluenceof
Dionysusbutnotwhentheyareintheirrightmind。Andthesoulof
thelyricpoetdoesthesame，astheythemselvessay;fortheytellus
thattheybringsongsfromhoneyedfountains，cullingthemoutof
thegardensanddellsoftheMuses;they，likethebees，wingingtheir
wayfromflowertoflower。Andthisistrue。Forthepoetisalight
andwingedandholything，andthereisnoinventioninhimuntilhe
hasbeeninspiredandisoutofhissenses，andthemindisno
longerinhim:whenhehasnotattainedtothisstate，heispowerless
andisunabletoutterhisoracles。
Manyarethenoblewordsinwhichpoetsspeakconcerningtheactions
ofmen;butlikeyourselfwhenspeakingaboutHomer，theydonotspeak
ofthembyanyrulesofart:theyaresimplyinspiredtoutterthatto
whichtheMuseimpelsthem，andthatonly;andwheninspired，oneof
themwillmakedithyrambs，anotherhymnsofpraise，anotherchoral
strains，anotherepicoriambicverses—andhewhoisgoodatoneis
notgoodanyotherkindofverse:fornotbyartdoesthepoetsing，
butbypowerdivine。Hadhelearnedbyrulesofart，hewouldhave
knownhowtospeaknotofonethemeonly，butofall;andtherefore
Godtakesawaythemindsofpoets，andusesthemashisministers，
ashealsousesdivinersandholyprophets，inorderthatwewho
hearthemmayknowthemtobespeakingnotofthemselveswhoutter
thesepricelesswordsinastateofunconsciousness，butthatGod
himselfisthespeaker，andthatthroughthemheisconversingwith
us。AndTynnichustheChalcidianaffordsastrikinginstanceofwhatI
amsaying:hewrotenothingthatanyonewouldcaretorememberbut
thefamouspaeanwhich;ineveryone’smouth，oneofthefinest
poemseverwritten，simplyaninventionoftheMuses，ashehimself
says。Forinthisway，theGodwouldseemtoindicatetousandnot
allowustodoubtthatthesebeautifulpoemsarenothuman，orthe
workofman，butdivineandtheworkofGod;andthatthepoetsare
onlytheinterpretersoftheGodsbywhomtheyareseverally
possessed。WasnotthisthelessonwhichtheGodintendedtoteach
whenbythemouthoftheworstofpoetshesangthebestofsongs？
AmInotright，Ion？
Ion。Yes，indeed，Socrates，Ifeelthatyouare;foryourwords
touchmysoul，andIampersuadedthatgoodpoetsbyadivine
inspirationinterpretthethingsoftheGodstous。
Soc。Andyourhapsodistsaretheinterpretersofthepoets？
Ion。Thereagainyouareright。
Soc。Thenyouaretheinterpretersofinterpreters？
Ion。Precisely。
Soc。Iwishyouwouldfranklytellme，Ion，whatIamgoingtoask
ofyou:Whenyouproducethegreatesteffectupontheaudiencein
therecitationofsomestrikingpassage，suchastheapparitionof
Odysseusleapingforthonthefloor，recognizedbythesuitorsand
castinghisarrowsathisfeet，orthedescriptionofAchillesrushing
atHector，orthesorrowsofAndromache，Hecuba，orPriam，—areyouin
yourrightmind？Areyounotcarriedoutofyourself，anddoesnot
yoursoulinanecstasyseemtobeamongthepersonsorplacesof
whichyouarespeaking，whethertheyareinIthacaorinTroyor
whatevermaybethesceneofthepoem？
Ion。Thatproofstrikeshometome，Socrates。ForImustfrankly
confessthatatthetaleofpity，myeyesarefilledwithtears，and
whenIspeakofhorrors，myhairstandsonendandmyheartthrobs。
Soc。Well，Ion，andwhatarewetosayofamanwhoatasacrifice
orfestival，whenheisdressedinholidayattireandhasgolden
crownsuponhishead，ofwhichnobodyhasrobbedhim，appearssweeping
orpanic—strickeninthepresenceofmorethantwentythousand
friendlyfaces，whenthereisnoonedespoilingorwronginghim;—is
heinhisrightmindorishenot？
Ion。Noindeed，Socrates，Imustsaythat，strictlyspeaking，he
isnotinhisrightmind。
Soc。Andareyouawarethatyouproducesimilareffectsonmost
spectators？
Ion。Onlytoowell;forIlookdownuponthemfromthestage，and
beholdthevariousemotionsofpity，wonder，sternness，stampedupon
theircountenanceswhenIamspeaking:andIamobligedtogivemy
verybestattentiontothem;forifImakethemcryImyselfshall
laugh，andifImakethemlaughImyselfshallcrywhenthetimeof
paymentarrives。