LISTENING TO THE CICADAS A Study of Plato’s Phaedrus G.R. F. FERRARI Assistant Professor of Classics University of California at Berkeley The right of he University of Cambridge pro end sell ‘atl manner of Books war granted by Henry Vithin 153, The Univesity bas printed published contimueuly ‘ince 1384 CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS CAMBRIDGE NEWYORK PORTCHESTER MELBOURNE SYDNEYPublished by the Press Syndicate of the University of Cambridge ‘The Pitt Building, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1RP 40 West 20th Street, New York, NY 10011, USA 10 Stamford Road, Oakleigh, Melbourne 3166, Australia © Faculty of Classics, University of Cambridge 1987 First published 1987 Reprinted 1988 First paperback edition 1990 Printed in Great Britain by the Redwood Press Limited, Melksham, Wiltshire British Library cataloguing in publication data Ferrari, G. R. F. Listening to the cicadas: a study of Plato’s Phaedrus. — (Cambridge classical studies) 1. Plato, Phaedrus 2. Rhetoric, Ancient 3. Love L Title 184 B380 Library of Congress cataloguing in publication data Ferrari, G. R. F. (Giovanni R. F.) Listening to the cicadas. (Cambridge classical studies) Bibliography. Includes index. 1. Plato. Phaedrus. 2. Love. 3. Rhetoric, Ancient. LTitle I. Series. B380.F47 1987 184 86~-34334 ISBN 0 521 26778 1 hardback ISBN 0 521 40932 2 paperback RB= w CONTENTS Preface Abbreviations Orientation Two questions Topic and topography The impresario Boreas and his interpreters Professional and layman The philosopher as artist Walking into the background What the cicadas sang Apologia pro capitulo suo From argument to example Achange of course Teaching and practice Lysias lambasted The philosopher judges himself The critique of pure rhetoric Back to the orators Wise words from Pericles Symptoms and causes Teisias at the bar The voice of reason? From rhetoric to erotics Lysias against love Socrates to compete page ix xiii