,,ion  ,by ,plato   ,translated by      
,benjamin ,jowett     ,,introduction4   
,the ,ion is the shortest1 or nearly the
 shortest1 of all the writings which    
bear the name of ,plato1 and is not     
authenticated by any early external     
testimony4 ,the grace and beauty of this
 little work supply the only1 and       
perhaps a sufficient1 proof of its      
genuineness4 ,the plan is simple2 the   
dramatic interest consists entirely in  
the contrast between the irony of       
,socrates and the transparent vanity and
 childlike enthusiasm of the rhapsode   
,ion4 ,the theme of the ,dialogue may   
possibly have been suggested by the     
passage of ,xenophon's ,memorabilia in  
which the rhapsodists are described by  
,euthydemus as 'very precise about the  
exact words of ,homer1 but very idiotic 
themselves4' 7,compare ,aristotle1      
,met47  ,ion the rhapsode has just come 
to ,athens2 he has been exhibiting in   
,epidaurus at the festival of           
,asclepius1 and is intending to exhibit 

at the festival of the ,panathenaea4    
,socrates admires and envies the        
rhapsode's art2 for he is always well   
dressed and in good company--in the     
company of good poets and of ,homer1 who
 is the prince of them4 ,in the course  
of conversation the admission is        
elicited from ,ion that his skill is    
restricted to ,homer1 and that he knows 
nothing of inferior poets1 such as      
,hesiod and ,archilochus2--he brightens 
up and is wide awake when ,homer is     
being recited1 but is apt to go to sleep
 at the recitations of any other poet4  
',and yet1 surely1 he who knows the     
superior ought to know the inferior     
also2--he who can judge of the good     
speaker is able to judge of the bad4    
,and poetry is a whole2 and he who      
judges of poetry by rules of art ought  
to be able to judge of all poetry4'     
,this is confirmed by the analogy of    
sculpture1 painting1 flute-playing1 and 
the other arts4 ,the argument is at last
 brought home to the mind of ,ion1 who  

asks how this contradiction is to be    
solved4 ,the solution given by ,socrates
 is as follows3--  ,the rhapsode is not 
guided by rules of art1 but is an       
inspired person who derives a mysterious
 power from the poet2 and the poet1 in  
like manner1 is inspired by the ,god4   
,the poets and their interpreters may be
 compared to a chain of magnetic rings  
suspended from one another1 and from a  
magnet4 ,the magnet is the ,muse1 and   
the ring which immediately follows is   
the poet himself2 from him are suspended
 other poets2 there is also a chain of  
rhapsodes and actors1 who also hang from
 the ,muses1 but are let down at the    
side2 and the last ring of all is the   
spectator4 ,the poet is the inspired    
interpreter of the ,god1 and this is the
 reason why some poets1 like ,homer1 are
 restricted to a single theme1 or1 like 
,tynnichus1 are famous for a single     
poem2 and the rhapsode is the inspired  
interpreter of the poet1 and for a      
similar reason some rhapsodes1 like     

,ion1 are the interpreters of single    
poets4  ,ion is delighted at the notion 
of being inspired1 and acknowledges that
 he is beside himself when he is        
performing2--his eyes rain tears and his
 hair stands on end4 ,socrates is of    
opinion that a man must be mad who      
behaves in this way at a festival when  
he is surrounded by his friends and     
there is nothing to trouble him4 ,ion is
 confident that ,socrates would never   
think him mad if he could only hear his 
embellishments of ,homer4 ,socrates asks
 whether he can speak well about        
everything in ,homer4 ',yes1 indeed he  
can4' ',what about things of which he   
has no knowledge8' ,ion answers that he 
can interpret anything in ,homer4 ,but1 
rejoins ,socrates1 when ,homer speaks of
 the arts1 as for example1 of           
chariot-driving1 or of medicine1 or of  
prophecy1 or of navigation--will he1 or 
will the charioteer or physician or     
prophet or pilot be the better judge8   
,ion is compelled to admit that every   

man will judge of his own particular art
 better than the rhapsode4 ,he still    
maintains1 however1 that he understands 
the art of the general as well as any   
one4 ',then why in this city of ,athens1
 in which men of merit are always being 
sought after1 is he not at once         
appointed a general8' ,ion replies that 
he is a foreigner1 and the ,athenians   
and ,spartans will not appoint a        
foreigner to be their general4 ',no1    
that is not the real reason2 there are  
many examples to the contrary4 ,but ,ion
 has long been playing tricks with the  
argument2 like ,proteus1 he transforms  
himself into a variety of shapes1 and is
 at last about to run away in the       
disguise of a general4 ,would he rather 
be regarded as inspired or dishonest8'  
,ion1 who has no suspicion of the irony 
of ,socrates1 eagerly embraces the      
alternative of inspiration4  ,the ,ion1 
like the other earlier ,platonic        
,dialogues1 is a mixture of jest and    
earnest1 in which no definite result is 

obtained1 but some ,socratic or         
,platonic truths are allowed dimly to   
appear4  ,the elements of a true theory 
of poetry are contained in the notion   
that the poet is inspired4 ,genius is   
often said to be unconscious1 or        
spontaneous1 or a gift of nature3 that  
'genius is akin to madness' is a popular
 aphorism of modern times4 ,the greatest
 strength is observed to have an element
 of limitation4 ,sense or passion are   
too much for the 'dry light' of         
intelligence which mingles with them and
 becomes discoloured by them4           
,imagination is often at war with reason
 and fact4 ,the concentration of the    
mind on a single object1 or on a single 
aspect of human nature1 overpowers the  
orderly perception of the whole4 ,yet   
the feelings too bring truths home to   
the minds of many who in the way of     
reason would be incapable of            
understanding them4 ,reflections of this
 kind may have been passing before      
,plato's mind when he describes the poet

 as inspired1 or when1 as in the        
,apology1 he speaks of poets as the     
worst critics of their own              
writings--anybody taken at random from  
the crowd is a better interpreter of    
them than they are of themselves4 ,they 
are sacred persons1 'winged and holy    
things' who have a touch of madness in  
their composition 7,phaedr471 and should
 be treated with every sort of respect  
7,republic71 but not allowed to live in 
a well-ordered state4 ,like the         
,statesmen in the ,meno1 they have a    
divine instinct1 but they are narrow and
 confused2 they do not attain to the    
clearness of ideas1 or to the knowledge 
of poetry or of any other art as a      
whole4  ,in the ,protagoras the ancient 
poets are recognized by ,protagoras     
himself as the original sophists2 and   
this family resemblance may be traced in
 the ,ion4 ,the rhapsode belongs to the 
realm of imitation and of opinion3 he   
professes to have all knowledge1 which  
is derived by him from ,homer1 just as  

the sophist professes to have all       
wisdom1 which is contained in his art of
 rhetoric4 ,even more than the sophist  
he is incapable of appreciating the     
commonest logical distinctions2 he      
cannot explain the nature of his own    
art2 his great memory contrasts with his
 inability to follow the steps of the   
argument4 ,and in his highest moments of
 inspiration he has an eye to his own   
gains4  ,the old quarrel between        
philosophy and poetry1 which in the     
,republic leads to their final          
separation1 is already working in the   
mind of ,plato1 and is embodied by him  
in the contrast between ,socrates and   
,ion4 ,yet here1 as in the ,republic1   
,socrates shows a sympathy with the     
poetic nature4 ,also1 the manner in     
which ,ion is affected by his own       
recitations affords a lively            
illustration of the power which1 in the 
,republic1 ,socrates attributes to      
dramatic performances over the mind of  
the performer4 ,his allusion to his     

embellishments of ,homer1 in which he   
declares himself to have surpassed      
,metrodorus of ,lampsacus and           
,stesimbrotus of ,thasos1 seems to show 
that1 like them1 he belonged to the     
allegorical school of interpreters4 ,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 times4     ,,ion   ,,persons   
,,of ,,the ,,dialogue3 ,socrates1 ,ion4 
,,socrates3 ,welcome1 ,ion4 ,are you    
from your native city of ,ephesus8      
,,ion3 ,no1 ,socrates2 but from         
,epidaurus1 where ,i attended the       
festival of ,asclepius4  ,,socrates3    
,and do the ,epidaurians have contests  
of rhapsodes at the festival8  ,,ion3 ,o
 yes2 and of all sorts of musical       
performers4  ,,socrates3 ,and were you  
one of the competitors--and did you     
succeed8  ,,ion3 ,i obtained the first  
prize of all1 ,socrates4  ,,socrates3   
,well done2 and ,i hope that you will do

 the same for us at the ,panathenaea4   
,,ion3 ,and ,i will1 please heaven4     
,,socrates3 ,i often envy the profession
 of a rhapsode1 ,ion2 for you have      
always to wear fine clothes1 and to look
 as beautiful as you can is a part of   
your art4 ,then1 again1 you are obliged 
to be continually in the company of many
 good poets2 and especially of ,homer1  
who is the best and most divine of them2
 and to understand him1 and not merely  
learn his words by rote1 is a thing     
greatly to be envied4 ,and no man can be
 a rhapsode who does not understand the 
meaning of the poet4 ,for the rhapsode  
ought to interpret the mind of the poet 
to his hearers1 but how can he interpret
 him well unless he knows what he means8
 ,all this is greatly to be envied4     
,,ion3 ,very true1 ,socrates2           
interpretation has certainly been the   
most laborious part of my art2 and ,i   
believe myself able to speak about      
,homer better than any man2 and that    
neither ,metrodorus of ,lampsacus1 nor  

,stesimbrotus of ,thasos1 nor ,glaucon1 
nor any one else who ever was1 had as   
good ideas about ,homer as ,i have1 or  
as many4  ,,socrates3 ,i am glad to hear
 you say so1 ,ion2 ,i see that you will 
not refuse to acquaint me with them4    
,,ion3 ,certainly1 ,socrates2 and you   
really ought to hear how exquisitely ,i 
render ,homer4 ,i think that the        
,homeridae should give me a golden      
crown4  ,,socrates3 ,i shall take an    
opportunity of hearing your             
embellishments of him at some other     
time4 ,but just now ,i should like to   
ask you a question3 ,does your art      
extend to ,hesiod and ,archilochus1 or  
to ,homer only8  ,,ion3 ,to ,homer only2
 he is in himself quite enough4         
,,socrates3 ,are there any things about 
which ,homer and ,hesiod agree8  ,,ion3 
,yes2 in my opinion there are a good    
many4  ,,socrates3 ,and can you         
interpret better what ,homer says1 or   
what ,hesiod says1 about these matters  
in which they agree8  ,,ion3 ,i can     

interpret them equally well1 ,socrates1 
where they agree4  ,,socrates3 ,but what
 about matters in which they do not     
agree8--for example1 about divination1  
of which both ,homer and ,hesiod have   
something to say1--  ,,ion3 ,very true3 
,,socrates3 ,would you or a good prophet
 be a better interpreter of what these  
two poets say about divination1 not only
 when they agree1 but when they         
disagree8  ,,ion3 ,a prophet4           
,,socrates3 ,and if you were a prophet1 
would you not be able to interpret them 
when they disagree as well as when they 
agree8  ,,ion3 ,clearly4  ,,socrates3   
,but how did you come to have this skill
 about ,homer only1 and not about       
,hesiod or the other poets8 ,does not   
,homer speak of the same themes which   
all other poets handle8 ,is not war his 
great argument8 and does he not speak of
 human society and of intercourse of    
men1 good and bad1 skilled and          
unskilled1 and of the gods conversing   
with one another and with mankind1 and  

about what happens in heaven and in the 
world below1 and the generations of gods
 and heroes8 ,are not these the themes  
of which ,homer sings8  ,,ion3 ,very    
true1 ,socrates4  ,,socrates3 ,and do   
not the other poets sing of the same8   
,,ion3 ,yes1 ,socrates2 but not in the  
same way as ,homer4  ,,socrates3 ,what1 
in a worse way8  ,,ion3 ,yes1 in a far  
worse4  ,,socrates3 ,and ,homer in a    
better way8  ,,ion3 ,he is incomparably 
better4  ,,socrates3 ,and yet surely1 my
 dear friend ,ion1 in a discussion about
 arithmetic1 where many people are      
speaking1 and one speaks better than the
 rest1 there is somebody who can judge  
which of them is the good speaker8      
,,ion3 ,yes4  ,,socrates3 ,and he who   
judges of the good will be the same as  
he who judges of the bad speakers8      
,,ion3 ,the same4  ,,socrates3 ,and he  
will be the arithmetician8  ,,ion3 ,yes4
  ,,socrates3 ,well1 and in discussions 
about the wholesomeness of food1 when   
many persons are speaking1 and one      

speaks better than the rest1 will he who
 recognizes the better speaker be a     
different person from him who recognizes
 the worse1 or the same8  ,,ion3        
,clearly the same4  ,,socrates3 ,and who
 is he1 and what is his name8  ,,ion3   
,the physician4  ,,socrates3 ,and       
speaking generally1 in all discussions  
in which the subject is the same and    
many men are speaking1 will not he who  
knows the good know the bad speaker     
also8 ,for if he does not know the bad1 
neither will he know the good when the  
same topic is being discussed4  ,,ion3  
,true4  ,,socrates3 ,is not the same    
person skilful in both8  ,,ion3 ,yes4   
,,socrates3 ,and you say that ,homer and
 the other poets1 such as ,hesiod and   
,archilochus1 speak of the same things1 
although not in the same way2 but the   
one speaks well and the other not so    
well8  ,,ion3 ,yes2 and ,i am right in  
saying so4  ,,socrates3 ,and if you knew
 the good speaker1 you would also know  
the inferior speakers to be inferior8   

,,ion3 ,that is true4  ,,socrates3      
,then1 my dear friend1 can ,i be        
mistaken in saying that ,ion is equally 
skilled in ,homer and in other poets1   
since he himself acknowledges that the  
same person will be a good judge of all 
those who speak of the same things2 and 
that almost all poets do speak of the   
same things8  ,,ion3 ,why then1         
,socrates1 do ,i lose attention and go  
to sleep and have absolutely no ideas of
 the least value1 when any one speaks of
 any other poet2 but when ,homer is     
mentioned1 ,i wake up at once and am all
 attention and have plenty to say8      
,,socrates3 ,the reason1 my friend1 is  
obvious4 ,no one can fail to see that   
you speak of ,homer without any art or  
knowledge4 ,if you were able to speak of
 him by rules of art1 you would have    
been able to speak of all other poets2  
for poetry is a whole4  ,,ion3 ,yes4    
,,socrates3 ,and when any one acquires  
any other art as a whole1 the same may  
be said of them4 ,would you like me to  

explain my meaning1 ,ion8  ,,ion3 ,yes1 
indeed1 ,socrates2 ,i very much wish    
that you would3 for ,i love to hear you 
wise men talk4  ,,socrates3 ,o that we  
were wise1 ,ion1 and that you could     
truly call us so2 but you rhapsodes and 
actors1 and the poets whose verses you  
sing1 are wise2 whereas ,i am a common  
man1 who only speak the truth4 ,for     
consider what a very commonplace and    
trivial thing is this which ,i have     
said--a thing which any man might say3  
that when a man has acquired a knowledge
 of a whole art1 the enquiry into good  
and bad is one and the same4 ,let us    
consider this matter2 is not the art of 
painting a whole8  ,,ion3 ,yes4         
,,socrates3 ,and there are and have been
 many painters good and bad8  ,,ion3    
,yes4  ,,socrates3 ,and did you ever    
know any one who was skilful in pointing
 out the excellences and defects of     
,polygnotus the son of ,aglaophon1 but  
incapable of criticizing other painters2
 and when the work of any other painter 

was produced1 went to sleep and was at a
 loss1 and had no ideas2 but when he had
 to give his opinion about ,polygnotus1 
or whoever the painter might be1 and    
about him only1 woke up and was         
attentive and had plenty to say8  ,,ion3
 ,no indeed1 ,i have never known such a 
person4  ,,socrates3 ,or did you ever   
know of any one in sculpture1 who was   
skilful in expounding the merits of     
,daedalus the son of ,metion1 or of     
,epeius the son of ,panopeus1 or of     
,theodorus the ,samian1 or of any       
individual sculptor2 but when the works 
of sculptors in general were produced1  
was at a loss and went to sleep and had 
nothing to say8  ,,ion3 ,no indeed2 no  
more than the other4  ,,socrates3 ,and  
if ,i am not mistaken1 you never met    
with any one among flute-players or     
harp-players or singers to the harp or  
rhapsodes who was able to discourse of  
,olympus or ,thamyras or ,orpheus1 or   
,phemius the rhapsode of ,ithaca1 but   
was at a loss when he came to speak of  

,ion of ,ephesus1 and had no notion of  
his merits or defects8  ,,ion3 ,i cannot
 deny what you say1 ,socrates4          
,nevertheless ,i am conscious in my own 
self1 and the world agrees with me in   
thinking that ,i do speak better and    
have more to say about ,homer than any  
other man4 ,but ,i do not speak equally 
well about others--tell me the reason of
 this4  ,,socrates3 ,i perceive1 ,ion2  
and ,i will proceed to explain to you   
what ,i imagine to be the reason of     
this4 ,the gift which you possess of    
speaking excellently about ,homer is not
 an art1 but1 as ,i was just saying1 an 
inspiration2 there is a divinity moving 
you1 like that contained in the stone   
which ,euripides calls a magnet1 but    
which is commonly known as the stone of 
,heraclea4 ,this stone not only attracts
 iron rings1 but also imparts to them a 
similar power of attracting other rings2
 and sometimes you may see a number of  
pieces of iron and rings suspended from 
one another so as to form quite a long  

chain3 and all of them derive their     
power of suspension from the original   
stone4 ,in like manner the ,muse first  
of all inspires men herself2 and from   
these inspired persons a chain of other 
persons is suspended1 who take the      
inspiration4 ,for all good poets1 epic  
as well as lyric1 compose their         
beautiful poems not by art1 but because 
they are inspired and possessed4 ,and as
 the ,corybantian revellers when they   
dance are not in their right mind1 so   
the lyric poets are not in their right  
mind when they are composing their      
beautiful strains3 but when falling     
under the power of music and metre they 
are inspired and possessed2 like        
,bacchic maidens who draw milk and honey
 from the rivers when they are under the
 influence of ,dionysus but not when    
they are in their right mind4 ,and the  
soul of the lyric poet does the same1 as
 they themselves say2 for they tell us  
that they bring songs from honeyed      
fountains1 culling them out of the      

gardens and dells of the ,muses2 they1  
like the bees1 winging their way from   
flower to flower4 ,and this is true4    
,for the poet is a light and winged and 
holy thing1 and there is no invention in
 him until he has been inspired and is  
out of his senses1 and the mind is no   
longer in him3 when he has not attained 
to this state1 he is powerless and is   
unable to utter his oracles4 ,many are  
the noble words in which poets speak    
concerning the actions of men2 but like 
yourself when speaking about ,homer1    
they do not speak of them by any rules  
of art3 they are simply inspired to     
utter that to which the ,muse impels    
them1 and that only2 and when inspired1 
one of them will make dithyrambs1       
another hymns of praise1 another choral 
strains1 another epic or iambic         
verses--and he who is good at one is not
 good at any other kind of verse3 for   
not by art does the poet sing1 but by   
power divine4 ,had he learned by rules  
of art1 he would have known how to speak

 not of one theme only1 but of all2 and 
therefore ,god takes away the minds of  
poets1 and uses them as his ministers1  
as he also uses diviners and holy       
prophets1 in order that we who hear them
 may know them to be speaking not of    
themselves who utter these priceless    
words in a state of unconsciousness1 but
 that ,god himself is the speaker1 and  
that through them he is conversing with 
us4 ,and ,tynnichus the ,chalcidian     
affords a striking instance of what ,i  
am saying3 he wrote nothing that any one
 would care to remember but the famous  
paean which is in every one's mouth1 one
 of the finest poems ever written1      
simply an invention of the ,muses1 as he
 himself says4 ,for in this way the ,god
 would seem to indicate to us and not   
allow us to doubt that these beautiful  
poems are not human1 or the work of man1
 but divine and the work of ,god2 and   
that the poets are only the interpreters
 of the ,gods by whom they are severally
 possessed4 ,was not this the lesson    

which the ,god intended to teach when by
 the mouth of the worst of poets he sang
 the best of songs8 ,am ,i not right1   
,ion8  ,,ion3 ,yes1 indeed1 ,socrates1  
,i feel that you are2 for your words    
touch my soul1 and ,i am persuaded that 
good poets by a divine inspiration      
interpret the things of the ,gods to us4
  ,,socrates3 ,and you rhapsodists are  
the interpreters of the poets8  ,,ion3  
,there again you are right4  ,,socrates3
 ,then you are the interpreters of      
interpreters8  ,,ion3 ,precisely4       
,,socrates3 ,i wish you would frankly   
tell me1 ,ion1 what ,i am going to ask  
of you3 ,when you produce the greatest  
effect upon the audience in the         
recitation of some striking passage1    
such as the apparition of ,odysseus     
leaping forth on the floor1 recognized  
by the suitors and casting his arrows at
 his feet1 or the description of        
,achilles rushing at ,hector1 or the    
sorrows of ,andromache1 ,hecuba1 or     
,priam1--are you in your right mind8    

,are you not carried out of yourself1   
and does not your soul in an ecstasy    
seem to be among the persons or places  
of which you are speaking1 whether they 
are in ,ithaca or in ,troy or whatever  
may be the scene of the poem8  ,,ion3   
,that proof strikes home to me1         
,socrates4 ,for ,i must frankly confess 
that at the tale of pity my eyes are    
filled with tears1 and when ,i speak of 
horrors1 my hair stands on end and my   
heart throbs4  ,,socrates3 ,well1 ,ion1 
and what are we to say of a man who at a
 sacrifice or festival1 when he is      
dressed in holiday attire1 and has      
golden crowns upon his head1 of which   
nobody has robbed him1 appears weeping  
or panic-stricken in the presence of    
more than twenty thousand friendly      
faces1 when there is no one despoiling  
or wronging him2--is he in his right    
mind or is he not8  ,,ion3 ,no indeed1  
,socrates1 ,i must say that1 strictly   
speaking1 he is not in his right mind4  
,,socrates3 ,and are you aware that you 

produce similar effects on most of the  
spectators8  ,,ion3 ,only too well2 for 
,i look down upon them from the stage1  
and behold the various emotions of pity1
 wonder1 sternness1 stamped upon their  
countenances when ,i am speaking3 and ,i
 am obliged to give my very best        
attention to them2 for if ,i make them  
cry ,i myself shall laugh1 and if ,i    
make them laugh ,i myself shall cry when
 the time of payment arrives4           
,,socrates3 ,do you know that the       
spectator is the last of the rings      
which1 as ,i am saying1 receive the     
power of the original magnet from one   
another8 ,the rhapsode like yourself and
 the actor are intermediate links1 and  
the poet himself is the first of them4  
,through all these the ,god sways the   
souls of men in any direction which he  
pleases1 and makes one man hang down    
from another4 ,thus there is a vast     
chain of dancers and masters and        
under-masters of choruses1 who are      
suspended1 as if from the stone1 at the 

side of the rings which hang down from  
the ,muse4 ,and every poet has some     
,muse from whom he is suspended1 and by 
whom he is said to be possessed1 which  
is nearly the same thing2 for he is     
taken hold of4 ,and from these first    
rings1 which are the poets1 depend      
others1 some deriving their inspiration 
from ,orpheus1 others from ,musaeus2 but
 the greater number are possessed and   
held by ,homer4 ,of whom1 ,ion1 you are 
one1 and are possessed by ,homer2 and   
when any one repeats the words of       
another poet you go to sleep1 and know  
not what to say2 but when any one       
recites a strain of ,homer you wake up  
in a moment1 and your soul leaps within 
you1 and you have plenty to say2 for not
 by art or knowledge about ,homer do you
 say what you say1 but by divine        
inspiration and by possession2 just as  
the ,corybantian revellers too have a   
quick perception of that strain only    
which is appropriated to the ,god by    
whom they are possessed1 and have plenty

 of dances and words for that1 but take 
no heed of any other4 ,and you1 ,ion1   
when the name of ,homer is mentioned    
have plenty to say1 and have nothing to 
say of others4 ,you ask1 ',why is this8'
 ,the answer is that you praise ,homer  
not by art but by divine inspiration4   
,,ion3 ,that is good1 ,socrates2 and yet
 ,i doubt whether you will ever have    
eloquence enough to persuade me that ,i 
praise ,homer only when ,i am mad and   
possessed2 and if you could hear me     
speak of him ,i am sure you would never 
think this to be the case4  ,,socrates3 
,i should like very much to hear you1   
but not until you have answered a       
question which ,i have to ask4 ,on what 
part of ,homer do you speak well8--not  
surely about every part4  ,,ion3 ,there 
is no part1 ,socrates1 about which ,i do
 not speak well3 of that ,i can assure  
you4  ,,socrates3 ,surely not about     
things in ,homer of which you have no   
knowledge8  ,,ion3 ,and what is there in
 ,homer of which ,i have no knowledge8  

,,socrates3 ,why1 does not ,homer speak 
in many passages about arts8 ,for       
example1 about driving2 if ,i can only  
remember the lines ,i will repeat them4 
,,ion3 ,i remember1 and will repeat     
them4  ,,socrates3 ,tell me then1 what  
,nestor says to ,antilochus1 his son1   
where he bids him be careful of the turn
 at the horserace in honour of          
,patroclus4  ,,ion3 ',bend gently1' he  
says1 'in the polished chariot to the   
left of them1 and urge the horse on the 
right hand with whip and voice2 and     
slacken the rein4 ,and when you are at  
the goal1 let the left horse draw near1 
yet so that the nave of the well-wrought
 wheel may not even seem to touch the   
extremity2 and avoid catching the stone 
7,il474'  ,,socrates3 ,enough4 ,now1    
,ion1 will the charioteer or the        
physician be the better judge of the    
propriety of these lines8  ,,ion3 ,the  
charioteer1 clearly4  ,,socrates3 ,and  
will the reason be that this is his art1
 or will there be any other reason8     

,,ion3 ,no1 that will be the reason4    
,,socrates3 ,and every art is appointed 
by ,god to have knowledge of a certain  
work2 for that which we know by the art 
of the pilot we do not know by the art  
of medicine8  ,,ion3 ,certainly not4    
,,socrates3 ,nor do we know by the art  
of the carpenter that which we know by  
the art of medicine8  ,,ion3 ,certainly 
not4  ,,socrates3 ,and this is true of  
all the arts2--that which we know with  
one art we do not know with the other8  
,but let me ask a prior question3 ,you  
admit that there are differences of     
arts8  ,,ion3 ,yes4  ,,socrates3 ,you   
would argue1 as ,i should1 that when one
 art is of one kind of knowledge and    
another of another1 they are different8 
,,ion3 ,yes4  ,,socrates3 ,yes1 surely2 
for if the subject of knowledge were the
 same1 there would be no meaning in     
saying that the arts were different1--if
 they both gave the same knowledge4 ,for
 example1 ,i know that here are five    
fingers1 and you know the same4 ,and if 

,i were to ask whether ,i and you became
 acquainted with this fact by the help  
of the same art of arithmetic1 you would
 acknowledge that we did8  ,,ion3 ,yes4 
,,socrates3 ,tell me1 then1 what ,i was 
intending to ask you1--whether this     
holds universally8 ,must the same art   
have the same subject of knowledge1 and 
different arts other subjects of        
knowledge8  ,,ion3 ,that is my opinion1 
,socrates4  ,,socrates3 ,then he who has
 no knowledge of a particular art will  
have no right judgment of the sayings   
and doings of that art8  ,,ion3 ,very   
true4  ,,socrates3 ,then which will be a
 better judge of the lines which you    
were reciting from ,homer1 you or the   
charioteer8  ,,ion3 ,the charioteer4    
,,socrates3 ,why1 yes1 because you are a
 rhapsode and not a charioteer4  ,,ion3 
,yes4  ,,socrates3 ,and the art of the  
rhapsode is different from that of the  
charioteer8  ,,ion3 ,yes4  ,,socrates3  
,and if a different knowledge1 then a   
knowledge of different matters8  ,,ion3 

,true4  ,,socrates3 ,you know the       
passage in which ,hecamede1 the         
concubine of ,nestor1 is described as   
giving to the wounded ,machaon a posset1
 as he says1  ',made with ,pramnian     
wine2 and she grated cheese of goat's   
milk with a grater of bronze1 and at his
 side placed an onion which gives a     
relish to drink 7,il474'  ,now would you
 say that the art of the rhapsode or the
 art of medicine was better able to     
judge of the propriety of these lines8  
,,ion3 ,the art of medicine4            
,,socrates3 ,and when ,homer says1      
',and she descended into the deep like a
 leaden plummet1 which1 set in the horn 
of ox that ranges in the fields1 rushes 
along carrying death among the ravenous 
fishes 7,il471'--  will the art of the  
fisherman or of the rhapsode be better  
able to judge whether these lines are   
rightly expressed or not8  ,,ion3       
,clearly1 ,socrates1 the art of the     
fisherman4  ,,socrates3 ,come now1      
suppose that you were to say to me3     

',since you1 ,socrates1 are able to     
assign different passages in ,homer to  
their corresponding arts1 ,i wish that  
you would tell me what are the passages 
of which the excellence ought to be     
judged by the prophet and prophetic     
art'2 and you will see how readily and  
truly ,i shall answer you4 ,for there   
are many such passages1 particularly in 
the ,odyssee2 as1 for example1 the      
passage in which ,theoclymenus the      
prophet of the house of ,melampus says  
to the suitors3--  ',wretched men6 what 
is happening to you8 ,your heads and    
your faces and your limbs underneath are
 shrouded in night2 and the voice of    
lamentation bursts forth1 and your      
cheeks are wet with tears4 ,and the     
vestibule is full1 and the court is     
full1 of ghosts descending into the     
darkness of ,erebus1 and the sun has    
perished out of heaven1 and an evil mist
 is spread abroad 7,od474'  ,and there  
are many such passages in the ,iliad    
also2 as for example in the description 

of the battle near the rampart1 where he
 says3--  ',as they were eager to pass  
the ditch1 there came to them an omen3 a
 soaring eagle1 holding back the people 
on the left1 bore a huge bloody dragon  
in his talons1 still living and panting2
 nor had he yet resigned the strife1 for
 he bent back and smote the bird which  
carried him on the breast by the neck1  
and he in pain let him fall from him to 
the ground into the midst of the        
multitude4 ,and the eagle1 with a cry1  
was borne afar on the wings of the wind 
7,il474'  ,these are the sort of things 
which ,i should say that the prophet    
ought to consider and determine4  ,,ion3
 ,and you are quite right1 ,socrates1 in
 saying so4  ,,socrates3 ,yes1 ,ion1 and
 you are right also4 ,and as ,i have    
selected from the ,iliad and ,odyssee   
for you passages which describe the     
office of the prophet and the physician 
and the fisherman1 do you1 who know     
,homer so much better than ,i do1 ,ion1 
select for me passages which relate to  

the rhapsode and the rhapsode's art1 and
 which the rhapsode ought to examine and
 judge of better than other men4  ,,ion3
 ,all passages1 ,i should say1          
,socrates4  ,,socrates3 ,not all1 ,ion1 
surely4 ,have you already forgotten what
 you were saying8 ,a rhapsode ought to  
have a better memory4  ,,ion3 ,why1 what
 am ,i forgetting8  ,,socrates3 ,do you 
not remember that you declared the art  
of the rhapsode to be different from the
 art of the charioteer8  ,,ion3 ,yes1 ,i
 remember4  ,,socrates3 ,and you        
admitted that being different they would
 have different subjects of knowledge8  
,,ion3 ,yes4  ,,socrates3 ,then upon    
your own showing the rhapsode1 and the  
art of the rhapsode1 will not know      
everything8  ,,ion3 ,i should exclude   
certain things1 ,socrates4  ,,socrates3 
,you mean to say that you would exclude 
pretty much the subjects of the other   
arts4 ,as he does not know all of them1 
which of them will he know8  ,,ion3 ,he 
will know what a man and what a woman   

ought to say1 and what a freeman and    
what a slave ought to say1 and what a   
ruler and what a subject4  ,,socrates3  
,do you mean that a rhapsode will know  
better than the pilot what the ruler of 
a sea-tossed vessel ought to say8       
,,ion3 ,no2 the pilot will know best4   
,,socrates3 ,or will the rhapsode know  
better than the physician what the ruler
 of a sick man ought to say8  ,,ion3 ,he
 will not4  ,,socrates3 ,but he will    
know what a slave ought to say8  ,,ion3 
,yes4  ,,socrates3 ,suppose the slave to
 be a cowherd2 the rhapsode will know   
better than the cowherd what he ought to
 say in order to soothe the infuriated  
cows8  ,,ion3 ,no1 he will not4         
,,socrates3 ,but he will know what a    
spinning-woman ought to say about the   
working of wool8  ,,ion3 ,no4           
,,socrates3 ,at any rate he will know   
what a general ought to say when        
exhorting his soldiers8  ,,ion3 ,yes1   
that is the sort of thing which the     
rhapsode will be sure to know4          

,,socrates3 ,well1 but is the art of the
 rhapsode the art of the general8       
,,ion3 ,i am sure that ,i should know   
what a general ought to say4            
,,socrates3 ,why1 yes1 ,ion1 because you
 may possibly have a knowledge of the   
art of the general as well as of the    
rhapsode2 and you may also have a       
knowledge of horsemanship as well as of 
the lyre3 and then you would know when  
horses were well or ill managed4 ,but   
suppose ,i were to ask you3 ,by the help
 of which art1 ,ion1 do you know whether
 horses are well managed1 by your skill 
as a horseman or as a performer on the  
lyre--what would you answer8  ,,ion3 ,i 
should reply1 by my skill as a horseman4
  ,,socrates3 ,and if you judged of     
performers on the lyre1 you would admit 
that you judged of them as a performer  
on the lyre1 and not as a horseman8     
,,ion3 ,yes4  ,,socrates3 ,and in       
judging of the general's art1 do you    
judge of it as a general or a rhapsode8 
,,ion3 ,to me there appears to be no    

difference between them4  ,,socrates3   
,what do you mean8 ,do you mean to say  
that the art of the rhapsode and of the 
general is the same8  ,,ion3 ,yes1 one  
and the same4  ,,socrates3 ,then he who 
is a good rhapsode is also a good       
general8  ,,ion3 ,certainly1 ,socrates4 
,,socrates3 ,and he who is a good       
general is also a good rhapsode8  ,,ion3
 ,no2 ,i do not say that4  ,,socrates3  
,but you do say that he who is a good   
rhapsode is also a good general4  ,,ion3
 ,certainly4  ,,socrates3 ,and you are  
the best of ,hellenic rhapsodes8  ,,ion3
 ,far the best1 ,socrates4  ,,socrates3 
,and are you the best general1 ,ion8    
,,ion3 ,to be sure1 ,socrates2 and      
,homer was my master4  ,,socrates3 ,but 
then1 ,ion1 what in the name of goodness
 can be the reason why you1 who are the 
best of generals as well as the best of 
rhapsodes in all ,hellas1 go about as a 
rhapsode when you might be a general8   
,do you think that the ,hellenes want a 
rhapsode with his golden crown1 and do  

not want a general8  ,,ion3 ,why1       
,socrates1 the reason is1 that my       
countrymen1 the ,ephesians1 are the     
servants and soldiers of ,athens1 and do
 not need a general2 and you and ,sparta
 are not likely to have me1 for you     
think that you have enough generals of  
your own4  ,,socrates3 ,my good ,ion1   
did you never hear of ,apollodorus of   
,cyzicus8  ,,ion3 ,who may he be8       
,,socrates3 ,one who1 though a          
foreigner1 has often been chosen their  
general by the ,athenians3 and there is 
,phanosthenes of ,andros1 and           
,heraclides of ,clazomenae1 whom they   
have also appointed to the command of   
their armies and to other offices1      
although aliens1 after they had shown   
their merit4 ,and will they not choose  
,ion the ,ephesian to be their general1 
and honour him1 if he prove himself     
worthy8 ,were not the ,ephesians        
originally ,athenians1 and ,ephesus is  
no mean city8 ,but1 indeed1 ,ion1 if you
 are correct in saying that by art and  

knowledge you are able to praise ,homer1
 you do not deal fairly with me1 and    
after all your professions of knowing   
many glorious things about ,homer1 and  
promises that you would exhibit them1   
you are only a deceiver1 and so far from
 exhibiting the art of which you are a  
master1 will not1 even after my repeated
 entreaties1 explain to me the nature of
 it4 ,you have literally as many forms  
as ,proteus2 and now you go all manner  
of ways1 twisting and turning1 and1 like
 ,proteus1 become all manner of people  
at once1 and at last slip away from me  
in the disguise of a general1 in order  
that you may escape exhibiting your     
,homeric lore4 ,and if you have art1    
then1 as ,i was saying1 in falsifying   
your promise that you would exhibit     
,homer1 you are not dealing fairly with 
me4 ,but if1 as ,i believe1 you have no 
art1 but speak all these beautiful words
 about ,homer unconsciously under his   
inspiring influence1 then ,i acquit you 
of dishonesty1 and shall only say that  

you are inspired4 ,which do you prefer  
to be thought1 dishonest or inspired8   
,,ion3 ,there is a great difference1    
,socrates1 between the two alternatives2
 and inspiration is by far the nobler4  
,,socrates3 ,then1 ,ion1 ,i shall assume
 the nobler alternative2 and attribute  
to you in your praises of ,homer        
inspiration1 and not art4