VIII.xi. wellspring-gather( ring of hymns )
ADEIMANTOS: ( o self ) ( are we-he tame? )
( having patched-up yesterdays verses . . . )
( or are we thoroughly depraved? ) ( he grins )
( at our lavender looking-glass ) ( heart-breaker )
we break apart ( to tell himself ) ( out loud )
( that being-we ) we want to hear all of them,
SOKRATES: ( those him-things )which you —
( o dyad-Zeus )( it was binding )( bind, you )
( Zeus-needed-bound )( it was in-need )( need, you )
( the dyad-Zeus)( indeed )must — say,
to gather( recount, pick up, choose, speak, tell, reckon )
( the )accusations( against )philosophy( wisdom-love ),
that thoroughly-depraved( are the ones )
most( of )going-and-coming to her,
οὓς δὴ σὺ φῂς
τὸν ἐγκαλοῦντα τῇ φιλοσοφίᾳ λέγειν
ὡς παμπόνηροι οἱ πλεῖστοι τῶν ἰόντων ἐπ᾽ αὐτήν,
ADEIMANTOS: ( but whatever your words
for me ) your ideas ( and twists and turns )
( amaze me ) ( and transpose me ) every night
( its always better with you here ) ( really ),
SOKRATES: but the( ones )most fitting( meet-suitable )
( are )useless( unprofitable-unserviceable ),
οἱ δὲ ἐπιεικέστατοι ἄχρηστοι,
ADEIMANTOS: ( we offer ourself a raspberry-pink rose )
( we hope such as nobody had noticed
our makeover ) ( and indeed ) we say and mean it
( when we ) gather myself ( to say ),
SOKRATES: and( indeed )( we )i( being )agree
( yield-to )with( the )true( -she-unconcealed- )you( to )speak,
καὶ ἐγὼ συνεχώρησα ἀληθῆ σε λέγειν.
ADEIMANTOS: ( wipes tear )
and every morning ( we bask
in ) the good ( and brave ) ( and indigo-violet ) ( sunlight ),
SOKRATES: for( hey! )( he says )( as )( in truth )( we are ),
ἦ γάρ;
ADEIMANTOS: ( and ) indeed ( he says
the goddess brings the shade ) ( and )
the crazy ( man from two-thousand four-hundred-some-odd years ago )
( brings out ) the crazy ( love ),
HERA: and( indeed )now howsoever( we )i( being )would make
by art-skill-craft-cunning-device,
καὶ νῦν μέντοι ἐγὼ τεχνήσομαι,
ADEIMANTOS: ( as they sneak another banana peel
under my feet ) ( and yet ) ( from these
slipped lines we make ) tight knots
( to be seaworthy ) even the silly ones,
SAILOR: ( by the )ship( yes ),
ναί.
ADEIMANTOS: because youll never know
( how the final beastie boy ) ( with his beastie bow )
( or our little tramp ) ( will take shape ) over parts,
HERA: as my( o whole )child would( o )( to-by-for )( she-original )
( come-to-be )be born,
ὥς κε γένηται
παῖς ἐμός,
ADEIMANTOS: what will stick ( together )
( what falls apart ) ( or in the wake )
( what changes him around again )
unravelling ( our riiiptide ) ( as we go ),
SOKRATES: therefore havent( we )gone-through( completed )
( shot-through )( recounted )( reached )( arrived at )the cause
even( indeed )of( the )uselessness( unprofitable-unserviceableness )
of the fitting( meet-suitable )ones?
οὐκοῦν τῆς μὲν τῶν ἐπιεικῶν ἀχρηστίας τὴν αἰτίαν διεληλύθαμεν;
ADEIMANTOS: and that ( while
remaining ) out of sight
( of mortal men ),
HERA: he would self-distinguish among immortal gods,
ὅς κε θεοῖσι μεταπρέποι ἀθανάτοισιν,
ADEIMANTOS: ( o goddess, thank you for
your spoken confidence ) ( you fill us with pride )
( and indeed that ) isnt even why
( we keep on sailing ) in secret,
( or at least dont advertise ),
SAILORS: and( indeed )very( dyad-teen spirit ),
καὶ μάλα.
ADEIMANTOS: but hearing them ( the little mens )
( and spinning hymns ) ( under her protections )
from everyone ( whos blind to the invisible ),
( as he roams across the surface of her soul )
( digging up her soil and stirring up her storms ),
HERA: by shaming( disfiguring )( dishonoring )( defiling )
neither your sacred( shrine )bed,
nor mine of her( own )self,
οὔτε σὸν αἰσχύνασ᾽ ἱερὸν λέχος οὔτ᾽ ἐμὸν αὐτῆς.
ADEIMANTOS: ( with the high-stepping of his sweet summer child ),
( we keep her safe and luxuriantly savage )
( a fool ) ( yet somehow true ) ( a singing-through )
but you ( saw and knew her ) in the first place.
//
from hymn to Apollo
Republic VI