[583b]
“That, then, would be two points in succession and two victories
for the just man over the unjust. And now for the third in the Olympian
fashion to the saviour1 and to Olympian Zeus—observe that
other pleasure than that of the intelligence is not altogether even
real2 or pure,3 but is a kind of scene-painting,4 as I seem to have heard
from some wise man5; and yet6 this would be the greatest and most decisive overthrow.7” “Much the
greatest. But what do you mean?” “I shall discover
it,” I said,
1 The third cup of wine was always dedicated to Zeus the Saviour, and τρίτος σωτήρ became proverbial. Cf. Charm. 167 A, Phileb. 66 D, Laws 692 A, 960 C, Epist. vii. 334 D, 340 A. Cf. Hesychius s.v.τρίτος κρατήρ. Brochard, La Morale de Platon, missing the point, says, “Voici enfin un troisième argument qui paraît à Platon le plus décisif puisqu'il l'appelle une vicoire vraiment olympique.” For the idea of a contest Cf. Phileb. passim.
2 Cf. Phileb. 36 C, 44 Dἡδοναὶ ἀληθεῖς. For the unreality of the lower pleasures Cf. Phileb. 36 A ff. and esp. 44 C-D, Unity of Plato's Thought, pp. 23-25, What Plato Said, pp. 322-323 and 609-610, Introd. pp. lvi-lix, Rodier, Remarques sur le Philèbe, p. 281.
3 Cf. Phileb. 52 Cκαθαρὰς ἡδονάς, and 53 Cκαθαρὰ λύπης.
4 Cf. Laws 663 C, Phaedo 69 B, 365 C, 523 B, 602 D, 586 B, Wilamowitz, Platon, ii. p. 266.
5 One of Plato's evasions. Cf. What Plato Said, p. 513, on Meno 81 A, Phileb. 44 B. Wilamowitz, Platon, ii. p. 266 misses the point and says that by the wise man Plato means himself.
6 For this rhetorical καίτοι cf. 360 C, 376 B, 433 B, 440 D, Gorg. 452 E, Laws 663 E, 690 C.
7 Cf. Phileb. 22 E, Aesch.Prom. 919, Soph.Antig. 1046.
Plato. Plato in Twelve Volumes, Vols. 5 & 6 translated by Paul Shorey. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1969.
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