A short ps re W. O's brilliant jeux de mot, "pub(lic) space of reason". I once gave a lecture in Argentina, which got published, on Grice. I entitled it "The feast of reason", and it quoted this Addison verse, if I remember correctly the feast of reason, the life of soul there St. John mixes with the friendly bowl. ---- in any case, I thought it was appropriate, since it was a paper on this 'fellow at St. John's" (Grice) and it _was_ about _reason_, or 'conversational reason', actually. I think the thing is referenced in Philosopher's Index, if you believe that! ----- ----- Anyway... Later I learned of the existence of this book, "The poisoned bowl", or memories of homosexuality in public English schools! and wasn't Socrates poisoned too!? So there's a double edge to the 'symposium'. Liddell/Scott, an open resource, has some interesting 'ontological' distinctions. The symposion is really the _act_ itself, but also the gathering. The famous one, that Rickards illustrated to nicely -- art nouveau or stile liberty as the Italians call it -- took place, I learned later, at the harbour. Alcibiades I think _rode_. Socrates we don't know. It would be like 2 miles from Athens -- and 'far from the maddening crowd' as it were. sumposi-on , to, A. drinking-party, symposium, Thgn. 298,496, Phoc.11, Alc.Supp.23.3, Pi.N.9.48, al., Hdt.2.78, X.Cyr.8.8.10, etc.; s. kataskeuasai, philois paraschein, sunagein, Pl.R.363c, Plu.2.198b, Ath.5.186c, etc.; paidagôgein Pl.Lg.641b .--Pl., X., and Plu. wrote dialogues under this name. II. the party itself, the guests, LXX 3 Ma.5.36, Plu.2.157d, 704d; anaklithênai . . sumposia sumposia in groups, Ev.Marc.6.39. III. the room in which such parties were given, tou s. stegê Callix.2 , cf. BGU1793.11 (i B.C.); sairein to s. Luc.D Deor.24.1, etc. ----- I read today that they were collecting money to put a 'roof' on Aristotle's Lycaeum in Athens. Why, I thought. And deprive the co-symposiast of the bright stars above? Cheers, JL Speranza Bordighera, etc. **************Access 350+ FREE radio stations anytime from anywhere on the web. Get the Radio Toolbar! (http://toolbar.aol.com/aolradio/download.html?ncid=emlcntusdown00000003) ------------------------------------------------------------------ To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off, digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html