Phaedrus

Interesting Facts

• The dialogue "Phaedrus" examines the nature of love and rhetoric, linking them to philosophy and truth.
• In the dialogue, Socrates and Phaedrus discuss a myth about the origin of love, which includes the idea that human souls were once whole but were divided and now seek their other halves.
• Socrates critiques rhetoric that is aimed solely at persuasion rather than the pursuit of truth.
• In "Phaedrus," Plato introduces the concept of "divine madness," which includes four types: prophetic, mystical, poetic, and erotic.
• The dialogue also contains the famous allegory of the chariot of the soul, where the soul is depicted as a chariot driven by two horses—one noble and one base.