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Show CHAPTER I SOMEWHAT HISTORICAL help jeeling, Phaedrus, that writing is unfor written down, tunately like painting; when they have once been those who may not about mayor anywhere among they are tumbled Socrates: I can't understand them, and know not to whom they should reply, to whom to they are maltreated or abused, they have no parent themselves. protect them, and they cannot protect nor defend true. That again is most Phaedrus: Socrates: Is there not another kind oj word or speech far better than this, having jar greater power-a son of the same jamlily, but not ; and if lawfully begotten? Phaedrus: Socrates: W hom do you mean, and what is his origin? I mean an intelligent word graven in the. soul of the listener, which can defend itself, and knows when to' speak and when to be silent. Phaedrus: You mean the living word of knowledge which has soul, and of which the written word is properly no image? Socrates: Yes, of course, that is what I mean. Beginnings. years. must much a an have than ten centuries before the Christian era. word. than preceded writing by untold of the Greek language was perfected more Speech The structure more This would indicate a longer period of previous development through the spoken Story, song, and tradition were sung by minstrel and skald, ages before the history of man was graven in stone. ers told of their victorious deeds to the admiring The conquer populace long before the Greeks borrowed their alphabet from the Phoenicians. No Greek was considered educated who could not speak well and who could not recite-· the classic poets. Even Greek philosophy has 1 |
