200b
ἐπιθυμεῖν, ἐὰν μὴ ἐνδεὲς ᾖ; ἐμοὶ μὲν γὰρ θαυμαστῶς δοκεῖ, ὦ Ἀγάθων, ὡς ἀνάγκη εἶναι: σοὶ δὲ πῶς;
κἀμοί, φάναι, δοκεῖ.
καλῶς λέγεις. ἆρ' οὖν βούλοιτ' ἄν τις μέγας ὢν μέγας εἶναι, ἢ ἰσχυρὸς ὢν ἰσχυρός;
ἀδύνατον ἐκ τῶν ὡμολογημένων.
οὐ γάρ που ἐνδεὴς ἂν εἴη τούτων ὅ γε ὤν.
ἀληθῆ λέγεις.
εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἰσχυρὸς ὢν βούλοιτο ἰσχυρὸς εἶναι, φάναι τὸν Σωκράτη, καὶ ταχὺς ὢν ταχύς, καὶ ὑγιὴς ὢν ὑγιής—ἴσως γὰρ ἄν τις ταῦτα οἰηθείη καὶ πάντα τὰ τοιαῦτα τοὺς ὄντας
200b
consider if the desiring subject must have desire for something it lacks, and again, no desire if it has no lack. I at least, Agathon, am perfectly sure it is a necessity. How does it strike you?”
“I am sure of it also,” said he.
“Very good. Now could a tall man wish to be tall, or a strong man to be strong?”
“By what has been admitted, this is impossible.”
“Since, I suppose, the man in each case would not be lacking the quality mentioned.”
“True.”
“For if, being strong, he should wish to be strong,” said Socrates, “or being swift, to be swift, or being healthy, to be healthy,—since we are apt to suppose in these