"I said: 'O thou stranger woman, thou sayest well; but, assuming Love to be such as you say, what is the use of him to man?' "'That, Socrates,' she replied, 'I will attempt to unfold: of his nature and birth I have already spoken; and you acknowledge that Love is of the beautiful. But some one will say: Of the beautiful in what, Socrates and Diotima? or rather let me put the question more clearly, and ask: When a man loves the beautiful, what does he desire?' "I answered her, 'That the beautiful may be his.' "'Still,' she said, 'the answer suggests a further question: What is given by the possession of beauty?' "'To what you have asked,' I said, 'I have no answer ready.' "'Then,' she said, 'let me put the word "good" in the place of "beautiful," and repeat the question once more: If he who loves, loves the good, what is it then that he loves?' "'The possession of the good,' I said. "'And what does he gain who possesses the good?' "'Happiness,' I replied; 'there is less difficulty in answering that question.' "'Yes,' she said, 'the happy are made happy by the acquisition of good things. Nor is there any need to ask why a man desires happiness; the answer is already final.' "'You are right,' I said. "'And is this wish and this desire common to all? and do all men always desire their own good, or only some men?--what say you?' "'All men,' I replied; 'the desire is common to all.' "'Then,' she said, 'the simple truth is that men love the good.' "'Yes,' I said. "'To which must be added that they love the possession of the good?' "'That must be added too.' "'Then love,' she said, may be described generally as the love of the everlasting possession of the good?' "'That is most true.' "'Then if this be the nature of love, can you tell me further,' she said, 'what is the manner of the pursuit? what are they doing who show all this eagerness and heat which is called love? and what is the object which they have in view? Answer me.' "'Nay, Diotima,' I replied, 'if I had known, I should not have wondered at your wisdom, neither should I have come to learn from you about this very matter.' "'Well,' she said, 'I will teach you:--The object which they have in view is birth in beauty, whether of body or soul.' "'I do not understand you,' I said; 'the oracle requires an explanation.'