105. _Socr._ But what as to the rest? do not the other parts of the speech appear to have been put together at random? or does it appear that what is said in the second place ought from any necessity to have been placed second, or any thing else that he said? For it seems to me, who however know nothing about the matter, that the writer has without any scruple said whatever came uppermost, But do you know of any rule in speech-writing, in conformity to which he disposed his sentences in the order he has done one after another? _Phæ._ You are pleasant, in supposing that I am able to see through his compositions so accurately. _Socr._ But this at least I think you will allow, that every speech ought to be put together like a living creature, with a body of its own, so as to be neither without head, nor without feet, but to have both a middle and extremities, described proportionately to each other and to the whole. 106. _Phæ._ How not? _Socr._ Consider, then, your friend’s speech, whether it is so or otherwise; and you will find that it is in no respect different from the epigram which some say is inscribed on the tomb of Midas the Phrygian. _Phæ._ What is it, and what is there remarkable in it? _Socr._ It is as follows; “I am a maiden of brass and I lie on Midas’s sepulchre, So long as water flows and tall trees flourish, Remaining here on the tomb of Midas, I will tell all passers by, that Midas is buried here.” That it makes no difference which line is put first or last, you must perceive, I think. _Phæ._ You are jesting at our speech, Socrates. 107. _Socr._ That you may not be angry, then, we will have done with this; (though it appears to me to contain very many examples, which any one might examine with advantage, so long as he does not at all attempt to imitate them;) and let us proceed to the two other speeches; for there was something in them, I think, fit to be looked into by those who wish to examine into the subject of speeches. _Phæ._ What do you mean? _Socr._ They were in a manner opposed to each other. For one said that favour ought to be shewn to a person that is in love, the other to a person that is not in love. _Phæ._ And this, most strenuously. _Socr._ I thought you were going to say, with truth, madly. However, this is the very thing I was seeking for. For we said that love was a kind of madness, did we not? _Phæ._ Yes. _Socr._ But there are two kinds of madness, one arising from human diseases, the other from an inspired deviation from established customs. _Phæ._ Certainly.