ἔφη γάρ οἱ Σωκράτη ἐντυχεῖν λελουμένον τε καὶ τὰς βλαύτας ὑποδεδεμένον , ἃ ἐκεῖνος ὀλιγάκις ἐποίει : καὶ ἐρέσθαι αὐτὸν ὅποι ἴοι οὕτω καλὸς γεγενημένος .
καὶ τὸν εἰπεῖν ὅτι ἐπὶ δεῖπνον εἰς Ἀγάθωνος . χθὲς γὰρ αὐτὸν διέφυγον τοῖς ἐπινικίοις , φοβηθεὶς τὸν ὄχλον : ὡμολόγησα δ᾽ εἰς τήμερον παρέσεσθαι . ταῦτα δὴ ἐκαλλωπισάμην , ἵνα καλὸς παρὰ καλὸν ἴω . ἀλλὰ σύ , ἦ δ᾽ ὅς , πῶς ἔχεις πρὸς τὸ ἐθέλειν ἂν ἰέναι ἄκλητος ἐπὶ δεῖπνον ;
κἀγώ , ἔφη , εἶπον ὅτι οὕτως ὅπως ἂν σὺ κελεύῃς .
ἕπου τοίνυν , ἔφη , ἵνα καὶ τὴν παροιμίαν διαφθείρωμεν μεταβαλόντες , ὡς ἄρα καὶ " Ἀγάθων᾽ ἐπὶ δαῖτας ἴασιν αὐτόματοι ἀγαθοί " . Ὅμηρος μὲν γὰρ κινδυνεύει οὐ μόνον διαφθεῖραι ἀλλὰ καὶ ὑβρίσαι εἰς ταύτην τὴν παροιμίαν : ποιήσας γὰρ τὸν Ἀγαμέμνονα διαφερόντως ἀγαθὸν ἄνδρα τὰ πολεμικά , τὸν δὲ Μενέλεων ‘ " μαλθακὸν αἰχμητήν " Hom . Il . 17 . 587 , ’ θυσίαν ποιουμένου καὶ ἑστιῶντος τοῦ Ἀγαμέμνονος ἄκλητον ἐποίησεν ἐλθόντα τὸν Μενέλεων ἐπὶ τὴν θοίνην , χείρω ὄντα ἐπὶ τὴν τοῦ ἀμείνονος .
ταῦτ᾽ ἀκούσας εἰπεῖν ἔφη ἴσως μέντοι κινδυνεύσω καὶ ἐγὼ οὐχ ὡς σὺ λέγεις , ὦ Σώκρατες , ἀλλὰ καθ᾽ Ὅμηρον φαῦλος ὢν ἐπὶ σοφοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἰέναι θοίνην ἄκλητος . ὅρα οὖν ἄγων με τί ἀπολογήσῃ , ὡς ἐγὼ μὲν οὐχ ὁμολογήσω ἄκλητος ἥκειν , ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὸ σοῦ κεκλημένος .
‘σύν τε δύ᾽ , ’ ἔφη , ‘ἐρχομένω πρὸ ὁδοῦ’ βουλευσόμεθα ὅτι ἐροῦμεν . ἀλλ᾽ ἴωμεν .

τοιαῦτ᾽ ἄττα σφᾶς ἔφη διαλεχθέντας ἰέναι . τὸν οὖν Σωκράτη ἑαυτῷ πως προσέχοντα τὸν νοῦν κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν πορεύεσθαι ὑπολειπόμενον , καὶ περιμένοντος οὗ κελεύειν προϊέναι εἰς τὸ πρόσθεν . ἐπειδὴ δὲ γενέσθαι ἐπὶ τῇ οἰκίᾳ τῇ Ἀγάθωνος , ἀνεῳγμένην καταλαμβάνειν τὴν θύραν , καί τι ἔφη αὐτόθι γελοῖον παθεῖν . οἷ μὲν γὰρ εὐθὺς παῖδά τινα τῶν ἔνδοθεν ἀπαντήσαντα ἄγειν οὗ κατέκειντο οἱ ἄλλοι , καὶ καταλαμβάνειν ἤδη μέλλοντας δειπνεῖν : εὐθὺς δ᾽ οὖν ὡς ἰδεῖν τὸν Ἀγάθωνα , ὦ , φάναι , Ἀριστόδημε , εἰς καλὸν ἥκεις ὅπως συνδειπνήσῃς : εἰ δ᾽ ἄλλου τινὸς ἕνεκα ἦλθες , εἰς αὖθις ἀναβαλοῦ , ὡς καὶ χθὲς ζητῶν σε ἵνα καλέσαιμι , οὐχ οἷός τ᾽ ἦ ἰδεῖν . ἀλλὰ Σωκράτη ἡμῖν πῶς οὐκ ἄγεις ;
καὶ ἐγώ , ἔφη , μεταστρεφόμενος οὐδαμοῦ ὁρῶ Σωκράτη ἑπόμενον : εἶπον οὖν ὅτι καὶ αὐτὸς μετὰ Σωκράτους ἥκοιμι , κληθεὶς ὑπ᾽ ἐκείνου δεῦρ᾽ ἐπὶ δεῖπνον .
καλῶς γ᾽ , ἔφη , ποιῶν σύ : ἀλλὰ ποῦ ἔστιν οὗτος ;

For he said that he had come upon Socrates having bathed and wearing sandals , which he rarely did . And he asked him where he was going thus finely adorned . And Socrates replied that he was going to dinner at Agathon’s , for yesterday he had escaped the victory celebration , fearing the crowd . But he had agreed to be present today . " So for this reason I have adorned myself , in order that I may go as a handsome man to a handsome one . But you , " he said , " how are you inclined to going uninvited to dinner ? " And I , he said , told him that I would go however he might bid me . " Then follow , " he said , " in order that we may also corrupt the proverb by changing it , so that it is said ‘to Agathon’s , good men go unbidden to feasts . ’ For Homer seems not only to corrupt but also to insult this proverb . For though he made Agamemnon exceptionally good in war , and Menelaus ‘an unwarlike spearman , ’ when Agamemnon was making sacrifice and feasting , he made Menelaus , though worse , come unbidden to the feast . Hearing this , I said perhaps indeed I too will risk , not as you say , Socrates , but according to Homer , worthless , going uninvited to a wise man ' s feast . See then , bringing me along , what defense you will make , that I at any rate will not admit to coming uninvited , but at your invitation . " " ‘When two go together , ’ " he said , " ‘before the journey they take counsel’ as to what we shall say . But let us go . "
Such things , he said , they discussed as they went . Now Socrates was paying attention to himself in some way as they went along the road , lagging behind , and as he waited , bidding him go on before . And when they arrived at Agathon’s house , he found the door open , and said that he suffered some ridiculous experience there . For immediately a certain slave from within met them and led him off to where the others reclined , and he found them just about to dine . And straightway when Agathon saw him , he said " Aristodemus , you’ve come just in time to join our dinner . But if you’ve come for any other reason , put it off to another time , since I was looking for you yesterday so I could invite you , but wasn’t able to find you . But how is it you haven’t brought Socrates ? " And I , turning around , didn’t see Socrates following anywhere . So I said that I too had come with Socrates , having been invited by him to dinner here . " Well done in coming yourself , " he said . " But where is he ? "

Socrates said that he happened upon Agathon bathed and wearing sandals , things he rarely did . Socrates asked him where he was going , looking so handsome . Agathon replied that he was invited to dinner .
Socrates then asked if he could join , and Agathon agreed , saying that Socrates should come if he wished . Agathon also mentioned that he had avoided the victory celebration the day before , fearing the crowd , but today he had decided to attend . Agathon had beautified himself so that beauty could join beauty . Socrates then asked Agathon about going uninvited to a dinner party , and Agathon replied that he would go if Socrates ordered him to do so . Socrates said , " Let us go , then , and , in changing the proverb , let us spoil it , so that it may say , ' The good spontaneously go to Agathon ' s feasts . ' " Socrates also mentioned that Homer not only risks spoiling the proverb but also risks offending it . For instance , Homer , by making Agamemnon exceptionally good in war and Menelaus " a soft spearman , " depicts Menelaus coming uninvited to Agamemnon ' s feast , showing the inferior attending the better .
Upon hearing this , Agathon said that he might take the risk and go uninvited , but not in the way Socrates described . He would go as someone invited by a wise man , not as an uninvited guest . Agathon asked Socrates what defense he would offer if questioned , and Socrates replied that he would deny being uninvited but claim to be called by Agathon .
Socrates suggested , " Let the two of us consult as we go along the way , " and they set off .
After their conversation , Socrates , absorbed in his thoughts , lagged behind on the road , waiting for Agathon to indicate when he should move forward . When they reached Agathon ' s house , Socrates , finding the door open , entered and found something amusing there .
As some of Agathon ' s friends promptly led a boy from inside to where the others were reclining , preparing to dine , and were about to take their places , Agathon exclaimed , " Aristodemus , my friend , you ' ve come at a good time to join our feast . But if you ' ve come for some other reason , come back later , as I wasn ' t able to see you yesterday when I sought you out to invite you . But why don ' t you bring Socrates with you ? "
Agathon , turning around , said , " Nowhere do I see Socrates following us . " So I said that I , too , had come with Socrates , having been called by him to dinner .
Agathon approved and said , " You ' re doing well . But where is he ? "