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The excerpt represents the core issue or deciding factor on which you must meditate, and is drawn from Phaedrus by Plato: is beholding himself, but he is not aware of this. When he is with the
lover, both cease from their pain, but when he is away then he longs as he
is longed for, and has love's image, love for love (Anteros) lodging in his
breast, which he calls and believes to be not love but friendship only, and
his desire is as the desire of the other, but weaker; he wants to see him,
touch him, kiss him, embrace him, and probably not long afterwards his
desire is accomplished. When they meet, the wanton steed of the lover has
a word to say to the charioteer; he would like to have a little pleasure in
return for many pains, but the wanton steed of the beloved says not a word,
for he is bursting with passion which he understands not;--he throws his
arms round the lover and embraces him as his dearest friend; and, when they
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