Phaedrus is now bidden to convey to Lysias the purport of the late argument: the writer of speeches, the poet and the lawgiver, if their writing conforms to the conditions developed in the last section, deserve a different name: the name of philosopher. But Socrates agrees that there is a message for his own young friend Isocrates too; this takes the form half of prophecy, half of hope, that he may use his considerable gifts for higher purposes than ordinary rhetoric.

The dialogue ends with Socrates uttering a short prayer, in which Phaedrus joins, for inward goodness, for spiritual riches together with such material wealth, but only such, as befits the wise and temperate.

Soc. Then we may regard our literary pastime as having reached a satisfactory conclusion. Do you now go and tell Lysias that we two went down to the stream where is the holy place of the Nymphs, and there listened to words which charged us to deliver a message, first to Lysias and all other composers of discourses, secondly to Homer and all others who have written poetry whether to be read or sung, and thirdly to Solon and all such as are authors of political compositions under the name of laws: to wit, that if any of them has done his work with a knowledge of the truth, can defend his statements when challenged, and can demonstrate the inferiority of his writings out of his own mouth, he ought not to be designated by a name drawn from those writings, but by one that indicates his serious pursuit.

The speech, the purport of which has already been announced, consists mainly in adducing a large number of prudential considerations. In every way it will be to a boy's good—to his material advantage, his security, his good repute, and even his moral improvement—to yield not to a lover, that is to one who feels genuine passion for him, but to one who is moved by physical desire and nothing else. The lover's passion is a malady, precluding him from all self-restraint, and no permanent satisfaction can be expected from him. Moreover, there is a far wider field of choice from amongst non-lovers, though it is of course not all such that should be favoured.

You know how I am situated, and I have told you that I think it to our advantage that this should happen. Now I claim that I should not be refused what I ask simply because I am not your, lover. Lovers, when their craving is at an end, repent of such benefits as they have conferred: but for the other sort no occasion arises for regretting what has passed; for being free agents under no constraint, they regulate their services by the scale of their means, with an eye to their own personal interest.