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Erik Satie composed “Socrate” (1918) for one or more voices and small orchestra or piano. His text was from a French translation by Victor Cousin of Plato’s dialogues on the life and death of Socrates.
Cage arranged the first movement for two pianos in 1947, the 2nd and 3rd movements in 1967. Cage writes in the introduction to the score:
“I love all of Satie’s music and the music of “Socrate” especially. It seems to me that even though the words he chose are profoundly meaningful and touching, like the delightful and poetic remarks included in his other short pieces, all of which in performances Satie suppressed, the texts of Socrate may be omitted, bring about, as I hope to show in this arrangement, an enjoyment of the music alone, the beauty of which is so constantly clear and extraordinary.”
lyrics
English translation of the text by Victor Cousin of Plato’s dialogues on the life and death of Socrates, from Plato's "Symposium", 215a-e, 222e
From Phaedrus, 229a-230c
Socrates:
"Let us turn aside and go by the Ilissus; we will sit down at some quiet spot."
Phaedrus"
"I am fortunate in not having my sandals, and as you never have any, I think that we may go along the brook and cool our feet in the water; this will be the easiest way, and at midday and in the summer is far from being unpleasant."
Socrates:
"Lead on, and look out for a place in which we can sit down."
Phaedrus:
"Do you see the tallest plane-tree in the distance?"
Socrates:
"Yes."
Phaedrus:
"There are shade and gentle breezes, and grass on which we may either sit or lie down."
Socrates:
"Move forward."
Phaedrus:
"I should like to know, Socrates, whether the place is not somewhere here at which Boreas is said to have carried off Orithyia from the banks of the Ilissus?"
Socrates:
"Such is the tradition."
Phaedrus:
"And is this the exact spot? The little stream is delightfully clear and bright; I can fancy that there might be maidens playing near."
Socrates:
"I believe that the spot is not exactly here, but about a quarter of a mile lower down, where you cross to the temple of Artemis, and there is, I think, some sort of an altar of Boreas at the place."
Phaedrus:
"I have never noticed it; but I beseech you to tell me, Socrates, do you believe this tale?"
Socrates:
"The wise are doubtful, and I should not be singular if, like them, I too doubted. I might have a rational explanation that Orithyia was playing with Pharmacia, when a northern gust carried her over the neighbouring rocks; and this being the manner of her death, she was said to have been carried away by Boreas. ...according to another version of the story she was taken from Areopagus, and not from this place. ...But let me ask you, friend: have we not reached the plane-tree to which you were conducting us?"
Phaedrus:
"Yes, this is the tree."
Socrates:
"By Here, a fair resting-place, full of summer sounds and scents. Here is this lofty and spreading plane-tree, and the agnus castus high and clustering, in the fullest blossom and the greatest fragrance; and the stream which flows beneath the plane-tree is deliciously cold to the feet. Judging from the ornaments and images, this must be a spot sacred to Achelous and the Nymphs. How delightful is the breeze:--so very sweet; and there is a sound in the air shrill and summerlike which makes answer to the chorus of the cicadae. But the greatest charm of all is the grass, like a pillow gently sloping to the head. My dear Phaedrus, you have been an admirable guide."
