§3 ‘Born Greek’

Hemsterhuis’ and Gallitzin’s friendship was consecrated in 1775 in shared commitment to the Socratic ideal. Both could claim with equal legitimacy and ‘in semi-religious ecstasy’ (Brachin 1952: 30) that Socrates was ‘my first love on this earth’ (Gallitzin, quoted in Brachin 1952: 242). And their friendship blossomed during the late 1770s through a close, collaborative reading of Plato’s Symposium, ‘the most beautiful piece that ever came out of man’s head’ (B 2.52, 143). One of the many offspring of this collaboration was, moreover, a French translation of the Symposium completed by Hemsterhuis. This translation work set in motion the following train of thought:

For many readers of Hemsterhuis – especially German readers from the late eighteenth century – the defining feature of his philosophy was its philhellenism: in Hemsterhuis’ own words, ‘I feel the Greeks marvellously’ (B 4.11, 38). Not only does he surpass most of his contemporaries in his knowledge of the primary Greek texts, but he is always happy to show off this erudition.