1. Castor and Polydeuces (Pollux), sons of Zeus by Leda. They were immortal on alternate days.

2. Son of Tros or some other Trojan prince; he became cup-bearer to the gods and Zeus’ catamite.

3. The fragments do not occur in extant Homeric poems. Socrates derives Ganymede’s name from ganusthai (to be glad) and medea (counsels).

4. Socrates turns to address Niceratus now because of his professed expertise in Homer (pp. 236–7, 239–41).

5. See Homer, Iliad, 16–24.

6. Orestes, son of Agamemnon, was proverbially close to his friend Pylades, who helped him in his revenge against Clytemnestra; Pirithous fought with Theseus against the centaurs and together they braved Hades.