R. G. Bury, The Symposium of Plato

ἐξαίφνης δὲ κτλ. Cp. the “sudden” tumultuous entrance of Alcibiades (212 C καὶ ἐξαίφνης κτλ.). The incursion here is devised in order to save the situation. For the sake of artistic effect, the series of λόγοι must now stop: the climax having been reached in the encomium of Socr. by Alcib., to add a eulogy of any lesser personage would be bathos.

ἐξιόντος τινὸς κτλ. Hommel comments: “imaginem proponit comissatorum contra nitente eo, qui iam exiturus erat, aditum vi expugnantium.” But, as Rettig remarks, there is no hint in the text of vis or of nisus. The words ἐξιόντος τινὸς are merely put in to explain how it was that they found the doors open. εἰς τὸ ἄντικρυς is connected by Hommel and Stallb.^{2} with ἐξιόντος, but by Rückert, Ast and Stallb.^{1} with πορεύεσθαι: the former view is preferable.

Ἐρυξίμαχον. Eryx. and Phaedrus are represented throughout as “hunting in couples”; and it is characteristic of the former, as an authority on health, and of the latter, as a valetudinarian, that they should be the first to escape from the scene of θόρυβος and παμπολὺς οἶνος: cp. 176 B ff., 214 A ff.