R. G. Bury, The Symposium of Plato

ἐφεξῆς τε καὶ ὀρθῶς. “In correct and orderly succession”; see 211 B ad fin. τοῦτο γὰρ δή ἐστι τὸ ὀρθῶς...ἰέναι κτλ., and 210 A where the right order of procedure (πρῶτον...ἔπειτα, etc.) is specially emphasized.

πρὸς τέλος ἤδη ἰὼν . “πρὸς τέλος ἰέναι dicebantur ii, qui superatis gradibus tandem ad spectanda arcana admittebantur” (Hommel). Cp. the use of τέλεα in 210 A, τέλεον 204 C, τέλος 205 A.

ἐξαίφνης. “On a sudden”: this suggests the final stage in the mysteryrites, when out of darkness there blazed forth suddenly the mystical φέγγος, and ἐν αὐγῇ καθαρᾷ the φάσματα (Phaedrus 250 C) or ἱερὰ μυστικά—consisting probably of images of Demeter, Iacchus and Persephone, and other sacred emblems—were displayed to the awe-struck worshipper (μακαρία ὄψις τε καὶ θέα). Cp. Plotin. Enn. 43. 17 ὅταν ἡ ψυχὴ ἐξαίφνης φῶς λάβῃ κτλ.; Plato Ep. vii. 341 C ἐξαίφνης, οἷον ἀπὸ πυρὸς πηδήσαντος ἐξαφθὲν φῶς, ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ γενόμενον (sc. the highest μάθημα). See further Rohde, Psyche II. 284.

κατόψεται. Cp. 210 D above, and Phaedrus 247 D (καθορᾷ μὲν αὐτὴν δικαιοσύνην κτλ.), which suggest that καθορᾶν was a vox propria for viewing ritual displays.

θαυμαστὸν...καλόν. Similarly Phaedrus 250 B κάλλος δὲ τότ᾽ ἦν ἰδεῖν λαμπρόν. For θαυμαστόν cp. 219 B: it often connotes the supernatural, e.g. Rep. 398 A προσκυνοῖμεν ἂν αὐτὸν ὡς ἱερὸν καὶ θ. καὶ ἡδύν.

οὗ δὴ ἕνεκεν κτλ. “The goal to which all our efforts have been directed”: cp. 210 A; Phaedrus 248 B οὗ δ᾽ ἕνεχ᾽ ἡ πολλὴ σπουδὴ κτλ. See the parallel in Plotin. de pulcr. 42 C, D (Cr.).