Oh Plato! Plato! you have paved the way,
With your confounded fantasies, to more
Immoral conduct by the fancied sway
Your system feigns o'er the controlless core
Of human hearts, than all the long array
Of poets and romancers:–You're a bore,
A charlatan, a coxcomb–and have been,
At best, no better than a go-between. And Julia's voice was lost, except in sighs,
Until too late for useful conversation;
The tears were gushing from her gentle eyes,
I wish, indeed, they had not had occasion;
But who, alas! can love, and then be wise?
Not that remorse did not oppose temptation;
A little still she strove, and much repented,
And whispering "I will ne'er consent"–consented.

In this passage from "Don Juan," Byron critiques Plato's idealism, blaming it for fostering unrealistic fantasies about love that lead to moral lapses. The invocation "Oh Plato! Plato!" suggests exasperation with philosophical ideals that clash with human desires. By accusing Plato's "confounded fantasies" of promoting "immoral conduct," Byron humorously suggests that the philosopher's idealism has wrought more havoc than romantic poets and novelists combined.

As Julia succumbs to her emotions, Byron captures the inner conflict between reason and passion. Her struggle is expressed in her shifting resolve, epitomizing the age-old tension between love and wisdom. The poignant line "But who, alas! can love, and then be wise?" encapsulates the theme of love's power to override reason. Julia’s ultimate capitulation is rendered with both irony and empathy, highlighting the human condition's vulnerability to desire despite earnest intentions.