Alcibiades 1 119a-121a
Lover of Sophia /
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Ἑλληνική Transliterate
English
urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0059.tlg013.perseus-grc2:119-121
urn:cts:greekLit:tlg0059.tlg013.perseus-eng2:119-121
119
119a
ΣΩ . ἀλλὰ τῶν ἄλλων Ἀθηναίων ἢ τῶν ξένων δοῦλον ἢ ἐλεύθερον εἰπὲ ὅστις αἰτίαν ἔχει διὰ τὴν Περικλέους συνουσίαν σοφώτερος γεγονέναι , ὥσπερ ἐγὼ ἔχω σοι εἰπεῖν διὰ τὴν Ζήνωνος Πυθόδωρον τὸν Ἰσολόχου καὶ Καλλίαν τὸν Καλλιάδου , ὧν ἑκάτερος Ζήνωνι ἑκατὸν μνᾶς τελέσας σοφός τε καὶ ἐλλόγιμος γέγονεν .
ΑΛ . ἀλλὰ μὰ Δίʼ οὐκ ἔχω .
ΣΩ . εἶεν · τί οὖν διανοῇ περὶ σαυτοῦ ; πότερον ἐᾶν ὡς νῦν ἔχεις , ἢ ἐπιμέλειάν τινα ποιεῖσθαι ;
119b
ΑΛ . κοινὴ βουλή , ὦ Σώκρατες . καίτοι ἐννοῶ σου εἰπόντος καὶ συγχωρῶ · δοκοῦσι γάρ μοι οἱ τὰ τῆς πόλεως πράττοντες ἐκτὸς ὀλίγων ἀπαίδευτοι εἶναι .
ΣΩ . εἶτα τί δὴ τοῦτο ;
ΑΛ . εἰ μέν που ἦσαν πεπαιδευμένοι , ἔδει ἂν τὸν ἐπιχειροῦντα αὐτοῖς ἀνταγωνίζεσθαι μαθόντα καὶ ἀσκήσαντα ἰέναι ὡς ἐπʼ ἀθλητάς · νῦν δʼ ἐπειδὴ καὶ οὗτοι ἰδιωτικῶς ἔχοντες ἐληλύθασιν ἐπὶ τὰ τῆς πόλεως , τί δεῖ ἀσκεῖν καὶ μανθάνοντα πράγματα ἔχειν ; ἐγὼ γὰρ εὖ οἶδʼ ὅτι τούτων
119c
τῇ γε φύσει πάνυ πολὺ περιέσομαι .
ΣΩ . βαβαῖ , οἷον , ὦ ἄριστε , τοῦτʼ εἴρηκας · ὡς ἀνάξιον τῆς ἰδέας καὶ τῶν ἄλλων τῶν σοι ὑπαρχόντων .
ΑΛ . τί μάλιστα καὶ πρὸς τί τοῦτο λέγεις , ὦ Σώκρατες ;
ΣΩ . ἀγανακτῶ ὑπέρ τε σοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἐμαυτοῦ ἔρωτος .
ΑΛ . τί δή ;
ΣΩ . εἰ ἠξίωσας τὸν ἀγῶνά σοι εἶναι πρὸς τοὺς ἐνθάδε ἀνθρώπους .
ΑΛ . ἀλλὰ πρὸς τίνας μήν ;
119d
ΣΩ . ἄξιον τοῦτό γε καὶ ἐρέσθαι ἄνδρα οἰόμενον μεγαλόφρονα εἶναι .
ΑΛ . πῶς λέγεις ; οὐ πρὸς τούτους μοι ὁ ἀγών ;
ΣΩ . ἀλλὰ κἂν εἰ τριήρη διενοοῦ κυβερνᾶν μέλλουσαν ναυμαχεῖν , ἤρκει ἄν σοι τῶν συνναυτῶν βελτίστῳ εἶναι τὰ κυβερνητικά , ἢ ταῦτα μὲν ᾤου ἂν δεῖν ὑπάρχειν , ἀπέβλεπες δʼ ἂν εἰς τοὺς ὡς ἀληθῶς ἀνταγωνιστάς , ἀλλʼ οὐχ ὡς νῦν εἰς τοὺς συναγωνιστάς ; ὧν δήπου περιγενέσθαι σε δεῖ τοσοῦτον
119e
ὥστε μὴ ἀξιοῦν ἀνταγωνίζεσθαι , ἀλλὰ καταφρονηθέντας συναγωνίζεσθαί σοι πρὸς τοὺς πολεμίους , εἰ δὴ τῷ ὄντι γε καλόν τι ἔργον ἀποδείξασθαι διανοῇ καὶ ἄξιον σαυτοῦ τε καὶ τῆς πόλεως .
ΑΛ . ἀλλὰ μὲν δὴ διανοοῦμαί γε .
ΣΩ . πάνυ σοι ἄρα ἄξιον ἀγαπᾶν εἰ τῶν στρατιωτῶν βελτίων εἶ , ἀλλʼ οὐ πρὸς τοὺς τῶν ἀντιπάλων ἡγεμόνας ἀποβλέπειν εἴ ποτε ἐκείνων βελτίων γέγονας , σκοποῦντα καὶ ἀσκοῦντα πρὸς ἐκείνους .
120
120a
ΑΛ . λέγεις δὲ τίνας τούτους , ὦ Σώκρατες ;
ΣΩ . οὐκ οἶσθα ἡμῶν τὴν πόλιν Λακεδαιμονίοις τε καὶ τῷ μεγάλῳ βασιλεῖ πολεμοῦσαν ἑκάστοτε ;
ΑΛ . ἀληθῆ λέγεις .
ΣΩ . οὐκοῦν εἴπερ ἐν νῷ ἔχεις ἡγεμὼν εἶναι τῆσδε τῆς πόλεως , πρὸς τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίων βασιλέας καὶ τοὺς Περσῶν τὸν ἀγῶνα ἡγούμενός σοι εἶναι ὀρθῶς ἂν ἡγοῖο ;
ΑΛ . κινδυνεύεις ἀληθῆ λέγειν .
ΣΩ . οὔκ , ὠγαθέ , ἀλλὰ πρὸς Μειδίαν σε δεῖ τὸν ὀρτυγοκόπον
120b
ἀποβλέπειν καὶ ἄλλους τοιούτους—οἳ τὰ τῆς πόλεως πράττειν ἐπιχειροῦσιν , ἔτι τὴν ἀνδραποδώδη , φαῖεν ἂν αἱ γυναῖκες , τρίχα ἔχοντες ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ ὑπʼ ἀμουσίας καὶ οὔπω ἀποβεβληκότες , ἔτι δὲ βαρβαρίζοντες ἐληλύθασι κολακεύσοντες τὴν πόλιν ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἄρξοντες—πρὸς τούτους σε δεῖ , οὕσπερ λέγω , βλέποντα σαυτοῦ δὴ ἀμελεῖν , καὶ μήτε μανθάνειν ὅσα μαθήσεως ἔχεται , μέλλοντα τοσοῦτον ἀγῶνα ἀγωνίζεσθαι , μήτε ἀσκεῖν ὅσα δεῖται ἀσκήσεως ,
120c
καὶ πᾶσαν παρασκευὴν παρεσκευασμένον οὕτως ἰέναι ἐπὶ τὰ τῆς πόλεως .
ΑΛ . ἀλλʼ , ὦ Σώκρατες , δοκεῖς μέν μοι ἀληθῆ λέγειν , οἶμαι μέντοι τούς τε Λακεδαιμονίων στρατηγοὺς καὶ τὸν Περσῶν βασιλέα οὐδὲν διαφέρειν τῶν ἄλλων .
ΣΩ . ἀλλʼ , ὦ ἄριστε , τὴν οἴησιν ταύτην σκόπει οἵαν ἔχεις .
ΑΛ . τοῦ πέρι ;
ΣΩ . πρῶτον μὲν ποτέρως ἂν οἴει σαυτοῦ μᾶλλον ἐπιμεληθῆναι ,
120d
φοβούμενός τε καὶ οἰόμενος δεινοὺς αὐτοὺς εἶναι , ἢ μή ;
ΑΛ . δῆλον ὅτι εἰ δεινοὺς οἰοίμην .
ΣΩ . μῶν οὖν οἴει τι βλαβήσεσθαι ἐπιμεληθεὶς σαυτοῦ ;
ΑΛ . οὐδαμῶς , ἀλλὰ καὶ μεγάλα ὀνήσεσθαι .
ΣΩ . οὐκοῦν ἓν μὲν τοῦτο τοσοῦτον κακὸν ἔχει ἡ οἴησις αὕτη .
ΑΛ . ἀληθῆ λέγεις .
ΣΩ . τὸ δεύτερον τοίνυν , ὅτι καὶ ψευδής ἐστιν , ἐκ τῶν εἰκότων σκέψαι .
ΑΛ . πῶς δή ;
ΣΩ . πότερον εἰκὸς ἀμείνους γίγνεσθαι φύσεις ἐν γενναίοις
120e
γένεσιν ἢ μή ;
ΑΛ . δῆλον ὅτι ἐν τοῖς γενναίοις .
ΣΩ . οὐκοῦν τοὺς εὖ φύντας , ἐὰν καὶ εὖ τραφῶσιν , οὕτω τελέους γίγνεσθαι πρὸς ἀρετήν ;
ΑΛ . ἀνάγκη .
ΣΩ . σκεψώμεθα δή , τοῖς ἐκείνων τὰ ἡμέτερα ἀντιτιθέντες , πρῶτον μὲν εἰ δοκοῦσι φαυλοτέρων γενῶν εἶναι οἱ Λακεδαιμονίων καὶ Περσῶν βασιλῆς . ἢ οὐκ ἴσμεν ὡς οἱ μὲν Ἡρακλέους , οἱ δὲ Ἀχαιμένους ἔκγονοι , τὸ δʼ Ἡρακλέους τε γένος καὶ τὸ Ἀχαιμένους εἰς Περσέα τὸν Διὸς ἀναφέρεται ;
121
121a
ΑΛ . καὶ γὰρ τὸ ἡμέτερον , ὦ Σώκρατες , εἰς Εὐρυσάκη , τὸ δʼ Εὐρυσάκους εἰς Δία .
119a
ΣΩ . ἀλλὰ τῶν ἄλλων Ἀθηναίων ἢ τῶν ξένων δοῦλον ἢ ἐλεύθερον εἰπὲ ὅστις αἰτίαν ἔχει διὰ τὴν Περικλέους συνουσίαν σοφώτερος γεγονέναι , ὥσπερ ἐγὼ ἔχω σοι εἰπεῖν διὰ τὴν Ζήνωνος Πυθόδωρον τὸν Ἰσολόχου καὶ Καλλίαν τὸν Καλλιάδου , ὧν ἑκάτερος Ζήνωνι ἑκατὸν μνᾶς τελέσας σοφός τε καὶ ἐλλόγιμος γέγονεν .
ΑΛ . ἀλλὰ μὰ Δίʼ οὐκ ἔχω .
ΣΩ . εἶεν · τί οὖν διανοῇ περὶ σαυτοῦ ; πότερον ἐᾶν ὡς νῦν ἔχεις , ἢ ἐπιμέλειάν τινα ποιεῖσθαι ;
119b
ΑΛ . κοινὴ βουλή , ὦ Σώκρατες . καίτοι ἐννοῶ σου εἰπόντος καὶ συγχωρῶ · δοκοῦσι γάρ μοι οἱ τὰ τῆς πόλεως πράττοντες ἐκτὸς ὀλίγων ἀπαίδευτοι εἶναι .
ΣΩ . εἶτα τί δὴ τοῦτο ;
ΑΛ . εἰ μέν που ἦσαν πεπαιδευμένοι , ἔδει ἂν τὸν ἐπιχειροῦντα αὐτοῖς ἀνταγωνίζεσθαι μαθόντα καὶ ἀσκήσαντα ἰέναι ὡς ἐπʼ ἀθλητάς · νῦν δʼ ἐπειδὴ καὶ οὗτοι ἰδιωτικῶς ἔχοντες ἐληλύθασιν ἐπὶ τὰ τῆς πόλεως , τί δεῖ ἀσκεῖν καὶ μανθάνοντα πράγματα ἔχειν ; ἐγὼ γὰρ εὖ οἶδʼ ὅτι τούτων
119c
τῇ γε φύσει πάνυ πολὺ περιέσομαι .
ΣΩ . βαβαῖ , οἷον , ὦ ἄριστε , τοῦτʼ εἴρηκας · ὡς ἀνάξιον τῆς ἰδέας καὶ τῶν ἄλλων τῶν σοι ὑπαρχόντων .
ΑΛ . τί μάλιστα καὶ πρὸς τί τοῦτο λέγεις , ὦ Σώκρατες ;
ΣΩ . ἀγανακτῶ ὑπέρ τε σοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἐμαυτοῦ ἔρωτος .
ΑΛ . τί δή ;
ΣΩ . εἰ ἠξίωσας τὸν ἀγῶνά σοι εἶναι πρὸς τοὺς ἐνθάδε ἀνθρώπους .
ΑΛ . ἀλλὰ πρὸς τίνας μήν ;
119d
ΣΩ . ἄξιον τοῦτό γε καὶ ἐρέσθαι ἄνδρα οἰόμενον μεγαλόφρονα εἶναι .
ΑΛ . πῶς λέγεις ; οὐ πρὸς τούτους μοι ὁ ἀγών ;
ΣΩ . ἀλλὰ κἂν εἰ τριήρη διενοοῦ κυβερνᾶν μέλλουσαν ναυμαχεῖν , ἤρκει ἄν σοι τῶν συνναυτῶν βελτίστῳ εἶναι τὰ κυβερνητικά , ἢ ταῦτα μὲν ᾤου ἂν δεῖν ὑπάρχειν , ἀπέβλεπες δʼ ἂν εἰς τοὺς ὡς ἀληθῶς ἀνταγωνιστάς , ἀλλʼ οὐχ ὡς νῦν εἰς τοὺς συναγωνιστάς ; ὧν δήπου περιγενέσθαι σε δεῖ τοσοῦτον
119e
ὥστε μὴ ἀξιοῦν ἀνταγωνίζεσθαι , ἀλλὰ καταφρονηθέντας συναγωνίζεσθαί σοι πρὸς τοὺς πολεμίους , εἰ δὴ τῷ ὄντι γε καλόν τι ἔργον ἀποδείξασθαι διανοῇ καὶ ἄξιον σαυτοῦ τε καὶ τῆς πόλεως .
ΑΛ . ἀλλὰ μὲν δὴ διανοοῦμαί γε .
ΣΩ . πάνυ σοι ἄρα ἄξιον ἀγαπᾶν εἰ τῶν στρατιωτῶν βελτίων εἶ , ἀλλʼ οὐ πρὸς τοὺς τῶν ἀντιπάλων ἡγεμόνας ἀποβλέπειν εἴ ποτε ἐκείνων βελτίων γέγονας , σκοποῦντα καὶ ἀσκοῦντα πρὸς ἐκείνους .
120
120a
ΑΛ . λέγεις δὲ τίνας τούτους , ὦ Σώκρατες ;
ΣΩ . οὐκ οἶσθα ἡμῶν τὴν πόλιν Λακεδαιμονίοις τε καὶ τῷ μεγάλῳ βασιλεῖ πολεμοῦσαν ἑκάστοτε ;
ΑΛ . ἀληθῆ λέγεις .
ΣΩ . οὐκοῦν εἴπερ ἐν νῷ ἔχεις ἡγεμὼν εἶναι τῆσδε τῆς πόλεως , πρὸς τοὺς Λακεδαιμονίων βασιλέας καὶ τοὺς Περσῶν τὸν ἀγῶνα ἡγούμενός σοι εἶναι ὀρθῶς ἂν ἡγοῖο ;
ΑΛ . κινδυνεύεις ἀληθῆ λέγειν .
ΣΩ . οὔκ , ὠγαθέ , ἀλλὰ πρὸς Μειδίαν σε δεῖ τὸν ὀρτυγοκόπον
120b
ἀποβλέπειν καὶ ἄλλους τοιούτους—οἳ τὰ τῆς πόλεως πράττειν ἐπιχειροῦσιν , ἔτι τὴν ἀνδραποδώδη , φαῖεν ἂν αἱ γυναῖκες , τρίχα ἔχοντες ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ ὑπʼ ἀμουσίας καὶ οὔπω ἀποβεβληκότες , ἔτι δὲ βαρβαρίζοντες ἐληλύθασι κολακεύσοντες τὴν πόλιν ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἄρξοντες—πρὸς τούτους σε δεῖ , οὕσπερ λέγω , βλέποντα σαυτοῦ δὴ ἀμελεῖν , καὶ μήτε μανθάνειν ὅσα μαθήσεως ἔχεται , μέλλοντα τοσοῦτον ἀγῶνα ἀγωνίζεσθαι , μήτε ἀσκεῖν ὅσα δεῖται ἀσκήσεως ,
120c
καὶ πᾶσαν παρασκευὴν παρεσκευασμένον οὕτως ἰέναι ἐπὶ τὰ τῆς πόλεως .
ΑΛ . ἀλλʼ , ὦ Σώκρατες , δοκεῖς μέν μοι ἀληθῆ λέγειν , οἶμαι μέντοι τούς τε Λακεδαιμονίων στρατηγοὺς καὶ τὸν Περσῶν βασιλέα οὐδὲν διαφέρειν τῶν ἄλλων .
ΣΩ . ἀλλʼ , ὦ ἄριστε , τὴν οἴησιν ταύτην σκόπει οἵαν ἔχεις .
ΑΛ . τοῦ πέρι ;
ΣΩ . πρῶτον μὲν ποτέρως ἂν οἴει σαυτοῦ μᾶλλον ἐπιμεληθῆναι ,
120d
φοβούμενός τε καὶ οἰόμενος δεινοὺς αὐτοὺς εἶναι , ἢ μή ;
ΑΛ . δῆλον ὅτι εἰ δεινοὺς οἰοίμην .
ΣΩ . μῶν οὖν οἴει τι βλαβήσεσθαι ἐπιμεληθεὶς σαυτοῦ ;
ΑΛ . οὐδαμῶς , ἀλλὰ καὶ μεγάλα ὀνήσεσθαι .
ΣΩ . οὐκοῦν ἓν μὲν τοῦτο τοσοῦτον κακὸν ἔχει ἡ οἴησις αὕτη .
ΑΛ . ἀληθῆ λέγεις .
ΣΩ . τὸ δεύτερον τοίνυν , ὅτι καὶ ψευδής ἐστιν , ἐκ τῶν εἰκότων σκέψαι .
ΑΛ . πῶς δή ;
ΣΩ . πότερον εἰκὸς ἀμείνους γίγνεσθαι φύσεις ἐν γενναίοις
120e
γένεσιν ἢ μή ;
ΑΛ . δῆλον ὅτι ἐν τοῖς γενναίοις .
ΣΩ . οὐκοῦν τοὺς εὖ φύντας , ἐὰν καὶ εὖ τραφῶσιν , οὕτω τελέους γίγνεσθαι πρὸς ἀρετήν ;
ΑΛ . ἀνάγκη .
ΣΩ . σκεψώμεθα δή , τοῖς ἐκείνων τὰ ἡμέτερα ἀντιτιθέντες , πρῶτον μὲν εἰ δοκοῦσι φαυλοτέρων γενῶν εἶναι οἱ Λακεδαιμονίων καὶ Περσῶν βασιλῆς . ἢ οὐκ ἴσμεν ὡς οἱ μὲν Ἡρακλέους , οἱ δὲ Ἀχαιμένους ἔκγονοι , τὸ δʼ Ἡρακλέους τε γένος καὶ τὸ Ἀχαιμένους εἰς Περσέα τὸν Διὸς ἀναφέρεται ;
121
121a
ΑΛ . καὶ γὰρ τὸ ἡμέτερον , ὦ Σώκρατες , εἰς Εὐρυσάκη , τὸ δʼ Εὐρυσάκους εἰς Δία .
119
119a
Soc . But tell me of any other Athenian or foreigner , slave or freeman , who is accounted to have become wiser through converse with Pericles ; as I can tell you that Pythodorus son of Isolochus , and Callias , son of Calliades , became through that of Zeno ; each of them has paid Zeno a hundred minae , and has become both wise and distinguished .
Alc . Well , upon my word , I cannot .
Soc . Very good : then what is your intention regarding yourself ? Will you remain as you are , or take some trouble ?
119b
Alc . We must put our heads together , Socrates . And indeed , as soon as you speak , I take the point and agree . For the men who manage the city’s affairs , apart from a few , do strike me as uneducated .
Soc . Then what does that mean ?
Alc . That if they were educated , I suppose anyone who undertook to contend against them would have to get some knowledge and practice first , as he would for a match with athletes : but now , seeing that these men have gone in for politics as amateurs , what need is there for me to practise and have the trouble of learning ?
119c
For I am sure that my natural powers alone will give me an easy victory over them .
Soc . Ho , ho , my good sir , what a thing to say ! How unworthy of your looks and your other advantages !
Alc . What is your meaning now , Socrates ? What is the connection ?
Soc . I am grieved for you , and for my love .
Alc . Why , pray ?
Soc . That you should expect your contest to be with the men we have here .
Alc . Well , but with whom is it to be ?
Soc . Is that a worthy question to be asked by a man who considers himself high-spirited ?
119d
Alc . How do you mean ? Is not my contest with these men ?
Soc . Well , suppose you were intending to steer a warship into action , would you be content to be the best hand among the crew at steering or , while regarding this skill as a necessary qualification , would you keep your eye on your actual opponents in the fight , and not , as now , on your fellow-fighters ? These , I conceive , you ought so far to surpass that they would not feel fit to be your opponents , but only
119e
to be your despised fellow-fighters against the enemy , if you mean really to make your mark with some noble action that will be worthy both of yourself and of the city .
Alc . Why , I do mean to .
Soc . So you think it quite fitting for you to be satisfied if you are better than the soldiers , but neglect to keep your eye on the enemy’s leaders with a view to showing yourself better than they are , or to plan and practise against them !
120
120a
Alc . Of whom are you speaking now , Socrates ?
Soc . Do you not know that our city makes war occasionally on the Spartans and on the Great King ?
Alc . That is true .
Soc . And if you are minded to be the head of our state , you would be right in thinking that your contest is with the kings of Sparta and of Persia ?
Alc . That sounds like the truth .
Soc . No , my good friend ; you ought rather to keep your eye on Meidias
120b
the quail-filliper and others of his sort—who undertake to manage the city’s affairs , while they still have the slavish hair ( as the women would say ) showing in their minds through their lack of culture , and have not yet got rid of it ; who , moreover , have come with their outlandish speech to flatter the state , not to rule it—to these , I tell you , should your eyes be turned ; and then you can disregard yourself , and need neither learn what is to be learnt for the great contest in which you are to be engaged , nor practise
120c
what requires practice , and so ensure that you are perfectly prepared before entering upon a political career .
Alc . Why , Socrates , I believe you are right ; though I think neither the Spartan generals nor the Persian king are at all different from other people .
Soc . But , my excellent friend , consider what this notion of yours means .
Alc . In regard to what ?
Soc . First of all , do you think you would take more pains over yourself
120d
if you feared them and thought them terrible , or if you did not ?
Alc . Clearly , if I thought them terrible .
Soc . And do you think you will come to any harm by taking pains over yourself ?
Alc . By no means ; rather that I shall get much benefit .
Soc . And on this single count that notion of yours is so much to the bad .
Alc . True .
Soc . Then , in the second place , observe the probability that it is false .
Alc . How so ?
Soc . Is it probable that noble races should produce
120e
better natures , or not ?
Alc . Clearly , noble races would .
Soc . And will not the well-born , provided they are well brought up , probably be perfected in virtue ?
Alc . That must be so .
Soc . Then let us consider , by comparing our lot with theirs , whether the Spartan and Persian kings appear to be of inferior birth . Do we not know that the former are descendants of Hercules and the latter of Achaemenes , and that the line of Hercules and the line of Achaemenes go back to Perseus , son of Zeus ?
121
121a
Alc . Yes , and mine , Socrates , to Eurysaces , and that of Eurysaces to Zeus !
119a
Soc . But tell me of any other Athenian or foreigner , slave or freeman , who is accounted to have become wiser through converse with Pericles ; as I can tell you that Pythodorus son of Isolochus , and Callias , son of Calliades , became through that of Zeno ; each of them has paid Zeno a hundred minae , and has become both wise and distinguished .
Alc . Well , upon my word , I cannot .
Soc . Very good : then what is your intention regarding yourself ? Will you remain as you are , or take some trouble ?
119b
Alc . We must put our heads together , Socrates . And indeed , as soon as you speak , I take the point and agree . For the men who manage the city’s affairs , apart from a few , do strike me as uneducated .
Soc . Then what does that mean ?
Alc . That if they were educated , I suppose anyone who undertook to contend against them would have to get some knowledge and practice first , as he would for a match with athletes : but now , seeing that these men have gone in for politics as amateurs , what need is there for me to practise and have the trouble of learning ?
119c
For I am sure that my natural powers alone will give me an easy victory over them .
Soc . Ho , ho , my good sir , what a thing to say ! How unworthy of your looks and your other advantages !
Alc . What is your meaning now , Socrates ? What is the connection ?
Soc . I am grieved for you , and for my love .
Alc . Why , pray ?
Soc . That you should expect your contest to be with the men we have here .
Alc . Well , but with whom is it to be ?
Soc . Is that a worthy question to be asked by a man who considers himself high-spirited ?
119d
Alc . How do you mean ? Is not my contest with these men ?
Soc . Well , suppose you were intending to steer a warship into action , would you be content to be the best hand among the crew at steering or , while regarding this skill as a necessary qualification , would you keep your eye on your actual opponents in the fight , and not , as now , on your fellow-fighters ? These , I conceive , you ought so far to surpass that they would not feel fit to be your opponents , but only
119e
to be your despised fellow-fighters against the enemy , if you mean really to make your mark with some noble action that will be worthy both of yourself and of the city .
Alc . Why , I do mean to .
Soc . So you think it quite fitting for you to be satisfied if you are better than the soldiers , but neglect to keep your eye on the enemy’s leaders with a view to showing yourself better than they are , or to plan and practise against them !
120
120a
Alc . Of whom are you speaking now , Socrates ?
Soc . Do you not know that our city makes war occasionally on the Spartans and on the Great King ?
Alc . That is true .
Soc . And if you are minded to be the head of our state , you would be right in thinking that your contest is with the kings of Sparta and of Persia ?
Alc . That sounds like the truth .
Soc . No , my good friend ; you ought rather to keep your eye on Meidias
120b
the quail-filliper and others of his sort—who undertake to manage the city’s affairs , while they still have the slavish hair ( as the women would say ) showing in their minds through their lack of culture , and have not yet got rid of it ; who , moreover , have come with their outlandish speech to flatter the state , not to rule it—to these , I tell you , should your eyes be turned ; and then you can disregard yourself , and need neither learn what is to be learnt for the great contest in which you are to be engaged , nor practise
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what requires practice , and so ensure that you are perfectly prepared before entering upon a political career .
Alc . Why , Socrates , I believe you are right ; though I think neither the Spartan generals nor the Persian king are at all different from other people .
Soc . But , my excellent friend , consider what this notion of yours means .
Alc . In regard to what ?
Soc . First of all , do you think you would take more pains over yourself
120d
if you feared them and thought them terrible , or if you did not ?
Alc . Clearly , if I thought them terrible .
Soc . And do you think you will come to any harm by taking pains over yourself ?
Alc . By no means ; rather that I shall get much benefit .
Soc . And on this single count that notion of yours is so much to the bad .
Alc . True .
Soc . Then , in the second place , observe the probability that it is false .
Alc . How so ?
Soc . Is it probable that noble races should produce
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better natures , or not ?
Alc . Clearly , noble races would .
Soc . And will not the well-born , provided they are well brought up , probably be perfected in virtue ?
Alc . That must be so .
Soc . Then let us consider , by comparing our lot with theirs , whether the Spartan and Persian kings appear to be of inferior birth . Do we not know that the former are descendants of Hercules and the latter of Achaemenes , and that the line of Hercules and the line of Achaemenes go back to Perseus , son of Zeus ?
121
121a
Alc . Yes , and mine , Socrates , to Eurysaces , and that of Eurysaces to Zeus !