the memorabilia-第34章
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good）？ or is it anything else？〃
Nothing else （he answered）。
Soc。 It would seem to follow that the beneficial is good relatively to
him to whom it is beneficial？
That is how it appears to me （he answered）。
Soc。 And the beautiful： can we speak of a thing as beautiful in any
other way than relatively？ or can you name any beautiful thing； body；
vessel； or whatever it be； which you know of as universally
beautiful？＇26＇
＇26＇ i。e。 〃beautiful in all relations into which it enters。〃 Reading
｛to de kalon ekhoimen an pos allos eipein e estin onomazein kalon
e soma e skeuos e all' otioun； o oistha pros tanta kalon on； Ma
Di'； ouk egog'； ephe｝。 For other emendations of the vulg。； and the
many interpretations which have been given to the passage； see R。
Kuhner ad loc。
Euth。 I confess I do not know of any such myself。＇27＇
＇27＇ Or； adopting the reading ｛ekhois an｝ in place of ｛ekhoimen an｝
above； translate 〃I certainly cannot； I confess。〃
Soc。 I presume to turn a thing to its proper use is to apply it
beautifully？
Euth。 Undoubtedly it is a beautiful appliance。＇28＇
＇28＇ Or； 〃I presume it is well and good and beautiful to use this；
that； and the other thing for the purpose for which the particular
thing is useful？〃〃That nobody can deny （he answered）。〃 It is
impossible to convey simply the verbal play and the quasi…
argumentative force of the Greek ｛kalos ekhei pros ti tini
khresthai｝。 See K。 Joel； p。 426。
Soc。 And is this； that； and the other thing beautiful for aught else
except that to which it may be beautifully applied？
Euth。 No single thing else。
Soc。 It would seem that the useful is beautiful relatively to that for
which it is of use？
So it appears to me （he answered）。
Soc。 And what of courage；＇29＇ Euthydemus？ I presume you rank courage
among things beautiful？ It is a noble quality？＇30＇
＇29＇ Or； perhaps better； 〃fortitude。〃 See H。 Sidgwick； 〃Hist。 of
Ethics；〃 p。 43。
＇30＇ It is one of ｛ta kala｝。 See K。 Joel； ib。 p。 325； and in reference
to the definitions of the Good and of the Beautiful； ib。 p。 425
foll。
Nay； one of the most noble （he answered）。
Soc。 It seems that you regard courage as useful to no mean end？
Euth。 Nay； rather the greatest of all ends； God knows。
Soc。 Possibly in face of terrors and dangers you would consider it an
advantage to be ignorant of them？
Certainly not （he answered）。
Soc。 It seems that those who have no fear in face of dangers； simply
because they do not know what they are； are not courageous？
Most true （he answered）； or； by the same showing； a large proportion
of madmen and cowards would be courageous。
Soc。 Well； and what of those who are in dread of things which are not
dreadful； are they
Euth。 Courageous； Socrates？still less so than the former； goodness
knows。
Soc。 Possibly； then； you would deem those who are good in the face of
terrors and dangers to be courageous； and those who are bad in the
face of the same to be cowards？
Certainly I should （he answered）。
Soc。 And can you suppose any other people to be good in respect of
such things except those who are able to cope with them and turn them
to noble account？＇31＇
＇31＇ ｛kalos khresthai｝； lit。 〃make a beautiful use of them。〃
No； these and these alone （he answered）。
Soc。 And those people who are of a kind to cope but badly with the
same occurrences； it would seem； are bad？
Who else； if not they？ （he asked）。
Soc。 May it be that both one and the other class do use these
circumstances as they think they must and should？＇32＇
＇32＇ Or； 〃feel bound and constrained to do。〃
Why； how else should they deal with them？ （he asked）。
Soc。 Can it be said that those who are unable to cope well with them
or to turn them to noble account know how they must and should deal
with them？＇33＇
＇33＇ Or； 〃Can it be said that those who are unable to cope nobly with
their perilous surroundings know how they ought to deal with
them？〃
I presume not （he answered）。
Soc。 It would seem to follow that those who have the knowledge how to
behave are also those who have the power？＇34＇
＇34＇ 〃He who kens can。〃
Yes； these； and these alone （he said）。
Soc。 Well； but now； what of those who have made no egregious blunder
（in the matter）； can it be they cope ill with the things and
circumstances we are discussing？
I think not （he answered）。
Soc。 It would seem； conversely； that they who cope ill have made some
egregious blunder？
Euth。 Probably； indeed； it would appear to follow。
Soc。 It would seem； then； that those who know＇35＇ how to cope with
terrors and dangers well and nobly are courageous； and those who fail
utterly of this are cowards？
＇35＇ 〃Who have the ｛episteme｝。〃
So I judge them to be （he answered）。＇36＇
＇36＇ N。B。For this definition of courage see Plat。 〃Laches；〃 195 A
and passim； K。 Joel； op。 cit。 p。 325 foll。
A kingdom and a tyrrany＇37＇ were； he opined； both of them forms of
government； but forms which differed from one another； in his belief；
a kingdom was a government over willing men in accordance with civil
law； whereas a tyranny implied the government over unwilling subjects
not according to law； but so as to suit the whims and wishes of the
ruler。
＇37＇ Or； 〃despotism。〃
There were； moreover； three forms of citizenship or polity； in the
case where the magistrates were appointed from those who discharged
the obligations prescribed by law； he held the polity to be an
aristocracy （or rule of the best）；＇38＇ where the title to office
depended on rateable property； it was a plutocracy （or rule of
wealth）； and lastly； where all the citizens without distinction held
the reins of office； that was a democracy （or rule of the people）。
＇38＇ Or； 〃in which the due discharge of lawful （law…appointed）
obligations gave the title to magisterial office and government；
this form of polity he held to be an aristocracy （or rule of the
best）。〃 See Newman； op。 cit。 i。 212； 235。
Let me explain his method of reply where the disputant had no clear
statement to make； but without attempt at proof chose to contend that
such or such a person named by himself was wiser； or more of a
statesman； or more courageous； and so forth； than some other
person。＇39＇ Socrates had a way of bringing the whole discussion back
to the underlying proposition；＇40＇ as thus：
＇39＇ Or； 〃if any one encountered him in argument about any topic or
person without any clear statement； but a mere ipse dixit； devoid
of demonstration； that so and so；〃 etc。
＇40＇ Or； 〃question at bottom。〃 Cf。 Plat。 〃Laws；〃 949 B。
Soc。 You state that so and so； whom you admire； is a better citizen
that this other whom I admire？
The Disputant。 Yes； I repeat the assertion。
Soc。 But would it not have been better to inquire first what is the
work or function of a good citizen？
The Disputant。 Let us do so。
Soc。 To begin； then； with the matter of expenditure： his superiority
will be shown by his increasing the resources and lightening the
expenditure of the state？＇41＇
＇41＇ Or； 〃In the management of moneys； then； his strength will consist
in his rendering the state better provided with ways and means？〃
Certainly （the disputant would answer）。
Soc。 And in the event of war； by rendering his state superior to her
antagonists？
The Disputant。 Clearly。
Soc。 Or on an embassy as a diplomatist； I presume； by securing friends
in place of enemies？
That I should imagine （replies the disputant）。
Soc。 Well； and in parliamentary debate； by putting a stop to party
strife and fostering civic concord？
The Disputant。 That is my opinion。
By this method of bringing back the argument to its true starting…
point； even the disputant himself would be affected and the truth
become manifest to his mind。
His ownthat is； the Socraticmethod of conducting a rational
discussion＇42＇ was to proceed step by step from one point of general
agreement to another： 〃Herein lay the real security of reasoning；〃＇43＇
he would say； and for this reason he was more successful in winning
the common assent of his hearers than any one I ever knew。 He had a
saying that Homer had conferred on Odyesseus the title of a safe；
unerring orator；＇44＇ because he had the gift to lead the discussion
from one commonly accepted opinion to another。
＇42＇ Of； 〃of threading the mazes of an argument。〃
＇43＇ Reading ｛tauton asphaleian｝； aliter。 ｛tauten ten asphaleian｝ =
〃that this security was part and parcel of reasoning。〃
＇44＇ 〃Od。〃 viii。 171； ｛o d' asphaleos agoreuei｝； 〃and his speech runs
surely on its way〃 （Butcher and Lang）； where Odysseus is
describing himself。 Cf。 Dion。 Hal。 〃de Arte Rhet。〃 xi。 8。
VII
The frankness and simplicity with which Socrates endeavoured to
declare his own opinions； in dealing with those who conversed with
him；＇1＇ is； I think； conclusively proved by the above instances； at
the same time； as I hope now to show； he was no less eager to
cultivate a spirit of independence in others； which would enable them
to stand alone in all transactions suited to their powers。
＇1＇ Or； 〃who frequented his society； is； I hope； clear from what has
been said。〃
Of all the men I have ever known； he was most anxious to ascertain in
what any of those about him was really versed； and within the range of
his own knowledge he showed the greatest zeal in teaching everything
which it befits the true gentleman＇2＇ to know； or where he was
deficient in knowledge himself；＇3＇ he would introduce his friends to
those who knew。＇4＇ He did not fail to teach them also up to what point
it was proper for an educated man to acquire empiric knowledge of any
particular matter。＇5＇
＇2＇ Lit。 〃a beautiful and good man。〃
＇3＇ Or； 〃where he lacked acquaintance with the matter himself。〃 See；
for an instance； 〃Econ。〃 iii。 14。
＇4＇ 〃To those who had the special knowledge〃； 〃a connoisseur in the
matter。〃
＇5＇ Or； 〃of any particular branch of learning〃； 〃in each department of
things。〃
To take geometry as an instance： Every one （he would say） ought to be
taught geometry so far； at any rate； as to be able； if necessary； to
take over or part with a piece of land； or to divide it up or assign a
portion of it for cultivation；＇6＇ and in every case by geometric
rule。＇7＇ That amount of geometry was so simple indeed； and easy to
learn； that it only needed ordinary application of the mind to the
method of mensuration； and the student could at once ascertain the
size of the piece of land； and； with the satisfaction of knowing its
measurement； depart in peace。 But he was unable to approve of the
pursuit of geometry up to the point at which it became a study of
unintelligible diagrams。＇8＇ What the use of these might be； he failed；
he said； to see； and yet he was not unversed in these recondite
matters himself。＇9＇ These things； he would say； were enough to wear
out a man's life； and to hinder him from many other more useful
studies。＇10＇
＇6＇ ｛e ergon apodeixasthai｝； or 〃and to explain the process。〃 Cf。
Plat。 〃Rep。〃 vii。 528 D。 See R。 Kuhner ad loc。 for other
interpretations of the phrase。 Cf。 Max。 Tyr。 xxxvii。 7。
＇7＇ Or
