[11] Nicias.
[12] Of, 'off-hand.' See 'Mem.' III. vi. 9; Plat. 'Theaet.' 142 D.
You have not forgotten (interposed Antisthenes), perhaps, that besides yourself there is not a rhapsodist who does not know these epics?
Forgotten! is it likely (he replied), considering I had to listen to them almost daily?
Ant. And did you ever come across a sillier tribe of people than these same rhapsodists?[13]
[13] Cf. 'Mem.' IV. ii. 10.
Nic. Not I, indeed. Don't ask me to defend their wits.
It is plain (suggested Socrates), they do not know the underlying meaning.[14] But you, Niceratus, have paid large sums of money to Anaximander, and Stesimbrotus, and many others,[15] so that no single point in all that costly lore is lost upon you.[16] But what (he added, turning to Critobulus) do you most pride yourself upon?
[14] i.e. 'they haven't the key (of knowledge) to the allegorical or spiritual meaning of the sacred text.' Cf. Plat. 'Crat.' 407; 'Ion,' 534; 'Rep.' 378, 387; 'Theaet.' 180; 'Prot.' 316. See Grote, 'H. G.' i. 564.
[15] See Aristot. 'Rhet.' iii. 11, 13. 'Or we may describe Niceratus [not improbably our friend] as a 'Philoctetes stung by Pratys,' using the simile of Thrasymachus when he saw Niceratus after his defeat by Pratys in the rhapsody with his hair still dishevelled and his face unwashed.'--Welldon. As to Stesimbrotus, see Plat. 'Ion,' 530: 'Ion. Very true, Socrates; interpretation has certainly been the most laborious part of my art; and I believe myself able to speak about Homer better than any man; and that neither Metrodorus of Lampsacus, nor Stesimbrotus of Thasos, nor Glaucon, nor any one else who ever was, had as good ideas about Homer, or as many of them, as I have.'--Jowett. Anaximander, probably of Lampsacus, the author of a {'Erologia}; see Cobet, 'Pros. Xen.' p. 8.
[16] Or, 'you will not have forgotten one point of all that precious teaching.' Like Sir John Falstaff's page (2 'Henry IV.' ii. 2. 100), Niceratus, no doubt, has got many 'a crown's worth of good interpretations.'
On beauty (answered Critobulus).
What (Socrates rejoined), shall you be able to maintain that by your beauty you can make us better?
Crit. That will I, or prove myself a shabby sort of person.
Soc. Well, and what is it you pride yourself upon, Antisthenes?
On wealth (he answered).
Whereupon Hermogenes inquired: Had he then a large amount of money?[17]
[17] i.e. 'out at interest,' or, 'in the funds,' as we should say.
Not one sixpence:[18] that I swear to you (he answered).
[18] Lit. 'not an obol' = 'a threepenny bit,' circa.
Herm. Then you possess large property in land?
Ant. Enough, I daresay, for the youngster there, Autolycus, to dust himself withal.[19]
[19] i.e. 'to sprinkle himself with sand, after anointing.' Cf. Lucian, xxxviii., 'Amor.' 45.
Well, we will lend you our ears, when your turn comes (exclaimed the others).
Soc. And do you now tell us, Charmides, on what you pride yourself.
Oh, I, for my part, pride myself on poverty (he answered).
Upon my word, a charming business! (exclaimed Socrates). Poverty! of all things the least liable to envy; seldom, if ever, an object of contention;[20] never guarded, yet always safe; the more you starve it, the stronger it grows.
[20] Cf. Plat. 'Rep.' 521 A; 'Laws,' 678 C.
And you, Socrates, yourself (their host demanded), what is it you pride yourself upon?
Then he, with knitted brows, quite solemnly: On pandering.[21] And when they laughed to hear him say this, [22] he continued: Laugh to your hearts content, my friends; but I am certain I could make a fortune, if I chose to practise this same art.
[21] Or, more politely, 'on playing the go-between.' See Grote, 'H. G.' viii. 457, on the 'extremely Aristophanic' character of the 'Symposium' of Xenophon.
[22] 'Him, the master, thus declare himself.'
At this point Lycon, turning to Philippus: We need not ask you what you take the chiefest pride in. What can it be, you laughter-making man, except to set folk laughing?
Yes (he answered), and with better right, I fancy, than Callippides,[23] the actor, who struts and gives himself such pompous airs, to think that he alone can set the crowds a-weeping in the theatre.[24]
[23] For illustrative tales about him see Plut. 'Ages.' xxi.; 'Alcib.' xxxii.; Polyaen. vi. 10. Cf. 'Hell.' IV. viii. 16.
[24] Or, 'set for their sins a-weeping.'
And now you, Lycon, tell us, won't you (asked Antisthenes), what it is you take the greatest pride in?
You all of you, I fancy, know already what that is (the father answered); it is in my son here.
And the lad himself (some one suggested) doubtless prides himself, beyond all else, on having won the prize of victory.
At that Autolycus (and as he spoke he blushed) answered for himself:[25] No indeed, not I.
[25] Cf. Plat. 'Charm.' 158 C.
The company were charmed to hear him speak, and turned and looked; and some one asked: On what is it then, Autolycus?
To which he answered: On my father (and leaned closer towards him).
At which sight Callias, turning to the father: Do you know you are the richest man in the whole world, Lycon?
To which Lycon: Really, I was not aware of that before.
Then Callias: Why then, it has escaped you that you would refuse the whole of Persia's wealth,[26] in exchange for your own son.
[26] Lit. 'of the Great King.' Cf. 'Cyrop.' VIII. iii. 26.
Most true (he answered), I plead guilty; here and now I am convicted[27] of being the wealthiest man in all the world!
[27] 'Caught flagrante delicto. I do admit I do out-Croesus Croesus.'
And you, Hermogenes, on what do you plume yourself most highly? (asked Niceratus).
On the virtue and the power of my friends (he answered), and that being what they are, they care for me.
At this remark they turned their eyes upon the speaker, and several spoke together, asking: Will you make them known to us?
I shall be very happy (he replied).
IV
At this point, Socrates took up the conversation: It now devolves on us to prove in turn that what we each have undertaken to defend is really valuable.
Then Callias: Be pleased to listen to me first: My case is this, that while the rest of you go on debating what justice and uprightness are,[1] I spend my time in making men more just and upright.
[1] {to to dikaion}; cf. 'Mem.' IV. iv.
Soc. And how do you do that, good sir?
Call. By giving money, to be sure.
Antisthenes sprang to his feet at once, and with the manner of a cross-examiner demanded: Do human beings seem to you to harbour justice in their souls, or in their purses,[2] Callias?
[2] Or, 'pockets.'
Call. In their souls.
Ant. And do you pretend to make their souls more righteous by putting money in their pockets?
Call. Undoubtedly.
Ant. Pray how?
Call. In this way. When they know that they are furnished with the means, that is to say, my money, to buy necessaries, they would rather not incur the risk of evil-doing, and why should they?
Ant. And pray, do they repay you these same moneys?
Call. I cannot say they do.
