the memorabilia-第4章
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Palaestra is so assured of victory that he neglects his training； thus
he presently forgot the duty which he owed himself。
＇12＇ Cf。 ＇Plat。＇ 〃Theag。〃 130 A。
＇13＇ See 〃Hell。〃 II。 iii。 36。
＇14＇ Cf。 Plut。 〃Ages。；〃 〃Alcib。〃
Such were the misadventures of these two。 Is the sequel extraordinary？
Inflated with the pride of ancestry；＇15＇ exalted by their wealth；
puffed up by power； sapped to the soul's core by a host of human
tempters； separate moreover for many a long day from Socrateswhat
wonder that they reached the full stature of arrogancy！ And for the
offences of these two Socrates is to be held responsible！ The accuser
will have it so。 But for the fact that in early days； when they were
both young and of an age when dereliction from good feeling and self…
restraint might have been expected； this same Socrates kept them
modest and well…behaved； not one word of praise is uttered by the
accuser for all this。 That is not the measure of justice elsewhere
meted。 Would a master of the harp or flute； would a teacher of any
sort who has turned out proficient pupils； be held to account because
one of them goes away to another teacher and turns out to be a
failure？ Or what father； if he have a son who in the society of a
certain friend remains an honest lad； but falling into the company of
some other becomes a good…for…nothing； will that father straightway
accuse the earlier instructor？ Will not he rather； in proportion as
the boy deteriorates in the company of the latter； bestow more
heartfelt praise upon the former？ What father； himself sharing the
society of his own children； is held to blame for their
transgressions； if only his own goodness be established？ Here would
have been a fair test to apply to Socrates： Was he guilty of any base
conduct himself？ If so let him be set down as a knave； but if； on the
contrary； he never faltered in sobriety from beginning to end； how in
the name of justice is he to be held to account for a baseness which
was not in him？
＇15＇ Or； 〃became overweening in arrogance。〃 Cf。 〃Henry VIII。 II。 iv。
110〃： 〃But your heart is crammed with arrogancy； spleen； and
pride。〃
I go further： if； short of being guilty of any wrong himself； he saw
the evil doings of others with approval； reason were he should be held
blameworthy。 Listen then： Socrates was well aware that Critias was
attached to Euthydemus；＇16＇ aware too that he was endeavouring to deal
by him after the manner of those wantons whose love is carnal of the
body。 From this endeavour he tried to deter him； pointing out how
illiberal a thing it was； how ill befitting a man of honour to appear
as a beggar before him whom he loved； in whose eyes he would fain be
precious； ever petitioning for something base to give and base to get。
＇16＇ See below； IV。 ii。 1 （if the same person）。
But when this reasoning fell on deaf ears and Critias refused to be
turned aside； Socrates； as the story goes； took occasion of the
presence of a whole company and of Euthydemus to remark that Critias
appeared to be suffering from a swinish affection； or else why this
desire to rub himself against Euthydemus like a herd of piglings
scraping against stones。
The hatred of Critias to Socrates doubtless dates from this incident。
He treasured it up against him； and afterwards； when he was one of the
Thirty and associated with Charicles as their official lawgiver；＇17＇
he framed the law against teaching the art of words＇18＇ merely from a
desire to vilify Socrates。 He was at a loss to know how else to lay
hold of him except by levelling against him the vulgar charge＇19＇
against philosophers； by which he hoped to prejudice him with the
public。 It was a charge quite unfounded as regards Socrates； if I may
judge from anything I ever heard fall from his lips myself or have
learnt about him from others。 But the animus of Critias was clear。 At
the time when the Thirty were putting citizens； highly respectable
citizens； to death wholesale； and when they were egging on one man
after another to the commission of crime； Socrates let fall an
observation： 〃It would be sufficiently extraordinary if the keeper of
a herd of cattle＇20＇ who was continually thinning and impoverishing
his cattle did not admit himself to be a sorry sort of herdsman； but
that a ruler of the state who was continually thinning and
impoverishing the citizens should neither be ashamed nor admit himself
to be a sorry sort of ruler was more extraordinary still。〃 The remark
being reported to the government； Socrates was summoned by Critias and
Charicles； who proceeded to point out the law and forbade him to
converse with the young。 〃Was it open to him；〃 Socrates inquired of
the speaker； 〃in case he failed to understand their commands in any
point； to ask for an explanation？〃
＇17＇ Lit。 〃Nomothetes。〃 See 〃Hell。〃 II。 iii。 2； Dem。 706。 For
Charicles see Lys。 〃c。 Eratosth。〃 S。 56； Aristot。 〃Pol。〃 v。 6。 6。
＇18＇ See Diog。 Laert。 II。 v。 （〃Socr。〃）
＇19＇ i。e。 ｛to ton etto logon kreitto poiein｝； 〃of making the worse
appear the better cause。〃 Cf。 Arist。 〃Clouds。〃
＇20＇ See Dio Chrys。 〃Or。〃 43。
〃Certainly；〃 the two assented。
Then Socrates： I am prepared to obey the laws； but to avoid
transgression of the law through ignorance I need instruction： is it
on the supposition that the art of words tends to correctness of
statement or to incorrectness that you bid us abstain from it？ for if
the former； it is clear we must abstain from speeking correctly； but
if the latter； our endeavour should be to amend our speech。
To which Charicles； in a fit of temper； retorted： In consideration of
your ignorance；＇21＇ Socrates； we will frame the prohibition in
language better suited to your intelligence： we forbid you to hold any
conversation whatsoever with the young。
＇21＇ See Aristot。 〃de Soph。 El。〃 183 b7。
Then Socrates： To avoid all ambiguity then； or the possibility of my
doing anything else than what you are pleased to command； may I ask
you to define up to what age a human being is to be considered young？
For just so long a time （Charicles answered） as he is debarred from
sitting as a member of the Council；＇22＇ as not having attained to the
maturity of wisdom； accordingly you will not hold converse with any
one under the age of thirty。
＇22＇ The Boule or Senate。 See W。 L。 Newman； 〃Pol。 Aristot。〃 i。 326。
Soc。 In making a purchase even； I am not to ask； what is the price of
this？ if the vendor is under the age of thirty？
Cha。 Tut； things of that sort： but you know； Socrates； that you have a
way of asking questions； when all the while you know how the matter
stands。 Let us have no questions of that sort。
Soc。 Nor answers either； I suppose； if the inquiry concerns what I
know； as； for instance； where does Charicles live？ or where is Critias
to be found？
Oh yes； of course； things of that kind （replied Charicles）； while
Critias added： But at the same time you had better have done with your
shoemakers； carpenters； and coppersmiths。＇23＇ These must be pretty
well trodden out at heel by this time； considering the circulation you
have given them。
＇23＇ Cf。 Plat。 〃Gorg。〃 491 A； 〃Symp。〃 221 E； Dio Chrys。 〃Or。〃 55； 560
D； 564 A。
Soc。 And am I to hold away from their attendant topics alsothe just；
the holy； and the like？
Most assuredly （answered Charicles）； and from cowherds in particular；
or else see that you do not lessen the number of the herd yourself。
Thus the secret was out。 The remark of Socrates about the cattle had
come to their ears； and they could not forgive the author of it。
Perhaps enough has been said to explain the kind of intimacy which had
subsisted between Critias and Socrates； and their relation to one
another。 But I will venture to maintain that where the teacher is not
pleasing to the pupil there is no education。 Now it cannot be said of
Critias and Alcibiades that they associated with Socrates because they
found him pleasing to them。 And this is true of the whole period。 From
the first their eyes were fixed on the headship of the state as their
final goal。 During the time of their imtimacy with Socrates there were
no disputants whom they were more eager to encounter
