Memorabilia

But Socrates, aware that he was pleased with his approbation, went on to say: Tell me, Euthydemus, what kind of goodness do you want to get by collecting these books?And as Euthydemus was silent, considering what answer to give, Possibly you want to be a doctor? he guessed: Medical treatises alone make a large collection.Oh no, not at all.But perhaps you wish to be an architect? One needs a well-stored mind for that too.No, indeed I don’t.Well, perhaps you want to be a good mathematician, like Theodorus?[*](Theodorus of Cyrene, who is one of the characters in the Theaetetus of Plato.)No, not that either.Well, perhaps you want to be an astronomer? And as he again said no, Perhaps a rhapsodist, then? They tell me you have a complete copy of Homer.Oh no, not at all; for your rhapsodists, I know, are consummate as reciters, but they are very silly fellows themselves.Then Socrates exclaimed:

Surely, Euthydemus, you don’t covet the kind of excellence that makes good statesmen and managers, competent rulers and benefactors of themselves and mankind in general?Yes, I do, Socrates, answered Euthydemus, that kind of excellence I greatly desire.Why, cried Socrates, it is the noblest kind of excellence, the greatest of arts that you covet, for it belongs to kings and is dubbed kingly. However, he added, have you reflected whether it be possible to excel in these matters without being a just man?Yes, certainly; and it is, in fact, impossible to be a good citizen without justice.

Then tell me, have you got that?Yes, Socrates, I think I can show myself to be as just as any man.And have just men, like carpenters, their works?Yes, they have.And as carpenters can point out their works, should just men be able to rehearse theirs?Do you suppose, retorted Euthydemus, that I am unable to rehearse the works of justice? Of course I can, — and the works of injustice too, since there are many opportunities of seeing and hearing of them every day.

I propose, then, that we write J in this column and I in that, and then proceed to place under these letters, J and I, what we take to be the works of justice and injustice respectively.Do so, if you think it helps at all.Having written down the letters as he proposed, Socrates went on:

Lying occurs among men, does it not?Yes, it does.Under which heading, then, are we to put that?Under the heading of injustice, clearly.Deceit, too, is found, is it not?Certainly.Under which heading will that go?Under injustice again, of course.What about doing mischief?That too.Selling into slavery?That too.Then we shall assign none of these things to justice, Euthydemus?No, it would be monstrous to do so.

Now suppose a man who has been elected general enslaves an unjust and hostile city, shall we say that he acts unjustly?Oh no!We shall say that his actions are just, shall we not?Certainly.And what if he deceives the enemy when at war?[*](Cyropaedia I, vi. 31, VI. i. 55.)That too is just.And if he steals and plunders their goods, will not his actions be just?Certainly; but at first I assumed that your questions had reference only to friends.Then everything that we assigned to injustice should be assigned to justice also?Apparently.

Then I propose to revise our classification, and to say: It is just to do such things to enemies, but it is unjust to do them to friends, towards whom one’s conduct should be scrupulously honest.By all means.