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euthydemus   
Certainly, Socrates, said Dionysodorus; our art will do both.
And you and your brother, Dionysodorus, I said, of all men who are now
living are the most likely to stimulate him to philosophy and to the
study of virtue?
Yes, Socrates, I rather think that we are.
Then I wish that you would be so good as to defer the other part of
the exhibition, and only try to persuade the youth whom you see here
that he ought to be a philosopher and study virtue. Exhibit that, and
you will confer a great favour on me and on every one present; for the
fact is I and all of us are extremely anxious that he should become
truly good. His name is Cleinias, and he is the son of Axiochus, and
grandson of the old Alcibiades, cousin of the Alcibiades that now is.
He is quite young, and we are naturally afraid that some one may get
the start of us, and turn his mind in a wrong direction, and he may be
ruined. Your visit, therefore, is most happily timed; and I hope that
you will make a trial of the young man, and converse with him in our
presence, if you have no objection.
These were pretty nearly the expressions which I used; and Euthydemus,
in a manly and at the same time encouraging tone, replied: There can
be no objection, Socrates, if the young man is only willing to answer
questions.
He is quite accustomed to do so, I replied; for his friends often come
and ask him questions and argue with him; and therefore he is quite at
home in answering.
What followed, Crito, how can I rightly narrate? For not slight is the
task of rehearsing infinite wisdom, and therefore, like the poets, I
ought to commence my relation with an invocation to Memory and the
Muses. Now Euthydemus, if I remember rightly, began nearly as follows:
O Cleinias, are those who learn the wise or the ignorant?
The youth, overpowered by the question blushed, and in his perplexity
looked at me for help; and I, knowing that he was disconcerted, said:
Take courage, Cleinias, and answer like a man whichever you think; for
my belief is that you will derive the greatest benefit from their
questions.
Whichever he answers, said Dionysodorus, leaning forward so as to
catch my ear, his face beaming with laughter, I prophesy that he will
be refuted, Socrates.
While he was speaking to me, Cleinias gave his answer: and therefore I
had no time to warn him of the predicament in which he was placed, and
he answered that those who learned were the wise.
Euthydemus proceeded: There are some whom you would call teachers, are
there not?
The boy assented.
And they are the teachers of those who learn-the grammar-master and
the lyre master used to teach you and other boys; and you were the
learners?
Yes.
And when you were learners you did not as yet know the things which
you were learning?
No, he said.
And were you wise then?
No, indeed, he said.
But if you were not wise you were unlearned?
Certainly.
You then, learning what you did not know, were unlearned when you were
learning?
The youth nodded assent.
Then the unlearned learn, and not the wise, Cleinias, as you imagine.
At these words the followers of Euthydemus, of whom I spoke, like a
chorus at the bidding of their director, laughed and cheered. Then,
before the youth had time to recover his breath, Dionysodorus cleverly
took him in hand, and said: Yes, Cleinias; and when the grammar master
dictated anything to you, were they the wise boys or the unlearned who
learned the dictation?
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