lysis,-or-friendship   

believe that he will come of his own accord; for he is fond of
listening, Socrates. And as this is the festival of the Hermaea, the
young men and boys are all together, and there is no separation
between them. He will be sure to come: but if he does not, Ctesippus
with whom he is familiar, and whose relation Menexenus is his great
friend, shall call him.
That will be the way, I said. Thereupon I led Ctesippus into the
Palaestra, and the rest followed.
Upon entering we found that the boys had just been sacrificing; and
this part of the festival was nearly at an end. They were all in their
white array, and games at dice were going on among them. Most of them
were in the outer court amusing themselves; but some were in a corner
of the Apodyterium playing at odd and even with a number of dice,
which they took out of little wicker baskets. There was also a circle
of lookers-on; among them was Lysis. He was standing with the other
boys and youths, having a crown upon his head, like a fair vision, and
not less worthy of praise for his goodness than for his beauty. We
left them, and went over to the opposite side of the room, where,
finding a quiet place, we sat down; and then we began to talk. This
attracted Lysis, who was constantly turning round to look at us -he
was evidently wanting to come to us. For a time he hesitated and had
not the courage to come alone; but first of all, his friend Menexenus,
leaving his play, entered the Palaestra from the court, and when he
saw Ctesippus and myself, was going to take a seat by us; and then
Lysis, seeing him, followed, and sat down by his side; and the other
boys joined. I should observe that Hippothales, when he saw the crowd,
got behind them, where he thought that he would be out of sight of
Lysis, lest he should anger him; and there he stood and listened.
I turned to Menexenus, and said: Son of Demophon, which of you two
youths is the elder?
That is a matter of dispute between us, he said.
And which is the nobler? Is that also a matter of dispute?
Yes, certainly.
And another disputed point is, which is the fairer?
The two boys laughed.
I shall not ask which is the richer of the two, I said; for you are
friends, are you not?
Certainly, they replied.
And friends have all things in common, so that one of you can be no
richer than the other, if you say truly that you are friends.
They assented. I was about to ask which was the juster of the two, and
which was the wiser of the two; but at this moment Menexenus was
called away by some one who came and said that the gymnastic-master
wanted him. I supposed that he had to offer sacrifice. So he went
away, and I asked Lysis some more questions. I dare say, Lysis, I
said, that your father and mother love you very much.
Certainly, he said.
And they would wish you to be perfectly happy.
Yes.
But do you think that any one is happy who is in the condition of a
slave, and who cannot do what he likes?
I should think not indeed, he said.
And if your father and mother love you, and desire that you should be
happy, no one can doubt that they are very ready to promote your
happiness.
Certainly, he replied.
And do they then permit you to do what you like, and never rebuke you
or hinder you from doing what you desire?
Yes, indeed, Socrates; there are a great many things which they hinder
me from doing.
What do you mean? I said. Do they want you to be happy, and yet hinder
you from doing what you like? For example, if you want to mount one of
your father's chariots, and take the reins at a race, they will not
allow you to do so-they will prevent you?