meno   

Soc. And if one side of the figure be of two feet, and the other

side be of two feet, how much will the whole be? Let me explain: if in

one direction the space was of two feet, and in other direction of one

foot, the whole would be of two feet taken once?

Boy. Yes.

Soc. But since this side is also of two feet, there are twice two

feet?

Boy. There are.

Soc. Then the square is of twice two feet?

Boy. Yes.

Soc. And how many are twice two feet? count and tell me.

Boy. Four, Socrates.

Soc. And might there not be another square twice as large as this,

and having like this the lines equal?

Boy. Yes.

Soc. And of how many feet will that be?

Boy. Of eight feet.

Soc. And now try and tell me the length of the line which forms

the side of that double square: this is two feet-what will that be?

Boy. Clearly, Socrates, it will be double.

Soc. Do you observe, Meno, that I am not teaching the boy

anything, but only asking him questions; and now he fancies that he

knows how long a line is necessary in order to produce a figure of

eight square feet; does he not?

Men. Yes.

Soc. And does he really know?

Men. Certainly not.

Soc. He only guesses that because the square is double, the line

is double.

Men. True.

Soc. Observe him while he recalls the steps in regular order. (To

the Boy.) Tell me, boy, do you assert that a double space comes from a