meno   

Soc. Good; and is not a space of eight feet twice the size of

this, and half the size of the other?

Boy. Certainly.

Soc. Such a space, then, will be made out of a line greater than

this one, and less than that one?

Boy. Yes; I think so.

Soc. Very good; I like to hear you say what you think. And now

tell me, is not this a line of two feet and that of four?

Boy. Yes.

Soc. Then the line which forms the side of eight feet ought to be

more than this line of two feet, and less than the other of four feet?

Boy. It ought.

Soc. Try and see if you can tell me how much it will be.

Boy. Three feet.

Soc. Then if we add a half to this line of two, that will be the

line of three. Here are two and there is one; and on the other side,

here are two also and there is one: and that makes the figure of which

you speak?

Boy. Yes.

Soc. But if there are three feet this way and three feet that way,

the whole space will be three times three feet?

Boy. That is evident.

Soc. And how much are three times three feet?

Boy. Nine.

Soc. And how much is the double of four?

Boy. Eight.

Soc. Then the figure of eight is not made out of a of three?

Boy. No.

Soc. But from what line?-tell me exactly; and if you would rather

not reckon, try and show me the line.

Boy. Indeed, Socrates, I do not know.

Soc. Do you see, Meno, what advances he has made in his power of